new home or remodel

EERE Consumer's Guide: Designing and Remodeling a Home Search Help More Search Options Search EERE Information Center Professional Services Find an Architect American Institute of Architects Federal Government Resources Energy-Efficient Rehab Advisor U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Related Links A Construction Technology Showcase Homes Across America Energy & Environmental Building Association Decisions for Environmental Buildings Green Tree Green Building Home Guidelines National Association of Home Builders Research Center Reading List Related Publications Printable Version Designing and Remodeling a Home Before you design a new home or remodel an existing one, you should consider investing in its energy efficiency. You'll save energy and money in the long run. It's also a good time to invest in a renewable energy system that will provide your home with electricity , water heating , or space heating and cooling . If you'd like to design an energy-efficient home, no matter what type of design, you should use what's called the whole-house systems approach . If you're remodeling a home, conduct an energy audit to help you determine what energy efficiency improvements should and can be made to your home. Learn how to optimize energy efficiency with the following home designs and construction techniques: Advanced House (Wall) Framing Techniques Reduce lumber use and waste—improving energy efficiency—in the construction of a traditional wood-framed house. Earth-sheltered Homes Incorporate earth into their structure and design for durability and energy efficiency. Log Homes Use wooden logs to provide structure and insulation. Manufactured Homes Feature energy-efficient options for new homes and improvements for older homes. Passive Solar Homes Take advantage of climatic conditions, especially the sun, for heating in the winter and cooling in the summer. Straw Bale Homes Use straw bales to provide all or part of their structure and insulation. Zero Energy Homes Produce more energy than they use. You should also explore your options for financing an energy-efficient home or improvements . Printable Version Skip footer navigation to end of page. Webmaster | Security & Privacy | Consumer's Guide Home | EERE Home U.S. Department of Energy Content Last Updated: September 12, 2005

Home For Sale

Real estate listings and homes for sale - RELO National Home Search Real estate listings and homes for sale - RELO National Home Search Search 2 million mls listings from The Leading Real Estate Companies of the World U.S. State Search U.S. Map --- Quick Search -- select state -- Alaska Alabama Arkansas Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Iowa Idaho Illinois Indiana Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Massachusetts Maryland Maine Michigan Minnesota Missouri Mississippi Montana North Carolina North Dakota Nebraska New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico Nevada New York Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Virginia Vermont Washington Wisconsin West Virginia Wyoming Renters Becoming Increasingly Larger Percentage of Relocating Employees n recent years, the need for rental assistance in the relocation industry has been gaining on the home buyer market. Mobility Magazine’s October 2003 issue reports that 66% of new hires and 60% of current employees are renters, which is a 7% increase over 2001… >> Click to continue Zip Code Home Search: County Search: Jump to State: Alabama Alaska Arkansas Arizona California Colorado Connecticut D.C. Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana North Carolina North Dakota Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Search by Metro Area: New York Chicago San Francisco Los Angeles Washington DC Boston Save 15% on your FICO credit score. Enter promo code "RELO" to redeem your discount. RELO National Home Search helps consumers find real estate listings, homes for sale or real estate agents. The tool enables consumers to search 2 million local real estate listings and homes for sale. Before buying a home, search mls listings and homes for sale to find a real estate agent through RELO National Home Search. According to the National Association of Realtors, 72 percent of consumers look for a residential property online. RELO National Home Search provides moving assistance to relocating consumers and second-home buyers. RELO Home Search links over 600 RELO members' websites together, the majority offer local mls listings in their area. Further, RELO provides relocation assistance services and international relocation through the RELO network. Whether you are buying a home, considering moving to a new city, considering a second home or selling a home, use RELO National Home Search to tap into the country's largest network of leading independent residential real estate firms across the nation and around the world. All RELO real estate companies focus on relocation and home buying help. © 2002 – 2003 RELO ® All Rights Reserved. | Terms and Conditions | Bookmark Page | Read Real Estate Articles

buy property in Spain.

