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Archive for June, 2007

Could this happen again?

Fascinating newsreel piece from the 1930s about the housing downturn and subsequent recovery. I like the same scene: Without giving away the punchline, compare the size of the downpayment required to the purchase price for the home. And compare it…n Read More…

Port Madison, Bainbridge Island

When you’re looking for a good restaurant, it can help to ask where the locals like to eat. This can also be a good rule of thumb when looking… Read More…

Reverse mortgage lets you tap into home equity

Like millions of Americans, Bill and Helen Bluett’s greatest financial asset is their home, a Spanish-style dwelling just one-quarter of… Read More…

Pick finance plan that suits you for that remodel

New bathrooms, an updated kitchen, a finished attic …modeling-project choices are many. So how do you finance them? Fortunately, there are also… Read More…

What commission for agent covers

Q: My cousin recommended that I use his real-estate agent to sell my home. This agent plans to do exactly the same things to sell my house… Read More…

Back to future financing still works

If real-estate finance is the art of the possible, what’s possible right now for homebuyers and sellers worried about rising mortgage rates… Read More…

“All loans affordable” idea has a downside

Note: This is Part 2 of a two-part series. A widespread view held by bank regulators, community groups and some legislators is that all… Read More…

Concrete houses | They cost more to buy, but owners will see savings in monthly bills

You usually can’t spot a concrete house when you’re standing outside or even inside one. Laura and David Owen didn’t know that the two-story… Read More…

KB Home builds smaller, affordable homes (AP)

AP - KB Home is discovering that less could be more when it comes to luring skittish buyers in a housing slump. In recent months, the company has rolled out a new line of smaller, more affordable homes that it hopes will jump-start sagging sales. Read More…

Alarms Sound on Dangerous Loans

There’s a marketing blitz underway aimed at the homeowner in denial — the one missing mortgage payments, dodging calls from the lender and hoping for the best. Read More…