Millions of Americans will try to refinance their ARM loans in 2009 and 2010. People have their own reasons for doing this, but it usually comes down to one of two things — saving money and avoiding risk. When used properly, and in the right circumstances, a mortgage refi can help you achieve both of [...]
Mortgage Refinancing | Brandon | 
March 30, 2009 7:03 am | 
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Do you have questions about credit reports and scores? If so, you’ve come to the right place. We have compiled some of the most common credit questions we have received over the years through the Home Buying Institute (our sister website). Most of these Q&A sessions have a real estate focus. They explain the connection [...]
Credit Scores | Brandon | March 28, 2009 8:51 am | Comments (0)
Reader Question: “A friend of mine just purchased a short sale property, and he said he would never do it again because it took such a long time. I’ve heard other horror stories about the process being slow. Why does buying a short sale home take so long to complete.”
You have heard correctly. While the [...]
Foreclosure | Brandon | March 27, 2009 2:07 pm | Comments (0)
Is it possible to refinance when you’re upside down in your mortgage loan? And if so, how do you go about it? These are the questions we will address in today’s lesson.
A couple of weeks ago, I heard a statistic that said 12 million homeowners were upside down in their mortgage loans (meaning they [...]
Mortgage Refinancing | Brandon | 10:04 am | Comments (21)
A lot of homeowners are curious to know how much their homes are worth in the current economy, and it’s easy to understand why. The subprime mortgage crisis has caused home values to drop all over the country. In certain areas, such as California and Florida, values have dropped considerably. Millions of homeowners are underwater [...]
Economy | Brandon | March 25, 2009 12:08 pm | Comments (1)
I just saw a segment on my local news channel about the startling rise in foreclosure rescue scams in the United States. I’ve covered this topic before on the Home Buying Institute news blog, but never on this blog. So here’s an updated look at the most common foreclosure scams in use today, and what [...]
Foreclosure | Brandon | 11:19 am | Comments (0)
The mortgage refinance rush is on. With interest rates at their lowest point in decades, millions of homeowners are trying to refinance their homes to save money. Some are trying to “escape” their adjustable-rate mortgages, while saving money at the same time. But how does home refinancing work, and when is it a good idea? [...]
Mortgage Refinancing | Brandon | 7:41 am | Comments (0)
Kitchen remodeling is one of the most common forms of home renovation these days. It’s easy to understand why. The kitchen is the heart of the house, and for many people it’s where they spend much of their time. The kitchen feeds us, gives us comfort, and helps us entertain when people visit.
Do you need [...]
Home Improvement | Brandon | March 24, 2009 7:03 am | Comments (0)
About once a week, I do some Internet research to find out what topics people are researching online (relevant to this blog). Debt consolidation is always at the top of the list of financial topics. The reasons why are fairly obvious. Millions of Americans are dealing with excessive amounts of debt, and they are looking [...]
Debt Management | Brandon | March 23, 2009 8:16 am | Comments (0)
What should a home buyer know about homeowners insurance coverage before choosing a policy? Plenty. So in today’s lesson, I’m going to explain some of the most important concepts and components of a homeowners policy. If you’re already well-versed in this subject, and you simply want to get insurance quotes from leading companies, use the [...]
Home Insurance | Brandon | March 22, 2009 4:15 pm | Comments (0)