Lender can’t assume loan, ask for PMI

Lender can’t assume loan, ask for PMI Q: My mother-in-law’s mortgage was sold to another lender. The new lender is asking for PMI, which was not required by her previous lender. She has more than 50 percent equity in her home. She really cannot afford the PMI. Does the new lender have this right? A: …

Cheap Chic: Home-Price Erosion Hits the $5 Million-Plus Market

Cheap Chic: Home-Price Erosion Hits the $5 Million-Plus Market A slice of the good life — the really good life — has gotten a lot more affordable lately. From Miami to Beverly Hills, homes with bowling alleys, theaters, steam rooms, heated decks, six-bay garages and other luxury must-haves are sitting on the market for at …

Foreign Buyers Flocking to U.S. Housing Market (Consumer Action: Personal Finance) at SmartMoney.com

Foreign Buyers Flocking to U.S. Housing Market Americans’ love affair with real estate may be cooling, but thanks to falling home prices and the weak dollar, attention is heating up from another group of suitors: foreign investors. Foreign buyers have long looked to certain U.S. markets — say, high-end properties in cosmopolitan Manhattan or sexy …

Home costs hit levels of 2004 [South Florida]

Home costs hit levels of 2004 [South Florida] Median home prices in Miami-Dade and Broward counties last month fell below $300,000 for the first time since 2004. A growing number of homes on the market, including foreclosures and properties owned by banks, plus sellers who have dropped asking prices, are contributing to the continued declines. …

Why the Smart Money Rents in Miami

R.O.I. – WSJ.com Maybe the smart way to play the real-estate crash is to come down here and rent. You can live in an amazing, brand-new condo, high above Biscayne Bay, for about $2,000 a month. And there are plenty of desperate owners who need the income. The cash doesn’t come close to covering all …