http://blog.consumerresourcenet.com I love CRN! Fri, 05 Dec 2008 22:09:23 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Unless you’ve been through the home-buying process, the term Escrow probably does not mean much to you. Escrow, as it relates to real estate, is defined as “an account established by a broker under the provisions of the license law for the purpose of holding funds on behalf of the ... http://blog.consumerresourcenet.com/?p=244 A condo or condominium is multi-family structure in which units are individually owned and the common areas are shared. Condos, on average, sell for a lower price than typical single-family homes.  This makes it a potential option for either first time home buyers or those looking to downsize from their ... http://blog.consumerresourcenet.com/?p=214 Setting Expectations   A wise man once said “Nothing worth doing is ever easy”. If you expect to find your dream home by taking a walk around your block, spotting the perfect house, signing on the dotted line and moving in the very next day, you’re probably on the short road to ... http://blog.consumerresourcenet.com/?p=191  Buying a home for the first time but don’t have a down payment?  With home prices in the US well into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, coming up with even a 5% down payment can seem next to impossible for most people, especially the first time home buyer looking ... http://blog.consumerresourcenet.com/?p=134   1. Opportunity to build equity Aside from having a roof over your head (your own roof), the ability to build equity is one of the most valuable benefits of home ownership. Each monthly mortgage payment you make helps you build equity and brings you closer to owning your home outright. Home ... http://blog.consumerresourcenet.com/?p=105 Planning on moving? If so, unless you have a clear plan of attack, it can be a very difficult and frustrating process. If, however, you do have a well thought–out and organized plan, and allow plenty of time from beginning to end, the move will not only go smoothly, but ... http://blog.consumerresourcenet.com/?p=42 A few days before President Bush signed the “Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008,” California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger launched the “Community Stabilization Home Loan Program” to help first-time homebuyers purchase homes in communities hardest hit by the foreclosure crisis. Under this program, which will be run by the California ... http://blog.consumerresourcenet.com/?p=36 In addition to the housing tax credit for first-time homebuyers, the “Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008,” includes a couple of other housing programs that you may be interested in if you’re in the market for a home: Affordable Housing Programs The legislation calls for a creation of a permanent Housing ... http://blog.consumerresourcenet.com/?p=33 Up to $7,500 Refundable Tax Credit for First-time Homebuyers! If you’ve been thinking about owning a home, there is no better time than right now. Not only is the foreclosure inventory at its highest in decades, which is driving home prices down even further, but also the federal government recently passed ... http://blog.consumerresourcenet.com/?p=30 Finding a home in itself is a daunting task but the added stress of determining what the best mortgage is for the home is a headache in itself – but a necessary one. Especially for first-time home buyers, this is particulary freightening but it doesn’t have to be so if ... http://blog.consumerresourcenet.com/?p=24