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Freddie Mac's Weekly Primary Mortgage Market Survey Search In order to browse this site effectively, please enable Javascript in your browser. PMMS SM Resources Sign-up to participate in our weekly PMMS online survey! Syndicate PMMS data on your website. PMMS RSS Feed Historical PMMS Data Historical monthly PMMS data tables are available for each type of product in both HTML and Excel formats: 30-Year Fixed-Rate Historic Tables [ HTML ] [ Excel ] 15-Year Fixed-Rate Historic Tables [ HTML ] [ Excel ] 5-Year Adjustable-Rate Historic Tables [ HTML ] [ Excel ] 1-Year Adjustable-Rate Historic Tables [ HTML ] [ Excel ] Weekly Primary Mortgage Market Survey 2005 Weekly Mortgage Rates Data (Excel 5.0/Win95 workbook) Compilation of Weekly Survey Releases for 2005 December 29, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 6.22% 5.76% 5.79% 5.15% Fees & Points: 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.7 December 22, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 6.26% 5.79% 5.82% 5.22% Fees & Points: 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.7 December 15, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 6.30% 5.85% 5.77% 5.15% Fees & Points: 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.6 December 8, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 6.32% 5.87% 5.78% 5.16% Fees & Points: 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.8 December 1, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 6.26% 5.81% 5.76% 5.16% Fees & Points: 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.8 November 23, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 6.28% 5.81% 5.75% 5.14% Fees & Points: 0.6 0.6 0.8 0.7 November 17, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 6.37% 5.90% 5.86% 5.20% Fees & Points: 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 November 10, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 6.36% 5.89% 5.81% 5.12% Fees & Points: 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.6 November 3, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 6.31% 5.85% 5.76% 5.09% Fees & Points: 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 October 27, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 6.15% 5.69% 5.63% 4.91% Fees & Points: 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.7 October 20, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 6.10% 5.65% 5.59% 4.89% Fees & Points: 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.7 October 13, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 6.03% 5.62% 5.57% 4.85% Fees & Points: 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.6 October 6, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.98% 5.54% 5.48% 4.77% Fees & Points: 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.6 September 29, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.91% 5.48% 5.44% 4.68% Fees & Points: 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.6 September 22, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.80% 5.37% 5.31% 4.48% Fees & Points: 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.7 September 15, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.74% 5.32% 5.26% 4.46% Fees & Points: 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 September 8, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.71% 5.30% 5.24% 4.45% Fees & Points: 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.7 September 1, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.71% 5.32% 5.3% 4.48% Fees & Points: 0.6 0.5 0.6 0.7 August 25, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.77% 5.35% 5.30% 4.56% Fees & Points: 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.7 August 18, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.80% 5.40% 5.34% 4.58% Fees & Points: 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.7 August 11, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.89% 5.47% 5.40% 4.57% Fees & Points: 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.7 August 4, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.82% 5.38% 5.30% 4.47% Fees & Points: 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.7 July 28, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.77% 5.34% 5.27% 4.46% Fees & Points: 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.7 July 21, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.73% 5.32% 5.26% 4.42% Fees & Points: 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.6 July 14, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.66% 5.25% 5.15% 4.39% Fees & Points: 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.7 July 7, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.62% 5.20% 5.19% 4.33% Fees & Points: 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.7 June 30, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.53% 5.12% 5.06% 4.24% Fees & Points: 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.7 June 23, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.57% 5.16% 5.05% 4.23% Fees & Points: 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.7 June 16, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.63% 5.22% 5.10% 4.25% Fees & Points: 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.6 June 9, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.56% 5.14% 5.01% 4.21% Fees & Points: 0.6 0.5 0.5 0.6 June 2, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.62% 5.20% 5.10% 4.26% Fees & Points: 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.6 May 26, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.65% 5.21% 5.07% 4.21% Fees & Points: 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.7 May 19, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.71% 5.27% 5.07% 4.26% Fees & Points: 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 May 12, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.77% 5.33% 5.21% 4.23% Fees & Points: 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.6 May 5, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.75% 5.31% 5.16% 4.22% Fees & Points: 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.7 April 28, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.78% 5.33% 5.20% 4.21% Fees & Points: 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.6 April 21, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.80% 