The Wall Street Journal reports that according to Freddie Mac, the average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage jumped to 6.43 percent from 6.35 percent this last week ending April 6, 2006.

Rates on 15-year fixed loans went from 6 percent to 6.10 percent, one-year adjustable mortgage rate rose from 5.51 percent to 5.57 percent, and five-year hybrid ARMs jumped from 6.02 percent to 6.11 percent.

The chief economist at Freddie Mac, Frank Nothaft, attributes the rise to economic growth and increasing energy prices. These have caused concerns about inflation.

Want to be able to park right outside your apartment? What if you live on the 10th floor? Why not!

An elevator, or carloft as they call it, can now take you and your car up to your apartment. No more parking in the garage and making your way to the elevator and then riding up. The entire apartment complex is built around being able to park your car on your balcony.

I liked this from Land+Living:

No longer are you required to park your Z8 alongside that wannabe with the M3 in the common underground garage of the central Berlin building where your sleek modernist loft is located. Now you drive straight on into the car elevator, push the button, and off you go into a Jetsonian futurama dream of parking your car outside your penthouse. The architects point out that safety and comfort are two of the major advantages that come with this garage concept. Unloading the groceries and the twins is now easier than ever (for the nanny), and your family is better protected from kidnapping or carjacking attempts (at home, if you only have one car…), which is why there seems to be a lot of interest from Israel and Russia for this idea.

A & V Enterprises Inc
5604 W Clearwater Ave
Kennewick, WA 99336

• (509) 783-8520

Jerry D Abrams Company CPM Inc
1060 Jadwin Ave
Richland, WA 99352

• (509) 943-8323

Boston Real Estate Associates
200 McDonald Dr
Pasco, WA 99301

• (509) 545-0450

Burke Realty
2420 W Court St
Pasco, WA 99301

• (509) 547-5509

Celski & Associates
5219 W Clearwater Ave Suite 12
Kennewick, WA 99336

• (509) 735-4148

Central Washington Realty & Insurance Inc
1108 Meade Ave
Prosser, WA 99350

• (509) 786-3418

Chapman Lampson Real Estate
623 6th St
Prosser, WA 99350

• (509) 786-0777

Clark Jennings & Associates Inc
1919 N 20th Av
Pasco, WA 99301

• (509) 547-9751

Desert Hills Realty Inc
1600 N 20th Ave
Pasco, WA 99301

• (509) 545-1495

Fortunato Inc
9602 Vincenzo Dr
Pasco, WA 99301

• (509) 545-6699

Frontier Brokers Inc
1910 Miller Ave
Prosser, WA 99350

• (509) 786-2978

Gibraltar- Tri Cities
8121 W Quinault Ave Suite A 102
Kennewick, WA 99336 - 8210

• (509) 735-4042

Great Rocky Mountain Pacific Realty
5211 W Clearwater Ave
Kennewick, WA 99336

• (509) 783-7373