Category Archives: Home Ownership

Thanks for no Memory of the Mortgage Crisis: Grab a Loan Shovel and Start Digging!

Posted on January 13, 2011 by Michael Shelton

Bob Hope said “A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove that you don’t need it.” Bob Hope died in 2003 and apparently this philosophy died with him. Banks are again embracing borrowers who … Continue reading →

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Blue Sky or Head in the Clouds? Home Ownership Dreamin’

Posted on December 20, 2010 by Michael Shelton

What has the residential real estate crash taught us? The survey says: NOT MUCH! Fannie Mae published a study on the attitudes about home ownership and we haven’t learned much from the experience.  What about my fellow residents of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Borrowing, Borrowing Coach, Borrowing Philosophy, Home Ownership, Mortgage, Personal Borrowers | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Housing Takes an Uppercut! Will it get off the Canvas this Time?

Posted on December 16, 2010 by Michael Shelton

Is the residential real estate market taking a knockout blow? WSJ.com reported that borrowing conditions have tightened at this stage of the real estate cycle.  Economists are worried that the housing market might turn down again because of tight borrowing … Continue reading →

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The Best of the First Quarter: A Pro Borrower’s Beginning

Posted on October 13, 2010 by Michael Shelton

    I’m amazed that I’ve been posting twice a week for the last 3 months.  Time flies when you’re sharing experiences as a professional borrower.  My goal is to get to 104 posts and then evaluate the future of … Continue reading →

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What’s your Borrowing I.Q.? Take the Test and Win the Title

Posted on September 29, 2010 by Michael Shelton

Here’s a chance for you to test your borrowing intelligence quotient.  Some of the questions were covered in previous posts and some are brand new material.  I’ve wanted to be the devious professor who gives the brutally hard test with … Continue reading →

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Are you a Mortgage Tortoise or Hare? How to Calibrate your Home Loan Radar

Posted on September 22, 2010 by Michael Shelton

Why are you in such a hurry to pay off your mortgage?  We should take a lesson from the tale of the tortoise and the hare when it comes to home loans.  Slow and steady wins the financial race. So … Continue reading →

Posted in Banking, Borrowing, Debt, Finance, Financial Planning, Home Ownership, Money, Mortgage, Strategic Planning, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Ten Reasons to Pass on a New Mortgage

Posted on September 19, 2010 by Michael Shelton

The last post looked at some common beliefs about mortgages.  This week I read a great article by Brett Arends’ in the Wall Street Journal, 10 Reasons to Buy a Home, that fits nicely into our series on home ownership and … Continue reading →

Posted in About Me, Borrowing, Debt, Financial Planning, Home Ownership, Money, Mortgage | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Operation Mortgage Freedom or Prisoner of Myth? The Soldier Dollar Wars

Posted on September 15, 2010 by Michael Shelton

We all want the truth when it comes to financing our home, right?  What is truth?  This is part three of a series on housing and mortgages.  The last two posts covered some common beliefs about home ownership: September 8, … Continue reading →

Posted in Borrowing, Debt, Finance, Financial Planning, Home Ownership, Military, Money, Mortgage | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Do you Live in a Dead Real Estate “Investment”? Reduce your Financial Crypt Quotient!

Posted on September 12, 2010 by Michael Shelton

Common Belief:  My primary residence is a real estate investment. You want a great return on all your investments, right?  In this post you’ll learn that a homeowner consumes shelter and does not own a real estate investment. What does … Continue reading →

Posted in Borrowing, Debt, Financial Planning, Home Ownership, Money, Mortgage | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Home Ownership or Parasite Buffet? Who’s Sucking your Money Blood?

Posted on September 8, 2010 by Michael Shelton

The next few posts will be a series on financing home ownership and a comparison of two popular mortgage products, the 15-year and 30-year fixed rate loan.  But first, I’d like to take a look at some common beliefs about … Continue reading →

Posted in Borrowing, Debt, Finance, Financial Planning, Home Ownership, Mortgage, Public Policy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments