Hi again, well-behaved kelton, If you plan to borrow to invest for any but a short term, I strongly suggest that you arrange an iron-clad non-variable rate deal. It seems to me that, with a large proportion of local debt held abroad, soon the borrowers will be forced to pay much higher rates if they hope to seduce the lenders into parting with their precious money. I bought my first stock, an oil co., about 45 years ago: it was bought out, after a few years. I bought a non-equity mutual fund, for a special situation, about 34 years ago. Later I bought various equity-based mutual funds - mainly about the time that I sold a variety of them, 25 years ago: most recent such purchase was about 17 years ago. Despite mutual funds' managers' claims to skills at asset management, very few of them have proved able to outperform the market averages consistently ... but they get their fixed percentage of the funds under their management, whether *or not* they succeed in producing above average - or any - increased values for the owners of the money that they are managing. I've bought only a few stocks over several recent years, thinking the prices too high, until about 2005, then more early in 2006, when I bought our largest telco, then more of it near the end of last year, prior to the conclusion of a buyout proposal to take it private at a higher price. Now, after much huffing and puffing ... that deal appears to have fallen through: share price dropped to below my cost for either purchase. As many major Canadian miners have been bought out in recent years, I bought shares of a substantial miner early this year and more recently, after a substantial drop in price, using most of my available liquid assets. Still more drop, since. Unwisely, in a market moving down, I bought some small, speculative companies' shares last year and earlier this year: *not* to do that in an uncertain market! Their prices have gone down, too. It appeared that the telco deal would conclude soon, providing some more funds with which to invest for the next while ... but probably that's not going to happen. My long-time unused Line of Credit (fully secured by mutual fund and stock certificates) rate was 4.75% (variable) a few weeks ago. I'll likely draw on it soon to buy some more carefully chosen stocks. As I expect to get no fresh money from the telco deal and thus expect that I'll draw on the line of credit sooner than I'd expected earlier, and it looks as though the low market may well persist longer than I'd expected, I'm having some more share and mutual fund certificates issued in order to allow myself a higher limit on the Line of Credit. How soon will I likely buy again? Don't know - probably after about six months. Or - after it appears fairly conclusive that the market's recent successive drops have finished. If there appear to be some bargains available: as one mutual fund manager said, 25 years ago, "I like to buy a dollar for 60 cents". How much? Don't know. How long will I continue? Don't know that, either. Death/prolonged illness hasn't given any indication as to when s/he/they may show up. Maybe I'll notify you when one of them does. I hope that you're having a week that you can remember with appreciation and (continuing) thankfulness. ole joyful P.S. Business/markets don't like uncertainty. Our Prime Minister became so as he's the chosen leader of the political party that won the most seats in Parliament following an election about 6 weeks ago, an elction that he called unnecessarily early ... but his party holds less than a majority of votes in Parliament. Last week, a couple of weeks after the new Parlaiment started, the financial minister made a report that so angered the three disparate Opposition parties ... .. that they've (improbably) united ... ... and may win a vote of non-confidence in his governing capability, early next week ... it was to have been last Monday, but he forced a postponement. Now, he may shut down the Parliament for a while, to avoid getting outvoted (the equivalent of fired). He has a minority of votes, remember? But, lacking some major changes, he may get fired soon, anyway. While I'm watching ... ... I think that I'll not be buying any Canadian stocks for a while. Canadian Dollar being undervalued ... and U.S. Dollar overvalued, I don't want to exchange to buy U.S. stocks now, either. Unless I can borrow with U.S. Dollar account. Better buy gold (stocks), I guess. Gold will soon be worth more than fog-backed paper dollars. ole joyfoul

