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Real Estate & Homes
Five Million Homeowners Underwater. How Many Will Walk Away?
It is estimated that by June, about 10% of all homeowners with mortgages will owe more than their homes are worth. With strategic defaults on the rise, many homeowners who actually do keep paying the mortgage each month are increasingly feeling like suckers. Are we headed for a mass default?
Shout Out: ‘Family Budget Boot Camp’
Parenting magazine paired up three financial advisors with three families that have serious financial troubles. They’ve all been blogging about the experience since October. There’s plenty of good advice to be gathered from the posts, but what’s most fascinating is that these stories are really real.
Plausible? The Government Wants You in Debt
Do government policies make it much easier to be a spender rather than a saver?
New High School Class Schedule: Algebra, Bio, Phys. Ed., English, 401(k)
More states are requiring high school students to take personal finance classes in order to graduate—which seems like a pretty good idea, considering that based on what’s happened lately in the world of real estate and consumer debt, kids aren’t likely to be absorbing good financial lessons at home.
Double Standard: Of Morals and Mortgages
You’ve probably heard that a high-profile realty group that had agreed to pay $5.4 billion for a New York City housing complex just announced it was not going to make good on its loans. You might describe the (former) owners as misguided, stupid, or unfortunate. You probably wouldn’t think of calling them immoral. So why is the average …
DIY Veterinarian? DIY Home Construction? DIY Laser Hair Removal?
Not long ago, people were pretty likely to have money but no time. Now, chances are that the reverse is true. And if you have time but not money, taking on some DIY projects makes total sense. Why pay a professional for work that you can do yourself?
Why Renting Is Stupid, and Why Selling a Home Now Is Even Worse
Suck it up. Stop whining about your underwater mortgage, and stop thinking that renting is a better alternative to owning a home.
Bad Credit: Not So Bad After All?
The authors of a new book make the case that life can be good—great, even—while your credit score is in the dumps. In spite of bad credit, you can still buy a home, take a vacation, start a business, and most importantly, not be depressed all the time. And the writers should know what they’re talking about: One of the authors had to …
Save Money Simply By Timing Your Purchases Right
It’s all in the timing: When supply is high and demand is low, you can save a ton on everything from cars to sneakers, furniture to homes. So when are the optimal times to buy?
Housing Market: Buyer Really Beware
It’s no secret that home sellers are having difficulty enticing buyers to step up with decent offers, or any offers for that matter. And in a market where buyers are in the driver’s seat, desperate sellers are more likely than ever to lie to make the home seem more desirable.
What’s the State of Our Union? Thrifty, for One Thing
A new infographic from the The Atlantic cites a mess of stats that indicate Americans can be described as twitchy, suspicious, admired, filthy, and thrifty, among other adjectives. Just how thrifty are we? In 2009, 42.8% of groceries were sold on promotion, and 2.4 billion coupons were redeemed, up 26% from the year before.