Buyers, get into negotiating position:  Bridging the price gap between home buyers and sellers can be a challenge in today's market. Sellers, many of whom have a hard time accepting that their home has lost value, often expect to sell for more than buyers are willing to pay.

Whole new ballgame for refis:  Mortgage interest rates have declined to all-time lows, resulting in a pickup in mortgage refinance applications. How many of these applications result in successful refinances remains to be seen. Lenders' qualifying criteria have tightened. The lowest interest rates are reserved for homeowners who have sufficient equity in their homes and who have high credit scores -- usually above 720. Lenders also are stricter on the borrower's overall debt-to-income ratio, but this varies from lender to lender.

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