Phoenix Bank Owned, Fannie Mae properties roll out HomePath Buyer Incentives

Fannie Mae Rolls Out HomePath Buyer Incentives

Fantastic HomePath buyer incentives for eligible Fannie Mae home buyers has just rolled out for the summer.  The quick summary: if all conditions are met, owner occupant buyers can receive closing cost assistance of up to 3.5% of the final sales price from Fannie Mae with the latest HomePath buyer incentives.

HomePath Buyer Incentives Help HomePath Property Buyers Pay for Closing Costs

The HomePath buyer incentives will provide HomePath property buyers the ability to spend some of that hard-earned cash on decorating, fixing their place up or just bank it for future needs instead of on their closing costs.  You can search for Fannie Mae homes at www.HomePath.com or you can search the MLS here for available HomePath properties.  I’ve included a recent article from RIS Media about the HomePath buyer incentives below…

HomePath Buyer Incentives

Fannie Mae Expands HomePath Buyer Incentives

RISMEDIA, Thursday, June 16, 2011 Fannie Mae (FNMA/OTC) announced the expansion of incentives to encourage sales of HomePath REO properties to owner occupants. Now through October 31, qualified buyers and selling agents can receive financial incentives on sales of HomePath properties, which can be found at www.homepath.com. The incentives are part of Fannie Mae’s commitment to neighborhood stabilization, and are available on sales to buyers who will reside in the home as their primary residence.

Supporting homeownership and stabilizing neighborhoods are critical to helping the housing market recover, saya Ed Neill, Senior Vice President for Credit Loss Management at Fannie Mae. Our previous incentives have been effective in securing owner occupants for these properties. By encouraging homebuyers who will make these properties their long-term home, these expanded incentives will help to stabilize communities.

The expanded incentives offer qualified homebuyers up to 3.5 percent of the final sales price to put towards closing costs. The incentive must be requested in the initial offer. Eligible initial offers must be submitted after June 14, 2011 and must close by October 31, 2011. Investor sales are not eligible for the incentive.

HomePath properties offer buyers a wide selection of options, including single-family homes, condominiums, and town houses. HomePath properties may also be eligible for HomePath Mortgage and HomePath Renovation Mortgage financing, which offers homebuyers an opportunity to purchase with as little as 3 percent down.

In addition to the HomePath buyer incentives, a $1,200 bonus is available for selling agents in eligible transactions.  The HomePath buyer incentives bonus is available if the initial offer is submitted on or after June 14, 2011 and the sale is closed by Oct. 31, 2011.

The stars are in alignment – HomePath buyer incentives are available  AND rates and prices are down – a perfect opportunity to pick up an outstanding value and the perfect home.  So get out there and find yourself a great HomePath property.

Homepath Buyer Incentives Terms and Conditions

  • Buyers and/or selling agents (the agent representing the buyer) must request the HomePath buyer incentive upon submission of initial offer.
  • Initial HomePath Buyer Incentive offer must be submitted on or after June 14, 2011 and close by October 31, 2011. Initial offers made prior to June 14 are not eligible for the June 14 – October 31 incentive.
  • Sale must close on or before October 31, 2011. No exceptions will be made to this deadline. (Note: Initial offers submitted after September 15, 2011 may not close by the incentive deadline of October 31, 2011.)
  • Buyers must be purchasing a HomePath property to use as their primary residence to receive closing cost assistance. Second homes and investment properties are excluded from the incentive.
  • Sales closed via the retail channel are eligible, including those utilizing public funds. Pool and auction sales are ineligible.
  • Buyers must sign the Owner Occupant Certification Rider to the Real Estate Purchase Addendum.
  • Buyers with total closing costs under 3.5% are not eligible to receive the difference as a credit.
  • Properties where Fannie Mae acquired the property in connection with financing under a reverse mortgage are not eligible. Ask the listing agent for details.
  • Buyers should consult their lenders for guidance on financing. Lenders and mortgage products may impose their own limitations on the use of the 3.5% incentive. For example, the lender may consider the incentive a Seller Contribution and limit the amount to 3.0%. In those instances, the remaining 0.5% will no longer be available to the buyer.
  • Fannie Mae reserves the right to remove any property from promotion or end the promotion at any time. Any dispute over the payment of the incentive shall be resolved by Fannie Mae in its sole discretion.

NOTE: this incentive will be identified on the purchase contract, and must close by October 31, 2011 to receive the incentive from Fannie Mae.

