Florida real estate website

Venice Florida real estate Sarasota FL real estate - Christy Middleton Your Venice Florida real estate expert serving real estate in Venice Osprey Nokomis sarasota and Siesta Key Each Office Independently Owned & Operated 1314 East Venice Avenue Venice, Florida 34285 Office: Christy: Angie: Home Ofc: Fax: (941) 954-5454 (941) 468-2296 (941) 650-2883 (941) 966-7808 (941) 918-0631 middleton-team@venicefl-realestate.com Introducing Our Team Search for Homes Visitor's Guide Our Buyer Services Our Seller Services ABC's of Real Estate Request Free Info Site Map TEAM Middleton is the RE / MAX Properties professional real estate team in the Sarasota real estate and Venice real estate markets including Siesta Key, Lido Key, Casey Key, Longboat Key & St Armands Key. We list and sell golf course and waterfront homes and condos for families, seniors and retirees in the Sarasota - Bradenton - Venice Florida area including Longboat Key Siesta Key & Casey Key. We spend a great deal of time showing and selling Venice real estate; both resale and new-construction homes in the many new planned communities throughout Sarasota County, FL. Information provided here is believed to be accurate & timely but is not warranted. This Venice Florida real estate website best viewed at 800 x 600 screen resolution. © 2003 - 2005 All names & logos are the property of their respective owners. All Rights Reserved. Website design & hosting by Steel Toed Other Real Estate Resources: Real Estate Resource Directory Real Estate Resources AL - AR Real Estate Resources - CA Real Estate Resources CO - DE Real Estate Resources FL - GA Real Estate Resources HI - MO Real Estate Resources MN - SC Real Estate Resources SD - WY Mortgage and Int'l Real Estate Resources Other Real Estate Resources Florida Realtors Reals.com LinkPartners.com National REALTOR Directory RealEstate4.com - The Largest Real Estate Directory Real-Estate-Agents.com InternetRealtyNetwork.com We participate in the World City Pages Siesta Key Florida Program We Buy Ugly houses for cash Click below to vote for this as a "Hot Site." Indexed by State

Home Mortgage Insurance U.S.

FCIC: The Guide to Single Family Home Mortgage Insurance Return to Federal Citizen Information Center Home Page Printer-friendly page -- Guide To Single Family Home Mortgage Insurance U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Housing Office of Single Family Housing www.hud.gov espanol.hud.gov Revised February 2005 Becoming a Homeowner Many people in the United States dream of owning their own homes,but few are able to pay cash for them. Many individuals and families whocould not otherwise afford to own a home become homeowners with thehelp of the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgage insurance programs. FHA is a part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) . One of the chief purposes of FHA is to help people obtain financing to buy their homes. This booklet can help homebuyers understand how they can make use of FHA mortgage insurance programs. It explains: How FHA mortgage insurance works Who can get FHA mortgage insurance How to shop for a HUD-approved lender How to apply for an FHA-insured mortgage loan What restrictions apply to FHA-insured mortgage loans Buying a home is the biggest single purchase that most people will make in their lifetimes. Most people borrow money through a mortgage loan to buy a home. Some people reduce the amount of money they borrow by making a large downpayment on the loan to buy a home. Persons who do not have money for a large downpayment may need the help of an FHA-insured mortgage to get a loan. MortgageA legal document that promises a property to the lender as security for payment of a debt. Here is more information about mortgage loans. DownpaymentThe part of the purchase price that a buyer pays in cash and is not included in the mortgage. How FHA Mortgage Insurance Works FHAs mortgage insurance programs help low- and moderate-incomeindividuals and families obtain financing to buy homes or refinance theircurrent mortgages. FHA mortgage insuranceallows a homebuyer to make a low downpaymentand get a mortgage loan for the balance ofthe purchase price. The mortgage loan is made by a HUDapproved lender, such as a bank, mortgage company, or credit union. FHA insures the mortgage and pays the lender if the homebuyer defaults on the loan, or fails to repay the loan. FHA/HUD does not make direct loans to people who want to buy, build, or refinance homes. Who Can Get FHA Mortgage Insurance If you are buying a home, refinancing a mortgage for a home youalready own, or making home improvements, you may qualify for anFHA-insured mortgage. In fact, almost anyone who has a satisfactory credit record, enough cash to close the loan, and sufficient steady income to make monthly mortgage payments can be approved for an FHA-insured mortgage. There is no upper age limit and no certain income level required, although individual mortgage amounts are limited by law. Generally, homebuyers must live in the home in order to get an FHA-insured mortgage loan. The program is not open to investors. To find a HUD-approved housing counseling agency near you, call the HUD housing counseling and referral line toll-free at 1-800-569-4287 or visit the HUD website at www.hud.gov . To find a HUD-approved lender , search online at www.hud.gov . You can also find lending institutions in the yellow pages of the telephone directory under the heading Mortgages. To find out if you qualify for an FHA-insured mortgage loan, youshould visit a HUD-approved housing counseling agency or a HUD-approved lender , such as a bank, credit union, or mortgage company. The housing counselor or lender will look at certain information about your income and spending to determine if you qualify. Federal law prohibits housing discrimination based on your race, color, national origin, religion, sex, family status, or disability. How FHA Mortgage Insurance Can Help You Whether you are buying a home, making home improvements, or refinancingyour current mortgage, you should work with a HUD-approvedlendersuch as a bank, a mortgage company, or a credit unionto applyfor a mortgage loan.Once your loan isapproved, FHA willinsure the loan and paythe lender if you defaulton the mortgage.Because the lender isprotected by this insurance,the lender cangive you better termson your loan. A lower downpayment Some lenders require borrowers to pay 10 percent or more of the price of a home in cash as a downpayment. With FHA-insured mortgages, your downpayment can be as low as 3 percent. The lender will likely require you to prove that