Minneapolis Real Estate Blog » Home Buying

Loan Modification is Stressful; Know Your Options

admin — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 09:58:09 +0000

When the Obama administration rolled out the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) in 2009, officials estimated 3 to 4 million borrowers would seek relief from their mortgages through the program amidst the worst recession and housing market collapse in decades.…

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NAR Home Buyer and Seller Survey Reflects Tight Credit Conditions

admin — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 04:35:34 +0000

Recent home buyers are staying well within their means with notably higher incomes and modestly higher down payments than buyers in the previous year, due to the restrictive mortgage credit environment, despite historically favorable housing affordability conditions, according to a…

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Find the Right Home: HomesDatabase.com Unveils ‘Lifestyle Search’

admin — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 02:15:00 +0000

MRIS, the Mid-Atlantic region’s multiple listing service (MLS) marketplace that facilitates $36 billion in yearly sales, has launched a new “Lifestyle Search” feature as a major upgrade and enhancement to its consumer website HomesDatabase.com, the organization has announced.

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Not All Home Inspections Are Made Equal

admin — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 20:24:46 +0000

A home inspection is a crucial component of making a smart home-buying decision. According to Jay Gregg, director of marketing for Pillar To Post, not all home inspections are equal. Gregg, who has experience in home inspections, sales marketing and…

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How to Predict Local Home Prices

admin — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 17:25:41 +0000

You’re about to put an offer on a home, but you’re worried that prices will sink and you won’t get the best deal. You’re putting your home on the market and you want to get the most you can for…

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Five Ways to Fight a Low Appraisal

admin — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 09:04:02 +0000

What do you do when the appraisal on the dream home you want to buy comes in below the price in the offer the seller has accepted—even as much as 10 to 20 percent below?

Chances are that raising the…

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95 Percent of Refinancing Borrowers Choose Fixed-Rate Mortgages

admin — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 20:34:35 +0000

In the second quarter of 2011, fixed-rate loans accounted for about 95 percent of refinance loans, based on the Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) Quarterly Product Transition Report released yesterday. Refinancing borrowers clearly preferred fixed-rate loans, regardless of whether their…

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MONEY Magazine Reveals Annual “MONEY’s 100 Best Places to Live in America”

admin — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 19:58:05 +0000

“MONEY” magazine has revealed the 2011 list of “MONEY’s 100 Best Places to Live in America,” highlighting small towns across the country with populations of 50,000 or less. For the annual cover-story, on sale August 19, MONEY looked for places…

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6 Tips for Success at Real Estate Auctions

admin — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 19:31:41 +0000

RISMEDIA, July 5, 2011—With foreclosures flooding the real estate market, many property buyers and investors are hitting the auction circuit looking to capitalize on the next great deal. For those that are new to the auction block, there are a…

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The Value of Home Warranties: Protect Your Wallet

admin — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 16:32:05 +0000

RISMEDIA, June 30, 2011—Even with home sales and prices continuing to fall nationwide, millions of Americans will still navigate the process of buying and selling homes this summer, and for many, the sheer volume of details and decisions can be

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