Alaska recently amended its law regarding exemptions from mortgage lender, broker, and loan originator licensing requirements to, among other things, exempt bona fide nonprofit organizations and seller-financed lenders from certain requirements.  The changes for bona fide nonprofits will become effective on January 1, 2020.  Seller-financing license exemptions became effective on July 8, 2019. Individual sellers of seller-financed …

New Alaska Law Exempts Seller Mortgages from Certain Mortgage Licensing Requirements Read More »

If you think buying a fixer-upper house is going to save you money, think again, one survey says. Porch.com recently published a survey on turnkey homes versus fixer-uppers and found that even when fixer-upper homeowners stay within their budget, they end up spending about as much as homeowners who purchased a move-in ready house, on average. On average, people who purchased a move-in …

Fixer-upper or move-in ready home? Which one really costs more Read More »

 ATTOM Data Solutions reports that In the first six months of 2019, foreclosures nationally were down 18% from the same period a year ago and down 82% from their peak in the first six months of 2010. But a handful of markets are bucking the trend. Thirty-six of 220 of the largest metro areas have …

Markets Where Foreclosures Are Rising Read More »

Robert Shapiro, the former CEO of the Woodbridge Group of Cos., has pleaded guilty to federal charges related to what prosecutors described as a $1.3 billion real estate loan Ponzi scheme that hurt thousands of investors. Shapiro entered guilty pleas Wednesday to tax evasion and conspiracy charges brought by federal prosecutors in Florida, The Wall Street …

Woodbridge CEO Pleads Guilty, Faces 25 Years In Prison Read More »

The average American wedding costs nearly $39,000. A growing number of newlyweds-to-be are relying less on their families to pay for their dream ceremonies and are instead choosing to go into debt. These young couples, dreaming of “Instagramable’“wedding venues, cigar bars, candy buffets, photo booths and the like, are now spawning a new breed of personal …

5% – 36% Interest Loans — A New Cash Flow Opportunity? Read More »

The Fair Housing Act does not specifically deny a landlord the right to reject an applicant based on a prior conviction or criminal background. However, property managers are increasingly getting sued for refusing to rent to ex-convicts. In Florida, 48 property managers have been sued by one law firm alone this year for refusing to …

Landlords Sued For Not Renting To Ex-Cons Read More »

Big metro cities like San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles are notably absent from realtor.com®’s latest list of the top-performing housing markets in the country. Instead, more suburban areas—like Grand Rapids, Mich., and Omaha, Neb.–are topping the list. Housing affordability has been fueling demand in smaller, more suburban housing markets, realtor.com®’s 2019 hottest ZIP …

10 Hottest Housing Markets Aren’t Where You’d Expect Read More »

He rode around town in a Lexus, Maserati, Range Rover and a Jaguar. He flashed cash at South Florida casinos and funded overseas vacations. He told authorities he “lived with too much luxury.” But it was with other people’s money. A federal judge has sentenced Shayeh Dov to seven years in prison.  He is a …

Yet ANOTHER Note Fraud Read More »

Over the past several years, those who service loans in the State of Washington have seen a dramatic rise in the number of lawsuits in which delinquent borrowers seek to quiet title to their homes on the grounds that lenders are barred from foreclosing based on Washington’s six-year statute of limitations. Historically, these lawsuits allege that the …

Time-Barred Foreclosures and the Statute of Limitations In WA State Read More »

by Christopher Winkler, Manager, Silverwood Capital Fund I http://silverwoodcapitalfund.com Interesting article by Diana Olick (@DIANAOLICK) over @ CNBC.com that talks about most Millennial buyers remorse after purchasing a home. Almost 2/3 had regrets in one way or another, compared to 44% of US homeowners who have regrets. Some of the reasons are: Repairs & Maintenance: …

Another Mortgage Storm Brewing? Read More »