I've got some doubts about our current SoCal real estate agent. At first, there didn't seem to be a problem. But recent events have made me wonder if we're wasting his time. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Aug 8, 2009 - 15 answers

How hard is it for average folks to get a home mortgage in the US right now? [more inside]
posted by crapmatic on Jul 20, 2009 - 15 answers

Dream Home Filter: How does one go about financing the buying of land and building of a custom house? I need help with land loans vs. buying land with a house on it (to improve/tear down), construction loans vs. home loans, etc [more inside]
posted by mathowie on May 30, 2009 - 9 answers

Any mortgage professionals in the house? I have a question about lending standards for small-scale real estate investors. [more inside]
posted by Sublimity on May 28, 2009 - 0 answers

Who is the best person to give me information on the housing market? [more inside]
posted by lore on Apr 27, 2009 - 15 answers

My wife and I need to get out of our house ASAP for reasons both financial and mental-health-related. I've been told we may need to look into a short sale, but researching the process is making my head explode. What, if any, are our options? (more inside, obviously) [more inside]
posted by anthom on Apr 15, 2009 - 16 answers

Buying a first residence in a major city: can it be done? [more inside]
posted by cranberrymonger on Apr 13, 2009 - 15 answers

Why hasn't private mortgage insurance (PMI) softened the blow of the real estate implosion? [more inside]
posted by GatorFan2000 on Apr 6, 2009 - 14 answers

We're considering purchasing a home by ourselves, without using a buyer's agent. General pros/cons? And if it's possible to save on commissions by doing this, how should we introduce that idea into the process? [more inside]
posted by Bardolph on Feb 18, 2009 - 19 answers

Is it insane to buy a house in this market? [more inside]
posted by OmieWise on Dec 30, 2008 - 17 answers

Help me understand how to leverage a rental property to purchase another rental property. Plus it involves family and money. [more inside]
posted by ninjew on Oct 16, 2008 - 3 answers

Just about to make our first ever offer on a house and need advice on terms...help? (lots more detail in click) [more inside]
posted by Kickstart70 on Oct 14, 2008 - 10 answers

What can we do to get out from under a lemon of a house? About 10 years ago, we bought a house that was a DIY fixer-upper with some serious issues. 10 years of graduate school poverty coupled with a couple of major illnesses that limited physical activity hindered our ability to make more than just the basic repairs. Now the house is even worse, and a new job has forced us to make an out-of-state move. [more inside]
posted by KirkJobSluder on Aug 25, 2008 - 12 answers

Can someone tell me what the catch is in this real estate ad? [more inside]
posted by notjustfoxybrown on Jun 27, 2008 - 20 answers

When should I buy a house? I'm freaked out about buying my first house to start with, and now this? [more inside]
posted by Stewriffic on Mar 18, 2008 - 33 answers

What is the best option for paying off a mortgage when I take a loss on a condo sale - and are there any tax deductions I can take? [more inside]
posted by reckman on Jan 11, 2008 - 6 answers

How and when do I "shop" a mortgage? (first-time buyer questions inside) [more inside]
posted by escher on Jan 2, 2008 - 12 answers

What does it take to get a 'rehab' mortgage to purchase a building? [more inside]
posted by geos on Dec 8, 2007 - 0 answers

Do most people try negotiating near the end of a teaser rate? [more inside]
posted by acoutu on Jun 18, 2007 - 4 answers

Should I buy a house now or wait to save a little more for a 20% downpayment? [more inside]
posted by hazyspring on Apr 11, 2007 - 28 answers

Please help me make a proposal to my family about the fate of my parents’ home that is equitable and reasonable and doesn’t make me seem like a greedy jerkface. [more inside]
posted by tristeza on Apr 6, 2007 - 24 answers

Is this the worst possible time to become first-time home owners in Portland, Ore., even though we found what looks like a pretty good deal on a condo? This sort of thing scares me, but we just found a place that we like and that seems very reasonably priced. [more inside]
posted by croutonsupafreak on Apr 2, 2007 - 26 answers

Mortgage fraud/appraisal fraud question. Does the following transaction look suspicious? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Mar 18, 2007 - 10 answers

A friend and I, and possibly others, are interested in pooling resources to buy a nice Seattle home as an investment and to live in (for now). Any experience/tips/quasi-legal advice on creating a small real estate trust or corporation to do this? [more inside]
posted by hincandenza on Feb 9, 2007 - 4 answers

Does anyone have any experience with Mortgage Brokers that are co-owned by real estate agencies? [more inside]
posted by hazyspring on Jan 4, 2007 - 7 answers

I would like to find out how much a particular house was sold for and, in general, what economic conditions are like for a purchase. [more inside]
posted by Blazecock Pileon on Dec 26, 2006 - 15 answers

Real-estate lawfilter: Is it possible to lend money towards the cash purchase of a property by a family member, and then be handed ownership by a quit claim deed, and then take out my own mortgage on that property? [more inside]
posted by mert on Dec 16, 2006 - 16 answers

How can I estimate what the mortgage payment on a commercial building loan will be? [more inside]
posted by ignignokt on Dec 4, 2006 - 7 answers

Does it make any sense to take out a second trust deed on a house you're trying to sell? [more inside]
posted by languagehat on Jun 5, 2006 - 12 answers

Will a child face social stigma for living in a condo? [more inside]
posted by acoutu on Apr 28, 2006 - 35 answers

Would it make any sense to buy out-of-state rental property before buying a residence? [more inside]
posted by kirkaracha on Feb 22, 2006 - 12 answers

I own a condo with a mortgage and tax deductions and equity. SO moving in. How do we split expenses fairly? Many other questions about financial logistics. [more inside]
posted by commander_cool on Feb 13, 2006 - 20 answers

Looking at houses to buy. The property I just looked at has a "right of redemption" attached to it. What does that mean exactly and should that affect my decision in buying that house? [more inside]
posted by jca on Aug 25, 2005 - 9 answers

MortgageFilter: I've found the perfect place, good price etc. but it has come along a lot earlier than anticipated. What are some recommended ways of raising enough $$ for the down payment? [more inside]
posted by purephase on Jun 21, 2005 - 17 answers

I just read an interesting article regarding long term mortgages. Basically fixed rate, 30 yrs = Good. 15 year = bad. What are some counterpoints to this argument. Drawbacks to long term mortgages? Advantages to paying it off early? [more inside]
posted by rschroed on Apr 25, 2005 - 20 answers

My parents asked me to become a cosigner on their house purchase (they don't have enough credit to get the house themselves). I am fully willing to accept the financial responsibility, but am wondering if there are any hidden caveats (especially with regard to IRS) that I should be aware of? [more inside]
posted by blindcarboncopy on Mar 5, 2005 - 14 answers

Anyone tried 80-10-10 financing? Care to share any thoughts? My wife and I are looking at buying our first house and haven't been able to find many testimonials on google or fool.com.
posted by jragon on Jan 19, 2004 - 6 answers