| Reap benefits from cash-in refinance |
| Cash-in refinancing means putting cash into a transaction by paying down the balance, as opposed to cash-out refinancing where you take cash out by increasing... |
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| 4 solutions for underwater homeowners |
| "My home is underwater, worth about $216,000 against a loan balance of $240,000. I can refinance the loan under the HARP program, reducing the rate fr... |
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| FHA's controversial proposals to cut losses |
| In the post-crisis market, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) has become a major player -- and the only player for borrowers with limited cash and not-s... |
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| Know your risk of an ARM rate increase |
| The initial interest rate on adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) is currently running about 1 percent lower than the rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgages (FRMs... |
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| Mortgage reform falls short on disclosures |
| The existing system of mortgage disclosures in the U.S. has long been a disgrace. Borrowers are inundated with garbage disclosures and often the few pieces of... |
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| 'Exotic' loans to fetch premium prices |
| The federal government in the "Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010" reversed its long-standing policy of favoring disadvantaged borro... |
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| Beware false promise to erase mortgage |
| "I received a confidential note from a firm claiming that they can eliminate my second mortgage. I am inclined to believe them because the value of ou... |
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| Timing a rate-lock |
| "Mortgage interest rates are currently at record lows, and it would seem that they couldn't possibly fall any lower. Would you recommend then that bor... |
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| Give buyers freedom to choose mortgage insurance |
| Editor's note: This is Part 2 of a two-part series. Last week, I indicated that most mortgage borrowers who need private mortgage insurance are ... |
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| Tailor-made mortgage insurance |
| Editor's note: This is Part 1 of a two-part series. I decided recently to take a look at private mortgage insurance (PMI) in the post-crisis mar... |
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| Financial reform under fire |
| A much-noted feature of the recent financial crisis is that none of the federal regulatory agencies saw it coming. They could respond to minimize the damage o... |
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| Reducing the risk of another mortgage mess |
The basic facts about the financial crisis that originated in the home mortgage market are not in dispute: - The housing bubble that preceded the fin...
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| Comparing cost of FHA vs. conventional loans |
| In deciding between a conventional mortgage and an FHA-insured mortgage, the general rule is that if you qualify for the conventional mortgage, you take it; o... |
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| Site lets borrowers see their 'Mortgage Grade' |
Lack of information has always been a major problem for mortgage borrowers. They may not understand: - the mortgage and how it works, especially if i...
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| Rising interest in loan paydowns |
| "Has there been any significant change in the interests of your readers since the crisis?" I recently compared the Web pages that visi... |
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