The New York Times is reporting that the FDIC has ruled Fremont General’s banking unit under-capitalized and must find additional funds or sell the unit in two months. Fremont, which should be considered the bastion of terrible underwriting, received default notices related to $3.15 worth of subprime loans. And we’re talking SUBPRIME. […]

The Conference Board of Canada is warning of “a lengthy slowdown” in Canada’s residential construction industry with profits, already off 22 per cent in 2007, falling for the next two years. The longest housing boom in the post-war era is now “out of breath,” following spectacular growth in the number of homes built and the […]

Radian, the mortgage insurance company, will no longer provide insurance for stated income and stated asset loans.  The loans, sometimes called “liar loans” by skeptics, allow borrowers to simply conjure their income and assets used for qualification without any due diligence checking.
This may signal the tipping-point of a major sea-change in underwriting standards. […]

The time it takes to sell a home varies, but there are things within your control that will help it sell faster. Some homes take days to sell, while others take months. Generally, a desirable property priced in the “market zone” should sell within four weeks in a normal real estate market.
But don’t get […]

Even though America is a consumer society, it’s an odd fact that the typical home seller does not view their property as a product for sale in a marketplace. Because this is so, many home’s sales end up languishing. But this need not be the case.
Basic old fashioned marketing principals teaches that how a […]

One of the new ‘rites of springtime’ in the greater Knoxville, Tennessee area has become a great outdoor concert series called “Sundown in the City“. Starting April 17th and running through July 3rd, the Market Square Mall in downtown Knoxville will be rocking (or jazzing, countrying, or bluesing) with some great music. And best […]

It’s been a crazy few weeks. There’s a lot of buyers that are out there and starting to get into the market, and there’s a lot of sellers out there trying to prepare for the busy selling season. Meetings with new buyers and sellers and doing my “regular” work has kept me away […]

Market Watch has the details on the new home sales report and it doesn’t look pretty (lots more at Calculated Risk).  While sales are off 30% year-over-year we still have 10 months worth of new inventory, the highest since 1981.  On the bright side we’re slowly cutting in to excess inventory which is an important step […]

Mortgage refinance applications soared last week according to the MBA on the heels of the Fed rate cut.  With all the volatility in the marketplace however; many would-be refianciers may be disappointed at the constantly changing rate moves in the market.  When a loan officer tells you to lock your rate these days, I would […]

When you make a move in Canada you are sometimes allowed to deduct your moving expenses. This of course is depending upon your circumstances. This page will outline the situations where you may be able to deduct your moving expenses
Tax deductible Moving expenses
Maybe you have you recently moved to a new location? Did you […]