5.36% 5.22% 4.26% Fees & Points: 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.6 April 14, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.91% 5.46% 5.31% 4.30% Fees & Points: 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.6 April 7, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.93% 5.48% 5.33% 4.23% Fees & Points: 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 March 31, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 6.04% 5.58% 5.43% 4.33% Fees & Points: 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.8 March 24, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 6.01% 5.56% 5.35% 4.24% Fees & Points: 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.8 March 17, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.95% 5.47% 5.31% 4.20% Fees & Points: 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.8 March 10, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.85% 5.38% 5.22% 4.24% Fees & Points: 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.7 March 3, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.79% 5.33% 5.17% 4.14% Fees & Points: 0.7 0.6 0.7 0.8 February 24, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.69% 5.22% 5.05% 4.16% Fees & Points: 0.7 0.7 0.8 0.8 February 17, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.62% 5.14% 5.05% 4.15% Fees & Points: 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.8 February 10, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.57% 5.10% 4.99% 4.11% Fees & Points: 0.8 0.7 0.7 0.8 February 3, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.63% 5.14% 5.00% 4.23% Fees & Points: 0.7 0.7 0.6 0.7 January 27, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.66% 5.14% 5.02% 4.18% Fees & Points: 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 January 20, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.67% 5.15% 5.05% 4.11% Fees & Points: 0.7 0.7 0.6 0.7 January 13, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.74% 5.19% 5.05% 4.10% Fees & Points: 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.6 January 6, 2005 30-yr 15-yr 5/1-yr ARM 1-yr ARM Average Rates: 5.77% 5.21% 5.03% 4.10% Fees & Points: 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.7 © 2005 Freddie Mac Doing Business With Freddie Mac Single-Family Multifamily Debt Securities Mortgage Securities Vendors and Suppliers About Freddie Mac About Us Public Policy News and Information Investor Relations Careers Buying and Owning a Home Preparing for Homeownership All About Mortgages Purchasing a Home Owning and Keeping a Home 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Find Your Unclaimed Property Finding and ClaimingYour Unclaimed Property NOTICE OF NAMES OF PERSONS APPEARING TO BE OWNERS OF ABANDONED PROPERTY Database Last Updated: November 1, 2005 Only unclaimed property records with a value of $25 or greater are included in the Treasury website database. If your name does not appear on this list and you have received an unclaimed property mail card notice, you may return the card along with required documentation or contact our office directly at 1-888-844-8400 or alaucpd@treasury.state.al.us There are three ways to find and claim yourUnclaimed Property: 1. Search the Unclaimed Property Database Online! This is the fastest and easiest way to find and claim your unclaimed property. Requires Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator Versions 4.0 or higher. (Get Microsoft Internet Explorer here . Get Netscape Navigator here .) Be sure to read the guidelines for a successful online search . Please Note: We are receiving a high volume of website visits and database inquiries, up to 6200 hits hourly. If your search results in error messages or no response from our server, please read the guidelines below and try your search again. 2. Call the Unclaimed Property Office Toll-Free (888) 844-8400 weekdays from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. 3. Mail Inquiry Form Opens in a separate window for printing and mailing ImportantGuidelines for Searching the Online Database Requires Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator Versions 4.0 or higher . (Get Microsoft Internet Explorer here . Get Netscape Navigator here .) You may search by Name or in combination with City, to display a more refined search. You must always make an entry in the "Name" box. Your entry in the "Name" box must be one of the following: Initial - "D" returns all records with last name starting with "D". Last name - "Doe" returns all records with last name "Doe". Last name and first name or first name initial, separated by a space (no commas!) - "Doe John" returns all records with last name "Doe" and first name "John"; "Doe J" returns all records with last name "Doe" and first names starting with "J".

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Amazon.com: House of Flying Daggers: DVD Your Store DVD See All 32 Product Categories Your Account | Cart | Wish List | Help | Advanced Search | Browse Genres | Top Sellers | New & Future Releases | Television Central | Life & Learning | DVD Essentials | Blowout DVDs | Movie Showtimes | Used DVDs Search Amazon.com DVD Web Search Join Amazon Prime and ship Two-Day for free and Overnight for $3.99. Already a member? Sign in . DVD Information Explore this item buying info editorial reviews customer reviews cast and crew fun facts Listmania! All Things Sexy : A list by Eliza Add your List Ready to buy? Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering. A9.com users save 1.57% on Amazon. Learn how . MORE BUYING CHOICES 123 used & new from $7.45 Available for in-store pickup now from: $19.99 Price may vary based on availability Enter your ZIP Code Have one to sell? House of Flying Daggers (2005) Starring: Takeshi Kaneshiro , Andy Lau Director: Yimou Zhang Rating: See larger image Share your own customer images List Price: $19.94 Price: $12.99 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. See details You Save: $6.95 (35%) Availability: Usually ships within 24 hours. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Want it delivered Friday, December 30? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. See details 123 used & new available from $7.45 Edition: Other Versions and Languages Other Versions (DVD) List Price Price Other Offers: DVD House of Flying Daggers (UMD mini for PSP) $28.95 $25.99 36 used & new from $13.97 DVD House of Flying Daggers/Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon $36.96 $25.88 71 used & new from $17.97 Other Versions (VHS Tape) VHS Tape House of Flying Daggers $14.95 $14.20 10 used & new from $7.50 Better Together Buy this DVD with Hero DVD ~ Jet Li today! Total List Price: $39.93 Buy Together Today: $25.98 Customers who bought this DVD also bought Hero DVD ~ Jet Li The Incredibles (Widescreen 2-Disc Collector's Edition) DVD ~ Maeve Andrews Sin City DVD ~ Robert Rodriguez Batman Begins (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition with Comic Book) DVD ~ Christian Bale Explore Similar Items : in DVD , in Music , and in Books Storyline Genres: Action , Drama , Romance Plot Outline: A romantic warrior breaks a beautiful member of a rebel army out of prison to help her rejoin her fellows, but things are not what they seem. Plot Synopsis: During the reign of the Tang dynasty in China, a secret organization called "The House of the Flying Daggers" rises and opposes the government. A police officer called Leo sends officer Jin to investigate a young dancer named Mei, claiming that she has ties to the "Flying Daggers". Leo arrests Mei, only to have Jin breaking her free in a plot to gain her trust and lead the police to the new leader of the secret organization. But things are far more complicated than they seem... Plot Keywords: Visually Impaired Person | Blind | Blindness | Police | Deputy | Police Officer | Martial Arts | Blind Girl | Brothel | China | Dancer | Doublecross | (Show all 22 plot keywords recommended by customers) Product Details Actors: Takeshi Kaneshiro , Andy Lau , Ziyi Zhang , Dandan Song , Yang Guang , See more Directors: Yimou Zhang Format: Ac- , Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc, Widescreen Anamorphic Region: Region 1 ( U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats. ) Number of discs: 1 Rated: Studio: Sony Pictures DVD Release Date: April 19, 2005 Run Time: 119 min (original theatrical or airing runtime) Average Customer Review: Based on 219 Reviews DVD Features: Available Subtitles: English, French Available Audio Tracks: (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 5.1) Commentary with actor Ziyi Zhang and director Zhang Yimou Creating the Visual Effects featurette "Making of" featurette Theme Song 'Lovers' Music Video Behind the Scenes Photo Gallery Costumes Gallery Storyboard Comparisons Previews From IMDb: Quotes & Trivia ASIN: B0007Q6VXC Amazon.com Sales Rank: #285 in DVD Theatrical Release Information US Theatrical Release Date: January 14, 2005 MPAA: for sequences of stylized martial arts violence, and some sexuality. Production Company: Beijing New Picture Film Co., China Film Co-Production Corporation, EDKO Film Ltd., Elite Group Enterprises, Zhang Yimou Studio USA Box Office: $11 Million Budget Estimate: $100 Million Filming Locations: Beijing, China| China| Kossiv National Park, Ukraine| Lviv, Ukraine| Sichun Province, China| Tea Mountain Bamboo Sea Scenery Park, Yongchuen, Chongqing, China| Ukraine Editorial Reviews Amazon.com No one uses color like Chinese director Zhang Yimou--movies like Raise the Red Lantern or Hero , though different in tone and subject matter, are drenched in rich, luscious shades of red, blue, yellow, and green. House of Flying Daggers is no exception; if they weren't choreographed with such vigorous imagination, the spectacular action sequences would seem little more than an excuse for vivid hues rippling across the screen. Government officers Leo and Jin (Asian superstars Andy Lau and Takeshi Kaneshiro) set out to destroy an underground rebellion called the House of Flying Daggers (named for their weapon of choice, a curved blade that swoops through the air like a boomerang). Their only chance to find the rebels is a blind women named Mei (Ziyi Zhang, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon ) who has some lethal kung fu moves of her own. In the guise of an aspiring rebel, Jin escorts Mei through gorgeous forests and fields that become bloody battlegrounds as soldiers try to kill them both. While arrows and spears of bamboo fly through the air, Mei, Jin, and Leo turn against each other in surprising ways, driven by passion and honor. Zhang's previous action/art film, Hero , sometimes sacrificed momentum for sheer visual beauty; House of Flying Daggers finds a more muscular balance of aesthetic splendor and dazzling swordplay. --Bret Fetzer Customers who viewed this DVD also viewed Star Wars, Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (Widescreen Edition) DVD ~ Ahmed Best National Treasure (Widescreen Edition) DVD ~ Nicolas Cage Sideways (Widescreen Edition) DVD ~ Paul Giamatti Kung Fu Hustle (Widescreen Edition) DVD ~ Kwok Kuen Chan Explore Similar Items : in DVD , in Music , and in Video Spotlight Reviews Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers. 179 of 199 people found the following review helpful: More Romance Than 'Hero' and More Beauty of Zhang Ziyi , October 7, 2004 Reviewer: T. Nakajima (Kyoto-shi, Kyoto-hu Japan) - See all my reviews Soon following the success of 'Hero,' director Yimou Zhang made another film featuring beautiful Zhang Ziyi. One of the good news for Zhang Ziyi fans (including me) is that 'House of Flying Daggers' features her almost all through the film. And this time director's stress is clearly given to the romantic side of the story -- and as if to match his intention, 'House' looks more beautiful, colorful, and gorgeous, than 'Hero.' And there are actions, and some of them are quite unique. The film is set in 859 AD, last days of the now corrupt Tang Dynasty in China. One underground sect called House of Flying Daggers are openly challenging the authority of the government, and to crush these rebels, two officers Jin -- also known 'The Wind' (Takeshi Kaneshiro, 'Chunking Express') and Leo (Andy Lau, 'Infernal Affairs') think of a good plan. Jin goes to meet a blind courtesan Mei (Zhang Ziyi), who is suspected to be connected with the secret clan, and he gains the confidence of this beautiful dancer by some tricks -- tricks meaning 'love.' Make her love you, and you get her secret. Hopefully she will lead Jin to the hiding place of the 'House of Flying Daggers,' but before the plan starts, Leo warns Jin: 'Don't fall in love for