House Financial Services Committee Approves FHA Reform Act

The House Financial Services Committee this week approved three pieces of legislation tied to mortgage markets, including the FHA Reform Act of 2010, which allows the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) to adjust its premium structure for new borrowers.

The committee also voted to approve the Homeowners' Defense Act and reauthorized the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) for five years.

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Tax credit end not deterring US homebuyers -survey

Home buyer tax credits have been a boon to the U.S. housing market, but their expiration this week is unlikely to deter home purchasing activity as consumers grow more confident, according to a survey released on Wednesday.

Among consumers shopping for homes, 65 percent said the end of the tax credits will have little or no effect on their interest in purchasing a home, according to the survey, which was conducted by Prudential Real Estate and Relocation Services, part of Prudential Financial.

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Housing Market Off To A Good Start This Spring

Prompted by the federal home buyer tax credit, low mortgage rates and lower home prices home re-sales rose 6.8% in March after three straight months of declines, according to the National Association of Realtors. The rise in sales demonstrates a stronger housing market moving into the historically most active season of the year.

Existing home sales, including single family homes, condominiums, townhouses and co-ops hit a seasonally adjusted 5.35 million units.

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Buying a REO – 4 Steps For Analyzing REO Property

When buying a REO property, our money is made when we purchase rather than when we sell. We must get a bargain in order to cover the cost of repairs, the cost of holding, the cost of selling, and a reasonable profit.

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7 Tips For Picking a Real Estate Agent

Ever wish you could see through the hype to hire the best real estate agent for buying or selling your home?

When it comes to choosing real estate agents, "we don't have the information that we have about other service professionals," says Stephen Brobeck, executive director of the Consumer Federation of America, in Washington, D.C.

However, there are things you can do to pull back the curtain and accurately assess a real estate agent's past performance and potential success with your home. Whether you're the buyer or the seller, here are seven ways you can find out more about your agent before you hire.

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Utah Home, Condo Sales Up, Prices Down

A federal tax credit for home buyers helped push up sales of single-family homes in Salt Lake County 15.3 percent in the first quarter, compared with the same period last year, a new report shows.

Prices, however, are still falling.

The Salt Lake Board of Realtors reported that 1,716 home changed hands, up from 1,489 last year. The increase is a sign that the market, in a downturn since the summer of 2007, may be inching toward recovery. Sales of condominiums also were up from last year, by an even larger margin. In the first quarter, 350 condos in Salt Lake County were sold, up nearly 27 percent from the first quarter 2009.

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Profiting From Distressed Homes

SITTING in the office of his 20,000-square-foot mansion on seven and a half acres here, Harsimran Singh Sabharwal, a real estate investor, recently shared his rags-to-riches tale: how, in 1973, he came to the United States from India with $8 in his pocket and now has a house whose kitchen dwarfs the home where he grew up, in a family of eight.

The secrets to his success? Faith, a positive outlook and buying distressed properties.

An engineer with a doctorate in business economics, Mr. Sabharwal started buying abandoned homes in East New York, Brooklyn, in 1983, rehabilitating them and “moving people from shelters to houses.”

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Homebuyers Need an Honest, Knowledgeable Agent

The anxiety first-time home buyers feel starting their search can be compared with the trepidation preceding a trip through the Amazon jungle. An unfair comparison perhaps, but both experiences can be made measurably better, or worse, depending on the quality of one's guide.

"When you are buying or selling real estate, it's an emotional roller coaster, so you want someone who is going to be right next to you, being as calm and educated as possible," said Realtor Steve Jones.

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Questions and Answers About the Home-Buyer Tax Credits

Time is running short if you want to cash in on the popular home-buyer tax credits. You'll need to sign a binding contract by April 30 and then close the deal by June 30. With thousands of dollars at stake, it's not surprising that potential home buyers have lots of questions. We have the answers.

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Homebuyers, It's A Great Time To Haggle Over Closing Costs

Closing costs are a necessary evil of any home purchase, but buyers now have more reason than ever to seek the best deals on them.

Federal lending rules that took effect in January require new disclosure forms and severely limit last-minute closing-cost overages. Fees have fallen because of the rules and a buyer's market, some experts say. Others maintain that the rules are actually causing fee overestimation.

"Business is generally down now for mortgage lenders so most of them are cutting fees," said Guy Cecala, publisher of industry newsletter Inside Mortgage Finance.

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When It Comes To Home Buyer Tax Credits, IRS Rules Can Be Strict!

Question: I purchased a home about a year ago, but I used a land contract. The contract started three years ago. By the time the loan was closed on the land contract, the contract was no longer valid. I paid real estate taxes and mortgage interest because it was included with our rental payments.

I have received a letter from the IRS saying we do not qualify for the first-time home buyer tax credit. I have looked through all of the instructions and eligibility requirements and have found no mention of land contracts. This is our first time buying a home, and I feel like I am being punished.

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Sales of New Homes in U.S. Climb by Most Since 1963

Purchases of new homes in the U.S. surged in March by the most in almost five decades as buyers rushed to qualify for a government tax credit and the weather turned milder.

