Honey, I Eliminated The Mortgage Interest Deduction Plan 2
A bipartisan committee has made two recommendations to President Bush regarding tax reform. In this article, we take a look at the second option.Tax ReformA year ago or so, President Bush decided to spend his political capitol on tax reform and fixing social security. Social security reform went ... more...

Selecting the Right Mortgage for You
A mortgage is a loan you take out to buy a home. This loan covers the "principal" (purchase price of the house minus your down payment) plus the "interest," which is the fee a lender charges you to borrow the money.There are various types of mortgages, including Fixed-rate, Adjustable-rate, Balloon ... more...

Mortgage Loan Basics: Interest Only Loans, Pay Option ARM
Mortgage Loan BasicsTo understand loans and mortgages we need to understand loan limits first. If your loan amount exceeds the amount below, you will qualify for a Jumbo Loan, which carries higher interest rate.One-Family (single family homes) $417,000 Two-Family(duplex) $533,850 Three-Family ... 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...

Colorado Mortgage Loans
There are two broad types of Mortgage Loans. They are: Conventional Loans and Government Loans.Conventional Loans: These are loans that cannot be insured. There are four types of Conventional Loans. They are: Fixed Rate Mortgage Loans [FRM], Adjustable Rate Mortgage Loans [ARM], Balloon Mortgage ... more...

Exotic Mortgage
With real estate prices ever on the rise, first-time home buyers are facing more difficulties in buying a home. Who ever thought they'd buy a $500,000 starter home?Mortgage lenders have acknowledged the problem by creating new and innovative mortgage products, mostly designed to lower the ... more...

10 Things to Look for in a Home-Equity Line of Credit
If you are a homeowner, you've probably received offers to apply for a home equity line of credit (HELOC). Handled with care, home equity credit lines can be an excellent way to improve financial flexibility, provide readily available cash reserves for emergencies, or pay for large expenses (like ... more...

Honey, I Shrunk The Mortgage Interest Deduction Plan 1
The political landscape this year has been nothing but ugly. It promises to come to full boil with the proposed tax reform eliminating or reducing the mortgage interest deduction.Tax Reform or Raising TaxesThere is an old saying about the two political parties. Democrats raise taxes while ... more...

Glossary of Common Terms Used During the Mortgage Process
APR - This stands for Annual Percentage Rate. It enables you to compare the full cost of the mortgage. Rather than just being an interest rate, it includes up front and ongoing costs of taking out a mortgage. The formula for calculating APR is set by Government Regulations and therefore enables ... more...