Buying property in Spain - A full guide to buying property in Spain Buying Property in Spain A full guide Sponsor this Page for 720.00 a year Over 250,000 Unique Visitors every month! Click here Home | Spanish Shop | Photo Library | Message Board | Classified Ads | Property | Currency Converter | Site Map | Stats | Search | Advertise | About Us | Contact Us Property in Spain - A full guide Introducing the new service from idealspain.com www.idealspain-properties.com - Properties for sale & to rent throughout the whole of Spain CrawfPro Spain SL - CrawfPro is a private company based in Granada, selling select homes in the area. We can also find your property, survey it, lead the buying process, inspect construction, manage your project, look after your property and deal with bureaucracy. Don't be alone. HIFX - Save money on currency, regular payments & overseas property insurance. Lump sums: excellent exchange rates & totally free transfer of funds to Spain. Regular payments: fix an exchange rate for your mortgage or pension transfer for up to 2 years ahead with no monthly transfer changes (this alone could save you 300 per year!). Buying a property in Spain Foreigners buying property in Spain has become very popular. The country has a pleasant, healthy climate and in recent years the local authorities have made great efforts to increase the number foreign tourists and residents. Spain now derives more of its foreign income from tourists than any other country in Europe. Due to low European interest rates, now is a good time to buy property in Spain. There is a very wide selection of standards, from farmhouses (fincas) and plots through to villas, townhouses and new apartment developments. There is no shortage of real estate agents in Spain and it pays to search out a good company who will care for your requirements. Before you buy a property in Spain you should use our website to look at the different areas then consider visiting your favourites before deciding where to buy. Many people also rent a property in that area first. Here's a simple guide to get the most out of buying a property in Spain: Set your budget limit and stick to it. Visit the property at least twice before you make a decision. Check what amenities the property has such as electricity, water, gas. Have a builder or architect examine the structure of the building. Talk to your prospective neighbours about the area. If you are unsure about a property, take photos and draw sketches to take home with you. Have your legal advisor check ownership of the property before you sign anything. Have your legal advisor check outstanding debts on the property before you sign anything Initial Costs As well as the cost of the property, the buyer will be liable for transfer tax (IVA), which at present is 6% on a second-hand property and 7% on a new one, plus 1/2% stamp duty. The property registration office will charge you a fee to change the new deeds into your name. This is usually around 300€. There will also be notary charges for copies of the 'escritura publica'. The charge is on a scale depending on the contract price. In total you should allow 10% of the purchase price for costs. It is often the case that the buyer also pays the sellers fees. Check this at the point of enquiry and it is often possible to negotiate. Banks may also charge an opening commission for mortgage loans. Annual Costs The local town hall charge IBI which is an annual real estate tax. The previous owner is obliged to give you copies of previous bills. Community charges apply when you buy a property on a community development. These cover things like maintenance, swimming pools, gardens etc. You will also be liable for a wealth tax, payable annually and based on the value of the property and a property owners income tax based on your income from the property. You should clarify these in detail with your estate agent at point of enquiry . Finance See our mortgages section here Many developers of new properties are now offering up to 80% over 20 years for non-residents. Local banks will offer anything up to 60% for European residents. Most loans are long-term and secured on the property. When seeking a loan, make sure you are aware of the interest rates and if they are fixed or floating. Banks will ask for passports, residence permits, payslips, sale contracts and copies of the title deeds. There are many advantages to taking out a loan to purchase your property, in the form of tax allowances. We have not listed them here as they are subject to fluctuation. You may need to transfer money into Spain and you need to protect yourself: When you buy a property in Spain, you will know the price of the property in Euros but you will not know the actual cost until you buy all of the currency to pay for it. This means that the property could either cost you more than you had planned (if the Euro strengthens) or the property could become cheaper (if Sterling strengthens). Recently Sterling has fluctuated more than 10% against the Euro within a matter of months, so this does deserve careful consideration. On the basis that you are buying a property and not speculating on the currency markets, it is worth fixing the exchange rate for all of your future stage payments to the agent / developer. How to fix the exchange rate: 1/ Buy all of the currency now on a "spot contract". Hold the currency on deposit and send payments when they are due from your Euro account. To do this you need to have full funds available. 