Ken Harney
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Mortgage lenders explore new lifeline for underwater ownersMar 25, 2010 11:00 pm - WASHINGTON - For hundreds of thousands of homeowners who are underwater on their mortgages, it's been a tantalizing question: Is there any way that our lender might agre...
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HUD attempts to inform public of illegal `admin.' feesMar 18, 2010 11:00 pm - WASHINGTON - Does it matter whether a real estate agent charges you a flat commission rate - say 6 percent - or quotes you a flat rate but adds hundreds of dollars on to...
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IRS exemption helps those who receive mortgage debt reductionMar 11, 2010 10:00 pm - WASHINGTON - With the Obama administration and private lenders now actively considering mortgage principal-reduction programs to help financially distressed homeowners, ...
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'Private' transfer fee on home sales can be long-term money machineMar 04, 2010 10:00 pm - WASHINGTON - How about this for a new and ingenious real estate money machine: Every time a house sells during the next 99 years, 1 percent of the price goes back to the...
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Flying blind could cost dearly on a refinance or new mortgageFeb 25, 2010 10:00 pm - WASHINGTON - If you plan to take out a mortgage or refinance anytime soon, you might want to hear this blunt message from federal officials: Don't fly blind. When you're...
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IRS to check documentation carefully for homebuyer tax creditFeb 18, 2010 10:00 pm - WASHINGTON - Despite back-to-back blizzards that shut federal offices for days, the IRS issued new guidance last week on the two tax credit programs that are powering th...
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Recent reports show a surprise turnaround in homeowner equityFeb 11, 2010 10:00 pm - WASHINGTON - With all the bad news about underwater homeowners and strategic walkaways, you might think that American homeowners' equity holdings are in the tank. But th...
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FHA policy change may draw investors back into housing marketJan 28, 2010 10:00 pm - WASHINGTON - Call it three birds with one stone: The federal government hopes simultaneously to help low-down-payment homebuyers, investors who fix up foreclosures, and ...
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If you want that homebuyers tax credit, here's what you needJan 21, 2010 10:00 pm - WASHINGTON - If you've been holding back on getting involved with the new $6,500 federal tax credit for repeat home purchases, there's no more excuse for inaction. You n...
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Lenders attempt to exploit a loophole in new disclosure rulesJan 14, 2010 10:00 pm - WASHINGTON - The federal government's efforts to eliminate settlement cost surprises for home mortgage applicants may have opened the door to a new - and potentially cos...