Obama’s housing scorecard

In the days ahead, the Obama administration is expected to announce yet another initiative to help rescue the housing market.

How to rescue the housing market: Foreclosures!

If the Obama administration really wants to save the housing market, it should speed up the foreclosure process — not prolong the inevitable, experts say.

Home prices rebound, but market still struggles

Home prices made a comeback during the second quarter, but the struggling housing market isn’t out of the woods yet.

Hurricane Irene: Insurance nightmare awaits homeowners

As Hurricane Irene bears down on the East Coast, many Americans are preparing for the worst. But whether they are covered for the ensuing damage is another matter entirely.

Foreclosure settlement: Spat among the states

A deal to help victims of improper foreclosures has been slow going, in large part because of infighting among state attorneys general over giving banks a free pass from future lawsuits.

Best Places to Live in your state

See the best places to live in your favorite state.

What bubble? 25 Best Places with priciest homes

Homes in Manhattan Beach, Calif., went for a cool $1.4 million last year. What other Best Places still have high median sales prices?

New-home sales dip in July

New-home sales fell once again in July, the third straight month of declining sales for hard-pressed home builders.

Number of troubled mortgages on rise again

In another hit to the beleaguered housing market, a report out Monday found that the number of delinquent mortgage borrowers — those who have missed at least one payment — rose during the three months ended June 30.

Brad Pitt puts his bachelor pad up for sale

The star of “Seven” and “Ocean’s Eleven” recently listed his four-bedroom Malibu Beach bungalow for $13.75 million.

Shadow inventory improves but still threatens housing recovery

An ominous cloud is hanging over the housing market: Millions of distressed properties could be put up for sale at any moment, potentially adding to the glut of unsold homes that are already on the market and depressing home prices even further.

Mortgage rates at record lows

Mortgage interest rates hit record lows this week, sending housing affordability soaring.

Best places for affordable homes

Residents who live in these growing towns see their incomes go the furthest.

Burt Reynolds faces foreclosure in Florida

Burt Reynolds could lose his waterfront mansion in Florida after failing to make mortgage payments for almost year.

Advice on Home Repair & Improvement, Home Loans and Mortgages. Copyright ©. All Rights Reserved.

Homes in Manhattan Beach, Calif., went for a cool $1.4 million last year. What other Best Places still have high median sales prices?

New-home sales dip in July

New-home sales fell once again in July, the third straight month of declining sales for hard-pressed home builders.

Number of troubled mortgages on rise again

In another hit to the beleaguered housing market, a report out Monday found that the number of delinquent mortgage borrowers — those who have missed at least one payment — rose during the three months ended June 30.

Brad Pitt puts his bachelor pad up for sale

The star of “Seven” and “Ocean’s Eleven” recently listed his four-bedroom Malibu Beach bungalow for $13.75 million.

Shadow inventory improves but still threatens housing recovery

An ominous cloud is hanging over the housing market: Millions of distressed properties could be put up for sale at any moment, potentially adding to the glut of unsold homes that are already on the market and depressing home prices even further.

Mortgage rates at record lows

Mortgage interest rates hit record lows this week, sending housing affordability soaring.

Best places for affordable homes

Residents who live in these growing towns see their incomes go the furthest.

Burt Reynolds faces foreclosure in Florida

Burt Reynolds could lose his waterfront mansion in Florida after failing to make mortgage payments for almost year.

Buying is cheaper than renting in most U.S. cities

Home prices have taken such a beating and demand for rental units has increased so much that it’s now cheaper to buy a two-bedroom home than to rent one in most major U.S. cities.

Top 25 big-money towns

Great Falls, Va., residents pull in more than $360,000 a year. Which other places in our Best Places database have high incomes?

New home construction slumps in July

After showing some strength just a month before, new home construction slumped in July, according to two key measures released by the government Tuesday.

Mortgage rates keep falling: 30-year nears record

Just when it seemed mortgage rates weren’t going to get any lower, they started testing new lows.

America’s Best Places to Live

These terrific small towns — even now — boast great job opportunities, top-notch schools, safe streets, economic strength, and more. See Money’s top 100.

Foreclosures fall for 10th straight month

Foreclosure filings dropped once again in July, hitting their lowest level since November 2007, as processing delays and foreclosure prevention measures enabled a larger number of delinquent borrowers to remain in their homes.

Home prices take another dip

Housing markets struggled through another tough quarter, this time during the spring buying season, the strongest time of year for home sellers.

Advice on Home Repair & Improvement, Home Loans and Mortgages. Copyright ©. All Rights Reserved.

Change an air conditioner filter by locating the return air shaft, opening the grill up and pulling the old filter out. Learn about the different kinds of air filters to use for an air conditioner machine, such as high-efficiency filters and fiberglass filters, in this free video from a home repair specialist on maintaining and fixing houses.

