Venture Firms Pull Back, But Not for Long

Venture firms are sounding the alarm over what this current downturn might mean for their portfolio companies — and it’s not pretty ... , all as their personal wealth dwindles and banks decline to offer home equity loans or other lines of credit ... stay on the sidelines? As bad as things are forecast to be, my bet is that they won’t be there for long [more...]

Date: 2008-10-10 04:01:04

Blog posts (447) | Videos (95)
 

The Personal Effect of the Financial Crisis

With the steady stream of bad news coming at us from all directions, it’s clear that the financial crisis is taking its toll on the economy ... situation. In many areas, prices have declined significantly. From car dealerships to retailers ... affected those trying to sell their homes, or perhaps those with large home equity lines of credit [more...]

Date: 2009-01-10 14:45:40

'Too Much House' Buyers To Be Rewarded?

The Treasury and FDIC are considering a plan to guarantee about $500 billion of bad mortgages in an attempt to reduce the total number of ... , and not their ability to afford the home. If homeowners also took out a home equity line of credit, no problem ... as 3 million loans into ones that homeowners would actually be able to afford (imagine that). In [more...]

Date: 2008-10-31 15:51:36

The Fannie/Freddy bailout

It’s almost as if the feds are trying to flush the economy down the crapper ... holders of U.S. Treasury bonds. -Higher rates are bad for anyone with a mortgage, credit card debt, a home equity loan, a margin account, etc. -Higher rates also increase the government’s debt burden [more...]

Date: 2008-07-15 01:21:54

2nd Mortgage Rate

2nd Mortgage Rate August 12th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed Do you own a home? ... . Applying for a home equity loan can be quick and painless. Even with bad credit, it may still ... or to purchase a car? Right now, mortgage rates are at the lowest they have been in decades [more...]

Date: 2008-08-12 14:23:58

Borrowing To Invest Vs. Saving To Invest

This is a follow up to my post about bums not being richer than you ... the $500 directly into investments, he goes to his bank and sets up a home equity line of credit ... nest egg of $378,015. Not too bad! The Leveraged Investor In this scenario, our investor wants [more...]

Date: 2008-12-22 00:22:31

Spending habits: Do as I say, not as I do

Shopper_2 Crushing mortgage payments, rising foreclosures and living off home equity lines of credit and plastic are all examples of how Americans have let their spending get out of hand, but most bad habits start small. An Associated Press ... . But more importantly they can compare how much it would have cost if they put it on a credit card, [more...]

Date: 2008-11-05 01:31:43

What the Fed's .50 rate cut means for Helocs & Credit Cards.

I heart CNN like crazy, they are REALLY on top of their ish over there! ... now be a crazy low rate of 4.05%!!! how crazy is that? And you know it's bad out there when my 2nd ... . This means total greatness! Since our Home Equity Line of Credit is tied to the Prime Rate (which [more...]

Date: 2008-10-08 15:12:00

Consumer confidence falls to record low

The Conference Board reported a record low in consumer confidence in the U.S. going all the way back to 1967 when record-keeping began ... percent. In bad news for retail sales, only 4.4 percent of the sample say they expect to buy a car ... . Falling home equity, plunging stock markets, and a credit crisis, the likes of which few [more...]

Date: 2008-10-28 15:34:00

Mortgage Market Update: Version 1

Hey guys. Sorry for the delay in posts, this week has been absolutely hectic and I’ve had no time at all to take a step back and take a breather ... to you by your lender of choice. Obviously if you have bad credit and are looking for the maximum amount of financing ... market, banks will not offer as much equity out of borrower’s homes in a refinance tran [more...]

Date: 2008-08-22 20:15:47

WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO INVEST IN A HIGH RISK LOAN FOR 28.75 % IF YOU KNEW THE PERSON HAD A GOOD JOB?

We have over 80,000 a year as well as we have a bad credit rating since of a illness emanate as well as a small not so intelligent choices. We have been perplexing to get a loan to compensate off all upon a credit (less than 7000.00) not counting a automobile loan (up in FEB 07) as well as a residence (we owe110,000 as well as it is value 135,000, though can’t get a home equity loan in TX b/c of a refiance usually 80% law.) We can means a remuneration of up to 475.00 a month. [more...]