2/ Buy as much currency as you can afford now (e.g. for the first 2 payments) and reserve an exchange rate for the remaining payments. To reserve an exchange rate you need to buy a 'forward currency contract'. In effect you are buying currency now but paying at a later date when you have the funds available. The exchange rate that you achieve on a "forward contract" is not quite as good as that for a "spot contract" but it does guarantee that you know the cost of the property. You will be required to pay 10% of the value immediately and the balance by the date that you have reserved the currency for. Use a specialist currency broker : As a result of extensive research idealspain are pleased to offer preferential currency transfer rates for all their clients and visitors, click here for more information . It is also advisable to speak to your new bank with regards to High Interest Sterling Accounts where your mortgage payments can be taken directly and converted on your behalf. Approx cost to buy a home at 128,000 euros or (80,000 pounds) IVA 7% Spanish VAT payable on declared property value 8,960.00 Legal fees Searches, preparing deeds and translation etc 900.00 Notary's fees Preparing escritura, registering and stamp duty 600.00 I.A.J.D Spanish tax of 0.5% of the declared value 640.00 Connection charges Water, gas, drainage, electricity etc 300.00 Plus Valia Capital Gains Tax on increased value of plot since last sold. Levied by the Town Hall 60.00 Total Approx 7,355 pounds €11.460.00 Currency Converter Legal Matters Most properties in Spain are in fact NOT registered. Most of the re-sale properties are sold by Spanish ....still.... since they earned about 100 a year from selling fruit and veg they would certainly not pay 300 to pay for their property to be registered. The only way someone may find out if how many square meters is legally theirs to sell is by investigating at the Catastral Department and Town Hall. If they have ever declared that there is a property at all. A great deal of families have never informed the Town Hall that a senior family member has deceased and therefore many sales take months to proceed to completion. There are many families with complicated backgrounds, most children believe they actually own what is and sometimes what once was their parents, sometimes resulting in an Expediente Dominio where there can be no proof of title at all. A great deal of the beautiful villas you see advertised are not registered by the builder and therefore the purchaser pays for the first registration, sometimes no licences have been issued and the seller is required to pay fines to the Town Hall. Many many properties are then registered with less than the actual square meters of built area, and a great many are not mortgageable. Most urbanisation properties now being built are of course registered first because there is a compulsory registration system in Spain for new developments but this is Urban land - not countryside. Most of the old village properties have no Title Deeds. The seller of a second-hand home should provide the following documents: The title deed of the property Receipt of payment of the real estate tax for the last year Receipt of payment of the tax on the increased value of Urban Land Certificate that any community charges (if applicable) have been paid up to date Latest copies of domestic bills so that you can take over the services such as electricity and water The seller or developer of a new property should provide you with: Deed of declaration of new construction Occupancy permit Certificate of rateable value of the property Normally, before the purchase of a property is made official, there is a prior agreement drawn up between the buyer and seller. This document will identify the two parties and set out the terms of purchase. You must seek legal advice before signing this and you must be sure that this is the property you want to buy. You can lose any deposit you have paid if you pull out of the purchase and there is a penalty clause in the contract. In the case of the seller defaulting then he has to pay twice the amount. When it comes to signing the contract, this has to be before a notary, in the form of a public deed. This ensures that the details are entered onto the public records. Insurances Fire insurance is compulsory by law when taking out a mortgage. Comprehensive household insurance is available to protect your home and contents. Life insurance can be taken out to guarantee payment of the loan in the case of death. The cost of property - trends Official figures for the Costa del Sol state that property prices will increase this year by 12-15%. It is claimed that an average new property with two bedrooms in a block now costs 241,000 euros (around 2,000 euros per square metre). An average villa costs 388,100 euros. On the Costa del Sol there are around 20,000 homes for sale, 40% of which is in the Marbella area. 75% of home buyers on the Costa del Sol are foreign. The increase in prices is leading to an increase in the number of smaller, cheaper municipalities springing up, away from the coast. Tax advantages for property owners If you spend more than six months a year in Spain, you are obliged by law to apply for a residents permit.