General Consumer Articles: Weeks in Review April 20th-May 10th

I've been letting this slide for several weeks due to one thing or another, during which time I've done a few important new articles and republished quite a few important older ones. Therefore, I'm going to limit the review to three weeks and do so more catch up next time.

Newly Written Articles

Shopping For The Best Loan In The New Lending Environment discusses the differences that the new appraisal standards and lender's preferential treatment of their own captive loan officers have made in shopping for a loan.

State of the La Mesa and East County Real Estate Market April 2009

105% Refinancing With No PMI (Maybe) discusses the new loan programs from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac intended to keep them from losing money they don't have to.

Consumer Focused Carnival of Real Estate once per month I link to the good stuff submitted from other sites.

Updated Articles

Variable or Range Pricing of Real Estate discusses what variable pricing does, and what it does not do.

There's Nothing Sacred About Asking Price in Real Estate - Variable Range or Regular talks about the fact that just because you put a certain asking price on a property doesn't mean people will offer that.

Down Payment At Purchase or Wait Until Later To Pay The Mortgage Down?

Good Intentions and Over-Extended Homeowners discusses how well-intentioned efforts to help people can end up hurting far more people far worse than if we had simply let events run their course.

Loans with Stealth "Cash Out": Loan originators using your money to make it appear that the costs are lower than they are.

Refinancing Out of A Negative Amortization Loan (Or Any Other) Before The Penalty Expires talks about the math of whether such a thing is in your best interest or not.

100% Financing or Low Down Payment or Low Equity: PMI May Be The Only Option Splitting your loan amount into two pieces is generally more desirable than a single loan when you have less than 20% equity. Unfortunately, it's very hard to get second mortgages in such circumstances currently.

Listing Agents Claiming There Are Multiple Offers and other background noise.

What Do Buyer's Agents Do? a basic primer on reasons why you want a buyer's agent - preferably before you start looking.

When Your Offer is Rejected What now?

Should Lenders Be Permitted to Sell Real Estate? A philosophical piece. It's not the tollbooth I'm selling; it's the expertise.

Realtor and Loan Officer Responsibility: Can the Client Afford The Property? If they can't, don't sell it to them. Find something else they can afford.

Will Agents List My Property if I Owe More Than It's Worth? The answer is "yes"

Recording Errors and Title Insurance

Inducements to Use A Builder's Lender for a Purchase Sometimes it actually makes sense, if they offer something others won't.

Saving Money by Refinancing Your Mortgage Make certain you are actually saving money

Low Equity (or Worse!) Relocations in a Buyer's Market How to bring this off and leave yourself in the best situation possible.