Did you know that you have to pay back the homebuyer tax credit if you claim it and then sell your house (or otherwise stop using it as your principal residence) within the next three years? I didn’t, but apparently that’s the case. Here’s the scoop straight from the IRS:
Q: When must I pay back [...]

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Buying a house is probably the biggest purchase that most people will ever make. Given what’s at stake, you want to be sure you’re not buying a lemon. If you’re buying an existing home, a home inspection can save you from getting a house that needs costly repairs from either owner’s neglect or old age.
Even [...]

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With the $8,000 first-time homeowner’s tax credit deadline approaching, many people are still trying to get in on the deal. If you’re in this boat, don’t assume that just having a down payment is enough (even though it’s a big help).
Applying for a mortgage involves a thorough check into your finances to see if you [...]

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This is a guest post from Kevin Mercadante of Out of Your Rut. Kevin is a former loan underwriter, and also author of Lighten Your Load, an e-book focused on reducing living expenses while still maintaining a comfortable lifestyle.
The housing market has been down for two years or more in much of the country, but [...]

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As many of you know, we’re in the process of buying a townhouse. We recently received the paperwork from our lender, including our truth in lending disclosure, a disclosure book, and our good faith estimate. The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) requires that we receive these things within 3 business days of submitting our [...]

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I recently received an e-mail from a reader who is interested in paying off her mortgage early. In it, she asked the following:
Is it better to pay money monthly that is applied to your escrow or your principal? I would like to pay the equivalent of one extra mortgage payment a year, but I’m not [...]

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We’ve been busy shopping around for home insurance for the condo that we’re buying. I’ve contacted several agents by phone and e-mail looking for a good deal. I’ve successfully reduced our car insurance bill by half simply by checking with different companies, so I know this will be worth the effort.
Why do you need homeowner’s [...]

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This past weekend my husband and I decided which townhouse we want to buy. After working the numbers, looking at different properties, and going through the options, we’ve signed a purchasing agreement on a property at a new development.
Since this is our first time buying a home, we wanted to be as thorough as possible. [...]

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A reader named Mary recently wrote in to ask about my thoughts on getting a mortgage from ING Direct. She’s heard that they have competitive rates and low fees, and is seriously thinking about refinancing her mortgage with them.
I don’t have any firsthand knowledge of ING Direct mortgages, but I was curious enough to go [...]

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This is a guest post form Carson Brackney of Personal Finance Analyst. If you like what you see here, please consider subscribing to their RSS feed.
There’s always someone trying to find a silver lining when the skies are gloomy and gray. So it is with home foreclosures. Amidst all of the hand-wringing and sad tales [...]

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