Mortgage Relief & The American Dream

Mon, Mar 9, 2009

A new survey from Trulia shows that 3 in 4 Americans still consider owning a home as a part of achieving their personal American Dream, even as the recession deepens.

Mortgage Relief Resources for Homeowners

The Administration just announced new details to help 7-9 million families avoid foreclosure by refinancing or modifying their existing mortgages. Wondering if you or someone you know qualifies for the “Making Home Affordable” program?

You may be eligible if either of these apply:
1. On your first mortgage, you owe about the same or slightly less than the current value of your home.
2. You are paying more than 31% of your gross monthly income on your mortgage.

Get more information:
• Mortgage Relief Plan: the details
• Self-assessment tool: see if you’re eligible for mortgage relief
• Homeowner’s HOPE Hotline for urgent help: (888) 995-HOPE

House of the week | A Fairy Tale Castle

This gorgeous 13,500 sqft French Normandy mansion can be regarded as a modern-day castle. Inside the classic estate, you’ll find a personal movie theater, huge home office, spacious kitchen with marble finishes and a master bedroom with a stone fireplace and a walk-in-closet for two. Outside is a stone-tiled pool with a tropical feel for lazy, sunny afternoons. How’s that for a shiny $8M?

Celebrity Home Sightings | Get your superficial fix here.

Known for developing Ritz-Carlton hotels and flashy high-end custom homes, Mohamed Hadid puts his mansion on the market for a heaping $85M.

$85,000,000
10br / 14ba

Headed to the Anaheim Angels, former NY Yankee Bobby Abreu is selling his 1762 sqft apartment in mid-town Manhattan for $7.9M.

$7,900,000
2br / 2.5ba

Gang-to-gavel court show star Judge Mathis lists his five-bedroom Mediterranean villa-style house for $5.9M.

$5,900,000
5br / 7ba

Advice & Opinions Ι Get insightful, fast, FREE advice on home buying & selling

Blog of the week

Six things you need to know about the $8,000 home buyer tax credit
While the proposed $15,000 home-buyer tax credit died in negotiations between the House and the Senate, the $787 billion stimulus bill that President Barack Obama signed into law Tuesday includes a similar–albeit smaller–measure designed to help revive our real estate market. Here are six things you need to know about the freshly-enacted $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit.
Written by Paul N. Paterakis, Real Estate Professional in Lake County, IL
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Question of the week

Q: Help! Realtors won’t submit my cash offer on foreclosures, what do I need to do?
I need some help as I am truly disgusted. This is my 4th time trying to buy a foreclosure in Cape Coral and what I am finding out is that realtors are either playing favorites in submitting their “own” clients to the bank so they can receive full commission or submitting the 1st offer they get and refusing to submit any others, even if they are higher… which is wrong…
Asked by Bob, Home Buyer in Cape Coral, FL
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Real Estate Eye Candy | Trulia picks

Steal and Deals Under 200K

All listed under 200K, these three bedroom steals from across the country will have you doing double takes. You want perks? What about six months of pre-paid HOA dues or life on a private nature preserve? These deals are worth a look!