Hot Property

Do you need money to be a bank?

  WASHINGTON, DC – The Federal Housing Finance Agency has sent to the Federal Register this interim final rule. The rule implements sections of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (PL 110-289) HERA, which required their submission within 180 days of its enactment on July 30, 2008.   Federal Home Loan Banks Capital Classifications [...]

Big Brother is going to keep an eye on Fanny and Freddie going forward.

      WASHINGTON, DC   – The Federal Housing Finance Agency has sent to the Federal Register this interim final rule. The rule implements sections of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (PL 110-289) HERA, which required their submission within 180 days of its enactment on July 30, 2008. Enterprise Portfolio Holdings For [...]

Florida Real Estate Market REBOUNDS!

Florida’s existing home, condo sales rise in December 2008 Related Story: Existing-home sales show strong gain in December, says NAR ORLANDO, Fla. – Jan. 26, 2009 – Florida’s existing home sales rose in December, making it the fourth consecutive month that sales activity demonstrated gains in the year-to-year comparison, according to the latest housing data [...]

RE-FI Money is there but with New Challenges.

Washington is doing all it can to get money flowing again in the housing sector. At around 5 percent, 30-year mortgage rates are at levels that haven’t been seen in, well, 30 years. If you want to buy a home or refinance your existing loan, money is there. But would-be borrowers face new challenges they [...]

Bored? A little paint may cure that!

Shannon Kaye’s (host of DIY’s Fresh Coat) best tips: 1. Know Your Space. Ask yourself why you want to make a change. Are you planning to sell your home? Do you want to make the space more personal or more functional? The answers will determine what and how much you do. 2. Trends. While people often [...]

Mortgage rates below 5 percent fifth straight week.

Rates on 30-year mortgages set a record for a fifth straight week by dropping to below 5 percent, the lowest mark since Freddie Mac started tracking the data in 1971. Mortgage rates have been dropping since late November, when the Federal Reserve said it was going to pump money into the banking system by buying [...]

Four Reasons NOT to Shop for your Home Alone

Home shopping alone – without the help of a professional even when online – can become a huge handicap for home buyers. Here are four reasons: • Late information. Shoppers who limit themselves to only looking at real estate Web sites will overlook some very good properties, possibly one that is perfect for them, and [...]

Builders Urge Congress to Focus on Housing Stimulus

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) launched an all-out effort less than 24 hours after members of the 111th Congress were sworn into office to make housing a centerpiece of the massive economic stimulus package that lawmakers are expected to complete by mid-February. Builders from across the country converged on Capitol Hill yesterday to meet [...]

Home REFINANCING up over 500 per cent.

As home mortgage rates have fallen to their lowest point since the 1960s, the cost of financing a home has fallen more than a full percentage point since this time last year. The drop results in savings of more than $100 a month on payments for a $150,000 loan. No wonder applications to refinance homes [...]

3 Florida cities to get $28M from HUD, including Tampa

HUD GIVING $28M TO HELP 3 FLORIDA CITIES A federal agency is giving more than $28 million to three Florida communities that have been slammed by high foreclosures and dropping home values. The Department of Housing and Urban Development says the money can be used by state and local governments to buy and redevelop foreclosed [...]