Federal Home Buying Support Still Wanted

According to a new poll by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), Americans remain strongly committed to federal support for home buyers.

Roughly 68 percent of those polled said the government should continue to support housing, and 65 percent believe the government should be doing more to keep families from losing their homes to foreclosure.

The poll included both home owners and renters and was conducted for the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) by RT Strategies, a non-partisan public opinion polling firm based in Washington, D.C. RT Strategies interviewed a representative sample of 1,000 adults nationwide by telephone using live interviewers on January 29-31, 2010. The sample included 170 interviews with respondents from cell-phone-only households.

Among those polled, some key groups said the government should continue to play a vital role in maintaining a healthy housing market. For example, 78 percent of all potential home buyers, including 81 percent of renters intending to buy a home in the near future, said the government should continue to support housing.

Roughly 65 percent of home owners said the government also needs to do more to keep families from losing their homes. Support for more foreclosure protection was not confined merely to current home owners.  Among renters, 84 percent said the government needs to do more to helped strapped borrowers. This issue is particularly important to women, with 71 percent supporting greater foreclosure protection, compared to 58 percent of men.

Financial concerns continue to be the greatest barrier to growth in the housing market.  Among renters nationwide who aspire to own their own home, 39 percent simply don't have the money to buy a home at this time, and another 20 percent said the primary obstacle is that they feel they cannot qualify for a loan. Larger economic issues also play a role, as 18 percent said that job security is the greatest obstacle they face in trying to buy a home.

We'd love to hear from you in response to this survey. Do you think the government should be doing more to keep families from losing their homes to foreclosure? What about government assistance in buying a home, such as the first time home buyer tax credit? Let us hear from you by clicking on the comment link below.

Ways to Save on Home Remodeling

Here are some simple tips to help you save money when remodelng your home.

Have any other interesting ways to save money on home remodeling costs? Share them with our readers by leaving us a comment below. We'd love to hear your ideas.

Ways To Get More Money From Your Home

The freefall in home prices may be over, but the buyers' market persists–there's stiff competition to get a house sold for a good price. In a competitive market sellers need to make every effort for their properties to appear more attractive so they sell for more.

Believe it or not, it's the simple touches–not the big renovations–that often matter the most. HomeGain surveyed 1,000 real estate agents last year to determine which home repairs offer the biggest rewards. After ranking for return on investment, the survey found that cleaning and de-cluttering–including removing personal possessions, polishing woodwork and glass and removing excess furniture–is the most important. Spending $100 to $200 tidying up can increase a home price by $1,500 to $2,000.

Certain renovations can also add value, but they don't have to be major overhauls. One simple suggestion would be to install a new front door. It's an inexpensive exterior improvement. Also consider replacing worn-out siding. New fiber-cement siding will generate the best return on investment, but vinyl siding will work for those with smaller budgets.

Pre-sale home inspections have gained traction in the down real estate market because sellers are trying anything and everything to outdo one another. With a heavy supply of houses on the resale market, a pre-sale inspection can provide extra assurance that there won't be any surprises after signing the sale contract.

Sellers needing to move quickly should remain focused on the basics, neutral paint jobs and replacing or cleaning carpets. That could be the difference between a signed contract and the for-sale sign remaining on the lawn.

Were Your Loan Documents Forged?

It is estimated that there are more than 9 million people who are in foreclosure today with the numbers of foreclosures increasing by the day. There is a silver lining for some of them. Documents pertaining to some home loans were not correct and in some instances were even forged. In such circumstances these homeowners have a chance of getting their foreclosures waived.

Only those who have an in-depth knowledge about property laws and loan regulations will be able to figure out who might qualify. The loan papers are thoroughly examined by these professionals and checked for any discrepancy. There are certain laws pertaining to mortgages that must be adhered to. It is a violation of law if an omission or error is made by the agents of the lender or the lender themselves. It is here where the experts take over.

After checking the loan audits, they note any violations in the loan documents. They use the same to initiate litigation with the lender in question. In such situations the lender will be held accountable for laws and/or loan documents that may have been fudged. On completion of the audit and identification of the loan violations, the organization will help you through US legal advisors to find an attorney who can assist you to follow up the case with any requisite legal action required against the lender.

If you think your loan may have been forged in any way, it might be time to take action and save yourself from the impending threat of foreclosure. Before your lender terminates you of your rights through foreclosure and takes over your property, you should file a case against them if you suspect fraud in any way, and it can be verified.

Help Arrives for Distressed Homeowners

Help could soon arrive for homeowners who don’t have the financial resources to make their mortgage loan payments. Mortgage rates and home prices could become a distant memory, while releasing owners from any liability.

One of the nation's largest mortgage servicer providers, CitiMortgage, just launched a new program aimed at helping homeowners facing home foreclosure.

Instead of allowing borrowers to fall further behind on their mortgage loans each month - ending in foreclosure, it will allow owners to stay in their homes for up to six months if they agree to hand over the deed of their home.

The program targets borrowers who are already seriously delinquent, having missed at least three monthly mortgage loan payments. Typically those homes are most at risk of falling into foreclosure in the housing market. By giving the house back to the lender, in a transaction called a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure, the lender saves considerable expenses, especially on legal fees.

CitiMortgage will pay borrowers a minimum of 1,000 dollars to help with relocation expenses. It will also provide relocation counseling, and may even cover some monthly property expenses while the borrowers remain in their homes. It will also forgive any difference between the value of the home at time of repossession, and what the borrower owes. Once the deed goes back to the lender, the borrowers walk away free and clear.

In return, borrowers must agree to keep the homes in good condition and to meet with trained relocation professionals every couple of months to facilitate their final moves. It says the program is ideally suited for borrowers considering walking away from their mortgage.

How to Qualify for the Program:

* First mortgage must be with CitiMortgage.
* Homeowners must be living in the home.
* Must be delinquent on mortgage payments by at least 90 days.
* No second mortgage.

The pilot program is starting in six states: Texas, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey and Ohio. If it works in those states, CitiMortgage says it will open the program to the rest of the country.

Stay tuned, we'll keep you informed on how this test program works out, and if it is to be expanded nationwide.