| Reduced fees for reverse mortgages |
| The checkered beginnings of reverse mortgages made them a difficult sales proposition to seniors. In the early years, some programs gave the lender a bigger ... |
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| 'Pivotal' year ahead for reverse mortgages |
| Former FHA Commissioner Brian Montgomery, who oversaw the nation's most popular reverse mortgage product for nearly five years, sees a "pivotal" yea... |
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| 'Shadow inventory' concerns re-emerge |
| One of the biggest unknowns in the housing industry is "shadow inventory." That term describes the number of homes that would be on the market if c... |
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| Fannie Mae offers special REO financing |
| Have you tried to get financing for a second home lately? Just lost an investment property because a longtime lending source was unable to find a loan to fit ... |
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| Calculate cash flow for second home |
| Let's assume home values are down in the area where you like to vacation. Truth be told, you wouldn't mind retiring there one day. If you bought an inve... |
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| Vacation-home site hones in on buyer trends |
| Nearly 30 years ago, our family purchased a small cabin on a mountain lake. The intent was to give our kids a few carefree memories in the sun, similar to the... |
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| Persistence pays off in hunt for vacation home |
| For some unknown reason, I used to take some time leading up to Father's Day to visit and explore some possible places where kids would enjoy spending vacatio... |
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| Tax credit extends into 2011 for some in military |
| A new law could provide an attractive housing option for many families near and around many military bases and shipyards. While the biggest federal ince... |
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| Some homes don't qualify for 1031 exchange |
| Mention the term "second home" to a dozen people and half will probably tell you that it is also an "investment home." That's because many... |
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| Closing a seller-financed deal takes skill |
| Many of today's borrowers, even those anticipating a smooth refinance, are having difficulty qualifying for a loan on their principal residence. Homeowners be... |
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| Refinance with a twist |
| In a recent column we discussed the challenge that first-timer homebuyers face in accumulating funds to purchase and fix up a home. One of the suggested solut... |
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| Home-sale contests trigger alarm |
| There have been several different methods used to advertise home sales via an essay contest -- neighborhood fliers, church bulletins and newspaper classifieds... |
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| What to expect at a real estate auction |
| Not all real estate auctions are sad and anxious moments synonymous with desperation and bankruptcy. For years, auctions have been a convenient, private and e... |
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| How to spot loan-mod fraud |
| Equity skimming, illegal property flipping, foreclosure rescue scams -- and now, say hello to the newcomer on the fraud block: The home-loan modification scam... |
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| Find 'forgotten' tax break for first-timers |
| Most potential homebuyers are well aware of the federal tax credits available before June 30, 2010, but few first-time homebuyers are aware of another subsidy... |
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