If you’re in the market for a great home, I’d encourage you to utilize one of our HomeStyle Team buyer agents who are well versed in the HomePath Buyer incentives and specialize in HomePath properties.

Getting the Most Out of Your Cash Back Credit Card

As most people already know, we’re living in an age in which credit has become an absolute necessity when it comes to managing our budgets and consolidating our monthly expenses. As a result, the business of providing credit is becoming more and more competitive. Most credit companies know that it’s no longer enough to simply offer consumers the convenience of using credit. Today’s credit users expect something a little extra to make selecting one program over another worth it and what would be more “worth it” than getting cashback from your credit provider every month simply for using your credit card the way you normally do anyway? However, as is the case with every type of card, getting the most out of a cashback credit card requires prudence and care on the part of the consumer. By following a few simple guidelines, you can effectively make your credit company pay you just for using their services.

Don’t spend just for the sake of racking up cash rewards.

The best way to get the most out of your cashback rewards credit card is to think of the cash rewards you’re earning as a “thank you” from the credit provider for using your card the way you normally do. Don’t make the common mistake of seeing the rewards as an acceptable excuse to overspend or abuse your credit. You’ll quickly find yourself to be the proud owner of a sky-high credit balance that you’re likely not able to stay on top of and any rewards that you do earn will quickly be eaten up by interest on the money owed.

Pay your balance off in full every month.

To get the absolute most out of your cashback card, you should make it a point to always pay your balance off in full at the end of each billing cycle. That way you will never have to pay any interest and are effectively making money you wouldn’t have otherwise by using your cashback rewards card. Avoid the temptation of using your credit to live beyond your means the way many people do. Instead, try to use it as a handy tool to consolidate your monthly bills and organize your expenses. This is a simple and effective way to maximize the rewards you earn without actually giving yourself any additional debt to fret about.

Know your credit terms of use inside out.

Each cash back rewards credit card is different when it comes to the terms, rules, and limits that get attached to the consumer’s use of it. Does your cashback program feature a limit or cap on the dollar amount of rewards you can earn per month or year? Are you eligible to earn your rewards at higher rates for certain types of purchases – gasoline or groceries, for example? It is your job to know the answers to these and any similar questions if you really want to get the most out of your card.

When it comes right down to it, making the decision to fill out a cash back credit card application is just like every other important choice in life. The key to getting the best possible results lies in making smart decisions, being informed, and being responsible at all times.

Apply for cash back credit cards to start earning cash back. Or if you prefer to travel, apply for an airline credit card.

The Perfect Vacation Home: How To Search For One

If you take time to compare, it would be easier for you to become aware that buying a vacation house is more affordable at present that it was several years ago. When five years ago, you thought that purchasing a vacation home in a very nice location like somewhere around beaches is an impossible dream to obtain, things have been quite different in greater dimensions at present. Beach houses for sale listings are flooded with a wide variety of choices. From simple beachfront properties to luxury country club vacation homes, for sure there’s absolutely something that you can get for yourself.

While it’s true that buying a vacation homes isn’t anymore an impossible dream, it is always important that you take the fundamental steps to avoid the likelihood of your dream turning to be a financial obstacle in the long run. This article will give you with some insights on what necessary guidelines you need to concentrate on when purchasing your dream home. This is to make certain that you do not straw away from the safe side since real estate investment is something that requires big amount of money and failure means having to face the fruits of the wrong actions for a long time.

Estimate all the necessary expenses.

Make sure that you have spent sufficient time estimating all costs that would be spent on insurance, basic utilities, maintenance and other dues. Check out possible repairs that may be required as well as needed updates before you sign the agreement contract or even verbal closing of deal with the current owner of the vacation home.

Pay attention and make careful decisions regarding special matters.

Location is always the top concern when looking to purchase a vacation home. If you would like to be part of the wonderful community of Beach real estate, it’s vital that you make sure that the qualities of the city is what you are truly in search for. This is to make sure that you would not be deprived of the recreational activities that you want to enjoy as well as the economic pleasures that you want to benefit from the location of your next home. While it is true that you have nothing to complain from all the good things that this awesome place can offer to all kinds of individuals, still it is necessary that you do not neglect checking on this area as well.

Organize your finances.

This is a big investment, so it’s necessary that you ensure everything in your financial stability is well ironed completely. You need to check your credit report, get all your loan documents and insurance information and make sure that they’re properly organized before you contact a realtor. This is something that you need to consider before you start looking for a house in the area of your dreams. Work on your way to pre-qualifying for a loan as it can make your search easier. Always remember this is a huge investment so you have to be careful and logical about every matter concerning this purchase.

