Celebrity Real Estate: Divorced Stars' Homes For Sale (PHOTOS)

Much has been is written about what happens to the kids, the love life, and even the pets after divorce, but what about the house?

If you're a celebrity, chances are you'll ditch it to move on to new--and sometimes better--digs. Here, 5 exes who put their marital homes on the market. Check 'em out and tell us: are you interested in purchasing a piece of celebrity-divorce history?

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Pending Sales of U.S. Existing Homes Unexpectedly Climbed 2.1% in February

A gain in the number of Americans signing contracts to buy previously owned homes in February failed to make up for the ground lost a month earlier, a sign the U.S. housing market has yet to join the economic recovery.

The index of pending home resales increased 2.1 percent after a 2.8 percent drop the prior month, figures from the National Association of Realtors showed today in Washington. The median estimate in a Bloomberg News survey of economists called for little change.

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Banks Push to Weaken Dodd-Frank Risk Rules

Bank regulators are set to hold an open meeting on Tuesday to discuss a controversial risk-retention rule for mortgages—and its even more controversial carve-out.

Under the Dodd-Frank financial reforms, banks are required to retain at least five percent of the risk on mortgages they securitize. 

The idea was that banks would be more careful about making loans and structuring mortgage-backed securities if they were required to keep a part of the credit risk. From the start, that has had banks griping that this will choke off the mortgage market and raise borrowing costs of home-buyers. 

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Casual Chitchat Can Cost Money On Real Estate Deals

The agent in Cory Brewer's Mercer Island, Wash., RE/MAX office received an offer that was far below his client's asking price. But before the contract could be presented to the seller, the would-be buyers posted on their Facebook page how badly they wanted the house and how much they really were willing to pay.

Oops! Bad move. The seller saw the posting and countered at the higher price. The buyers accepted because they loved the place that much, and the deal closed a few weeks later.

The moral to this little tale: When it comes to something you would rather the other side not know, treat them like the enemy and keep your yap shut. Or, as Brewer advises, "Don't talk publicly about what's in your real estate contract, at least not until afterward. You never know when something you say might come back to bite you."

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Are Short Sales A Good Bargain?

In this economy, where many homeowners are desperate to sell their homes, short sales can be a great bargain for the well-informed homebuyer.



"A short sale," according to Greater Minneapolis/St. Paul realtor and real estate blogger Tom Sommers,"is when the seller is saying to the bank, "we can't afford to stay here due to financial hardship. Can you let us sell it for less than we owe?" That's what creates the short."

The bank often agrees to the short sale because it guarantees, even at a loss, a larger percentage of money back. Also, the bank doesn't have to go through the expense of the foreclosure process and doesn't have to kick anyone out of their home.

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For Real Estate, A Giant Spring Clearance Sale

In suburban Chicago, it's paradise to be a homebuyer.

At the Millbrook Pointe development in quaint and pristine Wheeling, a $269,000, brick-and-stone townhouse comes with $25,000 in free upgrades, including wood-burning fireplaces, all-stainless steel kitchens and marbled bathrooms tricked out with double-bowl vanities and whirlpool soaker tubs.

Down the highway at the Patriot Place golf course villas in Bolingbrook, buyers are lavished with lawns sodded to perfection, absurdly low seller financing and a year of free insurance that will pay the mortgage if you lose your job.

At the Sunset Ridge estates, the amenity bonanza gets even more surreal: Buy a customizable colonial for as little as $170,000 and get a brand new, $17,000 Chevy Cruze. The 2011 model. For free.

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Design Your Door for Curb Appeal in 2011

Thanks to the growing trend of people residing in their current homes longer than in previous years, homeowners nationwide are currently embracing ways to enhance the curb appeal of their houses. And, with a new 2011 federal energy tax credit of up to $500, there’s even more incentive for homeowners to upgrade their entryways.

