The Smartest Way to Buy or Sell a Home

March 2009 - Posts

• Calling All First-Time Home Buyers!

  The number of first time buyers has increased each year since 2006, rising from 36% to 41% last year according to the National Association of Realtors. As home prices have fallen significantly since "the peak" and interest rates are near all Read More... Posted Tuesday, March 31, 2009 10:48 AM by Annette Lane | 0 Comments

• Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan Playbook

  Who wins from this plan? Every homeowner stands to benefit if the plan delivers on its objective, whether they currently have a mortgage or not. Simply stated, the bill targets the root of the problem, a homeowner's monthly housing obligation. This Read More... Posted Tuesday, March 31, 2009 10:46 AM by Annette Lane | 0 Comments

• Seeing Red - HouseMaster Highlights Red Flags for Home Buyers during National Home Inspection Month

  RISMEDIA, March 30, 2009-HouseMaster, a North American inspection franchisor, reminds buyers and sellers that a professional home inspection is critical when buying or selling a home. As April marks National Home Inspection Month and the start of the Read More... Posted Monday, March 30, 2009 10:36 AM by Annette Lane | 0 Comments

• Mortgage Rates Drop Due to Federal Reserve Decision to Buy Treasury Bonds...

  Mortgage rates are again dropping to near-record lows - below 5% - in the wake of the Federal Reserve’s decision to buy up Treasury bonds and mortgage securities. Lower rates may help spur home sales, but analysts expect much of the action to come Read More... Posted Friday, March 27, 2009 1:06 PM by Annette Lane | 0 Comments

• Help for Military Families

  The federal government will cover 95 percent of a loss to military families forced by deployment or other eligible circumstances to sell their houses at a loss in today's market. The law applies to service members with mortgages entered into before Read More... Posted Friday, March 27, 2009 8:45 AM by Annette Lane | 0 Comments

• Associated Press: Existing-home sales rose 5 percent in Feb.

  Biggest jump in more than five years; median price down 15% to $165,400 ASHINGTON - Sales of existing homes rose from January to February in an unexpected boost for the slumping housing market as buyers took advantage of deep discounts on foreclosures. Read More... Posted Monday, March 23, 2009 12:58 PM by Annette Lane | 0 Comments

• HUD Awards $12 Million in Grants to Bring Jobs, Economic Independence to Public Housing Residents

  RISMEDIA, March 16, 2009-The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded nearly $12 million in grants to 207 public housing agencies across the U.S. to help public housing residents find jobs that lead them toward economic independence. Read More... Posted Saturday, March 14, 2009 12:07 PM by Annette Lane | 0 Comments

• Mortgages That Survived The Credit Crunch

  by Broderick Perkins You'll probably have to go to homeownership school. You'll have to prove you can really afford a mortgage. You may have to reconsider your location. And you'll have to run a gauntlet of scrutiny. Today's mortgages Read More... Posted Thursday, March 12, 2009 11:05 AM by Annette Lane | 0 Comments

• Top Moving Tips for Buyers and Sellers

  Sellers and Buyers are faced with many challenges. Now more than ever they are looking for ways to cut costs, cut down necessities, and still have everything that they want. Below are some tips to cut down the cost of moving and at the same time get the Read More... Posted Wednesday, March 11, 2009 9:50 AM by Annette Lane | 0 Comments

• Can a Year-Old Rescue Plan Help the Current Crisis?

  By Gail MarksJarvis RISMEDIA, March 10, 2009-(MCT)-It’s coming. But will it help? The long-awaited federal program to try to get up to $1 trillion in loans flowing into the hands of consumers and small businesses is ready to be launched March 17, Read More... Posted Tuesday, March 10, 2009 10:17 AM by Annette Lane | 0 Comments

• White House Plan for "Responsible Homeowners" Leaves You Wondering

  by Bob Hunt On February 18 the White House released an executive summary of the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan. Details to follow. The plan targets two groups: (1) Four to five million "responsible homeowners" who are current on Read More... Posted Friday, March 06, 2009 10:19 AM by Annette Lane | 0 Comments

• How to Help Homeowners Understand Obama’s Foreclosure Plan

  By Ralph R. Roberts RISMEDIA, March 5, 2009-If your housing market is anything like my housing market, you are probably fielding plenty of questions about President Obama’s $75 billion foreclosure plan. Most homeowners want to know what it means Read More... Posted Thursday, March 05, 2009 10:57 AM by Annette Lane | 0 Comments