real.' But who can resist Mei's beauty? Or Zhang Ziyi's for that matter? The rest of the story is very melodramatic, and the film sometimes needs a good amount of suspension of disbelief (especially for Western audiences, I'm afraid). But, though melodramatic, it is aptly so, as this is basically about a romance, or a love story. Those who love the romantic mood in films would understand what I say. It's all about the tension and mood, and 'House' has lots of them. Actions are done by Tony Ching Siu-Tung, whose CV includes the action director of 'A Chinese Ghost Story.' He gives superb martial arts actions here again, without using too much of now-too-trendy wire actions. As the film title shows, there are some effectively shot scenes of 'flying daggers' which, with a good use of CGIs, gives a few of thrilling moments. And like I said before, the battles in the midst of a deep bamboo forest are not to be missed, if you are a real Hong-Kong film fan. Costumes are provided by Emi Wada (as in 'Hero'), whose colorful dresses are just wonderful. Particlularly those long-sleeved dancing costumes for Zhang Ziyi not merely enhance the exotic beauty of the dancer, but things to be treasured on their own merit. And Kathleen Battle sings the theme song at the end of the film. But first and foremost, to me, the film is made for Zhang Ziyi. Did I say she is beautiful? She is, and breathtakingly so, when her character betrays her hidden emotions before the camera. And sometimes the film reveals the character's very sensual side -- I say, for a Chinese film, of course, but it was a little surprising. Of course, top-credited Andy Lau and Takeshi Kaneshiro are the stars, and they are very good. The film is always beautiful to see, from the first to the end (the snow field was shot in Ukraine). And if you're a fan of Zhang Ziyi, this one is not to be missed for it's not too much to say that it belongs to her. Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) 214 of 333 people found the following review helpful: Opinion of a Chinese Viewer..... , December 13, 2004 Reviewer: C. Jen "chanteuse33" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews To be fair, this is not a bad movie considering how many bad movies Hollywood put out there each year. As a Chinese living in US for 20+ years and someone grew up devoting to Wushia films, this is a good but not outstanding movie. Certain aspects were distracting: 1. bamboo forest and the other forest don't mix. They are apparently from two very different regions. Weird how they traversed between the two like they were next door neighbors.... 2. Mei and Jin must be really young to fall so deeply for each other after only 3 days. Also said the House of Daggers leader, Mei (Zhang Ziyi) had used her beauty for business a few times before. She's not a spring chicken who had never ventured out of her confine to be a true Juliet (if you must use the Shakespearean connection.....) 3. Once the twist was revealed, Leo(Andy Lau)'s role became very unsympathetic. He's a classic case of possessive character that stalker/abuser is made of. House of The Flying Daggers is not a Wushia movie technically because its emphasis on the love story. Everything, the story structure, fight scenes, visuals, music, and editing, are all in support of the love story. A true Wushia movie is more about good vs. evil, right vs. wrong, underdog vs. oppressor, or moral vs. greed, much like a classic Western should. As a love story/melodrama, it is good. As a Wushia movie, it is not. Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon is a better representation of the Wushia genre. Just my two cents.... Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) Customer Reviews Average Customer Review: Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers. If nothing else, watch this movie for the 'Echo Game' scene... , December 28, 2005 Reviewer: Brandon Wiggins "Glass Onion Child" - See all my reviews This movie is primarily a love story that is kept mildly entertaining with some high flying martial arts and the absolutely stunning Zhiang Ziyi. What I enjoyed most about this film, however, was the choreography and wonderful use of colors throughout the movie. As mentioned before, the 'Echo Game' scene features Zhiang Ziyi performing a beautiful martial arts dance with a gown that has long flowing sleeves that are absolutely gorgeous to watch on screen as they move effortlessly around the circle hitting each specific drum. This was by far one of my favorite scenes in the entire movie. The use of colors is also wonderful to watch, especially the green theme used for the House of Flying Daggers' scenes. As far as the plot goes, this movie offers nothing spectatuclar and is a melodramatic love story at best. But the acting is superb and the film offers enough plot twists to keep your interest until the end of the film. Overall, this film is not about action so much as it is about the overall mood created with the visuals and love story. Zhiang Ziyi is spectacular in her role as Mei and I would highly reccomend this to any fan of films such as 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon', etc. (CTHD has a much better story though.) Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) Better than Crouching Tiger! , December 21, 2005 Reviewer: David Foskin (Waterford, Ireland) - See all my reviews After raising his artistic level to lofty heights in "Hero," Chinese director Zhang Yimou returns to earth with the elegiac "House of Flying Daggers." In what could be considered the second film of his third different film-making period, Zhang now freely traffics in martial arts. Bringing to the genre his own cinematic sensibilities, he renders a film that equals Hong Kong artists in action sequences, while again displaying his mastery in overall technique. Working with a script from Li Feng, Wang Bin and himself, Zhang again returns to his country's history for an action tale full of romance, deceit, betrayal and loyalty. Set in 859 China, near the end of the Tang dynasty, "Daggers" centers on an on-going conflict between the established, corrupt emperor (whom we never see) and what must be called a terrorist group, known by the film's title, sworn to overthrow the ineffectual leader. But, strangely, even when dealing with such a variety of emotions, "Daggers" is often a cold, uninvolving