“Changes to the exterior keep a home ‘fresh-looking’ and create a rewarding home ownership experience,” says Tom Kraeutler, host of the national home improvement radio show The Money Pit. “Replacing a home’s entryway with a fiberglass door can significantly increase the curb appeal of a house while providing homeowners with enhanced energy efficiency benefits.”

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What Buyers and Sellers Need to Know About Termite Inspections

So you’ve just spent the past few months fixing up all of your home’s little eyesores, cleaning every window in the house, and planting plenty of flowers out front to boost the property’s curb appeal. The house looks great! You proceed to put it on the market.

Then it happens. A buyer walks-in, loves the place –and all of the hard work you recently put into it–and makes an offer. You accept the offer and go into escrow. Then the termite inspection comes in: You have a major infestation.

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Republicans Seek to Sell Off Disposable Federal Real Estate to Help Pay Debt

Three Republican lawmakers are seeking to force Uncle Sam to sell about 3.3 million acres of land he no longer needs to help pay down the national debt.

Sens. John McCain of Arizona, Mike Lee of Utah and Rep. Jason Chaffetz of Utah introduced legislation this week in their respective chambers that would order Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to dispose of the federal property that the Clinton administration identified in a 1997 report as suitable for sale.

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With Short-Sale Offer Refused, Foreclosure May End Up The Best Option

The only way to save the most money (and know for sure you’re getting a good deal) is for at least two of these to be true. The best scenario is when you’re lowering the interest rate, lowering the monthly payment and shortening the term of the loan.
 

While renewing for a 30-year term might make sense for some people, you’re not maximizing the amount of money you can save.

If you have already paid down eight years of the loan, you’ll actually lose money in almost every scenario if you stretch the loan term back to 30 years. For example, if you have 22 years left on your loan, shortening the loan term to 20 or 15 years (preferably 15) means you save years of payments on the mortgage. That translates into thousands of dollars.

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Why Short Sales Take So Long

Most folks these days know what a short sale is, but here’s a quick review: A short sale is when a home is bought for less than what the seller owes the bank.

The lender being “shorted," or getting paid less than they are owed, has to agree with the terms of the new buyer and the purchase price being offered.

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A Tidal Wave Of FHA Foreclosures Are About To Hit The Market

Last month I reviewed an interesting article on The Wall Street Journal website. The article stated that mortgage default rates were dipping for nearly all loan types with the one exception being FHA types of financing. Those default rates had actually amplified over the past year. Why you may ask? Well, when the market crashed the government enacted tax incentives for first time home buyers and plenty of potential new buyers inundated the market. Most of those consumers were cash strapped therefore most were encouraged to use Federal Housing Administration financing for the low down payment opportunities. And, in plenty of states, if a buyer used this financing there were incentives for $100 down payments. Many states still make available this program while others have abandoned it. My mind began to rattle when I began to think about what actually has transpired over the past several years.

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Boost Your Curb Appeal During Difficult Months

Now that virtually all the winter’s snow has melted and it’s easier to navigate the streets, let’s consider something calculated to get people slamming on the brakes:

Curb appeal, that special something that makes prospective buyers stop for a better look at a house for sale.

In normal market times, the National Association of Realtors says, 49 percent of buying decisions are based on curb appeal.

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Young Home Buyers Will Lead Housing Market Recovery, Says NAHB

Generation X—young families and adults ages 31 to 45—are likely to lead the home-buying recovery as it gets underway, according to real estate experts who spoke at an educational webinar produced by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) in partnership with Builder magazine.

These potential home buyers are most likely to think it’s a good time to get off the fence—and have strong opinions about the design features their new homes will include.

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Erin Nordegren – Tiger Woods ex Snaps up Luxury Beach Front Home

Eighteen months after the divorce that rocked America , the ex wife of legendary golfer Tiger Woods, Elin Nordegren has splashed out on a 1932 built two storey luxury mansion in an exclusive North Palm Beach area known as Seminole Landing.  The stunning beach front property is situated just 11 miles from her ex husband Wood’s residence.

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Buying a First Home

Last fall, Gretchen Steinmiller Torres and her husband, Dustin, bought their first place, a $204,000, four-bedroom, 2½-bath house in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio -- even though they didn't have immediate plans to use much of the space.

"We have a baby room in our house with no baby," says Ms. Torres, 29 years old, adding that the newly constructed home is in a good school district. Now they just have to grow into it.

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Decorating Green: Bamboo Fabrics Available For Your Home!

As individuals (and consumers), we can make the choice to have a greener home.  We can choose Energy Star appliances.  We can put in skylights to reduce our energy use in the home.  We can stock our linen closets with organic towels and organic sheets.  We can fill our closet with bamboo clothing.   And now, thanks to the Brentano Company, there are even more eco-friendly fabrics available for a wide range of interior applications such as drapery, panel and upholstery fabric.

Founded in 1990 by Iris Wang and E-Kwan Chen, Brentano is committed to providing beauty + performance.  With their growing collection of eco-fabrics, they are also committed to making textiles meet rigorous standards of environmental consciousness while maintaining their beauty.

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How to Jump Through Condo-Lending Hoops

Borrowers run into two problems when getting a mortgage on a condominium: strict standards that make it hard to qualify for a condo loan, and high costs.

These issues beset condo buyers who want to get mortgages as well as people who already own condos and want to refinance.

"Condos are like the canary in the coal mine, a leading indicator of the health of the real estate market," says John McClellan, a branch manager with Supreme Lending in Austin, Texas. "Recently, lenders' biggest losses came from condos, so they are viewed as risky." Some lenders reject condo loans altogether.

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FTC Cracks Down On Foreclosure Fraud Operation

As many homeowners continue to have trouble meeting their mortgage payments, foreclosure scams have proliferated.


Saying it is cracking down on foreclosure scams, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) broke up a national operation based in Florida that it says targeted financially distressed consumers using direct mail, the Internet, and telemarketing.  These borrowers were falsely promised loan modifications.

Giving an idea of how pervasive these foreclosure scams are, the state of Florida foreclosure prevention website, the Hardest Hit Fund, begins by warning about copycat websites. Website visitors, the Hardest Hit Fund website warns, should verify that the website is the official site before providing personal information. Application for and participation in the program is free.

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Five Mortgage And Foreclosure Myths

In a mortgage market that changes as quickly as this one, today’s fact is tomorrow’s fiction.  For buyers, misinformation can be the difference between qualifying for a home loan or not.

Sellers and owners, knowledge is foreclosure-preventing, smart decision-making power! Without further ado, let’s correct some common mortgage misconceptions.

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Major Changes Ahead For Mortgage System

Fundamental changes are probably ahead for the American mortgage system as the federal government pushes to unwind its unprecedented involvement in the housing market.

These changes could significantly raise the down payments demanded by lenders, curtail the availability of long-term mortgages with fixed interest rates, and increase the cost of borrowing in general.

The government's effort to scale back its role in housing could show up in small ways soon. In April, the Federal Housing Administration plans to raise the annual premium it charges borrowers by a quarter of a percentage point. In October, the maximum size of loans that the federal government backs is scheduled to drop to $625,500 from $729,750. The most dramatic proposal - eliminating mortgage financiers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac - could take five to seven years.

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House Votes To Kill FHA Short Refis

In a largely symbolic move given the Obama administration's veto warnings, the House of Representatives has voted to kill the Federal Housing Administration's short refinancing program.

HR 830, The FHA Refinance Program Termination Act, was approved by the House in a 256-171 vote, with 18 Democrats joining 238 Republicans in favor of ending the program.

Critics say the program -- which allows underwater borrowers who are current on their loans to refinance into an FHA-insured mortgage if their lender agrees to write off at least 10 percent of their principal -- has gotten off to a slow start. Taxpayers may be on the hook for up to $8 billion to reimburse lenders for a share of their potential losses on the loans, critics say.

