In so many ways, foreclosure is an end. It’s a bank’s last resort, and the sad final chapter for a family sold on the American dream of home ownership. But in another sense, foreclosure is also a beginning — a never desirable, but often useful, tool that can help stave off neighborhood blight and create [...]

(NewsUSA) – According to a report from real estate research firm Reis, the national apartment vacancy rate reached 7.8 percent in the third quarter — the highest level in 23 years — which gives renters the upper hand to request money-saving amenities to cut costly bills. While the economy is starting to show signs of [...]

(NewsUSA) – As homeowners struggle with the recession and impact of declining home prices, some are considering whether to continue paying their mortgage or simply walk away from the obligation. As a homeowner, when you contemplate the recent decline in your home’s value, perhaps below your mortgage balance, you may consider options that normally would [...]

First, some statistics. In the summer of 2005, the median price of a home rose nearly 15 percent from the year earlier, in some markets, much more. Lenders lowered required credits scores (FICOs), waived some documentation requirements, and raised the debt allowance to 45 percent of income. Some reports estimate that interest-only loans now make [...]

Since the exponential expansion of products in the 1980s, investments now come in a bewildering variety. Sorting through the technical details and balancing the risks against potential gain of any given mix is a job for professionals. But short of gaining an advanced degree, the educated investor can still improve the odds by following some [...]

According to one study 23 percent of all homes sold in 2004 were purchased as investments. Considering the historical returns, and the high percentage increase in prices over the last few years, this shouldn’t be surprising. But there are several ways to profit from an investment in property. ‘Flipping’ is the practice of buying property, [...]

Buying property is expensive under the best conditions. Even if you don’t outlay a huge wad of cash initially, you’re signing up for a substantial financial commitment. For those intending to occupy the property, at least for a while, there are additional expenses — moving, storage possibly, and often tax consequences. So, here are some [...]

Apart from possibly medicine, there’s no area of human endeavor more intricately intertwined with legal trappings than Real Estate. Because of the larger amounts of money involved, and the centrality of property for living and carrying out so many commercial transactions, the rules have become complicated and many hands are in the pie. The history [...]

In the world of property investment, there are various points along the ‘just looking’ to ‘ready to sell’ spectrum. Protecting your investment takes on different hues at different points. When first looking for property you have to consider the amount of ready cash available, the state of the current market, as well as your own [...]

Investors have a hard life. Rising insurance rates, legal liability, security concerns and increasing interest rates may not be actually conspiring to give them early heart attacks, but it can seem that way. Managing risk is in large part about how to lower uncertainty by dealing appropriately with those and other stress factors. Start by [...]