Just when you thought you have heard the last of Nadya Suleman (aka “Octo-mom”) comes word that she could be evicted from the home she occupies with her 14 kids.
Suleman leases this home from her father, who has a mortgage agreement with Amer Haddadin. Haddadin sold the home to Octo-mom’s father in March 2009 for $450,000 under these conditions: Monthly payments of $4,139, and a final balloon payment was due on March 10 to fulfill the entire $450,000 mortgage. Haddadin reports the last $4,139 payment was never made, as well as the final balloon payment. Now, Haddadin is planning on going to the courts to foreclose on the family.
> See more celebrity foreclosures
Good news, all you Android users….we just rolled out the Zillow Android App!
We heard from many of you that you’d like to be able to access Zillow’s rich real estate info (we have data on 95 million U.S. homes) on-the-go from your Android device, and today we’ve responded with the launch of the free Zillow Android App. With our app, you can view Zestimate® home values, homes for sale, homes for rent, recently sold homes, and more.
You can search for any home using Android’s voice search feature in which you simply say an address, neighborhood or city and the app will instantly take you there. You can also check out homes as you walk or drive through a neighborhood with the built-in GPS technology. When you see a home you’re interested in, just click through to see photos, home details and contact info. And unique to the Android, you can view homes curbside with Google Street View. We think it’s pretty useful.
Give it a try: Go to the Zillow Android App page and watch a video, read about the features, and download it — for free!
Have an iPhone? Download the most popular real estate app on iTunes, the Zillow iPhone App.
Former boxing champ Thomas Hearns might be in retirement, but he’s facing a new opponent: foreclosure.
According to the Detroit News, Hearns is past-due on taxes and mortgage payments, owing a total of $961,156. Just on Hearns’ home alone, he owes $512,965 and the bank has filed notice that his home is scheduled for a foreclosure sale on March 23, according to The Legal News (free subscription required to access article).
Hearns is an eight-time world champ whose 15-year pro boxing career spanned six different weight categories.
According to Hearns’ lawyer, the former champ is working on keeping the house and paying off his debts.
> See more celebrity foreclosures.
Heads up: If you’re in need of a new refrigerator or washer or dishwasher or other home appliance, you might want to buy one now under the “Cash for Appliances” program that is underway.
The savings could range from $50 to $250, depending upon the product being purchased, the purchase price, and other variables. Appliances that could qualify include:
- Boilers
- Central air conditioners
- Clothes washers
- Dishwashers
- Freezers
- Furnaces (oil and gas)
- Heat pumps (air source and geothermal)
- Refrigerators
- Room air conditioners
- Water heaters
When I saw this list, I wondered “What about clothes dryers?” Click on that link and you’ll see the answer. The biggest thing to watch out for is to make sure you purchase “a qualifying ENERGY STAR-appliance.”
Even though the money comes from the federal government through the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act,” it will be handled on the state level and will run until 2012 or until states run out of money. For example, Iowa, Kansas and Minnesota have already spent their funds.
>> FIND YOUR STATE’S APPLIANCE REBATE PROGRAM
Related articles:
> Let Uncle Sam Pay to Replace Your Drafty Windows
> Incandescent Light Bulb Ban in 2012
> Federal Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency
Mortgage rates for 30-year fixed mortgages rose this week, with the current rate borrowers were quoted on Zillow Mortgage Marketplace at 4.78%, up from 4.76% at this time last week. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose and fell the past week with a Monday spike to 4.85 percent.
Additionally, 15-year fixed borrowers were quoted on average, 4.22% and for 5/1 ARMs, 3.52%.
What are the rates right now? Check Zillow Mortgage Marketplace for up-to-the-minute mortgage rates for your state.
By: Zillow Team, | March 16, 2010
Real estate pros in San Diego: We just wanted to give you a heads up that Zillow COO, Spencer Rascoff, will be in San Diego on April 5 to talk about how Zillow — one of the most popular real estate Web sites — can help you and your business.
