February 8th, 2013 By Jason Alderman Now that the housing market has finally begun to stabilize in many areas and interest rates remain at historically low levels, more and more homebuyers and sellers are dipping their toes back in the water. If you’re planning to sell your home you need to understand the tax implications of selling a [...]
November 6th, 2012 By Stacy Johnson Before our nation’s housing crisis began in 2007 the rent-vs.-buy question wasn’t really a question at all. Because the answer was: If you can afford it and you’re going to stay put long enough to recoup the transaction costs you buy. Simple. That’s because for the generations leading up to the Great Recession [...]
October 25th, 2012 By Lauralynn Schueckler Owning a home or condo can be a rewarding experience in the life of many people. While homeownership is most often an emotionally gratifying occurrence for an individual or family it can sometimes be difficult to manage some of the financial burdens associated with owning a home. Since many people use mortgages [...]
July 23rd, 2012 By Lauralynn Schueckler Whether you are thinking of buying your own home or are already a homeowner, housing counseling can offer valuable help when you need it most. It is a common misconception to believe that housing counseling is only for people whose mortgages are underwater or those who have bad credit. For those who are [...]
July 3rd, 2012 By: Gail Cunningham A recent online poll by the NFCC allowed consumers to select their greatest financial regret. Of more than 2,200 respondents, 53 percent indicated that habitually overspending was what they regretted most. Overspending far outweighed other financial concerns such as inadequately saving (18 percent), insufficiently preparing for retirement (14 percent), not having bought a house [...]
June 28th, 2012 By Jason Alderman For many people, having roommates is a natural transition between leaving their parent’s house and buying their own home. It can be a great way to trim expenses and save for the future. But if you’re not careful, cohabitating can also devolve into constant bickering over finances and dirty dishes. Roommate tensions [...]
March 12th, 2012 By Gail Cunningham According to a recent poll hosted on the NFCC website, www.DebtAdvice.org, the American dream of homeownership is alive and well. When asked what they were most anxious to do if their financial situation were to improve, more than half, 51%, indicated they would buy a home. Home repairs and improvements captured the second highest [...]
September 27th, 2011 The National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP) and the NFCC recently announced a new partnership to expand access to financial education and vital credit and housing counseling services specific to the Hispanic community. With tools and counseling available in Spanish, NAHREP’s 50 affiliate chapters and the NFCC’s 92 Member Agencies will collaborate to bring [...]
August 18th, 2011 Home values have plummeted across the country. Mortgage interest rates continue to hover between 4 and 5%, a historical low. Both seem to suggest it’s a good time to buy a house. So, is now the time to pull the trigger on a new mortgage? There are a few things you should consider before you [...]
July 21st, 2011 Tomorrow is the last day to qualify for up to $50,000 in mortgage assistance! If you are at least 90 days late on your mortgage payment you could qualify for the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Emergency Homeowners’ Loan Program (EHLP). You could receive a zero interest, forgivable bridge loan. Eligible homeowners [...]