Making an Attractive Home-Purchase Offer

It's easy to assume that negotiating is adversarial. You, the buyer, are on one side -- the side that wants to buy a property for the lowest price possible. The opposition on the other side is the seller who wants to sell for the highest price possible. You're locked in a tug of war to see which side will win.

It's more productive to look at a negotiation as a problem-solving process. You and the seller may have different ideas about what price the property should sell for. However, you're united in a common goal of consummating a deal. The challenge is to resolve your differences through a process of give and take until you either reach your common goal, or decide to go your separate ways.

PROPERTY TAXES - Judge rejects tax-cut wording, halts state amendment vote.

A judge has canceled the proposed Jan. 29 property-tax vote, saying the Legislature was ''misleading'' people.

Lost your home? You may owe IRS

If you thought a foreclosure ended the financial miseries associated with your former home, think again. You soon could be hearing from the IRS about taxes due in connection with the residence you no longer own.

Fannie, Freddie Get More Subprime Flexibility

This week, actions by both houses of Congress to reform FHA programs, and the Federal Reserve to decrease interest rates, should make borrowing more affordable and money more available, Combs says. “With reduced housing prices and increased housing inventory, interest rates that are near historic lows, and now with Fannie’s and Freddie’s increased ability to lend, we may see positive movement in the housing market.

Fed's Cut interest rate by 1/2 point.

Still, some real estate watchers believe the cut will bring a welcome boost to the sluggish housing market. Eli Dreszer, of Miami housing developer mFm Construction, said in a statement that ``the combination of low prices and historically low interest rates should be a signal for home buyers to get off the fence.''

Federal Reserve expected to cut key rate

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Reserve is widely expected to cut its target for the federal funds rate, the interest that banks charge each other, for the first time in four years at its meeting today.

Many economists are predicting a string of three or more rate cuts as the central bank works to calm financial markets and keep the worst slump in housing in 16 years from pushing the country into a recession.

Fighting mortgage fraud may ease taxes

Homeowners in neighborhoods saturated with mortgage fraud could see their property taxes reduced as law enforcement gears up for a countywide crackdown on the pervasive white-collar crime, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez and Glenn Theobald, chief legal counsel for the county police, said Monday.

Broward County Property Appraiser Lori Parrish has fielded the question...

Broward County Property Appraiser Lori Parrish has fielded the question ''values are dropping this year, so why did my assessment go up?'' from property owners so often that she's posted an explanation at the top of her homepage.

The answer: Assessments are fixed as of Jan. 1, 2007, based on the market value of similar properties sold between Jan. 2, 2006 and Jan. 1, 2007.

That means some South Florida property owners will be paying taxes based on valuations that they could only dream of selling their properties for amid the current housing slump.

Property tax-cut plan support wanes

A new poll showed declining support for the Legislature's property tax amendment, which voters will decide on Jan. 29.

Economist: Fed has the Power to End Housing Slump

At least one influential economist is urging the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates quickly and preemptively.

Fed Board of Governors’ member Frederic S. Mishkin said in a white paper that the Fed could prevent a lot of damage from a severe housing slump by acting swiftly to cut interest rates aggressively before the slump gets any worse.

Insurance rate hikes keep coming

Chances of lower homeowner insurance rates aren't getting any better, as more insurers submit required rate filings to state officials.

In the past month, another six insurers have filed for rate changes. Three are looking for decreases: Northern Capital Insurance, a cut of 0.7 percent; Safeway Property Insurance, a 7.8 percent decrease; and Sunshine State Insurance, 11.5 percent.

But three others have asked for increases, in some cases large ones.

The request from USAA and two sister companies could have the biggest impact in South Florida, where the companies have 24,000 homeowners policies in Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. The companies are asking for an average 53.9 percent increase statewide.

Bush, Democrats square off on mortgage plans

The measures President Bush outlined Friday for dealing with the ailing mortgage market are just the beginning. When congressional Democrats return from their summer break, the list of proposals addressing how far government should go to help borrowers who got in over their heads will likely get longer — and the debate about how to pay for it will likely get louder.