(This is a historical post, and applies to every Republican president since Nixon at least to my personal knowledge. Time has taken some of the bloom of President Bush, mostly due to political constraints placed by others) The Anchoress has a much needed perspective on President Bush. I am neither religious nor conservative, and yet …
Monthly Archives: June 2025
Long Term Care Issues
One of the two most undersold financial products is long term care insurance. Yet it is a critical need, ranking just below disability insurance in the estimation of most financial planning agencies. Long Term Care is already a large part of our nation’s health care costs. In 2002, the last year I actively worked as …
What Can You Recover From the Title Company?
“what can a consumer recover from title company for undisclosed easement” Basically, the cost of the immediate remedy, at least here in California. Here’s a standard example. Mr. and Ms. Smith buy a property and they wish to put a pool in. The purchase process reveals no easements and they quickly take possession of the …
Continue reading “What Can You Recover From the Title Company?”
Debt Consolidation Services
In my experience, these are death to your credit rating. Why? Because of how they work. The short story is they get your creditors to agree to accept some lesser number of dollars for your debts. The creditors, for their part, aren’t happy about this. They often mark you as not having paid in full. …
Can Someone Be Added To An Existing Mortgage?
Got a search for that, and it occurred to me that it is a valid question. The answer is yes. The degree varies. You can simply contact the bank to make yourself responsible for payment. They are usually happy to do this, although unlike revolving accounts you typically will not receive back credit on your …
Continue reading “Can Someone Be Added To An Existing Mortgage?”
Buyer’s Agents: What Do They Do?
Got this search:“should I get a buyer’s agent if I’ve already found a house” The answer is almost certainly yes, but I am going to examine both the pros and cons. Full disclosure: This is what I do for a living. The con is fairly simple. If the seller isn’t paying a buyer’s agent, they …
Available Real Estate Loan Types
So what else is available, besides the thirty year fixed? There are many kinds of loan out there. Here’s a quick overview: A Paper In addition to the thirty year fixed, there are several other varieties of fixed rate loan available, and several that are not. Commonly available are five year fixed, ten year fixed, …
Inducements to Use A Particular Lender for a Purchase
One of the things I’m seeing more of in MLS listings and developer advertising, among other places, is the phrase “$X in closing cost credit (or “$X in free builder upgrades”) given for using preferred lender” Sounds like a bargain, right? Just use their lender and you get this multi-thousand dollar credit. After all, “All …
Continue reading “Inducements to Use A Particular Lender for a Purchase”
Cold Hard Numbers
(This is a somewhat redacted letter I was been sending out during the 2000s mortgage crisis) I have just recently attended a talk by Gregory Smith, the county assessor, on the future of home values in San Diego. He expects prices to continue to rise by 5-10% per year, citing scarcity as the reason. Basically, …
Changing the Purchase Contract
What is the reasonable amount of notice to give when changing contract terms in California That was a search I got. Unfortunately for this person, a real estate contract is not something like Lando Calrissian’s bargain with the Empire, where Darth Vader was free to alter it at will. The real estate contract is negotiated …