This Month in Real Estate - March 2010
Buying a Home -- What’s Deductible?
Realtors are quick to point out that home ownership allows a lot of tax advantages not available to someone who merely pays rent. A homeowner can deduct points used to obtain a mortgage when buying a home, mortgage interest paid during the year, and property taxes.
Those are the basics.
There are rules and guidelines to these deductions, however. Even though ...
Hot Home Trend Features and Home Design
To understand home buyer trends today, it's almost easier to look at what is not hot, at what buyers don't want to buy. There's a lot about the 1980s that many people don't appreciate such as much of the music -- except for U2 -- and most of the homes built in that decade. In fact, homes built from 1970 to 1999 are often passed over for older ...
Mortgage Rate News & Analysis
Mortgage interest rates changed very little from beginning to end in February, according to mortgage finance giant Freddie Mac.
Today's Mortgage Rates
February 4
The average interest rate on a 30-year fixed rate mortgage (FRM) inched up to 5.01 percent, excluding points, during the first week of the month, up from 4.98 percent the week before. 15-year FRMs ...
Dressing a House for Success - STAGING A HOME
By Elizabeth Weintraub, About.com Guide
Home Staging is More Than Decorating
Home staging is about illusions. It's how David Copperfield would sell a house. It's beyond decorating and cleaning. It's about perfecting the art of creating moods. Staging makes your house look bigger, brighter, cleaner, warmer, more loving and, best of ...
Foreclosures leveling off
By Les Christie, staff writerMarch 11, 2010: 12:04 PM ET
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The national foreclosure rate fell 2% in February from a month earlier, according to an industry report released Thursday, the latest sign that the pace of foreclosures is slowing.
In January, the foreclosure rate had fallen 10% from December, according to RealtyTrac. And though ...
The Wrong Short Sale House Might Not Ever Close
Qualify the listing agent and the seller before writing an offer on that short sale house.
When you spot a short sale house that interests you, take your hand off the mouse and step away from the computer. Before you get all excited over the prospect of buying that short sale house, pick up the phone and call your real estate agent. Your ...
How Do I Sell My Home?
By Elizabeth Weintraub, About.com
The bulk of mail I receive from readers asks for tips on selling a home. Many have had their home on the market for months without a showing. Some home sellers have had dozens of buyer previews but not one purchase offer.
In buyer's markets, it is especially important to pull out all the stops and make your home stand out among ...
It's not uncommon for a first-time home buyer to say to me, "Gosh, just last week I called you about buying a home and now I'm in escrow! How did this happen so fast?"
The answer is it didn't. First-time home buyers start the search long before most even realize it.
Here's what you can expect from your home shopping experience.
Benefits for a First-Time Home Buyer
You should buy ...
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 ...