Market Value Content Index - Page 1

What is your home worth? The market value might depend based on the real estate market, condition of your home, amount of land associated with the property, amenities to your property and comparable properties' market value. Learn more here about how to calculate the market value of your home and what it means for you.

Ilyce Glink Show Notes - November 15, 2009. Today on the show, we discussed the new Fannie Mae Deed For Lease Program in Detail; the new CreditKarma Survey on credit card debt; The October 2009 Realty Trac Foreclosure survey; Divorce and Mortgages; Mike Rose, a senior loan officer with Bank of America, came on to talk about some of the new mortgage rules with regard to divorce and FHA; Peggy Abkemeier, President of Rent.com discussed a new survey of investment property owners. NEW EBOOKS ON INVESTING IN REAL ESTATE; EBOOK SPECIAL.

**Investment Property Short Sale Generates Phantom Income** When an investment property is sold as a short sale, it generates what is known as "phantom income." The IRS looks at the difference between what the property is worth and what your sold it for in the short sale as income. You should receive a 1099 for the phantom income generated by the short sale of the investment property.

**Should I Refinance My Mortgage?** Mortgage interest rates keep falling, now below 5 percent. Should you refinance your mortgage? It's more difficult to get a mortgage refinance in today's lending market, but it might be worthwhile to try to refinance your mortgage. Will it reduce your monthly mortgage payments? Will a mortgage refinance shorten the term of your loan? You need to determine why you want to refinance your mortgage to determine the best refinancing scenario for your loan.

Majority of property owners experiencing higher vacancy rates. Seventy percent of property owners are experiencing higher vacancy rates this year. The vacancy rate has been above 10 percent since June 2009. A recent Rent.com survey looks at how property owners are coping with these trends and encouraging tenants to stay or move to their units.

Property owners are finding creative ways to fill vacancies during the recession. Over 70 percent of property owners have experienced higher vacancy rates over the past year. Recent vacancies are primarily a result of job loss and tenants trying to save money on rent by moving to a cheaper unit or doubling-up with roommates. Property owners are modifying credit policies to fill units during the recession. Owners are also lowering rent, relaxing pet policies and offering unit upgrades. Read the full press release below from Rent.com.

HUD Secretary Donovan and FHA Commissioner Stevens briefed leaders on the FHA's financial outlook today, in coordination with the release of its annual independent actuarial study. The study found the capital reserve ratio to be 0.53 percent of total insurance in force this year, well below the congressionally mandated threshold of two percent. The FHA holds $31 billion in total reserves today. Robert Ryan was introduced as the FHA's first-ever Chief Risk Officer. Ryan will focus on understanding risk to the FHA's insurance fund and develop policy responses that address that risk.

FHA cash reserves fall to the lowest level in history, below the congressionally mandated level. The Federal Housing Administration's mortgage insurance cash reserves fell to the lowest levels in recorded history, 0.53 percent. The FHA announced today FHA cash reserve levels have fallen below the congressionally mandated threshold. The annual independent accounting survey of the FHA came with the assessment that additional action needed to be taken to manage risk to prevent further losses.

Real Living and GMAC Real Estate hope to provide an even higher level of customer service. The real estate companies have announced a merger with plans to target a female audience and for an emphasis on customer service. Real Living and GMAC will rebrand under the Real Living name, with offices across the country. Real Living will focus on female customers, with a plans for an exceptional customer service experience. The Real Living, GMAC merger comes after Brookfield Residential Property Services acquired both GMAC and Real Living.

**Jobs, Foreclosures, The Stock Market And More Thoughts About Our Wacky World.** If we don't have jobs, it's awfully hard to pay a mortgage. More foreclosures may be on the way, according to the one person who I knew correctly called the financial meltdown.

**Fannie Mae Deed For Lease Program Rules.** Fannie Mae announced an innovative program designed to help homeowners avoid foreclosure. Called Deed for Lease, the program allows struggling homeowners who are unable to qualify for a loan modification under the current Obama Loan Modification Plan to hand their keys over to Fannie Mae, but then rent back their house at current market rental rates. Here are the Deed for Lease program rules.