New Eco-Dashboard Assists Home Owners in Saving Energy
A new device from General Electric will soon help home owners in southern and western states analyze the amount of power they are using and be able to save money by avoiding times of peak usage. Read More

Before Buying, Consider the Face of a Home
A home's exterior is a big factor in considering how much maintenance expense a prospective home owner will incur as the years go by. Read More

Bank of America's Mortgage Business to Remain In-House
B of A Corporation has made public its intentions to curtail offering home mortgages through brokers by the end of 2007. Going forward, the bank will focus on only lending directly to consumers. Read More

More Upscale Homeowners Opt for a Second Kitchen
A growing number of upscale homeowners are choosing to add a second kitchen. One is for everyday use and the other for use on religious holidays or for entertaining. Read More

Rates decline and Refinance Applications Rise
The weekly survey of lenders conducted by the Mortgage Bankers Association showed that applications for home loan refinancing increased 4% last week. Read More

Home Architects Are Not Only for the Rich
In a time when tract homes and carbon-copy subdivisions that define our suburban landscapes, an architect-designed home may seem completely out of reach to some who want their dream home to be different. Savvy individuals will find that there are ways for non-billionaires to find and hire an architect while keeping constructions costs down, and build the unique home of their dreams. Read More

Countrywide Intends to refinance $19 Billion in ARMs
The nation's biggest mortgage lender, Countrywide Financial Corporation intends to offer to refinance up to $16 billion worth of adjustable-rate mortgages. Read More

Risk of Foreclosure Rising, But Only in Some Areas
According to a report produced by First American Core-Logic, the rising risk of foreclosure still persists, yet it tends to be concentrated in regions of the country that have a souring economy, or in areas where a large number of homes were financed with subprime mortgages. Read More

40 Million American Moved in 2006
Upwards of 39.8 million Americans changed homes throughout 2006. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that around 50% were for housing-related purposes: like wanting a different sized home. Read More

Bankers Receive Discouraging News Regarding Mortgages
At a meeting of the Mortgage Bankers Association, mortgage experts expressed that rising foreclosure rates coupled with a glut of unsold homes creates quite an obstacle for any type of rapid home price rebound in the real estate market. Read More

Study Finds ARM Borrowers Do Not Know the Terms of Their Loans
A recently conducted national survey of 500 holders of adjustable rate mortgages discovered that 73% did not know how much their monthly payment would increase the next time interest rates increase. Read More

Teachers Recruited with Offers of Cheap Housing
A Santa Clara, California school district has launched an innovative incentive program in which teachers are offered affordable apartments that have been built by the district. Read More

Applications for New Mortgages Rise despite Increased Rates
The weekly survey of the Mortgage Bankers Association reports that after dropping for three weeks, applications for new mortgages showed an increase last week. Read More

September shows Drop in Foreclosures, yet Still Up 99% Over 2006
Nationwide foreclosures saw a decrease of 8% in September. This is compared with August when foreclosures hit a 32-month high. The reality is that foreclosures are up 99% compared to September 2006. Read More

Buyers Warned to be Patient with Mortgage Lenders
These days, Mortgage lenders are taking more time the usual to get all necessary documents in order to process a loan request. Read More

IRS Intends to Look at 1031 Exchanges
The use of the 1031 like-kind exchanges have doubled since 1998. A report by the U.S. Department of Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration brought this activity to the attention of the Internal Revenue Service. Read More

Mortgages for Illegal Immigrants Gain Popularity
In spite of recent problems in the subprime lending market, lenders are seeing success with ITIN mortgages. These types of loans are offered to illegal immigrants that utilize individual taxpayer identification numbers instead of social security numbers. Read More

New State Law in California Bans Commissions on Appraisals
Last week, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed off on three new laws which affect real estate transactions. Read More

New State Law in California Bans Commissions on Appraisals
Last week, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed off on three new laws which affect real estate transactions. Read More

Home Owners Take on IRS on Foreclosure Taxes
In the unfortunate event that a home owner goes through a short sale or foreclosure, the IRS considers the dollar amount of the loan that was forgiven as income for the debtor. The billing notice can be a sickening surprise for debtors who believed that they had finally crawled out from underneath their burden of debt. Read More

Survey Shows Consumers aren't Thinking Green
It seems as though U.S. consumers still have not jumped on the green bandwagon. Read More

Home Security for the Super-Rich
ADT Security Services and the market research team Parks Associates report that today's security conscious environment has ushered-in a home security system sales boom for middle to upper-class home owners. Read More

Borrowers Who Have Good Credit are Wooed by Banks
James Chessen, chief economist for the ABA (American Bankers Association) reports that banks have plenty of money available for borrowers that have great credit scores and desire a conventional fixed rate mortgage. Read More

Tips for Home Buyer and Loans
Prospective home buyers in today's tightened mortgage market need to ensure they have the best financial credentials possible in order to qualify for a home loan with the best terms. Read More

Steps to a Beautiful Autumn Lawn
Improve the curb appeal of your home this fall with a thick, green lawn. As summer draws to a close, now is the time to stimulate a strong network of roots and top growth. Read More

Mortgage Delinquencies Continue to Rise
The number of home owners that are becoming delinquent on their mortgage payments is on the rise. The highest numbers are being seen from home owners that had credit scores and histories that were subprime when they first applied for their loans. The figures show that approximately 4.7% of home owners- nearly one in twenty were ate least 0 days behind on the payments during the 3rd quarter. This information was reported last week by the MBA (Mortgage Banker's Association) national survey of delinquencies. 42.6 active home mortgages were evaluated for the survey. Read More