Starting June 15, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which regulates Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, will require both agencies to give short-sale buyers a final decision within 60 days. (In a short sale, a lender agrees to accept less than the balance on a mortgage.) Fannie and Freddie must also re
...
05/31/2012
We all want to be wise investors, but our brains get in the way. Behavioral scientists tell us we are hard-wired to assume the future will be like the past. These tendencies can cause us to miss bargains in real estate. Here are five reasons why buying a house now is a good investment: 1. It's be
...
04/01/2012
If you've been watching the housing market's long-term slump, you've probably wondered if it's time to pick up an investment property. Here are the things you need to check before you make that commitment: 1. Your finances are solid and your emergency fund is in place. You have cash on hand to c
...
02/13/2012
Although foreclosed properties can be good deals, the process of buying is rife with pitfalls. Here is what you must know: 1. Have you done your research? A foreclosed property may have all sorts of clouds on its title, from multiple bank loans to tax and contractor's liens. Once you buy, you're
...
01/13/2012
There are many benefits to owning a home, not the least of which are the financial advantages of home ownership. Homeowners can gain a number of tax benefits, and, combined with the Fed's indication to keep interest rates attractively low throughout the new year, home buying in 2012 is promising
...
01/10/2012
People don't generally think of year-end as the ideal time to buy or sell properties. Yet, that may be precisely the reason why the winter holidays can be a great time to do either! Since springtime is a popular time to list homes for sale, there tends to be a glut of properties on the market dur
...
11/08/2011
View My Profile www.ziprealty.com | len.malena@ziprealty.com Owning a Home Is Still the American Dream The housing market has been volatile in the past few years. Prices have tumbled, foreclosures and short sales are crowding the market, and mortgages are hard to come by. Would anyone still co
...
08/16/2011
Now You Can Substitute a New Buyer for One Who Walked Without Restart! "Bank of America now allows real estate agents to submit a backup offer on a transaction if the original buyer has walked away from the sale. This means you will no longer have to initiate a new short sale; instead, you can c
...
07/12/2011
Study Shows Homeownership Affordability at Record High According to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index (HOI), homes were more affordable during the first quarter of 2011 than at any other time during the past two decades. The HOI shows the percentag
...
07/10/2011
Today's Buyers Want More Value According to the latest housing trends, the days of the McMansions have passed. Rather than acres of sprawl to care for, today's savvy buyers are far more interested in a little patch of heaven to call home. And they want it in pristine condition. These buyers ar
...
06/03/2011