movie. A romance is established between Mei (Zhang Ziyi), who may or may not be blind, and Jin (Takeshi Kaneshiro), who may or may not be a double agent for the government, with Leo (Andy Lau), who may or may not be a triple agent for the government, acting as a romantic foil. In the prolonged opening scene set in a brothel, full of flowery patterns and shimmering costumes, Mei dances for Leo, suggesting that the deft Zhang Ziyi can execute any physical demands. Before leaving the scene, however, director Zhang shows his perfect eye for composition and choreography with his production of Mei's "echo dance." Mei smoothly moves through her intricate paces, provocatively stimulating the senses. Carefully choreographed drummers surround her in perfect symmetry, setting up an unlikely stage from which Mei performs her stunning dance. After this initial interior sequence, the film goes outside and stays there for several pursuits. Zhang then parades several imaginative battle sequences in which armies are outrageously mowed down by one or two people. Consequently, much of "Daggers" follows a Hong Kong film tradition by taking place in the air, as fights erupt in bamboo forests, with warriors swaying in the trees, bending, and defying gravity. Zhang's pastoral fight scenes don't originate from the Hong Kong tradition of Tsui Hark or early John Woo films, but instead are his own inventions with much more emphasis on the aesthetic. And it's for this eye that Zhang is best known, even in epic works like "Hero" or in a film like "Daggers." And that alone makes it more entertaining, and better, than 98 percent of most movies. Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) 1 of 3 people found the following review helpful: From another Chinese viewer... , December 19, 2005 Reviewer: F. Quan (Orem, UT USA) - See all my reviews I rented this movie over the weekend so I could decide if I was going to buy it. Decided against buying it. The movie is slow and drawn out. This is really a love story with martial arts in it. If you're looking for a martial arts movie, move on to something else. If you're looking for a love story, there are better stories out there. Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) 2 of 2 people found the following review helpful: An Asian love story , December 15, 2005 Reviewer: Cory D. Slipman (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) - See all my reviews "House of Flying Daggers" directed by acclaimed Yimou Zhang is a romanntic drama disguised as a martial arts film. This visually appealing movie features terrific set designs and costuming to create 9th century China at the time of the Tang dynasty. The martial arts action sequences were choreographed beautifully as one would expect. The storyline however was merely an above average romantic plot. The Tang dynasty was in a state of decline and a clandestine underground group, the House of the Flying Daggers, was attempting to take over control of the country. The blind daughter of the recently assassinated leader of the group was purported to be working as a dancer in the lavishly decorated bordello, the Peony Pavilion. Two captains of the reigning government Jin and Leo schemed to use the girl to lead them to the secret hideout of the Flying Daggers. The girl Mei played by the ravishingly beautiful Ziyi Zhang is arrested on trumped up charges by Leo, played by Andy Lau and threatened with torture unless she reveals the secrets of the Flying Daggers. As previously, arranged Jin played by Takeshi Kaneshiro, helps her escape using an impressive array of martial arts moves. Jin and Mei, also an accomplished martial artist, are riding and running through the countryside being hunted by government soldiers. Jin is attempting to gain Mei's confidence so that he can coax her into leading him to the Flying Daggers, with Leo in hot pursuit. A funny thing happens as in their flight which includes frequent battles in that Jin and Mei fall in love. Mei had previously been Leo's love interest so this creates a muddle in the various allegiances. The film concludes in a fairly standard manner but not necessarily happily ever after. Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) See all 219 customer reviews... Listmania! Great Asian Movies, China, #1 ... : by Steve Vander The Best Tearjerkers : by Lyn All Things Sexy : by Eliza So You'd Like to... The Best of Eastern Directors : by Jason , Amateur Film Critic Have an awesome Movie collection like me : by kurt , Movie collector/ amatuer movie critic Get the BEST Cinema. : by Ruben , Amateur Movie Critic Fun Facts from IMDb.com: Awards Click here to see more Awards Boston Society of Film Critics Awards: BSFC Award for Best Foreign-Language Film, Best Director, Best Cinematography Golden Rooster Awards: Golden Rooster for Best Art Direction Golden Trailer Awards: Golden Trailer for Best Foreign, Best Foreign Independent Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards: LAFCA Award for Best Foreign Language Film Motion Picture Sound Editors, USA: Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing in Foreign Features National Board of Review, USA: NBR Award for Outstanding Production Design National Society of Film Critics Awards, USA: NSFC Award for Best Cinematography, Best Director Satellite Awards: Golden Satellite Award for Best Visual Effects, Best Cinematography Nominations Click here to see more Nominations Academy Awards, USA: Oscar for Best Achievement in Cinematography Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA: Saturn Award for Best Fantasy Film, Best Costumes, Best Director, Best Actress BAFTA Awards: BAFTA Film Award for Best Editing, Best Production Design, Best Film not in the English Language, Best Make Up/Hair, Best Achievement in Special Visual Effects, Best Sound, Best Costume Design, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, Best Cinematography Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards: BFCA Award for Best Foreign Language Film Chlotrudis Awards: Chlotrudis Award for Best Cinematography European Film Awards: Screen International Award Golden Globes, USA: Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film Golden Rooster Awards: Golden Rooster for Best Picture, Best Sound, Best Director Golden Trailer Awards: Golden Trailer for Best Music Hong Kong Film Awards: Hong Kong Film Award for