you have enough money for the loan downpayment. Use of cash gifts toward downpayment With an FHA-insured mortgage, under certain circumstances you can use a gift from a relative, a local nonprofit organization, or a government agency for all or part of the downpayment and closing costs. The Kinds of Homes Covered by FHA Mortgage Insurance FHA-insured mortgages are available in urban and rural areas for: Single family houses Houses with two, three, or four units Condominium units Houses needing rehabilitation In addition, FHA-insured mortgages are available for reverse mortgages for seniors, called a Home Equity Conversion Mortgage . To make sure that its programs serve low- and moderate-income people, FHA sets upper limits on the dollar value of the mortgage loan. These limits change every year and vary by city and state. Check with a local lender or look online on HUDs website, www.hud.gov . Shopping for an FHA-Insured Loan Since buying a home is one of the most important purchases you willmake in your lifetime, HUD recommends you visit a HUD-approved housing counseling agency where a counselor can help you compare loansand give you homebuying tips. You can find counseling agencies by callingthe HUD housing counseling and referral line toll-free at 1-800-569-4287 or visiting the HUD website at www.hud.gov . You can also findHUD-approved lenders on the HUD website. Your house hunting and homebuying experience can be easier when you become pre-qualified for a loan. To become pre-qualified, you will complete a pre-qualification loan application. When a lender pre-qualifies you, the lender tells you the maximum amount of money you can borrow to buy a home. With that information, you can spend your time looking at homes that you can afford rather than ones that are too expensive. Some lenders may charge a fee for pre-qualification, so you should ask about fees and compare two or more lenders. You should shop for an FHA-insured mortgage loan the same way you shop for any high-cost itemcompare prices and features. The cost of getting a mortgage can vary from one lender to another, so compare these features when you are comparing lenders: Interest rate Discount points Closing costs and other fees Annual percentage rate FHA/HUD does not set the amounts for the above factors. You can negotiate with the lender and come to agreement on the interest rate, points, and most processing fees. Interest Rate You can negotiate with your lender on the interest rate that you will pay for your mortgage. Interest rates fluctuate daily, depending on conditions in the mortgage market. FHA recommends that you check with several mortgage lenders to make sure you get the best interest rate available. Discount Points Lenders can charge you discount points when the interest rate is lower than the yield required by investors who buy mortgage securities. A discount point is $1 for every $100 of the mortgage loan amount. The number of points charged varies in different places at different times and among different lenders. Discount points for an FHA-insured mortgage may be paid by you as the homebuyer, by the homebuilder, or by the person selling the house. Closing Costs and Prepaid Items When your loan is finalized, you will have to pay closing costs. Closing costs are costs in addition to the price of the property that are paid when you close your loan to cover the transfer of ownership. A mortgage loan is made up of two parts: principal and inter- est. Principal is the amount of money borrowed to buy your home. Interest is the amount paid for the privilege of borrowing the money and paying it back later, usually over 30 years. When the borrower pays the mortgage each month, some of the amount goes toward paying the principal and some toward interest. Equity is an owner's financial interest in a property. It is the difference between the amount still owed on the mortgage loan and the fair market value of the property. Closing costs are generally made up of thefollowing: Closing agents or attorney fees Interest paid from date of closing through the end of the month of closing Loan origination fee to cover lender administrative costs Credit report fees Appraisal fees Recording fees Survey fee First mortgage insurance premium Title insurance (yours and your lenders) Certain of these closing costs, as well as certain of the prepaid items listed below, may be paid by the seller, or shared between the borrower and the seller, depending on the terms of the sales contract. Prepaids are advance payments (property taxes, first annual premium for homeowners insurance, etc.) made at closing by the borrower that may be placed in an escrow account and used by the lender to pay these bills as they become due. The property tax you will pay is the amount that the state or locality, or both, assesses as a tax on your piece of property based on the value. While the property taxes due at closing are usually covered in your prepaids, your mortgage payment will also include an amount to pay future taxes as assessed by your state or locality. These tax rates vary by area and typically increase over time. Homeowners insurance combines hazard insurance and lia- bility insurance. Hazard insurance covers property damage caused by fire, wind, storms, and other similar events. Coverage for earthquakes and floods may or may not be included with hazard insurance, and you should check with your insurance carrier to determine if this is included in your policy. Liability insurance coverage protects you against claims alleging negligence or inappropriate action resulting in bodily injury or property damage. Annual Percentage Rate The Truth in Lending Act requires the lender to tell you the annualpercentage rate (APR) charged on your home mortgage. The annual percentagerate is calculated by adding the interest rate, the discount points,the initial service charge, the premium paid to insure the mortgage, andcertain other charges collected by the lender. The APR is not the sameas the mortgage loan interest rate. The Cost of FHA Mortgage Insurance When you get a mortgage loan insured by FHA, you have to pay an up-front insurance premium, which can be included in the loan you get through a lender. You will also have to pay a monthly insurance premium that is added to the regular mortgage payment. FHA uses the premiums to pay the lender if you default on your mortgage. The Importance of Getting a Home Inspection Buying a home is one of the most important purchases you will make in your lifetime, so you should be sure that the home you want to buy is in good condition. A home inspection is an evaluation of a homes condition by