Doom & Gloom Media strikes again!! Will higher rates really ‘roil’ the housing market? NO. Here are 4 reasons why

Looking for a dark cloud? Is your silver lining getting too….silver? Well, you’re in luck! Look no further, the D & G Media brothers await! They’re always together, lurking behind those golden rays of sun, hiding behind that small blue-sky-day cloud, ready to suck the last bit of hope and positivity out you. Headlines read […]

Why is Now the BEST Time to be in Real Estate?

The rate of home ownership in America…..have we hit the bottom??….. It has been falling for nearly a decade and in the fourth quarter of 2014, it hit the lowest level in over two decades at 63.9 percent, according to the National Association of Realtors. The peak for the home ownership rate was just under […]

Mortgage Insurance = Tax Deduction

On December 19, 2014, legislation was passed once again allowing for the tax deductibility of mortgage insurance (MI) premiums for qualified borrowers. The deductibility is effective for purchase and refinance transactions closed after December 31, 2013. MI premiums paid or accrued after December 31, 2013 and through December 31, 2014 may qualify for tax deductibility […]

FHA Officially Reduces Annual Mortgage Insurance – Cutting Monthly Payments!

In the first Mortgagee Letter of the year FHA makes a HUGE change by reducing its annual mortgage insurance by 50 basis points across the board. The new rate will be 85 basis points (for loans with less than 5% down payment). Example – $200,000 mortgage with 3.5% down payment Previous FHA monthly mortgage insurance […]

FHA Loan Limits Increased! And other FAQ’s

Great news friends – homebuyers in the DFW metro (and surrounding areas) will see increased purchasing power thanks to FHA’s decision to increase loan limits beginning January 2015. Currently the max loan amount for DFW area is $287,500 which means buyers may buy a $297,900 home by putting the very minimum down. However, as of […]

USDA Zero Down Payment Home Loans!

With all the noise the doom and gloom media is making about tightening credit restrictions and rising interest rates, many homebuyers have been led to think low down payment loans are a thing of the past. Make no mistake, there are many programs still available. One often-overlooked loan program belongs to the U.S. Department of […]

Real Estate Must Knows for 2014!

Friends, I’m asked all the time what I think 2014 will look like as it relates to real estate. Thanks to my friend Steve Harney and his whole team at Keeping Current Matters, I’ve been able to answer that question. Here’s some of his hard labor research garnished with a little bit of mine. Enjoy! FHA – loan amounts have […]

Can I Get a VA Loan After Foreclosure?

Many families have fallen victim to the economic crisis over the last few years. Additionally, many families have fallen victim to ‘life events’ – such as divorce, job loss, a disability, and the list goes on. Unfortunately life does not exempt military families from such events. As such, one of the results of ‘life events’ […]

shortER short sales? and for folks who are NOT currently behind? could it be true??

from my friend Rob Chrisman (www.robchrisman.com) – Freddie and Fannie (and the FHFA, of course) announced short sale changes scheduled for later this year. Starting November 1, measures will be put in place to make short sales of underwater homes easier for homeowners, including extending help to people who have financial difficulties but haven’t missed […]

DFW up 22%! AND 8 reasons why N TX rocks!

what has reached a level we haven’t seen in four years?? North Texas home sales, that’s what! this past May real estate agents sold 7,618 pre-owned single-family homes which is 22% MORE than in May 2011, according to North Texas Real Estate Information Systems Inc. that’s not all – year-to-date home sales are UP 16% […]