Architect Content Index - Page 1

An architect is a person who designs plans for buildings and houses. An architect can help design exactly what you want, making your house feel like a home. Often architects work with builders who construct the house or building. You can use an architect for a new home design, or for remodeling projects. Learn more about what an architect can do for you on this page.

Taylor Bean & Whitaker Customers Still Waiting for Answers. Think Glink has reported for weeks now that former Taylor Bean & Whitaker customers would get answers after the Oct. 31 deadline, by which new loan servicers were to have sorted out who would take what Taylor Bean & Whitaker loans. While there has been some progress made, Taylor Bean & Whitaker customers are still waiting for many answers.

**The Fannie Mae Rental Program will allow homeowners to avoid foreclosure for a year.** This rental program or "Deed to Lease" program will allow homeowners who haven't qualified for a home loan modification or for the Making Home Affordable Act to avoid foreclosure for a year. The Fannie Mae Rental Program has specific criteria that the homeowners must qualify for, including they must live in the home as their primary residence and they can't be more than 12 months past due. Read the full article below fore more information on the Fannie Mae Rental Program.

**Unpaid Property Taxes Found One Year After Land Contract Signed** Land contract -- also known as installment contracts for deed -- are complicated documents. If you are not careful, you could end up in a mess. Some issues that can lead to problems in a land contract are title issues, including unpaid real estate and property taxes. But unpaid taxes could be the lesser of some of the title problems you can encounter using a land contract. This reader found unpaid property taxes from years earlier about a year after entering into the land contract.

**$8,000 First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit To Be Extended and Expanded** First time home buyers and others can celebrate soon. There's movement to extend and expand the first time home buyer tax credit. But wait, there's more. The new and improved home buyer's tax credit will be expanded to include higher income earners and existing home owners. The fragile real estate may have hit a jackpot as the expanded and improved tax credit was surely supported by the real estate industry and residential mortgage brokers. It's the new and improved home buyer tax credit.

Losing Earnest Money When An Appraisal Comes In Too Low If you sign a contract to buy a home and the appraisal comes in too low, what should you do? Are you at risk of losing your earnest money or down payment on the home? How do you prevent getting yourself in a situation where your earnest money is at risk in a volatile real estate market? First, you should make sure you understand the homebuying process, read the purchase and sale agreement, and get help when you don't understand something.

What makes a good credit score? What makes a bad credit score? How do you improve your credit score? Opening new lines of credit, using all of your available credit, making late payments, or not paying in full can all lower your credit score. The easiest ways to improve your credit score include keeping your credit accounts open for a long time, not opening new credit, having different kinds of credit account, and making your payments on time. Ilyce Glink shows how a credit score can be dropped very quickly, but it takes a long time to build up a good credit score. However, it is possible to improve your credit score over time.

A first time home buyer wonders what questions he and his wife should be asking when looking at a new development of townhomes. All buyers want to go to the table prepared, but first time home buyers need to be especially careful to do their research. Here as some new home buying tips you should consider.New developments require special consideration when thinking about buying, as a first time home buyer or otherwise. You must look at the value of the other properties, when it will be fully developed and what you expect out of your new home. It might be helpful for first time home buyers to work with an agent who has experience with new developments.

How long does bankruptcy stay on your credit report? Depending on what kind of bankruptcy you filed, a bankruptcy can stay on your credit report for 7 or 10 years. The longer it has been since your bankruptcy, the less your bankruptcy will affect your credit score. To see if your bankruptcy is still on your credit report, you can pull a free copy of your credit report. If it's been more than 10 years and the bankruptcy is still on your credit report, you can file a dispute and prove that it's been more than 7 or 10 years since your bankruptcy was discharged.

A debt management plan can help someone whose credit history and credit score have likely already suffered either because their debt-to-credit limits are out of whack or because they have started to pay some of their bills late. As personal finance advice goes, a debt management program can help you improve your credit history and credit score by helping to encourage you to pay their bills on time and in full. However, some debt management programs are really scams and they will take your money instead of helping you pay your bills. Look for a reputable credit counseling service provider.

Buying or Renting a Vacation Home. What's the Better Choice? Vacation homes can be a great way to enjoy your summer vacation, but should you rent or buy these homes? If you buy, you get all the investment benefits on owning a home, but you still have to take care of it. You may end up spending more time tending to your vacation home, than vacationing. Renting a vacation home may be the right way to go, if you're not prepared to pay for the right to have the vacation home for the short period you might want to stay there.