Fannie Mae Requires Better Credit, Less Debt
Fannie Mae (the bloated, greed-driven organization that hasn’t served a viable purpose in decades) is now requiring higher credit scores and lower debt-to-income ratios for borrowers. I’m all for tighter underwriting guidelines within the mortgage industry, and better regulation to boot. But I don’t think it should be coming from Fannie Mae. But before I fly into an anti-Fannie...
Read MoreBankruptcy from Medical Bills – The Next Economic Crisis
Pop Quiz: Try to name at least two industrialized nations in the world where people have to declare bankruptcy because of their health care costs. Do you give up? That’s because it’s a trick question. There’s only one industrialized nation in the entire world that falls into this category … the United States. “Medical bankruptcy” is starting to become a...
Read MoreObama Mortgage Loan Modification Scams
Put the words Obama and mortgage modification into the headline of your website, and you’ll get the attention of a lot of people. Who knows — you may even get some of their money, too. This tactic is used by a lot of mortgage modification scams lately. But after you finish reading this post, those scams will be easy to spot. But first thing’s first. Let’s cover some basic...
Read MoreCash for Clunkers Programs Suspended
The popular Cash for Clunkers program may be suspended indefinitely. I know, it’s not a real estate topic. But it’s within the realm of personal finance, and it’s an interesting subject. So here’s what you need to know about it: In June of this year, the government launched a program commonly known as Cash for Clunkers — a clever strategy to accomplish two goals at...
Read MoreHome Prices are Rising in Many Cities – May 2009 Data
In May of 2009, home prices in the United States rose for the first time in nearly three years. This is based on an index of 20 major cities in the United States. As you might imagine, this has the real estate world and all of the news circuits buzzing like bees. But what does it really mean? Well, a rise in prices is surely a good sign for our economy. Nobody can predict if they’re going...
Read MoreHow to Appeal Your Property Tax Assessment
Nationwide, property values have fallen as a result of our housing crisis. Of course, this is a generalized statement. There are plenty of cities that have held steady, such as Round Rock, Texas where I live. If you live in an area that has seen big drops in property values, you might want to pay close attention to your property tax assessment — and appeal it if necessary. Remember, the...
Read More