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Foreclosed Homeowners Get Unexpected Windfalls

Dozens of former homeowners who lost their houses to foreclosure have been calling public trustee offices across Colorado to see whether they have any money coming to them.

"We had no idea until we saw it in the newspaper," said Anthony Michaels of Denver, whose mother, 92-year-old Fayetta Curry, and his younger sister, Sharon Parker, were among a list of individuals due funds from a foreclosure auction.

The Denver Post on Tuesday highlighted how county public trustees and treasurers have hundreds of thousands of dollars in unclaimed funds that belong to homeowners whose houses were sold at auction.
Michaels' family members were among those eligible to collect more than $635,000 in unclaimed money but never knew it.

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U.S. Inquiry on Military Family Foreclosures

The Justice Department is investigating allegations that a mortgage subsidiary of Morgan Stanley foreclosed on almost two dozen military families from 2006 to 2008 in violation of a longstanding law aimed at preventing such action.

A department spokeswoman confirmed on Friday that the Morgan Stanley unit, Saxon Mortgage Services, is one of several mortgage and lending companies being investigated by its civil rights division. The inquiry is focused on possible violations of a federal law that bars lenders from foreclosing on active-duty service members without a court hearing. 

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Realtors Seek Reforms On ‘Short Sales'

With fewer than three of every five short sales successfully closing in California, desert Realtors have joined their peers statewide to ask regulators, elected officials, business organizations, lenders and others to initiate reforms.

Homeowners with proven hardships can negotiate “short sales,” essentially agreements that enable them to sell their homes for less than the balances owed in order to avoid foreclosure.



Those who own homes and are “upside down” in their mortgages, as well as mortgage lenders, may want to take advantage of the federal Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternative program, or HAFA, California Desert Association of Realtors officials said.

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Doors A Missed Design Opportunity To Spruce Up Home

It’s a design opportunity that’s easily missed: Even the most stylishly decorated rooms often have bland wooden doors with cheap hardware.

High-end designers have always made doors a priority, says Brian Patrick Flynn, an interior designer and founder of decordemon.com. “If you look at any Fifth Avenue apartment” in New York City, he says, “you’ll probably fall in love with their doors because they blend architecture with decorating and make it really special.”

But many of us ignore the doors in our homes, not realizing what a difference they can make to the look of a room.

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Banks’ Loan Quagmire Snares 3 In Utah Family

If the Olsens of Utah County are any indication, the dysfunction among the nation’s banks who service mortgages runs long and deep.

Three members of the same family have experienced mounting frustrations, dislocations and months of stress in trying to renegotiate loans on their homes after they had financial setbacks. Each had bought or constructed homes near the height of the housing market only to see their finances and homeownership threatened for a variety of reasons in the economic meltdown.

Each at some point made decisions about their loans and their dealings with the banks out of frustration or naivete about negotiating with large and, based on their experiences, what appears to be poorly administered processes at the institutions.

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Tips On Redesigning Your Home, Your Way

Ask around and you might hear a few horror stories about custom building a home.

Yet when builders do a good job structurally, the difference between the dream experiences and the nightmares often starts with the decision-making process.

Clients face a bounty of options regarding styles, finishes, materials and colors. Unless they're accustomed to their own success as designer, or have chosen to work with a professional, the intrepid may find themselves drowning in indecision.

Success begins with "being honest with yourself" and your builder about "purpose, personal style and budget," said builder/remodeler Erin Widener Speckhart, president of Virginia Beach-based Widener Corp.

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Professor Shares Tips On Buying A Home

Buying a house is not just about getting the most for the money, contrary to popular opinion.

Bryan Sudweeks, an associate professor at the Marriott School of Management, taught the class “Buying a Home” as part of the Show Me the Money financial planning seminar at the Gordon B. Hinckley Alumni and Visitors Center on Saturday.

“The single biggest mistake young couples make out of school is buying too big a home,” he said.

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Report: Gender Matters When Buying A Home

Are homebuyers looking for brand-new buys?  Or, are fixer-uppers the way to go?  According to the 2011 TD Canada Trust Home Buyers Report that decision may depend on your gender.


