Tag: income property investing
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Can the Housing Upswing Predict a Downturn?
Is the housing market glass half full – or half empty? As home prices rise and the inventory of available houses falls, many experts in and out of the industry see more encouraging signs of a long term recovery that provides a firm foundation for other areas of the economy, too. But a growing number…
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7 Words of Wisdom For Today’s Investor
Speculation and quick money schemes promise instant riches to hungry investors. But the truth about building wealth through investing is less glamorous, though ultimately more satisfying. From Mark Twain to Warren Buffet, market watchers from vastly different perspectives have pointed out again and again that building wealth through investing is a long-term process that yields…
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Home Security: Save Money, Avoid Legal Fees
Home security issues – from break-ins to slips on a sidewalk — fuel a multibillion-dollar industry that includes technology, consumer advice and even medical and legal fees. Although residential security is a necessity for every property owner, it’s an especially thorny area for landlords, who have to fulfill legal requirements as well as accommodate the…
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QM Rule Changes Avert a Housing Recovery Slowdown
It’s a rare circumstance that benefits both lenders and borrowers. But changes to the upcoming Qualified Mortgage Rule, aimed at preventing the kind of subprime mortgage crisis that created the great housing collapse, might do just that – and head off a potential roadblock to the emerging housing recovery. The Qualified Mortgage, or QM Rule,…
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Prosecutors Race the Clock in Bank Fraud Cases
By last count, the nation’s big banks have spent $66 billion in the last three years to fight an array of civil and criminal charges for misconduct ranging from foreclosure fraud to bribery. But there’s more to come. Although the US Department of Justice, aided by the attorneys general of all 50 states, has been…
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Septaper’s Coming: Are You Ready?
After months of mixed messages, the Federal Reserve now says it plans to taper off its massive buyou of mortgage-backed securities starting in September 2013. But although those plans could change again, the financial world is bracing for the effects of a process the media have given the awful moniker of “Sptaper.” Just a year…
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Social Media Tools: A Game Changer for Investors
Social media has forever changed how people do business. From the early days of personal blogs and Facebook accounts for chatting with family and friends, social media sites ranging from the obvious old standbys like Twitter and Facebook to more specialized professional services like LinkedIn have leveled the playing field for both business people and…
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Fannie and Freddie Tweak the Numbers For Profit’s Sake
In the nearly five years since the nations historic housing collapse, megalenders Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have gone from bankruptcy and government bailout to posting record profits. But as Washington policy makers ponder their future, a new report from the two agencies’ overseers claims that those profit numbers may be offset by Famine and…
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Eminent Domain Seizures Threaten Mortgage Lending
Every state has the right of eminent domain – the legal right to seize private property for the public good. Cities generally exercise those rights for things like building roads or schools. But one California city is using its eminent domain rights to seize homes in danger of foreclosure –with potential repercussions for the mortgage…
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Is Retirement Hazardous To Your Health?
The conventional picture of retirement – a time when there’s no clock to punch and the days are filled with hobbies and family – has been the holy grail of the American workplace for decades. But a slumping economy and changing workplace realities are forcing many would be retirees to keep working, or start new…