When the housing market slumps, it’s often best to take your home off the market and wait it out - but not everyone has that luxury. Many people are forced to go through with a sale because of a job transfer or a personal liquidity crisis. But even if you’re selling in a very bad [...]
Like Wall Street, the real estate industry is feeling the painful effects of loose lending practices and bad mortgage loans. Now, more than ever, prospective home buyers and sellers should be aware of what’s happening with the housing market — and where it’s headed — in order to make smart decisions. HGTV shares these top [...]
Most borrowers never come into contact with mortgage finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. That’s because the companies work with lenders rather than consumers.
Nevertheless, Fannie and Freddie play an essential role in the mortgage industry and the economy in general. Here are answers to some basic questions about these companies and your stake in [...]
As voters across the country prepare to head to the polls in November, questions about subprime lending and the solutions to our current housing troubles are coming to the top of the nation’s mind. Do these plans make sense? Are they feasible? Who will pay for them? What will be their long-term consequences?
Fighting Foreclosure
Obama wants [...]
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I MISS MY MORTGAGE PAYMENTS?
Foreclosure may occur. This is the legal means that your lender can use to repossess (take over) your home. When this happens, you must move out of your house. If your property is worth less than the total amount you owe on your mortgage loan, a deficiency judgment [...]
Today in most markets, home buyers have the upper hand over the sellers. That often means buyers have greater negotiating power when it comes to price or the chance to get out some extra perks from sellers.
With reality programs such as HGTV’s “Sleep On It” and TLC’s “Date My House” show home buyers spending a [...]
A list of best neighborhoods to consider in today’s real estate market. Whether you are looking for a place to live, an investment property or a place to retire, here are the top places for 2008.
Austin and Round Rock, Texas:
Austin, one of the hippest cities in the country, has one of the lowest unemployment rates along [...]
Even the lofty Manhattan real estate market is beginning to soften, according to reports released Wednesday by four of the city’s top real estate agencies.
Data from this year’s second quarter indicate two divergent trends; on a year-over-year basis, the volume of sales is down, while at the same time the average home price is rising.
“The [...]
Aventura is an upscale condo community with some of South Florida ’s best-known condominiums. Aventura is a vibrant city that is perfect for a wide variety of people. Single young professionals own condos in Aventura. Other condominiums are perfect for families, while still others are internationally known for their luxury and glamour.
There is plenty of [...]
This Old House magazine recently released its list of the dozen “Best Places to Buy an Old House.”
Our top criteria for choosing a winner included architectural diversity, the craftsmanship of the homes, and the preservation momentum in the area. But we were also interested in neighborhood amenities: walkability, services, and community. What we found is [...]