Tag: income property investing
-
The Bad Thing About Housing Bubbles – They Come Back
p>Both the financial media and numerous discussions here at Jason Hartman's AmericanMonetaryAssociation.com have been devoted to the topic of the 2002 to 2006 housing bubble, which was followed by an all out price collapse, caused by the foreclosure crisis and other factors. The natural reaction is to think that we won’t have to worry about…
-
Low Interest Rates and the Pension Plan Crisis
In virtually all areas of both the public and private sectors, employee pension plans have become increasingly vulnerable, leaving those counting on pension benefits to face an uncertain financial future. Now, a new culprit in the pension plan crisis is emerging – the low interest rates touted as a way to stimulate economic grown and…
-
Are Mortgage Rates Finally Going Up?
The rise and fall of mortgage interest rates is one of the most watched aspects of the housing industry. But although it may appear that the state of mortgage interest is only relevant to those wanting to finance (or refinance) a home, these rates are affected by a variety of factors, both domestic and global…
-
New "Subprime" Tactics Target Former Homeowners
Everything old is new again. The subprime mortgage, blamed for the rush of mortgage defaults and foreclosures that triggered the housing collapse of a few years ago, is back, targeting the same people who lost their homes in the first version and threatening a another round of defaults and foreclosures for vulnerable homeowners. The current…
-
Borrower Beware: Some Lenders Escape Scrutiny
The New Year has ushered in a spate of new regulations and changes to old ones acting the scandal- wracked mortgage industry. Designed to safeguard consumers from fraudulent and misleading practices, and lenders from another round of massive defaults, these rules, created and implemented both by consumer protection agencies and the government, target standard mortgage…
-
Renters Rule – or Do They?
A persistent prediction among housing industry trend watchers claims that the US is fast becoming a nation of renters, with younger generations becoming less and less interested in committing to the traditional ”American Dream” of a single family home. These individuals, variously described as millennial, generation X or Generation Y, are generally believed to make…
-
Retirement “Myths” – Uncomfortable Truths
p>It’s the start of a new year, and consumer finance sites are coming out with the usual lists of myths and mistakes people make about retirement planning. While these lists vary in length listing five, seven or even ten or more items, the theme is the same: people nearing retirement age – or even far…
-
Mortgage Fraud: A New Face on an Old Problem
Mortgage fraud is one of the fastest growing financial crimes in the history of the United States. Although the robosigning scandal that followed the housing collapse of 2008-2011 was blatant enough to bring the illegal and abusive practices of major mortgage lenders into public awareness, new statistics show that fraudulent activity by the same practitioners…
-
Federal Mortgage Help: A Risky Business?
The housing industry continues its slow climb upward after the subprime loan meltdown of 2008, supported by a number of government backed initiatives aimed at stimulating the market and, in turn, the economy as a whole. But the Feds efforts to hold down interest rates while keeping struggling homeowners out of foreclosure and reduce the…
-
Mortgage Backed Securities: Boosting A Housing Recovery?
Mortgage backed securities, or MBSs, played a significant role in the housing collapse of 2008. Now these instruments, bought and sold in the secondary mortgage market among financial institutions, lenders, and even individuals, may be making a contribution to its recovery. And, if backers of the Fed’s plan to buy up billions of dollars in…