Articles by Subject

Save your Mortgage: Qualifying for Government Assistance

By:
Tom Kerr - MortgageLoan.com | Tue, 03/31/2009

New government-assistance programs are available for mortgage refinance or loan modification, but there are restrictions and caveats involved. If you have a troublesome loan, this is the time to research your options and find out if you qualify for government assistance.

Tips for Job Search in a Tight Market

By:
Greg Mischio - MortgageLoan.com | Mon, 03/30/2009

Because of the poor economy, people are desperate for employment, and they're frantically applying anywhere and everywhere in hopes of landing a job. Now is not the time for a spray-and-pray job search approach, however. It's a time to assess your skills, and match them with the right job for you.

Be Proactive about Credit Card Rate Hikes

By:
Catherine Brock - MortgageLoan.com | Sun, 03/29/2009

Credit card interest rates are on the upswing. You may not be safe from the increases, even if you always pay your bills on time.

Making the Economic Stimulus Package Work for You

By:
Catherine Brock - MortgageLoan.com | Sat, 03/28/2009

What do homebuyers, working families, and upper income households have in common right now? All stand to benefit from the tax initiatives that are written into the 2009 economic stimulus program.

Mortgage Rescue Impossible for Many in Home Equity Trouble

By:
Tom Kerr - MortgageLoan.com | Fri, 03/27/2009

When home values rose, so did the popularity of the home equity mortgage. Many homeowners used these loans to tap into fast cash, as houses became the new ATM machines. Today, the same easy path to money is a major obstacle to refinancing away from painful mortgage loans.

Get your 2008 Taxes Right

By:
Catherine Brock - MortgageLoan.com | Thu, 03/26/2009

Figuring your income taxes may be more complicated this year. Do you know which tax changes will apply to your returns?

Job Market Woes? Go Back to School!

By:
Catherine Brock - MortgageLoan.com | Wed, 03/25/2009

With the job market in the pits, and the economy in recession, now may be the best time to invest in your education.

Mortgage Refinance Strategies during Mortgage Crisis

By:
Catherine Brock - MortgageLoan.com | Tue, 03/24/2009

If you'd like to take advantage of the low mortgage refinance rates available as a result of the mortgage crisis, there are some hoops that you're going to need to jump through to save a little money.

Banks Cutting Home Equity Lines: Is it Legal?

By:
Catherine Brock - MortgageLoan.com | Mon, 03/23/2009

One bank's decision to slash home equity lines of credit has spurred a class action lawsuit. Is the argument legally valid?

Loan Modification: Identifying what Works

By:
Tom Kerr - MortgageLoan.com | Sun, 03/22/2009

Regulators are crunching better data to identify what works and what fails when it comes to loan modification performance. They hope that by troubleshooting existing mortgage modification strategies, they can create one that finally does the trick to help rescue distressed homeowners. 


Banks Agree to Foreclosure Moratoriums

By:
Tom Kerr - MortgageLoan.com | Sat, 03/21/2009

President Obama unveiled his own agenda regarding foreclosure prevention through government assistance and more aggressive loan modification programs. Meanwhile, major banks also agreed to be more proactive with foreclosure moratoriums to rescue American homeowners.


Why Can't I Get a Mortgage? 

By:
Catherine Brock - MortgageLoan.com | Fri, 03/20/2009

Tired of hearing mortgage lenders say "No?" It's a new era in mortgage lending, one that withholds mortgage loans from all but the most organized and qualified applicants.

Your Taxes and the Economic Stimulus Plan

By:
Catherine Brock - MortgageLoan.com | Thu, 03/19/2009

Your income tax bill for 2009 may have just gotten smaller, thanks to the passing of the new economic stimulus plan.

Six Tips to Identify a Predatory Lender

By:
Greg Mischio - MortgageLoan.com | Wed, 03/18/2009

Predatory lenders have wreaked havoc on unsuspecting homeowners as well as on our global economy. The slumping real estate market necessitates that you protect yourself from predatory lending, now more than ever.

Obama Administration and Treasury Announce New Mortgage Strategy

By:
Tom Kerr - MortgageLoan.com | Tue, 03/17/2009

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner finally made his long awaited announcement regarding TARP bank and mortgage bailout plans. But his outline was so vague that it only seemed to exacerbate the financial crisis by making the stock market plummet.

Mortgage Loan Modifications Critical to Obama Rescue Plan

By:
Catherine Brock - MortgageLoan.com | Mon, 03/16/2009

The Obama administration is ready to back a robust foreclosure prevention program. Analysts say that such a program will have to tackle the problem from several angles.