* This law is currently being abolished. There are however, several tax advantages for residents of Spain that do not apply to non-residents. Inputted income tax is an annual tax on an imaginary income resulting by virtue of ownership of a property and is charged as 0.5% of the catastral value. If you are a resident you will not be charged this on your principal home. Wealth tax is a tax on all assets in Spain and is charged at 0.2% of the catastral value of any house owned. For residents the first 108,000€ is exempt and for a joint ownership this would apply to each partner. These two taxes are paid annually as long as you own the property. Non-residents do not receive any relief so therefore have to pay 0.7% of the catastral value every year. When you come to sell the property, capital gains tax will be charged on any profit you have made. This is 35% for non-residents but only 20% for residents. A further concession for residents is that if you are over the age of 65 and have lived in your property for at least three years, you are totally exempt from capital gains tax. Finally, if you are 60 years of age or more and have lived in your property for at least three years, you can bequeath your property to your spouse or children and avoid paying inheritance tax on 95% of the valuation. The inheritor must also be a resident of Spain and agree not to sell the property for at least ten years. WSI - Start Your Own Business and Profit from the Internet! Now in its 10th year of business, WSIs systems are used by over 1000 franchisees in 87 countries around the world. Currently rated the "#1 Fastest Growing Business Services Franchise" and the "4th Fastest Growing Franchise in the world" , WSI has established one of the most profitable Franchise Opportunities in the world today with a Proven Business System! Home or office based. Complete Training and Support. No Business experience required. For your free information package & CD please visit: www.wsicorporate.com . Learn Spanish Today for FREE! Learn Spanish the interactive and fun way! Our web site will help you learn Spanish free of charge. Not just a few Spanish verbs, but over 500 words of the Spanish language, including complete Spanish phrases and sentences. Watch our free online demo that plays the first 15 minutes of a lesson. In this demo, the in program manual is displayed on the screen. spanish-online.co.uk Spanish book, cd and cd-rom publishers. User-friendly material for complete beginners to intermediate level. To make the most of our great offers, use the promotional code IDEALSPAIN on our online shop. Intasure - Insurance for your holiday home in Spain - Property insurance for expatriates in Spain - Comprehensive golf cover 365 days of the year which covers theft of equipment, medical expenses, travel, public liability and even hole in one cover - Low, low cost travel insurance. Avro is the UK's leading charter flight-only company, selling over one million seats every year. We have recently expanded and now offer scheduled flights to destinations worldwide, with flights available from over 70 of the world's leading airlines. Bookings.org - The best selection of Hotels, at great prices, throughtout Spain... View Special offers here & 5,166 Golf courses in Europe - Find golf courses in Spain, view pictures of all courses with maps. Book nearby hotels online . Car Hire Booking Centre Online together with IdealSpain.com - Created with one main objective; to offer clients the best vehicles with the best service at unbeatable prices. Why pay more when BOOKING CENTRE ONLINE offers MORE THAN THE REST, CHEAPER THAN REST? Car hire throughout Spain, the Canary & Balearic Islands . Hotel Club - The fast and secure service offering savings of up to 60% on your accommodation. To view Specials click here . PHA Travel has been offering independent advice on Health and Travel Insurance since 1995. Now in our 8th year this site provides our best selling value for money Travel Insurance from a range of reputable travel insurance companies. All policies are underwritten at Lloyds of London or through international travel insurance providers. You can obtain an instant quotation for your travel insurance, and you can buy online with a generous discount. RatesToGo.com - Last minute hotel reservation service. The fast and secure service offering great savings on your last minute hotel reservations - up to 20 days in advance. To book more than 20 days ahead click here . Related Links View agents and information for specific areas of Spain: Choose an option Property for sale in Spain Costa Almeria Costa Blanca Costa Brava Costa Calida Costa de la Luz Costa del Azahar Costa del Sol Costa Tropical - Granada Canary Islands Golf Properties Mallorca New developments Rural properties UK Based Agents Private Property Sales Commercial Property Home Improvements Mortgages Main guide to buying Guide to renting Holiday rentals Private