Boy can I relate to paulflyboy. I went with a friend of a friend and will never do that again. He is a mortgage planner and financial planner. I started the refi process in November. The paperwork is still not done and I finally told him forget it, give me all my paperwork back and I will shop around for someone else that will work for me. I gave him all the information in Nov that was on the checklist to refi. I didn't hear from him for about 3 wks and then finally emailed on an update. Oh he told me he was working on it but all his appraisers are booked. So I finally found an appraiser on my own who charged 300.00, I think this is high. The appraiser told me he would send the appraisal to my mortgage planner. That took about 3 weeks. I kept emailing him and asking him about my refi "We are waiting to hear back from the bank....blah...blah....blah. Finally on Febuary 18 he asked if I had time to meet with him and I told him of course, I was tired of waiting. When I got to his office him and his business partner talked about financial planning, nothing about my refinance. They want me to put my extra money from my refinance into a financial planning savings plan. I am like no way I just want my refi done and I will decide what I want to do with my money. They talked to me about 2 hrs and the next day sent me a questionaire about the financial planning. I told him I am not interested I just want my refi done. Long story short he called me today and kept pressuring me into his financial planning. I got fed up, hung up on him and wrote him an email to give me all my paperwork back. Here is my email: I need all of my paperwork back from you as soon as you are available. I am going to shop around for someone else to do my refinancing. It has taken way to long and you keep pushing me to do your financial planning and I am exhausted. Last time I refinanced it did not take this long and I got answers. When I met with you on Wednesday I thought we would be discussing my refinancing but I feel pressured into your financial planning and I am not happy right now. That was end of letter. Now at this point I am so frustrated I don't even want to start this process again so yes I can relate to the refi nightmare.

Lien releases are recorded at the same place that handles deeds & other liens such as a mortgage. Not every place is as Dave explained, "The lien release ought to be recorded by the title company at the county..." In fact, I've never lived anywhere where the title company had anything to do with recordings/filings. Title companies are a commercial company peforming a real estate service but are not a governmental agency responsible for filings. Here, in CT, each town handles their own real estate recordings. In many states, recordings are at the county level. Also, your sister's mobile home loan isn't considered a real estate loan unless she owns the land & there's a permanent foundation. Rather, it falls into the secured personal loan category because a mobile home is like a car, personal property. In my area, a lender on a mobile home holds the title, same as if you have a car loan, until the loan is paid in full. So, you need to find out how mobile homes are handled in your state...state level, county level, town level, or lender. Restructuring of a mobile home loan... This would be the same as a distressed car loan (mobile homes can be repossessed same as a car). Your sister just needs to phone the number on her payment statement. She should explain her situation & just ask for a loan modification. In all probability, with documentation of the hardship, she'll receive the modification. My best to your sister. /tricia

marys1000 - It sucks renting and it would be hard to find those things you want. Also since you don't know how long you'll be staying it might be hard to sell what you want in the future. One other option you have would be to buy a house, not your ideal house, but one that would be a compromise. For example something like the below. I'm sure people that get transferred often has some good suggestions too. 1. Buy something in an area that will always be popular so it will be easier to sell when you are ready to move. (good school district etc.) 2. Something that will allow you to put the vegetable garden and bird feeders, but would appeal the a majority of the people if it was just lawn and regular plantings if you needed to sell. 3. A reasonable price range where the majority of the buyers would be in the area you are looking for an easier sale later. One that also would allow you to save money and this could include your commute if you drive due to gas prices. This way you can have some of your most important things, but you may have to live with neighbors closer than you'd like for a while and a few other things, but still have what you can't with a rental and also enjoy it some with the gardening even though it wouldn't be your full wish list. BTW when it comes to closing costs it depends on who the lender is how much you'd have to pay for the loan. For example we used a local bank to buy the lot next to us and we only paid the same closing costs as a cash buyer except for an extra $100. If you have to pay a loan origination fee then it could add up. A bank should be able to tell you what their fees are for a closing, however they can't tell you the full closing costs due to things like title insurance etc. Only things related to the loan. I think it makes sense to invest your cash and use the bank to assume the risk. This way if you need the cash you have it available and if you have to sell for less than you owe and have to bring cash to closing at least you made money off your own cash until that point. Even though you will pay mostly interest to start it isn't much different than throwing the money away on rent except you have a tax deduction and you get to put the bird feeders and the vegetable garden you want.