Gov't Incentives & Programs

New FHA rule regarding old debt and new mortgages

That item on your credit report that kept you from getting a mortgage might not be a problem anymore. It used to be that if you wanted to qualify for a mortgage and you had a $5 fine for an overdue library book, it hurt you as much as if ...

• 1:45 p.m. Tuesday, April 17, 2012

New refi option for those with FHA loans

There's a new mortgage refinance option for those with FHA loans that can benefit you even if you're upside-down in your home. If you have an FHA loan that closed by spring 2009, the streamline refi program could be for you. Here's a quick overview of this program, which goes ...

• 1:23 p.m. Tuesday, March 27, 2012
• Comments  (3)   

Extreme home buying opportunities abound

There has never been a better time in my lifetime for you to buy a home. No kidding. The opportunity is extreme. If your situation fits, don't miss the opportunity. The news about housing is really at cross purposes at the moment. You have reports of sales picking up in ...

• 1:42 p.m. Thursday, March 1, 2012

New mortgage settlement benefits 1 million homeowners

A new settlement in 49 states could bring mortgage relief to an estimated 1 million homeowners. The $26 billion foreclosure settlement will impact customers of Bank of America, GMAC, Citibank, Chase and Wells Fargo in all states except Oklahoma. At the crux of the settlement is that lenders will be ...

• 2:03 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012
• Comments  (19)   

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Homes that have no power bills now being built

It's now possible to build "net-zero" homes that generate little to no power bills for the homeowner!

• 12:00 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012

Big banks reviewing military foreclosures for compliance

In a continuing saga, a new report from federal regulators finds 10 big banks may have illegally foreclosed on the homes of some 5,000 military members while they were deployed overseas. The report from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency reveals that half of all the possibly illegal ...

• 1:58 p.m. Monday, Dec. 26, 2011

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Did you use Federal Tax Credits to buy a home?

Some people who took advantage of federal tax credits to buy a home in '08 or '09 have received notices from the IRS saying they owe the money back with taxes, penalties and interest. But it might be a mistake. Here's what you should do about it.

• 12:00 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011

New refinance rules could benefit millions of upside-down homeowners

Homeowners who are underwater in their mortgages may be able to refinance at today's low interest rates without having to appraise out thanks to updated Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) rules. Details of the HARP 2.0 program The big deal with what's being called HARP 2.0 is that it gets ...

• Updated: 1:45 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011
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IRS sending out incorrect notices to recipients of homebuyer tax credits

Thousands of people who took advantage of federal tax credits to buy a home in 2008 or 2009 have received notices from the IRS incorrectly stating they either owe money or they're due money back. Syndicated real estate writer Kenneth Harney reports that the IRS has basically had a nervous ...

• 1:32 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2011

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Historic Opportunities in Real Estate: A Pep Talk

If you're sitting on the sidelines as a renter, you're missing out on cheap housing prices and great interest rates. Clark gives you a pep talk so you can go into the real estate market where others fear to tread.

• 12:00 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2011