Date: 2009-09-29 00:45:13

“Living beneath your means”

While most of America was busy trading home equity for a TV, RV, and SUV, I was busy renting apartments and driving an economy car ... times or bad. If you can’t stop using your credit card, get rid of it. An easy check to see ... bad it was. My father once said “I got a 21% rate on my loan, and I was glad to get it.” We may [more...]

Date: 2009-01-06 15:36:19

E*Trade on the Brink - Seeks $800 Million from TARP to Stay Solvent

Battered E*Trade banking on government fundsFri Nov 21, 2008 5:15pm ESTBy Jonathan SpicerNEW YORK (Reuters) ... U.S. government funds that would bring some relief to its book of bad mortgage loans.Shares ... situation. E*Trade Bank offers credit cards, savings and checking accounts, and mortgage and home equity [more...]

Date: 2008-11-22 21:26:00

Goldman Sachs Predicts Loan Losses Will Top $2 Trillion

Despite all the hoopla about stimulus plans and bailouts rescuing Americans’ home equity and retirement accounts, ... of $780 billion. Add in losses from commercial real estate, credit cards, auto debt and business ... on bad overseas loans that they hold. And it looks like more bad news about loan losses will be coming [more...]

Date: 2009-01-15 23:05:05

News and Blogs: Wednesday, November 19, 2008

5 Money Mistakes in a Bad Economy. Here are the mistakes: continuing to use credit cards, withdrawing or taking a loan from your retirement funds, paying for college without loans, grants, or scholarships, neglecting to invest, and taking home-equity loans. Bid to Ban Sale of Obama Tickets. Tickets to presidential inaugurations have always [more...]

Date: 2008-11-19 18:00:30

Need a Loan Modification? Here are Six Ways You Might Qualify

by Joshua W. Davidson Let’s face the facts, the San Diego area mortgage market and home market has had some wild declines over the past eighteen months to a few years, depending on the location. Along with other adjustment to borrowing rules, it is almost absurd for nearly all fighting to survive real estate owners to refinance their home loans into realistic specifications. Fortunately, worried homeowners still have a chance at getting their loan changed by their existing lender. [more...]

Date: 2009-09-29 19:23:47

ScamBuster 284

Hello friend, My name is Scott Whittington, I am an American soldier, I am serving in the military with the 1st Armored Division in Iraq , as you know we are being attacked by insurgents everyday and car bombs.We managed to move part of funds belonging to Saddam Hussein’s family in 2003. The total amount is US$12 Million dollars in cash, mostly 100 dollar bills,this money has been kept somewhere outside Baghdad for some time but with the proposed troop in increase by president Barrack Obama, [more...]

Date: 2009-09-27 07:53:34

Wasting away

Not a day goes by here without new arguments why interest rates won’t rise. They go like this: The weather’s been good since last winter ended. People are enjoying it. They play and prosper in the sun. If the snows come it will be bad. We are not ready. We will suffer. Therefore the government will not allow it to be so. Other variations, too. Like pointing to Japan where rates have stayed low for two decades. Or claiming central banks will print money, buy all the bonds, and keep rates low. [more...]

Date: 2009-09-29 01:48:24

Miguel Barbosa Interviews Michael Mauboussin: Author, Investor, & Multidisciplinary Thinker

Benoit Mandelbrot once said that “failure to explain is caused by failure to describe”. The world has experienced one of the most severe financial crises. How should we make sense of what happened? Without a doubt, we should describe the financial crisis in a multidisciplinary fashion. Only through multiple perspectives can we begin to uncover the origins of the “great recession”. Today, I’m pleased and honored to have one of the foremost experts in multidisciplinary thinking, Michael Mauboussin. [more...]

Date: 2009-09-28 16:43:17

How to Hedge Against Inflation With a Home Equity Loan

Home equity loans were a large part of the consumer credit expansion that fueled the economy for more than a decade. The housing market bubble drove up housing asset prices, but without refinancing a homeowner couldn’t spend their new found fortune unless they got a home equity line of credit. If you are unaware of the coming wave of inflation that will threaten to unravel the global financial systems, all I can say is wise up or read some of my previous articles .  If you are aware of [more...]

Date: 2009-09-29 14:00:00

Bailed Banks

The Bush-Obama strategy of throwing trillions at the banks to solve the mortgage crisis has been a failure. The banks welcome public money to remove toxic assets from their books, insured by we-the-taxpayers, as well as the hundreds of billions in direct handouts, but they’ve hardly returned the favor. They’ve used these funds to pay mega salaries and prop up stock values, choices that obviously benefit them. They needed public support, no one wanted the system to collapse. [more...]

