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Help for Homeowners Hangs in the Balance
Congress left town for the July 4 recess with a half-baked cake in its legislative oven -- one that has huge potential significance for the housing and mortgage markets. The relief package left unfinished is designed to help hundreds of thousands of homeowners heading for foreclosure, pull buyers...
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=7mxJeL"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=7mxJeL" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/326885573" height="1" width="1"/>
To Sell to Gen-Y, You Have to Meet Them Online
Despite the housing recession, there are still more than 1.5 million real estate agents in the United States.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=9XOqZG"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=9XOqZG" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/326885564" height="1" width="1"/>
A Realization in Fairfax About Traffic and Housing
Affordable-housing problems are a perennial theme of conferences sponsored by state and local governments, professional organizations, and trade associations. Fairfax County, one of America's most affluent jurisdictions, recently came up with a smart variation on that theme for its latest housing...
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=kIxcnq"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=kIxcnq" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/326885570" height="1" width="1"/>
Anonymity Carries a Price at New Zillow Site
Zillow, a popular real estate Web site, now has a complementary mortgage site where neither lenders nor borrowers pay for the service.<br clear="all"><a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462832865" target="_blank"><img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462832865" border="0" vspace="5"></a>
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=7MWr7r"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=7MWr7r" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/326885571" height="1" width="1"/>
Mailbox: Condo Coercions, Short Shrift on Short Sales and Testing the Bath
My mailbox has been full of comments on recent columns about life in homeowners associations, uncertainty with short sales and deciding how much money to invest in a bathroom.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=BB74kR"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=BB74kR" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/322229820" height="1" width="1"/>
Chat Plus
Real estate editor Maryann Haggerty and columnist Elizabeth Razzi respond to a question adapted from a recent online chat.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=ltfN8w"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=ltfN8w" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/322229822" height="1" width="1"/>
A Garden Haven With a Storied Past
Situated on 32 carefully landscaped acres just off Wisconsin Avenue NW in busy Tenleytown, the McLean Gardens condominium complex is lovely all year, but certain seasons highlight its best qualities.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=1Y12DQ"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=1Y12DQ" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/321570612" height="1" width="1"/>
Storied Historic Homes Suddenly In Dire Straits
HARTFORD, Conn. -- Mark Twain, Edith Wharton and other famous dead people have something in common with many living Americans: Their homes are in jeopardy.<br clear="all"><a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462834016" target="_blank"><img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462834016" border="0" vspace="5"></a>
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=vRZSV4"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=vRZSV4" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/321570608" height="1" width="1"/>
Freshening an Old Listing, and Other Tips for Worried Sellers
"W e live in Baltimore and are trying to sell our house," writes a reader. "My agent tells me that my listing has to be withdrawn from the local multiple listing service for at least six months, otherwise the number of days on market will carry forward from my old listing to a new listing. Our ho...
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=6dGIIy"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=6dGIIy" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/321570623" height="1" width="1"/>
When Condo Wars Heat Up, Common Sense Can Evaporate
Let me tell you a story about a game of hardball played over a hot, summery weekend. It happened not at Nationals Park but in a well-kept condominium complex in Reston just a few weeks ago.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=fvEjCZ"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=fvEjCZ" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/317074365" height="1" width="1"/>
Chat Plus
Real estate editor Maryann Haggerty and columnist Elizabeth Razzi respond to a question adapted from a recent online chat.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=29E3pc"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=29E3pc" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/317074366" height="1" width="1"/>
Gardener's Paradise Built for Growing Families
Karen Cepko remembers the day the cows invaded. "One afternoon I had three cows in my back yard, eating my grass," Cepko said. They had wandered in from the farm next door through a hole in the fence. That was shortly after Cepko had moved to Howard County's Holiday Hills subdivision in 1962. Bac...<br clear="all"><a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462834743" target="_blank"><img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462834743" border="0" vspace="5"></a>
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=jz1Xkk"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=jz1Xkk" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/316491424" height="1" width="1"/>
Out-of-Whack Appraisals Lead to a Dispute Over the Deposit
Q. I recently entered into a contract to buy a house, but the deal went bad because the house did not appraise for the negotiated price.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=l82TfM"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=l82TfM" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/316491426" height="1" width="1"/>
FHA Calls for an End To Seller-Funded Down-Payment Charities
What's wrong with down-payment "gift" programs in which all or most of a home buyer's equity stake comes from the seller, funneled through a third party? And why is the federal government determined to ban them?
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=IIoLFt"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=IIoLFt" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/316491428" height="1" width="1"/>
Lessons of Arlington's Urban Development Needn't Be Just History
The phenomenal metamorphosis of Arlington County's Rosslyn-Ballston corridor, among the region's most dramatic real estate transformations, teaches a timely lesson: Successful urban revitalization requires long-range planning and long-range public investment that sparks private investment.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=WepFW9"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=WepFW9" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/316491429" height="1" width="1"/>
The Bubble
The black-tie party at Washington's swank Mayflower Hotel seemed a fitting celebra tion of the biggest American housing boom since the 1950s: filet mignon and lobster, a champagne room and hundreds of mortgage brokers, real estate agents and their customers gyrating to a Latin band.<br clear="all"><a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462836396" target="_blank"><img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462836396" border="0" vspace="5"></a>
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=Ov8SPJ"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=Ov8SPJ" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/313356369" height="1" width="1"/>
Where Short Sales Stumble
Here's what's really happening with short sales: All too often, they fall short of the finish line.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=nrVhUY"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=nrVhUY" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/313356370" height="1" width="1"/>
Chat Plus
Real estate editor Maryann Haggerty and columnist Elizabeth Razzi respond to a question adapted from a recent online chat.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=T0dnED"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=T0dnED" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/313356371" height="1" width="1"/>
Room to Roam, and Float, in Anne Arundel
It did not take Dan Hurston long to get involved in his new neighborhood. Hurston moved about two years ago to Annapolis Landing in Riva and is already vice president of the homeowners association.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=9N8bIm"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=9N8bIm" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/311384331" height="1" width="1"/>
Understanding Your Credit History Is the First Step Toward a Higher Score
I have heard from numerous readers who were confused by a recent column on how to clean up your credit history (also known as a credit report) and credit score.<br clear="all"><a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462837078" target="_blank"><img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462837078" border="0" vspace="5"></a>
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=3lqCcN"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=3lqCcN" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/311384340" height="1" width="1"/>
Equity Losses Aren't Felt Evenly
As a homeowner, seller or buyer, what should you make of the Federal Reserve's latest report on Americans' declining home-equity positions?
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=VeVMDs"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=VeVMDs" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/311384341" height="1" width="1"/>
In the U.K., a Different Standard For Broker Transparency
For perspective on institutional practices, nothing beats seeing how those practices differ elsewhere. Recently, I looked at how mortgage brokers and the lenders they deal with operate in the United Kingdom.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=aw1QoJ"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=aw1QoJ" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/311384338" height="1" width="1"/>
Pouring Cash Into the Bath
Every home seller who's serious about the job knows that scrubbing, de-cluttering, and all manner of primping are mandatory. But how far should you go in making expensive repairs to a bathroom?
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=Agdc6C"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=Agdc6C" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/306973698" height="1" width="1"/>
Its Name Lacks a 'Park,' but Not Its Vibe
Takoma has had an activist spirit from the start. An early example: Georgia Avenue was a toll road in the neighborhood's early days, and residents built out Piney Branch Road to avoid the payments. In the 1880s, when Takoma Park was founded as a railway suburb of the District, distinctions betwee...<br clear="all"><a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462838825" target="_blank"><img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462838825" border="0" vspace="5"></a>
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=YiS6Yj"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=YiS6Yj" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/306334230" height="1" width="1"/>
For Modern Whimsy, A Reach Back to Towers and Turrets
In the collection of magazine clips and photographs that Faye Guercio gave her architect for her home renovation, she began to notice an inadvertent recurrence of turrets and towers. It wasn't long before she realized she wanted one, too.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=G0vbHt"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=G0vbHt" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/306334233" height="1" width="1"/>
A Chance to Make a Real City Out of Tysons
Tysons Corner presents an extraordinary challenge and opportunity. No longer suburban, Tysons begs to be properly urbanized through visionary planning. Such planning could radically yet constructively transform one of the nation's most unattractive and dysfunctional environments.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=ZdHqMe"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=ZdHqMe" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/306334235" height="1" width="1"/>
Never Pay In Advance To Fix Your Credit
Picture this: You're eager to take advantage of today's troubled real estate market and buy a foreclosed house at a fire-sale price. But you don't have much money for a down payment. And your credit files are scuffed up with late payments.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=t5MQv7"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=t5MQv7" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/306342892" height="1" width="1"/>
Overcoming the Noisy, the Dirty And the Just Plain Eerie
W hile I was hosting a radio show recently, a call came in about whether to buy a house that was in foreclosure.<br clear="all"><a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462839711" target="_blank"><img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462839711" border="0" vspace="5"></a>
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=5uAlkZ"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=5uAlkZ" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/306342893" height="1" width="1"/>
Understanding Insurance, Spotting Predators
Here are some of the questions I get most often from mortgage borrowers:
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=428yVX"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=428yVX" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/306342894" height="1" width="1"/>
Chat Plus
Real estate editor Maryann Haggerty and columnist Elizabeth Razzi respond to a question adapted from a recent online chat.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=6TEvop"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=6TEvop" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/302011402" height="1" width="1"/>
As Disputes Escalate, So Can the Legal Bills
Beware the homeowners association squabble that escalates. Back-fence grousing over parking restrictions, architectural rules or allegations of cronyism can grow into civil war, and homeowners -- the source of all money in the association -- can end up paying big legal bills, no matter which side...
