Rate Decrease Recharges Mortgage Refinancing - 2004-03-19
U.S. mortgage refinancing recieved its biggest boost in more than a year last week from a sharp decrease in interest rates earlier this month, as homeowners, who may have missed out on last summer's record low rates acted to refinance.

"We just got a shot in the arm," said Bob Moulton, president of Americana Mortgage Group Inc., a mortgage broker in Manhasset, New York. "I had a lot of people sitting on the fence, and it (the rate drop) was a catalyst for them."
Read the full story at Reuters.com

Mortgage shortfall fears resurface - 2004-03-19
Thousands of home owners across the region are being asked to act now to avoid the developing mortgage disaster scenario.

Low cost endowments, which first appeared about 20 years ago, have not performed as was often promised.

The result is that people are facing the real prospect of significant cash shortfalls on maturity.

According to Dumfries MP Russell Brown the average is around £5,000.
Read the full story at The Galloway News