Date: 2009-09-30 21:58:57

Home Improvement Home Equity In Disguise

Author : Melissa Kellett When you want to improve your home, the cost of materials and various expenses begin to add up to enormous sums You want to get it done all in one go, instead of spending six months or more with sand, sawdust and a stink of paint all over the house Solution, a home improvement loan It's A Long Deserved Prize You and your family deserve this treat, after waiting for a number of years The kids have grown up, but their marks on the walls, doors and ceiling are still [more...]

Date: 2009-09-26 07:31:07

Mortgage Refinance After Bankruptcy

Author : Elizabeth Grant If you are considering remortgaging your home after Bankruptcy, there are many factors to consider in the decision making process Here we discuss some of the essentials topics that will enable you to decide if releasing equity from your home is your best option Becoming bankrupt If you are in a bad debt situation and are thinking of declaring yourself bankrupt, then the first thing you should do is get legal and financial advice to make sure that this is your best [more...]

Date: 2009-09-26 22:46:33

Credit Cards After Bankruptcy: Is It Feasible?

Getting any kind of finance after going through a bankruptcy process is not an easy task. When it comes to credit cards, given that they constitute an open line of credit, there are even less chances of getting approved since the lender has little control on the repayment process and thus, the risk is greater. Yet, it is possible to obtain a credit card after bankruptcy under certain circumstances. One of the things that need to be made clear is how long after bankruptcy you are applying. [more...]

Date: 2009-09-26 20:20:28

Never Show up to a Gunfight with a Knife

Why do so many people struggle with money? Why is it so difficult to get ahead in a time of such prosperity? Why do the rich keep getting richer while the poor and middle class seem to continually struggle? I’ll tell you the answer: Most people follow bad advice and mimic strategies of the financially unsuccessful rather than imitating those who are already wealthy. You see, every day you make money choices that affect all areas of your life. [more...]

Date: 2009-09-28 20:03:13

The 7 new rules of financial security

In a world turned upside down, you must re-examine some basic assumptions. A good place to start: understanding the true nature of risk.John Maynard Keynes, the Depression-era economist who’s having quite the comeback, once quipped when he was accused of inconsistency: “When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?”Money has long advocated the benefits of consistency in your investing and financial planning. [more...]

Date: 2009-09-29 10:57:27

Why Financing the RV Purchase Is Sensible

by Stephen Daniels Cash is king, and so, notably in these times, conserving money for emergencies and extra unanticipated expenses makes good judgment. Paying cash for the possession of an RV depletes currency that may well be desired later on. That is why financing the possession of an RV is the way to go, above all in these days of low interest rates. Using cash to get an RV turns that cash into an “illiquid investment,” not speedily on hand if and when the cash is needed. [more...]

Date: 2009-09-30 05:44:49

Foreclosure Scams You Want To Avoid

by Adam Whazzer Foreclosure is one of the worst things that can happen to a homeowner. Knowing there are scammers waiting to prey on your desperation and vulnerability makes the situation even more worrisome. Thousands have fallen prey to phony foreclosure counseling, phantom help, bait and switch, rent to buy, and bankruptcy foreclosure scams. Being able to know the telltale signs of a foreclosure rescue scam can save you the agony and suffering of becoming yet another victim. [more...]

Date: 2009-09-29 19:23:35

How To Obtain A Mortgage Loan Modification To Prevent Foreclosure

In today's economic environment, mortgage foreclosure hurts everyone. The homeowner's credit score is destroyed and, most importantly, they are forced out of their homes causing them to lose everything they put into the property. The homeowners' neighborhood loses as property values decline, crime rates go up, and the tax base evaporates. And the lenders lose because the cost of foreclosure is extremely high and they must report foreclosures as non-performing assets. [more...]

Date: 2009-09-28 15:17:38

Fixed Rate Second Mortgage

Most people who grow up in America, often think about one day having a family and settlement down in their own home. Owning your own place to call home has been an essential part of the American dream. People are often looking at different real estate properties, even when they don’t have the finances to afford it. Once you buy that first home of yours, it is feeling of accomplishment. After you own your own home, you have a new weapon to use in your finances. [more...]

