Deadline to Request Foreclosure Review Extended Three Months!

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Consumers who want their foreclosure cases checked by a third party as part of     federal regulators’ Independent Foreclosure Review initiative now have until July 31, 2012, to submit their requests.  The Federal Reserve and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) announced Wednesday that the deadline has been pushed out by three months to give consumers more [...]

Shred Fest is Back for 2011!

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M & I Bank and Shred-it® are offering free shredding services for the 4th consecutive year. Bring in up to two bags/boxes of confidential materials – for example, anthing that references your social security number, bank account information – and watch it be securly shredded. Identity theft occurs in many ways, one of which is [...]

Great Offer For Homeowners!

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 CITY OF SAINT PAUL / NEIGHBORHOOD ENERGY CONNECTION As a result of American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, the City of Saint Paul has a great offer for homeowners, and we need your help in getting the word out.    Do you own a home in Saint Paul or know someone who does?  Through the Sustainable [...]

The May 2011 Real Estate Skinny!

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May 11, 2011 End of Comparison to Heightened Spring 2010 Tax Incentive Market Draws Nigh Pending sales in the 13-county Twin Cities metropolitan area were down 25.8 percent to 4,289 from April 2010′s incentive market high of 5,781. The overall median sales price dropped 14.6 percent to $145,000. Sellers introduced 7,279 new properties to the [...]

The 5 Most Common Complaints of Short Sale and REO Buyers (and How to Avoid Them)

The 5 Most Common Complaints of Short Sale and REO Buyers (and How to Avoid Them) Roughly forty percent of the homes for sale on today’s market are short sales and foreclosures! Distressed properties are well known for their value (a reputation which is sometimes accurate, and sometimes not), but they also have a reputation [...]

Foreclosure overview and buying opportunities

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What is Foreclosure? Foreclosure is a process that allows a lender to recover the amount owed on a defaulted loan by selling or taking ownership (repossession) of the property securing the loan. The foreclosure process begins when a borrower/owner defaults on loan payments (usually mortgage payments) and the lender files a public default notice. The [...]

5 Mortgage and Foreclosure Myths

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5 Mortgage and Foreclosure Myths In a mortgage market that changes as quickly as this one, today’s fact is tomorrow’s fiction.  For buyers, misinformation can be the difference between qualifying for a home loan or not. Sellers and owners, knowledge is foreclosure-preventing, smart decision-making power! Without further ado, let’s correct some common mortgage misconceptions.   [...]

5 Tax Tips, Tricks and Traps for Homeowners

5 Tax Tips, Tricks and Traps for Homeowners    Ask a roomful of homeowners what’s so great about owning versus renting, and you’ll hear them holler in unison: “the tax deductions!” And it’s true – homeowners who itemize their taxes are able to deduct 100% of their mortgage interest and property taxes from their income [...]

Saint Paul Named One of Dozen Distinctive Destinations

Saint Paul Named One of Dozen Distinctive Destinations Last week Saint Paul was named one of a Dozen Distinctive Destinations by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Here is the YouTube video of the announcement: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_p9y0okgw8. Cities on the list of 12 demonstrated a commitment to historic preservation and fostered a “unique sense of place”. [...]

VA Authorizes Relocation Help for Short Sales and Deeds-in-Lieu

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The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) has instructed mortgages to pay relocation assistance to borrowers completing short sale or deeds-in-lieu (DIL) of foreclosure on VA Loans. It has been a venerable policy encouraging servicers to work hand in hand with veteran borrowers to give them options to help them retain their homes or if not [...]