Best Asian Film Trivia Click here to see more Trivia Director Yimou Zhang has said that he will rewrite the screenplay to remove Anita Mui's character following the veteran star's death. This is meant to be a sign of respect for Mui. It was earlier reported that Michelle Yeoh or Brigitte Lin would be cast instead. This was originally going to be Anita Mui's final appearance in film and she had already accepted the role but, because she was battling cervical cancer, her part wasn't going to be filmed until early 2004. After her death on 30 December 2003, director Yimou Zhang decided to alter the script rather than find a replacement. Anita's name will still be listed in the credits. Goofs Click here to see more Goofs The music that the live musicians play during the drum duel scene, although beautiful, is not characteristic of classical Chinese music of that era. Crazy Credits Click here to see more Crazy Credits In Memory of Anita Mui1963-2003 The Chinese theatrical release has a Chinese translation of the ending song(which has lyrics in English) on the left side of the screen during thecredits. Movie Connections Click here to see more Movie Connections Featured in: The 77th Annual Academy Awards Quotes Click here to see more Quotes [reaches for dagger in back] Leo : Yee : Do not pull this dagger out. I'm sending you back to keep spying for us. You will be more convincing with a dagger in your back. Mei : To be free like the wind. For more information about "House of Flying Daggers" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) Look for similar items by category Browse similar items in: DVD > Actors & Actresses > ( K ) > Kaneshiro, Takeshi DVD > Actors & Actresses > ( L ) > Lau, Andy DVD > Directors > ( Y ) > Yimou, Zhang DVD > Genres > Action & Adventure > General DVD > Genres > Art House & International > By Country > China DVD > Genres > Art House & International > By Country > Hong Kong > General DVD > Genres > Art House & International > By Original Language > Chinese DVD > Genres > Art House & International > General DVD > Genres > Drama > General DVD > Genres > Drama > Love & Romance > Romance DVD > Genres > Drama > Love & Romance > Star-Crossed Lovers DVD > Genres > Drama > Period Piece Suggestion Box Your comments can help make our site better for everyone. If you've found something incorrect, broken, or frustrating on this page, let us know so that we can improve it. Please note that we are unable to respond directly to suggestions made via this form. If you need help with an order, please contact Customer Service . Please mark as many of the following boxes that apply: Product information is missing important details. Product information is incorrect. Propose corrections using our Online Catalog Update Form . The page contains typographical errors. The page takes too long to load. The page has a software bug in it. Content violates Amazon.com's policy on offensive language . Product offered violates Amazon.com's policy on items that can be listed for sale. Comments or Examples: Examples: Missing information such as dimensions and model number, typos, inaccuracies, etc. Where's My Stuff? • Track your recent orders . • View or change your orders in Your Account . Shipping & Returns • See our shipping rates & policies . • Return an item (here's our Returns Policy ). Need Help? • Forgot your password? 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Selling home on your

Alaska Journal of Commerce: Selling home on your own can prove costly 04/22/02 [an error occurred while processing this directive] [an error occurred while processing this directive] Home Focus In this Issue Calendar Bulletin Board Movers & Shakers Business History Archive Around the World Legals Viewpoint Profile Cartoons Contact Us Advertise with us Subscribe About Us Classified ADs Oil & Gas Special Sections Wealthbuilders Fish Factor Travel Insight Property Wise Tech Watch Law Page Philanthropy Health Book of Lists -5° 17° 9° 8° 27° 33° 35° 41° 44° 39° 35° Choose City Anchorage Barrow Bethel Cordova Deadhorse Denali Park Dillingham Dutch Harbor Fairbanks Galena Haines Homer Juneau Kenai Ketchikan Kodiak Kotzebue McGrath Nenana Paxson Petersburg Pribilof Islands Sitka Skagway Soldotna Talkeetna Valdez Wrangell Yakutat Email Newsletter Palm Pilot Delivery Letter to the editor Comments Locate a copy [an error occurred while processing this directive] [an error occurred while processing this directive] 042202 prop_wise 2 Alaska Journal of Commerce Late night television and local radio programming is rife with infomercials and advertisements touting how easy it is to buy and sell your houses, buildings and businesses all by yourself and save staggering amounts of money to boot. -- Web posted Monday, April 22, 2002 Selling home on your own can prove costly By Ken Jelinek For the Journal Late night television and local radio programming is rife with infomercials and advertisements touting how easy it is to buy and sell your houses, buildings and businesses all by yourself and save staggering amounts of money to boot. They can be rather insulting to those of us in the real estate industry because they attempt to make us sound unnecessary, unethical and expensive. But the fact is, you really can do it yourself successfully. Cynically speaking, however, you can also fix your own car, generate your own electricity, defend yourself in court, trade your own stocks and never visit a doctor. You could probably do your neighbor's job too. One day, when everything is perfectly computerized and digital, you probably won't need a real estate agent. But for now, for the rest of us, we need the help, and that help is going to cost us. So, before you go spiraling off in your declaration of independence, ask yourself, "If it's really so easy, then why aren't all real estate transactions conducted without an agent?" You might also ask yourself if you would want to eliminate the real estate agent and take on all of his or her responsibilities when you are already bogged down with your own life in general, and especially if you haven't done it enough to do it right or do it well? Then, listen closely to your answers because we professionals in the industry are often patching up real estate transactions gone sour behind the well-meaning do-it-yourselfers. Keep in mind that I'm referring to all professionals in the industry