Another great article by Helen Dinger Real Estate, Junction, Realtors This article, The Perfect Vacation Home: How To Search For One is available for free reprint.

Effective Way Of Getting Into Real Estate

Getting onto the real estate ladder can be quite difficult at first so for many the first step is to actually begin renting an apartment. This could help to show that they are regular payers with their rent and make it easier in future to actually buy some property of their own due to this excellent track record. But before you go to actually rent an apartment you must think about one or two things.

First of all you need to come across as the type of person that the owner would really like to have in their apartment. If you look a mess and act in an inappropriate manner then you have to ask if you yourself would rent an apartment out to someone acting in that way. You ought to spend some time creating something similar to a CV like you would when applying for a job.

This renting CV is of course totally different to that for job applications as this one should contain reference regarding your employment, any references from previous landlords as well as details on your income including when and how often you’re paid. It can also be useful for you to include a copy of your credit history so if it is completely clean the owner can see there’s less chance of them having to fight to get their money out of you each and every month.

Secondly you should think carefully about what you can afford. Take a look at your income and ensure that you are well below half of your monthly pay and use that for rent. If you are paying more than half then you are going to make life very difficult for yourself.

You have to spend a reasonable amount of time looking at what’s available. Don’t simply rush into things with the first apartment that you set eyes on but instead take a look, think about things and even consult others to get their opinion. This also includes thinking about the area where you wish to rent. Do not turn your nose up about some areas as you might get a pleasant surprise and a good deal which you can miss out on if you just simply dismiss it straight away.

It may be better for you to use a rental service company who have a number of landlords and properties on their books. They usually have a certain standard which all of the apartments that they deal with must come up to so it can make you feel more confident about where you may end up living. For strangers in an area this could be the right service.

So this has just been produced to give you a few things to think about whilst searching for an apartment to rent. Getting into real estate can be difficult however going down this route may allow you to get your foot in the door but a great deal of care has to be taken. A costly mistake here can affect you for a while.

Another great article by Sather Jennifer Real Estate, Redoubt Realty This article, Effective Way Of Getting Into Real Estate is released under a creative commons attribution licence.

How To Make Money In Real Estate

If you’re like most real estate investment wannabes, you’ve taken seminars, read publications, watched infomercials and DVDs, and also have used up extensive amounts of cash to find out about the intricacies of the field. If you’re still combating how to begin, here are a few of victorious investors preferred techniques to make money in real estate.

The first has develop into well-liked with the creation of a number of television programs. It’s widely called flipping houses, which just means buying, fixing up, and reselling a property for a profit. It sounds simple enough. Find a dilapidated house, consume what could be a large quantity of money and time to improve and mend it, after which it recoup that investment, together with a large profit, when you resell the property.

Other investors love to buy homes, which are in need of the fixings and upgrades you see so often portrayed on television and sell them Not including executing the restorations. It’s not as bizarre as it seems. All it contains is acquiring a property by contract, structuring that contract so that you have the right to sell the underlying to a building contractor or other investor who will have the resources to be able to subcontract out the work.

This method is sometimes called bird dogging or wholesaling. Investors don’t generate as much per transaction, but the turnaround time is much faster. You don’t have to cope with the 101 things that can and do go wrong, since you well know if you’re an enthusiast of the different television demonstrates that chase the highs and lows of investors as they try to flip their homes.

Real estate investors have continuously explore for houses who have the promise to be fixed up and upgraded and be able to resold at a profit. That’s to some extent true because, based upon how hot your local real estate may be, the potential profits can be in the five-digit range for each transaction.

There is challenges, naturally, as many projects have at least one hidden problem that throws a giant monkey wrench into the process, reducing gains and lengthening the time to finish. Consequently, it’s important for you to be on familiar terms with your market and how much things will cost to mend before you begin running this popular investment strategy.

Lease options can be a profitable method to get into a badly maintained house, bring it up to standard, and then either resell or rent it, depending upon your taste. This allows you to usually get into a house without the real estate agent’s fees, which can be considerable. After you’ve got the property up to standard, you can then sell the home on a lease option to another person, which is mostly good, for the reason that they’ll have more incentive to keep it nice.

There are lots of other ways to earn a living in real estate, of course, but these are some investor’s favorites. The main thing is to pick a method you’re comfortable with and continue it till you’re an expert at it!

Another great article by Calgary Innercity Home Builder Free reprint avaialable from: How To Make Money In Real Estate.