|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
When mortgage is sold, payment confusion begins
Q: We refinanced our home loan in March with an online mortgage lender. Within a couple of weeks, we received a letter from another mortgage company advising us that our May payment was to be made to them. A May payment invoice was included. I contacted the original lender and was told that the loan was not sold. They said if and when that happens, we would receive a "goodbye letter," which has not arrived. We now have May payment invoices from both lenders, and only two weeks to go until the first payment is due. We contacted the second lender and they still insist they now own the loan. What should we do? We do not want this to impact on our good credit rating.
...more |
|
|
|
Who is the owner, you or the bank?
DEAR BENNY: After making a loan using your property as collateral, who is the owner -- the bank or the owner (person who obtained the loan from the bank)? What period of time belongs to the bank and what period belongs to the owner? –Lili
...more |
|
|
|
Best way to eliminate roof algae
Q: We have a house that was built in 1995, in a neighborhood of other houses all built around the same time. Our house has a gray composition shingle roof that has developed large dark stains in many areas. Other homes in the neighborhood with gray or charcoal roofs also have it, but the ones with light-colored roofs don't. Is it algae? If so, would zinc strips help? --Shirley L., via e-mail
...more |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
 |
|
|
General Assembly passes three laws benefiting homeowners
From the Virginia Homeowners Alliance.
Last month, Virginia's legislature sent three bills that benefit homeowners to Gov. McDonnell and approved a $70 billion budget that may reduce local government programs or force them to raise property taxes.
Besides the budget, there were hundreds of bills debated, but we focused on three bills dealing with two issues critical to homeowners: 1) tax assessments and 2) property rights. Assessments determine your taxes; and the less restrictive Virginia's property laws are, the more attractive Virginia's real estate markets become.
Legislators have passed one of the most difficult state budgets that anyone can remember. Now they're breathing a sigh of relief, as the budget cuts aren’t as bad as many had feared. The General Assembly added no new taxes, which may force localities to either cut back on programs or expenditures, or increase taxes at the local level.
...more |
| |
Rate-lock dos and don'ts
Interest rates dropped at the end of last year after creeping up over the summer, with 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with interest rates below 5 percent readily available.
...more |
| |
Funding parents' reverse mortgage a win-win
DEAR BENNY: I want to help my older parents so they can have a more stress-free and comfortable retirement, and believe I am in a position to do so. They have a home in an area where housing prices are actually still increasing, which makes the scenario even more attractive to my husband and me.
...more |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
