Thanks to a little-known Texas law, a man found an abandoned $300,000 home, moved his stuff in and filled out some paperwork. …
foreclosure
Your Credit Report: 6 Ways To Raise (or Lower) Your Score
You probably know that having a good credit score is important for your financial stability. What you may not realize is just how good a score you need these days to be considered top-notch by lenders. Banks are aggressively …
Post-Recession Lingo: Need-to-Know Phrases for Today’s Consumers
Adding to the list of post-recession terms such as “unbanked” (individuals without checking or savings accounts), “anti-dowry” (student loan debt holding you back from getting married or buying a house), and “Groupon remorse” …
How to Lose Your Home in Foreclosure, Then Receive a Check
It is possible to lose your house but still wind up getting some money when it’s sold at auction. But many former homeowners miss out, totally unaware of the potential windfall.
The Crappy Housing Market, by the Numbers
This shouldn’t come as news to anyone, but these statistics show just how bad of a time it is to try to sell a house—and also how difficult it is for many homeowners to afford the ones they have.
The Great Coupon-Clipping Heist
Judging by the recent sharp rise in coupon usage, it’s clear that consumers understand coupons can save them money. If you’re willing to partake in less-than-legal activities, coupons can also help you make money—as the case of a Long Island mailman who earned $35K by selling stolen coupons can attest. Talk about “extreme couponing,” right?
The Good News If Mortgage Lenders Are After You
“The banks have been servicing mortgages and chasing delinquents with the same carelessness and indifference to due process that they demonstrated when they underwrote and securitized the mortgages in the first place.”
Will “Foreclosure-gate” Cost the Banks Billions?
Protests of banks’ foreclosure practices are getting new attention (Shannon Stapleton/REUTERS)
The banks’ tab from the housing bust is set to get a lot bigger.
In the past few weeks, state attorneys general and lawyers representing borrowers in danger of losing their homes have uncovered a number of certainly dubious, potentially …
Does Paying Your Mortgage Make You a Good Person, or a Stupid Person?
If your home is underwater—meaning you owe more on your mortgage than the property is now worth—simply walking away may make the most business sense. Considering the ongoing foreclosure mess, it would seem easier than ever to just stop paying the mortgage and enjoy what amounts to “free rent” until the lenders get their paperwork in …
Cheapskate Wisdom from … Vanilla Ice
“O.K., now you can buy a foreclosed, or tax-lien or short-sale home for a lot less than you can build a home.”
19 Surefire Money Savers: Avoid Unnecessary Expenses, Foreclosure, Hidden Fees, Nasty Food, Career Dead Ends, and Jail
It’s not just about avoidance techniques. Also covered: What’s the most economical sandwich to make at home? If you’re thinking PB&J, you’re wrong.
Desperate Economic Times Call for … Desperately Crazy Measures?
Facing foreclosure, one man bulldozed his entire home, while another thought the best means of catching up with the mortgage payments was to set his car on fire. Here’s a roundup of people who have been pushed to the brink by awful financial situations—and who also may have had a few screws loose long before the economy tanked.
