Radio, TV, Internet ... the headlines are all over the place right now: "Flood of foreclosures to hit the housing market." Even shadow inventory is becoming a mainstream term in the news. What does this mean for the current market? Among many things, it means a lot of the housing stock will be vacant homes left behind by foreclosed homeowners. Whether they left it in disrepair or the house has been empty so long it needs work, most of these houses need at least a little TLC. In other words, buyers can get great deals and spruce up the house with home improvement loans like the FHA 203k and HomePath Renovation.

A peculiar thing is happening in the housing market right now. A lot of house shoppers are looking at foreclosed homes as a viable option. Once upon a time, everyone wanted new construction. However, in the current market home buyers can find great deals on Fannie Mae-owned properties and other real estate owned (REO) homes. Couple that with low interest rates and a low down payment requirement for financing options like HomePath, and you have the recipe for success for many buyers.

Want to become a first time home buyer in 2012? It's not an impossible task. Getting your credit established or improved can take time and effort, sometimes up to 12 months of work in fact. But that's not always the case. Getting your credit mortgage-ready is one step in the process, but there's more you can do if you want to become a 2012 first home buyer. Another important step is education. Understanding what options are available for financing your first house this year will help get your portfolio in good standing. Do you need to save up a down payment? Do you need to consider buying an older home and fix it up? What about finding a house in the country?

HomePath Mortgage is a term you'll hear often in today's housing market, especially if you're looking for a house right now. You may also hear it called HomePath financing, or just HomePath. So what is it? HomePath Mortgage is a mortgage option to buy Fannie Mae-owned homes. The mortgage investor has an inventory of foreclosed homes and wants to get qualified home buyers living in them. This means first time home buyers can take advantage of the current market and see some great benefits.

What do first time home buyers look for when getting ready to buy? Low down payment options, low housing prices and ways to save money. In fact, don't we all want those things when buying a house? For first time buyers they're especially important, though. So what do you do if that's you (or someone you know) and you're just starting the house hunting process? One helpful step would be to learn about HomePath financing, as it hits all of those needs.

A first time home buyer budget is often pretty sparse. From down payments to monthly bills, many people buying their first home have very little cash saved or coming into their bank accounts. But this doesn't mean you have to stay in your renters nightmare. You can find a home in your price range, save money on your monthly mortgage payment and find a low-to-no down payment option. Here are 5 first time home buyer loans to consider.

Most first time home buyers buy older homes. It's a fact of life. These houses are often less expensive, so they fall within the budget of a first home buyer. However, this often means the homes need a little work. Another option for a first home could be a bank-owned property. In fact many Fannie Mae-owned homes are sold under the HomePath financing program. 

How to...it's a great question when it comes to many things. How to: hang cabinets (that's something I searched for on youTube!), make balloon animals, launch an anvil...the list goes on and on. As we look at the struggles you face when buying your first home, one of the "how to" questions you may ask will revolve around saving money. A great way is to find a low price on a home. That's where HomePath comes into play.

Many first time home buyers have a difficult time getting that perfect house. Whether it's an issue coming up with a down payment, or figuring out how to pay for the home improvements to turn the house into a dream home, it's tough buying your first home. I want to introduce you to one option for that first mortgage that can help solve several of those problems: HomePath.

The stories continue to dominate the headlines in housing: foreclosures. One entity that owns a lot of homes right now that isn't interested in owning properties is Fannie Mae. So there's an option on many of these homes: some of them qualify for HomePath Financing. This financing is intended to make it easier for some buyers and is only available on Fannie Mae homes.