Date: 2009-09-26 19:03:05

Free Consumer Credit Counseling

Most people who grow up in America, often think about one day having a family and settlement down in their own home. Owning your own place to call home has been an essential part of the American dream. People are often looking at different real estate properties, even when they don’t have the finances to afford it. Once you buy that first home of yours, it is feeling of accomplishment. After you own your own home, you have a new weapon to use in your finances. [more...]

Date: 2009-09-26 19:05:53

How Online Loan Calculators Can You Time And Money

by Dennis Shirk Do you ever feel like you know just enough about loan calculators to be dangerous? Let’s see if we can fill in some of the gaps with the latest info from loan experts. How much should your down payment be? Most experts recommend at least 20 percent. Consolidation loans also have varying repayment plans. Use the links below to determine your repayment amounts under each of the different plans. You can then see what your monthly payment would be with a consolidated loan. [more...]

Date: 2009-09-28 10:46:28

Where has the Bailout Money Gone? Good Billions After Bad

Where has the Bailout Money Gone? Good Billions After Bad Vanity Fair by Donald L. Barlett and James B. Steele As the Bush administration waned, the Treasury shoveled more than a quarter of a trillion dollars in tarp funds into the financial system—without restrictions, accountability, or even common sense. The authors reveal how much of it ended up in the wrong hands, doing the opposite of what was needed. Just inside the entrance to the U.S. [more...]

Date: 2009-09-28 06:17:36

Lenders hold the keys to housing recovery

Christian L. Redfearn is an associate professor of policy, planning and development at USC and a faculty member at the Lusk Center for Real Estate. He is currently involved in both domestic and international research projects, including Swedish housing markets, residential real estate markets in Singapore, and Los Angeles Basin Real Estate Submarket Dynamics. Insider Q&A spoke with Prof. Redfearn recently about which economic factors are keeping the market bottom at bay. [more...]

Date: 2009-09-26 09:00:20

Wall Street Breakfast: Must-Know News

CIT on the brink. Sources say CIT Group ( CIT ) is preparing a sweeping exchange offer that would eliminate 30-40% of its $30B in debt, giving bondholders new debt with a later maturity, and nearly all the equity in a restructured CIT. The plan is likely to be more attractive to bondholders with near-term debt, and some insiders say competing bondholder interests are likely to thwart any deal and send CIT to bankruptcy court. CIT -24% premarket. IMF turns optimistic. [more...]

Date: 2009-09-30 11:20:04

In The News Today

Barrick and its OTC Short of Gold Derivative Obligations: I am asked constantly how Barrick can cover all their hedges. The answer is quite simple. Barrick does not have to buy one ounce of gold. You buy your way out of hedge contracts with paper money. The simple question is what does the long side want to release the obligation in light of future possible profits on the position? What a hell of a needlessly expensive mess. [more...]

Date: 2009-09-30 19:48:55

OIL’s well, that starts well!

Vitality shows in not only the ability to persist but the ability to start over. The opening moments will be dominated more by Oil India’s listing. The market will be keen to see how the stock behaves after a tepid debut for Adani Power and NHPC. We expect another positive start though Asian stock markets are mixed after overnight losses on Wall Street. [more...]

Date: 2009-09-30 04:01:00

Debt Consolidation and How to Overcome It

Debt is one of the major worry for many people. Many Americans are head to toes under debt and their numbers is on a rise. In such a scenario, debt consolidation has become a major escape route for everyone. People with multiple debts often use debt consolidation as a way of consoli dating their debts. Debt consolation is necessary not just to pay off your debts but also to help you negate bad credit that can really affect your financial situation. [more...]

Date: 2009-09-26 05:53:53

Latest Tips For Using Loan Calculators To Save Money

September 28, 2009 | By John Boone In Finance | by Ann WhittakerImagine the next time you join a discussion about simple loan payment calculators. When you start sharing the fascinating loan calculator facts below, your friends will be absolutely amazed.Financing your dream car and keeping bad credit at bay is as simple as 1-2-3. Financial institutions are increasingly becoming flexible about bad credit personal loan applications. [more...]

Date: 2009-09-28 20:24:26

Belief Still in Ascendancy

Good Evening: Today’s action in the capital markets did not appear very remarkable on the surface, but it did reveal once again that investors are ( ... participants may have to wait until this blessed day arrives was missing from the text. U.S. equity ... , as was a much weaker than expected pending home sales figure for November. If housing is still [more...]

