Residential Construction Down 6 percent from June
The good news continues. Housing starts in July, 2007 were 1,381,000, down 6.1 percent from June. The bigger news is that housing starts are down nea...
$11 Billion For Countrywide
The news this morning that Countrywide has borrowed about $11 billion from 40 banks is enough to give anyone pause. While that sounds like a lot of c...
Countrywide Falling?
A fairly sophisticated money guy I know, who regularly pulls down nearly 7 figures a year, sent me an interesting email this morning. He wanted to kn...
How To Buy Out Co-Owner Of House
A homeowner owns her home with a friend who wants to move on and take the equity in the home, but the other isn't ready to leave. If the friend wants to buy her interest in the home, she could take out a home equity loan. A real estate attorney can help the two friends work out a deal that could work for them both.
Avoiding Capital Gains Tax On Second Home
How can you avoid capital gains tax? If you have a second home that you have been renting, you might face a large capital gains tax, especially if you have been taking depreciation on the investment property. The IRS has very specific requirements for how to handle primary and secondary property. You may be able to use a 1031 exchange if you move back into the rental property for two years.
Moving On: A Family Finally Sells Their House
>My son got a letter yesterday from one of his best buddies. The letter read, in part, "Moving On. Going to play for the other team." We had already ...
Interest-Only Loan May Be Right For This Retiree
Refinancing to an interest-only loan could be a good idea for homeowners planning to sell within several years. Having an interest-only loan while you upgrade the home can result in a big payoff when it's time to sell.
ARM Borrowers Turning To Fixed-Rate Mortgages
It looks like adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) are falling out of favor -- and with good reason. This morning, Freddie Mac announced that for borrower...
Good Site For Entrepreneurs
My friend and ThinkGlink.com webmaster Ken Gaebler has a site called www.gaebler.com/resources-for-entrepreneurs.htm - Resources for Entrepreneurs - t...
How Much Down For A Down Payment?
Since the downturn in the real estate market, a home buyer may not have to put as much money down on a new home. How much you put for a down payment depends on how much cash you have on hand, how big a loan you can qualify for and how desperate the seller is. The bigger the down payment, the less likely you'll walk away from the home before closing.