If you’re considering buying a house with an FHA mortgage and expect the seller to help out with your closing costs, here’s a heads-up: The Federal Housing Administration plans to impose significant restrictions in the near future on the amount that sellers can contribute at settlements. On top of that, FHA also will be raising its mortgage ins...Read More

In a decision that could have significant effects on the fees that consumers pay in real estate transactions, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that “unearned” fees charged by lenders and other service providers do not violate federal law as long as they are not split with anyone else.

It’s a mortgage problem that is likely to intensify as home-owning baby boomers by the millions shift into retirement: Although they may have significant financial assets tucked away in retirement accounts, their diminished monthly incomes may not be sufficient to meet some lenders’ hyper-strict underwriting rules.

Thousands of condo unit owners and buyers around the country might soon get some welcome news on mortgage financing: Though officials are mum on specifics, the Federal Housing Administration is readying changes to controversial rules that have rendered large numbers of condominium units ineligible for low-down-payment insured mortgages.

It may be the best-kept secret in home real estate: For a couple of hundred dollars, a prospective buyer can add a formal energy audit to the standard inspection.

That audit might save the buyer thousands of dollars in future operating costs by pinpointing features of the house that need correction to improve efficiency. It might also ...Read More

For the estimated 11 million homeowners burdened with an underwater mortgage, a federal policy change could be good news. Starting in June, if you decide to do a short sale to shed your mortgage debt load and avoid foreclosure, you may not have to wait for months to hear back from your bank after submitting an offer from a potential purchaser....Read More

It’s not something that economists routinely track, but it provides a rough sense of what’s happening in local real estate markets. Call it the low-ball index.

A year ago, according to researchers at the National Association of Realtors, one out of 10 members surveyed in a monthly poll complained about low-ball offers on houses listed fo...Read More

A little-noticed mortgage rule change that took effect April 1 could create hassles for significant numbers of homebuyers who plan to use low-down-payment FHA financing this spring.

The change affects anyone with one or more “collection” accounts buried away in national credit bureau files. These include medical, student loan, retail an...Read More

What’s behind the unusually high rate of contract cancellations and settlement delays in the real estate market? With signs of recovery emerging in many parts of the country, shouldn’t deals be zipping along with minimal complications?