Property Rentals a Property for sale in... a Spain a Costa Almeria a Costa Blanca a Costa Brava a Costa Calida a Costa de la Luz a Costa del Azahar a Costa del Sol a Costa Tropical - Granada a Cordoba, Andalucia a Huelva, Andalucia a Jaen, Andalucia a Seville, Andalucia a Canary Islands a Mallorca a Tenerife a New Developments a UK Based Agents a Rural Properties a Golf Properties a Private Property Sales a Businesses for Sale a Home Improvements a Property to Let in Spain a Private property rentals Related Links a Buying Property - Guide a Buying a finca - Guide a Buy a business-Guide a Buy a bar in Spain-Guide a Renting Property - Guide a Mortgages a Mortgage Calculator a Money Matters a Foreign Currency Services a Legal Matters a Hotels in Spain - A-Z a A-Z of Places a Holidays in Spain a Moving to Spain a Sport Home Page Relevant features Teach Yourself Spanish Relocate to Spain Working in Spain Costa Jobs Driving in Spain Tourist Offices The Culture Healthcare in Spain Legal Matters Banks in Spain Making a will Teach Yourself Spanish Schools in Spain Tenants rights If you have a property you wish to sell privately, you can advertise it on idealspain.com for 150 euros until sold. Click here for details Need to transfer money to Spain? Save money and stop making the banks rich. click here for details NEED A MORTGAGE? Advertise with us Step by step guide Site Stats About us | Terms of use | Contact us | Site Map | Advertise with us | Latest updates Buying Property in Spain | Schools in Spain | Healthcare in Spain | Finance | Move to Spain | Work in Spain | Culture of Spain Airports of Spain | Hotels in Spain | Weather in Spain | Nautical Spain | Geography of Spain IdealSpain.com - Tel: (+34) 952 198 832 - Email: info@idealspain.com All content and images 2000-200 5 idealspain.com Visit our other websites : www.perfectbulgaria.com - www.idealcroatia.com www.iberianimage.com - www.fiestaproperty.com - www.fiestapropertymallorca.com

Colorado Real Estate -

Colorado HomeFinder | Brighton Real Estate, Search Brighton Homes for Sale in the MLS Call 800.231.9153 | Contact Us If you already have an account, sign in here Brighton Colorado Real Estate - find out first about the newest Brighton real estate listings! You learn about Brighton homes for sale the day they hit the market - before other buyers. Automated HomeAlert emails you new listings that fit your personal home search criteria and gives you access to all the Brighton Colorado real estate listings. It's easy - Just submit your email address and home search criteria. Your email is not shared or sold to anyone. You incur no obligation or cost for this free Brighton real estate service. Our Privacy Policy: We respect your privacy. All information provided is strictly confidential and you can unsubscribe at any time. Colorado HomeFinder will never sell or share your information with any outside parties. Click here to review our Privacy Policy . Your Automated HomeAlert Search Criteria * Required information Property Type: * Please select... Single Family Condominium or Townhome Any Property Price Range: * From Price.. 75,000 100,000 125,000 150,000 160,000 170,000 180,000 190,000 200,000 210,000 220,000 230,000 240,000 250,000 275,000 300,000 325,000 350,000 375,000 400,000 425,000 450,000 475,000 500,000 525,000 550,000 575,000 600,000 625,000 650,000 675,000 700,000 750,000 800,000 850,000 900,000 950,000 1,000,000 2,000,000 5,000,000 - To Price.. 100,000 125,000 150,000 175,000 200,000 225,000 250,000 260,000 270,000 280,000 290,000 300,000 310,000 320,000 330,000 340,000 350,000 375,000 400,000 425,000 450,000 475,000 500,000 525,000 550,000 575,000 600,000 625,000 650,000 675,000 700,000 750,000 800,000 850,000 900,000 950,000 1,000,000 2,000,000 5,000,000 10,000,000 Min Bedrooms: 1 2 3 4 5 Min Bathrooms: 1 2 3 4 Min Square Feet: No Preference 500 600 700 800 900 1,000 1,100 1,200 1,300 1,400 1,500 1,600 1,700 1,800 1,900 2,000 2,100 2,200 2,300 2,400 2,500 2,600 2,700 2,800 2,900 3,000 3,250 3,500 3,750 4,000 4,500 5,000 6,000 Age of Home: No Age Preference New Construction Only 5 years or less 10 years or less 20 years or less Older than 50 years City Preferences: * Brighton Select at least one city... Arvada Aurora Berthoud Boulder Broomfield Castle Rock Denver Englewood Erie Estes Park Evans Evergreen Firestone Fort Collins Fort Lupton Fort Morgan Frederick Golden Highlands Ranch Johnstown Lakewood Lafayette Littleton Longmont Louisville Loveland Lyons Nederland Niwot Parker Severance Superior Thornton Wellington Westminster Windsor Please select if necessary Arvada Aurora Berthoud Boulder Broomfield Castle Rock Denver Englewood Erie Estes Park Evans Evergreen Firestone Fort Collins Fort Lupton Fort Morgan Frederick Golden Highlands Ranch Johnstown Lakewood Lafayette Littleton Longmont Louisville Loveland Lyons Nederland Niwot Parker Severance Superior Thornton Wellington Westminster Windsor Please select if necessary Arvada Aurora Berthoud Boulder Broomfield Castle Rock Denver Englewood Erie Estes Park Evans Evergreen Firestone Fort Collins Fort Lupton Fort Morgan Frederick Golden Highlands Ranch Johnstown Lakewood Lafayette Littleton Longmont Louisville Loveland Lyons Nederland Niwot Parker Severance Superior Thornton Wellington Westminster Windsor Contact Information Name: * First Name: Last Name: E-mail: * (Valid email address is required to receive listings) Re-enter E-mail: * Phone Contact: * Home Phone: Work Phone: Information that will help us serve you better Your level of Interest: * I have a HIGH interest in buying a home and am ready to start visiting homes now. 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land loan products are

