There have been rumors and various news reports circulating that FHA will soon be allowing unemployed Americans who have an FHA insured mortgage to miss up to 1 year of mortgage payments without being foreclosed on. My hope in writing this article is to provide more details on this topic that is sure to prompt more and more discussions and questions. IMPORTANT: Please note that only the customer’s current lender can give them a final answer on...

Who has $200 to $1,000 to spare these days? The Georgia Real Estate Commission is cracking down on a variety of “falsifications”, and you could receive a fine of thousands of dollars for committing only ONE of the following: Fill in your company and the amount of earnest money in Par. 4, but don’t actually collect the personal check, money order or certified funds from the buyer yet. Did the buyer fax you a copy of the check he intends to mail...

As any daredevil, extreme sports addict or adrenaline junkie knows, well-grounded preparation for the specific task at hand is what takes the fear out of trying.The sometimes risky sport of home buying is no different. Those who’ve suffered the agony of defeat in what’s likely the most dangerous consumer game, learned the hard way that sheer fearlessness isn’t enough to become and remain a homeowner — through good times...

Now is a great time to buy. Homes are affordable and interest rates are at historical lows. Lending is tight, however. You need a stellar credit score and a clean credit report to even get your foot in the door.Long gone are the days of zero-down down payments. You need money down to venture into the housing market. Some financial experts recommend at least a 20 percent downpayment. Here are some creative ways to curb spending so you can save...

John Ulzheimer, president of Consumer Education at SmartCredit.com, the credit blogger for Mint.com, is an expert on credit reporting, credit scoring and identity theft.Formerly with FICO, Equifax and Credit.com, Ulzheimer is a rare editorial source — a recognized credit expert who actually comes from the credit industry. He often references in his writings the “Seven FICO Deadlies,” credit score deflating actions, but only...