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Homeowner’s Toolkit Archive
RISMEDIA, January 12, 2011—As leisure travel continues to rebound, owners of vacation rentals are expressing optimism about their bookings in 2011. In fact, HomeAway, Inc.—one of the world's leading online vacation rental marketplaces—finds in its latest "HomeAway Vacation Rental
RISMEDIA, January 11, 2011—Winter's chill pervades much of the nation, and escalating gas prices are putting their own chill down the spines of U.S. consumers. But until the spring thaw arrives, simple energy-efficiency steps at home and on the road—potentially supplemented by federal income tax credits for specific energy-efficiency home improvements—can take the sting out of high energy bills, says the Alliance to Save Energy.
RISMEDIA, January 7, 2011—Alex Perriello, president and CEO, Realogy Franchise Group recently wrote an article that appeared in The New York Times discussing the advantages of equity-sharing and how it can help solve the foreclosure crisis. As we continue to move farther away
RISMEDIA, January 7, 2011—Fannie Mae recently launched WaysHome, a free, interactive multi-media tool designed to educate homeowners about their options to avoid foreclosure, empower them to make informed decisions and motivate them to take action and seek help in 2011.
RISMEDIA, January 6, 2011—The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) released guidance to homeowners and lenders that use the reverse mortgage or Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) program and are dealing with outstanding property taxes and unpaid hazard insurance premiums. FHA’s guidance is intended to assist elderly borrowers who have neglected to pay these expenses and may face foreclosure.
RISMEDIA, April 22, 2011—Trying to decide whether to do some home remodeling this year or leave your money in the bank? You can do both if you remodel with paint. “The cost of do-it-yourself interior painting is so low, it’s almost like remodeling without touching your bank account,”
RISMEDIA, January 6, 2011—(MCT)—Californians will see the light—and a resulting energy cost savings—earlier than the rest of the United States. The California Energy Commission says Golden State consumers will be the first in the nation to save money under a federal law
RISMEDIA, January 5, 2011—Outbound traffic from the Great Lakes region continued to lead the nation in 2010 with four states capturing high-outbound rankings. Western states that had traditionally experienced high-inbound traffic, most notably Nevada, saw their traffic level off. The findings are among the results of United Van Lines' 34th annual "migration" study, which tracks where its customers move from and the most popular destinations over the past 12 months.
RISMEDIA, January 4, 2011—Individual style, mixed with budget-conscious decorating will drive 2011 paint color trends, according to Debbie Zimmer, paint and color expert at the Paint Quality Institute.
“There’s no escaping the state of the economy, even for homeowners who want to beautify their homes,” says Zimmer. “Rather than diving into large-scale renovation projects, in the coming year, consumers will search for inexpensive ways to freshen and update their homes. Many will conclude that painting is the perfect solution.”
RISMEDIA, January 3, 2011—(MCT)—A behind-the-scenes battle is forming over a provision to the sweeping bank reform law that will affect mortgage availability. At issue is a provision in the sweeping Dodd-Frank Act that requires banks to have "skin in the game" by retaining
RISMEDIA, December 28, 2010—Improvements in consumer spending and consumer confidence, increased demand for goods and services, and falling unemployment claims are all positive factors for a brighter outlook as we move into 2011, according to the December 2010 Economic Outlook released today by Fannie Mae's (OTC Bulletin Board: FNMA) Economics & Mortgage Market Analysis Group.
RISMEDIA, December 28, 2010—(MCT)—A Bank of America freeze on foreclosure sales spread Friday to the Inland Empire in California after the biggest bank in the U.S. announced it was broadening an investigation into its foreclosure practices to all 50 states.
The halt, which took effect yesterday, adds to growing concerns that lenders have been repossessing homes without following proper protocol.
RISMEDIA, December 28, 2010—(MCT)—In response to the recent crimes against real-estate agents in the Youngstown and Kent, Ohio, areas, local real-estate brokers are reviewing safety precautions for their agents. These incidents remind all agents nationwide to review safety procedures when showing vacant homes. ...
RISMEDIA, December 27, 2010—Refinancings through the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) increased 26% in the third quarter of 2010. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loan modifications through the Home Affordable
RISMEDIA, December 23, 2010—(MCT)—Wells Fargo & Co. has agreed to modify the mortgages of nearly 15,000 California homeowners who teeter on the brink of foreclosure under a $2 billion deal with state officials. San Francisco-based Wells Fargo and the California attorney
