Home Loans
Lastest Real Estate Trends: Finding Sellers
There are lots of real estate trends that are changing as the markets change. One of the more interesting changes in the real estate market of late has been the lack of home sellers. Fewer people are willing to put their homes on the market for fear that they will not be able to secure a … Continue Reading >>
Current Mortgage Rate – May 13, 2012
Current mortgage rates continue their downlward slide. Just when you think that the rates on the 30-year fixed rate mortgage and the 15-year mortgage could not go any lower, they do just that. Yes, the fell, but not significantly. This week the 30-year loan declined by 3 basis points from … Continue Reading >>
Should You Buy a Home in 2012?
Should you buy a home in 2012? I think the answer to that would be a resounding yes. Everything seems to be pointing to the fact that we may well be at bottom, or if not at bottom, then we are very, very close to the bottom. On numerous occasions, we have reported that the combination of low … Continue Reading >>
Lease vs. Buy – Is it Time to Take the Plunge?
It's normal for people to consider the lease vs. buy dilemma. Should you own your own home or should you continue to be a renter of your own home? You may be sitting on the fence trying to decide whether it's time to take the plunge into home-ownership. Over the years, more and more people seemed to … Continue Reading >>
Are Home Prices Stuck in Low Gear?
Have we hit bottom? Are home prices starting to turn around and start moving up? I guess that really depends upon (a) who you ask (b) where in the country you are situated. Check out this article in today's Wall St. Journal: Nearly six years after home prices started falling, more U.S. housing … Continue Reading >>
Bidding Wars Are Back, But Cash is King
Have we hit bottom in the real estate market? Are things turning positive? There are several indicators that seem to be pointing to an upturn in the market. One such anecdotal indicator is that there appear to be many more bids on homes creating bidding wars in many housing markets. "We very much … Continue Reading >>
Case/Shiller Index: Home Prices Continue to Fall
This morning, the latest Case/Shiller information was released rewarding home prices in the USA. The prices for homes in the USA has continued to decline. The average price for homes in the USA has declined in most parts of the country at the start of 2012. While most areas have reached lows not … Continue Reading >>
Compare Home Loan Rates to Resolve Buy or Rent Options
If you compare home loan rates today to the price that you have to pay to rent, you are likely to determine that it is better to buy than to rent in this market. Today, if you are looking to buy a home, you are in luck. The amount that you have to pay each month is near historic lows. Low … Continue Reading >>
Mortgage Financial Advice
There was a question posed in the New York Daily News today seeking some mortgage financial advice. The crux of their question had to do with skipping mortgage payments in order to satisfy other debts. The question that was posed was: Q.I have two mortgages and about $70,000 in credit card … Continue Reading >>
Recent Home Sales Showing Life, But…
Is the home market turning around? I guess that really depends upon who you ask. Yesterday we reported that there were signs of a rebound based upon recent home sales in various cities and their surrounding suburbs around the country. Today, a new report has been released offers additional … Continue Reading >>
Recent Home Sales Rising Across the Country
There seems to be an uptick in recent home sales around the USA. There appears to be somewhat of a positive movement in several real estate markets across the USA. While there is growth in these markets, the growth seems to be tempered somewhat. For instance, in southern California, about half of … Continue Reading >>
Real Estate Recovery Underway? AP Asks Realtors Around the Country
Is the real estate market recovery starting? There are always conflicting reports as to whether things are starting to turn around in the real estate market or not. Here are a few excerpts from people who are close to the real estate market in the various regions. You can decide for yourself if this … Continue Reading >>
Will You Qualify For a Mortgage?