Demand may remain elevated through this month as Americans take advantage of a tax credit worth as much as $8,000 before it ends at the end of next week. The outlook for the rest of the year hinges on sustained job gains as homebuilders struggle against a wave of foreclosures that is depressing home prices and adding to inventory.

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New Program Helps Expedite Short Sales

A new federal program could give some homeowners who are underwater and behind on their mortgage payments some relief. The Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives or HAFA program is designed to expedite short sales.

The program, which took effect in early April and runs through December 31, 2012 streamlines the short sale process by pre-approving sellers and establishing a sale price in advance.

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How to Avoid Common Real Estate Mistakes

Spring is typically peak season for buying and selling homes. But many Americans jump into this major transaction without doing their homework, and that could cost them.

CBS News Business and Economic Correspondent Rebecca Jarvis said on "The Early Show" Thursday buyers and sellers can expect two big unknowns in the stabilizing market: What happens with the federal stimulus money expires after April 30? And with foreclosures increasing, how much could that weigh in on prices?

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Education Key When Considering Home Ownership

Buying a home is one of the biggest decisions and commitments one will ever make, yet many people are not nearly as familiar with the ins and outs of the mortgage process as they are with their favorite TV show or sports team. Taking time to become educated on the subject will go a long way in easing the stress of buying a home and preparing for the responsibilities of home ownership.

"Low rates, combined with stabilizing home prices, are creating buying opportunities for those who qualify," says Michael Copley, retail lending senior vice president of TD Bank. "But before you buy, do as much research as possible - research lenders, know the products and make sure you understand the costs associated with home ownership."

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Mortgage Activity Rises With Rates Down

The volume of applications for U.S. mortgages rose last week as long-term interest rates dropped, an industry group said Wednesday.

The Mortgage Bankers Association said its Market Composite Index rose 13.6 percent, while the Refinancing Index rose 15.8 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis in the week ending April 16.

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Time Ripe to Buy US Homes Before Prices Rise

Most consumers think U.S. homes are affordable and the time is ripe to buy as many expect prices to rise in the next year, a new survey showed on Wednesday.

U.S. home buyers remain worried about the economy. But with average home prices down about 30 percent nationally from 2006, mortgage rates low and federal tax credits still in play, more than 80 percent of buyers see this as a good time to purchase, a Century 21 Real Estate LLC poll found

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Mortgage Fraud: Understanding And Avoiding It

Ethical violations and criminal activities in various industries have affected our economy over the past few decades, particularly in the banking, financial and housing sectors. In this article we examine the complex ethical and criminal issues surrounding mortgage fraud. Fraud in its simplest form is deliberate misrepresentation and deception. Fraud in action means that one deceives another by misrepresenting information, facts and figures.

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Fannie: Buying Another Home Is Easier If You Don’t Walk Away

About a month ago, one of our readers emailed me and asked why the mortgage industry wasn’t making things easier for borrowers who didn’t walk away from their mortgages. Angry over the fact that borrowers were walking away from their responsibilities, furthering the problems that have contributed to the housing downturn — “Walking away only because you are underwater is only going to further the problem” — our reader suggested, “If we can arm the people that will continue to pay with some ammunition, maybe they can help.”

A recent announcement by Fannie Mae is step in that very direction. On applications submitted after July 1, 2010, borrowers who lost their homes via a short sale will only have to wait two years before they can apply for another Fannie-backed mortgage. Previously, borrowers had to wait at least four years.

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First-Time Buyers Take Larger Share of Home Sales in March

First-time homebuyers made up a record high share of sales in March, according to the latest Campbell Surveys poll of more than 1,500 real estate agents nationwide.

Of all home purchases in the month, first-time homebuyers accounted for 48.2%. The new monthly record eclipsed the previous peak of 46.9% last October when the expected November expiration of the original homebuyer tax credit drove up the share of first-time homebuyers. The March uptick comes ahead of the extended tax credit deadline.

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Fannie Mae says unsold homes are slowing recovery

Fannie Mae's economic and mortgage market analysis group said Monday that the housing market is stabilizing but that excess inventory continues to hinder a recovery.

The D.C.-based mortgage giant released a report that projects economic growth of 3.1 percent for 2010. Doug Duncan, Fannie's chief economist, said the unwinding of programs such as mortgage-backed securities are evidence of viability for the industry without federal aid.

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8 Signs Of A Real Estate Rebound

Is the housing market on the verge of recovering? Is it recovering already? If you're not sure whether you believe the economists and pundits who think they can see the future, here are some tools that will help you make up your own mind.

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Surviving an HOA

Communication is a lost art in some HOAs due to lack of basic people skills. Board members often get more criticism than praise. Then, along comes an abusive owner who makes unreasonable demands. But it works both ways, because sometimes it's an owner that suffers at the hands of a domineering board.