a trained expert. During a home inspection, a qualified inspector takes an in-depth and impartial look at the property you plan to buy. The inspector will: Evaluate the physical condition: the structure, construction, and mechanical systems. Identify items that should be repaired or replaced. Estimate the remaining useful life of the major systems (such as electrical, plumbing, heating, air conditioning), equipment, structure, and finishes. After the inspection is complete, you will receive a written report of the findings from the home inspector, usually within five to seven days. FHA does not guarantee the value or condition of your future home, and FHA does not perform home inspections. If you find problems with your new home after closing, FHA cannot give or lend you money for repairs, nor can it buy the home back from you. Thats why it is so important for you, the buyer, to get an independenthome inspection. You should remember that an inspection is differentfrom an appraisal, which also will be performed as part of the mortgageprocess. Ask a qualified home inspector to thoroughly examine the physicalcondition of your future home and give you the information you needto make a wise decision. Information Resources You may want more information for yourself, your family, or others.The following services are available to help you. Internet www.hud.gov or espanol.hud.gov HUDs website contains comprehensive information about homebuying, homeownership, selling a home, making home improvements, and other housing-related topicsin English and Spanish. HUD-Approved Housing Counseling Agency Locator HUD supports a network of approved housing counseling agencies that provide counseling services across the nation. For a complete list of HUDapproved agencies in your area, call the HUD housing counseling referral line toll-free at 1-800-569-4287 or visit the HUD website at www.hud.gov. HUD-Approved Lenders A searchable database of HUD-approved lenders, including banks, mortgage companies, and credit unions, is available on the HUD website at www.hud.gov. HUD Customer Service Center 1-800-767-7468 (TTY: 1-800-877-8339) https://webapps1.hud.gov/dds/ Most of the information products developed by HUD are available from HUDs Customer Service Center by calling toll-free 1-800-767-7468 (TTY: 1-800-877-8339) weekdays between 8:00 a.m. and 5:15 p.m. EST. Written requests should be addressed to: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Customer Service Center Room B-100 451 Seventh Street, SW Washington, DC 20410 You may fax requests to (202) 708-2313. Return to Federal Citizen Information Center Home Page Printer-friendly page --

Colorado Real Estate

State of Colorado-Department of Regulatory Agencies - Division of Real Estate Home Page Debbie Campagnola Director To promote a balanced and sensible approach to regulation that protects the public interest and supports economic growth. Information about Appraisers Information about Brokers Activities || Funding Sources || Trends Activities The Division of Real Estate regulates real estate appraisers, salespersons and brokers through licensure and discipline. Licensees must comply with established educational and experience requirements, and pass a test prior to licensure. Earnest money deposits and escrow and trust funds are regulated by the Division. The Division's objectives are to: Provide public protection to the citizens of the State of Colorado from incompetent and dishonest persons in the real estate and appraiser professions, and from unscrupulous or financially unsound subdivision developers. Mitigate financial loss to the public resulting from real estate fraud and theft. The objectives are met through the following activities: I. Licensing real estate brokers and appraisers and registering time share and raw land subdivision developers under the jurisdiction of the Real Estate Commission. II. Enforcing laws by investigating complaints, conducting investigative and routine financial audits, and administering disciplinary action. III. Administering a mandatory Errors and Omissions Insurance Program. IV. Communicating, to include anticipating and responding to the public need for effective information and assistance. The Division regulates time share projects sold in Colorado, and regulates developers of subdivisions consisting of 20 or more residential sites, tracts or lots that are not required to be approved by another state planning authority. A five-member Commission meets monthly to conduct rule making hearings, make policy decisions, consider licensing matters, review complaints and take disciplinary action against licensees. Commission members serve three-year terms, and members are appointed as follows: three real estate brokers, one person with expertise in subdivision development, and one public member. License verification can be found on line through the License Database. For information regarding disciplinary actions consult the online Disciplinary Documents . Persons wishing to file a complaint against a licensee should send a written complaint to the Division. See Complaint Process. The Division also regulates real estate appraisers pursuant to the requirements of the Federal Real Estate Appraisal Reform Amendments of the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989. The Board of Real Estate appraisers consists of seven members appointed by the Governor: three licensed or certified appraisers, one of whom must have expertise in eminent domain, a county assessor, an officer or employee of a commercial bank experienced in real estate lending, and two public members. Board members serve three-year terms. Funding Sources The Division of Real Estate is cash funded from fees pursuant to Colorado statute. Fees are paid for licensure or registration in the real estate and appraiser professions. Fee amounts are established annually for the purpose of covering direct and indirect costs incurred by the Division for licensing and enforcement. Fiscal Year Revenue Expenditures FY 03 (Actual) $3,825,954 $3,953,316 FY 04 (Actual) $3,258,895 $3,798,301 FY 05 (Actual) $4,733,079 $4,116,100 FY 06 (Estimate) $3,162,421 $3,812,724 The following pie chart shows the estimated source of revenue for Fiscal Year 06. . The following pie chart shows the estimated expenditures for Fiscal Year 06. Trends The real estate market in Colorado will remain strong in the coming year, although activity will slow somewhat as a reflection of higher interest rates. Licensing by the Division of Real Estate should continue to increase in the current year, reflecting the continuing strong real estate market. The sale of raw