5 tips to ensure your short sale succeeds
By · CommentsShort sales have become the only way out for some sellers who owe more on their mortgage than their home is worth. For struggling borrowers, it’s a chance to avoid foreclosure.
While helpful, short sales can be stressful and time-consuming, and they may lead to harsh consequences if not done Read More→
14 tips for investing in rental properties
By · CommentsThe media and real estate professionals continually report that 2012 is the year to buy real estate. Since home values have dropped considerably, the U.S. median list price has dropped considerably, too. Couple values and list prices with interest rates that are the lowest they’ve ever been and it’s Read More→
In Florida, the foreclosure process takes 861 days, on average.
That means houses often sit in limbo for more than two years after the owner stops paying the mortgage. Maybe the homeowner is still living in the house. Maybe he’s renting it out. Maybe squatters are living there, or maybe Read More→
California Home Prices Rise for First Time in 16 Months
By · CommentsCalifornia home prices rose 1.6 percent in March, the first year-over-year increase in 16 months, helped by demand for houses in the San Francisco area, the California Association of Realtors said today.
The statewide median price for an existing single-family detached home jumped to $291,080, the Los Angeles-based group said Read More→
Lowest Mortgage Rates Since Late February
By · CommentsAfter closing out the previous week with slight gains Mortgages Rates have done the same to begin the current week. On average, this brings rates to their best levels since late February, however, rates were in similar territory on Tuesday 4/10. The late February levels in question contained all Read More→
The Top 10 Cities In Which To Raise A Family
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Looking for a great place to raise a family? Forbes Magazine has a list that may help you.
Titled “The Best Cities For Raising A Family“, Forbes has compiled and analyzed data from America’s 100 largest metropolitan areas, accounting for seven lifestyle factors including cost of living, commuting Read More→
Homes Get More Affordable On March Jobs Data
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Americans continue to get back to work.
Last Friday, in its Non-Farm Payrolls report for the month of March, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced 120,000 net new jobs created, plus combined revisions in the January and February reports of +4,000 jobs.
The March report marks the 18th straight month of Read More→
Build Your Own Rain Barrel To Save Money, Environment
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According to the EPA, during summer months, lawn and garden watering account for roughly 40% of a typical home’s water use.
It’s a statistic that reminds us how “green lawns” can be wasteful to both the environment and household budgets – especially with drought conditions expected and water costs rising Read More→
Buyers: Is that swimming pool legal?
By · CommentsDEAR BARRY: Two years ago, we bought a home with a backyard pool. Then, a few months ago, the county posted a violation notice on our front door for an expired pool permit.
The previous homeowner, who was also the contractor for the pool, pulled the pool permit, completed the Read More→
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau(CFPB) filed an amicus brief on behalf of borrowers for their rights to cancel home equity-loans or second mortgages if they did not receive important disclosures required by the Truth in Lending Act (TILA).
The amicus brief – or “friend of the court” – was Read More→