Mobile Mortgage Specialist Barry Rathburn says some people just don't want to take a chance.  "I found women tend to be more conservative than men... less willing to take a risk.  Most men are renovators at heart; they can see where they can change things to make a lifestyle situation out of the house."

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Real Estate Porn: Take A Look At Kate Moss’ Leopard Living Room

First it was burgled, then it was flooded, then it was exorcised — and now it’s for sale. Kate Moss‘ five-bedroom London abode is on the market for 7 million pounds (about $11 million US), though the paid the equivalent of $12 million for it back in 2007. So, what does 11 million big ones get you?

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Homeowners in Danger of Foreclosure Are Most Vulnerable to Con Artists and Financial Scams

As foreclosures continue to rise across the nation, homeowners in financial distress need to be vigilant in protecting themselves against con artists and scams, according to Oyezz Real Estate, a leading local firm specializing in “short sales” as alternatives to foreclosure.

“When someone is under financial stress, they are much more vulnerable to becoming a victim of fraud,” says John Anderson, president of Oyezz. “Homeowners have to look past the smooth talk and appealing promises and thoroughly research the people and companies they choose to help them address their problems.”

The number one rule, Anderson says, is that homeowners should never pay anyone or any company an up-front fee to conduct a loan modification, arrange a short sale, or stop a foreclosure.

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Some Tips On Buying A New-Construction Home

Homebuilders are eager to rack up sales this spring, and many are offering incentives and even some price reductions on homes.

So how best to find a good deal on a new home?

While homeowners looking to sell their property might balk at an offer that is too low and pull their home off the market, homebuilders have money invested in land and construction costs and can't afford to just sit on the homes they build.

With a little research, anyone considering purchasing a new construction home can improve their chances of negotiating a better deal, says Michael Corbett, real estate expert and author of "Before You Buy! The Homebuyer's Handbook for Today's Market."

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Utah Man Taking On Bank Of America In Loan Modification Dispute

Many Americans have applied for the federal government's loan modification program, meant to keep them in their homes. Instead, less than a quarter of those who signed up have gotten any help.

The banks are being sued by several states and consumer class action lawsuits for their failure to follow through. But a Pleasant View man is standing up to Bank of America on his own.

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How to Get Homes Sold in this Buyer’s Market

You know it’s a buyer’s market.  But you really need to sell your home now.  Here are six tips to get homes sold even in today’s real estate market:

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Florida Marlins’ Wes Helms Brings His Work Home

Neighbors in the small Alabama town of Sterrett always knew where to find Wes Helms on his 53-acre farm over the winter. The man called “Uncle” on the Marlins often was ensconced in his custom-made, 3,000-square foot batting cage, working on a swing that deserted him last season.

Helms had gone from coauthoring a major-league pinch-hitting record with Ross Gload in 2009 to anchoring the worst pinch-hitting club in the National League in ’10. His pinch-hitting average plummeted from .347 to .114 in one year, and his pride plunged with it.

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Luxury 2BR Apt., $700 a Month: A Craigslist Scam!

The ad on Craigslist last week sounded too good to be true. A two-bedroom apartment was available in Hoboken for a mere $700 a month, much lower than the usual starting price of around $1,500. This particular unit boasted marble floors, a laundry room, and a sixth-floor window overlooking Washington Street.

But across the country, ads like this one that sound too good to be true usually are. Details in the ads in Hudson County do make them seem legitimate – including the number of blocks the unit is from the local PATH station, and photos of the interior. One recent ad even provided an address on Second Street in Hoboken.

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Foreclosures Drive Home Sales In Utah

Nearly one-fifth of all home sales in Utah last year were foreclosures, a new report shows.

The state’s share of distressed property sales, 19.7 percent, is lower than many other states, including neighboring Nevada (57.4 percent), Arizona (49.2 percent), Colorado (24.7 percent) and Idaho (28.4 percent).

