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This summer has been the hottest housing market in almost seven years, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, which reported that new construction grew at an annual rate of 6.9 percent in June of 2012. In addition, home prices rose for the first time in seven months, according to the Home Price Index, and homes in pending status rose 9.5 percent from June 2011 to 2012, according to the National Association of Realtors. This supports what I have discussed in a previous column: That multiple offers are back, and can cause buyers to pay more than they would prefer, and …

Last month we saw just how much new data has been made available for free at familysearch.org. The competition, so to speak, is Ancestry.com. Ancestry is a pay site, and I don’t have any connections to them, but it is time to review the newest additions to Ancestry and you can decide for yourself if you want to pay for access, or try it for free at a local public library or family history center. Ancestry charges based on the scope of the collection you want. They have simplified the packages to two major choices. The US Discovery package gives …

QE, or quantitative easing, is the action the Federal Reserve takes to buy mortgage and treasury bonds in the open market with the hopes of pushing down interest rates to a point that will jump-start the economy. QE also has a great effect on the stock market because it artificially boosts stock prices, giving the economy a chance to come around. The Federal Reserve has already implemented two rounds of quantitative easing, which has swelled their portfolio of mortgage and treasury bonds to a record $1.8 trillion. The treasury also recorded over $70 billion in trading profits in 2011 from …

A few weeks after Francesca’s doctor told her she might have Alzheimer’s disease, her son Joseph visited her. “Mom, I’ve been thinking we might need to talk,” Joseph said. “Ever since Dad died, I’ve been trying to help you with the financial details Dad usually handled.” Francesca nodded, but said nothing. “Now, don’t get me wrong, Mom. We know you’re still doing pretty well on your own right now,” Joseph continued. “And hopefully you’ll be able to for years.” Francesca folded her hands in her lap. “So then let’s not worry about it now.” Handling the Problem While Francesca is …

With the abundance of distressed and low-priced properties for sale, many people are considering becoming first-time landlords. But before you embark on such a venture, it’s important to fully understand landlord and tenant rights and responsibilities. A landlord usually is responsible for keeping the unit in a livable condition, which includes making the necessary repairs along with ensuring that the property is in compliance with all state and local housing codes. The landlord sets the rental amount for the property, and being a first-time landlord, it is best to research the area and charge a few dollars lower than the …

The Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) was started in early 2009 for homeowners who wanted to refinance but were thwarted because of declining home values. The program was initially aimed at loans that had been originated prior to March of 2009, and allowed for a home’s value to come in at 25 percent below that mortgage amount. In March of 2012, the government release HARP 2.0, which allowed lenders to do refinance loans that were originated prior to May of 2009 and lifted the limit as to how low the value of the home could be relative to the mortgage. …

The most common type of dementia, Alzheimer’s affects approximately 4 million Americans. The disease is characterized by progressive changes in behavior and personality and can include gradual declines in mental abilities such as thinking, memory or judgment. Memory loss or forgetfulness is the best-known sign of early Alzheimer’s. This might include difficulty remembering recent events, performing familiar tasks, using words correctly, finding the way home, making decisions, or locating lost objects. A person with Alzheimer’s may frequently lose keys or other objects, forget whether an ingredient has been added to a recipe, withdraw from usual activities, or have trouble driving …

Are you always placing offers on properties only to be outbid? What do you do when you are placed in this situation, whether you are the buyer or seller? Once an endangered species, multiple offers on properties are returning to the market, and buyers have to play their cards right if they want to come out on top Homes that are priced right will always see plenty of activity, and many times sell for above the asking price. However, the sales price is not the only item to consider on the contract. Three other crucial items to bear in mind …

Lately I have been mentioning the same web site in a number of columns on diverse subjects. “What is this ‘familysearch’ thing you keep talking about?” Some people confuse this with Ancestry.com, which is advertised on TV. Familysearch is something quite different. The web site is www.familysearch.org and it is owned and operated by the Mormon Church (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the formal name). They are trying to gather as much genealogical data from around the world in order for their church members to discover their ancestors. However, they allow anyone to use their resources and …

A few years back, there was a mortgage program that was called a “No Doc” or “No income verification” program, which made it easier for non-salaried workers to qualify for home loans by not forcing them to verify their income. This program was a great for someone that had a good down payment or sizeable equity for a refinance, but didn’t show a lot of income. Unfortunately, this program was being used by W-2 employees to qualify for larger mortgages than they could afford. So they would state that they made more money than they actually did, and “qualify” for …