Reasons to Refinance When Rates Are Moving Up
Interest rates have enjoyed record lows during the last few years allowing many people to refinance and enjoy lower mortgage payments. Now, interest rates are moving in the other direction. The average 30 year fixed rate, according to mortgage giant, Freddie Mac, was 6.31% last week. Still, during ... more...

Protect Your Assets and Your Financial Future
Its been said that, in this litigious society we live in, its better to be rich and guilty than poor and innocent. Justice, and access to the legal system, seem to be reserved only for the wealthy. So what are the little people supposed to do? What about us average Joes? We have legal concerns, too ... more...

Home Equity Can Create a Never-ending Money Cycle
What could you do with $10,000? Well, you can have it, now in a new home equity loan! Did you know that if you have been in your home for just one full year, you may already have the opportunity to take out huge dollars in equity from your home -- tens of thousands, even! Did you also know that you ... more...

Bridging Finance Basics
Bridging finance is a short-term loan that is used as a way to provide funding for the purchase of a new property while the borrower awaits the sale of an existing property. Unless all the stars are in perfect alignment, its tricky to coordinate the sale of one property and the purchase of another ... more...

Alliance Turning Towards the Financial Dark Side
Following in the footsteps of many of its high street competitors, Alliance and Leicester has announced that it will no longer accept new customers onto its Online Saver and Direct ISA accounts. The interest rate for the Online Savers account is also being cut from 5.35% to a straight 5%.Richard ... more...

Appraisal or Home Inspection?
People sometimes confuse a home inspection and an appraisal when they are in the process of buying a home.Most mortgage applications involve an appraisal, which can be a physical inspection of the property plus a written analysis of similar homes that have recently sold in the area. An appraisal ... more...

The 21st Century Way To Build Equity
Here to stay and firmly established in the U.S. mortgage market, biweekly mortgage payments are gaining momentum. First introduced into the U.S. in the early 1980's by several small Northeastern Banks, the idea of biweekly mortgages has its origins in Canada.This concept soon became the popular ... more...

Home Equity Loans Beware of Appraisal Fraud
A new report by the independent Demos group has revealed what may not be a surprise to many people corruption is rampant in the home appraisal industry. The bust in the dot-com market of some five years ago has left would-be lenders with a surplus of cash to lend. This has led to a huge boom in ... more...

Second Mortgage Secrets
Everyone has heard of a 2nd mortgage at least once in their life! However, most people might not understand what a 2nd mortgage really is. A 2nd mortgage is one the more important tools in both commercial and residential real estate, and can raise much-needed funds for home owners.The reason ... more...

Rebuilding After Katrina: Smart Energy Choices
Energy efficiency has been part of the American lexicon since 1978 when the Energy Policy Act was first enacted. Since then, energy efficient homes and increased use of renewable energy resources have become the norm in states like New York and California. Policies and programs have supported these ... more...