As we start fresh every year, I try to share my list of resolutions to get your finances in order and help you buy a house. The real estate market hasn’t had much good news for the past few years, and mortgage lenders have gotten even tighter with their lending regulations. This isn’t a particularly [...]
When my husband and I got married, we were young, but we were always thinking about saving money. My husband had $25 taken out of every paycheck for his employer to buy him savings bonds. (Back then, $25 was about 15 percent of our rent.) I started setting aside similar sums of money into savings, [...]
It's election year 2012. The U.S. Presidential contest has taken its role front and center in the national consciousness, and election years often mean uncertainty for business and the housing market. Also, we discuss the ongoing repercussions of the euro crisis. And as usual, providing personal finance advice, real estate advice and consumer advice on [...]
It’s January, and you know what that means: New Year’s resolutions. In addition to eating better and losing weight, many Americans resolve to get their finances under control by creating a monthly budget for themselves. Making a budget is essential if you want to build your savings, but it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yourself. [...]
Getting rid of PMI on investment real estate property can be nearly impossible with declining real estate values. Q: We bought an investment property for $76,000 about 7 years ago with no money down. Our interest rate is at 7.5 percent. We would love to get rid of the private mortgage insurance (PMI) on the [...]
When loan modifications fail and you are trying to refinance upside down mortgage, your options are limited other than HARP 2.0. Q: I am currently paying on a mortgage that is becoming an overwhelming expense and causing me to go further in debt in other places. I have a 30-year fixed mortgage with private mortgage [...]
Aquí hay algunos pasos que debe tomar si usted sospecha fraude de crédito o robo de identidad con un familiar anciano. Pregunta: Recibí de mi abuela un poder para manejar sus finanzas. Ella vive en Tejas. Yo, sin embargo, vivo en Atlanta. He entrado la información que tengo de ella y quiero obtener su reporte [...]
It’s a fresh, clean new year. We indulged ourselves last month and ended the year with a blast. Now, it’s time to come back down to earth and face financial reality. Luckily, I have some tax tips you might find helpful as you try to stick to your financial goals and resolutions. 2012 brings us [...]
