Southern Blog

By Charlestien Harris I grew up in a household where money was often the subject of conversation.  I learned my basic money skills under the careful guidance of my parents.  I remember my father sitting down with each of us and laying the bills out on the...

By Charlestien Harris Despite the hardships many are facing because of the coronavirus pandemic, there are some who will still try to take advantage of those already struggling. Scams are just as, if not more prevalent now, than before the virus appeared.  Some...

By Charlestien Harris In 2019, there were approximately 43 million housing units occupied by renters in the United States. This is a huge number of people that may possibly be affected by the uptick in eviction notices that have been served or are in the process of...

By Charlestien Harris For many entrepreneurs, opening a business is truly the realization of a dream – one that has likely taken months or years to be realized. Yet in the midst of this dream, a nightmare has occurred. Few business owners likely had “global pandemic”...

By Charlestien Harris The possibility of losing a home because of the pandemic or any unforeseen circumstance is frightening and can devastate the dream of homeownership. Just knowing there are viable home retention solutions that can help homeowners struggling to...

By Charlestien Harris Last week, I shared loss mitigation options for individuals with government sponsored enterprise (GSE) loans that are unable to make mortgage payments due to a COVID-19 financial hardship. This week my attention will focus on the loss mitigation...

Government Sponsored Enterprise (GSE) loans: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac By Charlestien Harris In my previous article, I explained the terms and conditions of the forbearance option for homeowners with government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) loans during the...

By Charlestien Harris The $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, passed in March of this year, included special aid for homeowners with a mortgage.  The CARES Act makes it much easier for homeowners that have been affected by the...

By Charlestien Harris Thanks to low mortgage interest rates, for some buyers this is the perfect time to think about purchasing a home. The best time to take a homebuyer education class is when you are starting to consider buying a home, not after you’ve already...

By Charlestien Harris The stress of not being able to make mortgage payments and other financial obligations because of the pandemic or any hardship can be overwhelming, but sometimes just knowing where to turn for help can give us a sense of relief.  The CARES...