Spencer will address:
- Zestimate® values and accuracy
- Networking with consumers in your local area
- How to leverage Zillow’s 8M+ monthly users to promote your listings, yourself and your expertise
- How to dominate ZIP codes where you work
What: Zillow A to Z: From Advertising to Zestimates, Learn How to Make Zillow Work for You
When: Monday, April 5, 11:30 am to 1 pm
Where: DoubleTree Hotel San Diego Mission Valley
Free lunch will be provided and parking is free!
>> PLEASE REGISTER HERE
Hope to see you there!
View other Zillow events.
As actor Mel Gibson proceeded with his highly publicized divorce from wife Robyn last year, it was revealed that a lot of Gibson’s wealth is tied up in real estate. Last year, he put his Old Mill Farm estate on the market for $35 million and it looks like it’s still for sale, but at a big price cut. The Greenwich, CT property is now listed for $29,750,000. (See more celebrity price cuts).
Now, another Gibson estate is up for sale, but this one is on the other coast. Gibson’s Lavender Hill Farm is for sale for $14.5 million. Located in a secluded area of Malibu known as Serra Retreat, it is Gibson’s own private escape. The 2.75-acre grounds have mature trees, a fruit orchard, and organic gardens.
The home is newly remodeled and has 6 bedrooms and 6 baths with a hardwood/stone floors. The master bedroom is on the upper floor and includes a sitting room. Extras include a lighted tennis court, pool, three guest houses, two offices, a detached gym, library, and a garden cabana with game room. It sounds, well, divine. But, don’t take our word for it — see more photos of Mel Gibson’s Malibu home.
> See Malibu real estate
> See Malibu home values
By: Zillow Team, | March 15, 2010
Real estate pros in Houston: We just wanted to give you a heads up that Zillow COO, Spencer Rascoff, will be in Houston on March 30 to talk about how Zillow — one of the most popular real estate Web sites — can help you and your business.
Spencer will address:
- Zestimate® values and accuracy
- Networking with consumers in your local area
- How to leverage Zillow’s 8M+ monthly users to promote your listings, yourself and your expertise
- How to dominate ZIP codes where you work
What: Zillow A to Z: From Advertising to Zestimates, Learn How to Make Zillow Work for You
When: Tuesday, March 30, 11:30 am to 1 pm
Where: Hilton Houston Post Oak
PLEASE REGISTER HERE
Hope to see you there!
P.S. If you can’t make this one, we also have another event like this in San Diego on April 5.
View other Zillow events.
It’s been a tough couple years for borrowers who are looking to secure a home loan or to refinance an existing loan. Today, the Wall Street Journal reports in the article “Where to Find the Money,” that “…U.S. banks posted a 7.5 percent decline in 2009 in total loans outstanding — the steepest drop since 1942 — and consumer lending fell by 3.8 percent as roughly 7,200 banks and credit unions pulled back on mortgages, credit cards and other loans.”
What is interesting, according to the article, is that while the largest 10 percent of banks by asset size shrank their consumer lending by 4.7 percent, consumer loans actually grew nearly 3 percent at smaller financial institutions — the ones that fell in the bottom 50 percent of the industry in assets. Seems like there is some money to be had if borrowers know where to look.
That’s just part of the beauty of using Zillow Mortgage Marketplace to shop for a home loan. Zillow’s network of lenders range from individual brokerage firms and small local banks to the larger, national banks. Borrowers simply submit an anonymous loan request and receive custom quotes from a wide range of financial institutions almost instantly. Even better, borrowers can compare all of these quotes on an apples-to-apples basis inclusive of all fees, and review lender ratings and reviews before deciding which lender to contact.
As the WSJ writes, the trick to getting a good deal on a loan is to compare costs and there is no easier way to do so than on Zillow Mortgage Marketplace.
By: Diane Tuman, Zillow Content Manager | March 19, 2010 
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