Home Buyer’s Down Payment FAQs With today’s combination of lower home prices, some of the lowest interest rates the industry has ever offered, and the $8000 tax incentive for first-time buyers, buying a home has never been so attractive. The only real hurdle left for many Americans is coming up with a down payment. With [...]

Filed under: Mortgage, Real Estate Market, Tax Issues | No Comments »

Image via Wikipedia $100 million new home tax credit nearly gone The Franchise Tax Board (FTB) recently announced that the $100 million allocated by the state in new home tax credits will soon be gone. The FTB has received more than 9,800 applications, claiming nearly $95 million as of June 17, and plans to accept [...]

Filed under: Current Events, LA Area, Money-Saving, Mortgage, Real Estate Market, Relocating to LA, Tax Issues | No Comments »

Image by Getty Images via Daylife The government seems to finally be making progress in its efforts to stem the foreclosure crisis. Housing and Urban Development officials say that lenders extended loan modification offers to 40,000 borrowers who were struggling to pay their mortgage in the second week of June. That is nearly triple the [...]

Filed under: Foreclosure, Mortgage, Real Estate Market | 1 Comment »

[clearspring_widget title="Time.com Quotes of the Day" wid="491cae4a5db36d0d" pid="4a3fc4b599a31638" width="300" height="250" domain="widgets.clearspring.com"] As a blogger I have always appreciated TIME Magazine delivered to my home to read through the traditional paper pages, particularly before bed. Its on the nightstand. But I also relish the online search engine and ability they give me as a blogger to [...]

Filed under: Commentary, Current Events | No Comments »

DEAR BENNY: My parents’ house is paid off. The house is in my father’s name only; my mother has his power of attorney (and I have hers). My father is in a nursing home, recovering from a stroke, but we do not foresee him coming home (he’s 86); he’s wheelchair bound, and conversant, though with [...]

Filed under: Legal Advice in Common Scenarios, Selling, Tax Issues | No Comments »

Bringing the Dream of Homeownership Within Reach As part of its plan to stimulate the U.S. housing market and address the economic challenges facing our nation, Congress has passed legislation that grants a tax credit of up to $8,000 to first-time home buyers. Here is more information about how the 2009 First-Time Home Buyer Tax [...]

Filed under: Real Estate Market, Tax Issues | No Comments »

Image via Wikipedia HOT PROPERTY Leonardo DiCaprio sells Malibu home that he had listed for $7,999,000 Actor’s bluff-top home has two bedrooms and two bathrooms, glass walls, ocean views as well as beach access. By Lauren Beale June 13, 2009 Actor Leonardo DiCaprio has sold a bluff-top contemporary in Malibu that had been listed at [...]

Filed under: Current Events, Divorce, Entertainment Business, Home Design, Interior Design, Real Estate Market | No Comments »

Image via CrunchBase In Los Angeles I use and fully endorse SPRINT Nextel and exclusively for my T-mobile and AT&T readers that switch to SPRINT Nextel my buddy Jeff can get you: • A FREE Blackberry Curve this JUNE! •Any reader porting from T-mobile will get a $200 credit! 2 year contract required. Other porting [...]

Filed under: Commentary, Moving, Relocating to LA, Technology | No Comments »