Viewpoint Paid Discussion: Mortgages and Investments Wednesday, August 17, 2005 at 1 p.m. ET I'm interested in hosting a Viewpoint paid discussion Viewpoint discussion archive Welcome to Viewpoint, a live discussion forum on washingtonpost.com. This forum offers washingtonpost.com sponsors a platform to discuss issues, new products, company information and other topics. Mortgage Loans and Investment Properties Interested in a mortgage, home equity or refinance loan? Want to learn more about investment properties? Lonnie Cooper, top producer at Absolute Mortgage Co., was online Wednesday, August 17 at 1 p.m. ET to discuss mortgages, the recent interest-only craze or the ins and outs of investment properties. Lonnie Cooper is a senior loan officer at Absolute Mortgage Incorporated in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Lonnie closes approximately $7 million per month in mortgage volume over the past four years. Before coming to Absolute Mortgage, he worked as a loan officer at Independence Mortgage Group and was made partner. Lonnie also owns several rental properties and can provide suggestions and solutions for being a landlord. Lonnie is a graduate of Penn State University. The transcript follows. _______________________ washingtonpost.com: Welcome to Viewpoint. Our guest today is Lonnie Cooper with Absolute Mortgage Co. to answer your questions about loans, mortgages and investment properties. Let's get started! Lonnie Cooper: Lets do it. _______________________ Oaks, Pa.: How do you close so many loans each month? Lonnie Cooper: Hello Oaks, I close approximately 35-40 mortgages each month. _______________________ Washington, D.C.: Hi Lonnie, Thanks for taking my question. My husband and I have been in our house for about a year. We recently received a notice from our mortgage company that basically said our escrow amounts hadn't actually covered everything that the escrow pays for (taxes and insurance). So, we had a shortfall, and we should send in a large chunk of money so our mortgage wouldn't increase by $150 a month beginning in October. Okay. So, even if we do send in the large amount, our mortgage is still going to increase by about $70 because of our increased county taxes. Now, I'm a newbie at this, but is this normal? Does this happen to other people, etc.? Does everyone's mortgage increase when their county taxes increase? We have a 30-year fixed mortgage by the way. I'm sure I sound like a complete idiot, but any insight you could share would be great, since in the past we have had ZERO response from our mortgage company when we've had questions. Lonnie Cooper: I'm sorry to hear that you are getting zero response from them. Taxes often go up and unfortunately the lender has to re-structure your escrow account accordingly. You certainly don't sound like an idiot. _______________________ Washington, D.C.: I keep on hearing that interest only loans are a bad choice and that people are using them to afford homes they could not with a traditional 30. What do you think? Lonnie Cooper: Interest only loans are very popular right now. Unfortunately, many people are taking them for the wrong reason. If used properly by the right person, an interest only loan can make sense. In the current housing market, homes are becoming less and less affordable and an interest only loan is the only way that many people can qualify for the loan. My personal opinion is that if you can't make at least the amortizing arm payment (meaning principal and interest) then you probably are looking at too much home. _______________________ Edgewater, Md.: I am in the process of buying a house that I think we will have for a long time, but I am thinking about starting out with an interest only loan with a 7 year arm and refinancing at some point to a 30 year mortgage. Do you think this is the wrong approach? Lonnie Cooper: I do think it is the wrong approach. Rates are at an historical low. 7 years from now you very well may be looking at not only a large rate spike but also a much bigger payment when the principal is also involved. _______________________ Fairfax, Va.: I have a home equity loan and I am maxed out at $100k. I want to extend that to upgrade my house. Do I have to totally apply for a new loan or can I just ask the bank to extend the line of credit? Lonnie Cooper: Hello Fairfax, Often the lender that you have with the existing home equity loan will allow you to extend it. _______________________ Arlington, Va.: What is the best loan product for new construction that will not deliver until mid-spring 2006? We would like to lock in our rate asap but do not know what is the best. Thank you. Lonnie Cooper: Hello Arlington, Many builders have special deals with local banks and their own mortgage