Charity Shehtanian's (charitys) Blog

Many renters may have the income to qualify for the payment on a home, but the tough issue is coming up with the money for the down payment.    And with the $8000 First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit deadline only a few months away,  you may be looking for ways to save money faster.  Here are a few g...

Just received a call from a first time home buyer (FTHB) that has just got a contract accepted to purchase a new home. He has been preapproved with two of the largest banks in the country. He called some friends because he was so excited to share the news. They asked him to give me a call. He cal...

Selecting the Best Loan Officer for You About a week ago, I received a call from a client in the process of purchasing her very first home.  Her friend is also a first time home buyer, but the friend is a little farther along with the home purchase transaction and had just gone in to sign the loa...

Are you looking to purchase a foreclosure or fixer property?  Or are you looking to remodel your current home?  Money has gotten very tight as sources for Home Equity Loans have dried up and construction loans are hard to find and/or qualify for. FHA has just increased the loans limits on their 2...

Have you been wanting to purchase a home but just can't seem to get enough money saved for the down payment?  As the prices of homes has been slipping, lenders have made getting a loan to purchase a home more difficult.  Fortunately FHA has finally increased the loan limits in the Bay Area to ref...

It's a great time to buy, and certainly the temptation is out there to fool lenders.   I have heard rumors that this was going on and even had a past client call me inquiring about doing it, and I completely backed away.  Thank goodness because participating in this new form of fraud could really...

It's no mystery to anyone in the real estate business that the last 2 years have brought about huge changes in the mortgage market.  As home prices continue to decline, lenders have reduced the LTV to which they will lend, and if the market is marked as declining, an additional 5% reduction on th...

You see the advertising on TV, you hear the ads on the radio, the Fed has cut interest rates, rates are down. Call now to refinance.  The news people speculate about the fed cutting rates and this starts the discussion around the water cooler at work that now isn't the time to refinance.  The Fed...