Headline News Archive
2010
March
25
- Retain documents no longer than you must. I’ve long been a pack rat when it comes to saving financial documents. I have a file cabinet full of old cellphone and credit
24
- Whistle-Blower: Banks give homeowners the runaround (video). A vice president for one of the nation's biggest banks claims customers looking for help in lowering their mortgage payments are often told to call
23
- 5 credit score killers. As banks shy away from making risky consumer loans, a mediocre credit history just won't cut it anymore. To get the best rates on mortgages,
- Senate panel passes sweeping financial-regulation bill. The Senate banking committee voted along party lines Monday to transform the regulation of financial markets, sending another piece of far-reaching legislation to the full
22
- Average income tax refund jumps. The average income tax refund is up nearly 10% from a year ago, reflecting tax credits included in last year's economic stimulus package, according to IRS
20
- When not to pay down a mortgage. his week, the Federal Reserve reaffirmed its intention to stop buying mortgage-backed securities, signaling the likelihood that the mortgage rates you can get today are
- HUD clarifies rules on realty add-on fees. Does it matter whether a real estate agent charges you a flat commission rate - say 6 percent - or quotes you a flat rate but
18
- Elizabeth Warren's fight for financial reform. Elizabeth Warren, who came to Washington in 2008 with the task of keeping tabs on the financial bailout, today faces the unthinkable: business as usual for
16
- 2nd shot at financial reform still leaves loopholes. Trying to fix the broken U.S. financial system is no way to win a popularity contest. Standing by himself, Christopher Dodd, chairman of the
14
- Dodd to unveil comprensive financial reform bill. The chairman of the Senate Banking Committee [Christopher Dodd (D-CT] will unveil on Monday a proposal to revamp the nation’s financial regulations that would
13
- Tax issues on mortgage write-downs. With the Obama administration and private lenders actively considering mortgage principal-reduction programs to help financially distressed homeowners, the Internal Revenue Service has issued a new
09
- Pennsylvania helps jobless homeowners. The jobless may not be getting much help from President Obama's loan modification program, but those in Pennsylvania have another place to turn. The Pennsylvania
08
- Program will pay homeowners to sell at a loss. In an effort to end the foreclosure crisis, the Obama administration has been trying to keep defaulting owners in their homes. Now it will take
06
- Developers' private transfer fees. How about this for a new and ingenious real estate money machine? Every time a house sells during the next 99 years, 1 percent of the price
04
- Renters' right in reporting unreasonable rent increase (Chinese). 移民、打拚數年,林姓年輕夫妻決定自行創業,在阿罕布拉市的Main大街上發現有間店面出租,華裔群集,是理想的營業地點,每月租金不到2000元,趕緊與房東聯繫。 房東表示,打算數月內將這間店面售出,但保證雙方簽訂的租約,不受業主易人的影響。林姓夫妻欣然與房東簽約,並開始申請營業許可、裝潢店面。 然而開幕前夕,突然有位房屋仲介經紀來到店內,表示這間店面的業主已換人,新業主覺得目前店租偏低不合理,打算暫時每月先調漲店租500元,一段時間後將再次調漲,夫妻倆頓時傻眼。 另一開設攝影公司的陳姓業主,近日看中一間人潮較多店面,與房東接洽後,覺得店租也堪稱合理,但簽約時,房東卻堅持租約上不列明每年房租的漲幅,每年由房東視情況調漲。 陳姓業者表示,一般租賃合約都會載明每年租金調漲幅度,認為房東要求不合理。房東則態度強硬的表示,該店面等著要租的人頗多,若覺得不列明每年租金漲幅不合理,可以不租。 律師許俊良表示,只要房客與房東間有簽訂租約,即使房東易人,租約的有效性也不受影響,因此林姓夫妻可堅持維護自身權益,要求新屋主應遵從、履行已簽訂的租約,且在租約未到期期間不能任意漲價。 同時,有些城市為保障房客,頒布房租每年合理調漲幅度的法規,但目前商業店面的租賃,均無房租調漲幅度的管理法規,因此簽訂店面租約時,通常房東與房客都會事先議定每年調漲租金的幅度。 RE/MAX公司喜瑞都、羅蘭岡總裁胡張燕燕則說,通常一般商業店面租約租期至少三年,且會載明每年租金調漲幅度,若未載明租金調漲幅度,則視同每年租金均相同,不會調漲,這些法律常識,承租人必須瞭解,才能捍衛自身權益。 胡張燕燕建議,林姓夫妻碰上店面業主易人,面臨租金無端被調漲的困擾,不妨先跟原業主溝通,請原業主要求新業主履行租約,若溝通無效,須訴諸法律時,承租人對店面的原業主、新業主未履行合約,均可提告。 非營利「消費者行動」華裔社區外展經理張毓潔說,若房東不履行租約,造成承租人權益受損,承租人可考慮到城市的租屋委員會(Rent Board)、聯邦住屋暨都市發展局(HUD)等單位投訴。 張毓潔指出,林姓夫妻遭新房東任意調漲租金的案例中,若不想向新房東繼續承租,可至小額賠償法庭,針對店面易主前,該夫妻承租店面期間所投入的精神、心力及裝潢成本,提出訴訟及賠償要求。
- Renters beware of rent increase after signing the lease (Chinese). 移民、打拚數年,林姓年輕夫妻決定自行創業,在阿罕布拉市的Main大街上發現有間店面出租,華裔群集,是理想的營業地點,每月租金不到2000元,趕緊與房東聯繫。 房東表示,打算數月內將這間店面售出,但保證雙方簽訂的租約,不受業主易人的影響。林姓夫妻欣然與房東簽約,並開始申請營業許可、裝潢店面。
- Downgrade of financial protection agency threatens overhaul plan. The move this week to downgrade a proposed Consumer Financial Protection Agency to lure bipartisan support instead appears to be undermining the Obama administration's effort
02
- Refinancing program extended for troubled homeowners. The Obama administration announced Monday that borrowers with little or no equity in their homes will have another year to take advantage of a refinancing
- Consumer protection may be headed for the Fed. The chairman of the Senate banking committee is seeking Democratic support for a Republican proposal to house a new consumer-protection regulator inside the Federal Reserve,
01
- Renewed effort in Senate to reach financial regulation. When Christopher J. Dodd announced in January that he would not seek a sixth term in the Senate, he called reform of financial regulation, along
February
26
- FDIC to test mortgage reductions for underwater borrowers. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. is developing a program to test whether cutting the mortgage balances of distressed borrowers who owe significantly more than their
25
- Mortgage servicers offer aid plan for jobless. The Mortgage Bankers Association proposed a forbearance program Wednesday aimed at helping the unemployed pay their mortgages for up to nine months. Under the proposal,
- U.S. may bend on consumer agency. The Obama administration is no longer insisting on the creation of a stand-alone consumer protection agency as a central element of the plan to remake
23
- Cash-for-clunkers rebates for new appliances. Three dozen states will launch programs in March and April to distribute almost $300 million in rebates to consumers buying energy-efficient appliances. The federally funded programs,
18
- Pressure to expand foreclosure prevention. The Obama administration is facing increasing pressure from lawmakers and housing advocates to retool its troubled mortgage relief program a year after its debut as
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