companies. They offer long term locks for your situation with a variety of options. Regarding the product, my answer would be the same for you even if you were closing in 30 days- Take an arm if you know that this isn't your 'long-term' home or go with a fixed if it is. _______________________ Camarillo, Calif.: What is your opinion on mortgages for retired people? Your opinion on paying cash for property or financing it? Thank you. Lonnie Cooper: Hello Camarillo, I often get asked by people in the 70's and 80's whether or not they can apply for a 30 yr mortgage. Even though lenders can discriminate for income, credit, employment etc, they can't discriminate for age. So, that being said, if you need the money take it. Mortgage money is the cheapest out there. There are reverse mortgages out there as well for retirees. They often make sense as well. "Cash is king" as they say- but if you have it and it helps you sleep at night paying for your home outright is a wonderful feeling. (Or so I've heard) _______________________ Rockville, Md.: Hi Lonnie, I am a consultant and have a 2-3 year assignment that will keep me in Baltimore during the work week. I currently own a home in Rockville and have a roommate. Recently, I have been thinking about buying a place in Baltimore and also getting a roommate there to help pay for the mortgage. What are the implications of borrowing equity from my current home to buy the new home? What are the tax implications of actually residing in both homes? -Sandra Lonnie Cooper: Hello Sandra, I try not to give out too much info on tax advice as it often varies from state to state. I believe that the other home needs to be 50 miles from your primary residence to qualify as a 2nd home. If its not, it would be viewed as a rental property- ie higher rate etc. There are definitely deductions available for rental properties - consult your CPA. _______________________ Fairfax, Va.: My primary loan is for $300,000 and is a 30-year. I am looking at getting a vacation property. What can I do to get the best rate on my second property? Lonnie Cooper: Hello Fairfax, If its a true second home aka vacation property, the rate will be identical. If there is plenty of equity in your current home you can take out a line of credit, but they are variable and prime seems to be going no where but up. Our rates are available at www.absolutemortgageco.com and my extension is 104 if you'd like to talk later. _______________________ Goshen, Ind.: Could you please elaborate on what the pros and cons of interest only loans and what is negative amortization? Thank you. Lonnie Cooper: Hello Goshen, I was cut short on my response previously. I'd like to apologize to the submitter of that question. Some quick pros are: 1- They create a significant amount of cash flow 2- They enable you to qualify for more 'house' Cash flow enables the owner to take that difference and invest it into the stock market or pay down other non deductable debts. Cash flow for a real estate investor allows for immediate positive income. Qualifying for more house enables for example a young Doctor get into a larger home knowing that his income will be going up in the near future. _______________________ Washington, D.C.: Is this a good time to look for investment property, even though the market is about to bust? Lonnie Cooper: Investment properties are always available, but because of the national real estate buying craze the 'deals' are much harder to find. Like anything else in life, its a matter of hard work and who you know- meaning get a great realtor and an even better mortgage guy. (Okay so I'm a little biased on this one) Regarding the market bursting- many top analysts feel its going to slow down but not necessarily bust. If your question is would you be buying at the top of the market right now, I'd have to say probably. _______________________ San Diego, Calif.: What is a free float down? Lonnie Cooper: Hello San Diego, A free float down is a product that Absolute Mortgage (the company that I work for) offers along with a few others. Basically its a s simple as "if the rates go lower while you are locked in, you get the lower rate" Its a product that brings a lot of people to us and when the rates go down, people love benefitting from it. It basically makes locking in a win-win _______________________ Falls Church, Va.: Does Absolute Mortgage offer long-term interest only loans and are these available on investment properties? Thank you. Lonnie Cooper: Yes, we offers long term interest only loans. These come in quite a variety. They can be fixed/adjustables that are fixed for the first 10 years or 30 years fixed that are interest only for the first 20 years. There are some that are interest only for all 30 as well. The rates obviously vary on all of these. Yes, we have I/O loans for invest. properties as well. _______________________ Bethesda, Md.: I was looking to buy a plot of land for a second home sometime down the road. What type of land loan products are available and do you offer such a mortgage? Lonnie Cooper: Hello Bethesda, There are many land loan products out there. The majority of them are not 30 year fixed loans, but realistically if you are building on the land in