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=UEZtPU"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=UEZtPU" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/302011403" height="1" width="1"/>
Resting on a Peninsula, With Little Pretense
Cabell P. Bragg seems oblivious to what many would consider his million-dollar view of the Patuxent River.<br clear="all"><a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462840503" target="_blank"><img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462840503" border="0" vspace="5"></a>
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=hKwgpl"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=hKwgpl" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/301481239" height="1" width="1"/>
The General's Gem
The evidence of where the great once lived can come down to some peeling wallpaper in an upstairs room.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=JLv04q"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=JLv04q" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/301474703" height="1" width="1"/>
It's a Bonus, Not Blackmail
Q Our house has been listed for sale for more than four months. Early on, our real estate agent hosted an open house for real estate agents and brokers. At this meeting, someone suggested to our agent that we offer a bonus to the selling agent. Afterward, our agent pushed this idea, saying that t...
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=PVbCUK"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=PVbCUK" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/301474706" height="1" width="1"/>
A New Way to Tackle Foreclosures
Over the past several weeks, I have discussed a proposal for a new type of mortgage insurance called mortgage payment insurance.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=6pA3S7"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=6pA3S7" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/301474707" height="1" width="1"/>
Slim Pickings for Buyers Without Cash for a Down Payment
M ortgage loans that allowed you to buy without a down payment were a fast ticket to homeownership for many first-time buyers over the past decade.<br clear="all"><a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462841586" target="_blank"><img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462841586" border="0" vspace="5"></a>
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=tnYSmu"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=tnYSmu" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/301474711" height="1" width="1"/>
An Alarm System For Inaccurate Credit Scores
When you're quoted a higher interest rate than you deserve because of information in your credit file, wouldn't you appreciate it if someone red-flagged it for you?
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=EujJi9"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=EujJi9" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/301474712" height="1" width="1"/>
Water Everywhere, and Yet Home Prices Shrink
An ebbing tide lowers all boats, at least if you take the analogy to water-related real estate. Lower prices and longer times on the market mean it's easier for boating enthusiasts to find a home that puts them closer to casting off from shore.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=xXuXXs"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=xXuXXs" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/297559296" height="1" width="1"/>
Chat Plus
Real estate editor Maryann Haggerty and columnist Elizabeth Razzi respond to a question adapted from a recent online chat.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=wzbRzF"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=wzbRzF" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/297559297" height="1" width="1"/>
Born of Need, Shaped by Nurturing
In the midst of the Great Depression, 5,700 families applied to live in 885 Prince George's County townhouses and apartments built to make work for unemployed men.<br clear="all"><a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462842421" target="_blank"><img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462842421" border="0" vspace="5"></a>
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=S0ekSq"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=S0ekSq" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/296806323" height="1" width="1"/>
Don't Overlook the Kitchen Exhaust
Q: DEAR TIM: The plans for my new kitchen call for a range hood exhaust fan . Is one fan more effective than another? Years ago, the downdraft exhaust fans were popular. What kind of fan is in your kitchen? How do I make sure the one I select will adequately ventilate my kitchen?
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=BMs3qx"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=BMs3qx" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/296806321" height="1" width="1"/>
When an Appraisal Just Doesn't Add Up
Q: I applied to refinance my mortgage and was told that I would have to have a current appraisal. The lender contacted an appraiser to schedule a time. I paid the lender $349 upfront, which was charged to my credit card.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=zXrp2l"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=zXrp2l" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/296815595" height="1" width="1"/>
A Look Into the Past, at a Man Who Helped Build the Future
The National Building Museum's exhibition about Eero Saarinen presents an inspiring account of the Finnish-American architect and his memorable portfolio of modern buildings and furniture.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=Y0aSo1"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=Y0aSo1" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/296806322" height="1" width="1"/>
For First-Time Buyers, Tempting Prices but Tougher Rules
If you're a first-time home buyer, you'll find it a little harder to qualify for a mortgage than your counterpart did two years ago.<br clear="all"><a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462843136" target="_blank"><img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462843136" border="0" vspace="5"></a>
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=KelCAF"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=KelCAF" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/296806320" height="1" width="1"/>
Looser Credit on the Way In 'Declining' Markets?
Could the mortgage industry scrap its controversial practice of listing hundreds of local real estate markets as "declining" -- and restricting lending there through higher down payments or credit scores?
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=byhGhb"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=byhGhb" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/296806324" height="1" width="1"/>
The Hurdles on the Way to a Better Insurance
In my last several columns, I have discussed a proposal for a new type of mortgage insurance that I think would help solve many of the problems with the current mortgage system.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=ikddDj"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=ikddDj" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/296806325" height="1" width="1"/>
Real Estate Calendar
Here are some events that builders and developers have scheduled for would-be home buyers in the coming weeks. All are free and open to the public.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=dWh32A"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=dWh32A" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/296806326" height="1" width="1"/>
Drawing Attention Away From a Tiny Back Yard
Mary O'Connor hasn't had much trouble getting prospective buyers to hop out and check out her four-bedroom, 2 1/2 -bath home in Leesburg.<br clear="all"><a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462843558" target="_blank"><img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462843558" border="0" vspace="5"></a>
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=dq2ZV8"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=dq2ZV8" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/292494051" height="1" width="1"/>
4 percent were afraid of the contractor's germs 30 percent said while fixing one thing, the contractor broke another
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=tr8oP9"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=tr8oP9" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/292494052" height="1" width="1"/>
Contractors From Heaven . . . or Hell
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=JturAm"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=JturAm" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/292494053" height="1" width="1"/>
Contractors From Heaven ... or Hell
3 percent said a contractor asked them out on a date 2 percent said the contractor took a nap on their bed or couch
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=R8dOFa"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=R8dOFa" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/292494054" height="1" width="1"/>
Chat Plus
Real estate editor Maryann Haggerty and columnist Elizabeth Razzi respond to a question adapted from a recent online chat.<br clear="all"><a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462844395" target="_blank"><img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462844395" border="0" vspace="5"></a>
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=P43vZ9"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=P43vZ9" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/292494055" height="1" width="1"/>
Getting Easier to Get Big Loans
The gears of the mortgage market are starting to unlock for borrowers needing big loans. In expensive markets such as Washington, that covers most people looking to refinance or move up from an entry-level home.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=OMtgvD"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=OMtgvD" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/292494056" height="1" width="1"/>
Twentysomething, College-Educated And Moving Back In
When Melissa Jenkins received her college diploma last year, she was ready to get on with life -- and move in with her parents.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=NmqCBn"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=NmqCBn" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/291872157" height="1" width="1"/>
No Cookie-Cutter Community: Bayberry Believes In Dirt, Difference
Coming home to Bayberry is like "going to sleep-away camp," resident Elliot Nudell said of the pocket of 57 homes perched on the south shore of the Magothy River in Anne Arundel County.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=HBLIWJ"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=HBLIWJ" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/291872158" height="1" width="1"/>
At FHA, a Surprising Result Underpins a Big Change
DALLAS Who have better credit scores on average -- home buyers with higher or lower incomes? Inside the country's fastest-growing home-mortgage program, the surprising answer is: People with lower incomes have slightly higher FICO scores. That finding, which emerged from a statistical analysis of...<br clear="all"><a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462844844" target="_blank"><img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462844844" border="0" vspace="5"></a>
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=yIBjeB"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=yIBjeB" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/291872162" height="1" width="1"/>
Housing Industry Adapts to Not-So-Retiring Baby Boomers
Are you a baby boomer? Statisticians consider anyone born from 1946 to 1964 to be one.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=TvB1VQ"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=TvB1VQ" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/291872164" height="1" width="1"/>
Profiles in Tenacity: Short-Sale Buyers
Laurel Wittman and her husband, Eduardo Lopes, are examples of a rare species: successful short-sale buyers.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=HQa8Dm"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=HQa8Dm" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/287890604" height="1" width="1"/>
Shreds, Reds and Stony Beds
Properly applied mulch can help retain moisture in the soil, suppress weeds and control soil temperature.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=Os8PNQ"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=Os8PNQ" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/287890605" height="1" width="1"/>
Second Mortgage
· A mortgage with a lien position subordinate to the first mortgage. That means if the borrower defaults and the house is foreclosed upon, the second-lien holder will be paid from what's left after the first-lien holder gets its money.<br clear="all"><a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462845855" target="_blank"><img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462845855" border="0" vspace="5"></a>
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=lsyEvl"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=lsyEvl" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/287890606" height="1" width="1"/>
Real estate editor Maryann Haggerty and columnist Elizabeth Razzi respond to a question adapted from a recent online chat.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=bt4kTe"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=bt4kTe" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/287890607" height="1" width="1"/>
A Southeast Spot Blossoming With Charm
The fact that Hillcrest is a front-porch-sitting, dog-walking, back-fence-chatting, heavily voting community is not that unusual in this area.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=jf3xpN"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=jf3xpN" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/287069639" height="1" width="1"/>
Hang Tight -- It Can't Be This Bad Forever
I'll admit it: When home prices were soaring in my neighborhood, it made me feel really smart.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=S9qvAZ"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=S9qvAZ" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/287069646" height="1" width="1"/>
Appraisal Changes Face Resistance
A legal brawl is breaking out over how homes are appraised, at what cost and by whom. The outcome could directly affect how much you pay for your next piece of real estate and how much money you can borrow.<br clear="all"><a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462846851" target="_blank"><img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462846851" border="0" vspace="5"></a>
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=NoDvGJ"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=NoDvGJ" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/287069650" height="1" width="1"/>
Missed Potential Along the Potomac
The nation's capital is proud of its miles of wonderful waterfront parks. For locals and tourists, waterfront cafes can be just as wonderful.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=ZQQIJq"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=ZQQIJq" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/287069648" height="1" width="1"/>
A New System to Prepare for the Next Crisis
Last week, I discussed what I see as a serious weakness in the way the mortgage system deals with default risk. Essentially, interest rate risk premiums collected from borrowers that are not needed to meet current losses are paid as income to investors and not reserved to meet future losses.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=SJrPrJ"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=SJrPrJ" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/287069659" height="1" width="1"/>
A Widening Divide Over Lost Deposits
Today, we take another spin through the e-mail inbox. A recent column about what happens to deposits when buyers back out of a new-home purchase drew the most response.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=IIMlRz"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=IIMlRz" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/283134710" height="1" width="1"/>
Count to Five Before You Send the Last Check
Many people look forward to the day they own their homes free and clear. But gathering the money to pay off the mortgage is only part of the process. It's also important to make sure all the paperwork is in order.<br clear="all"><a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462849555" target="_blank"><img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462849555" border="0" vspace="5"></a>
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=qViBYT"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=qViBYT" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/283127200" height="1" width="1"/>
Letter From a Reader
The Eco Wise column in the April 6 Sunday Source ( "Mattress Eco-Matters: Don't Take It Lying Down" ) leaves the false impression that to avoid exposure to allegedly hazardous fire-retardant materials, readers may be better off not buying a new mattress, which must meet a rigorous flammability...
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=GSk6OM"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=GSk6OM" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/283116874" height="1" width="1"/>
Submitting Applications to Multiple Mortgage Lenders
Q Hyattsville: Every advice source suggests doing of plenty of homework before selecting a mortgage lender. Does this "homework" include actually submitting preapproval applications? In other words, is it common practice to submit more than one application, to see which rates come back, or is this...
