Is it possible that the housing crisis is really just a problem caused by our state of mind, not the state of the economy? Is the thing stopping people from buying houses nothing more than their perceptions? Apparently, to some extent, yes. We are having what, if economists talked like this, could be described as an ... Continue Reading »

There's a surprising new finding that says women get lousier mortgage rates than men, but not because of gender discrimination. It's because instead of shopping around for cheaper loans, they rely on the recommendations of friends. To recap: When it comes to mortgages, women don't shop enough. The report ... Continue Reading »

Why would former Penn State football coach Joe Paterno transfer ownership of his house, worth $594,484, to his wife for $1 in July, unless he knew that he was about to be drawn into the college's sex-abuse scandal, with potential civil lawsuits and damages heading upfield toward him? While his lawyer told The New ... Continue Reading »

Empty houses -- those either awaiting foreclosure or where the owners have moved out for other reasons -- might as well have a "kick me" sign on them. Actually, make that "vandalize me" sign. They are frequently the targets of squatters who move in illegally, scammers who claim they own them and rent them out to ... Continue Reading »

What if you could buy a house for $25,000 in a neighborhood that wasn't a battle-scarred slum and rent it out for $750 a month as soon as the ink was dry on the deal? Where are these deals that let you recapture your investment in just three years and from then on enjoy a steady monthly income from the property? If ... Continue Reading »

This may fall under the category of "too much of a good thing," but there is growing sentiment that the historically low interest rates on mortgages are actually fueling the stagnation of the housing market. By keeping rates low, the hope was that more people would be motivated to buy homes. And when that didn't happen, ... Continue Reading »

Unless you've been living in a cave for the past five years, word surely must have reached you that home values have been declining for a while. Yet 42 percent of the people polled by Zillow recently said they thought home values appreciate by 7 percent a year. Really, people? Even in a normal market, typical ... Continue Reading »

Pearl and Bud Crispell hit the road in their RV the day after they retired in 1976. And for decades, that's where they stayed, living in their 40-foot motor home and traversing the country at will. But, as is the eventual story of all road warriors, the day came when they hit the proverbial dead end. Unable to manage ... Continue Reading »

Oddly, the best way to deal with being upside down on your home mortgage may be to just go out and buy a second house. As housing values spiral down and people increasingly owe more on their loans than their homes are worth, many start to look longingly at a different house -- perhaps something smaller and cheaper ... Continue Reading »

AOL Real Estate asked Utah-based real estate investors Doug Clark and Mike Bard, whose show "Flip Men" premieres this week on Spike TV, for tips on how to flip a foreclosed home. Here's what they had to say to novice investors: 1. Pick a property that is well within your means. Don't allow yourself to get too ... Continue Reading »

Perhaps not everyone shares our belief that Halloween should be declared a national holiday with schools closed and mail delivery halted. But for those who embrace the holiday for what it is -- a chance to dress up in clever costumes and hit up strangers for vast quantities of candy -- AOL Real Estate offers this guide to ... Continue Reading »

Let's hold off blaring the triumphant trumpets just yet for President Obama's plan to allow holders of underwater loans to refinance at a lower rate through revisions in the Home Affordable Refinance Program. What this change does is amend the loan-to-value ratio in a refinance. By removing the cap on how upside-down you ... Continue Reading »

"Why won't the bank just reduce the amount of my loan instead of taking my home and then selling it to someone else for way less than I would have been happy to pay?" It's a question that gets asked repeatedly these days, especially by people who are facing foreclosure or are upside down on their mortgages. ... Continue Reading »

Seventeen-year-old Scottsdale, Ariz., resident Caitlin "Caitie" Hemmerle is up to her eyeballs in debt, including owing $600,000 in mortgage loans and another $100,000 in car loans and credit cards. How did this happen? Easy. Caitie is a victim of child identity theft, a practice that is growing for one simple ... Continue Reading »

Even in a good real estate market -- which this is not -- autumn is when buyers start to nod off before the deep sleep of winter. How does a seller combat the market doldrums this time of year? Here are five tips for getting your house sold before real estate hibernation season sets in. 1. Determine if you really need ... Continue Reading »