the future you wouldn't want one anyway. Local banks are often the best for this. We don't offer them. _______________________ Reston, VA: Is there a hard-fast rule about refinancing? I thought there used to be a rule that if rates .5 point below your rate you would refinance. Is that still a good rule? Lonnie Cooper: Hello Reston, Thats a great question. The old 'rule of thumb' was that the rate had to be 2% lower. That is certainly no longer the case. We offer what is called a 'True No Cost" mortgage where you can refinance with no costs at all. The costs are not rolled into your principal balance- we pay them. As an example- if you have a 30 yr fixed today at 6.0% and you owe 200k then at todays rate of 5.5% it probably wouldn't make sense to refinance with a traditional closing cost loan. However with a 'True No Cost' loan at say 5.875% you'll save thousands over the life of the loan for simply signing your name. _______________________ Yardley, Pa.: Hello Lonnie, I recently purchased a new home and would like to refinance the 2nd loan for Home Improvements. How long would I have to wait in order to accomplish this? The home was purchased for $279k, but with the right repairs and can be valued at $350k. Christian Lonnie Cooper: Hello Christian, Most 2nd mortgage lenders have at least a 6 month "seasoning" rule for 2nd mortgages in that they won't let you take out a new 2nd based on your new/higher value. We have some products with no seasoning that would allow you to accomplish what you are looking for. Yardley is fairly close to West Chester, Pa. feel free to stop in. _______________________ Front Royal, Va: I have a rather high fixed rate mortgage currently and I am looking to refinance. I have one negative on my credit report which is probably a few months away from coming off which would greatly increase my credit scores. Would you recommend waiting until my credit is clean or refinancing now to take advantage of these great rates. My average score is 674 but should be in the mid 700's. Thanks. Lonnie Cooper: Hello Front Royal, Great question. You guys are full of the. With a 674, I'd recommend giving the refinance a shot now. With the right amount of equity in the property and assets in reserve you very may still be approved. _______________________ Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.: Does Absolute Mortgage offer loans in other states and what is involved to apply as far as upfront fees (does this vary state to state or based on the loan amount or credit scores)? Thanks Lonnie. Lonnie Cooper: Hello Ponte Vedra, (That is a beautiful part of Fla if I may say so myself) We are licensed in a number of states that are listed at www.absolutemortgageco.com. The owner doesn't believe in charging up front fees- its a much cleaner way of doing business. _______________________ Wilmington, Del.: I currently have quite a bit of equity in my home (primary residence) and was looking to do quite a bit of renovations to the property - which would increase the value. Would you recommend to refinance my existing mortgage for cash out or get a Home Equity Loan or Line. I currently have a 30-year Fixed at around 6% and plan on living in the home for quite some time. Thank you very much. Lonnie Cooper: Hello Wilmington, See my response above for a "True No Cost" loan. It would work great for you. The home equity lines are very popular, but most are variable and again- prime seems to be consistently going up. _______________________ Cherry Hill, N.J.: What is involved with a No Doc or stated income loan? Lonnie Cooper: Hello Cherry HIll, The question is what is not involved- We have a "True No Doc" loan in which we don't even ask if you are employed. We don't need any bank statements etc. Its just a credit score and a pulse. _______________________ Newark, Del.: Is there any tried and true rule to figure out if a home improvement project is worth doing in order to add value to your home (adding garage or addition, finishing a basement., etc.? Lonnie Cooper: Hello Newark, I don't know if there is such a rule. If you ask a contractor you may get a different answer though. In speaking with property appraisers over the years, a sure fire return is adding square footage. (As long as you don't over-improve for you neighborhood) Kitchens and bathrooms also provide the highest return for improvement projects. _______________________ Clinton, Md: If you sell a home (designated investment prop) less than 2 years after settlement, do you have to put the proceed into another investment property otherwise pay the taxes? Lonnie Cooper: Hello Clinton, This one is probably best answered by a cpa. My unoffical opinion is as follows: A 1031 tax deferred exchange can be done regardless of how long you've owned the home. If you keep the property for at least 12 months then you'll pay long term capital gains vs. short term. _______________________ washingtonpost.com: Our hour is up. Thank you for taking all of our questions, Lonnie. Lonnie Cooper: You are very welcome. Its been a pleasure. I hope to hear from you all again. Lonnie _______________________ RELATED LINKS absolutemortgageco.com Mortgage Rates Mortgage Calculator Affordability Qualification Payment Tables --