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Re-thinking mortgage insurance.

But with short-term interest rates now sharply higher — currently above 8 percent — piggyback loans are less appealing. Now, there are signs that some borrowers are giving traditional private mortgage insurance a second look.

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Read more from this blogger: Appeal of piggyback loans fades for home buyers

Too many blood tests for mortgage insurance in 2006!

- 5, maybe 6, or was it 7….the number of blood tests that were drawn from my arm for mortgage insurance, life insurance, doctor appts…I lost count and slowly am losing the nauseau the accompanies me and needles

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Read more from this blogger: christmas? What the hell happened to 2006 anyway?

Click through for the article on California population and housing prices.

The population growth of California has slowed for the 6th straight year and many people are blaming the high cost of living. How much of an impact could this have on housing prices?

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Read more from this blogger: Daily Links

Southern California Association of Government report talks about housing and housing prices, but there are no surprises.

Riverside Mayor Ron Loveridge is also a SCAG board member and was in charge of this report. As he assesses the explosive growth in his area, he makes the point that has always annoyed me about SCAG:

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Read more from this blogger: What the #$*! Does SCAG Know!?

A look at the Boise real estate market makes this blogger think that the statistics don't include seller concessions and other behind-the-scenes deal making.

Then, there’s the fact that the numbers are NOT the numbers ~ those are sales prices that do not reflect seller-paid closing costs, bonus commissions to selling agents, etc. Very few transactions are closing these days without some seller concessions, and those concessions do not show up in the median price numbers.

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Read more from this blogger: Boise Real Estate November Stats

It's on from seller concessions to "drama pricing" to turn housing inventory.

In addition to seller concessions (pay closing costs, etc.) and buyer incentives (free Mini Cooper with purchase, etc.), “Drama Pricing” is one more way to create perceived value to drag buyers off the fence and into the ring. Buyers, it may be a great time to put on the big boxing gloves, get into the ring, and create some drama.

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Read more from this blogger: Drama Pricing

Will housing prices come down with speculators out of the housing market?

Speculators who drove up housing prices will move on to speculate on something else.

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Read more from this blogger: In Brief: real estate stories in the news

Debt consolidation is a good way to cut back on monthly interest payments.

If as well as paying your mortgage you are also paying off a number of unsecured debts such as credit cards, charge cards, personal loans etc. you are probably paying too much every month. Interest rates on home loans are generally much lower than those on unsecured debts. Have you considered Debt Consolidation? By consolidating all your unsecured debts in with your outstanding mortgage your monthly payments can be significantly reduced.

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Read more from this blogger: Use Your Mortgage to Save Money for Home Finance at Daily Home Finance Blog