including agents, attorneys, loan originators, title officers, processors, surveyors, tax assessors, appraisers and inspectors. But I'm referring specifically to the agent because he or she is the center in this wheel. Nationally, only three to five of every 100 home sales consists of successful "For Sale by Owner" transactions. The vast majority of those that attempt it end up hiring an agent within the first 30 days after they have realized the true cost, time and demands required for marketing and showing a home. Locally, the statistics indicate 15-17 percent of FSBOs are successful. While there are a lot of reasons for this, one of the main ones is that we have a robust seller's market with relatively low inventory. This can be quite tempting for sellers to strike out on their own because it looks easier than it is. But even the owners that sell their own homes usually sell to a buyer who has an agent paid for by the seller. The truth is that the vast majority of all real estate transactions are completed with agents involved on at least one side of the sale, and for this reason, most transactions go very smoothly. But sometimes they don't. One recent seller took the advice of a local FSBO program on pricing his home. Several programs will give you limited service for a set fee. He put an ad in the paper and sold it within three days. When the appraisal report came back he learned that he priced his home too low but was still committed to that price. Sure, he might have saved 6 or 7 percent in brokerage fees but he lost a lot more than that to the happy buyer because his FSBO consultant didn't know the market well enough. In a similar incident, a very excited couple heard of a perfect home on the market For Sale By Owner in their neighborhood. The sellers told them that they didn't want to pay any brokerage fees and proceeded to negotiate down the asking price by $9,000, which made the buyers feel special. A market analysis revealed that the starting price was already about $10,000 too high. And yet, it's going to be sold at the same market price to the buyers whether or not they have an agent paid by the seller. Recently a buyer made an offer on a duplex that was accepted with a counteroffer to increase the earnest money. Both buyer and seller agreed verbally and the only thing lacking was the buyer's signature on that change. In the meantime, the seller sold the duplex to a second buyer to get a higher price and quicker closing. He now has two accepted offers on the same property at the same time. Which party in this potential lawsuit would you like to be? Not all sellers innocently try to save money on real estate commissions. Some choose to "overlook" disclosing pertinent and sometimes legally required information to buyers because doing so might lower the final sales price or prohibit a sale indefinitely because they can't afford to fix a deficiency. How would you protect yourself without the watchful eye of an expert? Agents usually take on quite a bit of risk in marketing your house for sale or driving you around looking at homes to buy. They pay for everything up front and often don't get paid until the day it is recorded, which makes him or her, actually, quite a bargain. On the other hand, you could do it yourself. Ken Jelinek is an associate broker with RE/MAX Properties in Anchorage. He can be reached at 907-257-0196. [an error occurred while processing this directive] © 2004 The Alaska Journal of Commerce and Morris Communications Corp.

Home Loan

Home Equity Scams: Borrowers Beware! Home Equity Loans : Borrowers Beware! D o you own your home? If so, it's likely to be your greatest single asset. Unfortunately, if you agree to a loan that's based on the equity you have in your home, you may be putting your most valuable asset at risk. Homeowners-particularly elderly, minority and those with low incomes or poor credit-should be careful when borrowing money based on their home equity. Why? Certain abusive or exploitative lenders target these borrowers, who unwittingly may be putting their home on the line. Abusive lending practices range from equity stripping and loan flipping to hiding loan terms and packing a loan with extra charges. The Federal Trade Commission urges you to be aware of these loan practices to avoid losing your home. The Practices Equity Stripping You need money. You don't have much income coming in each month. You have built up equity in your home. A lender tells you that you could get a loan, even though you know your income is just not enough to keep up with the monthly payments. The lender encourages you to "pad" your income on your application form to help get the loan approved. This lender may be out to steal the equity you have built up in your home. The lender doesn't care if you can't keep up with the monthly payments. As soon as you don't, the lender will foreclose-taking your home and stripping you of the equity you have spent years building. If you take out a loan but don't have enough income to make the monthly payments, you are being set up. You probably will lose your home. Hidden Loan Terms: The Balloon Payment You've fallen behind in your mortgage payments and may face foreclosure. Another lender offers to save you from foreclosure by refinancing your mortgage and lowering your monthly payments. Look carefully at the loan terms. The payments may be lower because the lender is offering a loan on which you repay only the interest each month. At the end of the loan term, the principal-that is, the entire amount that you borrowed-is due in one lump sum called a balloon payment. If you can't make the balloon payment or refinance, you face foreclosure and the loss of your home. Loan Flipping Suppose you've had your mortgage for years. The interest rate is low and the monthly payments fit nicely into your budget, but you could use some extra money. A lender calls to talk about refinancing, and using the availability of extra cash as bait, claims it's time the equity in your home started "working" for you. You agree to refinance your loan. After you've made a few payments on the loan, the lender calls to offer you a bigger loan for, say, a vacation. If you accept the offer, the lender refinances your original loan and then lends you additional money. In this practice-often called "flipping"-the lender charges you high points and fees each