5 Tips for Protecting against Identity Theft during a Move
September 18, 2014 by Steve Crisci · Leave a Comment
RISMEDIA, Thursday, September 18, 2014— Even when a move goes off without a hitch, it can still be one of life’s most stressful events. The last thing you want is to be caught off guard by a case of identity theft just as you’re settling into your new home. Unfortunately, moving can put a big […]
Living Smart: Keep Care of Kitchen Appliances on Front Burner
September 10, 2014 by Steve Crisci · Leave a Comment
RISMEDIA, Wednesday, September 10, 2014— (MCT)–Next time you use your fridge, dishwasher or stove, be careful that you’re not unknowingly making it vulnerable to an early breakdown. Appliance repair pros who’ve earned top ratings from Angie’s List members offer tips for making sure your kitchen appliances meet or exceed their expected life spans: Stove Guidelines […]
Beware, Mortgage Scammers on the Rise Again
September 5, 2014 by Steve Crisci · Leave a Comment
RISMEDIA, Tuesday, August 26, 2014— (MCT)—For years, it was “the Wild West” of real estate scams. As the housing crisis pummeled struggling homeowners, scammers pounced. They offered “easy” loan modifications and “foreclosure counseling” that were often nothing more than attempts to wrest money from distressed consumers. “The amount of fraud that was occurring in the […]
Interest Rates Little Changed on New Home Loans
September 5, 2014 by Steve Crisci · Leave a Comment
RISMEDIA, Thursday, September 04, 2014— On August 28, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) reported that, overall, mortgage interest rates were flat in July. To a large extent, the same was true for the subset of loans used to purchase new homes. Between June and July, the average contract interest rate on conventional mortgages […]
Direction of Rates
November 15, 2013 by Steve Crisci · Leave a Comment
Mortgage rates continued lower today following the Janet Yellen’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Banking Committee. Yellen is the nominee to replace Bernanke as the Chair of the Federal Reserve, and her stance on monetary policy is tremendously important to bond markets (including mortgage-backed securities, which most directly influence mortgage rates). As you can see […]
Do I Need To Sell My Home Before I Can Qualify For A New Mortgage On Another Property?
April 1, 2010 by Steve Crisci · Leave a Comment
Although every situation is unique, it is not uncommon for homebuyers to qualify for a mortgage on a new home while still living in their primary residence. Perhaps you are outgrowing your current house, or have been forced to relocate due to a job transfer? Regardless of the motivation for keeping one property while purchasing […]
What Do Appraisers Look For When Determining A Property’s Value?
March 29, 2010 by Steve Crisci · Leave a Comment
Most people are surprised to learn what appraisers actually look at when determining the value of a real estate property. A common misconception homeowners generally have is that the value of their home is determined after the appraiser has completed their physical property inspection. However, the appraiser actually already has a good idea of the […]
Where Does My Earnest Money Go?
March 28, 2010 by Steve Crisci · Leave a Comment
Hey, I gave my real estate agent a $5000 Earnest Money Deposit check… Where does that money go? A basic and very obvious question that most First-Time home Buyers ask once their purchase contract gets accepted. According to Wikipedia: Earnest Money – an earnest payment (sometimes called earnest money or simply earnest, or alternatively a […]
