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FHA program funds fixers
Investors have been taking advantage of low interest rates and discounted prices to buy run-down foreclosure properties, sometimes 10 or so at a time. They fix up the properties enough to be rented until the market turns, which could take years. When the time is right, the investor puts the finishing touches on the improvements and hopefully sells for a profit.
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Paying rent during a short sale
DEAR BENNY: I live in a duplex that has recently been listed as a short sale. Since it appears that my landlord has not been making the mortgage payments, what should I do with my rent payments? I have not been contacted by the landlord or the listing agent, so I'm not sure what I should do. Any suggestions? --Chris
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The lot-line shocker
DEAR BENNY: I purchased my home in September 2000. My survey indicated that my fence was encroaching on my neighbor's property by three feet. My home was built in 1955 and I am the second owner. The four-foot chain-link fence has encircled this property for approximately 40 years, and my neighbor (who inherited his home from his parents) indicated that he had no plans of erecting a fence because his companion is claustrophobic.
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Freeze-proof your pipes
As winter temperatures go down, the risk of a frozen pipe goes up. Pipes can freeze in homes of any age and condition, and no matter what type of material your pipes are made from. So don't make the mistake of thinking that because your house is new it's safe, or because your house is older the materials are somehow stronger. The only way to prevent a frozen pipe is to keep it warm, and luckily that's not too hard to do.
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2010: year of the turnaround?
A spurt in home sales in 2009, aided by low interest rates and the first-time homebuyer tax credit, has led some economists to forecast a turnaround in the housing market this year. Other forecasters feel this is too optimistic a projection.
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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.
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CFLs today
General Electric introduced the first compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) to the market in 1992. In that same year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established the ENERGY STAR label as a “voluntary labeling program designed to identify and promote energy-efficient products to reduce green house gas emissions.” CFLs were one of these newly regulated products. The energy-saving bulb wouldn’t find popularity, however, until the new millennium when mainstream America became more conscious of energy conservation and the environment. Today, the CFL is still growing in popularity; consumers like that it saves energy -- and money. According to the EPA, in 2007, Americans saved $1.5 billion by switching to ENERGY STAR-qualified CFLs. The CFL light bulb has also improved greatly in the past 30 years with more lighting choices, regulation of its mercury output, and easier disposal.
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