Entries by The KCM Crew

Time to Buy a House? What People Actually Believe

When determining people’s feelings about buying a house, we prefer to trust polls and surveys which report on what people are actually thinking instead of taking the word of a ‘talking head’ on television or a newspaper trying to draw subscribers. A perfect example: the three separate surveys which have come out in the last few […]

How Much Money Would You Deposit In This Investment?

Conventional wisdom does not always apply. Consider this investment: You determine the length of time and monthly amount you want to contribute. You can always contribute more, but never less. If you do contribute less, all previous contributions will be forfeited. The monies you deposit are not safe from a loss of principal. The monies […]

Homeownership: Building Family Wealth

The question facing many families making a move today is whether it makes more sense to rent or buy. We have been very upfront in discussing our unwavering belief in homeownership. It is for that reason that today we want to quote from a study issued by an institution with no ties to the real […]

The 4 C’s of Mortgage Underwriting

With Spring upon us, and new buyers out looking for houses, I thought today might be a good time to review the basics of what lenders look for as they decide to approve (or deny) mortgage applications. For at least 25 years, I have heard them called “The 4 C’s of Underwriting”- Capacity, Credit, Cash, […]

Foreclosures: Are They Increasing or Decreasing?

There seems to be much confusion about the number of distressed properties which are currently entering the housing market. This inventory has a tremendous impact on pricing in any particular region. For this reason, we want to bring a little clarity to the situation. Mortgage delinquencies are decreasing and foreclosures are increasing. Still confused? Let […]

Renting: Truly a Better Option?

After the last five years, more and more people are hesitant about purchasing a home. We definitely understand their concern. However, is the alternative option actually a better choice? Renting in the current housing market might not make good financial sense. Just this week the Harvard University Joint Center for Housing Studies released a report […]

Should You Get a Second Opinion?

Buying and/or financing a home are major decisions for anyone. We all look for referrals from friends, family and co-workers who have gone through the process successfully. But we wonder… “Are there geographical differences?” “Has the market changed since they did their transaction?” “How has the ever-changing technology impacted real estate since their closing?” “Are […]

An Open Letter to President Obama (and Congress)

Dear Mr. President, It was great to hear you talk about your vision for our country recently. Your words touched me: So this is our vision for America — this is my vision for America — a vision where we live within our means while still investing in our future; where everyone makes sacrifices but no […]

Is It Time to Diversify Your Investment Portfolio?

Studies now show that over 20% of the houses with mortgages in the country are underwater (where the loan amount exceeds the value of the property). Some bought their house at the top of the market and saw prices come tumbling down over the last few years. Losing this value has caused challenges for many […]

Foreclosures: Bringing Clarity to the Confusion

Headlines created by the numerous foreclosure reports often contradict each other. One headline announces foreclosures are rising while the next talks about the decrease in foreclosure numbers. This has led to tremendous confusion regarding the issue. Let’s bring some clarity to the data. There are five individual stages of the foreclosure process that are reported: […]

5 Reasons To Hurry Up And Get Your FHA Mortgage

With the likely installation of QRM looming, it is clear that FHA mortgages will clearly become more popular merely because of the lesser down payment requirements. And as we have all learned, when the demand for something goes up, and the supply remains constant, prices go UP…that is, it becomes more expensive. Talking Point One […]

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QRM: The Other Side of the Argument

There is little doubt that the ease in which mortgage money was issued early in the last decade was one of the major reasons for the housing crash. What constitutes a ‘quality residential mortgage’ (QRM) definitely should  be redefined. However, several organizations see the newly suggested guidelines going too far. The newly proposed QRM definition offered by the government […]

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Why the Wealthy Are Buying

We have taken the stance that real estate is currently a great investment. There have been MANY that have let us know that they think we are crazy. Today, let’s look at a few prominent people, media sources and one very important group that agree that now is the time to buy. Fortune Magazine and The […]

4 Financial Reasons to Buy Now

As Dean Hartman said last week, the purchase of a home is a personal decision. However, we want to give everyone four great financial reasons why you should not wait before taking the plunge into homeownership. Interest Rates Are Increasing Interest rates have increased almost 3/4 of a point in the last six months. Most […]