Investing Lessons From a Food Diva's Downfall

Archive for June, 2013

Investing Lessons From a Food Diva's Downfall

By on Sunday, June 30th, 2013 | 2 Comments

Love her or hate her, it seems you can’t escape her. Celebrity chef Paula Deen keeps on making headlines as she’s dropped by sponsor after sponsor and products bearing her name are yanked from store shelves. Her fall from grace for making racist remarks isn’t just a topic for the tabloids, though. The collapse of […]

Bitcoins, Babies and Bernanke: What’s Next for Digital Money?

By on Friday, June 28th, 2013 | 2 Comments

The Bitcoin has only been around for four years. Although it’s still in its infancy, the digital currency created by an anonymous hacker has changed the way we think about money and how it’s used. Bitcoin stock has traded high and fallen low, and the network of goods and services that can be purchased with […]

Can Online Home Buying Boost the Recovery?

By on Thursday, June 27th, 2013 | 2 Comments

Time was, buying a house was a straightforward process, largely controlled by real estate professionals who had the listings and banks who had the say-so over financing. But the Internet has changed all that. Last year, over two thirds of home buyers in the annual Home Buyer Survey said they’d used social media in the […]

House Flipping is Still a Risky Business

By on Tuesday, June 25th, 2013 | Comments Off

In the years after the housing crash, house flipping hit the news as a surefire way to reap quick profits in real estate. Flippers would buy a cheap house, maybe a foreclosure, do some superficial cosmetic fixes and make a quick sale. But as a couple of high profile house flippers are finding out, this […]

Today’s Rates and the Down Payment Debate

By on Sunday, June 23rd, 2013 | 1 Comment

Is conventional wisdom crippling the housing recovery? It’s almost a given that a homebuyer can expect to produce a down payment of at least 20 percent in order to secure a mortgage. And the more a buyer can put down, the more they can save over the term of the loan. But given the unique […]

The Fed’s Securities Buyup Ends: Why It Matters

By on Saturday, June 22nd, 2013 | Comments Off

The Federal Reserve has stopped playing coy about plans for its program to stimulate the economy by buying up massive amounts of mortgage-backed securities. After months of maybe yes maybe no, the Fed has finally announced an end to the plan by mid-2012. While that announcement shouldn’t have come as a complete surprise, the news […]

For Some Landlords, Vacant is the New Rented

By on Friday, June 21st, 2013 | Comments Off

As consumer advocates push for expanded tenant’s rights laws, landlords are wondering where their protections have gone. As a recent op-ed column in The New York Times reveals, the landlord presiding over an entirely legal eviction can end up vulnerable to a host of potentially dangerous outcomes from disgruntled tenants. And for some property owners, […]

5 Red Flags That Your Lender is Lying

By on Wednesday, June 19th, 2013 | 1 Comment

The mortgage industry has undergone intense scrutiny since the spate of risky loans that triggered the housing collapse of 2008. But in spite of lawsuit after lawsuit and numerous consumer protection regulations, the nation’s big lenders continue to ply their fraudulent practices on applicants for mortgages and refinancing. Now, the latest suit against Bank of […]

What Happened to HAMP? Bank of America Strikes Again

By on Tuesday, June 18th, 2013 | 2 Comments

In the years since the well-publicized “mortgage meltdown” of a few years ago the health of the housing recovery has been measured to some extent by the state of the foreclosure market. But as affidavits filed in yet another lawsuit against Bank of America reveal, the perennial bad boy of fraudulent banking practices has been […]

Cash Buyers Win in a Hot Housing Market

By on Saturday, June 15th, 2013 | 3 Comments

After several years in the doldrums, the housing market is heating up, according to industry watchers. Rising prices, a tight inventory and interest rates that remain relatively low continue to entice buyers. And as those buyers vie for the available homes, one thing creates a clear advantage: the ability to pay cash. Recent data crunched […]

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Archive for June, 2013