By Mike Colpitts A new proposal made by a Florida member of the U.S. House of Representatives would waive federal income taxes on retirement plans if the proceeds were used to buy a home that was foreclosed. The bill, offered by Representative Bill Posey (R-FL), a Realtor has made the resolution as part of the… Continue reading Law Would Waive Taxes
Decline Confirms Double Dip
By Kevin Chiu Home prices have clearly shown a double-dip is underway in the housing market, according to real estate data provider Clear Capital. The values of residential properties fell 0.7% below prior lows in 2009 as forecast by Housing Predictor. The drop in home values demonstrates that markets remain stressed as a result of… Continue reading Decline Confirms Double Dip
U.S. May Dump Homeowner Aid
By Mike Colpitts Little government aid is available to homeowners struggling to hold on to their homes caught in the grip of economic hardship, according to a leading attorney who is spearheading legal action against seven of the nation’s largest banks in the foreclosure crisis. Attorney Philip Kramer, whose firm Kramer-Kaslow of Calabasas, California has… Continue reading U.S. May Dump Homeowner Aid
Win a Condo Raffle for Charity
By Kevin Chiu A Twin-Cities man thinks he’s found a way to buck the tough real estate market and attract attention to sell his condominium, despite the sluggish marketplace, and William Panzarella is doing it all in the name of charity. The Minneapolis condo owner has teamed up with a real estate agent to raffle… Continue reading Win a Condo Raffle for Charity
Mortgage Qualifying Standards Tighten
By Kevin Chiu Qualifying for a conventional home mortgage has gotten tougher in the fallout of the financial crisis, but Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae requirements show that obtaining a conventional mortgage has gotten much tougher even before Congress implements changes as part of the Dodd-Frank Financial Reform Act. The average credit score approved for… Continue reading Mortgage Qualifying Standards Tighten
Huge Drop in Realtor Membership
By Mike Colpitts Slammed by the real estate crash, the National Association of Realtors membership has dropped 21% since 2006 when real estate agents and brokers began to realize markets were heading down to just 1.06-million members, according to a real estate survey conducted annually. Real estate agents and brokers are also finding that the… Continue reading Huge Drop in Realtor Membership
Mortgages Jump Higher as Rates Drop
By Kevin Chiu The volume of applications for home mortgages jumped higher for the week as mortgage rates dropped, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. The composite index, a figure compiled from both new purchase applications and refinances jumped 8.2%. Refinancing led applications as homeowners with mortgages they were trying to get a lower rate… Continue reading Mortgages Jump Higher as Rates Drop
Victorian Will Sell Itself on Internet
A Victorian-era home built in 1886 may just sell itself marketed on the Internet, despite being located in a town of just 106 residents in Eastville, Virginia. The home was lived in by three families before being converted to a bed and breakfast. The residence boasts 3,500 square feet with some of the lowest property… Continue reading Victorian Will Sell Itself on Internet
Refinances Rebound on Rate Drop
By Kevin Chiu Refinancing home mortgages rebounded higher following a drop in mortgage interest rates last week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. The move came after rates on conventional loans dropped for the first time in a month. The rate on a fully executed 30-year fixed mortgage declined to 4.76% from 4.80 the prior… Continue reading Refinances Rebound on Rate Drop
Interest Rates Fall Slightly
By Mike Colpitts Mortgage interest rates fell slightly on 30-year fixed rate loans to 4.78% from the previous week, according to Freddie Mac following bond yields as weak economic conditions and declining home prices drove rates lower. The fall in interest rates was only 0.02 from last week, but kept the bellwether rate well below… Continue reading Interest Rates Fall Slightly