Are Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Gouging Homebuyers With Add-On Fees?
Extra charges by Fannie and Freddie affect consumers with middling FICO scores and small down payments…
News
Buyers Be Wary Of Houses Marketed As Energy-Efficient
The practice is called “greenwashing.” Buyers need to be on guard: It means a house is marketed as environmentally friendly and energy-saving when it doesn’t deserve that description…
What Buyers Should Know About Public Auction Foreclosures
Investors can reap substantial rewards when buying foreclosures directly at public auctions. There are great risks involved with buying foreclosures at public auction. Investors need to be educated as to how they can mitigate risk when purchasing foreclosures at public auction. But, with these two benefits comes the fact that numerous investors will be placing … Read more
Five First-Time Homebuyer Tips To Know Before House Hunting
Trying to get on the property ladder? Here’s what you need to get started… Find out how much you can borrow before you start looking for homes. Never underestimate the knowledge of mom and dad. Don’t settle for the first property you see. Don’t miss the biggest Connect SF ever! Save your spot now Buying … Read more
Selling A Home Can Be Tricky After A Spouse Dies
Ginny… My husband and I purchased a home. He passed away some years ago. If I sell the property, would I receive the $500,000 deduction for a jointly owned property or not? If not, why not? Gina K., New York Gina… You are referring to a provision in the IRS tax code that allows home … Read more
Trump’s Tax Plans May Effect The Real Estate Market
Could President Trump have unanticipated impacts on the federal tax code’s benefits favoring owing a home over renting one? To the extent that the House, Senate and White House soon will be under one party’s control, the answer may well be yes. Although housing issues got scant attention during the campaign, Trump’s tax-change plans, linked … Read more
The Effect The Trump Administration Will Have On The Housing Market
The housing market was at the forefront of the presidential election eight years ago but barely received any attention in this campaign. Now that Donald Trump is in office, what lies ahead for home buyers and sellers? Trump provided few hints of his thinking while running for office, leaving most industry observers to guess at … Read more
Common Title Problems That Can Snag Your Home Closing
In almost all real estate transactions, there are title issues that must be cleared up in order to transfer ownership of the home from the seller to the buyer. Does the seller have the legal right to sell the property? Is the home’s title free of “clouds” or “defects” – such as judgments, liens or … Read more
What Defunding Immigrant “Sanctuary City” Means For Real Estate
The battle between the President-elect and the mayors…
New Down Payment Option Could Boost Homeownership
This is the first time a ‘shared-equity’ program with no interest payments has been approved by a federal mortgage agency…