Should you pay discount points when you get a mortgage? To answer that question, you have to estimate whether you'll keep the mortgage past the “break-even point” – the time when your accumulated monthly savings from lower monthly payments exceeds the amount paid up front.
What is a mortgage discount point? One point is equal to 1% of the loan amount, paid upfront at closing. You ...
The President has extended the $8,000 First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit and now expanded it to include a $6,500 tax credit for Move Up Buyers has caught the attention of many.
Click this video for some of the pertinent details of the tax credit:
You may not see it but it is happening...right here in our communities. Families that used to be able to feed their families now need the help of food pantries.
At this time of year many of us are thinking about how are we going to provide presents to our families. What if we were a family whose hope was just for a meal on the table for the holidays? Imagine looking ...
There are many ways to lose a home but signing away ownership in a manner that destroys credit, embarrasses family and strips an owner of dignity is one of the hardest. For owners who can no longer afford to keep mortgage payments current, there are alternatives to bankruptcy or foreclosure proceedings. One of these options is called a “short sale”.
When lenders agree to do a short sale ...
Have you looked at your household appliances recently and thought to yourself "I'd love to replace those..." Well, you won't have to wait too long to receive the appliance equivalent of "cash for clunkers" - this might be known as "Dollars for Dishwashers"!
New York residents will begin to receive stimulus funded rebates for various energy efficient appliances for purchases starting on February ...
TEN SAFETY TIPS FROM UNDERWRITER'S LABORATORIES
Water, water, water your live tree: Dry trees pose a fire risk. Cut 1/2 - 1" from the bottom of the trunk before putting your tree into a sturdy stand; fill immediately with water and add water frequently.
Steer your tree clear: Your tree should be positioned at least three feet away from fireplaces, radiators and other ...
One question Realtors are frequently asked is, "How's the market?” Below is an overview of the market in the Capital Region of New York. It considers the third quarter of 2008, wrought with the meltdown of the financial markets, compared with the same period in 2009.
The statistics bear out that the number of pending units has increased substantially - 8.25% in the 4-County ...
After you've taken step one to decide to sell your home, step two is usually setting your asking price, striving for a balance between generating offers and receiving top dollar.
Your chosen representative will perform a Competitive Market Analysis to produce an estimate of your home's "fair market value," or that price that educated buyers will pay based on listings and sales of homes similar ...