News

2007

October

01
  • Insurance for the next Big One. There is impeccable logic to the argument that taxpayers should not be made to pay for the risks incurred by people who choose to live along a hurricane-prone coast or atop a major geological fault.

September

29
  • Buy a home now, lose money?. It takes a bit of courage to buy a home in a weak real estate market. But buying can still be a reasonable, financially sound choice for anyone with the traditional reasons for settling down:
28
  • New house sales drop to a new low (Chinese). 【華盛頓二十七日綜合外電】商務部(Commerce Department)周四(27日)發布的報告顯示,8月份全美新建住宅銷售量大幅下降8.3%,至年率僅79.5萬套,降幅大超市場預期,跌至2000年6月份以來的最低水平。與此同時,上月的新屋銷售中間價格也大跌7.5%,出現自1970年以來37年的最大年度跌幅。
  • Housing slide yet to hit bottom. The latest evidence of a decaying real estate market came in a government report Thursday that new-home sales in August hit their lowest point in seven years. But for a more vivid illustration, look at
  • Latino families scramble to save homes. Araceli Flores was so happy to buy a three-bedroom house that she didn’t ask many questions about the mortgage. The person who helped her didn’t speak Spanish, so Flores flipped through the contract
  • Los 5 nuncas de la banca en Internet. El realizar las transacciones bancarias por Internet tiene muchas ventajas, porque toma menos tiempo que ir a la sucursal y tiene menos riesgos para la integridad física del cuenta habiente. Sin embargo, en la
27
  • Can't say it's a 'mortgage meltdown'. The term "mortgage meltdown" has become so common - on TV, in headlines and in casual conversations - that you might assume that this is a tough time to get a mortgage. But the reality
26
  • Venta de casas, en plena caída. El mercado de la vivienda en Estados Unidos continúa mostrando serios signos de agotamiento y, arrastrado por la crisis hipotecaria, no aparece en el horizonte la posibilidad de una pronta recuperación, según
24
  • Consejos para quienes quieren vender su casa. En un mercado de bienes raíces donde la competencia para vender la propiedad se torna más agresiva, es necesario usar medidas creativas. Hay algunas medidas que usted puede poner en práctica para
23
  • High appraisals signal change. What's going on with appraisals? In some parts of the country, mortgage lenders -- and appraisers themselves -- say they're increasingly coming in with valuations higher than the contract prices agreed to by sellers and
22
  • Group aims to protect Hispanic borrowers. Buying a house can be intimidating for anyone. But it's especially difficult for Latino buyers, according to the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals. The group this week announced a set of ethical principles,
21
  • 'Toxic' mortgages are the best?. A new study from professors at Columbia and NYU finds that the "optimal" mortgage in a perfect world is an option ARM If you had to name the most toxic, dangerous, foolhardy kind of mortgage
  • Strapped borrowers urged to act. Borrowers at risk of falling behind on their mortgages should engage their lenders early to try to avoid major problems, three top government officials said yesterday. Many homeowners encountering financial problems duck calls from their
19
  • House OKs plan to stem mortgage concerns. The House on Tuesday approved a plan to expand federal backing of mortgages in hopes of helping struggling homeowners avoid foreclosure. The bill, which passed the House, 348-72, would allow the Federal Housing Administration, which
  • Bold cut means savings for consumers. The Federal Reserve's unanimous decision to slash a key interest rate Tuesday is a dramatic statement that the central bank will do whatever it takes to prevent turmoil in the financial markets and a steep
18
  • Can consumers cash in on Fed rate cut?. Mortgages, home equity lines of credit, auto loans, credit card rates, certificates of deposit, and money market accounts can all be influenced by changes in short-term interest rates set by the Federal Reserve. But don't
  • In credit crunch, location matters. You've heard about how the credit crunch has made it harder for many types of buyers to afford a home or qualify for a mortgage. First-time buyers. Those moving up to larger homes. Buyers with
17
  • Prepaying mortgage usually smart. Much attention is being paid to homeowners who can't afford their mortgage payment. But what if your bill is manageable? Or your interest rate hasn't moved upward yet? Should you prepay some of your mortgage?
  • 'Sale by owner' comes with risks, rewards. On a lark last spring, Ronald Grant decided to "list" his South Pasadena house for sale on the popular real estate valuation website Zillow.com. Zillow estimated his home's worth at $1.4 million. But Grant, who
16
 

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