Infographic: Negotiable, controversial real estate commissions pay the bills
Everything in real estate is negotiable. The price of the home, the mortgage interest rate, closing costs, junk fees - even the broker's commission. The commission - which comes off the top of the...
View ArticleCFPB taps public input to put new, more transparent mortgage disclosures in...
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has just opened for public comment a proposal for two new mortgage disclosure forms designed to make understanding mortgage costs an "Aha!" moment rather...
View ArticleDebit card overdraft fees on the rise again
Most banks reorder payments, large banks are flat out raising fees and still others pile on and tier fees, all to squeeze you for as much as they can when you overdraw your debit card or withdraw too...
View ArticleConsumers reject counseling, opportunity for strong homeownership
Consumers skipping financial counseling reduce their chances of owning a home and become more vulnerable to losing a home they may already own.
View ArticleRegulations, shopping around help push mortgage closing costs down
Critics complain about regulatory control over the mortgage industry, but new rules are paying off for consumers who face closing costs.
View ArticleDownsizing your life for a smaller home
Out with the old. If you haven't used something for six months or more - unless it's an heirloom or antique - chances are you don't want it and won't use so you might as well lose it. Don't look back....
View ArticleFSBOs often flop, but success encourages FSBO repeats
If decide to sell your home on your own, you’ve got to somehow muster what amounts to a boots-on-the-ground level of experience akin to that practiced by real estate agents who’ve been in the trenches...
View ArticleInfographic: College town investments
It could be a better idea and a good investment to buy property in a town where your kid is going to school, instead of paying his or her rent. The mortgage could be cheaper and the returns longer....
View ArticleSo you say you want a mortgage?
Searching for a home without a mortgage is little like completing a credit card application at the checkout counter - times 100. Ask anyone in line.
View ArticleDoor-to-door selling complaints doubling
The number of complaints about door-to-door solicitors, hawking everything from magazines to raw meat, are due to double this year and the Better Business Bureau Better Business Bureau (BBB) wants you...
View ArticleUSPS postal rates rising in 2013
Mailing a First-Class letter will rise from 45 to 46 cents in 2013. Forever stamps will remain available and previously purchsed Forever stamps will remain good for mailing a one-ounce (or lighter)...
View ArticleInfographic: Black Friday, Cyber Monday ‘doorbusters’ for dupes
Separate analyses, one by pricing research firm Decide Inc. and The Wall Street Journal, the other by Sales.com, both report the year-end season isn't the only time bargains abound.
View ArticleSmall, hidden, legal fees take you the cleaners
Like the "garbage fees" that come with mortgages they are largely legit, "grey charges are more insidious, buried in the small print, hidden in payment options and tucked away inside disclosure documents.
View ArticleInfographic: Keep your house from taking you to the cleaners
Even when no one is home, your house can waste energy and that’s big money. It’s like your home throwing its own house party and chugging energy to get off. That won’t happen if you set boundaries for...
View ArticleStill higher FHA costs in the pipeline
Recent Federal Housing Administration (FHA) steps won't be enough to restore FHA's reserve requirements as mandated by Congress. New FHA proposals will make qualifying for FHA loans tougher and more...
View ArticleAverting fiscal cliff heightens need for extra cash to overcome Social...
When Congress passed the fiscal cliff bill hard-working Americans had to help foot the bill with with higher Social Security taxes. Here's how to offset that increased cost.
View ArticleJustin Bieber’s prepaid debit card pitch off tune
Super stars often take up a good cause to shed light on issues that warrant more attention. However, just because a celebrity promotes it doesn't mean it's good for you.
View ArticleInfographic: Tax refund a small windfall or a financial mistake?
The average refund taxpayers will get this year is $3,000, the IRS says. That can be a mortgage payment, a nice vacation, or the end of a nagging debt. It's also an interest-free loan to Uncle Sam....
View ArticleMany consumers not buying into housing recovery
Conditions are ripe for exclamations about the housing recovery. Many of the reasons for proclaiming “It’s a good time to buy” are dead on, but many consumers just aren’t buying it.
View ArticleHomeownership counseling can save your most valuable asset
Homeownership counseling has become as necessary for homeownership as the money you'll need to invest in what's likely your most valuable asset. A three-part Erate.com series explains why.
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