Adverse Debt Levels Blight UK Consumers Personal Finances
Debt levels are at an all time high in the UK. The younger generation tend to be feeling the pinch the most, but parents are increasingly being required to bail them out, often at great expense to their own limited mortgage or retirement savings.It has become almost accepted as a fact of life that ... more...

Real Estate Wealth Protection Through Short Sales
Is a sharp correction in store for the real estate market?Fannie Mae, the largest buyer of mortgages in the US, is worried. They recently warned that the probability of a housing bust has risen sharply in certain parts of the country.Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac financed about 43% of new home ... more...

Property Investment How to Calculate Rental Returns
Before purchasing an investment property for rental purposes its always a good idea to calculate whether it will be cash flow positive or cash flow negative. That is, will the property generate an income (positive) or will it require a monthly cash injection (negative)?This article will outline ... more...

Home Based Business: Your Ultimate Tax Shelter
Starting and operating your own home based business is the ultimate tax shelter.Although this article has been written from a Canadian income tax perspective, the principles should be practical in other tax jurisdictions.1. Non-Deductible Personal Living ExpensesAll of us have expenses that we ... more...

FHA 101
What is FHAFHA or Federal Housing Administration is a branch of HUD or Housing and Urban Development that works through local mortgage lending agencies to give Federal mortgage and loan insurance for those who wish to own a home or do home improvement projects.It is a government-own corporation ... more...

Nannies, Grannies, and the Ontario Fire Code: What Realtors Need to Know About Retrofit Section 9.8
In addition to granny, a granny flat can contain some dire pitfalls for a new owner and anyone involved in the sale of such a unit. Its one more thing for real estate professionals to be concerned about, because the consequences of having an apartment declared illegal or closed down can be ... more...

The US Dollar Is Not Weak
In 2004, The USD Was Falling, But the Dollar Was Never Weak!Germany's long term economic policy has been to cultivate a permanent trade surplus by saving more, and consuming less. But there is another side to their trade surplus/high savings rate story. Growth in Germany is 1/3rd that in the US, ... more...

UK Parents Inactivity Harming Their Childrens Future University and Mortgage Savings
The British government at the beginning of this year officially launched its Child Trust Fund (CTF) initiative in an effort to encourage parents and children to develop the savings habit and to teach children the value of saving their own money.Chancellor, Gordon Brown said, "The Child Trust Fund ... more...

Creative College Financing-The HELOC and the 529 Plan
Since HELOCs are excellent tools for handling irregular expenses, it makes sense that lots of people are turning to them to provide additional cash for college. Usually a student applies for as much scholarship, grant or student loan money as he/she is eligible, then the parent will make up the ... more...