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FICO ’08 LAUNCHED
Fair Isaac Corporation is finally rolling out the latest remake of its FICO credit score , which is the scoring standard for mortgage lenders. Yes, it has taken until 2009 to get FICO ‘08 launched, and even now many consumers, potential homeborrowers Read More...
THE SPRING 2009 MORTGAGE OVERVIEW
W ill the lower mortgage rates we have seen so far in 2009 help to lift the housing market this spring? There have been several positive market developments recently, lower rates among them, but whether these positives finally have enough power to jump Read More...
Should You Pay Down Your Mortgage
I n the old days (much of the last century), many people stayed in their homes for 30+ years, long enough to pay off their mortgages and live mortgage-free ever after. In the more recent past, mortgages became transient instruments, remaining in existence Read More...
The Spring Housing Market Outlook
T he spring housing market is usually greeted with eagerness and enthusiasm by home sellers and buyers, Realtors and mortgage professionals. This year, though, it is being met with, well…hope. While there are still plenty of negatives, a sour economy Read More...
Outlook for Spring
T he spring housing market is usually greeted with eagerness and enthusiasm by home sellers and buyers, Realtors and mortgage professionals. This year, though, it is being met with, well…hope. While there are still plenty of negatives, a sour economy Read More...
Look For New Mortgage Disclosure Rollout
H omebuyers will soon have improved mortgage disclosures to help with their decision-making, the result of Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act rules finalized by the Department of Housing and Urban Development in November. Although the new disclosures Read More...
The Housing Watch List for 2009
T here are a few trends /issues to which we think you should pay particular attention this year. Builders require extra due diligence. In November, homebuilders started the fewest number of new homes since 1959. That’s tough for builders, but good Read More...
The 2009 Mortgage Landscape
M ost prospective mortgage shoppers should be aware by now that mortgages are tougher to get. “Stringent” is the word we keep hearing used to describe the tests for borrowers these days. That’s putting it mildly! The traditional touchstones Read More...
2009 Housing Market Preview
W i ll 2009 be the year that we finally see an end to the slide in home prices and the start of a rebound? Some market watchers think so. Of course, recent spells of optimism about the housing market have proven premature and that could be the case again. Read More...
Credit?
F irst-time homebuyers have another reason to think about buying a home in 2009 , a federal income tax credit of up to $7,500. The credit is 10% of the cost of a home, so a house costing $75,000 will qualify for a full credit. The credit is refundable, Read More...
ESSENTIAL STEPS FOR GETTING A MORTGAGE
F irst-time homebuyers, who have never applied for a mortgage before, should understand that being totally prepared to do so takes advance planning . The biggest mistake for many first-time homebuyers is waiting until they start looking for a home to Read More...
THE STATE OF LOW-DOWNPAYMENT MORTGAGES
T here was a time, neither long, long ago nor far, far away when 100% financing (no-downpayment) mortgage loans were plentiful. In this fabled age, many potential home-buyers without downpayment funds were still assured a happy ending. Alas, this fairy Read More...
HOW EARLY PURCHASE MAXIMIZES TAX BENEFITS
If you have decided that 2009 will be the year you become a homeowner, then consider doing it as early in the year as possible, because delay has one certain cost. For every day that passes after January 1, you will find it more difficult to take full Read More...
FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS GUIDE FOR 2009
T he first-time homebuyer in 2009 will have a tricky real estate environment facing them, but negotiating the challenges ahead could prove rewarding. On the positive side, home inventories remain high, so the first-time buyer will have a wide selection Read More...
EXPIRING TAX PROVISIONS ARE EXTENDED IN RESCUE BILL
S everal important tax provisions were extended in the financial rescue bill, to some extent to help line up crucial votes for the package. These have been continued on an annual basis for several years now in Congress’ version of the two-minute Read More...
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