Nationally, foreclosed homes accounted for nearly 26 percent of all U.S. residential sales, according to a report by RealtyTrac, which tracks foreclosures nationally.

In a normal market, foreclosures typically account for 1 percent to 5 percent of the home-sale market, said Daren Blomquist, managing editor of the RealtyTrac. Even though foreclosures are a smaller share of overall home sales in the state, “19 percent is still abnormally high,” he added.

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Southern Utah Housing Market Sees Bright Spot

Sales of new homes tumbled 11.2 percent between December and January as home builders struggle to compete in markets saturated with foreclosed homes.

Economists call it a worrisome sign, because it follows the worst year for new home sales in nearly 50 years. But there may be a bright spot on the horizon for real estate, at least in Southern Utah.

It isn't hard to find a brand new house for sale in St. George. In fact, "for sale" signs seem to be everywhere after the region suffered greatly in the nationwide housing crisis.

But there is one market in Southern Utah that is suddenly booming. 

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Top 8 House-Hunting Mistakes

Buying a home is a very emotional process, and allowing those emotions to get the best of you can cause you to make any number of mistakes. Since buying a home has many far-reaching implications, from where you will live to how hard it will be to make ends meet, it’s important to keep your emotions in check and make the most rational decision possible.

There are eight common emotional mistakes that people make when buying a home. Avoiding these pitfalls will  help you find the best home-sweet-home.

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BofA May Owe Fannie, Freddie $230 Million for Foreclosure Delay

Bank of America Corp. said it will probably have to pay government-sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac an additional $230 million because of delays foreclosing on mortgages bought by the firms.

Bank of America’s agreements with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac “provide for timelines to resolve delinquent loans through workout efforts or liquidation, if necessary,” the Charlotte, North Carolina-based lender said today in its annual report to the Securities and Exchange Commission. “In the fourth quarter of 2010, we recorded an expense of $230 million for compensatory fees that we expect to be assessed by the GSEs as a result of foreclosure delays.”

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America's Most Expensive Homes

Candy Spelling, widow of television giant Aaron, has listed the Manor, Los Angeles' largest, and arguably most opulent, house up for sale at US$150-million, out-pricing every other listed home in the country. Just down the street the owner of a sprawling classical style marble mansion is asking for US$125-million, making it the second most-expensive home in America. Yet another home for sale is in the triple-digit millions, a massive but secluded US$100-million Lake Tahoe ranch.

Read more: America's Most Expensive Homes...

Banks Could Face Billions In Fines Over Foreclosures

Two of the nation's largest banks may face billions in potential fines or enforcement actions from state and federal regulators over allegations of improper foreclosure paperwork.

Wells Fargo & Co. and Bank of America say they're being investigated by several government agencies over their foreclosure practices.

Regulators could seek upward of $20 billion in penalties for problems with the foreclosures, which would come from the Treasury Department and Department of Housing and Urban Development, is still in the works, according to several news reports.

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Real Estate 101: What New Home Buyers Need To Know

So you've decided to buy a house, but you're not sure if your finances are quite up to speed. Even if you hope to buy six months from now, there are numerous improvements and adjustments to be made in the interim, prior to taking on a mortgage.

First-time home buying is well documented as an arduous process, and much of that can be attributed to the sheer number of new and unexpected issues. Therefore, the more you know, the better you're likely to fare. Here, briefly, are some aspects buyers should consider when shoring up finances to buy a house.

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Buying A Home Long-Distance

Although the Iribhogbes knew exactly what they wanted in a house, they were unable to shop around the traditional way. In fact, they closed on their house three weeks before they even saw it.

"I will tell you right now, everything was by faith," Alvin Iribhogbe said. "We believed in her."

"Her" was their Realtor -- Maria Vaill of Re/Max. Alvin and his wife, Adeola, had been living in Germany since 2007, where he was stationed for his job as a dental lab technician with the Army.

Click Here to Read:  Buying A Home Long-Distance...