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=ImX0zZ"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=ImX0zZ" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/283145525" height="1" width="1"/>
'Not Quite Dupont' to Some; an Inspiration to Many
Matthew Nguyen, 34, and Sergio Quintana, 32, had been house-hunting in the District for more than a year before they learned the name of their new favorite neighborhood.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=xd9FF7"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=xd9FF7" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/282331346" height="1" width="1"/>
If You Can't Sell the Home, Why Not Remodel?
To sell a home in many parts of the country, sellers need to outshine the competition, must be willing to negotiate on price and have to be prepared for months on the market. It's enough to make some sellers sit this season out, waiting for conditions to improve.<br clear="all"><a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462850941" target="_blank"><img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462850941" border="0" vspace="5"></a>
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=ZNZrCy"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=ZNZrCy" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/282331347" height="1" width="1"/>
Restrictions Are the Rule For All Sorts of Once-Easy Credit
Like a spreading infection, restrictions on credit are moving into new and more specialized niches of the mortgage market.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=CwLJj1"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=CwLJj1" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/282331345" height="1" width="1"/>
To Earn a Plumbing Permit, Head Back to the Drawing Board
Q: DEAR TIM: My city allows homeowners to install their own plumbing. To get the permit, I need to supply a rough-in plumbing diagram. What is a plumbing diagram? Can I just do a bathroom plumbing diagram? All I am doing is adding a bathroom.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=QS1JhP"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=QS1JhP" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/282331348" height="1" width="1"/>
In California, Building a Town With a Gentle Footprint
Can a new house reduce your ecological footprint? An ecological footprint is a way of quantifying human impact on the earth. The originator of the concept, environmentalist Mathis Wackernagel, sees it as a way to help average people wrap their brains around an overwhelming amount of data. Wackern...
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=YQfJEn"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=YQfJEn" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/282331349" height="1" width="1"/>
At the Heart of the Chaos, A Poor Way to Manage Risk
The housing finance system, while still functioning, is in a crisis. Interest rate risk premiums -- the rate increment on mortgages classified as riskier -- are two to four times as large as they were two years ago. Day-to-day rate volatility, which can cause havoc in the relationships between bo...<br clear="all"><a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462851829" target="_blank"><img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462851829" border="0" vspace="5"></a>
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=olXKyh"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=olXKyh" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/282331350" height="1" width="1"/>
As Swimming Season Nears, Study the New Safety Rules
Does your community association have a swimming pool or hot tub? If so, you should be aware of a law that requires new safety measures.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=HS5itP"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=HS5itP" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/282331351" height="1" width="1"/>
For Loan Seekers, Preparation Is More Important Than Ever
One of the reasons many subprime loans have failed is because of weak underwriting, a new study suggests.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=D2QJ5h"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=D2QJ5h" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/282331352" height="1" width="1"/>
Real Estate Calendar
Here are some events that builders and developers have scheduled for would-be home buyers in the coming weeks. All are free and open to the public.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=geIZfc"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=geIZfc" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/282331353" height="1" width="1"/>
Brokerage Barons See Washington Making a Slow Recovery
With hope of gaining perspective on the Washington-area housing market, I recently asked two deans of the brokerage business, John McEnearney, 81, founder of McEnearney Associates, and P. Wesley Foster Jr., 74, founder of Long & Foster Real Estate, to chat over lunch.<br clear="all"><a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462854898" target="_blank"><img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462854898" border="0" vspace="5"></a>
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=cpafkO"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=cpafkO" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/278446249" height="1" width="1"/>
Chat Plus
Real estate editor Maryann Haggerty and columnist Elizabeth Razzi respond to a question adapted from a recent online chat.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=qcZ843"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=qcZ843" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/278446250" height="1" width="1"/>
The Right Plants Can Help You Get the Right Price
When Albert Fox bought his 1940s Cape Cod in South Arlington in 2004, he inherited "a high-maintenance English garden." In an attempt to ratchet down the work needed on his 8,000-square-foot lot, two years ago he replaced those beds with daffodils and daylilies -- and not much else.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=TaKrSi"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=TaKrSi" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/278446251" height="1" width="1"/>
Bethesda Enclave Built for Gardeners, Social Butterflies
In 2001, Paul and Laurie Wilner left what they described as a "typical Colonial on three-quarters of an acre near Great Falls" for a community of 104 contemporary houses without lawns or basements two miles from downtown Bethesda.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=UrPSZI"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=UrPSZI" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/277829139" height="1" width="1"/>
'Declining Markets' and Self-Fulfilling Prophecies
Could designations of Zip codes, metropolitan areas and entire states as "declining markets" hinder a real estate recovery and hurt minority groups and moderate-income buyers disproportionately? Growing ranks of critics say yes.<br clear="all"><a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462855852" target="_blank"><img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462855852" border="0" vspace="5"></a>
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=luX8Y1"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=luX8Y1" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/277829140" height="1" width="1"/>
The Art and the Science of the Trench Drain
Q: DEAR TIM: Do you think a trench drain will solve my soggy yard and the chronic leak in my basement? Many of my neighbors suffered from a recent heavy rainfall, and we all are tired of dealing with water in and around our homes. Will a trench drain really work?
