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Homeowner’s Toolkit Archive
RISMEDIA, August 14, 2010—Selling a house isn't easy these days. There are a huge number of homes on the market, and buyers are easily scared off if they encounter problems that may negatively impact resale value. Among the many issues that need to be addressed
RISMEDIA, August 13, 2010—The real estate trend in firming home prices solidified in the second quarter with more metropolitan areas showing increases from a year ago, aided by a surge in home sales driven by the home buyer tax credit, according to the latest survey by the National Association of Realtors. In the second quarter, 100 out of 155 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) had higher median existing single-family home prices in comparison with the second quarter of 2009,
RISMEDIA, August 13, 2010—The Obama Administration recently announced additional support to help homeowners struggling with unemployment through two targeted foreclosure-prevention programs.
RISMEDIA, August 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 recently provided details on the adjustment to its refinance program, which was announced earlier this year, that will enable lenders to provide additional refinancing options to homeowners who owe more than their home is worth. Starting September 7, 2010, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) will offer certain “underwater” non-FHA borrowers
RISMEDIA, August 9, 2010—Home values in the United States continued to decline in the second quarter of 2010, with the Zillow Home Value Index falling 3.2% year-over-year and 0.6% from the first quarter to $182,500. The national rate of decline decelerated
RISMEDIA, August 9, 2010—With so many homeowners facing tough decisions about their mortgages in or approaching default, questions abound about how to best handle the complex situation with the bank lenders they’re indebted to. To help clarify such
RISMEDIA, August 9, 2010—The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) now requires all HUD-approved reverse mortgage counselors to provide their clients with the National Council on Aging's (NCOA) 28-page consumer booklet on reverse mortgages. In addition, counselors must complete an extra level of financial assessment to help prospective borrowers gain a greater understanding of financial risk and other factors that may impact their loan.
RISMEDIA, September 25, 2010—(MCT)—One of the mysteries of space—we're talking real-world living space, not the cosmos—is that perfectly sound logic often leads to an illogical aesthetic. We all occasionally make cringe-worthy decorating mistakes. If you are in the process of decorating your newly-purchased home or ready for a redecoration, there are three common design mistakes involving scale, balance and proportion that you should avoid. Fortunately, they have quick and easy fixes.
RISMEDIA, August 6, 2010—(MCT)—Bruce Baldwin is well past the "extreme excitement" he felt when he became a first-time homeowner three years ago. In fact, the cabinetmaker has now joined thousands of homeowners who face foreclosure. He says he feels so snake-bit by homeownership that he doubts he'll ever buy again. "It was the American Dream. Now I could care less if I ever deal with a bank again," said Baldwin, who lives in Ocoee, Fla., not far from Orlando. “What I went through was an absolute nightmare.”
RISMEDIA, August 5, 2010—State Housing Finance Agencies (HFAs) in North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island and South Carolina can begin to use $600 million in foreclosure-prevention assistance from the Housing Finance Agency Innovation Fund
RISMEDIA, August 5, 2010—Experts estimate that more than 1.3 million Latino families will lose their homes to foreclosure between 2009 and 2012. The financial setback and emotional blow from foreclosure is particularly devastating for Hispanic families
RISMEDIA, July 31, 2010—(MCT)—Local contractors say a controversial new federal safety rule will increase home-remodeling costs in Manatee County, Florida, but by how much is a matter of debate. Beginning October 1, 2010, contractors will be required to take additional precautions when renovating structures where children could be exposed to lead dust from old paint. The new "lead-safe" practices apply to work on homes, day-care centers and schools built before 1978, when lead paint was banned for residential use because of health risks.
RISMEDIA, July 31, 2010—Homeowners who are looking to remodel their kitchen should keep the following factors—that can significantly affect the price of their remodel—in mind as they begin to make plans to upgrade their kitchen.
RISMEDIA, July 31, 2010—(MCT)—If you're a baby boomer, the odds are high that you'll exhaust your retirement savings after 10 or 20 years of retirement, according to the latest Retirement Readiness Rating report released by the Employee Benefit Research Institute.
RISMEDIA, July 31, 2010—New homeowners oftentimes stretch themselves financially when having to pay the initial costs that come with purchasing a home. While it is important to focus on these preliminary expenses, homeowners must be aware of the financial
