10 Things to Look for in a Home-Equity Line of Credit
If you are a homeowner, you've probably received offers to apply for a home equity line of credit (HELOC). Handled with care, home equity credit lines can be an excellent way to improve financial flexibility, provide readily available cash reserves for emergencies, or pay for large expenses (like ... more...

Top 10 FSBO Tips to Selling Your Home by Owner
By using some simple FSBO (For Sale by Owner) tips and techniques, the average homeowner can sell his or her own home without the assistance of a real estate agent. Just as many others have done in the past. You can sell your own home and save thousands, but it takes work and commitment.Below you ... more...

Home Buyer Checklist
Before You BuyThe biggest question is: where do I want to live? All of us have different likes and dislikes. The needs of one person may be of little consequence to another person. If you are moving to a new community your questions may be different from somebody who is moving within the ... more...

Eight Common Predatory Lending Schemes
Predatory lending is far more prevalent in refinancing than in the purchase market. One reason is that buyers tend to look for mortgages from established and recognized lenders, many of whom are bound by rules put forth by Fannie Mae, FHA, or the Veterans Administration. If they don't follow the ... more...

Bad Credit Loans and Lender Questions & Answers
Q: What is a private investor and how do they differ from a hard money lender or a subprime lender?A: A private investor is an individual who lends out their own funds to borrowers who are unable to obtain a loan from a traditional lender such as a bank. It is also possible for private investors to ... more...

Why Good Houses Don't Sell?
When a house doesn't sell as quickly as expected, it's easy (for the owner anyway) to lay the blame on a soft real estate market, or a lousy selling season. After all, neither of those things are the sellers faults, nor under the seller's control. The fact is, though, that 90% of the time when a ... more...

Reducing Debt Through Lower Interest Loans
It happens to the majority of us, credit card debt accumulates and before we quite realize it, we are carrying a debt load that is far beyond our means. When this happens, we need to take immediate positive steps to knock down the debt as quickly as possible. One of the most efficient ways to do ... more...

Making Money from Freelance Writing
Making Money from Freelance WritingIts the question that every aspiring freelancer eventually finds themselves asking: is it really possible to make money from this? The kind of money that lets you keep a roof over your head and feed your kids occasionally, that is?Well, yes, it is. But lets be ... more...

Escrow From a California Homeowner's Perspective
The Escrow ProcessBoth Buyer and Seller deserve the assurance that no funds or property will change hands until all of the instructions in the Purchase Contract have been satisfied. The Realtor submits Buyers and Sellers signed documents and Buyers deposit money to be held by an independent ... more...

Home Buyer's Hidden Costs
Home buyer's who purchase a home without a real estate agent (or sometimes purchase through an inexperienced agent) can find out too late they don't have enough money to close and move.Top 10 Costs Home Buyers Miss:1.) Property Taxes and AssessmentsHome buyers often need to set up an escrow account ... more...