Consumer Focused Carnival of Real Estate

the guidelines for this carnival.

As always, I arranged the entries that met guidelines into three levels, based upon originality, usefulness to the consumer, and how much thought and effort and research went into an entry.

ANNOUNCEMENT for the carnival: Effective with the next Carnival, I'm going to start a "Spam and Other Ridiculous Submissions" section. At the host's discretion, there may or may not be an actual link to a site (it all depends upon the host's judgment as to whether the public shame will offset the search engine value of the link), but I'm going to mercilessly flay the ideas. The guidelines have been updated.

I'm just tired of getting the same things that are solicitations for business based upon ideas that are incorrect, poorly researched, and often, just plain wrong. I'm not intending to use it for anyone that I believe might have been made in good faith with attention paid to the guidelines, but the submissions I've been getting just cry out for some kind of answer. You're willingly submitting this garbage, or having your agent do so. Deal with it.

There were no "Strongly Recommended" articles this time, and therefore, no Host's Choice Award.

RECOMMENDED:

From Canada, Reverse Mortgages warns about a very real threat. The math very strongly favors downsizing over Reverse Mortgages. In the United States, if you must do one of these, please look for one that meets FHA guidelines.

Mortgage Loan Calculator gives us a few basic flaws with Rent to Own from a buyer's standpoint in Do Not Fall for Rent to Buy Mortgage Loan Schemes, but what he's really talking about is Lease with Option to Buy. With a little more work, this could have been a really excellent article, but it's worth reading as it sits. There are problems with Rent to Own, even though they are surmountable. Nonetheless, it's a good idea to know what the problem areas are.

Boozwatt presents How To Estimate & Determine A Property's Value Accurately!

You host submits Real Estate Agents and Mortgage Loan Officers Don't Want to Compete, and covers why you should make them do so.

MET GUIDELINES

Understanding Closing Costs

Consumer Focused Carnival of Real Estate will return in two weeks (January 30th, 2008), here at Searchlight Crusade, unless someone else wants to host. Deadline for submissions will be January 28th.