Top PERL Loan Officer Barry Schwartz gives an overview of how the housing market and mortgage rates behaved in 2011, and offers some insights on how things might look in 2012. Also–a quick look at the government’s HARP program, and how it could affect mortgage banking.

Click the play button to listen!

This week, Ramona DeMille of Dream Town Realty and Matt Cochran of PERL Mortgage analyze how Chicago has fared in the broader context of the housing market - from the recent stabilization of available home prices to historically low interest rates.

Click the play button to listen!

Mortgage insurance, which is usually applied to any home purchased with a low down payment, is one way that the FHA helps to manage the risks of the housing market. Recently, new FHA regulations for mortgage insurance rates and premiums went into effect. Alex Margulis, one of PERL’s top mortgage advisors, helps explain the basics of mortgage insurance and how the new regulations will affect the future state of the housing market.

Click the play button to listen!

New homebuyers might be perplexed about the qualifications and criteria that are used to determine a minimum down payment. Top PERL loan officer Barry Schwartz and fellow PERL mortgage specialist Jennifer Gerard help unravel the mysteries of money down.

Click the play button to listen!

With the housing market still improving at a slow-but-steady pace, some properties are selling short, which can mean different things to home buyers and home owners. Akos Straub and Vince Milito of Chicago Short Sale Negotiators and top PERL producer Dean Vlamis discuss the basics of short sales and some advice on how to make the most out of this current market trend.

Click the play button to listen!