Archive for the 'Home' Category

Unemployment, economic hardship among factors of foreclosures in the U.S.

In December 2009, U.S. owners of 349,519 properties received a foreclosure notice
ForeclosureListings.com, confirmed that the national foreclosure rate in January was one foreclosure filing for every 466 U.S. households; the most severe problems continue in the West and in Florida. Unemployment, economic hardship, negative equity, and credit availability are driving the foreclosures.
Yet between the months [...]

Think that a foreclosed home is the best deal in town? Think Again.

Ten signs that trouble might be just around the corner.
It’s easy pickings out there for many potential homebuyers. Housing prices are at their lowest in more than a decade, inventories are high, analysts are predicting a new wave of foreclosures and the government is offering two substantial tax credits for which many homebuyers qualify.
But bargain [...]

Bank of America program helps 100,000 Subprime, Option-ARM borrowers avoid foreclosure in first 10 months of outreach

Just 10 months after initiating outreach to customers through its National Homeownership Retention Program (NHRP), Bank of America has provided mortgage relief to 100,000 eligible homeowners with certain Countrywide subprime and option-ARM mortgages. According to the bank’s most recent quarterly progress report, more than 31,000 eligible customers received assistance in the third quarter – the [...]

Negative equity falls in third quarter, home values show short-term stabilization

Impending Foreclosures, Homebuyer Tax Credits Likely to Affect Real Estate This Winter: Foreclosures Expected to Significantly Increase Inventory in 2010, But Possible Tax Credits Could Help Spur Demand, According to Q3 2009 Zillow(R) Real Estate Market Reports
The percent of American single-family homes with mortgages in negative equity(1) fell to 21 percent in the third quarter, [...]

One-in-five employers report that missing open enrollment costs workers more than $1,000 in out of pocket expenses

Expert Offers Tips for Getting the Most out of Your Benefits in Tough Economy
As the open enrollment season comes into full swing, experts encourage workers to pay particularly close attention to benefit elections this year to help offset financial challenges brought on by the recession. One-in-four workers (25 percent) reported that they don’t pay attention [...]

U.S. homebuyers pay closer to listing price in August 2009, but are still negotiating thousands in discounts

Florida Buyers Negotiating Deepest Discounts from Asking Price, According to August Zillow(R) Real Estate Market Reports * Buyers pay 3% less than listing price in August, down from 3.3% in July and 4.5% in January * 24.7% of all unsold homes had at least one price reduction as of Oct. 1 * Vero Beach buyers [...]

Taking advantage of the stimulus tax credit before it expires

If you hope to take advantage of the $8,000 federal tax credit for first time home buyers, you need to close on your new home by Nov. 30, 2009. We at the Santa Clara County Association of REALTORS advise planning ahead to avoid the disappointment of disqualification.
“The nationwide popularity of this stimulus tax credit may [...]

Homebuyers will find bargains at auction of nearly 120 foreclosed homes throughout Northeast

Homes Will Be Auctioned in New York City/Newark Area, Cherry Hill, Manchester, Trenton and Hartford September 9th-12th
Sinking home prices have buyers rushing to foreclosure auctions to scoop up the best deals on the block. Saddled with large volumes of foreclosures, banks are aggressively discounting their real estate owned (REO) property at auction to quickly [...]

Post-recession incomes will be hit hard by health care spending for middle class working families, PENN analysis shows

In a post-recession America, even though as a nation income levels may rise, middle class families still won’t be shielded from the crushing burden of health care costs and will watch their standards of living continue to erode, according to a study published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) by Daniel [...]

Real estate experts say residential and commercial foreclosures will continue to rise

According to the real estate experts at ForeclosureDeals.com, foreclosed properties will continue to dominate the real estate marketplace in many regions.
Recent reports have been released that support this prediction. For example, in Utah’s Washington County, the region’s foreclosure rate remains higher than the national average. According to a recent report by First American CoreLogic, the [...]