Eleanor's RTP Blog

There’s a new FHA Streamline Refinance program coming on June 11, 2012 and lots of people are interested in it!  It has a new “tier” for the FHA PMI rates – that is much lower than the current rates!  Of course, FHA doesn’t actually make loans, they just insure the Lender against default.  Becaus...

HUD (and Congress, and FHFA) is putting pressure on FHA to be more solvent, and less of a looming Risk on the Economy.  Because of this, FHA Underwriting Guidelines, have gotten tighter, they've instituted changes in downpayment requirements for those who are higher risk... and they've continuall...

NC Residents are getting an added benefit from the Obama Administration during the next 24 months.  In a program announced for the economically hardest hit counties in the Country, last week USDA announced a new Streamline Refinance Program! NOT ALL STATES HAVE THIS PROGRAM.  It is unique to Nort...

Most folks want to avoid PMI… but they don’t realize that they are happily paying a “kind” of mortgage insurance no matter what kind of loan they are getting! Mortgage Insurance is not the insurance that covers you if you die, or are disabled and can not pay the mortgage… it’s the insurance that ...

In June of 2010 I wrote that I wasn't sure I really "GOT" the hole "Checking In" thing - and I wasn't sure I really WANTED people to know where I was all of the time! I had friends, though, who SWORE there was a way to make this work to my advantage... and so reluctantly, and not with a ton of e...

I love, love, love a car show!  This was one of several events in the Triangle over the weekend.  There was also a Jazz Festival, a Greek Festival and SPARK in downtown Raleigh.  Unfortunately, for many of the events, we had some rain - and it was CHILLY - but the Clayton Harvest and Music Festiv...

The Real Estate BarCamps around the country have been going on for several years, in fact the third REBarCamp will be in Raleigh on October 21st.  We have a habit of asking folks what they want to talk about prior to Camp - to kind of get the "juices going" and to be sure everybody has a voice. A...

Next week Activerain is holding it's first Virtual Rain Camp - and with that event, they suggested local Ambassadors organize opportunities for the "Community" to meet IRL (in real life).  So far, there are over 42 "Meet Ups," "Tweet ups,"  "Active Ups," Planned.  The one here in the Triangle wil...

I just got a call from a very nice man who lives in Texas.  He doesn't hear very well, and when I answered the phone, "Hey!  This is Eleanor, how can I help you" (which is what I generally say when I am talking to someone I don't know) he said, "Yeah, Eleanor, I was lookin' at your website and I ...

It is our experience that when the Insurance Companies and the Investors hear that a certain "area" might be affected by a Hurricane, they do the following: Require Inspections What kind of Inspection depends upon the Investor,  Even if the storm has not reached Landfall yet,... let's say you hav...