Real Estate

A Facebook follower wrote me saying she earns about $30,000 a year, asked about buying a home with little to no money down. If you or someone you know is trying to become a first-time homeowner, and you don't have...

Foreclosure on a home is the worst possible option for both the mortgage lender and the homeowner. Banks do not like foreclosures, for the simple reason that they cost money. For the homeowner, it means both the loss of the...

An HOA, as a homeowners' association is known, creates and enforces rules for the community and collects the monthly or annual dues. There are pros and cons to owning a home in a community governed by a HOA, which is...

A dual agent is one who works for both the home buyer and the seller. You typically end up in this situation if the agent who listed the property is also your agent. You might inadvertently put yourself in this...

If you are shopping for a home, you should know the difference between a buyer's agent and a listing agent. A buyer's agent, sometimes known as a "buyer's broker," works only for the home buyer, and is legally bound to...

Even though homes sales are up nationwide (note, sales means number of transactions, not prices!), it’s still a buyer’s market out there, meaning there are more homes offered for sale than there are buyers. Here are 5 tips for negotiating...

Mortgage interest rates are at historic lows. If you have great credit with a FICO score above the mid-700's, these days you'll probably qualify for a rate below 5%. Despite the low rates, if you make a home purchase, should...

Editor's note: For the most current information about the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) visit MakingHomeAffordable.gov. If you are a homeowner in good standing with your mortgage, but you can't seem to get refinancing because your home has lost equity...

Editor's note: Please visit the Making Home Affordable website (link at the end of this article) for the most current information about this program. Under President Obama's "Making Home Affordable" loan modification program, owners who are in risk of losing...

It's a great time to buy a home. Mortgage rates are pushing down below 5%, homes are more affordable than they have been in nearly a decade, and there's the housing stimulus, a tax credit of up to $8,000 waiting...