Can't make your mortgage? Get an emergency loan
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The jobless may not be getting much help from President Obama's loan modification program, but those in Pennsylvania have another place to turn.
The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency offers the jobless and those suffering financial hardship loans of up to $60,000 for as long as three years to cover their monthly payments ...
Spring Maintenance Tips
It's almost spring, which means flowers, rain, baseball, gardening, bbq's, desperate attempts to get in shape before swimsuit season, skipping work to be outside before it gets unbearably hot...
Spring also means it's time for home maintenance after a winter of neglect. Don't feel too bad about it--you're not the only one to hibernate from maintenance during the winter.
Following ...
10 steps to 'short sale' buying
There are too few active buyers in the real-estate market these days – but every one of them seems to be looking to buy a foreclosure or a short sale. Here's a primer on short sales and the steps you will need to take to purchase one.
By Bobbi Dempsey of Bankrate.com
Foreclosure is a fairly well-understood process, but as "short sale" signs sprout ...
Agent Duties - What a Real Estate Agent Can or Cannot Do for You
It's Against the Law to Violate the Fair Housing Act
To understand a real estate agent's scope of duties and what an agent and can and cannot do for you, look first to federal and state regulations. Here are a few of the entities that govern or affect a real estate agent's actions:
Federal Fair Housing Act
State ...
Feds Help Speed Up Your Mortgage Modification
by Broderick Perkins
The latest spin on government-sponsored mortgage modifications demands that home owners provide an initial package of documents before the first phase of a modification can begin.
The newest plan for the ever-evolving Obama Administration's Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) also requires lenders (or servicers) to review ...
Are you expecting guests? If so, now is the time to get your home looking good and working great. Before company arrives, it pays to look around your home and see it as your guests might. If you’ve been living with a drippy faucet, a poorly flushing toilet, or a sticking door for months, you may simply have gotten used to it. A little bit of TLC can make your home ...
12 Safety Tips For Women Home Buyers
Home Buying Advice for Women With Security In Mind
By Elizabeth Weintraub, About.com Guide
Women have special concerns about personal safety. The US Census Bureau says there are more than 14 million women who live alone in cities. Moreover, 118.5 million women populate cities and their suburbs.
As security issues loom large in our cities, single ...
Facts About Residential Real Estate Appraisals
Appraisals are an Important Part of Your Home Buying Transaction
A real estate appraisal helps to establish a property's market value–the likely sales price it would bring if offered in an open and competitive real estate market.
Your lender will require an appraisal when you ask to use a home or other real estate as security for a loan, because ...
Today's choices include banks, mortgage brokers, home builders, and Internet lenders. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, and rates vary from lender to lender.
Types of Mortgage Lenders
TypeAdvantagesDisadvantages
Banks
Regulated by state and federal agencies
Current banking relationship can get you a reduced mortgage rate
Numerous branches provide you with face-to-face ...
This Month in Real Estate - February