Other Recent Articles
Public to Politicians: End Foreclosure Mess
Candidates running for office in 2012 had better put their housing game on the table. From tiny towns to the national electorate, voters have been clear about who they want in office — elected officials who see housing as an economic cornerstone critical to recovery. More than 80 percent of Americans believe housing is critical [...]
13Dec2011 | Broderick Perkins | 1 comment | Continued
Why Trump Is Wrong On Mortgages
Donold Trump — a possible candidate for President — thinks mortgages are tough to get, maybe impossible. “If somebody wants to buy a house,” he told CNN’s Piers Morgan, “it’s virtually impossible to get the money from a bank. And it’s — even if they have good credit. Even when mortgages are coming due, and [...]
12Dec2011 | Peter G. Miller | 0 comments | Continued
Why FHA Premiums Should Not Be Raised
Will the FHA loan program raise its insurance premium for new borrowers? At first it might seem as though higher premiums are in order given that the FHA reserve fund — the Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund or MMI — is well below the 2 percent required reserve. While that may be true, one must also [...]
5Dec2011 | Peter G. Miller | 0 comments | Continued
American Chopper Vs. Jesse James: Who Really Wins?
The stage is set for the most-publicized motorcycle build-off in recent memory. The two-night battle to be shown live from the Hard Rock Cafe in Las Vegas will feature three well-televised bike builders, Paul Teutul Sr. with Orange County Chopper, Paul Teutul, Jr. from PJD designs and Jessie James, the once-host of Discovery’s Monster Garage [...]
28Nov2011 | Peter G. Miller | 19 comments | Continued
VA Funding Fees Set Through September 2016
Military homebuyers finally got some clarity this week regarding the VA Funding Fee, a mandatory governmental charge applied to all VA loans that has been in a legislative limbo. The fee helps fund the VA Loan Guaranty program and ensures this long-cherished lending mechanism remains outside any Congressional appropriations process. Confusion took root this fall when [...]
28Nov2011 | Chris Birk | 0 comments | Continued
FHA Loan Limits Rise, Conventional & VA Mortgage Limits Stick
It didn’t take long for the lower mortgage limits that began October 1st to be changed. As of November 18th the mortgage rate limits were selectively revised with FHA loan limits increasing but with conventional loan limits staying the same. Does this change make a lot of sense? No. Is this change the law of [...]
25Nov2011 | Peter G. Miller | 0 comments | Continued
Will The FHA Go Bankrupt?
A new study says the FHA is likely to need a $50 billion bailout and perhaps as much as $100 billion. But is the FHA really in trouble? And if so, why? The paper, written by Joseph Gyourko, a professor of real estate and finance at the Wharton School of Business at the University of [...]
16Nov2011 | Peter G. Miller | 3 comments | Continued
Why VA Loans Are More Important Than Ever
The last few years have proved a mixed bag for home buyers and homeowners alike. Borrowers who qualify have reaped the benefits of government-sponsored tax credit programs and record-low interest rates. At the same time, the subprime mortgage meltdown and ensuing financial crisis created a restrictive credit environment and made it significantly tougher for some [...]
14Nov2011 | Chris Birk | 0 comments | Continued
Spread the Word: Millions of Veterans Unaware of their VA Home Loan Benefits
The VA loan program has helped more than 18 million service members achieve the dream of homeownership since 1944. Today, these flexible loans remain the safest and most powerful lending option on the market for military borrowers and their families. Qualified veterans can purchase a home without having to spend money on a down payment, [...]
11Nov2011 | Chris Birk | 0 comments | Continued
Veterans Day — Let’s Bring Back The Draft
It’s Veterans Day, a deserved recognition of the work done and the danger faced by those with military service. There will be parades and speeches, but few will get to the essential point: We need to bring back the draft. Today we have a nation of 312 million people. Of this number, 1.4 million are [...]
11Nov2011 | Peter G. Miller | 3 comments | Continued
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