January 2008

How I can fix the mortgage mess

by Troy Schuricht | January 31, 2008

I wanted to give a prospective look into fixing the [tag]mortgage mess[/tag] from a variety of view points. Below is the position I would take if I were given the chance to make the decision: If I were the Federal Reserve, I would help fix the mortgage mess by lowering [tag]interest rates[/tag]. Both the Prime [...]

5 comments Read the full article →

Economy

Short-Term Fix, Long-Term Worry?

by FSBOJane | January 31, 2008

Okay, [tag]NAR[/tag], we understand what you’re trying to do. You’re a big organization, and you’ve obviously got some congressional clout. Included in the recently proposed [tag]Economic Stimulus Plan[/tag], the NAR has lobbied for higher loan limits from both Freddie Mac and Fannie May; higher loan limits will also be applied to FHA loans, which are [...]

2 comments Read the full article →

Credit

How to Score Big! The Truth Behind Credit Reports and Your Credit Score.

by Michael Creel | January 30, 2008

As interest rates continue to plummet millions of Americans will flock to their lender to refinance and many of those will find that their credit scores prevent them from taking any real advantage of those new low rates. Borrowers that financed when rates were low previously, and their credit scores higher, were able to get [...]

15 comments Read the full article →

Foreclosures

Foreclosures Way Up In 2007. A Time For Professional Advice

by Charles Feldman | January 30, 2008

[tag]Foreclosures[/tag] are up 79 percent! Now that’s something. And that is exactly how much the foreclosure rate in this country increased by in 2007 from the year before. The latest figures from RealtyTrac paint an even darker picture for the near future: apparently lots of folks just began falling behind on [tag]mortgage[/tag] payments since November, [...]

6 comments Read the full article →

subprime

BREAKING: Subprime Debacle Goes Criminal. FBI Investigates 14 Companies

by Charles Feldman | January 29, 2008

It was bound to happen. The subprime mortgage fiasco is now the target of investigations by several law enforcement organizations. The FBI today announcing it is looking at 14 companies—companies that may have committed fraud in the handing out of loans to mortgage borrowers who should not have gotten loans in the first place because [...]

10 comments Read the full article →

Blogs

Getting Your Own House in Order

by Richard Warren | January 29, 2008

I see so many people who are just itching to be [tag]real estate investors[/tag]. However, a common theme seems to be “I want to buy and rehab a house but I don’t have any money.” Not only are they lacking funds for investment, they have little or no income and are hopelessly in debt. Then [...]

6 comments Read the full article →

Learn Real Estate

Real Estate Closing Costs and Good Faith Estimates

by Joshua M. Marks, Esq. | January 28, 2008

When I ask “Do you know what it will cost to buy your home?”, I’m not referring to the amount of your mortgage or interest rate. I’m talking about the [tag]closing costs[/tag], [tag]escrows[/tag] and pro-rated reimbursements that you will have to pay out of your pocket at the closing table. If you are working with [...]

4 comments Read the full article →

Landlord Tenant

Managing Tenants, Part One: 5 Favorite Lease Clauses

by Connie Brzowski | January 26, 2008

Like every other [tag]landlord[/tag], we’ve had a few tenants with Special Needs. My favorite story (given a healthy amount of hind-sight and a Valium or three) involves a well-qualified, newly single business manager who moved into our quaint ‘40′s style garage apartment. On paper, she looked like a dream [tag]tenant[/tag]–stable job, good income, decent credit. [...]

9 comments Read the full article →

Commentary

The Real Estate Storm: Who is it hurting and why is it here?

by Jim Watkins | January 24, 2008

This “[tag]Real Estate Storm[/tag]” as I call it, is getting worse. While there are many aspects involved as to what caused the current real estate mess we are in, this article will take a look at the [tag]sub-prime mortgage[/tag] aspect and I will offer my take on the situation. From 2002 until early 2007, lenders [...]

6 comments Read the full article →

Commentary

Beware of Fraud Peddling Real Estate Scam Artists, Consultants, and So Called Experts

by Michael Creel | January 23, 2008

There never seems to be an end to the crooks and [tag]con[/tag] artist that prey upon people. I’ve been telling friends and associates for many months that I feel the bulk of the mortgage crises blame falls on [tag]scam[/tag] artist (many posing as mortgage consultants). As the crisis continues, the crooks will undoubtedly come crawling [...]

11 comments Read the full article →

Real Estate Law

Real Estate Agents: Are Litigious Clients Out to Get YOU?

by Charles Feldman | January 23, 2008

If you are a real estate agent or lawyer you MUST read this; if you are a recent home buyer you MUST read this. Why? Because we are about to take a trip through the looking glass into a weird world never before explored, a world in which home owners who feel they overpaid for [...]

3 comments Read the full article →

Blogs

Lipstick on a Pig

by Richard Warren | January 22, 2008

Who hasn’t had the [tag]rehabber[/tag]’s fantasy? Let’s buy that run-down house, fix it up and make a fortune! The problem is that most new investors venture into this arena unarmed. There is the usual problem of paying too much or grossly underestimating the time or money that is needed, but there is another problem as [...]

9 comments Read the full article →

Economy

Asian Stock Markets Collapse for Second Day. Interest Rates Slashed

by Joshua Dorkin | January 21, 2008

1/22/08 UPDATE: As a result of the collapsing international markets and recession fears, the US Federal Reserve cut interest rates today by three quarters of a percentage point in an emergency session. With the [tag]US markets[/tag] closed on Monday, stock markets around the globe were busy losing an average of 5% of their total value. [...]

3 comments Read the full article →

Real Estate Law

5 Reasons Why You Need a Real Estate Attorney

by Joshua M. Marks, Esq. | January 21, 2008

True Story: Jim and Susan Jones were selling their home in Florida and relocating to Pennsylvania. They had entered into an agreement of sale with a buyer for their home simultaneous to signing an agreement of sale to buy a new home in Pennsylvania. After packing all of their belongings and getting ready to board [...]

5 comments Read the full article →

Economy

Why Interest Rate Drops May NOT Be a Good Thing

by Joshua Dorkin | January 21, 2008

In a recent post on our forums, one of our members noted that she was hoping for a major drop in [tag]interest rates[/tag] from the [tag]Federal Reserve[/tag]. Richard Warren, one of our resident bloggers and real estate geniuses had a great bit of insight on the situation that I thought merited sharing: Don’t be so [...]

3 comments Read the full article →

← Previous Entries