http://www.financenewsblog.com Personal Finance News and Tips Thu, 09 Oct 2008 18:48:12 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en October 9, 2008 By Justin McHenry Virgin America, the U.S.-based airline partially owned by Richard Branson’s Virgin Group, is set to launch a Visa Signature credit card that will give cardholders the ability to earn the airline’s Elevate frequent flyer points for card purchases. The Virgin America Visa will offer triple Elevate ... http://www.financenewsblog.com/virgin-america-launches-visa-signature-card/ A Think Glink reader writes that her father bought some property in Missouri and changed the ownership from joint tenants with right of survivorship to tenancy in common. The father later signed a quit claim deed giving his interest in the property to his daughter. What does tenancy in common ... http://www.financenewsblog.com/tenancy-in-common-and-property-ownership/ A contractor writes that a mortgage company owes him payment for work on a fire-damaged home. The contractor nearly finished the work and then the mortgage company foreclosed on the home and halted payment to the contractor. What can the contractor do to get his money? Sam and Ilyce advise ... http://www.financenewsblog.com/foreclosure-prevents-contractor-from-being-paid/ A Think Glink reader asks about adding her daughter's name to the deed of her home since the daughter has started to make mortgage payments for her parents. Ilyce discusses the implications of the daughter assuming the mortgage and how to protect both the parents and the daughter in the ... http://www.financenewsblog.com/daughter-assumes-mortgage-payments/ Buying real estate during the economic crisis has become more difficult. Ilyce describes the current economic crisis, including the drop in retirement savings and a rise in the unemployment rate. Ilyce explains how these factors affect the real estate market and home buyers. In this economic crisis, mortgage lenders have ... http://www.financenewsblog.com/buying-real-estate-during-economic-crisis/ A Think Glink reader asks about offering owner financing on a home he's selling. He wants to know what's involved in owner financing and who to involve in the transaction. Ilyce discusses how to assess whether a potential home buyer will make the home mortgage payments and what to do ... http://www.financenewsblog.com/owner-financing-risks-require-due-diligence/ A renter asks about an owner-occupied requirement with regard to mortgage refinancing. The renter says his landlord has refinanced the property twice, each time claiming he lives there. The renter wonders if the landlord breaks the law by claiming the property is owner-occupied during a mortgage refinance. Ilyce asks how ... http://www.financenewsblog.com/owner-occupied-status-affects-mortgage-refinancing/ A ThinkGlink reader living in a community property state asks about removing a co-owner from a mortgage and property’s deed. The co-owner has not contributed to the maintenance or mortgage of the property. One option is to have the co-owner sign a quit claim deed. Sam and Ilyce advise trying ... http://www.financenewsblog.com/quit-claim-deed-can-split-community-property/ A ThinkGlink reader asks about splitting up the investment in a condo after it’s sold. Two friends contributed to the condo’s down payment but only one of their names is on the mortgage. How much of the proceeds are each of them entitled to after the sale? Can the friend ... http://www.financenewsblog.com/partnership-agreement-prevents-home-sale-woes/ A ThinkGlink reader writes that fire damaged a home he bought in a short sale. While the home seller had insurance, the insurer had the seller make the repairs. The home buyer worries the repairs are substandard but there’s no building code for the home’s location. What can the seller ... http://www.financenewsblog.com/fire-damage-jeopardizes-short-sale/