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=jHKtcG"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=jHKtcG" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/277839037" height="1" width="1"/>
Barriers to Reducing Needless Foreclosures
Needless foreclosures are happening all around us. Note that I am using a coldblooded business definition of "needless foreclosure," not a bleeding-heart one. Under my definition, if it costs the holder of the loan more to foreclose on a mortgage than to make it viable, it is a needless foreclosu...
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=qE9SQr"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=qE9SQr" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/277839038" height="1" width="1"/>
The Hard Work of Finding a Good Match for a Mortgage Lender
I 've received many e-mails lately from home buyers worried about finding a good lender.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=MYxkTZ"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=MYxkTZ" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/277839039" height="1" width="1"/>
Safeguarding Parents' Wishes for a Property Partnership
Q: My parents, who are in their eighties, own a small apartment building with my brother and his wife. They hold title as joint tenants with right of survivorship. When the property was bought, they agreed that this would be a 50-50 partnership. <br clear="all"><a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462856973" target="_blank"><img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462856973" border="0" vspace="5"></a>
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=yBjlr4"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=yBjlr4" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/277839040" height="1" width="1"/>
An Underlying Problem: What's Below Our Cars and Feet
A crisis looms. America's infrastructure is in terrible shape, performs badly and is destined to fail more often. Neglect, lack of political will, bureaucratic myopia and woefully inadequate funding are the primary causes.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=adlBKL"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=adlBKL" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/277839041" height="1" width="1"/>
Real Estate Calendar
Here are some events that builders and developers have scheduled for would-be home buyers in the coming weeks. All are free and open to the public.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=fBV14c"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=fBV14c" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/277839042" height="1" width="1"/>
Stagnant Market Has Ups, Downs Across Region
The District far outshone its suburban neighbors in housing prices in 2007.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=MytDZ1"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=MytDZ1" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/276705632" height="1" width="1"/>
Bucking the Trend, Md. House Prices Edge Up
Unlike their neighbors across the Potomac, home sellers in the Maryland suburbs saw the value of their properties rise in 2007, if only by a smidgen.<br clear="all"><a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462857534" target="_blank"><img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462857534" border="0" vspace="5"></a>
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=cHulj8"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=cHulj8" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/276661301" height="1" width="1"/>
Falling House Prices Take Toll in Va. Suburbs
Housing prices declined across Northern Virginia last year, with the outer suburbs leading the drop.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=enTU2t"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=enTU2t" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/276661302" height="1" width="1"/>
Friendly and Sophisticated, Virginia's Inner Suburbs Offer Tastes of Mayberry and Manhattan
In the 1980s, the area of South Arlington called Shirlington was an I-395 off-ramp with no draw to speak of. But by the '90s, Shirlington Village started to turn into an oasis of nice restaurants to serve the condo communities of Fairlington, Parkfairfax and others. Slowly, Shirlington began to lure...
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=nGhvEs"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=nGhvEs" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/276705633" height="1" width="1"/>
If You Walk Away, Expect to Pay
If you thought buying a new home was expensive, wait until you see how much it costs you to back out of the deal.
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=b9K2aM"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=b9K2aM" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/273748602" height="1" width="1"/>
Beyond the Tyranny of White and Flat
Whether simple or ornate, ceilings can have a big impact on how people perceive a room.<br clear="all"><a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462858203" target="_blank"><img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/wpni.rss/realestate;pos=ad9;tile=9;ad=rss;sz=479x40;ord=27462858203" border="0" vspace="5"></a>
<p><a href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?a=XFRMhy"><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~a/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml?i=XFRMhy" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/realestate/index_xml/~4/273754893" height="1" width="1"/>
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