Here is the video on Youtube:

Advice on Home Repair & Improvement, Home Loans and Mortgages. Copyright ©. All Rights Reserved.

Mortgage interest rates hit record lows this week, sending housing affordability soaring.

Best places for affordable homes

Residents who live in these growing towns see their incomes go the furthest.

Burt Reynolds faces foreclosure in Florida

Burt Reynolds could lose his waterfront mansion in Florida after failing to make mortgage payments for almost year.

Buying is cheaper than renting in most U.S. cities

Home prices have taken such a beating and demand for rental units has increased so much that it’s now cheaper to buy a two-bedroom home than to rent one in most major U.S. cities.

Top 25 big-money towns

Great Falls, Va., residents pull in more than $360,000 a year. Which other places in our Best Places database have high incomes?

New home construction slumps in July

After showing some strength just a month before, new home construction slumped in July, according to two key measures released by the government Tuesday.

Mortgage rates keep falling: 30-year nears record

Just when it seemed mortgage rates weren’t going to get any lower, they started testing new lows.

America’s Best Places to Live

These terrific small towns — even now — boast great job opportunities, top-notch schools, safe streets, economic strength, and more. See Money’s top 100.

Foreclosures fall for 10th straight month

Foreclosure filings dropped once again in July, hitting their lowest level since November 2007, as processing delays and foreclosure prevention measures enabled a larger number of delinquent borrowers to remain in their homes.

Home prices take another dip

Housing markets struggled through another tough quarter, this time during the spring buying season, the strongest time of year for home sellers.

Find the best pro for your paint job

Done right, an exterior paint job is a smart investment: It will protect your home from the elements, help defer costly repair work, preserve your property value, and add curb appeal. Plus, if your existing paint is peeling, cracking, or bubbling, delaying the job will only cost you more.

Housing recovery slips out of sight

Any glimmer of hope that the housing market will stage a recovery in the upcoming months has vanished, thanks to the recent spate of bad economic news that has been making headlines over the past several weeks.

Protect your home (and finances) from disaster

The season for natural disasters, it seems, is now year-round. Floods and a record number of tornadoes have already caused billions of dollars of property damage across the nation in 2011. Come fall, forecasters expect an unusually active hurricane season. Moreover, experts believe crazy weather is here to stay.

What downgrade means for your mortgage

At least one fear was not realized amid Monday’s meltdown: the concern that mortgage rates would immediately shoot higher in response to Standard & Poor’s downgrade of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-sponsored entities that are the 800-pound gorillas of the mortgage market.

Home ownership hits lowest level since 1965

As the foreclosure crisis continues to wreak havoc on the housing market, a source of national pride has taken a sour turn. Home ownership is on the decline and, according to a recent Morgan Stanley report, the United States is fast becoming a nation of renters.

Advice on Home Repair & Improvement, Home Loans and Mortgages. Copyright ©. All Rights Reserved.

To fix a dishwasher that will not drain, remove any clogs that are blocking the drain line by pouring a paste of baking soda, vinegar and water down the drain, and then pouring boiling water to clear the clog. Repeat the process several times to remove a severely clogged dishwasher drain with help from a remodeling contractor and home repair specialist in this free video on appliance repair.

Here is the video on Youtube:

Advice on Home Repair & Improvement, Home Loans and Mortgages. Copyright ©. All Rights Reserved.

Learn how to Organize Small Kitchen designs in your home to create more space. Avoid home organization clutter by eliminating clutter and using your space wisely.

Here is the video on Youtube:

Advice on Home Repair & Improvement, Home Loans and Mortgages. Copyright ©. All Rights Reserved.

As the foreclosure crisis continues to wreak havoc on the housing market, a source of national pride has taken a sour turn. Home ownership is on the decline and, according to a recent Morgan Stanley report, the United States is fast becoming a nation of renters.

Mortgage rates plunge

As Congress and President Obama hammered out a debt deal over the past week, mortgage rates plunged, flirting with new lows in some instances.

Responsible homeowners left out in the cold

Borrowers who have good credit and make their payments on time are being told that the only way they can refinance is if they start defaulting on payments.

Foreclosures fall in most U.S. cities

Foreclosures declined in more than 84% of U.S. metro areas during the first half of the year, according to the latest report from RealtyTrac, an online marketer of foreclosed properties. But that doesn’t mean these markets are staging a turnaround.

Home prices dip 4.5%

May home prices in 20 major cities dipped 4.5% from one year ago, marking a continued decline in the already battered housing market.

New home sales slip again in June

Sales of new single-family homes slipped for a second month in a row in June, falling short of estimates.

Countrywide borrowers to get $108 million in refunds

The FTC said nearly half a million consumers who were overcharged for services and fees by the mortgage lender will receive refund checks.

America’s ugliest homes

HomeVestors, the company that buys beat-up homes, fixes them up and resells them, is looking for the nation’s ugliest home. Here are six candidates.

