Howard's Blog

A taxpayer purchased a vacation home as an investment with the hope it would appreciate in value and be sold at a profit. The taxpayer then sold the vacation home and purchased another vacation home as an investment property with the proceeds of the sale. The properties were never rented or put u...

I have a deal going on a bank owned property with two escrow companies involved. One is Pickford Escrow and one is The Escrow Firm. I believe they are both in Laguna Niguel, California and they are supposed to be affiliated. My buyer made an offer that was accepted but was unable to get the loan ...

Barney Frank has been pushing to keep FHA seller assisted financing alive. The House Financial Services Committee adopted H.R. 6694, legislation designed to reauthorize and reform down payment assistance programs that the Bush Administration banned in July. In a final effort to head off the Oct. ...

The first ever Huntington Beach Green Expo happens this Sunday September 20, 2008 from 10 am to 4 pm at the Huntington Beach library at 7111 Talbert Ave, Huntington Beach CA 92648. The expo will be held in the parking lot between the library and the sports fields. Those attending will be able to ...

Tenants in Common is a way to hold title, to own property, by two or more individuals. Sometimes it is referred to as Tenancy in Common. There is no limit to the number of individuals who can hold title to one piece of real estate. A property held by tenants in common can be owned by two owners o...

According to Experian's National Score Index for credit score stats, the average American credit score was 678 (as of 4/2008). If your score is below 620, then you might have a tougher time getting a loan. The following ratings explain the impact of the different score ranges:  * 720-850 - Excell...

Hard money (private money) fills a niche in mortgage lending and provides alternate funding for your clients who have specialized needs or too many credit problems for conventional financing.Many brokers have clients who would pay higher rates to gain access to capital, including non-traditional ...

A 'hard money' loan, also known as a 'private money' loan, 'equity-based' loan, or 'asset- based' loan is based primarily on real estate collateral. Private lenders fund the loans rather than institutions such as banks. Since the collateral is sufficient to recover the original investment if the ...

The Federal Open Market Committee cut the fed funds target rate by 25 basis points to 2%. This is the lowest the target rate has been since late 2004. The press statement cited weakness throughout the economy and stress in financial markets. It noted higher inflation, but also said that inflation...

Here are some upcoming networking events in Huntington Beach for the next few weeks: April 22nd 7:15amNetwalkers meet at Central Library  April 23 Extended Stay Evening Networking Event 5pm-7pm Afternoon Luau (a lot of fun please join us)  5050 Skylab Circle West, Huntington Beach Extended Stay w...