Robert Brenner's (rbren2000) Blog

The below link is something that any homeowner, homebuyer, and Real Estate Professional should watch.  After that, sign any and all petitions seeking a repeal of HVCC!   https://www.thinkbigworksmall.com/public/showArchiveVideo/1/4909

HUD reverses direction in allowing First-time Buyers to use $8000 tax credit as source of their down-payment.  Now if we can only get them to forgive the $7500 repayment of the 2008 Tax Credit for those who purchased last year, then real progress will be begin.

HUD is considering to allow first-time buyers to use their $8000 tax credit as the source for a down-payment on a FHA loan.  How the actual dollars will materilize to close a transaction this year has yet to be determined and when this modification will occur is another open question.  HUD better...

Effective May 1, how all Lender's have to order appraisals has changed dramatically, and in my professional opinion, not for the better.  In an  between FNMA, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency all lenders now have to comply with the "Home Valuation Code of Conduct".  The purpose...

As predicted, once the Mark-to-Market Rules were recently revised to a more sensible approach, not only did the stock market begin to first stabilize and now climb, the credit crunch is beginning to loosen.  Amazing what the free market self-correction will do without big-brother meddling.

FHA's Mortgage Insurance Premium (MIP) will be automatically canceled uder the following conditions: Terms greater than 15 years, the annual mortgage insurance premiums will be canceled when the LTV ratio reaches 78% provided the mortgagor has paid the annual MIP for at least 5 years. Terms of 15...

The consequences of Enron's downfall are still being felt today.  Specifically, a few years ago the SEC, in a well intentioned effort attempted to secure market confidence in a publicaly traded company's stock price by demanding greater accounting transparency to a company's asset valuations with...

The consequences of Enron's downfall are still being felt today.  Specifically, the SEC, in a well intentioned effort attempted secure market confidence in a company's stock price by demanding greater transparency to a company's asset valuations with a "mark-to-market" approach.  Well good intent...

I just finished perhaps the best book ever written about negotiation by Jim Camp.  It's called "Start With No".  Regardless if you are just haggling over a car, a house, or a multi-million dollar corporate merger and acquisition, Camp's insights about how poorly most Americans approach the task o...

Special Tax Break for Seniors Over Age 70 1/2 In 2009, many taxpayers over age 70 1/2 are allowed to skip one year of withdrawals from their retirement accounts without penalty! Typically, you must take minimum distributions from your retirement accounts after age 70 1/2 in order to avoid paying ...