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Home Owner News Archive


HUD Offers 19 Million Dollars to Clean Up Hazards in Housing

RISMEDIA, September 25, 2010—The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is offering $19.6 million in grants to prevent and correct housing-related health and safety hazards in low-income housing and to support programs for the control


Decor Tips for Huge Rooms

RISMEDIA, September 21, 2010—(MCT)—Vast rooms with soaring ceilings, extra-tall doors and towering windows are designed to look grand. But how do you make such vast spaces feel warm and inviting—without minimizing


Rei L. Mesa Featured in U.S. News and World Report: How to Find a Second Home Bargain

RISMEDIA, September 20, 2010—In much of Florida, homes have become dramatically more affordable since 2005, attracting new buyers who couldn't have made a purchase "in the peak years," says Rei Mesa, president and CEO of Prudential Florida Realty.


Housing Regulator Prepares Changes for Reverse Mortgages

RISMEDIA, September 14, 2010—(MCT)—The Federal Housing Administration isn't talking publicly about it, but the agency may be getting ready to lessen the upfront costs of reverse mortgages for some borrowers. The agency also, however, may be reducing the amount seniors can borrow from their homes.


FHA Short Refinance Option Now Available

RISMEDIA, September 10, 2010—In an effort to help responsible homeowners who owe more on their mortgage than the value of their property, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today will begin providing an additional refinancing option for underwater borrowers. Originally announced in March, this enhancement of Federal Housing Administration (FHA) refinance program will offer certain 'underwater' non-FHA borrowers who are current on their existing mortgage and whose lien holders agree to write off at least 10% of the unpaid principal balance of the first mortgage,


HUD Offers $110 Million in Grants to Clean Up Lead Hazards

RISMEDIA, September 9, 2010—The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced that it is making approximately $110 million in grants available to help eliminate dangerous lead-based paint from lower income homes and to protect young children from lead poisoning. The grants to states and local governments are being offered through HUD’s Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control and Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration Programs.


FHFA Establishes New Housing Goals for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

RISMEDIA, September 8, 2010—The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has sent a final rule to the Federal Register establishing new housing goals for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) for 2010-2011. The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA) required FHFA to establish housing goals for the Enterprises for targeted segments of the mortgage market.


HUD Shares Plans for New Reverse Mortgage Option

RISMEDIA, September 7, 2010—The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) announced that it intends to make modifications to its Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) product, a reverse mortgage loan insured by the federal government, to make it more attractive and cost effective for older homeowners seeking to tap their home equity to cover living expenses and health care costs, according to the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association.


Refinancings Soar as Mortgage Rates Remain Low

RISMEDIA, September 3, 2010—(MCT)—For anyone under the age of 57, mortgage rates are now the lowest they've been during your life. This fact isn't lost on a growing number of homeowners who have started a new wave of refinancings.


Planning and Preparation Enable Homeowners to Better Protect Home from Disaster

RISMEDIA, August 31, 2010—It’s been five years since Hurricane Katrina came roaring into the Gulf Coast, dramatically changing New Orleans and the lives of those who called it home. While there is very little homeowners can do when facing a natural disaster


What Seniors Should Know before Modifying Mortgage

RISMEDIA, August 30, 2010—(MCT)—Maria Olmo doesn't like her chances of paying off her new, 40-year mortgage. "I'll die before it's paid off," said Olmo, who got her 30-year mortgage modified because she was at risk of losing her home to foreclosure. "This is the most ridiculous thing I've heard in years. They didn't take my age or my income into consideration." Since last year, companies servicing delinquent mortgages have been under orders from the federal government to modify the loans rather than foreclose on them.


Repurposing Rooms Makes Home Feel New Again

RISMEDIA, August 28, 2010—(MCT)—While today’s real estate market is keeping many home buyers on the sidelines, there's no need to feel stuck in your house. You can still move out and up within your own home. The latest lifestyle trend is shuffling the old floor plan—without adding on—to make our living spaces new again. Converting a spare bedroom into a dressing room, for example, is becoming a popular option.


Planning and Preparation Enable Homeowners to Better Protect Home from Disaster

RISMEDIA, August 31, 2010—It’s been five years since Hurricane Katrina came roaring into the Gulf Coast, dramatically changing New Orleans and the lives of those who called it home. While there is very little homeowners can do when facing a natural disaster


Kitchens Remain among Most Popular Remodeling Projects

RISMEDIA, August 26, 2010—(MCT)—Kitchens have long been among the most popular remodeling projects. But with fewer clients requesting kitchen upgrades during this recession, one kitchen designer has turned the economic slowdown to her advantage. "If I couldn't remodel as many client kitchens as usual, I decided to remodel my own showroom. That way, I'd be ready to show the latest trends and the most exciting new products when this down period ends," said Joan DesCombes, president of Architectural Artworks in Winter Park, Fla.


Painting Key Features of Home Exterior Provides Affordable Remodeling Option

RISMEDIA, August 25, 2010—Painting the exterior of a home can be a time-consuming and expensive proposition. But if you are budget-minded—and who isn’t these days—don’t despair. “A little ingenuity can go a long way towards giving your home a beautiful facelift, without breaking the bank,” says Debbie Zimmer, paint and color expert with the Paint Quality Institute.


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