Mortgage rates dip to lowest level of the year

Washington Post, Saturday, May 15, 2010

Mortgage rates fell this week to the lowest level of the year. The drop was caused by a high demand for U.S. government securities, which closely track mortgage rates, as investors fled risky European debt. READ MORE

Housing inventory down, prices up in D.C. area

By Dina ElBoghdady,Washington Post Staff Writer,
May 17, 2010

The glut of homes for sale in the Washington area has shrunk dramatically since the housing market’s darkest days in 2008, and supply is now close to healthy in some spots. READ MORE

Planning out your home building can save money, but maybe not time

Dina ElBoghdady, Washington Post Staff Writer, May 15, 2010

When Larry Bradford started shopping for a home, he was surprised by what he described as the lack of choices in the Fairfax City neighborhoods he was eyeing. READ MORE

EPA rules on lead paint in home renovations will soon take effect

By Deborah K. Dietsch, The Washington Post, Saturday, April 17, 2010
Hiring someone to renovate your older home is about to become more complicated and expensive. Starting on Earth Day, April 22, contractors working on almost all homes built before 1978 must prove they have the Environmental Protection Agency’s stamp of approval to do the work — or face fines of up to $37,500 a day. READ MORE

Home Builder Hovnanian Swings to Profit

By JOHN KELL, Wall Street Journal, March 2, 2010

Hovnanian Enterprises Inc. swung to a fiscal first-quarter profit as the company became the latest home builder to benefit from a federal tax credit while reporting fewer write-downs and its lowest cancellation rate since 2005. READ MORE

Mansions go modular as costs, timeline lure high-end buyers

By Lisa Rein, Washington Post Staff Writer, Thursday, March 4, 2010

One day in February, it was an empty, snow-covered lot in Bethesda. In 32 hours, the property held a six-bedroom, six-and-a-half-bath French country mansion with a walkout basement.
READ MORE

Looking to refinance? Ask yourself these four crucial questions

By Ilyce R. Glink and Samuel J. Tamkin, The Washington Post, Saturday, March 6, 2010

Q: We want to refinance our home loan. We are at 5.75 percent and might be able to get 4.85 percent on a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage. We would save $87 to $104 per month, and we are thinking about adding extra money each month to pay off the loan faster. READ MORE

The recession has hurt many people’s credit scores. How to fix it?

By Kimberly Lankford, Special to The Washington Post,Saturday, March 6, 2010

The recession may have done a number on your credit score, even if it spurred you to reform spendthrift ways and cut up your credit cards. For many, the drops have come at the same time that lenders have tightened their standards and demanded higher scores to get the best interest rates. READ MORE

Home-buying resolutions for the new year

By Ilyce R. Glink and Samuel J. Tamkin, Saturday, December 19, 2009, Washington Post
If you’re planning to buy a house in 2010, here’s my annual list of New Year’s resolutions you should consider making. READ MORE