by Irene Moustakas | Sep 2, 2008 | Industry News
The credit crunch is making everything harder, interest rates more expensive, lenders much stricter and loans harder to come by. With this credit crunch comes the Home Valuation Code of Conduct, a new Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac rule that will be implemented in January...
by Irene Moustakas | Aug 25, 2008 | Tips
I had a meeting with a client the other day and we were discussing credit reports and how many pieces of junk mail he receives from credit card companies soliciting him to open up new credit cards. Obviously he’s on some list (or lists) because, if you’re not aware,...
by Irene Moustakas | Aug 21, 2008 | Loan Programs and Products
California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) is a state-sponsored agency that offers affordable solutions and down payment assistance programs to first time homebuyers. To get a CalHFA loan, one must adhere to the following requirements: First time homebuyer (by...
by Irene Moustakas | Aug 19, 2008 | Miscellaneous
This is silly, but certainly amusing! The Hemline Index is a theory purporting that skirt lengths and the economy coincide. The shorter the hemline, the stronger the economy; the longer the hemline, the weaker the economy. Check this out… Hemlines hiked up in the...
by Irene Moustakas | Aug 18, 2008 | Tips
I want to share a situation that comes up all too often in this market: I got a call a few weeks ago from a woman that bought her condo in 2005 with a 5% down payment. She was put in a 3/1 Interest Only ARM (fixed at a set interest rate for the first 3 years of the...