tag:searchlightcrusade.net,2024:/mt//feed/cost of money 2024-05-15T15:50:05Z Movable Type 4.21-en 979 1 979 tag:www.searchlightcrusade.net,2009://3.4856 2024-05-13T14:00:00Z 2024-05-13T15:31:10Z Dan Melson http://www.searchlightcrusade.net/ A while ago, I got a call from a hard money lender, asking what I could to to "rescue" one of his clients by refinancing. He was being about as altruistic as a drowning man. What he really wanted... tag:www.searchlightcrusade.net,2009://3.4855 2024-05-06T14:00:00Z 2024-05-06T16:00:22Z Dan Melson http://www.searchlightcrusade.net/ With the state of financial education in this country, many people shop for loans by payment, figuring the lowest payment is the best loan. As counter-evidence to that idea, let us consider the negative amortization loan. I've seen them... tag:gockel.hmdnsgroup.com,2006:/~searchli//3.2477 2024-04-30T14:00:00Z 2024-04-30T15:24:11Z Dan Melson http://www.searchlightcrusade.net/ Supply and Demand. Now that I've given the short answer, it's time to explain the macro factors behind interest rate variations. But I'm going to keep referring to those first three words. It is a tradeoff between the supply of... tag:www.searchlightcrusade.net,2014://3.5113 2024-04-08T14:00:00Z 2024-04-08T16:19:05Z Dan Melson http://www.searchlightcrusade.net/ I love your site and you are very knowledgeable. I have one quick question for you. I bought a home, I made it through closing, I moved my family into the home. During the process I used some closing... tag:www.searchlightcrusade.net,2009://3.4853 2024-04-01T14:00:00Z 2024-04-01T12:38:30Z Dan Melson http://www.searchlightcrusade.net/ Somebody sent me this story via e-mail: Feeling Misled on Home Price, Buyers Sue Agent Marty Ummel feels she paid too much for her house. So do millions of other people who bought at the peak of the housing... tag:www.searchlightcrusade.net,2009://3.4847 2024-03-04T15:00:00Z 2024-03-04T16:11:01Z Dan Melson http://www.searchlightcrusade.net/ Unpermitted additions are popular in California because of property tax implications. You see, due to Proposition 13 back in 1978, taxable assessments are based upon purchase price plus no more than 2% per year since acquisition (although if you... tag:www.searchlightcrusade.net,2009://3.4846 2024-02-26T15:00:00Z 2024-02-26T15:03:35Z Dan Melson http://www.searchlightcrusade.net/ There's really nothing mysterious about this. There are some subsidiary tricks and issues, but the most important thing is obvious. The economic games theory is crystal clear, as is the research into what really happens. But most people don't like... tag:www.searchlightcrusade.net,2009://3.4845 2024-02-19T15:00:00Z 2024-02-19T12:58:57Z Dan Melson http://www.searchlightcrusade.net/ It's the same reason the phone company doesn't want to compete, General Motors doesn't want to compete, Wal-Mart doesn't want to compete, Disney doesn't want to compete, and Microsoft will do everything in its power to appear as if it... tag:www.searchlightcrusade.net,2008://3.3774 2024-02-12T15:00:00Z 2024-02-12T16:30:00Z Dan Melson http://www.searchlightcrusade.net/ Hi--I just found your site today. The best I've ever seen/read, etc. Thank You!! I do have a question I didn't see addressed regarding our current situation/dilemma: Our present home, which we've lived in for 8 years, is worth... tag:gockel.hmdnsgroup.com,2006:/~searchli//3.2465 2024-02-05T15:00:00Z 2024-02-05T17:39:19Z Dan Melson http://www.searchlightcrusade.net/ In an attempt to debunk some of the slanders that are floating around out there, this article is an itemization of how lenders and brokers make money on loans. The first method is obvious: Origination or discount points charged to... tag:gockel.hmdnsgroup.com,2006:/~searchli//3.2464 2024-01-29T15:00:00Z 2024-01-29T16:00:45Z Dan Melson http://www.searchlightcrusade.net/ It may not come as a shock to you, but loan officers, along with many other salesfolk, speak a different language than the rest of the population. What will probably annoy you, however, is the number of times they'll say... tag:www.searchlightcrusade.net,2008://3.3770 2024-01-22T15:00:00Z 2024-01-22T17:05:39Z Dan Melson http://www.searchlightcrusade.net/ I've seen many new home developments with vaulted ceilings, mini-vineyards, huge houses on little tiny lots...Why can't some developer built some homes for us regular people? A normal sized home with plenty of closet space and a decent (not... tag:www.searchlightcrusade.net,2011://3.5044 2024-01-08T15:00:00Z 2024-01-08T20:04:07Z Dan Melson http://www.searchlightcrusade.net/ At any given time, I will usually have at least one set of clients who really need to consider a condo or townhome who nonetheless have their hearts set on a single family residence. I agree to include single... tag:www.searchlightcrusade.net,2009://3.4841 2024-01-01T15:00:00Z 2024-01-01T17:01:17Z Dan Melson http://www.searchlightcrusade.net/ Expertise and attitude, not control of an informational chokepoint, is the way that things are going. Let's analyze this from both sides of the problem. The current owner looking to sell really needs a marketer. For better or worse, most... tag:www.searchlightcrusade.net,2009://3.4840 2023-12-25T15:00:00Z 2023-12-25T16:27:37Z Dan Melson http://www.searchlightcrusade.net/ I have said repeatedly that buyer's markets are not the time to be selling a property if you have any choice. There is one exception: People looking to turn around and buy a more expensive property. If you're looking to... tag:gockel.hmdnsgroup.com,2006:/~searchli//3.2456 2023-12-18T15:00:00Z 2023-12-18T15:48:25Z Dan Melson http://www.searchlightcrusade.net/ (This was originally written February 16, 2006, but it's relevant still) One of the occasional questions I get from people has to do with why the housing bubble got so big (or if you're one of those still in denial... tag:www.searchlightcrusade.net,2009://3.4839 2023-11-27T15:00:00Z 2023-11-27T13:22:45Z Dan Melson http://www.searchlightcrusade.net/ There is no such thing as a free lunch, but lots of people will pretend there is. It seems to me that many people consider compensation earned by real estate agents as paying some kind of toll. They think of... tag:gockel.hmdnsgroup.com,2006:/~searchli//3.2455 2023-11-20T15:00:00Z 2023-11-20T13:14:56Z Dan Melson http://www.searchlightcrusade.net/ We live in (A California city). In a 2 bedroom 1 bath home on approximately a 20,000 Sq. ft. lot. It is easily worth 500K to 600K with a current mortgage of $116,000. The mortgage/Title is in the name... tag:www.searchlightcrusade.net,2009://3.4836 2023-11-08T15:00:00Z 2023-11-08T15:23:14Z Dan Melson http://www.searchlightcrusade.net/ At a very young age, my parents bought me a book of Aesop's Tales. Aesop has gone out of style, probably because these are stories with a moral lesson, and it seems the modern society is actively averse to moral... tag:gockel.hmdnsgroup.com,2006:/~searchli//3.2452 2023-10-30T14:00:00Z 2023-10-30T12:59:50Z Dan Melson http://www.searchlightcrusade.net/ One of the most true sayings in the mortgage business is, "If you can't lock it right now, it's not real." But many mortgage providers will play a game of wait and hope. They tell you they have a certain...