Before you begin looking for a new home, you need to know... will you qualify for a mortgage? In today's economy, it's harder than ever to try to get a loan for a home without impeccable financial credentials. It is virtually impossible to try to qualify for a mortgage with bad credit today. … Continue Reading >>
Is it Best to Pay Off Your Mortgage Before Retirement
A question that comes up regularly is: Is it best to pay off your mortgage before retirement? We can answer that with a resounding YES! You should do everything that you can to pay off your mortgage before you reach your retirement age. Paying off your mortgage before retirement might mean … Continue Reading >>
Homes For Sale in California: Sales Rise as Prices Decline
The prices of homes sold may continue to decline. But some people seem to be grabbing these deals and the number of sales is on the rise. The price of home for sale in California may be on the decline, but the number of sales is increasing. OK, so most people can't afford this home in Seal Beach, … Continue Reading >>
Housing Affordability Index Indicator: Buy Now
The housing affordability index in most parts of the country is currently suggesting that you if you are thinking about buying a new house, today would be as good a time to consider that purchase. In fact, it would be a great time! We have been indicating that homes are more affordable today than … Continue Reading >>
Real Estate Market Improving? Bank Stocks Report Looks Good
Is the housing market improving? One good indicator as to how the housing market is doing would be to look at how the banks are doing themselves. Chase and Wells Fargo reported their quarterly earnings this week. You probably don't need to read too far into these reports to see that things may well … Continue Reading >>
Current Mortgage Rates Drop… Again
The current mortgage rates for both 30 year loans and 15 year loans decreased this week, once again. The current rate for a 30-year loan is 3.98%. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) publishes the results of a weekly applications survey that covers roughly 50 percent of all residential mortgage … Continue Reading >>
Mortgage Application Totals Decreased, Again…
Even though we have repeatedly indicated that there is no better time to buy a home than now, people are not moving forward. The number of people to submit a new mortgage application decreased last week. According to the Wall St. Journal, the number of new mortgage applications filed in the USA … Continue Reading >>
News You Can Use
- Reported Mortgage Foreclosure Scams Up Nearly 60 Percent This Year; Homeownership Preservation Foundation Warns Homeowners To Be WaryNearly Half of Reported Scams Involve Attorneys or Individuals Purportedly Offering “Legal Services” WASHINGTON, D.C., April 11, 2012 – The Homeownership Preservation Foundation (HPF), an independent national nonprofit dedicated to helping distressed homeowners navigate financial challenges and avoid mortgage foreclosure through its Homeowner’s HOPE™ Hotline […]
- Homeownership Preservation Foundation Awarded HUD Grant in Excess of $1 Million to Continue Counseling Homeowners Facing ForeclosureWASHINGTON, D.C., March 19, 2012 – The Homeownership Preservation Foundation (HPF), an independent national nonprofit dedicated to helping distressed homeowners navigate financial challenges and avoid mortgage foreclosure through its Homeowner’s HOPE™ Hotline at 888-995-HOPE™, announced today that it received a $1.1 million grant from the U.S. Department o […]
- Homeownership Preservation Foundation Applauds State Attorneys General Settlement with Mortgage Servicers; Releases Statement on “Significant Victory” for Distressed HomeownersWASHINGTON, D.C., February 9, 2012 – The Homeownership Preservation Foundation (HPF), an independent national nonprofit dedicated to helping distressed homeowners navigate financial challenges and avoid mortgage foreclosure through its Homeowner’s HOPE™ Hotline at 888-995-HOPE™, today released the following statement in response to the announced settlement […]
- Homeownership Preservation Foundation Appoints Jill Kanin-Lovers and Prue Larocca to Expanded Board of DirectorsWASHINGTON, D.C., February 7, 2012 – The Homeownership Preservation Foundation (HPF), an independent national nonprofit dedicated to helping distressed homeowners navigate financial challenges and avoid mortgage foreclosure through its Homeowner’s HOPE™ Hotline at 888-995-HOPE, today announced the further expansion of its Board of Directors with the appoi […]
- Homeownership Preservation Foundation Applauds Announced Expansion of National HAMP Foreclosure Prevention ProgramWASHINGTON, D.C., January 27, 2012 – The Homeownership Preservation Foundation (HPF), an independent national nonprofit dedicated to helping distressed homeowners navigate financial challenges and avoid mortgage foreclosure through its Homeowner’s HOPE™ Hotline at 888-995-HOPE™, released the following statement in response to today’s announced expansion o […]
Real Estate News
- Mortgage delinquencies drop to 4-year low May 16, 2012The percentage of borrowers who have dropped behind on their mortgage payments fell to a four-year low in the first three months of 2012, a bankers' group said Wednesday. […]
- George Lucas proposes affordable housing plan May 16, 2012The film emperor may be striking back. For 25 years, filmmaker George Lucas tried to persuade his Marin County, Calif., neighbors to let him build a digital production studio on his ranch there, but the area's residents thwarted the plan. […]
- BofA offering up to $30K for short sales May 15, 2012Bank of America is offering some struggling homeowners payments of up to $30,000 if they sell their homes in a short sale and avoid ending up in foreclosure. […]
- Park Ave. co-op sells for record $52.5M May 15, 2012A recent sale in New York's famed 740 Park Avenue apartment building marked the highest price ever paid for a co-op in the city's history. […]
- Artist's habitat in the Jersey woodlands May 11, 2012Ricky Boscarino is a sculptor, painter and jewelry maker whose biggest art project for the past 23 years has been his home on five quiet acres. […]