The term "communication" denotes a form of fellowship. However, if you believe the media, HOAs are police states with warlord boards. While there is an element of truth in the stories, they are published to stir emotion (like "Elderly Owner Has Condo Foreclosed").

Often as not, homeowners with a "my-home-is-my-castle" mentality disregard rules and regulations to challenge the HOA. Boards that are confronted by these challenges can react with defiance. Anger begets defensiveness, which invites retreat or counter attack.

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Utah's housing market: Good time for buyers, but for how long?

After walking a pair of reporters through the World War II-era brick cottage, Bill Heiner is questioned about whether the home's $209,900 price point might still be too high given the renovations and upgrades the property requires.

The affable 30-year real estate veteran says he doesn't think so and that the current price tag, down almost 10 percent from the initial listing, is close to the sweet spot for this fixer-upper that literally stands a stone's toss away from Fashion Place mall. Confirmation, he said, could come soon in an offer he's awaiting on the home, which is part of an estate being liquidated by family members.

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5 Tips for Saving for a Down Payment on a Home

The first financial challenge when you're thinking about buying a home is how to come up with the down payment.

Traditionally, homebuyers need a down payment between 10 percent and 20 percent of the purchase price. During the housing bubble that figure dropped sharply, even down to zero. But loans that didn't require a down payment are now seen as one of the culprits of the mortgage crisis, because they allowed people to buy homes they couldn't afford.

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Utah housing market challenges builders, favors buyers

If hearing is believing, Utah's housing market is in the midst of recovery. Check out all those rebound sounds — nail guns popping, chop saws whirling and hammers banging — emanating from a new subdivision near you.

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30 Luxury Properties – Including Land, Condos and Homes – to Sell at Auction

Within the last 60 days, a wave of bulk real estate auctions (five to be exact) has hit Park City, Utah, in order to liquidate property owned by developers, banks and individuals who are trying to stay afloat. Now the largest one yet is on its way, an auction of 30 luxury properties ranging from condos to land to luxury homes.

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An Alternative to Foreclosure

The federal government launched rules earlier this month to help facilitate short sales. But for some homeowners who are unable to complete a short sale or who don't qualify for one, there may be an alternative to foreclosure. (With a short sale, the bank agrees to let you sell the house for less than the value of your mortgage.)

The alternative is a "deed in lieu of foreclosure" agreement, which allows homeowners to voluntarily turn over the deed to their house to the lender.

This option often allows the homeowners to negotiate more favorable exit terms than a foreclosure allows, including staying in the home for several extra months or potentially lessening the negative impact on their credit, says Keith Gumbinger, vice president at mortgage-education firm HSH Associates.

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Why a short sale often takes so long

Nothing is more mercurial in today's Southwest Florida real estate scene than short sales. They raise the hackles of Realtors, the fighting spirit of all-cash buyers and the blood pressure of bankers.

No one can fully explain why it remains such a difficult task to complete one short sale -- the process by which a lender agrees to accept less than is owed on a home -- while another sails through. The only certainty as to why lenders do what they do: their bottom line.

Sometimes short sales bring more cash than foreclosures, and vice-versa. Which one it is depends on a host of factors, not the least of which is whether a lender has an agreement with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. for reimbursement of most losses on a bad loan like those sold short.

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Urgent mortgage moves need not destroy credit scores

Financially stressed homeowners looking to cut their mortgage payments through a loan modification, short sale or principal reduction under one of the Obama administration's programs needn't wreck their credit scores in the process.

In fact, according to a new study covering more than 400,000 active consumer credit files, some modification options can increase your scores rather than depress them. Other alternatives to modification -- such as foreclosure and bankruptcy filings -- can tank your scores and take years to rehabilitate.

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Inexpensive homes for sale, but there's a catch

Utah County is looking to get rid of 13 homes for pretty cheap -- the minimum bid for a house on one section of North County Boulevard in Highland is only $10,000.

But there is one big hitch: The successful bidder has to take the home with them, and has the expense of moving it.

County Public Works Director Richard Nielson says they need the homes gone to widen the road. It may not be cheap, but it could be cheaper than building a new house.

"If they've got some land that they can move the home to, I think they can probably save a significant amount of money to do this and have a nice home that's move-in ready, basically, once they get it on site," Nielson said.

It would also save the county demolition costs. They hope to sell at least two houses.

For a list of homes and for additional details, contact Don Nay at Utah County Public Works at (801) 851-8600 or CLICK HERE for more info. Bids are due by April 28.

Want to get audited? Apply for homebuyer credit.

Here's a good way to get audited by the Internal Revenue Service this year: claim the new homebuyer tax credit.

About a fifth of all IRS examinations done by mail in the past six months were for people claiming the credit, National Taxpayer Advocate Nina E. Olson told a congressional committee Thursday-the filing deadline for individual tax returns.

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Mortgage rates fall for 1st time in 5 weeks!

U.S. mortgage rates have fallen for the first time in five weeks, retreating from an eight-month high and remaing near historically low levals, a closely watched mortgage survey showed on Thursday.

Click here to read the entire article: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63E3KS20100415