Ki's Austin Real Estate Blog

Getting to the bottom of the financial crisis of the last two years has begun in earnest. The bipartisan Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, made up of private citizens with extensive financial sector backgrounds, has been given the job of unraveling the cause of the biggest financial meltdown s...

Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae are common names associated with federal lending and home loans. They have offerings that stem from no down payment home loans to helping dislocated residents of disaster areas, to providing assistance to the elderly. If you are any age and are considering a...

The politics of punishment are tricky. Take the playground, for example. The boy in the striped shirt not only pushed your child out of the way at the top of the slide, but also gives your child a good kick for his efforts when he reaches the bottom. You can comfort your own child, but you can't ...

The 30 year rate fell from 5.06 to 4.99 this week. This marks the 3rd week in a row where rates have fallen. Although rates have been falling they are still quite a bit off the all time low of 4.71 we saw on December 3, 2009. That said it's nice to see rates falling again. Looking at other rates ...

There are certain instances where it would be an advantage for you to refinance your home. Even in the midst of a down economy, homeowners are finding lower interest rates and opportunities to incorporate balances on high-interest unsecured debt to a lower interest rate home loan. Some homeowners...

Three programs are available to assist homebuyers to purchase a home that the federal government considers rural property. Rural Housing Loans, Rural Housing: Farm Labor Housing Loans and Grants and Rural Housing: Housing Repair Loans and Grants all enable eligible loan applicants to purchase or ...

For those who are desperate to keep their homes, a strong message of hope is tempting in trying times. Companies that tout ads of guarantees to stop foreclosure on your home, when you are just about to lose it, makes you want to pick up the phone and call them for help. Many that spout exaggerate...

Mortgage rates moved up drastically during the month of December with 30 year rates rising from 4.81 to 5.14. During the first two weeks of January we have seen mortgage rates pull back slightly falling from 5.14 to 5.09 the first week and 5.09 to 5.06 the second week. We also saw the 15 year rat...

Who isn't interested in the luxury homes of the rich and famous? They have such a flair for the fantastic. No doubt, you'll discover innovations that you never would have thought to build into your own home. From Hollywood actors to people in politics, you'll find the famous do their due diligenc...

If you are falling behind on your mortgage payment, your first act needs to be to contact your lender. Talk to them about your circumstances and find out what options are available to you. Oftentimes, lenders won't reveal what programs they have available, until they receive what they call a work...