Homeowners Suffer $3.3 Trillion Home Equity Reduction

By:
Catherine Brock - MortgageLoan.com | Sun, 03/15/2009

More bad news has been released on the state of the housing market. Homeowners absorbed trillions in home equity reductions last year, and most of the damage was done in the fourth quarter.

Homebuyers: Let Government Pay 10 Percent of Your New Mortgage!

By:
Catherine Brock - MortgageLoan.com | Sat, 03/14/2009

New mortgage borrowers can save as much as 10 percent on their home purchase, just for buying their first home in 2009.

Fannie Mae Eases Mortgage Refinance Rules

By:
Greg Mischio - MortgageLoan.com | Fri, 03/13/2009

Mortgage applications have been on the rise lately, as rates for home loans have dropped to historic lows. Now, Fannie Mae would like to further increase the number of people looking for a mortgage refinance. They've loosened guidelines, allowing people with poor credit easier access to a new home loan.

Builders, Consumers Eye Slow 2009 Housing Market

By:
Tom Kerr - MortgageLoan.com | Thu, 03/12/2009

Mortgage rates are low, but credit is scarce. The housing market is a wreck, and foreclosures are growing. Unemployment rates are approaching double digits, and the job market is in crisis. All of this portends a depressing 2009 for builders and homesellers alike.

State Attorneys General Support Bankruptcy Code Amendments

By:
Catherine Brock - MortgageLoan.com | Wed, 03/11/2009

As the mortgage crisis continues to wreak havoc on households and housing values, a group of high profile state officials are lobbying for bankruptcy court-ordered loan modifications.

U.S. Treasury Helps Shore-up Student Loans

By:
Greg Mischio - MortgageLoan.com | Tue, 03/10/2009

In addition to the huge federal bailout of failed financial institutions, the U.S. Treasury Department is taking steps to get money flowing in other critical lending sectors. They've recently committed as much as $60 billion to the student loan market in an effort to reduce the illiquid assets on banks' balance sheets.

Stimulus Bill Offers Tax Credits for Homebuyers

By:
Catherine Brock - MortgageLoan.com | Mon, 03/09/2009

The House and Senate grappled over tax credits and tax rebates, but finally, the new economic stimulus plan will incorporate some form of tax relief for homebuyers.

Could a Mortgage Holiday be Key to Saving Economy?

By:
Catherine Brock - MortgageLoan.com | Sun, 03/08/2009

An informal survey indicates that most Americans would support government-funded mortgage payment relief. Is this a cockeyed plan, or a viable solution to reinvigorate the economy?

Fannie Mae, Federal Reserve: Moving on Loan Modifications

By:
Tom Kerr - MortgageLoan.com | Sat, 03/07/2009

In a major policy shift, the Federal Reserve announced that it would start doing loan modifications through mortgage writedown strategies, which includes reduction of loan principal. Fannie Mae may also be poised to adopt similar loan modification plans to help homeowners.

Mortgage Brokers Losing Lending Options

By:
Tom Kerr - MortgageLoan.com | Fri, 03/06/2009

Mortgage brokers have lost the ability to shop around for as many lending options for their clients, because banks are no longer working with mortgage brokers with many of their products. The shift will put many brokers out of business, and possibly limit consumer choices.

Fannie and Freddie Extend Foreclosure Moratorium

By:
Catherine Brock - MortgageLoan.com | Thu, 03/05/2009

The nation's largest two mortgage companies are giving distressed mortgage borrowers a little more time to stay in their homes.

Republicans Move to Fix Mortgage Crisis

By:
Catherine Brock - MortgageLoan.com | Wed, 03/04/2009

Partisan battles over the economic stimulus plan continue, as Republicans try in vain to push mortgage rates down with government subsidies.

Watch Out for Loan Modification Scams

By:
Greg Mischio - MortgageLoan.com | Tue, 03/03/2009

Just when you thought you'd seen the end of subprime mortgage lending practices, a new scam has entered the marketplace. Many of the unethical brokers who brought us the subprime debacle have resurfaced, and are now offering mortgage fraud disguised as loan modifications.

Protecting the Middle-Class from Dreaded AMT Tax

By:
Catherine Brock - MortgageLoan.com | Mon, 03/02/2009

The AMT tax law debate has been raging for years. The latest flare up involves a proposal to incorporate a temporary fix into President Obama's economic stimulus plan.

Obama's Gift to Mortgage Brokers: Tighter Regulations

By:
Tom Kerr - MortgageLoan.com | Sun, 03/01/2009

As the president tries to cure the economy, he's calling for stricter banking regulations and more oversight of mortgage brokers. He hasn't revealed specific mortgage license guidelines yet, but they'll likely include numerous kinds of oversight and consumer protections.