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BBC News Halifax cuts mortgage rates again BBC News, UK - Jul 25, 2008 ... by as much as 0.18%. House sales have slumped by 50% in the past year and are heading lower with mortgage approvals currently down 67% on a year ago. ... Halifax cuts rates again Mortgage Introducer Halifax cuts home loan rates again The Press Association Halifax and Yorkshire BS cut rates Finance Markets all 75 news articles » Mortgage REIT Insider: Loan Losses Hit Hard as CRE Bust Looms Housing Wire - Aug 1, 2008 Spreads for the legacy agency mREITs remained strong at 185 ? 200 basis points for most of the sector, although Capstead Mortgage Corp. (CMO: 10.94 +0.18%) ...CT - SFI Halifax cuts mortgage rates again FinancialAdvice.co.uk, UK - Jul 28, 2008 Three and five year fixes, along with two-year trackers, have come down by up 0.18 per cent. Commenting on the move, a spokesman for Halifax indicated that ... Can we get a mortgage? Property Week News all 3 news articles » Halifax cuts mortgage rates again Times Online, UK - Jul 25, 2008 Most of the Halifax changes are in its tracker rates and three and five-year fixed rates, which are being cut by up to 0.18 points. ... HSBC H1 net profit falls 29 pct on US bad debts; outlook ... Trading Markets (press release), CA - "In mortgage services, we reduced the outstanding portfolio by 13 pct during the first half, down to 31 bln usd from 36 bln usd, of which around 60 pct was ...HBC - HCS - EPA:HSB Earthtimes (press release) C&F Financial Corporation Announces Second Quarter Earnings and ... MarketWatch - Jul 25, 2008 ... loan losses-Retail and Mortgage Banking segments $5598 $4743 $4301 Nonperforming assets to loans* and real estate owned 1.12% 0.28% 0.18% Allowance for ... Bryn Mawr Bank Corporation Reports Increase in Second Quarter ... StreetInsider.com (subscription) all 373 news articles »  BMTC - CFFI - TBHS CPI Financial Annaly Capital Management, Inc. Reports 2nd Quarter 2008 Core EPS ... Trading Markets (press release), CA - Jul 30, 2008 General and administrative expenses as a percentage of average assets were 0.18%, 0.12% and 0.17% for the quarter ended June 30, 2008, June 30, 2007, ... Magyar Bancorp Announces Third Quarter Earnings MarketWatch BNCCORP, Inc. Reports Net Income of $700 Thousand, or $0.21 Per ... Earthtimes (press release) EuroBancshares, Inc. Reports Financial Results for the Second ... istockAnalyst.com WELT ONLINE - MarketWatch all 1,045 news articles »  OTC:BNCC - BBX - MGYR Equity One Reports Second Quarter 2008 Operating Results WELT ONLINE, Germany - Jul 29, 2008 Balance Sheet Highlights During the quarter, Equity One repaid or defeased approximately $56.0 million in mortgage debt, at a weighted-average interest rate ...EQY - COL:EQIT WELT ONLINE Benjamin Franklin Bancorp Reports Results for Second Quarter of ... MarketWatch - Jul 23, 2008 The ratio of non-performing assets to total assets was 0.89% at June 30, 2008, compared to 0.40% at the end of the 2007 second quarter and 0.18% at year end ... Dime Community Bancshares Reports Earnings per Share of 26 Cents ... CNNMoney.com Heritage Financial Corporation of Olympia, Washington Announces ... FOXBusiness Sterling Financial Corporation of Spokane, Washington, Announces ... MarketWatch MarketWatch - FOXBusiness all 1,034 news articles »  FCAP - HFWA - FFIC GS Financial Corp. Announces Second Quarter Results, Including ... MarketWatch - Jul 25, 2008 Due to continued declines in the Net Asset Value of these funds based on an evaluation of these funds' holdings, which include mortgage-backed securities ...GSLA

Dispute over mortgage payments needs prompt resolution

Q: In late February, my mortgage company informed me that my monthly payments are being increased 33 percent. Despite more than two months of phone inquiries on my part, the company can only tell me it's "researching" why. Because I didn't get an answer, I sent in my regular payment for April. Now I'm being dunned. The company says that because I didn't pay the new amount I wasn't credited with any payment. They also think I have three tax lots when I have two. What are my options for sorting this out, short of calling an attorney?

A: When Mark Thomson, spokesman for the state Department of Financial Institutions, heard your question, he immediately wondered if you have an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) that just increased from the low introductory "teaser" rate. Even so, he says most ARMs have annual caps that would preclude such a steep climb. An additional possibility is an increase to fund your escrow impound account necessitated by hikes in home insurance and property taxes. Federal laws require your lender to give you written explanations whenever an ARM adjusts or the amount collected for taxes, etc., changes.

To get to the bottom of this, Thomson suggests that rather than calling your lender's consumer line, you write and request a prompt written explanation. Since this lender seems to think you have more property than you do, Thomson says you'd be wise to include a copy of your plat map. Another option is to call his department's consumer-services section and file a complaint. The number is 800-372-8303. As for paying less than the full amount, Thomson says be cautious. Usually three missed payments result in a lender starting foreclosure.

Q: Is it legal for an apartment manager to institute a curfew on residents?

A: Bailey deIongh, manager of King County's Office of Civil Rights Enforcement, thinks not. "People have the right to come and go as they please, therefore it would be illegal to address a curfew to everyone," she says. "And it would certainly violate Fair Housing laws to establish a curfew that would single out young residents." If you're a landlord and having problems at night, DeIongh says an alternative to a curfew is quiet hours. Many communities have them, and they're legal so long as they apply to everyone.

Seminars: To help landlords, tenants and employers understand state and local anti-discrimination laws, two free seminars will be held May 24 at the Kent Regional Library, 212 Second Ave. N., Kent. The first, from 10 a.m. to noon, covers basic civil rights employment law. The second, from 1 to 3 p.m. covers basic Fair Housing law. They're sponsored by the Washington State Human Rights Commission and the King County Office of Civil Rights Enforcement. Another seminar will be held in July. For more information call 206-296-7592 or for TTY 206-296-7596.

Q: Eventually we want to build a house. In the meantime, we've found a lot with a tiny rental house on it. We hope to buy it and continue renting it out until we can afford a construction loan. Since we'll not be residing on the land, do we still get the tax breaks homeowners get?

A: You get those and more, assuming that you do not already own the house you are living in now, says tax expert Forrest Waters, an enrolled agent in Kent. For starters, you may be able to deduct certain purchase costs: loan origination fee, loan discount fee, interim interest. Annually you can deduct 100 percent of your property taxes and mortgage interest. Then as a landlord, you get all kinds of deductions, beginning with the house itself. You get to depreciate it over 27 1/2 years. Then you can write off your business costs: maintenance (like paint), purchases, (like a new refrigerator), homeowner's insurance, legal and professional fees, tax-return preparation, advertising for renting it out, utility bills (if you pay them), mileage to and from your property.

Then when it's time to demolish the house, Waters suggests you ask your local fire department to burn it down as a training exercise. You can then write off final demolition expenses as a charitable contribution, he says.

"The really cool part is that five years from now, when you get a construction loan and plow the house under, the IRS has helped you underwrite the purchase price because you've gotten to take depreciation and deductions."