land subdivisions and condominium/loft conversions remain strong and the Division is continuing increased enforcement activity in these areas. No major state or federal legislative initiatives affecting real estate are expected in the coming year. While one-stop shopping and affiliated business arrangements remain topics of great interest in Colorado and nationally, Congress's decision to again postpone a major review of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act leaves the states and industry without clear guidance in these areas. As real estate companies continue to consolidate and expand nationwide and the Internet provides consumers with instant access to properties on a vast scale, increased regulatory scrutiny is being focused on interstate operations. In Colorado, a reciprocal licensing program has facilitated the growth of interstate commerce. Another result of increasing real estate activity on the Internet is the heightened level of sophistication on the part of the general public regarding real estate transactions and real estate procedures in general. The public is coming to expect a higher level of performance on the part of real estate brokers, which the Division must address by increasing the competency level of licensees and maintaining a close watch on the pulse of the public. As with all government agencies, the public and real estate industry will expect higher levels of customer service from the Division. This will be particularly true in the areas of e-commerce and electronic communications. Last update 9/28/05 Privacy Statement | Disclaimer Technical Assistance: E-Mail Information Technology Section Revised November 7, 2005 Federal Home Page || State Home Page || Department Home Page Top of Page E-Mail the Division of Real Estate 1900 Grant Street, Suite 600 Denver, CO 80203 (303) 894-2166 or (303) 894-2185 - Phone (303) 894-2683 - Fax Relay Colorado (TTY (English & Spanish), Voice, VCO, ASCII, STS Assistance Numbers)

Buy House

Amazon.com: House of the Dead: DVD Your Store DVD See All 32 Product Categories Your Account | Cart | Wish List | Help | Advanced Search | Browse Genres | Top Sellers | New & Future Releases | Television Central | Life & Learning | DVD Essentials | Blowout DVDs | Movie Showtimes | Used DVDs Search Amazon.com DVD Web Search Join Amazon Prime and ship Two-Day for free and Overnight for $3.99. Already a member? Sign in . DVD Information Explore this item buying info editorial reviews customer reviews cast and crew fun facts Listmania! The worst Modern Horror Films : A list by Jason Voorhees "Jason V" Add your List Ready to buy? Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering. A9.com users save 1.57% on Amazon. Learn how . MORE BUYING CHOICES 183 used & new from $0.70 Have one to sell? House of the Dead (2003) Starring: Jonathan Cherry , Tyron Leitso Director: Uwe Boll Rating: See larger image Share your own customer images List Price: $18.00 Price: $15.99 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. See details You Save: $2.01 (11%) Availability: Usually ships within 24 hours. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Want it delivered Friday, December 30? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. See details 183 used & new available from $0.70 Edition: Other Versions and Languages Other Versions (VHS Tape) List Price Price Other Offers: VHS Tape House of Dead (2003) (Spanish) (Sub) $44.98 $42.73 VHS Tape House of Dead (2003) $9.98 $9.48 34 used & new from $0.45 Better Together Buy this DVD with Alone in the Dark DVD ~ Christian Slater today! Total List Price: $37.98 Buy Together Today: $33.98 Customers who bought this DVD also bought Alone in the Dark DVD ~ Christian Slater Boogeyman (Special Edition) DVD ~ Barry Watson Saw (Widescreen Edition) DVD ~ Leigh Whannell The Texas Chainsaw Massacre DVD ~ Jessica Biel Explore Similar Items : in DVD , in Books Storyline Genres: Horror , Thriller , Action , Mystery Tagline: The dead walk...You run Plot Outline: A group of teens arrive on an island for a rave--only to discover the island has been taken over by zombies. The group takes refuge in a house where they try to survive the night. Plot Synopsis: This film is a prequel to all of the The House of the Dead video games. Set on an island off the coast of Florida, a techno rave party attracts a diverse group of college coeds and a Coast Guard officer. Soon, they discover that their X-laced escapades are to be interrupted by zombies and monsters that attack them on the ground, from the air, and in the sea, ruled by an evil entity in the House of the Dead... Plot Keywords: Cleavage | Spin Off From Video Game | Gun | Zombie | Based On Video Game | Island | Florida Keys | Martial Arts | Nudity | Decapitation | Gore | Severed Head | (Show all 68 plot keywords recommended by customers) Product Details Actors: Jonathan Cherry , Tyron Leitso , Clint Howard , Ona Grauer , Ellie Cornell , See more Directors: Uwe Boll Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dts stereo, Widescreen, Ntsc, Widescreen Anamorphic Region: Region 1 ( U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats. ) Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Rated: (Not for sale to persons under age 18.) Studio: Live / Artisan DVD Release Date: January 27, 2004 Run Time: 90 min (original theatrical or airing runtime) Average Customer Review: Based on 287 Reviews DVD Features: Available Subtitles: English, Spanish Available Audio Tracks: English (DTS 6.1 ES), English (Dolby Digital 5.1 EX), English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo) Commentary by: director Uwe Boll, post-production supervisor Jonathan Shore, producer Shawn Williamson, and actor Jonathan Cherry (Unknown Format) Commentary by: executive producer Mark Altman (Unknown Format) Deleted scenes "Behind the House: Anatomy of the Zombie Movement" making-of featurette "Stacked for Zom-Bat: The Sexy Babes of House of the Dead Prepare for Battle!" Sneak peek of new Sega game Nightshade From IMDb: Quotes & Trivia ASIN: B0000YEE6C Amazon.com Sales Rank: #12,784 in DVD Theatrical Release Information US Theatrical Release Date: October 10, 2003 MPAA: for pervasive strong violence/gore, language and some nudity. Production Company: Boll Kino Beteiligungs GmbH & Co. KG, Brightlight Pictures Inc., Herold and Besser Studios, Mindfire Entertainment USA Box Office: $10 Million Budget Estimate: $7 Million Filming Locations: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Editorial Reviews Amazon.com The usual slasher-movie teens charter a boat to attend a rave in Washington's San Juan islands, find zombies there, and splatter their guts all over the place. House of the Dead shows early promise when the boat captain is the dude from Das Boot (Jürgen Prochnow) and the mate is the inimitably weird Clint Howard. Alas, things devolve from there. The movie includes frequent flashes from its video game inspiration, not that we need much reminding of the obvious source. Amongst the rotten dialogue, bad acting, and gratuitous topless scenes, there's one looooong shootout sequence in the middle of the picture that should be the main attraction for fans of this kind of thing. Otherwise, it's at the level of every other slasher movie, video game or no video game, in which stupid people do stupid things to keep themselves in harm's way. --Robert Horton Customers who viewed this DVD also viewed Dawn of the Dead (Widescreen Unrated Director's Cut) DVD ~ Boyd Banks Elektra (Widescreen Edition) DVD ~ Jennifer Garner Land of the Dead (Unrated Edition) DVD ~ Simon Baker Blade - Trinity (Unrated Widescreen Edition) (New Line Platinum Series) DVD ~ Wesley Snipes Explore Similar Items : in DVD , in Computer & Video Games Spotlight Reviews Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers. 47 of 50 people found the following review helpful: Lord have mercy! , March 30, 2004 Reviewer: Shawn Watson "God of Gods" (Badger's Brook, Scotland) - See all my reviews There are people out there who will greenlight anything! That is the only explanation I can offer as to why the House of the Dead movie exists. And that's only scary part to the whole movie. It's so bad you'll go off movies forever. I seriously wanted to switch this off and turn the TV over to the Paint Drying channel but I was bound by my word to suffer the whole thing. I don't know why I do these bad things to myself. As if it matters, here's the basic jist of the 'story'. A group of twenty-somethings are so desperate to go out to some island in the Pacific Northwest (Canada actually, because it's cheap) for the 'Rave of the Century' (which consists of about 8 people and un-raving music) that they pay some craggy old fisherman $1000 to take them there after they miss the main ferry. That's gotta be some rave to be worth all that dough! The fisherman warns them that the island is also known as the Island of the Dead (hang on-I thought this was HOUSE of the Dead?) and that they are all doomed yadda yadda yadda. First faults here. Why would a tiny little rave (of the Century my foot!) be held on some remote island? Why would anyone willingly pay loads of money to get it? Why pay even more to the craggy old fisherman to take them back when they could just come back with the others? Once they arrive they discover that the rave (which consists of about 2 tents, a small stage and a port-a-john) has been smashed, there's blood everywhere and no one is around. What would any rationally thinking person do? Run for their lives of course. But no, these clueless, obviously blind people decide to go look for them. Soon enough they discover an old ramshackle house that's 50 times as big on the inside as it is on the outside. Another half hour of stumbling around in the forest follows, as an excuse to kill of some of the lesser characters, and after much tedium they arrive back at the house again. The characters, like the movie, go nowhere. Jammed into this ghastly disaster is a superabundance of gibberish dialogue, heinous acting, mumbo-jumbo exposition and zillions of clips from the once-popular arcade game of the same name. Why this was universally accepted as a good idea with the filmmakers I'll never know. The clips have no reference to any of the scenes and only degrade this trash even further, if that is at all possible. It has nothing to do with the game save for some cheap, throwaway line at the end. It makes Resident Evil look like cinematic glory. Hell, even the Double Dragon movie seems multi-Oscar worthy in comparison to this junk. The only one who comes out of this with his dignity still intact is Jurgen Prochnow. He could have just taken his money and ran but he tries his best with the awful script and brings a tiny bit of pathos to his character. The rest of the cast suck I'm afraid. The characters are idiots and deserve to die. Plus, if you cut out the swearing and pointless nudity, I see no reason why this film cannot be shown on Saturday morning TV. It's not frightening in the slightest. Pirates of the Caribbean is more scary than the skeletal bad guys in this film. And where did all those bad guys come from anyway? There were only a few people on the island to begin with. I guess this justifies the reason they chose to reuse footage over and over. I kid you not, you'll see the same zombie die a dozen times. Who's ultimately to blame for that scandalous waste of celluloid? None other than director Uwe Boll. His control over the movie is non-existent. You can clearly the see actors have no idea what they should be doing and that the zombies aren't really taking it all seriously. The actors seem like they're reading off cue cards as they constantly pause in the middle of long sentences and carry on talking as soon as they see the next card. It all feels very unnatural. Plus the film is shot like a two-part mini-series. I have indeed seen better TV productions. And don't get me started on the editing. The film is an incoherent babble with thousands upon thousands of pointless shots and dozens of meaningless camera pans. No real skill or talent was put into making this at all. It truly baffles and boggles the mind how movies this unfathomably bad can get made and George A. Romero can't even get anyone to take his calls. House of the Dead makes some idiotic reference to Romero in a lazy attempt to be 'post-modern' but it only irritates that they think THIS is in the same league as a REAL zombie movie. For what it's worth, the 1.85:1 anamorphic picture looks great and the Dolby 5.1 soundtrack is clean but very unimpressive and only serves to pronounce the heavily over-used ADR even more. The DVD comes with extras but why torture yourself. Isn't this review warning enough? Stay away! You are all doomed I tell you! Doomed! Doomed!!! Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) 11 of 12 people found the following review helpful: Bad, but not fun in the way some bad films can be. , November 9, 2004 Reviewer: Christian Hokenson (Burbank, CA United States) - See all my reviews Folks, save yourselves from "House of the Dead." This is pretty atrocious filmmaking at its most insulting. Worse than even "Resident Evil." I know, I know... they are just videogames, not a movies (but if you check out the special features junk on the "House of the Dead" DVD you can find out the filmmakers had a much different, and much higher opinion of their effort). "House of the Dead" offers lots of action but, as usual for today's young auteurs weened on MTV, it's pretty damn hard to follow and, after a while, it becomes repetitious to the point of sheer boredom. The acting is rotten (save for Jurgen Prochnow (it's a long way from Das Boot, ain't it captain) and the ever weird, always interesting Clint Howard (it's a long way from "Evilspeak" isn't it Coopersmith)), the special effects are decent (when you can see them, and hey... ALL special effects should be decent nowadays, shouldn't they... no points there). The direction is nearly non-existent, and the screenwriting is simply bad... but not bad in a fun way-- the way you can play drinking games with a movie or MST3K it to death on a Friday night around the hookah. I can't even really bring myself to call this a horror film, for not once was I horrified save for the moment, toward the end, where I thought to myself, "y'know, you've actually wasted nearly two hours of your life on this inglorious piece of poop, man." This "film" has the temerity to namecheck George A. Romero and his (as one character aptly puts it) "Holy Trilogy" of zombie classics: "Night, Dawn and Day" natch. Well, 'tis true.. Romero is clearly sui generis when it comes to apocalyptic zombie horror. No need to run (as the current spate of zombies is wont to do), for there's nowhere to hide. Romero at the very, very least has an understanding of the basic rules of filmmaking that at least keep a viewer's interests alive for his dead folks... not only that, but he clearly understands the most basic rules of drama and character. I know many folks that didn't grow up with Romero's films might look at them with some derision regarding black n' white zombies in "Night of the Living Dead" or the baby-blue flesh and Crayola day-glow colors of blood from "Dawn of the Dead." Yet, Romero knew how to handle the gory violence in his films (over-the-top and with great shock-value) and, in the end, Romero wasn't simply striving for realism in gore so much as he was trying to make a valid (still valid!) point about how human beings act in a society under severe stress. He had something to SAY, and he was able to SHOW it without lots of lame-assed exposition that passes for dialogue these days. Uwe Boll on the other hand, knows at least how to load a camera and keep it running (and running and running and running). But he has no sense of story whatsoever, no sense of pace, no sense of continuity and no sense of fun. This is a dreary exercise in crap filmmaking with a decent-sized budget... the kind of budget Romero should have had for his underrated films, but hey! at least Romero knows how to use a dollar wisely. Boll seems to be a kid on the ultimate sugar high as he spends money on fancy camera angles, weird point-of-view shots, CGI gore, and buffed out stuntpeople as decayed corpses... and yes, I know this movie is really just a videogame. In fact, the "director" even goes so far as to include shots from that videogame as segues to his badly choreographed action sequences. After the first few heads a-poppin' (yay, for gun violence) it gets rather dull, and then the action speeds up even more in order to keep the audience awake and, well, just plain confused from what I could see. Boll hits all the cliches just right... POV of the bullet going into flesh and inanimate objects, bullet-time cinematography (can someone please put a stake in the heart of this visual stunt once and for all?!?) and of course some good-lookin' young adults with sawdust for brains and the martial arts skill of Bruce Lee flippin' the bird to the laws of physics. It's inane, it's astonishingly lame and it's insulting to sit through, and yet I did, just so you can avoid having to sit through it too! One thing about George A. Romero and his highly regarded trilogy of zombie films: the zombies themselves were often secondary to the living human characters they sought to munch on. They were scary because you could clearly see they were no longer reasonable human beings-- your family, your friends-- but just dead things with a devastating single-minded instinct for moving foward toward a hot lunch. It didn't matter if they ran or did Cirque d'Soleil-style acrobatics in order to get to you, or just simply lurched. The zombies were always a wave of nearly unstoppable slowness, and thus a very handy metaphor for everything from groupthink to mall shoppers on a Sunday afternoon. In "House of the Dead" the zombies are just fodder, nothing but magnets for lead projectiles... and yes, I know, it's just a videogame. In the end, avoid this load of manure and check out Romero's films if you haven't yet (and, really, what self-respecting zombie fan has not seen them yet?!?). If you can't handle character building, drama and a fairly amazing story of the breakdown of society due to lack of cooperation among the living (and, yes, plenty of gore), then I say turn to either "Re-Animator" or, better yet, "Return of the Living Dead" which at least also manages to tell a story and offer up some halfway decent acting with he gore. Both of those films also offer copious amounts of nudity for you teenage horror fans who seemingly can't get close to the real thing... and yes, I know the videogame movie does too, but the other movies have the added benefit of actual skilled filmmakers behind the scenes, while "House of the Dead" does not. "Return of the Living Dead" actually gives the horror fan a shining example of what "House of the Dead" could have been in the right hands. One film is loads of fun (and hey, by the way, Romero's films offer fun and humor in spades lest you think they are simply turgid sociological dissertations), and the other is so much less than fun it could lead to suicide. I know I wanted to off myself just for getting through to the credits. The films of Romero along with Peter Jackson's brilliant, low-budget "Braindead/Dead Alive," and the recent releases of "28 Days Later" (a quasi-zombiefest) and the hilarious (and quite bloody) "Shaun of the Dead" all offer far more entertainment value (key words here, folks) than "House of the Dead." These films all have some quirky things to say about life along with loads of furious bloodletting, while "House of the Dead" is simply a lot of sound and fury signifying nothing. Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) Customer Reviews Average Customer Review: Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers. Give it a break! , December 28, 2005 Reviewer: Erick Irungaray "erickufo" (el paso, texas United States) - See all my reviews What do the people expect out of a movie that is based on a real shooting arcade game? We all know that lately, most of the horror movies suck now in these days, don't they?. Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) 1 of 1 people found the following review helpful: OMG , December 6, 2005 Reviewer: Jonas Brock (Tampa) - See all my reviews I expect horror movies to be somewhat bad or silly, but this was unreal. Avoid at all cost. Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) 1 of 1 people found the following review helpful: This is bad. , November 13, 2005 Reviewer: Kimberley Wilson (VA USA) - See all my reviews House of the Dead is based on a video game I had no expectations that it would be good but I was astonished at how bad it is. While watching it I kept thinking that it must be a parody. Surely Uwe Boll was joking when he did this, right? He's mocking bad horror movies, right? Wrong. I suspect that everybody who worked on this film was serious. This movie is so bad it's pathetic. It' likes watching Old Yeller get shot, seeing Litte Timmy drown in the well and finding out that the department store Santa is just a guy from Skid Row who was sobered up for the evening. I won't get into the plot becuase there aint any but there's a scene in it that's so dumb it haunts me and is a perfect example of the whole film. One of the "teens" (Why do teenagers in horror movies all look like they're on the wrong side of 30?) decides to fight the zombies with karate. Karate on the undead. Think about that. I don't care if you studied for five years under Pei Mei and David Carradine was your sensei, karate is not going to cut it when fighting zombies unless you're going to do the flying walk to safety thing. She gets eaten of course and one of her companions just stands there and looks. He has no reaction at all. The actor plays the scene like he's at the beach. Some bad horror movies are funny is a goofy sort of way. Others are mildly interesting because somebody at least tried to do something with them but this is just miserable. How this thing got to the theaters is some kind of mystery. Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) 5 of 5 people found the following review helpful: Holy crap, this movie is terrible , November 1, 2005 Reviewer: Michael J. Gold - See all my reviews I've seen some bad movies in my time, but man this one really takes the cake. I can't believe this garbage was put in theatres. The acting is hilarious. I love how there are zombies all over, and one guys girlfriend even turns into one and attacks him, then gets shot repeatedly. The boyfriend just kinda shrugs it off. No emotion at all. NOTHING Although my favorite part ever that me and my friend are now quoting non stop is the heartfelt scene where Curien is crying about how some lady died, he says (and i quote) She's dead, i didn't save her.. IT WAS MY FAULT... Were you here? did you see it? Did you see watch them rip her apart? SEE WATCH them rip her apart. I had to rewind to make sure i wasn't hearing things, then i put on the subtitles. Was that REALLY their best take? Man this movie is horrible and that's what makes it great. One of those corny ass flicks you can watch just to laugh at. Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) See all 287 customer reviews... Listmania! The Scariest and Coolest Moder... : by K. S Schneider The Good, The Bad, and The Ugl... : by Lunar Strain The worst Modern Horror Films : by Jason Voorhees "Jason V" So You'd Like to... Remember why they call film art : by Colin Nickell , Amateur Movie Critic Know How to Survive the Best Zombie Movies? : by hitlercosmetics , Zombie movie lover. watch the 100 worst movies of all time : by Joseph Dewey , a fan of really horrible movies Fun Facts from IMDb.com: Awards Click here to see more Awards Fangoria Chainsaw Awards: Chainsaw Award for Worst Film Leo Awards: Leo for Feature Length Drama: Best Make-up Trivia Click here to see more Trivia The movie is set before the events of the first House of the Dead video game. At the end of the film the survivors are rescued by a helicopter. As it is landing two men dressed in trench coats get of the helicopter. This is a reference to the original House of the Dead video game in which the protagonists are two special agents in over coats. Goofs Click here to see more Goofs In the laboratory, one of the supposedly gray, rotting, skeletal zombies lying on a table has a very visible pink, healthy nose sticking out of its skull. Crazy Credits Click here to see more Crazy Credits The opening credits play over video of the games, from both the arcade andDreamcast versions, begining with the famous "You must stop Curien!" scenefrom the game! Movie Connections Click here to see more Movie Connections Followed by: House of the Dead 2: Dead Aim Edited from: House of the Dead Quotes Click here to see more Quotes [pointing on a zombie in the water] Greg : Shoot it! Capt. Victor Kirk : What do you think I am trying to do, you f***ing moron? Rudy : You did all this to become immortal. Why? Castillo : To live forever! For more information about "House of the Dead" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) Look for similar items by category Browse similar items in: DVD > Actors & Actresses > ( B ) > Brazeau, Jay DVD > Actors & Actresses > ( C ) > Cornell, Ellie DVD > Actors & Actresses > ( H ) > Howard, Clint DVD > Genres > Action & Adventure > General DVD > Genres > Art House & International > By Country > Canada DVD > Genres > Art House & International > By Country > Germany > General DVD > Genres > Art House & International > By Genre > Action & Adventure DVD > Genres > Horror > General DVD > Genres > Horror > Things That Go Bump > Monsters DVD > Genres > Horror > Things That Go Bump > Zombies Suggestion Box Your comments can help make our site better for everyone. If you've found something incorrect, broken, or frustrating on this page, let us know so that we can improve it. Please note that we are unable to respond directly to suggestions made via this form. 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Investment Property Consumer Focus:

FCIC - Consumer Focus -- SITE SEARCH: Books Resources 1-888-8 PUEBLO (1-888-878-3256) Home Consumer Focus Archive Owning a Second Home or Investment Property Consumer Focus: Owning a Second Home or Investment Property Owning a Second Home or Investment Property For various reasons, the idea of owning a second home or investing in property is on many people's minds nowadays. Some dream of having a second home in a more moderate climate. Others, wishing to diversify their investments, are considering real estate because of continued record low mortgage interest rates. If you're interested in the idea, but not sure how to get started, we've assembled some helpful information. Second Home or Investment Property? Criteria Looking Around The Transaction Additional Responsibilities Financing Other Resources E-mail this Information to A Friend Other Topics in the Consumer Focus Archive Top Second Home or Investment Property? The process will be simpler and smoother if you can make some decisions about your lifestyle, needs, and plans for the property at the beginning. Generally, if you're looking for a place to spend the winters for several months at a time or to take frequent weekend getaways, then you're most likely considering the purchase of a second home. However, if you're looking to generate income or diversify your investments, then you're looking to purchase investment property. Check our web site later this month for more information regarding investment property and how to be a landlord. The information below pertains primarily to buying a second home. In either case, you're entitled to different types of tax deductions depending on how you treat the property. Criteria The criteria defining a second home are fairly loose. A second home doesn't necessarily mean a "house." It could be a condominium, a recreational vehicle , or even a boat. Basically, for your second property to be considered a second home by the IRS, it needs to have sleeping accommodations and cooking and toilet facilities. A second home qualifies for the home mortgage interest deduction, just like your primary residence, because you're using the home for personal purposes during the year. Many folks have second homes that are part rental. The catch is that your personal use needs to exceed 14 days or 10 percent of the time it was rented, whichever time length is greater. In addition, if you rent your home for fewer than 15 days a year, and personally use it for more than 15 days a year, you do not need to declare any rental income. Everyone's circumstances are unique. Consult a tax professional regarding deductibility. Top Looking Around Do you want to buy a second home in your favorite vacation area , or a weekend spot not more than a few hours' drive away, but don't know what the market's like? You might want to do some research on the web using Realtor.com or visiting the web sites of the individual real estate companies in the area where you wish to purchase a property. Some real estate-related web sites allow you to tailor your search you select such as price, number of bedrooms/baths, type of home, or location sorted by zip code. If you're considering this home to be your future retirement home, then you also should consider additional factors such as the annual climate. Weather.com allows you to view monthly climatic averages for cities around the country. You also might look for information and articles discussing cost of living or " best places to live for retirees" from groups such as the AARP. The Transaction You'll probably want to work with a local realtor to help with the transaction, especially if you're considering an out-of-state purchase. A knowledgeable realtor should be aware of important factors that could affect your decision. For instance, if the locale you're considering has development restrictions, like those involved with historic districts where strict design, remodeling, or building codes may be enforced. In addition, the agent will do much of the legwork for you and ensure that all the bases are covered during the transaction. Just as you did when you purchased your primary residence, you should still have the property inspected. Take the effort to know your rights . Top Additional Responsibilities Remember, owning a second home is just that-with all the associated responsibilities and expenses that it brings. Check individual state web sites for property taxes. How much maintenance are you willing to take on? If you're not willing to take on a lot of extra maintenance and yard work, consider buying a condo and hiring a property management company. Of course you'll need insurance. In some areas, you may be surprised by the rates you'll need to pay for homeowners insurance . Coastal areas usually have higher premiums due to hurricane risk, and you may need to buy a separate flood insurance policy as well. Financing Just as you did when you bought your primary residence, be sure to have your financial affairs in order before you even begin looking. Get a copy of your credit report and be sure there are no errors, which could delay or hurt your financing options. Also, be prepared to meet some stricter criteria to get the loan. This is because your finances will be stretched more thinly once you take on that second mortgage. Top Other Resources This is just a brief overview. For more information check out these resources: Read these publications online or order them from FCIC: FairCredit Reporting How toBuy a Home With a Low Down Payment How toBuy a Manufactured (Mobile) Home HUDHome Buying Guide Looking for the Best Mortgage-Shop, Compare, Negotiate Twelve Waysto Lower Your Homeowners Insurance Costs Publications available for orderingfrom the Housing Page Publications available for orderingfrom the Money Page Websites*: Department of Housing and UrbanDevelopment Federal Trade Commission Federal Reserve Board FirstGov.gov Public Broadcasting Service AARP Bankrate.com Insurance Information Institute Money.CNN.com NewRVer.com Prudential Realtor.com SmartMoney.com Tax Foundation Weather.com * Names of resources and organizations included in this online article are provided as examples only, and their inclusion does not mean that they are endorsed by the Federal Citizen Information Center or any other Government agency. Also, if a particular resource or organization is not mentioned, this does not mean or imply that it is unsatisfactory. *If you click on these links, you are leaving FCIC's website. Please bookmark us before you leave so you can return easily. FCIC is not responsible for the content of these websites. Top Enjoy this month's Focus? Share this information with a friendand spread the word! Enterrecipient's e-mail address: We will not retain or use this information for any other purpose. For more information on other popular consumer issues check out FCIC's Consumer Focus Archive . Top Import Notices - Site Map - Text Version This service isprovided by the Federal Citizen Information Center of the U.S. General Services Administration . If youhave a comment or question, e-mail us .