Date: 2009-01-07 06:04:03

Danish Mortgage System Rediscovered

Tyler Cowen has written a very positive review of Robert Pozen’s book about our financial crisis, Too Big To Save? How To Fix The U.S. Financial System. He seem to especially like the Danish Mortgage system. Key quotes….. The Danish model has another critical and innovative feature. Holders can retire their own mortgages by purchasing the same face amount of mortgage bonds at the prevailing market price. [more...]

Date: 2009-09-27 16:14:27

Scanning the News: Tough Times Require Decisive Action

Though I get most of my in-depth commentary on business and technology from blogs, I augment that with mainstream news headlines and alerts ... Stocks in U.S. Retreat; S&P 500 Index Falls Below Lowest Close Since 2003 •Berkshire Credit Risk ... ' as Shares Fall •Senate's McConnell Calls for Expediting $25 Billion of Loans to Automakers •Hijacked [more...]

Date: 2008-11-19 16:04:32

Home Ownership Is Not a Dirty Word

At Economist’s View, Mark Thoma brings up a subject no one seems to want to talk about anymore - helping people with modest incomes buy homes ... , caused the subprime mortgage meltdown. They contend government regulations forced lenders to make bad loans to low-income borrowers. Thoma quickly dismisses this. Instead, he raises an important [more...]

Date: 2008-10-24 13:19:55

Is This A Model That Works Any More?

Some housing bubble news from Wall Street and Washington. Bloomberg. “Confidence among U.S. homebuilders dropped to a record low in July ... who were in a position to influence policy, profits, or public opinion.” “A loan officer…who served ... out for special treatment. After he filled out the applications, they were processed by a V.I.P.-loan [more...]

Date: 2008-07-16 19:03:10

Weekly Economic Potpourri November 29, 2008

Every week there are a numerous headlines that are worthy of mentioning but I simply run out of time. Here are a few headline news reports of interest from the past week.Japan’s Factory Output Falls as Turmoil Hurts ExportsJapanese manufacturers reduced production in October and plan further cutbacks as a worsening global financial crisis weakens [more...]

Date: 2008-11-29 18:46:00

Suffering For Someone Else’s Problems

The Courier Journal reports from Kentucky. “A large chunk of western Louisville and the Shively area saw a 22 percent drop in median home prices in ... on a large number of mortgage foreclosures in those areas, along with a tight credit market that makes it tough for buyers to get financing.” “Kennie Romans, who has worked as a real estate agent [more...]

Date: 2008-08-11 15:32:16

Crazy Talk - Real Estate Gone Mad

Scientists may have discovered that commenting on this article may extend your life by 3/8 of a year! [ ... Creative Commons License photo credit: respres Oh Man, It’s True… It’s finally happened ... discussing the new listings. I warn my buyers, the ones who want a turn-key home with all of the amenities [more...]

Date: 2008-10-28 16:21:20

Two clubs for small mortgage banks; Freddie pushes back 10/1 changes; GMAC steps in to TBW role

  Out here in California, some in the business have been following the case of 28-yr old Garret Gililland III. Originally from the Sacramento area, he was just captured in Spain and brought back to California to face charges of a $100 million mortgage fraud ring. In yet another example of what seems to make the headlines for mortgage brokers, Gililland fled in June 2008 with at least $250,000 in cash. [more...]

Date: 2009-09-28 14:40:26

Avivah Litan: Nothing that Goes Through the Browser Can Be Relied Upon!

Yesterday, I spent a lot of time on a post : Another Lawsuit Against Weak Online Banking Authentication.  Today, (ironically and thankfully!) Bank Technology News came out with an article on the same subject.  I'm tickled, because there's a quote from Avivah Litan, distinguished analyst and VP at Gartner Research that is as powerful as they come. [more...]

Date: 2009-09-29 20:14:00

10 Facts Every American should know about Baucus Health Plan

10 FACTS EVERY AMERICAN SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SEN. BAUCUS’ COSTLY GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTH CARE BILL GOP LEADER: “THIS PARTISAN BILL IS THE WRONG PRESCRIPTION DURING THESE TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES “ September 23, 2009 | House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) | Permalink As the Senate Finance Committee gets set to begin its second day examining Senator Max Baucus ’ (D-MT) costly government run-health care bill, House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) [more...]

Date: 2009-09-27 03:00:40

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