Monthly Archives: April 2006
Telling About A Bad Shopping Experience
If you have a bad shopping experience, how many people do you tell?
According to a new survey from the Verde Group and the Jay H. Baker Retailing Ini…
Selling Nightmares: How A Few Months Can Change An Entire Marketplace
Unfortunately for home sellers nationwide, the red hot seller’s market of the last few years has cooled — dramatically in some places. The best thing you can do is be realistic about your local market. Here are some things to keep in mind in a down seller’s market.
Sellers Not Required To Attend Closing
In most cases, sellers do not have to show up to the closing. If you’re selling, you may be able to sign your paperwork in advance, and give your attorney a power of attorney to close the deal on your behalf..
Seller Disclosure Laws
Most states have seller disclosure laws that require the seller to disclose to you material defects that affect the home. If a seller lies to a buyer about a material defect in the home, you can sue the seller to recover your damages. In some cases you can even recover your attorneys’ fees in suing the seller.
Save Money By Conducting An Energy Audit
What is an energy audit and why should I have one? Homeowners who hire a credentialed energy specialist to conduct an energy audit can expect to pay as much as $500. If you follow the recommendations, you can expect to save between 25 to 50 percent or more on your energy bill, although the audit should come with a written report detailing your annual energy profile, including consumption and cost for each mechanical system, plus detailed recommendations.
Mortgage Lender Misrepresents Mortgage Loan
When you get an FHA mortgage loan you get an FHA number. But is an FHA number enough to prove that you have an FHA mortgage? What if your mortgage lender has you pay FHA mortgage fees but you later discover you don’t have an FHA mortgage loan?
Loans Financing New Construction
There are several loans you can get to finance new construction. The loans you can get to finance your new construction include a construction loan and equity from an existing home. However, you must make sure you can make the payments on the loans financing your new construction, especially if you are planning to keep the current home you’re living in. Without the sale of that home, you may not be able to afford loans that finance the new construction home you are building.
Helping Mother With Estate Planning
A mother has a piece of land that is supposed to be left between her two children in her estate. One of her children and his wife use the property and keep their horses on it, so do they have a greater claim to the property? There are many unlikely requirements the brother and wife would have to meet to claim the land as theirs once it is in the estate.
Concern About Stated Income Mortgage Loans
A lender touches base with Ilyce about loan options for people with a high debt-to-income ratio. Asset/Stated Income products can help, but be very careful about predatory lenders.
Does a Housekeeper Cure ALL Marital Ills?
My friend Leonora spent all day cleaning her house. It’s Easter Sunday, not a particularly big deal in her household, but still, it’s a Sunday and she…