time you refinance, and may increase your interest rate as well. If the loan has a prepayment penalty, you will have to pay that penalty each time you take out a new loan. You now have some extra money and a lot more debt, stretched out over a longer time. The extra cash you receive may be less than the additional costs and fees you were charged for the refinancing. And what's worse, you are now paying interest on those extra fees charged in each refinancing. Long story short? With each refinancing, you've increased your debt and probably are paying a very high price for some extra cash. After a while, if you get in over your head and can't pay, you could lose your home. The "Home Improvement" Loan A contractor calls or knocks on your door and offers to install a new roof or remodel your kitchen at a price that sounds reasonable. You tell him you're interested, but can't afford it. He tells you it's no problem-he can arrange financing through a lender he knows. You agree to the project, and the contractor begins work. At some point after the contractor begins, you are asked to sign a lot of papers. The papers may be blank or the lender may rush you to sign before you have time to read what you've been given. The contractor threatens to leave the work on your house unfinished if you don't sign. You sign the papers. Only later, you realize that the papers you signed are a home equity loan. The interest rate, points and fees seem very high. To make matters worse, the work on your home isn't done right or hasn't been completed, and the contractor, who may have been paid by the lender, has little interest in completing the work to your satisfaction. Credit Insurance Packing You've just agreed to a mortgage on terms you think you can afford. At closing, the lender gives you papers to sign that include charges for credit insurance or other "benefits" that you did not ask for and do not want. The lender hopes you don't notice this, and that you just sign the loan papers where you are asked to sign. The lender doesn't explain exactly how much extra money this will cost you each month on your loan. If you do notice, you're afraid that if you ask questions or object, you might not get the loan. The lender may tell you that this insurance comes with the loan, making you think that it comes at no additional cost. Or, if you object, the lender may even tell you that if you want the loan without the insurance, the loan papers will have to be rewritten, that it could take several days, and that the manager may reconsider the loan altogether. If you agree to buy the insurance, you really are paying extra for the loan by buying a product you may not want or need. Mortgage Servicing Abuses After you get a mortgage, you receive a letter from your lender saying that your monthly payments will be higher than you expected. The lender says that your payments include escrow for taxes and insurance even though you arranged to pay those items yourself with the lender's okay. Later, a message from the lender says you are being charged late fees. But you know your payments were on time. Or, you may receive a message saying that you failed to maintain required property insurance and the lender is buying more costly insurance at your expense. Other charges that you don't understand-like legal fees-are added to the amount you owe, increasing your monthly payments or the amount you owe at the end of the loan term. The lender doesn't provide you with an accurate or complete account of these charges. You ask for a payoff statement to refinance with another lender and receive a statement that's inaccurate or incomplete. The lender's actions make it almost impossible to determine how much you've paid or how much you owe. You may pay more than you owe. Signing Over Your Deed If you are having trouble paying your mortgage and the lender has threatened to foreclose and take your home, you may feel desperate. Another "lender" may contact you with an offer to help you find new financing. Before he can help you, he asks you to deed your property to him, claiming that it's a temporary measure to prevent foreclosure. The promised refinancing that would let you save your home never comes through. Once the lender has the deed to your property, he starts to treat it as his own. He may borrow against it (for his benefit, not yours) or even sell it to someone else. Because you don't own the home any more, you won't get any money when the property is sold. The lender will treat you as a tenant and your mortgage payments as rent. If your "rent" payments are late, you can be evicted from your home. Protecting Yourself You can protect yourself against losing your home to inappropriate lending practices. Here's how: Don't: Agree to a home equity loan if you don't have enough income to make the monthly payments. Sign any document you haven't read or any document that has blank spaces to be filled in after you sign. Let anyone pressure you into signing any document. Agree to a loan that includes credit insurance or extra products you don't want. Let the promise of extra cash or lower monthly payments get in the way of your good judgment about whether the cost you will pay for the loan is really worth it. Deed your property to anyone. First consult an attorney, a knowledgeable family member, or someone else you trust. Do: Ask specifically if credit insurance is required as a condition of the loan. If it isn't, and a charge is included in your loan and you don't want the insurance, ask that the charge be removed from the loan documents. If you want the added security of credit insurance, shop around for the best rates. Keep careful records of what you've paid, including billing statements and canceled checks. Challenge any charge you think is inaccurate. Check contractors' references when it is time to have work done in your home. Get more than one estimate. Read all items carefully. If you need an explanation of any terms or conditions, talk to someone you can trust, such as a knowledgeable family member or an attorney. Consider all the costs of financing before you agree to a loan. For More Information The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues , visit www.ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel , a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION FOR THE CONSUMER 1-877-FTC-HELP www.ftc.gov April 1998