The Real Estate Crisis: Congress Expected to Fail
An over-whelming majority surveyed say the U.S. Congress will fail in its attempt to solve the nation's real estate crisis. That, according to a new poll conducted by Housing Predictor.
The online survey clearly indicated that Americans are fed up with Congressional failures, the government's stance on the nation's economic crisis and the White House.
Housing Predictor forecasts more than 250 local housing market futures in all 50 states, and regularly surveys visitors on real estate related issues, which are in the forefront of the national economic crisis. They also forecast the nation's top 25 real estate markets annually, the worst 25 markets and the nation's foreclosure epidemic.
Tell us what you think. Do you think Congress will fail in its attempt to solve the nation's real estate crisis? Click the comment link below and sound off. We'd love to hear from you.
Credit Counseling or Debt Settlement?
You've seen the ads: Credit counseling companies say they can help by getting your payments and interest rates lowered. Others claim they can get your debts wiped out entirely by settling them for pennies on the dollar.
In this short (1:31) video, Money reporter Stacy Johnson takes an inside look at these companies, and what you should consider before turning to a credit counselor or debt settlement company.
Please leave us any comment or opinion you have about credit counselors or debt settlement companies. We welcome your views. Don't worry, your email address (although needed for your to post a comment) never gets published here… so your identity is completely protected. We'd love to get your feedback on this topic, or the video.
Foreclosure Scams: Big Business Now
Among the byproducts of the U.S. housing crisis is a surge in scams that cheat people out of their money, their homes, or both, under the guise of offering to rescue them from foreclosure.
Almost every foreclosure rescue program you see advertised anywhere is fraud, and law enforcement lacks the funds to investigate or prosecute all the cases.
As well as extorting money with promises of help that never materialize, other rescue scams include tricking borrowers into signing over part or all of their property. Often, the owners think they are signing a refinancing when they are actually signing a deed of transfer.
If you are in trouble with your lender, or behind on your mortgage, seek help before help finds you! Because the help that finds you may not be help at all. Scam artists are getting slicker and slicker every day in coming up with convincing ways to rob you blind.
If you've been the victim of fraud or some sort of scam, let us hear about it here. Use the comment link below. Your identity is protected, we never publish email addresses on this site, and you can even give us a fake name if you want to, that doesn't really matter. We'd just like to hear your comments. If you haven't been scammed, but know of someone who has… tell them about this website and ask them to come here and tell about their story. Perhaps it will save others from falling prey to the same type of fraud.
High Gas Prices: Where Will it All End?
Who else is getting a little tired of paying more and more money every single time you have to stop at the gas pump to fill up? Although not directly related to the real estate or mortgage industries, continually rising gas prices are hurting us all.
Gas prices are up 19.9% from what they were last year. A month ago, the nationwide average was $3.246 a gallon.
Gasoline prices normally rise during the spring as people travel more. However, the record pump prices have also been supported by high crude prices as shrinking profit margins cause refiners to pull back on production.
Higher gas prices are affecting (although not directly) our children as well. The cost to fuel the buses that carry children back and forth to school has jumped 35% over the same time a year ago, and that's 35% less money schools have for teachers, computers, and whatever else our children need to become well educated.
Where will it all end? How high do you think gas prices will climb before they level off or come back down some? Give us your feedback, angry or not. We'd love to hear from you. Use the comment link below to sound off about the high gas prices.
Selling a House: Make Your Home Stand Out
In today's market and the increased choices buyers have when shopping for a home, one of the most important factors you need to consider (other than price of course) when getting your home ready to sell is the condition of the home.
Condition reigns supreme over all else. Buyers have so many choices right now that anything that looks like it needs work can be enough to kill your chances of selling. People prefer move-in condition, so if your property isn’t, you probably need to do what it takes to make it that way. It's worth the money to remove old wallpaper, paint, replace carpet, and replace the roof if it’s almost at the end of its life. Offering an allowance doesn’t work in the market we're in now because buyers tend to overinflate the costs of these improvements, anticipating double or triple what it will actually cost you to just go ahead and do it now.
Plus, with the number of homes for sale, if yours is the one that needs to be painted, chances are it’s also the one that won’t sell.
There are exceptions, such as homes that need a complete overhaul, so it’s a good idea to discuss your home and your plans with a real estate agent before getting started.
Have a suggestion for people thinking about selling their home? Leave us a comment by clicking the comment link below. Your email will never be published here to protect you from spam.
