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...

Real Estate Investors - Red Alert
How's the real estate marketing doing? Is the huge jump in home prices that is evident in some areas symptoms of a value bubble? Good questions, yes?Two things to keep in mind when surveying the market:1. All real estate is local, 2. Real estate is cyclical.Here in Arizona some residential ... more...

Who Could Benefit From A Reverse Mortgage?
What is a "Reverse Mortgage?"Also known as a Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM)a reverse mortgage,is a popular way older homeowners (62+) can convert part of the equity in their homes into tax-free income without having to sell the home, give up title, or take on a new monthly mortgage payments ... more...

To Buy or Not to Buy
Purchasing a home is a major emotional and financial decision. Often times, people want to buy a home; however, emotionally cannot afford to commit to the home-buying process. They are, in fact, afraid. My payment will be too high or What if I lose my job, are some of the excuses which I often ... more...

Frugal Lessons at Home. Raising Happy Children
"Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship." - Buddha The kids are back in school. While there is an eerie peace about the house, I will truly enjoy the quiet days ahead. While the kids are off to learn their abc's and 123's at school, don't ... more...

Home Buyer Checklist
Before You BuyThe biggest question is: where do I want to live? All of us have different likes and dislikes. The needs of one person may be of little consequence to another person. If you are moving to a new community your questions may be different from somebody who is moving within the ... more...

Real Estate Bubble: Fact or Fiction?
The real estate market buzz across the country these days revolves around the anticipated and much feared bubble. The implication is that once burst, prices will spiral downward taking with them the major assets of those foolish enough to buy at a time when disaster looms large. It could happen ... more...

8 Tips for Keeping More of Your Hard Earned Money
Masters degree not required...just a little common sense, a $5.00 calculator and a realistic plan is all youll need.Theres got to be a better way resonates with many of us, when contemplating how frustrated weve become with our investment decisions. Too many Canadians are spending far too much on ... more...

7 Money Rules You Should Break
When it comes to learning fiscal knowledge, some lessons result in better memories than others. One of the most satisfying lessons I have ever learned is that there are rules simply made to be broken.Rules that produce benefits for everyone are not what I am talking about. These good rules include ... more...