Zillow shares pop in IPO

Shares of real estate site Zillow shot up 120% early in its public debut Wednesday, though they cooled a bit as the day continued.

Existing home sales dip in June

Sales of existing homes dipped in June as buyers unexpectedly backed out of contracts, according to the Realtors group.

Short sale fraud plagues housing market

Scammers are ripping off mortgage lenders by tens of thousands of dollars — sometimes in a matter of hours.

Formula 1 heiress buys Spelling mansion for $85 million

One of the most expensive homes of all time, the 56,500-square foot Spelling Manor, sold for a very steep discount Thursday — $85 million — or 43% off the original asking price.

False hopes for the housing market

RealtyTrac’s latest data shows a 29% drop in foreclosure filings, but the housing market is far from staging a recovery.

10 best cities to buy a rental property

Low home prices and relatively strong rents are expected to make real estate investors in these cities some healthy profits over the next few years.

Seinfeld asks $18 million for Colorado mansion

The comedian put his 14,200-square foot Telluride, Colo. vacation home on the market.

Advice on Home Repair & Improvement, Home Loans and Mortgages. Copyright ©. All Rights Reserved.

>> Take Action Now

Frank, we feel strongly that you as a future buyer or seller needed to know this information.  It’s a fact: many hardworking, credit-worthy Americans have a difficult time saving for the down payment to buy a home. If enacted, the new regulation will make it even more difficult for many Americans to buy their next or first home.

>> Take Action Now

What can you do? Join us and take action now. Regulators in Washington need to hear the voices of homeowners as they make public policy. This is why your input is so important. We’ve made it easy for you to send a letter to the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to ask that they drop the proposed 20% down payment requirement. It takes just a few seconds of your time. We have already drafted the letter for you with optional space for personal comments.

>> Take Action Now

Thank you! We hope you will join us in our ongoing efforts to help current and future homeowners protect the most important investment you will make.

About the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR)

The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) has been a champion of home ownership rights and opportunities for more than a century. Helping consumers become more informed, responsible home owners is important to the stability and value of the housing market – and your overall enjoyment of your home.

Advice on Home Repair & Improvement, Home Loans and Mortgages. Copyright ©. All Rights Reserved.

May home prices in 20 major cities dipped 4.5% from one year ago, marking a continued decline in the already battered housing market.

New home sales slip again in June

Sales of new single-family homes slipped for a second month in a row in June, falling short of estimates.

Countrywide borrowers to get $108 million in refunds

The FTC said nearly half a million consumers who were overcharged for services and fees by the mortgage lender will receive refund checks.

America’s ugliest homes

HomeVestors, the company that buys beat-up homes, fixes them up and resells them, is looking for the nation’s ugliest home. Here are six candidates.

Zillow shares pop in IPO

Shares of real estate site Zillow shot up 120% early in its public debut Wednesday, though they cooled a bit as the day continued.

Existing home sales dip in June

Sales of existing homes dipped in June as buyers unexpectedly backed out of contracts, according to the Realtors group.

Short sale fraud plagues housing market

Scammers are ripping off mortgage lenders by tens of thousands of dollars — sometimes in a matter of hours.

Formula 1 heiress buys Spelling mansion for $85 million

One of the most expensive homes of all time, the 56,500-square foot Spelling Manor, sold for a very steep discount Thursday — $85 million — or 43% off the original asking price.

False hopes for the housing market

RealtyTrac’s latest data shows a 29% drop in foreclosure filings, but the housing market is far from staging a recovery.

10 best cities to buy a rental property

Low home prices and relatively strong rents are expected to make real estate investors in these cities some healthy profits over the next few years.

Seinfeld asks $18 million for Colorado mansion

The comedian put his 14,200-square foot Telluride, Colo. vacation home on the market.

Obama’s housing scorecard

The Obama administration has announced yet another initiative to help struggling homeowners avoid foreclosure.

Getting a mortgage with so-so credit

Getting a mortgage can be tough these days — even people with near-perfect credit have been rejected for loans. But for some lucky borrowers, things aren’t as bad as the doom-and-gloom crowd says.

Average home price in Manhattan: $1.4 million

High-end buyers came to Manhattan to spend money during the second quarter, helping to lift average prices for homes.

Home prices rise, snapping 8-month drop streak

The downward cycle in home prices broke in April after eight consecutive months of decline, according to a survey released Tuesday.

Advice on Home Repair & Improvement, Home Loans and Mortgages. Copyright ©. All Rights Reserved.

How to get children eating better food – vegetables and fruit primarily.
Use simple idea such as have fruit and vegetable gardens at schools and then take it a step further – have kitchens close by – so that the children learn to grow the food, harvest it, prepare and cook the food and to ultimately eat the food.

Here is the video on Youtube: