Real Estate

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  • San Jose: Tough place to rent, good place to buy?

    Residential Real Estate Industry News Headlines | Bizjournals.com
    27 Jan 2012 | 3:12 pm
    Prospective home buyers take comfort. A recent analysis of the nation’s housing markets found San Jose to be the second hottest housing market in the country. Local Market Monitor, a firm that analyzes markets for the banking industry, recently put together a three-year forecast of the nation’s largest housing markets. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara came in at No. 2, behind only McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Texas. What’s so great about this market? The fact that home prices are close to a bottom is one...

  • Top 10 States With Highest Down Payment

    The Real Estate Bloggers
    Tom Royce
    8 Jan 2012 | 10:25 am
    When buying a home, one of the key components is the down payment. Back a few years ago when the housing bubble was hitting it’s peak, there were no money down loans floated out there, but those are ancient history. Now you need hard money to make the loan. Lending Tree commissioned a study and measured the states on what the average down payment for a home was in each state. From the low 3.5% down FHA and VA loans to the private loans that are looking for 15% to 20% or higher, the range for all the states in the country range from the high in New Jersey of 13.71% down to the low…

  • D.R. Horton Swings to Profit

    WSJ.com: Real Estate
    27 Jan 2012 | 9:43 am
    D.R. Horton swung to the black in its fiscal first quarter on a double-digit jump in home-building revenue and showed optimism for the spring selling season.

  • M Squared Releases App-less iPad Open House Management

    GeekEstate Blog
    Drew Meyers
    20 Jan 2012 | 2:53 am
    We know open houses are a fantastic place to meet with potentially extremely warm buyer leads. We know your conversion is going to suck if you don’t gather contact details and follow up. We know buyers want more info (read: data) about the property they visit in person. We know many buyers look at multiple properties in a given day. We also know that many regular folk (read: non techies) think iPad’s are “cool” to interact with. Wouldn’t it be awesome if it was drop dead simple to gather buyer’s contact info as they walk in the door at your next open house…

  • Hot and Smart Home Products

    WSJ.com: Real Estate
    27 Jan 2012 | 1:05 pm
    Hanging fireplaces and smart thermostats are among the products that will be featured at the upcoming International Builders Show. Our columnist takes a look.
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    WSJ.com: Real Estate

  • Hope Is Rising for Mortgage Accord

    27 Jan 2012 | 7:26 pm
    New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said he is confident his main concern with a pending settlement of alleged bank- foreclosure abuses would be resolved, but he didn't commit to participating in an agreement.

  • Hot and Smart Home Products

    27 Jan 2012 | 1:05 pm
    Hanging fireplaces and smart thermostats are among the products that will be featured at the upcoming International Builders Show. Our columnist takes a look.

  • A Contractor Spills His Secrets

    27 Jan 2012 | 12:24 pm
    A builder of luxury homes reveals how he created his weekend retreat on a budget.

  • D.R. Horton Swings to Profit

    27 Jan 2012 | 9:43 am
    D.R. Horton swung to the black in its fiscal first quarter on a double-digit jump in home-building revenue and showed optimism for the spring selling season.

  • Restored Tuscan Farmhouse

    26 Jan 2012 | 11:12 pm
    This six-bedroom Italian villa has been entirely rebuilt using the original stones to incorporate many modern features.
 
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    NYT > Real Estate

  • So You’re Priced Out. Now What?

    By JIM RENDON
    27 Jan 2012 | 5:37 pm
    Five pairs of neighborhoods that look and feel alike, without costing the same amount.

  • On the Market in the Region

    27 Jan 2012 | 5:11 pm
    A four-bedroom 1928 Tudor in Hempstead, N.Y., and a four-bedroom colonial in Bridgeport, Conn.

  • On the Market in the Region

    By VIVIAN S. TOY with Marcelle S. Fischler, Suzanne Hamlin and Lisa Prevost
    27 Jan 2012 | 5:09 pm
    A four-bedroom 1928 Tudor in Hempstead, N.Y., and a four-bedroom colonial in Bridgeport, Conn.

  • On the Market in New York City

    27 Jan 2012 | 5:08 pm
    A Lincoln Square maisonette, a Greenwich Village one-bedroom and a Prospect Heights co-op.

  • On the Market in New York City

    By VIVIAN S. TOY with Marcelle S. Fischler, Suzanne Hamlin and Lisa Prevost
    27 Jan 2012 | 5:07 pm
    A Lincoln Square maisonette, a Greenwich Village one-bedroom and a Prospect Heights co-op.
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    Commercial Real Estate Industry News Headlines | Bizjournals.com

  • Optimism, and a wizard’s hat, at 2012 Hawaii real estate forecast

    27 Jan 2012 | 6:07 pm
    A wizard’s hat, poems and a kaleidoscope. No, I wasn’t at a carnival on Friday morning. Instead, those were just some of the tools used by the presenters at the 2012 Hawaii Real Estate Forecast, held at the Hawaii Convention Center. The captive audience, mostly made up of Realtors, listened to the experts throughout the marketplace. Paul Brewbaker, principal of TZ Economics, kicked off the event with an economic outlook. He said there are good signs that a recovery is nearing, like home prices beginning to stabilize...

  • Slideshow: Top 7 Bay Area property managers

    27 Jan 2012 | 5:25 pm
    The accompanying gallery is an excerpt from this week's List of the Largest Property Management Firms in the Bay Area. Click on the image to start a slideshow of top Bay Area property managers. The San Francisco Business Times publishes industry rankings in each issue of the paper and reprints them at the end of the year for our annual Book of Lists. These lists are unique and authoritative sources of Bay Area business news. One of this week’s lists is the Largest Property Management Firms in the Bay Area...

  • OfficeSpace.com tweaks Portland website

    27 Jan 2012 | 4:58 pm
    Seattle-based OfficeSpace.com is beta testing a new business model that targets smaller office tenants on its Portland website. The revised website and online tools will eventually be rolled out in OfficeSpace.com’s five other markets. The impetus for the changes — which include unlimited photos with listings, an online calendar for booking tours and easy integration of marketing materials onto social media sites Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+ – came from the firm’s new ownership. OfficeSpace...

  • Regulators warn Seattle's P.I. Bank

    27 Jan 2012 | 4:46 pm
    Regulators have told Pacific International Bank to appoint a qualified CEO and increase a capital cushion it keeps to make up for loan losses, among other things, according to an announcement Friday from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The FDIC also told the bank to reduce its concentration in loans in the commercial real estate sector, especially those with borrowers in the hotel or gas station industry. I put a call in to Seattle-based P.I. Bank's interim CEO Paul Sabado to ask about the regulatory order, known as a consent order, but he didn't immediately respond...

  • Kaiser 'tops' new Redwood City Hospital

    27 Jan 2012 | 4:42 pm
    Kaiser Permanente said it plans to "top out" the steel skeleton of its new 280,000-square-foot Redwood City Hospital on Friday. The structure was to be hoisted to the top of the seven-story building, located at Veterans Boulevard and Walnut Street. The thousand-pound framing structure was signed by hospital physicians, staff and dignitaries. The contractor is Redwood City's Rudolph and Sletten Inc., which began erecting the steel on the site Dec. 5. According to Kaiser Permanente: "Crews from Schuff Steel of Stockton worked nearly every day during December and January to finish the hospital…
 
 
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    CIRE Magazine Feed

  • $12.7 million retail sale in Flagstaff, Ariz.

    rrosfelder
    24 Jan 2012 | 9:30 am

  • The Potential Impact of Lease Accounting Changes on Corporate Real Estate Decision-Making

    rrosfelder
    18 Jan 2012 | 10:59 am
    The Financial Accounting Standards Board and the International Accounting Standards Board aim to create a unified set of lease accounting standards as part of a larger global convergence initiatread more

  • Tuned Into the Market

    rrosfelder
    13 Jan 2012 | 4:24 pm
    In a world where business professionals have instant access to information, some might think radio communication is a thing of the past. Not true, say listeners who tune into the “

  • Gearing Up

    CCIM Institute
    13 Jan 2012 | 1:32 pm
    What do you have to look forward to in 2012? More opportunities in smaller markets if current forecasts are any indication.read more

  • Deal Makers

    dlamantia
    13 Jan 2012 | 1:17 pm
    The Biggest Deal Hersh Tencer, CCIM, of the Ontario Infrastructure and Lands Corp. in Toronto represented the city of Ontario in the $76 million sale of 2.5 acres read more
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    Bubble Meter

  • December housing starts down 4.1% month-over-month; up 8% year-over-year

    James
    19 Jan 2012 | 11:12 am
    Housing starts fell in December compared with November. (FYI, housing starts numbers are usually seasonally adjusted.) However, they are up about 8% year-over-year. Keep in mind that we've had abnormally good weather this winter, which is great for home building.It wasn’t exactly a banner December for the home-building industry.The nation’s builders started construction on 4.1% fewer homes compared with a month earlier. Construction decreased to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 657,000 in December, the Commerce Department said Thursday.But the news wasn’t all gloomy. The main reason…

  • The clueless Fed

    James
    16 Jan 2012 | 5:06 am
    The release of Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting transcripts from 2006 show how little America's top economic minds understand how leveraged asset bubbles harm the economy:As the housing bubble entered its waning hours in 2006, top Federal Reserve officials marveled at the desperate antics of home builders seeking to lure buyers.The officials laughed about the cars that builders were offering as signing bonuses, and about efforts to make empty homes look occupied. They joked about one builder who said that inventory was “rising through the roof.”But the officials, meeting every…

  • DC-area homes of the 2012 presidential candidates

    James
    13 Jan 2012 | 6:54 am
    A bunch of websites are posting photos of the 2012 presidential candidates' homes, probably sparked by this Zillow Blog post. Here are the homes the candidates have in the DC area:Newt Gingrich7410 Windy Hill Ct, McLean, VA 22102Value: $1,284,400Rick Santorum10607 Creamcup Ln, Great Falls, VA 22066Value: $1,305,100Jon Huntsman2121 Leroy Pl NW, Washington, DC 20008Value: $3,303,100Immediately prior to his purchase of the home, it was used as the residence for contenders on the Bravo reality TV show "Top Chef: Season 7".Barack Obama1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20500Value:…

  • Zillow CEO on housing market

    James
    5 Jan 2012 | 3:01 am

  • S&P/Case-Shiller Index falls yet again

    James
    2 Jan 2012 | 2:57 am
    I was on Christmas vacation last week. Here's some housing news that was released while I was gone:Home prices fell for the sixth straight month in October, down 1.2% compared with September and 3.4% a year ago, according to the latest S&P/Case-Shiller 20-city index.The decline was disappointing in light of several other recent reports, which painted a more positive picture of the housing market. ...tight lending standards and a glut of foreclosures continue to weigh on the housing market, said Pat Newport, a housing market analyst for IHS Global Insight.With so many homes for sale at…
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    Paper Economy - A US Real Estate Bubble Blog

  • University of Michigan Survey of Consumers January 2012 (Final)

    SoldAtTheTop
    27 Jan 2012 | 3:09 pm
    Today's final release of the Reuters/University of Michigan Survey of Consumers for January indicated improvement in consumer sentiment with a reading of 75.0 and climbing just 1.08% above the level seen last year while one year inflation expectations rose slightly to 3.3%.The Index of Consumer Expectations (a component of the Conference Board's Index of Leading Economic Indicators) rose to 69.1, and the Current Economic Conditions Index climbed to 84.2.It's important to recognize that consumer sentiment has seriously eroded over the past few months with the current results remaining near…

  • New Home Sales: December 2011

    SoldAtTheTop
    26 Jan 2012 | 11:11 am
    Today, the U.S. Census Department released its monthly New Residential Home Sales Report for December showing a notable monthly decline with sales dropping 2.2% since November and 7.3% below the level seen in December 2010 and remaining at an epically low level of 307K SAAR units.It's important to recognize that the inventory of new homes has now fallen to a new series low at 157K units, lowest level seen in in at least 47 years while the median number of months for sale declined to 6.7.The monthly supply remained declined to 6.1 months while the median selling price declined 12.81% and the…

  • The Chicago Fed National Activity Index: December 2011

    SoldAtTheTop
    26 Jan 2012 | 11:02 am
    Today’s release of the Chicago Federal Reserve National Activity Index (CFNAI) improved though continued to indicate weakness in national economic trends with the index climbing to a tepid 0.17 while the three month moving average improved to -0.08.The CFNAI is a weighted average of 85 indicators of national economic activity collected into four overall categories of “production and income”, “employment, unemployment and income”, “personal consumption and housing” and “sales, orders and inventories”.The Chicago Fed regards a value of zero for the total index as indicating…

  • Extended Unemployment: Initial, Continued and Extended Unemployment Claims January 26 2012

    SoldAtTheTop
    26 Jan 2012 | 10:55 am
    Today’s jobless claims report showed notable increases to both initial and continued unemployment claims as seasonally adjusted remained below the closely watched 400K level.Seasonally adjusted “initial” unemployment increased 21,000 to 377,000 claims from last week’s revised 356,000 claims while seasonally adjusted “continued” claims increased by 88,000 resulting in an “insured” unemployment rate of 2.8%.Since the middle of 2008 though, two federal government sponsored “extended” unemployment benefit programs (the “extended benefits” and “EUC 2008” from recent…

  • FHFA Monthly Home Prices: November 2011

    SoldAtTheTop
    25 Jan 2012 | 9:17 am
    Today, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) released the latest results of their monthly house price index (HPI) showing that, nationally, home prices increased 0.98% since October and declined 2.48% below the level seen in November 2010.The FHFA monthly HPI are formulated from home purchase information collected from mortgages that have been sold to or guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
 
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    Residential Real Estate Industry News Headlines | Bizjournals.com

  • Optimism, and a wizard’s hat, at 2012 Hawaii real estate forecast

    27 Jan 2012 | 6:07 pm
    A wizard’s hat, poems and a kaleidoscope. No, I wasn’t at a carnival on Friday morning. Instead, those were just some of the tools used by the presenters at the 2012 Hawaii Real Estate Forecast, held at the Hawaii Convention Center. The captive audience, mostly made up of Realtors, listened to the experts throughout the marketplace. Paul Brewbaker, principal of TZ Economics, kicked off the event with an economic outlook. He said there are good signs that a recovery is nearing, like home prices beginning to stabilize...

  • Former Wachovia loan officer Andrew Vulpis sentenced

    27 Jan 2012 | 4:23 pm
    Andrew Vulpis was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Vulpis was an officer of Wachovia Bank in Tampa when he played a role in 12 residential real estate transactions in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties that involved fraud, a written statement from the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida said. U.S. District Jude Steven Merryday also entered a money judgment of $1.25 million against Vulpis, who forfeited a 2007 Volvo sedan as a substitute asset in partial satisfaction of the money judgment, the statement said...

  • GenCorp development ZIP code change denied

    27 Jan 2012 | 4:09 pm
    GenCorp Inc.’s effort to get a Folsom ZIP code for a part of its proposed residential development called Boroughs of Easton failed. The U.S. Postal Service turned down the company’s request for the Folsom name change, and the area will remain part of Rancho Cordova. “We are delighted with the decision,” Rancho Cordova Mayor David Sander said in a statement. “A ZIP code change would have caused confusion and divided our community. We fought to maintain our community identity.” Easton Development Co...

  • PNC loans $41M for Stiles’ apartment project

    27 Jan 2012 | 3:39 pm
    PNC Bank provided a $40.6 million mortgage to a joint venture partnership between Stiles Corp. and Prudential Insurance (NYSE: PRU) to build an apartment project in Plantation. University Center Partners, an entity controlled by Fort Lauderdale-based Stiles, had a $12.5 million mortgage with EverBank covering the 85,812-square-foot mixed-use property at 1349 S. University Drive plus the 5.5-acre site on its south side – just north of Interstate 595. It sold the property with the mixed-used building for $8 million to PR/Stiles Plantation Apartment Owner, which is a joint venture between…

  • San Jose: Tough place to rent, good place to buy?

    27 Jan 2012 | 3:12 pm
    Prospective home buyers take comfort. A recent analysis of the nation’s housing markets found San Jose to be the second hottest housing market in the country. Local Market Monitor, a firm that analyzes markets for the banking industry, recently put together a three-year forecast of the nation’s largest housing markets. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara came in at No. 2, behind only McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Texas. What’s so great about this market? The fact that home prices are close to a bottom is one...
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    RISMedia » Consumer News and Advice

  • Remodeling Market Index Rises to Five-Year High

    susanne
    27 Jan 2012 | 11:02 pm
    Remodeling sentiment rose to the highest level in five years, according to the National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) Remodeling Market Index (RMI) for the fourth quarter of 2011. Released yesterday, the RMI increased to 46.6 in the fourth quarter …

  • Obama HARP Expansion Builds on New Refi Momentum

    susanne
    27 Jan 2012 | 11:01 pm
    In his recent State of the Union speech, President Obama announced he will push for legislation that will significantly expand the newly revised HARP program that allows underwater homeowners who are to refinance at today’s historically low rates. Obama’s expansion …

  • Builders Commend White House Focus on Helping Homeowners

    susanne
    26 Jan 2012 | 3:31 pm
    The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) commends President Obama for offering proposals in the recent State of the Union address to help families stay in their homes and stanch foreclosures, and is urging policymakers to take additional actions to …

  • Look for Continued Housing Market Recovery in 2012

    susanne
    25 Jan 2012 | 3:57 pm
    The end of 2011 brought good news on the nation’s economic front, with unemployment in December falling to its lowest level in three years and the economy adding 200,000 jobs during the same month. Dave Liniger, chairman and co-founder of …

  • Water-Wise Bathroom Redo Gives Consumers a Chance to Win $100

    susanne
    25 Jan 2012 | 3:54 pm
    HouseLogic.com, a comprehensive website about all aspects of homeownership from the National Association of REALTORS®, has launched a new online sweepstakes. Readers who leave comments on a blog featured at the site will have a chance to win a $100 …
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    WSJ.com: Commercial Real Estate

  • Developer Makes a Fresh Start

    24 Jan 2012 | 10:28 pm
    The family behind Opus, once one of the largest private developers in the country, is making a comeback after settling battles with creditors and former employees.

  • Lehman to Block Zell's Archstone Deal

    23 Jan 2012 | 10:41 am
    The estate of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. is planning this week to use $1.33 billion in cash to buy a 26.5% stake in apartment giant Archstone.

  • Lehman's Estate Gets Montana Resort

    22 Jan 2012 | 6:41 pm
    The estate of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. is now the owner of a Montana ski and golf resort, after assuming control of the assets of Moonlight Basin Ranch LP.

  • Marriott Delivers Late Editions

    18 Jan 2012 | 9:26 pm
    Marriott has been trying—and failing—for more than four years to build a brand of hip hotels. Now, it finally may be breathing some life into the Edition brand, its competitor to the stylish W chain.

  • Calpers Downsizes Housing Portfolio

    18 Jan 2012 | 8:51 pm
    Calpers, the giant California pension fund, is dumping one of its last major housing investments at a big loss.
 
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    Commercial Property Executive

  • Dees Stribling’s Economy Watch Weekly

    Nicholas Ziegler
    27 Jan 2012 | 11:13 am
    Dees Stribling’s Economy Watch Weekly: Some good news, some less-than-good-news this week — and the beginnings of full-blown, election-year arguments over economic policy. CPE’s economic analyst, Dees Stribling, gives his podcast for the week ending Jan. 27, 2012.

  • 1 Houston Center to Be Renamed LyondellBasell Tower Following 358 KSF Lease Extension

    Nicholas Ziegler
    27 Jan 2012 | 9:16 am
    January 27, 2012 By Barbra Murray, Contributing Editor A commitment can go a long way and in the case of LydondellBasell Tower, it’s going all the way to the top — the top of the 1 million-square-foot 1 Houston Tower office building in Houston. The plastics and chemical manufacturer has entered into an agreement to extend its 358,100-square-foot lease with Crescent Real Estate Holdings L.L.C., an agreement that will result in 1 Houston Tower being renamed LydondellBasell Tower. LydondellBasell has called 1 Houston home for approximately 25 years. Carrying the address of 1221…

  • 2012 Equity Providers Survey

    MichaelR
    27 Jan 2012 | 9:13 am

  • Morgan Group Refis Five Multi-Family Properties for $146M

    Nicholas Ziegler
    27 Jan 2012 | 9:02 am
    January 27, 2012 By Nicholas Ziegler, News Editor The apartments a 2222 Smith St. in Houston. The Morgan Group, a company focused on development, construction and property management of luxury multi-family properties, has arranged financing of $146 million on behalf of its affiliated investment partnerships. The proceeds were obtained from bank, agency and insurance company loans with terms ranging from five to ten years, collateralized by five apartment properties in Texas, Florida and North Carolina. “Current loan rates for multifamily projects were extremely attractive,” Mike…

  • Power Index Podcast: Equity Providers

    MichaelR
    27 Jan 2012 | 8:56 am
    Mike Ratliff and Jack Kern dissect the results from our survey of equity providers to gain some insight into how and where firms are investing their funds for 2012. Make sure to read the full results in the January issue or our research center.
 
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    Housing Doom

  • Foreign Cenbank Holdings to January 25, 2012

    John M.
    27 Jan 2012 | 2:17 pm
    News reader Peter Armstrong’s efforts this morning on CBC Radio 1 were most instructive. Someone important needs the GOP nomination process to come to a conclusion. Now. Well, the Fed’s own MBS holdings swung to a strong $11.810 billion reduction, but that might have simply been a few re-po’d chickens going back to roost at some banks that didn’t want to admit to owning the stuff during year-end reporting season Except for that it was a pretty dull week, with small... Read this item at Housing Doom...

  • State Of The Union: Fannie and Freddie To Pick Up 2 to 3 Million Mortgages?

    twist
    25 Jan 2012 | 10:26 am
    I confess that I didn’t watch the State of the Union address last night. I don’t even like baloney in my sandwiches– I can’t take it in large quantities. I did however, read the summaries this morning, particularly the housing proposals. This is the one that stood out to me: Obama proposed that “every responsible homeowner” be able to refinance. The existing refinancing program (HARP) lets borrowers who are current on their mortgages refinance even if... Read this item at Housing Doom...

  • Crack of Doom: Mayan Countdown

    John M.
    23 Jan 2012 | 8:06 am
    Here at Housing Doom blog we’re always on the lookout for really worst case scenarios, especially the ones where grownups, the MSM and recognized authorities all get together and say: “Why are we even bothering to debunk something that dumb?” Which is why we’ve got a soft spot in our heart (hearts for pet dragon Igor, head for yours truly) concerning the idea that a tidal wave is supposed to engulf Mt Everest at the next Winter solstice  But on the other hand …... Read this item at Housing Doom...

  • Foreign Cenbank Holdings to January 18, 2012

    John M.
    20 Jan 2012 | 11:55 am
    Following up on yesterday’s episode of the new reality TV show “Who Wants To Lead The World Through Years 5, 6, 7 and 8 Of The Present Long Depression” here is tomorrow’s skill testing question … Please Choose The Best Candidate: A) Pompous B) Wooden C) Fluffy D) Gone Igor thinks there’s a good chance “D” finishes better than fifth (sic), at least that’s how he’s voting At “the Fred”, America’s most solvent housing... Read this item at Housing Doom...

  • New Decade — Tighter Standards?

    John M.
    19 Jan 2012 | 11:15 am
    Sometimes these guys are way too smart for their own good … Economist (1/19 ’12): “Perry exits” … You have to wonder why a man of such towering ignorance ever thought he had the right to aspire to the White House.   Meanwhile, Igor credits WaPo with the most dangerous 51 seconds of MSM coverage yet in the present primary cycle. Plus 10 for [candidate's name redacted] if SC ever sees that one Related posts:CNBC Freudian Slip of the Decade Crack of Doom: The... Read this item at Housing Doom...
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    Information Central

  • What We’re Reading: Jan. 21 – Jan. 27

    Dave
    27 Jan 2012 | 9:42 am
    A new model for online education, FB Timeline, using music in video, and YouTube What if you offered your course online for free, announced in just one email, and 160,000 people enrolled? That happened last year for Professor Sebastian Thrun of Stanford. And the online class was such a success that students in the physical class slowly began switching to the online version as the semester progressed. So is Stanford doing more? Well, Professor Thrun decided to leave and launch his own online university instead. It’s an interesting look at what might be in store for online education.

  • What We’re Reading: Jan. 14 – Jan. 20

    Dave
    20 Jan 2012 | 11:08 am
    Hop, skip, or Gallup your way to work, but not while wearing headphones. Every year, Gallup asks the American public to rate the honesty and ethical standards of various professions.  This year’s poll numbers are in and real estate agents, while not topping the list, aren’t too bad. Or is it just that everyone else has gotten worse?  Most notably: we’re ranked above lawyers, but somehow bankers beat us out. Think twice before you drop in earbuds and blast music on your next outing.  Recent statistics show an increase in injuries to headphone wearing pedestrians.  The…

  • What We’re Reading: Jan. 7 – Jan. 13

    Dave
    13 Jan 2012 | 11:51 am
    2012 Tech trends, preparing for taxes, CES duds Social media guru Todd Carpenter asked several social-media-savvy real estate professionals, “What new tools or trends will have the biggest impact on the real estate industry in 2012?” Here’s what they had to say. Maybe the economy is improving: shopping center leasing seems to be picking up as consumer confidence climbs, according to REIS. Twitter has complained about changes made by Google to integrate its social network Google+ into search results. The U.S. Mint circulated more quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies last year. And…

  • What We’re Reading: Dec. 31 – Jan. 6

    Dave
    6 Jan 2012 | 9:26 am
    Tax day moved back (a bit), 3D cameras, and resolutions A report from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke called the weakness in the housing market a “significant barrier” to U.S. economic health and said Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac might have to bear greater losses to stoke a broader recovery. The 2012 due date for personal income tax filings will be Tuesday, April 17, the IRS said, delaying the deadline for a weekend and a holiday observed by the District of Columbia. Books vs eBooks: Does one have to win? Clever math could enable a high-quality 3-D camera so simple, cheap and…

  • The Discount Experience

    Dave
    4 Jan 2012 | 9:51 am
    Last week we mentioned an article that compared Apple stores to Sears. This week, Forbes has an article that, in part, compares Best Buy to Amazon. Mostly the article is just about the gradual failure of another big box chain and the mistakes its made. While the author says that Best Buy’s main problems arise from internal issues, he contrasts them to his experience at Amazon, which is able to deliver superior service even without the benefit of immediate gratification, retail locations, and knowledgable salespeople. How does this relate to REALTORS? As I see it, the failure of Best Buy…
 
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    Real Estate Investing For Real | A BiggerPockets Investment Property Blog

  • 4 Tips for Creating Killer Real Estate Marketing Emails

    Jeff Logue
    27 Jan 2012 | 10:17 am
    Did you realize that you could currently be sitting on a mound of cash for your business? Leads that are literally ripe for the picking? And in fact, most of your competition is probably not taking the necessary steps to liquidate this real estate marketing goldmine into consistent closed transactions.What I’m referring to is the power of email marketing. You may have heard that the money is in the list, and this is definitely true to a certain degree. However, the flip side to this statement is that real profits are in how you choose to incubate and covert those leads into business over…

  • Make Agents Your Seller Financing Allies

    Kevin Kaczmarek
    27 Jan 2012 | 7:25 am
    It’s  a hurdle most real estate investors run into early in their careers….  How to find real estate agents that understand the “unique” offers investors make to seller’s agents. Whether it’s the idea of buying with seller financing or taking an option on a property, most real estate agents have never heard of these transactions because it is not required curriculum for them to acquire a license. This leaves many investors and agents frustrated trying to determine what each side is actually asking for. Have no fear! A good game plan for making offers will help you acquire more…

  • 5 List-Building Strategies For Wholesalers

    Ken Corsini
    26 Jan 2012 | 7:30 am
    Many new real estate investors find an entry point into the world of real estate investing through a strategy commonly referred to as “wholesaling.” Wholesaling is essentially a business model wherein the wholesaler puts in the time and effort to secure a contract on a potential real estate investment. Once the property is secured by a contract, the wholesaler markets the property to other investors at a slight mark-up. Most wholesalers add an additional 3-5 thousand to the price of the property as their fee for finding the deal.While there are numerous strategies for finding good…

  • Mortgage Notes – A Hard “Land-ing”

    Alan Noblitt
    25 Jan 2012 | 1:20 pm
    Yesterday, a guy called me wanting to sell his mortgage on a small piece of land located in a desolate area, far from any population centers.  The parcel had access to water (from a well) but no other improvements.  He purchased the property last summer for $60K and had just sold it for $110K.  Of course, he wanted us to pay him the full note balance.Where do we even start with this real estate note?  It has so many problems and red flags that no investor would even consider buying the full note.  The isolation of the property and the fact that he wanted to flip what was almost certainly…

  • America’s Love/Hate Affair with Investors

    Steve Cook
    25 Jan 2012 | 7:30 am
    When it comes to residential real estate investors, there are clearly two points of view today within the real estate industry and in Washington.  Some applaud investors for plunking down their own dollars to save decaying homes in moribund neighborhoods and reviving local real estate markets.   But investors come under fire by others  for out-competing owner occupants (especially first time buyers and minorities) for distress sales and for switching properties—and neighborhoods—from ownership to rental.This debate is more than academic.  Many of those who make policy decisions that…
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    GeekEstate Blog

  • Where the Real Money is Made with Social Media

    Drew Meyers
    24 Jan 2012 | 12:34 am
    We all need to make money from the activities we spend our time on. Social media is no different. Every so often, there is talk about social media being a waste of time and the ROI not being there since most agents can’t directly attribute transactions back to clients they received from social media. But, make no mistake about it — there are agents and brokers making money from social media. But not in the way that you think. You want to know how agents and brokers are really making money from social media? It’s not from the engagement. It’s not from the connections…

  • #retechchat Topic of Conversation – Using Your iPad for Listing Presentations

    Jeff Riber
    23 Jan 2012 | 12:55 pm
    Tonight’s topic of conversation will be Using Your iPad for Listing Presentations (this topic suggestion came from @YvonneArnoldCRS). If you have questions, want to learn, or just lurk – join the conversation Monday (1/23/12) at 6 PM PST / 9 PM EST. For those who want to participate in #retechchat Monday evening, there are a few options: Follow the #retechchat hashtag Add a search column to Tweetdeck for the hashtag #retechchat Join Tweetchat under #retechchat (recommended approach) See you there!

  • Better Voicemail for Real Estate Agents – and a Special Offer for the Geek Estate Community

    Drew Meyers
    23 Jan 2012 | 7:08 am
    What do you currently use to handle your voicemail? I’m guessing it’s either Google Voice, your standard voicemail that comes with your mobile phone, or some other add on service you’ve randomly stumbled upon along the way. Sure, regular voicemail works. But we all know it can, and should, be better for real estate agents. For starters, when someone leaves you a voicemail, you’d like to know what property that person is inquiring about so that when you follow up (within minutes) you’ll already be privy to further details on that particular property. I spent some…

  • Interview With PropertyBase.com Account Exec Ricky Fernandez

    Daniel Beer
    23 Jan 2012 | 6:21 am
    I have noticed a big increase in agents awareness of the need for a great real estate CRM.  It seems like the industry is no longer satisfied with what has been popular for many years and is now demanding more. I know I’m not, which led me on a long search for a new CRM system that would be great for a residential real estate business. My search led me to Propertybase. In my opinion they are one of the most innovative and smart CRM systems out there so I interviewed Ricky Fernandez, a Propertybase.com account executive to share details about their business with the GEB community.  The…

  • M Squared Releases App-less iPad Open House Management

    Drew Meyers
    20 Jan 2012 | 2:53 am
    We know open houses are a fantastic place to meet with potentially extremely warm buyer leads. We know your conversion is going to suck if you don’t gather contact details and follow up. We know buyers want more info (read: data) about the property they visit in person. We know many buyers look at multiple properties in a given day. We also know that many regular folk (read: non techies) think iPad’s are “cool” to interact with. Wouldn’t it be awesome if it was drop dead simple to gather buyer’s contact info as they walk in the door at your next open house…
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    Construction Industry News - Construction Industry News Headlines | Bizjournals.com

  • Optimism, and a wizard’s hat, at 2012 Hawaii real estate forecast

    27 Jan 2012 | 6:07 pm
    A wizard’s hat, poems and a kaleidoscope. No, I wasn’t at a carnival on Friday morning. Instead, those were just some of the tools used by the presenters at the 2012 Hawaii Real Estate Forecast, held at the Hawaii Convention Center. The captive audience, mostly made up of Realtors, listened to the experts throughout the marketplace. Paul Brewbaker, principal of TZ Economics, kicked off the event with an economic outlook. He said there are good signs that a recovery is nearing, like home prices beginning to stabilize...

  • Slideshow: Top 7 Bay Area property managers

    27 Jan 2012 | 5:25 pm
    The accompanying gallery is an excerpt from this week's List of the Largest Property Management Firms in the Bay Area. Click on the image to start a slideshow of top Bay Area property managers. The San Francisco Business Times publishes industry rankings in each issue of the paper and reprints them at the end of the year for our annual Book of Lists. These lists are unique and authoritative sources of Bay Area business news. One of this week’s lists is the Largest Property Management Firms in the Bay Area...

  • OfficeSpace.com tweaks Portland website

    27 Jan 2012 | 4:58 pm
    Seattle-based OfficeSpace.com is beta testing a new business model that targets smaller office tenants on its Portland website. The revised website and online tools will eventually be rolled out in OfficeSpace.com’s five other markets. The impetus for the changes — which include unlimited photos with listings, an online calendar for booking tours and easy integration of marketing materials onto social media sites Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+ – came from the firm’s new ownership. OfficeSpace...

  • Regulators warn Seattle's P.I. Bank

    27 Jan 2012 | 4:46 pm
    Regulators have told Pacific International Bank to appoint a qualified CEO and increase a capital cushion it keeps to make up for loan losses, among other things, according to an announcement Friday from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The FDIC also told the bank to reduce its concentration in loans in the commercial real estate sector, especially those with borrowers in the hotel or gas station industry. I put a call in to Seattle-based P.I. Bank's interim CEO Paul Sabado to ask about the regulatory order, known as a consent order, but he didn't immediately respond...

  • Kaiser 'tops' new Redwood City Hospital

    27 Jan 2012 | 4:42 pm
    Kaiser Permanente said it plans to "top out" the steel skeleton of its new 280,000-square-foot Redwood City Hospital on Friday. The structure was to be hoisted to the top of the seven-story building, located at Veterans Boulevard and Walnut Street. The thousand-pound framing structure was signed by hospital physicians, staff and dignitaries. The contractor is Redwood City's Rudolph and Sletten Inc., which began erecting the steel on the site Dec. 5. According to Kaiser Permanente: "Crews from Schuff Steel of Stockton worked nearly every day during December and January to finish the hospital…
 
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    Mortgage News Daily

  • MBS RECAP: 1/27/2012

    Matthew Graham
    27 Jan 2012 | 3:19 pm
    Posted To: MBS CommentaryMBS Live : MBS RECAP Open MBS Live Dashboard FNMA 3.5 103-22 : +0-06 FNMA 4.0 105-19 : +0-04 FNMA 4.5 106-25 : +0-01 FNMA 5.0 107-30 : -0-02 GNMA 3.5 105-03 : +0-04 GNMA 4.0 107-23 : +0-02 GNMA 4.5 109-07 : -0-02 GNMA 5.0 110-24 : -0-08 FHLMC 3.5 103-16 : +0-06 FHLMC 4.0 105-11 : +0-03 FHLMC 4.5 106-08 : +0-00 FHLMC 5.0 107-14 : -0-02 Pricing as of 4:03 PM EST Afternoon Market Updates A recap of MBS Market Updates provided by MND Analysts and streamed live to the MBS Live Dashboard . 2:28PM : ALERT: MBS Hit Day's Highs, Underperforming TSYs in Low Volume The day,…

  • Mortgage Rates Improve For a 3rd Straight Day, Nearing All-Time Lows Again

    Matthew Graham
    27 Jan 2012 | 12:52 pm
    Posted To: Mortgage Rate WatchMortgages Rates continued their march into better territory today, capping a 3 day effort of improvement following Wednesday's FOMC Announcement. At this point, rates have not only solidified their re-entry into 3.875% Best-Execution levels, but some lenders are once again competitively priced at rates below that (for detail on "best-execution," READ THIS POST ). That said, we've seen a high degree of stratification over the past 3 days as lenders have responded to the bond market rally at different paces. When we say that rate offerings are more stratified,…

  • AG Holder Announces Structure of MBS Fraud Unit

    Jann Swanson
    27 Jan 2012 | 12:36 pm
    Posted To: MND NewsWireThe formation of the Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities Working Group tasked with investigating mortgage fraud is now official. The new office, which will be part of the Administrations Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force (FFETF) was first announced by President Obama in his State of the Union speech on Tuesday. At a press conference this morning (video below), Attorney General Eric Holder along with Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Director of Enforcement Robert Khuzami and New York Attorney…

  • MBS End Week Near All Time Highs, But Benchmark Rally Momentum is Slowing

    Matthew Graham
    27 Jan 2012 | 11:55 am
    Posted To: MBS CommentaryThe trading day is rapidly growing uneventful and charts suggest that quite a few market participants already have one or more feet out the door for the weekend. The only real pop of volume and volatility was seen around this morning's GDP report, which was generally a mild boon to bond markets. Consumer Sentiment was close enough to consensus as to have been a non-event and everything since then has been even less so. Trading ranges are narrowing... Stocks and Bonds are following each other to a greater extent... and Volumes are rapidly dwindling... Unless something…

  • MBS MID-DAY: 1/27/2012

    Matthew Graham
    27 Jan 2012 | 10:19 am
    Posted To: MBS CommentaryMBS Live : MBS MID-DAY Open MBS Live Dashboard FNMA 3.5 103-18 : +0-02 FNMA 4.0 105-17 : +0-02 FNMA 4.5 106-25 : +0-00 FNMA 5.0 108-01 : +0-01 GNMA 3.5 104-31 : +0-01 GNMA 4.0 107-21 : +0-00 GNMA 4.5 109-06 : -0-03 GNMA 5.0 110-30 : -0-02 FHLMC 3.5 103-12 : +0-02 FHLMC 4.0 105-09 : +0-02 FHLMC 4.5 106-09 : +0-01 FHLMC 5.0 107-17 : +0-01 Pricing as of 11:04 AM EST Morning Market Updates A recap of MBS Market Updates provided by MND Analysts and streamed live to the MBS Live Dashboard . 10:15AM : Fed's Dovish Dudley Says Recovery to Slow in 2012 RTRS – Fed’s…
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    National Commercial Real Estate News From CoStar Group

  • LyondellBasell Renews 358,138 SF in Houston

    27 Jan 2012 | 12:08 am
    LyondellBasell renewed 358,138 square feet at 1 Houston Center in Houston. The plastics, chemical and refining company signed a long-term extension deal to maintain its global operations at the central business district office tower. The 1.06 million-square-foot property at 1221 McKinney St. was built in 1996. The lease also included naming rights; the 46-story office building will now be known as LyondellBasell Tower. Charles Gordon, Craig...

  • CoStar's People of Note (Jan. 22-28)

    26 Jan 2012 | 10:19 pm
    This week's People of Note includes the following markets: Dallas, Denver, National, New York City, Orange County, San Francisco and Washington, DC. DALLAS, NATIONAL Behringer Harvard Appoints New President, CEO of REITs By Laurie Forbes Behringer Harvard hired Michael J. O'Hanlon as an executive vice president of the firm and as CEO and president of Behringer Harvard Opportunity REITs I and II. He took the place

  • Miami Herald Finalizes 158,000-SF Lease in Doral

    26 Jan 2012 | 9:58 pm
    The Miami Herald Media Company has agreed to terms to relocate to a 158,265-square-foot office building in Doral, FL. The building, at 3511 NW 91st Ave. in Miami, will be renamed One Herald Plaza at Westpointe Business Park. The company has also acquired an adjacent six-acre pad site to house its 119,000-square-foot production building. CoStar first brought you coverage of the sale of Miami Herald's former waterfront office location to Genting...

  • Romney Tax Returns Help Revive Effort to Overhaul Carried Interest Tax

    26 Jan 2012 | 6:09 am
    The tax rate on carried-interest investment income earned by real estate partnerships, private equity investors and hedge fund operators has once again become an issue for national debate -- this time, all the way to the 2012 presidential campaign. Two prominent Michigan lawmakers announced that they are reviving efforts to reclassify the tax treatment for carried-interest income after Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney released tax records...

  • Landlords Poised to Regain Upper Hand In Recovering Office Market

    25 Jan 2012 | 10:15 pm
    Office space absorption doubled during 2011 as the office-using job base expanded and vacancies declined across nearly two-thirds of U.S. submarkets, CoStar Group reported this week in its Year-End 2011 Office Review & Outlook. The report presented to CoStar clients found that positive momentum in office fundamentals and the continued absence of new construction is expected to result in higher rents for building owners over the next few years. Office...
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    1000Watt Consulting

  • Friday Flash: Privacy, the IDX headlock and a VOW that wows

    Brian Boero
    20 Jan 2012 | 11:09 am
    First, a couple things that went down while I was at Inman last week, lost in a blur of meetings, cab rides and pastrami… Trulia launched Trulia Insight, a product that delivers behavioral data on leads to agents. It’s an add-on to their main Trulia Pro subscription ad product. This sort of lead scoring is not new (Point2 released a similar product years ago, and many IDX solutions offer a window into user actions), but the execution is excellent here and the product is national from day one. Anyway, a few observations: If I were a broker, I’d be on the phone now asking my tech vendor…

  • Respect your user, feel the love

    Joel Burslem
    18 Jan 2012 | 6:26 pm
    Just before Christmas, comedian Louis CK released his latest comedy special, Live at the Beacon Theater, on a website of his own creation. For $5, you can buy a couple of downloads and some video streams of the show. You can watch it on your computer or iPad, or burn it to a blank DVD. In short, you hand over your fiver, get the video, and do as you please. By all accounts the experiment hasbeenasuccess. Louis grossed over $1 million dollars in little more than ten days. These were dollars that went directly into his pocket. No network or cable channel in the way. No middleman. And better…

  • The eve of destruction, the dawn of the future

    Marc Davison
    10 Jan 2012 | 10:31 am
    Kaboom! Everything around you just blew up. Will you survive? Shrapnel According to William Gibson, the future is already here. It’s just unevenly distributed. Gibson believes the future is ever present. It’s spread about in particle form waiting for someone to piece it together. Given the persistent inter-connectivity of people through the giant digital network called the Internet, this piecing together – the work of innovation – now occurs very, very fast. The shrapnel of progress has obliterated things we believed to be fixed objects. Music. News. Commerce. Services. A…

  • Friday Flash: Whispers, cynicism and the Amazon of real estate

    Brian Boero
    6 Jan 2012 | 5:51 pm
    My reentry into the world of work this week was harsh. Two night flights, back-to-back meetings and enough Diet Coke to kill a lab rat. So this is going to be on the short and kinda fuzzy side. Amazon has purchased the domain casa.com. Remember, this time, when they come for the listings, hide them under the bed! Speaking of listings, the whispers about various plans to “build an industry-controlled Zillow/Trulia killer” are building. When I hear these, I think: Isn’t that Realtor.com? Wouldn’t it just be easier and cheaper to stop giving them your listings or require rules for their…

  • A real estate Brazilian

    Marc Davison
    3 Jan 2012 | 11:37 am
    There’s been a lot of dialogue recently around raisingthebar – a stirring of ingredients that, if boiled to perfection, could transform the industry. Continuing education, sales coaching, licensing standards and more are in the mix. These are things that real estate typically outsources to outside experts, and everyone seems OK with that. Yet along the way up the bar, most choose to manage the marketing and packaging of their brand themselves – an odd contradiction, if you ask me. A real estate Brazilian Brand campaigns aren’t cookies you bake at home. Or a pot of goulash into…
 
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    Zillow Blog - Real Estate Market Stats, Celebrity Real Estate, and Zillow News

  • House of the Week: Maine Lighthouse Built for Living

    Erika Riggs
    27 Jan 2012 | 4:40 pm
    Next Previous Picture 1 of 6 | Toggle Loading 85 Buck and Doe, Deer Isle ME For sale: $2,873,000 Long before GPS and smartphones, sailors depended on the blinking light of a far-off lighthouse to guide them. Although ships no longer rely on lighthouses, there’s still something alluring about a lighthouse, sitting alone as a beacon on the shore. The romanticism and appeal of a bygone era is captured in this Maine home for sale, which is located on Penobscot Bay. Although Maine has more than 60 lighthouses, this home was not converted from a previous working lighthouse, but was built as…

  • Will a Vacation Home Work as a Retirement Home Later?

    Leonard Baron
    27 Jan 2012 | 4:17 pm
    It sounds like a dream situation: Buy an oceanfront cottage as a vacation home, and years later, use it as an idyllic retirement home. Ideally, this sounds like it could work, but with any investment, especially real estate, there are significant risks to be weighed. For most people, the goal in buying real estate is to have a comfortable home to live in, as well as increasing net wealth. Buying a vacation home now for retirement later may very well increase someone’s wealth over the long term. But, since all real estate is local, this decision depends on each market. Therefore, it’s…

  • How to Prevent Your Outside Faucets from Freezing

    Reuben Saltzman
    27 Jan 2012 | 2:01 pm
    Most homeowners who live in cold climates know it’s important to “winterize” the outside faucets to prevent them from freezing, which can destroy the faucet or lead to a burst pipe.  The problem is that many people don’t quite get it right – winterizing the outside faucets in the fall seems like a simple thing to do, and it seems like it should be straightforward and easy, but there are a few tricks you need to know to make sure all the water is out. Garden hoses First and foremost, disconnect your garden hose from the outside faucet.  If you leave your garden hose…

  • Chef Gordon Ramsay Bites on $6.75 Million Bel-Air Home

    AOL Real Estate
    27 Jan 2012 | 12:44 pm
    By Krisanne Alcantara Source: latimesblogs.latimes.com British chef, restaurateur and television personality Gordon Ramsay is officially crossing the pond, having just snagged a $6.75 million luxury mansion in Los Angeles, Calif. The famously hot-tempered “Hell’s Kitchen” and “MasterChef” star’s new 7,413-square-foot home is located in the prestigious guard-gated compound of Bel Air Crest. The stunning mansion sits on a one-acre lot and boasts remarkable canyon, city and ocean views. It was built in 2003, designed by award-winning “starchitect”…

  • How Does a Court-Confirmed Probate Sale Work in Real Estate?

    Brendon DeSimone
    26 Jan 2012 | 5:47 pm
    If you’re an active real estate buyer, at some point you’ll likely come across a probate sale. Properties sold in probate court can be a good deal, as they’re often priced lower than other homes. But there are risks, and probate sales often take longer than traditional real estate transactions. As a result, as with short sales, some buyers keep the probate sales at bay and their real estate agents discourage them from getting their hopes up on actually buying a home through probate courts. Here’s the story on probate sales in real estate. Why a home is sold through probate court A…
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    Trulia Blog - Real Estate Blog

  • Trulia Insight Helps Agents Identify Quality Leads

    Stephen R, Head of Industry Marketing
    12 Jan 2012 | 7:00 am
    One theme that we commonly hear from real estate professionals is a request to improve the varying quality of leads they receive from online sources.   As a response to this agent need, today Trulia is proud to announce Trulia Insight, our newest product that helps agents get access to the highest quality leads on Trulia. Trulia Insight gives real estate professionals access to valuable lead prequalification information as well as consumer home search preference data, helping them identify and convert the best leads from Trulia into transaction-ready clients.  Enhanced features in the…

  • Trulia Data Pledge for Listing Syndication and Display

    Ginger Wilcox
    10 Jan 2012 | 11:51 pm
    At Trulia, we work hard to balance the needs of both the consumers who visit our site and the agents, brokers and MLS organizations we partner with.   Ensuring data accuracy and integrity is paramount to delivering an exceptional search experience for our users. Trulia’s top priorities are to provide highly accurate listing information to consumers, to connect consumers with real estate professionals in a timely manner, and to be the #1 source of clients for real estate professionals. To demonstrate our commitment to our industry partners, Trulia has created a data pledge for listing…

  • The Trulia PR Team’s Favorite Homes on Trulia

    Cristin
    31 Dec 2011 | 8:00 am
    At Trulia, we spend a lot of time looking at houses. When you see so many amazing homes on a daily basis, it’s hard to pick a favorite. We challenged our mighty PR team of Ken, Daisy, Cristin and Vanessa to pick their favorite home currently for sale on Trulia and explain why. While each of their chosen homes are stunning, it’s the reason WHY they picked that home that really says it all. Ken Shuman - Head of Communications I moved to California almost 13 years ago but I will always be a sucker for cape cod style shingle houses.  This home on the Marblehead Neck is the perfect…

  • 5 Events that Rocked Housing in 2011

    Jed Kolko, Trulia's Chief Economist
    30 Dec 2011 | 11:00 am
    Before we welcome in the New Year, Trulia’s Chief Economist looks back at 5 events that really mattered for housing in 2011 - and beyond. Government, the mortgage industry and forces of nature all shook the housing market in 2011. They had both an immediate impact and slow-burning effects, setting the stage for a bumpy 2012 with more foreclosures, political battles and local market risks. 1) Robo-Signing Reverberations The “robo-signing” scandal - where banks were accused of approving foreclosures with incomplete or incorrect documentation - exploded in October 2010, but…

  • Trulia’s List of Anxious Athletes Looking To Sell

    vanessa
    29 Dec 2011 | 6:19 pm
    2011 will forever go down in professional athlete history as the year of strikes. No, not strikes as in baseball strikes. Strikes as in long, drawn out labor disputes with both the NFLandNBA which left poor sports fans in a state of limbo for a combined total of 273 days! Thankfully handshakes weremade and nowall is right in the sports world with both the NFL and NBA back on track with their regular seasons. But all is not well where sports and real estate are concerned. A number ofathleteswith homes lingering on themarket have yet to shake hands and make deals with potential buyers. Adding…
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    Real Estate Investing For Real | A BiggerPockets Investment Property Blog

  • 4 Tips for Creating Killer Real Estate Marketing Emails

    Jeff Logue
    27 Jan 2012 | 10:17 am
    Did you realize that you could currently be sitting on a mound of cash for your business? Leads that are literally ripe for the picking? And in fact, most of your competition is probably not taking the necessary steps to liquidate this real estate marketing goldmine into consistent closed transactions.What I’m referring to is the power of email marketing. You may have heard that the money is in the list, and this is definitely true to a certain degree. However, the flip side to this statement is that real profits are in how you choose to incubate and covert those leads into business over…

  • Make Agents Your Seller Financing Allies

    Kevin Kaczmarek
    27 Jan 2012 | 7:25 am
    It’s  a hurdle most real estate investors run into early in their careers….  How to find real estate agents that understand the “unique” offers investors make to seller’s agents. Whether it’s the idea of buying with seller financing or taking an option on a property, most real estate agents have never heard of these transactions because it is not required curriculum for them to acquire a license. This leaves many investors and agents frustrated trying to determine what each side is actually asking for. Have no fear! A good game plan for making offers will help you acquire more…

  • 5 List-Building Strategies For Wholesalers

    Ken Corsini
    26 Jan 2012 | 7:30 am
    Many new real estate investors find an entry point into the world of real estate investing through a strategy commonly referred to as “wholesaling.” Wholesaling is essentially a business model wherein the wholesaler puts in the time and effort to secure a contract on a potential real estate investment. Once the property is secured by a contract, the wholesaler markets the property to other investors at a slight mark-up. Most wholesalers add an additional 3-5 thousand to the price of the property as their fee for finding the deal.While there are numerous strategies for finding good…

  • Mortgage Notes – A Hard “Land-ing”

    Alan Noblitt
    25 Jan 2012 | 1:20 pm
    Yesterday, a guy called me wanting to sell his mortgage on a small piece of land located in a desolate area, far from any population centers.  The parcel had access to water (from a well) but no other improvements.  He purchased the property last summer for $60K and had just sold it for $110K.  Of course, he wanted us to pay him the full note balance.Where do we even start with this real estate note?  It has so many problems and red flags that no investor would even consider buying the full note.  The isolation of the property and the fact that he wanted to flip what was almost certainly…

  • America’s Love/Hate Affair with Investors

    Steve Cook
    25 Jan 2012 | 7:30 am
    When it comes to residential real estate investors, there are clearly two points of view today within the real estate industry and in Washington.  Some applaud investors for plunking down their own dollars to save decaying homes in moribund neighborhoods and reviving local real estate markets.   But investors come under fire by others  for out-competing owner occupants (especially first time buyers and minorities) for distress sales and for switching properties—and neighborhoods—from ownership to rental.This debate is more than academic.  Many of those who make policy decisions that…
 
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    The Real Estate Bloggers

  • House Windows Melting A Toyota Prius

    Tom Royce
    25 Jan 2012 | 12:42 pm
    Typically when you think of a battle between a house and a Prius, you add a dose of a drunk driver and a garage and you are done… But not today. It looks like that super efficient windows are reflecting so much energy onto a car parked in Southern California that it is melting the plastic exterior parts of a lady’s Prius parked outside of the building. A SoCal woman says the energy efficient window installed in a neighbor’s condominium is melting the plastic components on cars parked in her carport. Heather Patron of Studio City was dealing with a mystery regarding her…

  • Top 10 States With Highest Down Payment

    Tom Royce
    8 Jan 2012 | 10:25 am
    When buying a home, one of the key components is the down payment. Back a few years ago when the housing bubble was hitting it’s peak, there were no money down loans floated out there, but those are ancient history. Now you need hard money to make the loan. Lending Tree commissioned a study and measured the states on what the average down payment for a home was in each state. From the low 3.5% down FHA and VA loans to the private loans that are looking for 15% to 20% or higher, the range for all the states in the country range from the high in New Jersey of 13.71% down to the low…

  • When Should A Real Estate Professional Tell Someone To Walk Away From Their Mortgage?

    Tom Royce
    16 Dec 2011 | 8:15 am
    As real estate professionals, your goal is a healthy and vibrant real estate marketplace. Lots of selling and buying of homes is a good thing, as is a healthy credit report and sufficient cash on hand by your buyers and large amounts of home equity with your sellers. But if the last few years has taught us anything, that is not always the case. Heck, in some markets, that rarely is the case. So being a real estate professional you also end up answering many questions about people having their homes underwater at this year’s Christmas Parties. …

  • Home Sales Really 20% Less – NAR Changing 5 Years of Home Sales Data

    Tom Royce
    13 Dec 2011 | 8:49 pm
    According to CoreLogic the number of homes sold as reported by the National Association of Realtors could be off by 20% over the past 5 years. Heads should roll, but they probably will not over this. The National Association of Realtors said a benchmarking exercise had revealed that some properties were listed more than once, and in some instances, new home sales were also captured. “All the sales and inventory data that have been reported since January 2007 are being downwardly revised. Sales were weaker than people thought,” NAR spokesman Walter Malony told Reuters.

  • Thanks Barney For Everything

    Tom Royce
    2 Dec 2011 | 7:17 am
    Might as well go visit your good buddy Christopher Dodd in Ireland. Original here. Thanks for reading this post. If you would like to see more articles like this, please come visit The Real Estate Bloggers. where it was originally published.Thanks Barney For Everything No related posts.
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    Rain City Guide

  • Happy Chinese New Year of the Water Dragon 2012!

    ARDELL
    23 Jan 2012 | 12:12 pm
    2012 is the Year of the Water Dragon, quite a visual! While Chinese Dragons don’t necessarily breathe fire like European Dragons do, I still like the idea that the Dragon is in a Water Year. My youngest daughter, Andrea, was born in the Year of the Dragon. The center is a painting she did that I thought was appropriate to the occasion. Lots of ENERGY in The Year of the Dragon…just grab on to it’s tail and FLY! Happy 2012!

  • Gorgeous Day in Seattle

    ARDELL
    9 Jan 2012 | 4:19 am
    Fabulous Photo taken by my friend Linda Aaron – so nice of her to share it with me – and I share it with you. Just Awesome!

  • Elvis at the World’s Fair – 50th Anniversary

    ARDELL
    7 Jan 2012 | 6:23 pm
    A week from today, Saturday January 14th, there will be a fun event commemorating the 50th Anniversary of “The King” at The 1962 Seattle Worlds Fair. For those who may not know, The Space Needle was built for that event. The World’s Fair that is, not Elvis coming to it. I already have my tickets for me and Kim and my two sisters. I got mine for only $12 each via Brown Paper Tickets.com. More and ALL details HERE. Seeing an Elvis impersonator has been on my “Bucket List” for a few years. Once I was even IN Vegas and missed it. So this is a good opportunity for me…

  • The High Cost of Buying a Home & Selling a Home

    ARDELL
    5 Jan 2012 | 5:54 pm
    Even if you are a First Time Homebuyer, you should be keenly aware of the cost of selling a home. Often people think they can just sell their home if they pick the wrong one, or if they get a new job out of town. But the cost of selling is usually many Xs the cost of buying. It is good to be mindful of the cost of leaving…the home you are buying…before you buy one. The Closing Costs/Expenses associated with Selling a home are fairly simple, but in $ much more costly than a Buyer’s Closing Costs. Also a buyer can pay ALL of their costs without “hard dollars” in…

  • Ardell’s Seattle Area Real Estate Blog – Most Visited Posts

    ARDELL
    1 Jan 2012 | 9:02 pm
    It amazes me sometimes, which of my posts garner the highest readership. Dustin tracks the “per post” stats for Rain City Guide and shows us which garner the most eyeballs…from time to time. I was looking at the numbers over on my blog, which likely gets a fraction of the activity as my writings here. But once in awhile I get surprised by a single post getting over 20,000 views…for just one post. Usually they are posts that spark an interest nationally vs primarily local here in “The Seattle Area”. Here are the blog posts with the most views, not…
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    Real Estate Tomato.com

  • Hear Your Real Estate Blog Articles As They Happen

    Top Tomato
    21 Jan 2012 | 12:53 pm
      This it the 2nd in a series of blog articles inspired by Good Earth Tea® quotes. “The first duty of love is to listen.” Paul Tillich 1886-1965 One of the best, first lessons I learned in my growth as a salesperson was to sell with your ears. Listening to your client is not only... Continue reading the full post on http://realestatetomato.com/blog

  • How To Find Blogging Inspiration In The Smallest Of Things: Good Earth Tea Quotes

    Top Tomato
    12 Jan 2012 | 6:10 pm
    When I need a mid-day mental boost I prefer tea over coffee. Yerba maté is my favorite for its energy kick without the jitters. The focus improvement may just be placebo, but don’t tell my brain that. Recently I have been drinking the yerba maté rich Good Earth® Energizing Tea. It’s... Continue reading the full post on http://realestatetomato.com/blog

  • What If I’m Not A Good Writer But I Want To Be An Effective Real Estate Blogger?

    Top Tomato
    11 Jan 2012 | 7:09 pm
    I’ve written a lot of posts. Some might say I have the hang of it now – but this wasn’t always the case. I used to hate writing. I did poorly in English classes in high school, poorly on the Reading/Writing portion of the SATs, and got a C- in the only writing class I [...] Continue reading the full post on http://realestatetomato.com/blog

  • Wipe The Dust Off Your Real Estate Blog – How To Get Back In The Swing Of Blogging Again

    Top Tomato
    10 Jan 2012 | 2:41 pm
    Taking time off from writing on your blog whether intentional or just an effect of your focus on other elements of your business does not need to be its demise. Note: If you have taken a break, inadvertently or not, and you don’t see yourself getting back on the train soon, then you should... Continue reading the full post on http://realestatetomato.com/blog

  • Should Your Real Estate Website Be A Reflection Of Your Business Model?

    Top Tomato
    6 Jan 2012 | 8:02 pm
    In the real estate industry, one never knows where their next client will come from. It could be a referral, a friend, an inquiry on an ad, a web lead, a new acquaintance, an up/floor call, a walk-in, a relative… you can’t know – but you are ready and willing to be of service to... Continue reading the full post on http://realestatetomato.com/blog
 
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    HomeGain Blog

  • HomeGain’s 2012 National Home Ownership Satisfaction Survey Results

    Louis Cammarosano
    20 Jan 2012 | 8:00 am
    HomeGain, the first company to provide free instant home valuations online, announced the results of its 2012 Home Ownership Satisfaction Survey. Homeowners were asked whether they were satisfied with owning a home and whether price appreciation or depreciation was a factor. Over 1,400 home owners from across the nation were surveyed. Overall, 72 percent of [...]

  • Taking Advantage of the USDA Home Loan

    HG Blog Admin
    19 Jan 2012 | 1:13 pm
    Deciding to purchase a home can be an overwhelming experience for any potential home buyer. In addition to taking the time to scour through newspaper ads and online searches to find an ideal home, buyers also have to worry about securing adequate financing which isn’t always easy in today’s economy. Conventional lenders are more strict [...]

  • HomeGain Releases 4th Quarter 2011 Washington Home Values Survey Results

    Louis Cammarosano
    11 Jan 2012 | 12:13 pm
    Seventy-four percent of Washington real estate professionals expect home prices to stay the same in the next six months Last month, HomeGain, the first company to provide free instant home valuations online, released the fourth quarter results of our nationwide home values survey of over 400 HomeGain current and former members and 2,000 home owners. [...]

  • HomeGain Releases 4th Quarter 2011 Maryland Home Values Survey Results

    Louis Cammarosano
    4 Jan 2012 | 1:35 pm
    Fifty-three percent of real estate professionals think home prices will decrease in the next six months. Last month, HomeGain, the first company to provide free online instant home valuations, released the fourth quarter 2011 results of our nationwide survey of over 400 real estate professionals and 2,000 homeowners. Our survey asked their opinions on home [...]

  • Happy New Year!

    HG Blog Admin
    31 Dec 2011 | 10:00 am
    It’s a few hours early, but Happy New Year! Where did 2011 go?? Best wishes in 2012!
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    REITS & Finance Industry News - REITS & Finance Industry News Headlines | Bizjournals.com

  • Optimism, and a wizard’s hat, at 2012 Hawaii real estate forecast

    27 Jan 2012 | 6:07 pm
    A wizard’s hat, poems and a kaleidoscope. No, I wasn’t at a carnival on Friday morning. Instead, those were just some of the tools used by the presenters at the 2012 Hawaii Real Estate Forecast, held at the Hawaii Convention Center. The captive audience, mostly made up of Realtors, listened to the experts throughout the marketplace. Paul Brewbaker, principal of TZ Economics, kicked off the event with an economic outlook. He said there are good signs that a recovery is nearing, like home prices beginning to stabilize...

  • Slideshow: Top 7 Bay Area property managers

    27 Jan 2012 | 5:25 pm
    The accompanying gallery is an excerpt from this week's List of the Largest Property Management Firms in the Bay Area. Click on the image to start a slideshow of top Bay Area property managers. The San Francisco Business Times publishes industry rankings in each issue of the paper and reprints them at the end of the year for our annual Book of Lists. These lists are unique and authoritative sources of Bay Area business news. One of this week’s lists is the Largest Property Management Firms in the Bay Area...

  • OfficeSpace.com tweaks Portland website

    27 Jan 2012 | 4:58 pm
    Seattle-based OfficeSpace.com is beta testing a new business model that targets smaller office tenants on its Portland website. The revised website and online tools will eventually be rolled out in OfficeSpace.com’s five other markets. The impetus for the changes — which include unlimited photos with listings, an online calendar for booking tours and easy integration of marketing materials onto social media sites Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+ – came from the firm’s new ownership. OfficeSpace...

  • Regulators warn Seattle's P.I. Bank

    27 Jan 2012 | 4:46 pm
    Regulators have told Pacific International Bank to appoint a qualified CEO and increase a capital cushion it keeps to make up for loan losses, among other things, according to an announcement Friday from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The FDIC also told the bank to reduce its concentration in loans in the commercial real estate sector, especially those with borrowers in the hotel or gas station industry. I put a call in to Seattle-based P.I. Bank's interim CEO Paul Sabado to ask about the regulatory order, known as a consent order, but he didn't immediately respond...

  • Kaiser 'tops' new Redwood City Hospital

    27 Jan 2012 | 4:42 pm
    Kaiser Permanente said it plans to "top out" the steel skeleton of its new 280,000-square-foot Redwood City Hospital on Friday. The structure was to be hoisted to the top of the seven-story building, located at Veterans Boulevard and Walnut Street. The thousand-pound framing structure was signed by hospital physicians, staff and dignitaries. The contractor is Redwood City's Rudolph and Sletten Inc., which began erecting the steel on the site Dec. 5. According to Kaiser Permanente: "Crews from Schuff Steel of Stockton worked nearly every day during December and January to finish the hospital…
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    MyTechOpinion.com

  • Taking Action for Your Business Means You Have to Get Uncomfortable

    MyTechOpinion
    23 Jan 2012 | 6:34 pm
    If I were comfortable with technology I wouldn’t really be on my game! Technology, you know…the tools, apps, platforms, devices…and even the strategies involved to make them proficient change so rapidly you can’t possibly know all there is to know. So why do we make ourselves crazy and get overwhelmed before even trying…it’s just our nature, or perhaps it’s just an excuse. I recently met an amazing speaker named Craig Zablocki who was extremely spontaneous onstage. He read the crowd well and rolled with their responses naturally. And being a lifelong learner you know I had…

  • 5 Resolutions I Wish Facebook Users Would Make in the New Year

    MyTechOpinion
    19 Dec 2011 | 5:25 pm
    You’re clearly here because you care about your Facebook friends. You want to listen, learn from, help and contribute! I like you already! So brush up on your Facebook “best practices” and make these 5 resolutions to improve your Facebook engagement (if you haven’t already). (1)   No more whining about the timeline…just accept it already. We all know Facebook makes changes, so get used to them.  HOW we share will always evolve…but WHAT we share is specific to who we are. It’s time to take responsibility for the communication tool we find so…

  • Spreadsheets on an iPhone?

    MyTechOpinion
    9 Dec 2011 | 5:09 pm
    Was recently presented with a technology question from one of our WordPress website clients that sparked my interest. So much so that it warranted a blog post on the topic. This real estate agent is in a situation that is very common. In her average day, she uses a Windows PC, an Apple laptop, an iPhone and an iPad. Working with so many different platforms is creating a real challenge. She has tried several cloud based solutions, like Google Docs, but they all have fallen short. Mainly because she needs to edit Excel spreadsheets from any of her devices. The Solution We have run into similar…

  • [VIDEO] Developing Your Content Marketing Plan: Step 3 – Bookmark

    MyTechOpinion
    20 Nov 2011 | 9:57 pm
    One of the best ways to support your content planning is by bookmarking resources you can turn to for (1) curating quality or relevant articles and other media, (2) creating content of your own, and of course (3) consuming content to stay current within your area of expertise. I’m sure you already have favorite websites you visit on a regular basis, so be sure to bookmark them in your browser, homepage, rss reader, twitter list, Google+ Sparks, etc. (Whatever format works best for you and can keep you organized.) Alright, ready to learn more about resources that can help you easily…

  • [VIDEO] Developing Your Content Marketing Plan: Step 2 – Brainstorm

    MyTechOpinion
    26 Oct 2011 | 9:18 am
    In step 1 toward “Developing Your Content Marketing Plan” I asked you to strategize, which involved answering 2 important questions: (1) what do you have to offer and (2) what do your potential clients need from you? By answering these 2 questions you can begin to pinpoint your expertise and focus on your messaging…or what you plan to share, post, and tweet online. And since I know you’re ready for more, let’s expand upon your expertise into other areas you’re passionate about. It’s time for step 2…it’s time to “brainstorm”. Be…
 
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    Matrix

  • Best Month To List Your Home? March.

    Jonathan J. Miller
    27 Jan 2012 | 9:25 am
    I got a call from the New York Times recently in response to a Redfin study looking at the best time to list a house. Their conclusion seemed to be different than my experience in the NYC metro area, Washington, DC, Baltimore and Miami, all housing markets I have analyzed extensively so I dug deeper. I was inspired by the challenge and looked to Long Island for answers. I think it really came down to the way Redfin used “winter” in the study since I came up with March as the best time to list using the extensive data over at the MLSLI (16,664 signed contracts from 12/10 to 11/11).

  • [Sandy] 4Q 2011 Hamptons/North Fork Sales + 2002-2011 Hamptons/North Fork Decade Reports

    Jonathan J. Miller
    26 Jan 2012 | 10:40 am
    We released our report on the Long Island sales market for 4Q 2011 this morning. I’ve been authoring this series for Douglas Elliman since 1994. We also published a companion report, The Hamptons & North Fork Decade 2002-2011 with a revised format, to lay out out the market in context over an expanded window of time. Here’s an excerpt from the 4Q 2011 report: There were 541 sales in the fourth quarter, 0.6% more than 538 sales in the prior year quarter and prior quarter. The level of sales remained above the 5-year average of 484 sales. Despite the relative stability of sales,…

  • [Sliding] 4Q 2011 Long Island Sales + 2002-2011 Long Island Decade Reports

    Jonathan J. Miller
    26 Jan 2012 | 9:32 am
    We released our report on the Long Island sales market for 4Q 2011 this morning. I’ve been authoring this series for Douglas Elliman since 1994. We also published a companion report, The Long Island Decade 2002-2011 is the first of its kind, to lay out out the market in context over an expanded window of time. Long Island remains weak, but considering the turmoil of the fall that began with the S&P downgrade of US debt in August that lead to significant volatility in the financial markets and the European debt crisis, this uncertainty resulted in a modest decline in housing prices…

  • Feedback from post [Using A “Comparable” With A Hole In It – Literally]

    Jonathan J. Miller
    23 Jan 2012 | 11:47 am
    Last week’s post on the “hole in the house” was picked up by Business Insider and the crossfire of coherent comments and righteous indignation ensued. I largely stayed out of it until today. The threads on my original post on Matrix and Business Insider are worth a read. Some observations and feedback as a result of my post were fascinating: One appraiser in Michigan who commented on the Business Insider repost tweeted me to say he was blacklisted by Rels, the firm cited in my original post. I was entertained by the diatribe of a couple of people who rambled about things…

  • Year of the Housing Dragon

    Jonathan J. Miller
    23 Jan 2012 | 7:55 am
    Ok, at least it’s it’s Year of the Dragon, not the Year of the Rat but the Chinese New Year does bring to mind some other associations with housing in the post-credit crunch world. Here are names I have associated with each year since the fall of Lehman and the impact on housing. 2008 (Rat) – Year of the return to reality. Appropriately named, the year notes the final punctuation mark on the credit boom unraveling and the fact that the entire world lost it’s mind. 2009 (Ox) – Year of the first time buyer. The first year after the September 2008 fall of Lehman…
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    The Real Estate Bloggers

  • House Windows Melting A Toyota Prius

    Tom Royce
    25 Jan 2012 | 12:42 pm
    Typically when you think of a battle between a house and a Prius, you add a dose of a drunk driver and a garage and you are done… But not today. It looks like that super efficient windows are reflecting so much energy onto a car parked in Southern California that it is melting the plastic exterior parts of a lady’s Prius parked outside of the building. A SoCal woman says the energy efficient window installed in a neighbor’s condominium is melting the plastic components on cars parked in her carport. Heather Patron of Studio City was dealing with a mystery regarding her…

  • Top 10 States With Highest Down Payment

    Tom Royce
    8 Jan 2012 | 10:25 am
    When buying a home, one of the key components is the down payment. Back a few years ago when the housing bubble was hitting it’s peak, there were no money down loans floated out there, but those are ancient history. Now you need hard money to make the loan. Lending Tree commissioned a study and measured the states on what the average down payment for a home was in each state. From the low 3.5% down FHA and VA loans to the private loans that are looking for 15% to 20% or higher, the range for all the states in the country range from the high in New Jersey of 13.71% down to the low…

  • When Should A Real Estate Professional Tell Someone To Walk Away From Their Mortgage?

    Tom Royce
    16 Dec 2011 | 8:15 am
    As real estate professionals, your goal is a healthy and vibrant real estate marketplace. Lots of selling and buying of homes is a good thing, as is a healthy credit report and sufficient cash on hand by your buyers and large amounts of home equity with your sellers. But if the last few years has taught us anything, that is not always the case. Heck, in some markets, that rarely is the case. So being a real estate professional you also end up answering many questions about people having their homes underwater at this year’s Christmas Parties. …

  • Home Sales Really 20% Less – NAR Changing 5 Years of Home Sales Data

    Tom Royce
    13 Dec 2011 | 8:49 pm
    According to CoreLogic the number of homes sold as reported by the National Association of Realtors could be off by 20% over the past 5 years. Heads should roll, but they probably will not over this. The National Association of Realtors said a benchmarking exercise had revealed that some properties were listed more than once, and in some instances, new home sales were also captured. “All the sales and inventory data that have been reported since January 2007 are being downwardly revised. Sales were weaker than people thought,” NAR spokesman Walter Malony told Reuters.

  • Thanks Barney For Everything

    Tom Royce
    2 Dec 2011 | 7:17 am
    Might as well go visit your good buddy Christopher Dodd in Ireland. Original here. Thanks for reading this post. If you would like to see more articles like this, please come visit The Real Estate Bloggers. where it was originally published.Thanks Barney For Everything No related posts.
 
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    Roost Blog

  • Just Like Steve Austin, Roost by VerticalResponse Gets Better, Stronger & Faster!

    roostblog
    16 Jan 2012 | 6:47 pm
    We are excited to announce some great new features to the Roost by VerticalResponse social marketing platform. They include the following: * LinkedIn Integration * Top Blogs & Breaking News Content * Quotes Library * Conversations To read more about these exciting new features, hop over to the VerticalResponse Product Blog to get the details.  

  • Big news for Roost users – Roost is now part of VerticalResponse!

    roostblog
    15 Dec 2011 | 8:00 am
    We’re excited to share a big announcement today. VerticalResponse, a leading email, survey and event marketing provider, who shares our passion for helping Small and Medium businesses, has acquired Roost. This is terrific news for all our customers because it means that we’ll soon be able to provide an even easier and smarter way to do all your relationship marketing from one place.  After all, Email & Social Media marketing, while different  are clearly siblings of the same marketing strategy.  Why should you have to maintain relationships with your customers on email with no…

  • 7 Billion People Sharing the Same Planet (Infographic)

    roostblog
    2 Dec 2011 | 5:17 pm
    Well it’s Friday and we thought we would drop a little information that impacts pretty much everyone…The World’s Population. Thanks to the good folks at Masters Degree Online who provided the awesome infographic below, we can think about some very interesting data points that will impact the world now and into the future. We would love to hear your thoughts as we cross the 7 billion mark and have our sights set on 8 billion in a little over a decade. Created by: Masters Degree Online

  • New Roost Data Report Finds SMB’s In Music, Entertainment & Luxury Goods Have Highest Social Marketing Reach

    roostblog
    14 Nov 2011 | 9:00 am
    Social Marketing for small- and medium-sized businesses (SMB’s) is still in its infancy. Because of this, there’s not a lot of information regarding trends or even data on industries that seems to be winning the social marketing battle. But due to Roost’s unique position in the marketplace, we have access to data that can can start to paint a picture of the social marketing landscape of SMB’s. For this particular data report we set out to answer the following questions: Which small businesses are doing the best job of building their Social audience? Which small…

  • Roost Launches “Less Than 5″ Social Tip Video Series

    roostblog
    2 Nov 2011 | 9:02 pm
    Here at Roost we get a ton of questions. From Facebook to Twitter to our own products we’ve probably heard them all. So we wanted to be a little proactive in helping people find answers to all these great questions. That’s why we started the “Less That 5″ Social Tip Video Series. Each week we will put out at least one video (sometimes we will do more) dealing with some social topic. You will be able to find the here on on blog, on our Vimeo Channel or on our Facebook Page. We hope you will find these fun an informative. For your viewing pleasure, we have dropped our…
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    AGBeat

  • Take back control of presentations and work documents

    Charlene Jimenez
    27 Jan 2012 | 11:38 pm
    Give your presentations a boost When it comes to creating professional training materials, creating presentations, or organizing screenshots to fit your needs, there are several software options available to you. With these options, you can capture screenshots, add text, highlight parts of the screenshot, or even make a screenshot video. However, the problem is that you usually have to use [...]Win a $500 Amazon Gift Card at KeepSumKontest.com AG PartnerGet more News at AGBeat

  • Third party real estate listing companies, too big to fail?

    Tara Steele
    27 Jan 2012 | 7:36 pm
    Broker makes a public statement In a public declaration, San Diego-based Abbot Realty Group (ARG) President and Managing Broker, Jim Abbott released a video on YouTube explaining why their brokerage will no longer permit third party syndication sites like Trulia, Realtor.com and Zillow to syndicate their listings, but will continue to syndicate company listings to their local MLS, Sandicor. ARG’s [...]Win a $500 Amazon Gift Card at KeepSumKontest.com AG PartnerGet more News at AGBeat

  • Facebook to go IPO next week despite FTC criticism

    Marti Trewe
    27 Jan 2012 | 1:16 pm
    Facebook going public Rumors have been swirling for months with predictions of when Facebook would file for IPO status, and according to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Facebook is in the process of filing its paperwork with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for public status to obtain their coveted stock symbol. This will be the largest tech IPO ever [...]Win a $500 Amazon Gift Card at KeepSumKontest.com AG PartnerGet more News at AGBeat

  • Two story atrium inside a historic downtown San Francisco home

    AGBeat
    27 Jan 2012 | 11:40 am
    The San Francisco Cube House John Maniscalco Architecture transformed a dilapidated 1895 Victorian home in San Francisco into the “Cube House” which is a gorgeous, modern work of art. The home had major challenges when undergoing its renovation – a historically protected façade, abnormally long building footprint, and zero lot-line configuration. The challenges were overcome as the family of four [...]Win a $500 Amazon Gift Card at KeepSumKontest.com AG PartnerGet more News at AGBeat

  • Mortgage delinquencies fell 40% in 2011

    Tara Steele
    27 Jan 2012 | 10:53 am
    Foreclosure activity According to a new report by Lender Processing Services (LPS), mortgage delinquencies dropped 3.7 percent in December, down 40 percent from December 2010 levels, with the total U.S. loan delinquency rate now resting at 8.15 percent, the same as the month prior. The total foreclosure pre-sale inventory rate was 4.11 percent, down 1.3 percent from November. LPS reports [...]Win a $500 Amazon Gift Card at KeepSumKontest.com AG PartnerGet more News at AGBeat
 
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    Cremunity.TV RSS Feed

  • Time Lapse Solar Installation on House

    28 Jan 2012 | 5:46 am
    This residental solar installation video was made for us by a great customer. We were able to design and install the system in about 3 days. We obtained all the state and federal rebates and returned an amazing ROI thanks to the Taunton's Municipal Lighting Plants solar rebate program.

  • Columbia Construction completes Martha's Vineyard Hospital

    28 Jan 2012 | 5:46 am

  • Wessling Architects

    28 Jan 2012 | 5:46 am

  • Is small business out of the recession?

    28 Jan 2012 | 5:46 am
    Client First Strategy

  • What’s Cooking in Real Estate

    28 Jan 2012 | 5:46 am
    It is the show that pairs up Real Estate Celebrities with elite culinary artists in order to cook up an a ‘Meal and a Deal’. The show is always taped at a different location for every shoot. The live studio audience consist of handpicked industry insiders to discuss specific market trends while preparing delectable dishes. The goal is to stimulate the Real Estate Industry by delivering up to date information on an unparalleled platform.
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    About.com Real Estate Business

  • Are You Alienating Friends & Social Contacts?

    22 Jan 2012 | 5:41 am
    Social media use by business, and definitely by real estate professionals, is growing by leaps and bounds.  And, if you read here much, you know that I'm a big fan of Google+, the new social spot on the Web.  However, there's a lot of disagreement about how much to engage our prospective customers on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and now Google+.  Some would say, and they practice it, that if a little works then a lot must work better.  I do know that when I connect with a real estate professional in Google+, if I start getting multiple posts/day, especially if they're…

  • Don't Call an Inspector an "Idiot" in Email!

    19 Jan 2012 | 8:54 am
    What have you called an inspector lately?  Or, how about an appraiser?  It's probably best that we do this in a room alone, not in a mass email. 'Idiot' comment spurs lawsuit.

  • Google+ Shakes Up the Search World

    19 Jan 2012 | 6:14 am
    Just this week, Google+ became an integral part of Google Search results with "Personal Results."   It's creating quite a stir, some negative.  Twitter is in a snit because they think Google has an unfair advantage, and others just think it's not going to be useful....Read Full Post

  • Is a Handout Better Than a Bailout - If We're Paying for It?

    10 Jan 2012 | 6:17 am
    The latest plan hatched by the government to help dig out of the housing mess is to sell government owned properties in bulk to large investors.  It's refreshing to see the more mainstream media like CNBC express doubts about this latest scheme.  Where there's enough smoke for the major media to smell it, there just may be some fire around somewhere....Read Full Post

  • If You're Still Ignoring Google+ ... Don't

    10 Jan 2012 | 3:15 am
    If you're still trying to compare Google+ to Facebook, you shouldn't be doing that either.  It isn't a Facebook clone, and is only a competitor in some ways.  The fact is that Google Plus is growing, and it's providing businesses with a whole new way to communicate with prospects and customers.  I've set up several business pages, a very fast and easy process, and I'm slowly building a following on a couple of them....Read Full Post
 
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    The Phoenix Real Estate Guy

  • On Flat Fee “MLS Only” Real Estate Brokerage

    Jay Thompson
    27 Jan 2012 | 9:07 pm
    This hit the email inbox today. It happens on a quasi-regular basis… Hello, We are selling our loft by owner and we see it is listed on your website, but that it hardly has any pictures – and certainly not the types of pictures that would attract buyers. Is there any chance you could replace the main picture on your website’s listing and perhaps add more pictures? I’m attaching some photos of the loft. We like the first photo the best. Thanks, John and Jane Doe (Names obviously changed. My emphasis in bold) Here is what is going on. John and Jane have…

  • World Class Jazz. In Gilbert! And a Contest!

    Jay Thompson
    25 Jan 2012 | 7:37 pm
    Mark the dates… On March 29 – 31, the 2012 Highland Jazz Festival takes place, right here in sunny Gilbert, Arizona. What is the Highland Jazz Festival? A three day event for regional high school Jazz bands. Over 1,800 students will have a chance to work with some of the top jazz clinicians in the country; learning and honing their craft. Pubic concerts will be held on Friday and Saturday night that will include top high school students, the ASU Concert Jazz Band and two world class jazz musicians — John Fedchock and Joe Levano — will perform. It is not often that one…

  • Thoughts on ‘Crowdsourcing’ in Real Estate

    Jay Thompson
    22 Jan 2012 | 1:43 pm
    Yesterday I finished reading the latest Stephen King tome, “11/22/63” (a great read by the way). Needing a new book, I posted this on my Facebook Profile: I need a new book to read. Not some business / self-help / save the planet book. I want mindless entertainment. Mainstream fiction, historical fiction, perhaps a biography. Suggestions? Within minutes, I started getting suggestions from my Facebook friends. Dozens of suggestions. Of course the humorists in the bunch suggested things like “Everybody Poops” and “Goodnight Moon” (which I can still recite…

  • Open Letter to the Gilbert School Board: On Music Education

    Jay Thompson
    19 Jan 2012 | 6:51 pm
    Dear Gilbert School Board Members - Long time no chat! Somehow my annual pilgrimage to one of your meetings to beg, plead and grovel for funding for music and fine arts programs never materialized this year. This is good. I do want to share a little story with you, one that I hope you will read, and remember, when the inevitable discussions around music programs occur – now or in the future. Maybe it will be funding issues, whether to cut or (hopefully) expand music programs and/or staffing. Perhaps whether or not to approve a band or orchestra field trip. Someday, if not this…

  • Dear Flancer’s Cafe: I Hate You

    Jay Thompson
    16 Jan 2012 | 12:14 pm
    Dear Flancer’s Cafe - I hate you. Yesterday, we called in an order to go. Three of your delightful sandwich’s to take home and enjoy while we celebrated our daughter’s admission to the Barrett Honor’s College at ASU. The ladies ordered their usual Prickly Pear Chicken sandwich, and I went with my traditional We Must Meat, I Ain’t Lion Filet Mignon sandwich. With eager anticipation and salivating mouth, I waited for the girls to bring home the food. Much to my consternation, when the goods were unwrapped, my sandwich–the one my tongue was wagging…
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    BloodhoundBlog

  • A picture of humanity at its best.

    Greg Swann
    26 Jan 2012 | 9:04 pm

  • Google discovers what computing is actually for: “In short, we’ll treat you as a single user across all our products which will mean a simpler, more intuitive Google experience.”

    Greg Swann
    24 Jan 2012 | 8:07 pm
    Across all products is important. Across all devices is vital. Drudge and the privacy geeks are going typically apeshit, but Google is playing my tune: “If you’re signed in, we may combine information you’ve provided from one service with information from other services,” Alma Whitten, Google’s director of privacy, product and engineering wrote in a blog post. How might that work? For instance, a user who has watched YouTube videos of the Washington Wizards might suddenly see basketball ticket ads appear in his or her Gmail accounts. That person may also be…

  • Product idea: Constance the Connector.

    Greg Swann
    24 Jan 2012 | 5:49 pm
    It’s been a few weeks since I started talking about Constance, and since then I’ve come up with a completely different way of thinking about operating systems. There are three players who could profit from my thinking — Apple, Google and Amazon — and I would be more than happy to share my thoughts to the first one of those three who salutes. Meanwhile, I give you Constance, which is in some ways the logical counterpart to Heidi, the self-maintaining CRM system I started talking about last August. Constance the Connector is a server-based service that maintains your…

  • Mindset

    Dan Connolly
    23 Jan 2012 | 2:14 pm
    I was talking to a friend of mine who is a broker with a small “boutique” brokerage about the business recently and he told me that since it was pointless to list property in this market, he has focused his efforts on rental properties. He is “hanging in there”, waiting for the market to turn around. I was surprised by his position. He defended it vigorously. I get this all the time from friends who ask me how am I doing, fully expecting me to tell a sad tale. Let me tell you a secret. People get used to everything. Even a recession, you ask? Yes, people  even get used to a…

  • Real Estate Brokerage models, Jeff Brown’s Dad, and Dead cats.

    Eric Blackwell
    23 Jan 2012 | 7:03 am
    If you have never read what Jeff Brown writes, STOP. Go read it. Seriously. Go to the right sidebar, scroll down to the Bawld Guy and click the archive link. Ok. Jeff’s recent post brought up some good conversations that I want to shed some light on from my perspective. I consult with REALTORS on bulding their online presence as well as strategies for building their brokerages and teams. So his post was of significance to me. The change that I am seeing in models right now (with some folks going right back to the model Jeff’s dad has practiced – an older school, more…
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    Rofo Blog

  • More Commercial Real Estate Search Upgrades For Rofo

    Alan Bernier
    9 Jan 2012 | 3:05 pm
    This is our first blog post/product announcement for 2012. So a delayed Happy New Year to you all! Hopefully the commercial estate industry will continue to improve in 2012 and build from CRE momentum we saw in Q4 2011. Rofo has introduced many improvements and changes to the site over the past few weeks. Most notably we improved the navigation and ease of search. Our original design allowed for basic search based on cities and states. That’s an easy way to organize commercial listings data but not really how users want to conduct a search. I may want to search by intersection,…

  • Rofo’s New San Francisco Office Space

    Alan Bernier
    9 Dec 2011 | 2:38 pm
    Exterior shot of our new location on Maiden Lane in San Francisco. You can see Union Square in the background.

  • Property Search Is About Local Knowledge and Recommendations

    Alan Bernier
    7 Nov 2011 | 7:09 pm
    Rofo is currently searching for a new office space. It’s a time consuming and thankless task. There’s a lot of choice, too many spaces to tour, and not enough information online to weed out the bad matches. It’s ironic. Rofo is in the business of simplifying the search for commercial real estate. We spend each and every day thinking about ways to make the discovery process easier. How do you gather and assemble all of the listings? How do you capture really good descriptive content that allows you to make an apples to apples comparison? How do you avoid touring the bad…

  • Preview – Rofo Simplified Property Search

    Alan Bernier
    3 Nov 2011 | 8:03 pm
    There’s a very basic challenge in performing an online search for commercial real estate that is unique to commercial real estate: neighborhoods and zip codes. The industry has submarkets. Consumers (or occupants) know neighborhoods. Consumers and the industry don’t think in terms of zip codes. Downtown San Francisco (I use this example because we rent there) is the Financial District, the North Financial District, the South Financial District, North of Market, Embarcadero, etc. Getting all of this to match up and provide for a meaningful search, no matter what you call it, is no…

  • Using Linkedin to Promote Real Estate Expertise

    Alan Bernier
    6 Oct 2011 | 4:50 pm
    T3 Advisors out of Boston (and now Silicon Valley) is a firm that specializes in representing the real estate requirements of technology companies. They’re also a really innovative crew when it comes to the use of technology, social media and the internet to grow and support their business. As a ‘tenant rep’ or ‘buy-side’ brokerage firm without real estate listings, there’s an inherent challenge in promoting your real estate expertise and brand. One of the many things T3 is doing is using the Real Estate Pro app for Linkedin to promote their real estate…
 
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    LA Digs

  • Preview of a Fixer turned Swan

    Tracy
    27 Jan 2012 | 8:59 pm
    $799k, 2600 square feet, views. I’ll show it to u! Call me. Tracy King Teles Properties DRE #01048877 Interesting homes for Interesting people Tracy@tracyking.com Sent from my iPhone Posted via email from Tracy’s LA Real Estate

  • Sunrise January 27, 2012

    Tracy
    27 Jan 2012 | 8:30 am
    Taken at Eagle Rock, CA Posted via email from Tracy’s LA Real Estate

  • Is Cash Always King?

    Tracy
    26 Jan 2012 | 2:43 pm
    Cash buyers are exerting downward pressure on prices, according to a report in DSNews.com, quoting a study from HousingPulse Survey. This article points out that with distressed properties, the investors with cash dominate the market and that sellers often take lower cash offers because the deal can be closed faster with fewer problems. As a result, the first-time and FHA buyers are shut out of the entry-level distressed property market. This is a funny kind of capitalism in action. Free market means that the seller does not have to take the highest offer, they are free to choose a lower…

  • Eagle Rock Sunrise Jan25 12

    Tracy
    25 Jan 2012 | 8:41 am
    Taken at Eagle Rock, CA Posted via email from Tracy’s LA Real Estate

  • Eagle Rock High School Achieves International Baccalaureate Status

    Keely
    24 Jan 2012 | 10:26 am
    This is great news for the community!  Eagle Rock High School is the first school in LAUSD to be authorized as an International Baccalaureate World School. From Denise Campos, Director of Community Affairs for LAUSD Board Member Tamar Galatzan: Los Angeles-Eagle Rock High School, the only traditional campus in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) with a grades 7-12 configuration, is now the first school ever in the District to be authorized as an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School. As such, the school will implement a fully recognized IB Middle Years Programme for…
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    RealCentralVA.com

  • Albemarle County Real Estate Assessments are Live

    Jim
    27 Jan 2012 | 1:53 pm
    See the updated Albemarle County real estate assessments yourself. I’ve done a random sampling and although I’ve been told that Albemarle County assessments are down ~3%, I’ve seen drops ranging from 1% to nearly 20%. This stuff matters, not simply because the assessed values affect homeowners’ taxes, but the County’s entire budget and to a certain degree property values in that buyers look to assessments for an indication as to what market value may be. My opinion that that the assessment rarely is equivalent to true market value. Aaron Richardson at the Daily…

  • Real Estate Radio – 29 January 2012

    Jim
    27 Jan 2012 | 7:59 am
    We’re doing it again … Matt Hodges and I will be on WNRN radio this Sunday morning at 11 o’clock. We’ve done this several times over the past few years and it’s always a good, thorough and in-depth conversation. These are a few of the ideas that may come up … If you have suggestions, please feel free to suggest them here, on Twitter, G+, Facebook …- Albemarle County real estate assessments are out … what did your house’s assessment do? - @JimDuncan the disparity between assessments (higher) and selling price (lower)? When and why that happens. - Seller…

  • Search for Homes in Charlottesville by Radius (Proximity)

    Jim
    26 Jan 2012 | 8:04 pm
    It’s not often that I get super-excited by real estate search and technology anymore; the last time I got excited was Realtor.com’s app. And sometimes implementing simplicity is brilliant. Diverse Solutions provides the “search for homes” tool that so many people use, and yesterday it got even better with their new release (researching this post, I realized that it’s only been a couple months since their last release). - Radius search – check it out now! Walkability and proximity to stuff are two of the most important things my buyer clients are asking for.

  • Hotel-a-Palooza in CharlAlbemarle

    Jim
    24 Jan 2012 | 7:25 am
    C-Ville reports on the coming boom of hotels in Charlottesville-Albemarle. In light of the Cavalier Inn’s reprieve, (from 2009) … When the Board of Visitors first approved the Arts Gateway to the University of Virginia in 2007, the project—an estimated $118 million plan that would include, among other buildings, a new art museum at the current site of the Cavalier Inn—was slated to begin construction during the spring of 2009. Now, with renovations underway for the UVA Art Museum on Rugby Road, Vice Provost for the Arts Elizabeth Hutton Turner says that plans for the Arts…

  • Charlottesville Really is a Great Place to Live

    Jim
    23 Jan 2012 | 10:59 am
    No we didn’t make another list (that I’m aware of), but this weekend my family went to a town in another state for my older daughter’s soccer tournament. The contrasts between that town and ours are remarkable – ours is green, vibrant, thriving, with contrasts between city, country, mountains and flat land. Theirs is none of those. It’s interesting here, the topography, the culture, the things to do … On the days where I read about a story about the stunning ineptitude of our politicians systems bureaucracy, the perspective of going to a place that is desolate,…
 
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    Horses, Horse Business, Western Style

  • Want to See the 2012 Kentucky Derby Festival Posters?

    Susie
    26 Jan 2012 | 6:09 am
    The 32nd annual Poster Premier party Wednesday (January 25th) in Louisville featured the unveiling of the three versions of the 2012 Kentucky Derby Festival posters created by self-taught visual artist and sculptor, Andre Foreman. Read more about the Poster Premier party here. 2012 Limited Pegasus Edition The 2012 Poster Art Series Collection (partial view below) has something for everyone. View the complete 2012 Poster Art Series Collection here.   View the complete 2012 Poster Art Series Collection   Related articles Getting the Boot – Cowboys & Indians – March…

  • Congrats to War Horse! > Oscar Nominations! Complete List of Nominees for 84th Annual Academy Awards

    susie blackmon
    24 Jan 2012 | 1:30 pm
    “Martin Scorsese’s Hugo leads all Oscar contenders with 11 nods, including Best Picture and Best Director. The Artist was close behind with 10 nominations, followed by Moneyball and War Horse, with six apiece.” Read more. Via it.eonline.com Related articles Ocala’s Thoroughbred Horse Farms Continue to Produce Winners (horsealicious.com) Horses Beautify Ocala and Christmas! (horsealicious.com) Want to See First Dude at Ocala’s Double Diamond Thoroughbred Farm? (ocalalicious.com)

  • Marketing Mondays: Strategies for Breeders | Western Horse Review

    susie blackmon
    24 Jan 2012 | 12:18 pm
    “It’s sales closing week for the March issue of Western Horse Review, and because this issue is smack-dab in the middle of breeding season, many of us are either contemplating breeding strategies, or engrossed in the promotion of a stallion.” Via www.westernhorsereview.com

  • ‘Buck’: Horse Whisperer Tells of Abuse, Respecting Horses [VIDEO]

    susie blackmon
    24 Jan 2012 | 4:19 am
    “Nightline” anchor Bill Weir was invited to Brannaman’s ranch outside Sheridan, Wyo., to watch the cowboy at work. Riding through snow-capped mountains on Brannaman’s 100-acre ranch, with his nearly 30 horses, was the perfect setting for the story of a man who spends his life giving back to the creatures that he credits for saving his life after years spent with an abusive father.”Via abcnews.go.com

  • Millry man, horse win $20,000 on “America’s Favorite Trail Horse” reality show.

    susie blackmon
    23 Jan 2012 | 7:01 pm
    In its first season, “America’s Favorite Trail Horse,” created by the American Competitive Trail Horse Association, narrowed 100 horse and rider teams down to 10 finalists based on their ability to overcome a six-mile trail and various…Via www.al.com
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    Money & Company

  • Online car-selling scam nets $4 million, prosecutors say

    Tiffany Hsu
    31 Dec 2011 | 12:00 pm
    For more than three years, six foreign nationals ran an Internet vehicle-selling scam that bilked customers out of more than $4 million without delivering a single car, motor home or boat, according to a federal indictment out of Los Angeles this week.  The indictment charges six people from Germany, Russia, Romania and Latvia with conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud and money laundering. Starting in 2007 through 2010, the group put vehicles up for sale on auto-trading websites such as EBay Motors, Edmunds.com and Craigslist and collected at least $4 million from customers,…

  • Retail Roundup: L.L. Bean's duck boots, McDonald's mobile, Lowe's

    Shan Li
    31 Dec 2011 | 8:00 am
    -- Maine retailer L.L. Bean says the duck boot is back in style, at least among fashion-conscious, trend-hungry college students around the country. This year, the nearly century-old outdoor apparel company sold about 400,000 pairs of the hunting boots -- which have hardy rubber soles -- up from 150,00 just four years ago, the Associated Press reported. The boot is benefiting from a vintage fashion sense prevalent among college students, the AP said, and also new styles that updated the classic boot with bright pops of color (such as pink) for the spring. This would be the same sartorial…

  • Kimberly-Clark to launch 'designer' toilet paper roll covers

    Shan Li
    30 Dec 2011 | 4:52 pm
    Apparently, even toilet paper rolls can be fashionably dressed. That's the rather whimsical tack taken by consumer products giant Kimberly-Clark Corp., which is launching a "spring line" of colorful covers to hold extra rolls and add pizazz to the bathroom. The company tapped interior designer Jonathan Adler to be the creative brain behind the "collection" -- and the three designs bear his signature stamp of graphic prints combined with bold color (and fancy descriptions such as "chevron pink," "clover green" and "barjello blue"). The…

  • CDR Financial Products founder pleads guilty in municipal bond case

    Stuart Pfeifer
    30 Dec 2011 | 3:39 pm
    A Beverly Hills financial firm and its founder pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges that they defrauded government agencies by steering investment contracts to firms that paid them kickbacks. David Rubin, 50, and his company, CDR Financial Products Inc., were accused of running sham auctions for government agencies looking to invest money raised through municipal bond offerings. The contracts were awarded to favored firms that secretly paid kickbacks to CDR, not always the firm offering the highest returns, the government alleged. Rubin, who sobbed at Friday’s plea hearing in New…

  • Energy Department predicted the 2011 boom in U.S. fuel exports

    Ronald D. White
    30 Dec 2011 | 2:26 pm
    The 2011 Argus Americas Crude Summit, held in Houston last January, was named "Life After Macondo" and focused on the aftermath of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. But American consumers might have been far more interested in a presentation that ventured far from that script. Joanne Shore, team leader and lead operations research analyst at the Energy Department's Energy Information Administration, and colleague John Hackworth essentially explained why Americans were about to pay more for gasoline in 2011 than they ever…
 
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    Lansner on Real Estate

  • Million-dollar ZIPs: 4 ZIPs with priciest homes

    Jon Lansner
    28 Jan 2012 | 2:02 am
    For the 22 business days ending Jan. 11 — DataQuick’s freshest stats — the Orange County real estate market had homebuying patterns showing: 27 of O.C.’s 83 ZIP codes with gains in their respective median selling price. Overall, buyers’ prices were -2.2% vs. a year ago. Taking sales volume in consideration, home-sale pricing is up in ZIPs representing 48% of the Orange County market. 4 of 83 O.C. ZIPs with median sales prices above $1 million in the period vs. 11 million-dollar ZIPs when the county median price peaked in June 2007. Since that pricing pinnacle,…

  • Early January home sales dip 4%

    Jon Lansner
    28 Jan 2012 | 2:00 am
    Highlights of DataQuick’s Orange County homebuying report. For the 22 business days ending Jan. 11 — the latest numbers — Orange County’s real estate market saw … Median selling price for all residences of $400,000 — that is off 2.2% vs. a year ago. Total Orange County sales of 2,479 residences closed in the latest period — that is off down 4.4% vs. a year ago. Note: 15 of 83 Orange County ZIPs had both rising sales and prices in the period. Is your ZIP one of those neighborhoods? To see, CLICK HERE! Here’s the breakdown of recent activity by key…

  • O.C. Housing Mood: Not so good!

    Jon Lansner
    28 Jan 2012 | 2:00 am
    For 22 business days ending Jan. 11 — here’s our colorful analysis of local housing mood. Green’s hot; red’s not … and yellow in between! Sales slice Median Price Yr. Change Sold Yr. Change Houses $445,000 -5% 1,562 -3% Condos $260,000 -5% 733 +1.0% Newly built $603,500 +31% 184 -27% All O.C. $400,000 -2% 2,479 -4% Source: DataQuick | TREND INFO | ZIP-BY-ZIP RESULTS O.C. Housing Mood: Not so good! is a post from: Lansner on Real Estate

  • Foreclosures down 8.7% in ’11

    Jeff Collins
    27 Jan 2012 | 1:30 pm
    Click to enlarge charts Lenders seized a total of 7,219 Orange County homes through foreclosure in 2011, down 8.7% from 2010’s tally, figures from housing tracker DataQuick Information Systems show. It was the third straight year of foreclosure declines, although RealtyTrac has forecast that U.S. foreclosures would rebound next year as legal obstacles are overcome. Default notices, which mark the beginning of the foreclosure process, fell for a second straight year in 2011, dropping 7.6% from 2010 to 17,471. The “notice of default” can be filed after a homeowner has missed three or more…

  • O.C. offices rent at fastest pace since ’05

    Jon Lansner
    27 Jan 2012 | 11:30 am
    275 Valencia in Brea Orange County’s office landlords had a busy 2011, signing leases that filled a net 2.19 million square feet of office space — deals equal to filling the steel-faced, 21-story Plaza Tower in Costa Mesa four times. According to the brokers at Jones Lang LaSalle, last year was the county’s best net absorption of empty offices since 2005! Here’s JLL’s tally of the biggest office lease of last year: 275 Valencia Avenue in Brea: Bank of America renewed its lease with Lexington Realty Trust for 637,503 square feet. Tenant rep was Jones Lang LaSalle;…
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    Ubertor Real Estate Blog

  • Learn to Maximize Your Ubertor Website: Live Ubertor Tour, February 2nd 2012

    Uber Carl
    26 Jan 2012 | 3:06 pm
    Get expert advice from an Ubertor specialist on how to use the basics of the system. This is a great start for all new Ubertor users eager to learn how to begin maximizing their website for the most return. This is a live guided tour of Ubertor’s control panel – so if you’re on the fence about Ubertor’s software, click in and join the tour. See how easy it is to get a website up and running. Join in 2 easy steps (Live Tour is FREE): 1. Register for the Live Tour on February 2nd @ 10:00 AM PST. Simply click on this LINK and join the tour! 2. Use your microphone and speakers (VoIP) –…

  • Ubertor Extreme Design (XD)

    Bryan Garcia
    25 Jan 2012 | 11:23 am
    With the new year in full gear, Ubertor will be releasing the brand new ‘Extreme Design’ (XD) packages. Throughout 2011, Realtors have been asking us to help them add design touches to certain aspects of their business: Banners, Mastheads, Mobile Templates, and the list goes on… With a high demand and request from our team, we decided to create the XD packages to help Ubertor users who don’t have the time (or design gene) to customize certain parts of their site and business. The XD packages will help Ubertor users : Customize their banner and masthead. Customize…

  • Recap: CREB Forecast Conference; Calgary AB

    Stephen Jagger
    21 Jan 2012 | 1:48 pm
    I was invited to attend the CREB conference in Calgary, AB this past week to be part of the CREB Media Services booth within the trade show. About a year ago, Ubertor and CREB entered into an agreement for Ubertor to be the exclusive provider of websites to CREB agents. I flew into Calgary the evening before the conference to get prepared for the event but to also entertain a few of the speakers that were coming to the show. I invited Tod Maffin, David Allison as well as Inman News‘ Chris Smith to join myself and a few Ubertor clients and friends for dinner at Wurst. It was a great…

  • Tom Everitt Runs For Geographical Division of Vancouver Westside

    Stephen Jagger
    20 Jan 2012 | 2:01 am
    Ubertor client Tom Everitt is running for Geographical Division of Vancouver Westside in the upcoming real estate board vote. He has posted a video explaining his reasons for joining. Check it out, it is another great example of using video to get a message across.

  • Learn to Maximize Your Ubertor Website: Live Ubertor Tour, January 26th 2012

    Uber Fonzy
    19 Jan 2012 | 1:20 pm
    Get expert advice from an Ubertor specialist on how to use the basics of the system. This is a great start for all new Ubertor users eager to learn how to begin maximizing their website for the most return. This is a live guided tour of Ubertor’s control panel – so if you’re on the fence about Ubertor’s software, click in and join the tour. See how easy it is to get a website up and running.   Join in 2 easy steps (Live Tour is FREE): 1. Register for the Live Tour on January 26th @ 10:00 AM PST. Simply click on this LINK and join the tour! 2. Use your microphone and speakers…
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    Appraisal Scoop

  • Land Valuation: Extraction Has No Traction

    Brian Davis
    10 Jan 2012 | 8:59 am
    ARTICLE SOURCE: Vol. 4, Issue 1, January 2012 of the Illinois Appraiser newsletter from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. “Land values were based upon the extraction method.” Look familiar? If I had a nickel for every phoned‐in...

  • Geek's Corner: Magic Plan App Can Create Floor Plans By Photographing Corners of a Room

    Brian Davis
    9 Jan 2012 | 9:47 am
    I learned of of the MagicPlan App from the Photography For Real Estate (PFRE) blog. According to PFRE: "The app is free for download. The final floor plan is free for non-commercial use (includes a watermark) and $1.10 USD for...

  • "Factoring" Accounts Receivable, or . . . .Where's My Money?!

    Brian Davis
    7 Jan 2012 | 12:16 pm
    GUEST AUTHOR: Ramir Rodriguez is a business development officer for Treasure Valley Factors. He helps real estate appraisers understand what factoring is and how it can help grow their business. He has a B.S. in Business Administration with an emphasis...

  • Taking Stock of the 2055 "Exterior Only" Appraisal Form

    Brian Davis
    4 Jan 2012 | 2:17 pm
    Guest Author: Ken Shure, Certified Residential Appraiser in the Los Angeles, California area. Contact: kbshure@Yahoo.com The 2055 form issued by Fannie Mae is a common vehicle for the reporting of an appraisal. The form includes a pre-printed scope of work...

  • Appraisal Issues Learned in 2011 - David Towne

    Brian Davis
    1 Jan 2012 | 6:27 am
    GUEST AUTHOR: Dave Towne, Certified Real Estate Appraiser - Towne Appraisals. 16422 Britt Rd., Mount Vernon, WA Phone: 360.708.1196 eMail: dtowne@fidalgo.net Web: http://www.TowneAppraisals.com Appraisers…. Some things I’ve learned this past year: a- AMC’s lie. And appraisers often let them get...
 
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    Reverse Mortgage Daily

  • Reverse Mortgage Applications See 19% December Decline

    Elizabeth Ecker
    27 Jan 2012 | 3:21 pm
    Reverse mortgage applications submitted to the Department of Housing and Urban Development fell 18.9% in December to 6,092. The total number of applications in the prior month, November, was 7,058, according to the most recent HUD data release in its monthly Federal Housing Administration Single-Family Housing Outlook. Applications have seen a slow decline since August 2011, with December marking the fourth consecutive monthly downturn for Home Equity Conversion Mortgage applications (see chart), and the lowest level since January 2010. Chart: Reverse Mortgage Application Trends Tags: Powered…

  • Top Mortgage Producers on the Move in 2012, Management to See “Shake Up”

    Elizabeth Ecker
    27 Jan 2012 | 2:09 pm
    The top mortgage originators will continue to flock toward the best model-matched organizations for their business in 2012, and management teams will be “shaken up.” These predictions and others were made by national mortgage sales recruiting firm Hammerhouse in its outlook for the top hiring trends in 2012. “2012 will be a pivotal year for the mortgage industry,” says Drew Waterhouse, managing director of Hammerhouse. “The transition to a purchase-oriented business model that will last for decades will fundamentally alter the industry and the careers of the people in the…

  • Friday Round-Up: MetLife Ditches Financial Assessment

    Elizabeth Ecker
    27 Jan 2012 | 11:38 am
    In case you missed it… here’s what happened in reverse mortgage news this week. MetLife pulled the plug on its borrower financial assessment … for now. The company was the first to publicly introduce a financial assessment for borrowers in an effort to prevent tax and insurance defaults. Citing the lack of other lenders to implement such a policy as well as borrower confusion caused by multiple standards in the marketplace, MetLife announced Wednesday it is suspending its assessment but remains committed to the concept. Then Urban Financial released a proposed assessment of…

  • Urban Seeks Feedback on Proposed Reverse Mortgage Financial Assessment Guidelines

    Elizabeth Ecker
    26 Jan 2012 | 4:42 pm
    Urban Financial Group notified its wholesale partners this week that it is seeking feedback on proposed financial assessment guidelines for its reverse mortgage borrowers. In a memo obtained by RMD, Urban outlined the draft of proposed guidelines for borrowers and is seeking comments between now and January 27. The company has not indicated any time frame for implementing any guidelines, a company spokeswoman told RMD. “It is important that the entire industry be proactive on this matter to help assure the long term viability of the HECM program,” Urban said in an email to its…

  • CNBC: Use Home Equity as Nest Egg for Retirement

    Alyssa Gerace
    26 Jan 2012 | 4:36 pm
    In these tough economic times, many retirees are looking for ways to guarantee income in their later years, and getting a reverse mortgage is one possibility, says a recent CNBC article. As the name implies, such loans work in the reverse order from a typical mortgage, in that you receive a monthly check from your lender based on the amount of equity you own. There are generally no income restrictions for eligibility, and according to the Federal Trade Commission, the proceeds from your home are tax-free and do not affect your Social Security or Medicare benefits. Better still, you do not…
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    Wallingford Wired

  • Just Listed: 4 Swan Ave, Wallingford CT 06492

    Harriman Real Estate
    22 Jan 2012 | 1:47 pm
    Precious Memories Begin Here… OverviewMapsPhotosDescription$204,900Single Family HomeMain Features 3 Bedrooms 1 Bathroom Interior: 1,008 sqft Lot: 0.23 acre(s) Location 4 Swan Ave. Wallingford, CT 06492 USATo get updates on open home dates and other property events, please click the “Like” button below:Pat & Wayne HarrimanHarriman Real Estate (203) 672-4499 wharriman@harrimanre.com http://www.harrimanre.com  Listed by: Harriman Real Estate, LLCOur recent listingsTownhouse for $254,900 in North Haven, CT Sweet Deal in Wallingford! This Land Is My Land… I’m…

  • Wallingford CT Offers Electronics Recycling

    Harriman Real Estate
    13 Jan 2012 | 11:29 am
    If you’re like us, you probably have some old electronics laying around that you don’t know what to do with: a broken DVD player, an old radio missing a few tubes, or maybe a computer monitor that would cost more to fix than replace. If this sounds like you, here’s some news you can use.Wallingford residents can now drop off unwanted or broken electronic items at the town’s recycling center located at 157 John Street. Items can be dropped off on the second Saturday of every month from 8AM to 4PM. Accepted items include:Computers (desktop and…

  • Fast Pitch Softball Comes to Wallingford

    Harriman Real Estate
    11 Jan 2012 | 2:17 pm
    If you’re a young lady 18 years of age or older and you love, love, LOVE to play fast-pitch softball, but were always disappointed that there was no place to play in Wallingford, your time has come. Local resident (and good friend) Kathy Thuerling feels the same way, and has decided to create a fast pitch softball league for players 18 and older.Kathy has spent over 20 years coaching young players in the fundamentals of the game, including her own two daughters, and was surprised to find that, when players outgrew little league play, there was no local league for them to move into. So,…

  • Just Listed: 19 Meshomasic Trail, Portland CT 06480

    Harriman Real Estate
    10 Jan 2012 | 2:55 pm
    Set on a 1+ acre lot, this pristine Colonial boasts an open floor plan, beautiful kitchen with granite counters, a cozy living room with fireplace, formal dining room, large master bedroom with whirlpool tub and a frameless Neo-angle shower. A farmer’s front porch, 2 car garage, shed, and much more make this the best value in Portland! For more information or to schedule an appointment, call listing agent Heather Salafia at (860) 301-2438 today!Search Here For More Portland PropertiesPost from: Wallingford Wired©2009 by Pat & Wayne HarrimanJust Listed: 19 Meshomasic Trail, Portland CT…

  • New Listing: 29 Robbins Lane Apt. A, Rocky Hill CT 06067

    Harriman Real Estate
    10 Jan 2012 | 12:48 pm
    Why rent when you can buy? Well maintained first floor, one bedroom condo in a quiet complex, convenient to highway and shopping. Heat and hot water included. Great for investors also. New windows and extra storage space in the basement, as well as a washer and dryer. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call listing agent Heather Salafia at (860) 301-2438 today!Search Here For More Rocky Hill PropertiesPost from: Wallingford Wired©2009 by Pat & Wayne HarrimanNew Listing: 29 Robbins Lane Apt. A, Rocky Hill CT 06067
 
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    Atlanta Real Estate Blog

  • 992,925 Visitors to tinafountain.com in 2011

    25 Jan 2012 | 8:59 am
    If you’ve been a regular visitor to tinafountain.com then you’ve noticed the design and functionality upgrades that we recently launched. Thank you for the many compliments as we continue to tweak and make adjustments. Customers First As a boutique Atlanta real estate company our primary focus has always been and will always be our customers, we’re honored to represent a wonderful group of remarkable people in the purchase and sell of some of Atlanta’s finest properties. We also pride ourselves on being early adopters of the latest technology in real estate and in many cases we have…

  • Five Home Flaws You Can’t Ignore When Buying Atlanta Real Estate

    20 Jan 2012 | 6:27 am
    Certainly, there are things about any home you can look past: the stain on the carpet, the peeling wallpaper in the kitchen, or the outdated bathroom sink. But there are five areas of a home that simply can’t be overlooked in terms of damage or flaws. They are: • Foundation problems – A home’s foundation, and the integrity of it, is of extreme importance because if the foundation is compromised, you can be sure that the rest of home is too. From bowing walls to large cracks or a shifting foundation, there are a number of things that can go wrong with the foundation. Although many…

  • What Does a Buyer’s Market Really Mean?

    7 Dec 2011 | 4:40 pm
      You may have heard about today’s market being a buyer’s market. But what exactly does this mean? In general, a buyer’s market refers to a real estate market that is beneficial to buyers. A buyer’s market means that a number of factors are in the buyer’s favor creating buying opportunities. This usually means the following: • There is a larger inventory of homes – In a buyer’s market, you can be sure that there are a lot of homes on the market from which to choose. In other words, the supply is greater than the demand. As a result of more sellers and less buyers, the price…

  • Staging Your Atlanta Home to Sell

    2 Nov 2011 | 9:17 am
    Home staging is an important step in the successful sale of your home. Sprucing up your house inside and out can pay off big dividends in your final sale price. The art of home staging is often best left to Atlanta real estate professionals, but there are a number of steps you can take to get your house market-ready as well. We have four steps to home staging to help you attract buyers and a higher price tag. • First Impressions Count Potential buyers form an opinion of your home within 30 seconds, which means curb appeal counts. Lawns should be freshly mowed, flowers tended and walkways…

  • Loan Approval Factors Considered by Lenders

    19 Oct 2011 | 10:56 am
    If you are nervous about the home loan process of today, youre not alone. Most consumers understand that banks are decidedly more particular when it comes to lending money to home buyers, but not many people thoroughly understand all of the factors that go into the process of determining whether an individual is qualified to borrow money from the lender. Here is a list of the main factors considered by lenders when determining home loan approval: Your Debt Load Many consumers of today carry a high burden of debt when compared to their income. Although you may have religiously made payments to…
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    Office Search Toronto

  • Increased Workstation Control Brings Higher Job Satisfaction, Less Stress

    Chris Fyvie - 416-992-9869
    24 Jan 2012 | 8:26 am
    Original Post – By: Stephen Searer Most people that have worked in an office would probably agree with a recent study (pdf) that was undertaken “to examine the relationship between workstation features … and the comfort and performance [of employees]“. They found: The greater control employees have over the adjustment of interior workstation features, the lower the stress they experience. The more effectively the interior workstation layout supports the work process, the greater the job satisfaction. Workspace Control It comes as little surprise that employees would experience…

  • Why You Need a Commercial Realtor

    Chris Fyvie - 416-992-9869
    23 Jan 2012 | 11:44 am
    Original Article – Hans Steege We thought we’d save money by acting as our own leasing agent. That’s how we learned–the hard way–what realtors really do. A good commercial realtor is worth his or her weight in gold. To many of you, I may just be stating the obvious. But we learned this the hard way. Last year my small company needed to relocate to a bigger, better space.  We knew that we would continue to lease, where we needed to be located (generally), how much space we needed, and roughly how much we could spend. Armed with that information, we figured it…

  • News – The Reality of Toronto’s Office Market – January 2012

    Chris Fyvie - 416-992-9869
    23 Jan 2012 | 8:19 am
    In reality, the opportunity to buy a AAA asset in Toronto can come up only once a decade and there are REITS out that will stretch for the deal. Article – Scotia Plaza is up for sale.  They are hoping to achieve $1 billion and now that the teachers have the cash to spend after selling the Leafs it may happen? Article – Dundee REIT just closed on Whiterock for $580 million Article – This was right on the heals of their purchase for Slate Properties at $832 million Landmark Office Building purchase: 1) Commerce Court, Toronto (2000), $618-million Sold by CIBC to British…

  • Poorly Designed Open Offices Are Sources Of Major Distraction (And Ways To Reduce It)

    Chris Fyvie - 416-992-9869
    21 Jan 2012 | 8:15 am
    Original Post – By: Stephen Searer Open office layouts have been the dominant style for office designers for several years. While the debate continues to rage on about whether they are superior to closed offices (most likely not cease any time soon), a 2005 study examining the effects of office design on workplace distraction caught my eye. What I appreciate most about this particular study is that it did not take any particular side, but instead identified common sources of distraction in open plan offices and possible solutions through better design. Distraction Findings One statistic…

  • #CRE Public vs Private data debate – CBRE vs CoStar

    Chris Fyvie - 416-992-9869
    20 Jan 2012 | 7:25 am
    First, my thoughts: Until we have a more distinct line between what is public and private data, the debate and heated exchanges will continue. Example, I see no reason why I can’t post pictures of office space and buildings on my website with the brokers / listing agents name prominently displayed as the person to call for additional info. The brokerages and agents however, for some reason, don’t want this information “out there on the net” and threaten to call TREB / RECO to file complaints. My rebuttal to this is, maybe I should call your Landlord and let them know you are not doing…
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    OfficeFinder Blog

  • Improve Job Satisfaction with the Right Office Cubicles

    24 Jan 2012 | 9:39 am
    Office atmosphere is more important to the success of your business than you may think. Over 90% of employees believe that the quality of their working environment affects their mood and attitude about work, and 89% believe it is essential to their sense of job satisfaction. Office cubicles can be a large part of your office’s atmosphere, so choosing the best cubicles for your office space is important. Whether you are looking to give your office a facelift, add new furniture to an unfurnished space or downsizing the amount of office space you have, comparing quotes on office cubicles will…

  • GSA embracing the Flexible Workspace; Reducing office space needs by up to 50%

    21 Jan 2012 | 3:55 pm
    It looks like the Federal government is embracing flexible workspace and changes in the workforce by changing how they let their employees work. No desk, no nameplate, and sometimes even half of the workspace. Federal agencies are adjusting to "Hot Desking" and "Hoteling."  In doing so, the General Services Administration, is helping to lead a growing effort to reshape how traditional office space is utilized. The cost savings are considerable; Up to 50% of the cost the Feds were spending on office space is now being saved for agencies participating in the program. More Find Office Space

  • TradeAddresses and RealUp Sign Distribution Agreement

    28 Dec 2011 | 12:25 pm
    RealUp, a national commercial real estate listing website, has announced a new partnership agreement with TradeAddresses.com, a referral property listing network. This partnership will allow thousands of RealUp.com commercial listings to automatically appear in TradeAddresses’ property catalog via the RealUp API web service. "RealUp is very pleased to announce this new agreement with TradeAddresses.com," said Brian Randy Funk, President of RealUp. "This is an additional way RealUp will help get commercial property sold and increase exposure for real estate listings." The RealUp commercial…

  • Great Christmas Office Prank

    22 Dec 2011 | 11:01 am
    Got to love it! Happy Holidays to all. Source Find Office Space

  • Free Office Space Design Ideas

    20 Dec 2011 | 11:08 am
    Where is a good place to get Office Space Design ideas without hiring an interior designer? Try Google Images for modern office interior design. Here are some I snipped: And a few more. Find Office Space
 
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    Latest Activity on CREOpoint

  • Thomson Partners is now a member of CREOpoint

    23 Jan 2012 | 8:24 am
    Thomson Partners is now a member of CREOpoint

  • Jean-Claude Goldenstein commented on Leslie Braunstein's blog post 'Urban Investment Partners Wins Washington City Paper Award for "Craziest Buying Spree"'

    22 Jan 2012 | 5:59 pm
    Jean-Claude Goldenstein commented on Leslie Braunstein's blog post 'Urban Investment Partners Wins Washington City Paper Award for "Craziest Buying Spree"'

  • A blog post by Leslie Braunstein was featured

    21 Jan 2012 | 10:39 am
    A blog post by Leslie Braunstein was featuredUrban Investment Partners Wins Washington City Paper Award for "Craziest Buying Spree"Urban Investment Partners (UIP) won a “Plexy” award from Washington City Paper for a noteworthy achievement in the D.C. real estate scene during 2011 – specifically for “craziest buying spree.”According to City Paper, “the recession sent a lot of D.C. apartment buildings into foreclosure, even though rental demand here is the strongest in the country. Steve Schwat, of Urban Investment Partners, has been capitalizing on that, picking up…

  • Simon Tyrrell was featured

    21 Jan 2012 | 10:39 am
    Simon Tyrrell was featuredCongratulate them!

  • A blog post by Gary Seidel was featured

    21 Jan 2012 | 10:37 am
    A blog post by Gary Seidel was featuredWhy The U.S. Might be Losing Technology Jobs to AsiaSo, I am reading the paper this morning and an article in the Chicago Tribune catches my, one on how the U.S. has lost 30% of its technology jobs.  Being an election year, which now means every year is an election year, the blame will quickly be cast to our gridlocked political environment.  Or the European banking crisis, or the deficit, or the Fed, or whatever reason de jour one can come up with.  I suggest there is a more fundamental problem to this job loss, which I will demonstrate with a…
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    Oh My Apartment

  • Moving Tips: How to Pack for a Move

    Oh My Apartment
    23 Jan 2012 | 5:41 pm
    Packing typically isn’t a chore people enjoy, but it is something most of us have or will have to do at some point. While packing before a move isn’t necessarily enjoyable (or easy), it is a necessity. Learning how to properly pack and transport your furniture, appliances, household goods, and electronics it critical to ensuring that the contents of your home be protected while in transit. Read our tips below to reduce of the chance of damage during your upcoming move. Kitchen Appliances — Small You’ll need: - Blank newsprint or your own towels and linens -…

  • Best Houston Apartments - Great Uptown Area

    Oh My Apartment
    16 Jan 2012 | 1:25 pm
    The Great Uptown neighborhood of Houston, Texas is one of the most highly sought after locations on ApartmentRatings.com and now we’ve made finding your dream apartment even easier. Check out the top five apartment complexes in the area, each of which has glowing recommendations by over 75% of ApartmentRatings.com users. Listed in descending order, each complex has been reviewed by at least 10 ApartmentRatings.com users; key amenities and resident comments are highlighted. 1. Three Fountains III Recommended by 94% of users; 4.5 overall rating This 2-story complex has 200 units ranging from…

  • A Guide to Living in Austin, Texas

    Oh My Apartment
    9 Jan 2012 | 12:08 pm
    Living in Austin, a city where having character counts and being “weird” is welcomed, is an experience enjoyed by 1.2 million Texas residents. Austin’s culture and lifestyle vacillates between New Urban and classic ways. A place where laid back, old fashioned neighborhoods collide with bustling modern areas, Austin, the capital and fourth largest city in the state of Texas, is a blend of pedestrian-friendly communities where residents have easy access to cafes, shops, clubs, galleries and more. Awards According to Small Planet Guide*1, Austin, Texas sports a few Top 10 awards…

  • Create Your Own Kitchen Clothespin Memo Board

    Nancy Burgess
    3 Jan 2012 | 12:28 pm
    There are always notes, photos, children’s artworks and holiday cards you want to keep visible in your kitchen. A memo board project is a great alternative to the more traditional front-of-the-refrigerator display palate. How can it be done using an inexpensive and fun arts and crafts project for the whole family? Grab a package of wooden spring clothespins, a wooden yardstick and some paint to match the kitchen decor. Get ready to get organized! Easy Assembly Picture this: a natural wooden yardstick, hung horizontally, with colorfully painted clothespins attached, that act as hanging…

  • Tenant Security Deposit Cleaning Fees: What Can Your Landlord Legally Deduct?

    Oh My Apartment
    27 Dec 2011 | 1:43 pm
    Typically, landlords may charge tenants a rental deposit for any cleaning or repairs necessary to restore the rental unit to its condition at the beginning of the tenancy. Landlords may not, however, use the tenant’s security deposit to cover the costs of ordinary wear and tear. Here are examples of wear and tear versus damage or excessive filth: Source: Nolo.com Related Posts:Rental Security Deposit Limits by StateWhat Cleaning and Repair Charges Can a Landlord Deduct from Your Security Deposit?Security Deposit DisputesWhat is Normal Wear and Tear?Security Deposits: Protecting Landlord…
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    Missouri Living At It's BEST!

  • Home, Office, or Both! Plenty of room.

    Steve Mattison ABR e-Pro Branson Buyer's Specialist (Carol Jones, Realtors)
    25 Jan 2012 | 11:33 am
    Home, Office, or Both! Plenty of room. Overview Maps Photos $89,900 Single Family Home Main Features 4 Bedrooms2 BathroomsInterior: 1,900 sqftLot: 0.50 acre(s) Location 736 Spokane RoadSpokane, MO 65754USA To get updates on open home dates and other property events, please click the "Like" button below: Steve Mattison ABR e-Pro Carol Jones, Realtors(417) 338-2022steve@caroljones.comhttp://www.stevemattison.caroljones.com       Listed by: Steve Mattison ABR e-Pro, Carol Jones, Realtors Our recent listings Home, Office, or Both! Plenty of room.New construction begins 2012.Brand new…

  • My Role as Your Buyer's Agent is to Help You Win

    Steve Mattison ABR e-Pro Branson Buyer's Specialist (Carol Jones, Realtors)
    11 Jan 2012 | 9:21 am
    Loorena Yeo is the kind of buyer's agent I would hire if I were looking to buy property, picking your buyer's agent is the first step in several that are required to make a wise investment!Via Loreena Yeo, Realtor®| Frisco TX Community Ambassador (214)783-2210 (3:16 team REALTY ~ Locally-owned Frisco TX Real Estate Co.): My role as your buyer's agent is to help you win: Win in a real estate transaction; Win in helping you and your family find a home. Home buyers in Frisco TX (or anywhere in America, USA) have probably been influenced by too much negativity in the news media of how bad the…

  • Branson Missouri Real Estate Market Report for December 2011

    Steve Mattison ABR e-Pro Branson Buyer's Specialist (Carol Jones, Realtors)
    6 Jan 2012 | 12:04 pm
    According to our local statistics, Branson single family homes sales last month total was again only 19 single family, built-on-site homes with the highest priced one selling for $650,000 and the lowest priced one selling for $60,000.  The medium price is down to $140,000.  Not good news for Branson home owners or sellers.  10 homes were short-sale and foreclosure sales and that is more news we really did not need.  That is an increasing influence by the distress sales market in our Branson Market and not the good sign we have been looking for!  There were 9 condos reported to have…

  • Stone County Missouri around Table Rock Lake Market Report for December 2011.

    Steve Mattison ABR e-Pro Branson Buyer's Specialist (Carol Jones, Realtors)
    6 Jan 2012 | 11:49 am
    According to local information, Stone County MO single family homes sales last month total was down again to just 15 single family, built on site, homes with the highest priced one selling for $665,000 and the lowest priced one selling for $31,500. That is not good news for home sellers in the Table Rock Lake area.  The medium price of those homes sold was down to $140,000.  The only good news is  only 3 were sold as short-sales and foreclousres.   Major areas covered by this report are Branson, Branson West, Cape Fair, Crane, Hurley, Kimberling City, Lampe, Galena, Shell Knob & Reeds…

  • Ranch home on 5 acre horse property with pond and barn

    Steve Mattison ABR e-Pro Branson Buyer's Specialist (Carol Jones, Realtors)
    17 Dec 2011 | 3:05 pm
    Home with 5 acres and a pond. Overview Maps Photos Description $139,900 Single Family Home Main Features 3 Bedrooms2 Bathrooms1 Partial BathroomInterior: 2,898 sqftLot: 5.00 acre(s) Location 287 Emerald RdSpokane, MO 65754USA To get updates on open home dates and other property events, please click the "Like" button below: Steve Mattison ABR e-Pro Carol Jones, Realtors(417) 338-2022steve@caroljones.comhttp://www.stevemattison.caroljones.com       Listed by: Steve Mattison ABR e-Pro, Carol Jones, Realtors Our recent listings Home with 5 acres and a pond.Single Family Residential for…
 
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    BostonKayakGuy John Prescott...Wellesley Natick Needham & Metrowest Real Estate

  • Smart Lunches, Mompreneur Start-Up, Acquired by Shoebuy Founder

    bostonkayakguy
    26 Jan 2012 | 9:36 am
    Shoebuy.com Founder and Former CEO Brings Business Model and Channel Innovations Experience to Proven, Growing Start-Up Smart Lunches (TM) Co-Founded By Wellesley Native and Dana Hall Alumna Susan Frigoletto, and accomplished entrepreneur Cathy Goldman. Yankee Group's Emily Nagle Green Named as CEO...

  • The Year In Blogging

    bostonkayakguy
    4 Jan 2012 | 9:48 am
    Do you like to be "in the know?" Well the numbers are in for 2011, and over 20,000 viewers decided that BostonKayakGuy was the place to go for real estate info, entertainment, and national issues affecting all of us. And next year promises to be another roller coaster ride so FASTEN YOUR SEATBELTS folks!

  • Most Expensive MASSACHUSETTS Home Sold in 2011

    bostonkayakguy
    30 Dec 2011 | 3:09 pm
    Are homes selling in Massachusetts? 5 homes sold for over $10 million in 2011 in the commonwealth. The lucky homeowners took up residence in palatial Weston hilltop abodes as well as dazzling downtown condos...

  • Track Where Santa Is Right Now!

    bostonkayakguy
    24 Dec 2011 | 1:36 pm
    Where is Santa Claus? Well you can track him minute by minute with the help of NORAD! Tune in to BostonKayakGuy's post for the latest info from NORAD!

  • A Holiday Gift for the Discerning…Encyclopedia of the Exquisite

    bostonkayakguy
    14 Dec 2011 | 8:39 am
    What to give your most discriminating gift recipient? Look no further than the treasure trove of "Jessica Kerwin Jenkins’s 'Encyclopedia of the Exquisite' focusing on the elegant, the rare, the commonplace, and the delightful. A com­pendium of style, it merges whimsy and practicality, traipsing through the fine arts and the worlds of fashion, food, travel, home, garden, and beauty."
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    Realty Times Real Estate News Channel

  • Mortgage Rates Reverse Course on Positive Housing Data

    27 Jan 2012 | 12:00 am
    In Freddie Mac's results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® the average mortgage rates climbed as the housing market ended 2011 on a high note. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.98 percent reversing its previous three-week trend of setting all-time record lows. Despite the jump, this marks the eighth consecutive week the 30-year fixed has remained below 4.00 percent.

  • Are Homeowners Glad They Own?

    27 Jan 2012 | 12:00 am
    It might come as a surprise but a whopping 72 percent of surveyed homeowners nationwide are satisfied with owning a home. The other 28 percent, not so. They say they're dissatisfied and that's likely due to the devaluation of their homes.

  • The Twelve Types of Sales Call Reluctance®

    27 Jan 2012 | 12:00 am
    There are twelve types of Sales Call Reluctance®. Some are more challenging to correct than others. Dirk Zeller examines the twelve types.
 
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    New lakefront listings at craigmische.com

  • Three Havens from a Chris-Craft

    Craig Mische, Sotheby's International Realty
    26 Jan 2012 | 3:01 pm
    What you are looking at are the homes and cottages of Lake Carlos' Three Havens Drive. I recorded the video in July of 2010 aboard a classic Chris-Craft captained by my friend, Bruce Olson (the Executive Director of the Minnesota Lakes Maritime Museum).There aren't any Three Havens Drive active listings but if you like Lake Carlos, or good deals for that matter, check out this home located on the west side of the lake. It has a few steps to the shoreline but hey, if it didn't, it wouldn't be under $300,000.

  • Land on the East Side of Lake Ida

    Craig Mische, Sotheby's International Realty
    25 Jan 2012 | 5:26 am
    If a bare lot with 100 plus feet of lakeshore on Lake Ida at a price below $150,000 interests you, check out MLS 10-7690. The owner reduced the price yesterday by $19,500. [Bird's Eye View]

  • Sale at Water Lilly Trail on Lake Ida

    Craig Mische, Sotheby's International Realty
    24 Jan 2012 | 11:05 am
    A home on the west side of Lake Ida was tagged as a pending sale in Alexandria's MLS. The walk-out rambler was listed for sale in July of 2010 at $259,000.

  • Housing Inventory Down

    Craig Mische, Sotheby's International Realty
    20 Jan 2012 | 7:37 am
    Yesterday The Wall Street Journal reported a positive sign for the housing sector. There were fewer homes listed for sale at the end of 2011 than in any of the previous four years. This was also the case in Alexandria's MLS for homes with or without lakeshore. Lower inventories are good as fewer properties for sale means less to choose from for buyers and this is good for sellers. As Martha Stewart would say, "this is a good thing".

  • Recent Lake Home Sales

    Craig Mische, Sotheby's International Realty
    13 Jan 2012 | 3:46 pm
    In the past few days a three bedroom, one bathroom cottage at Lake Amelia with 50 feet of lakeshore and priced around $180,000 went under contract as did a three bedroom, three bathroom year round home with 103 feet of frontage on Lake Victoria listed at $249,900.
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    WSJ.com Video - Real Estate

  • Can You Finally Sell Your House This Year?

    27 Jan 2012 | 4:26 pm
    Could the slowly improving economy, more favorable housing market data and record low mortgage rates entice more buyers into the market this year? Amy Hoak on The News Hub looks at what home sellers should know before listing. Photo: AP

  • Mats Wilander Cuts Price on Idaho Estate to $5.9M

    26 Jan 2012 | 5:21 pm
    Former tennis champion Mats Wilander has put his 81-acre estate in Sun Valley, Idaho, back on the market, trimming its price to $5.9 million. It was originally listed in June 2008 for $8.5 million. Candace Jackson has details on The News Hub.

  • Phil Mickelson Relists San Diego Home for $7.1M

    26 Jan 2012 | 5:16 pm
    Golf champion Phil Mickelson has put his 9,500-square-foot, five-bedroom Tuscan-style home in Rancho Santa Fe, a wealthy enclave of San Diego, back on the market for the reduced price of $7.1 million. Candace Jackson has details on The News Hub.

  • Oil Magnate Asks $25M for South Beach Penthouse

    26 Jan 2012 | 5:04 pm
    Billionaire oil magnate Tim Headington is asking $25 million for a Miami Beach penthouse suite next door to a unit owned by Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. Candace Jackson has details on The News Hub.

  • Top Builder Creates Weekend Retreat for Less

    26 Jan 2012 | 12:23 pm
    Dick Breaux, a top Silicon Valley builder of luxury homes, uses his experience to create his weekend retreat for less. Nancy Keates has details on Lunch Break.
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    Developments

  • (Video) Phil Mickelson Relists San Diego Home

    WSJ Staff
    27 Jan 2012 | 4:29 pm
    Golf champion Phil Mickelson has put his 9,500-square-foot, five-bedroom Tuscan-style home in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., a wealthy enclave near San Diego, back on the market for the reduced price of $7.1 million.

  • Rare Payoff on Vintage ’07 Commercial Loan

    Al Yoon
    27 Jan 2012 | 1:58 pm
    In some cases, it pays to wait out the slump in commercial real estate. A troubled-loan specialist firm recently sold the loan on the Crescent, a Beverly Hills, Calif., retail-and-apartment complex to a group of buyers including BlackRock Realty for about $85 million—about $8 million less than the property value at the height of the boom in 2007 but $12 million more than the loan’s unpaid balance. Harris Trifon, a commercial mortgage bond strategist at Deutsche Bank, characterized the sale as “astounding,” considering that the average loss on 2006 and 2007 vintage loans is…

  • Behind the Numbers: New-Home Sales Hit Record Low

    Dawn Wotapka
    26 Jan 2012 | 2:06 pm
    Another year, another record low for sales of new homes. Sales unexpectedly fell in December, putting the brakes on three months of increases, indicating that the hard-hit sector might not have hit bottom after all. Sales fell 2.2% from the prior month to a rate of 307,000 annualized. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires had forecast sales would tick up 1.9%. The total in 2010 was 323,000, the lowest amount since record keeping began in 1963. Particularly concerning is that December’s prices plunged 12.8% from the prior year to $210,300, a blow to anyone hoping prices had stopped…

  • Mortgage Rates Rise on Stronger Housing Reports

    WSJ Staff
    26 Jan 2012 | 12:31 pm
    By Mia Lamar Rates for fixed mortgages moved higher over the past week amid positive signals from the long-suffering U.S. housing market, according to Freddie Mac’s weekly survey of mortgage rates. “Fixed mortgage rates ticked up this week as the housing market ended 2011 on a high note,” said Freddie Mac Chief Economist Frank Nothaft, noting encouraging data like a report that existing home sales rose 5% at the end of the year to 4.61 million houses, the largest amount since May 2010. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.98% for the week ended Thursday, up from 3.88%…

  • Places for Home Builders to Dig In

    Robbie Whelan
    25 Jan 2012 | 5:41 pm
    Where are the best markets to build and sell new homes these days? Amid a flurry of housing news this week, including President Barack Obama’s latest mortgage-refinance proposal, comes an interesting piece of real-estate analysis in the building sector. Houston-based Metrostudy has analyzed the strongest markets for home builders. They include: San Diego; Southern California; Texas’s Rio Grande Valley; St. George, Utah; and Orlando. The research is by Brad Hunter, chief economist at Metrostudy, a company that, among other things, sends observers out each month to hundreds of new-home…
 
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    NYT > Real Estate

  • So You’re Priced Out. Now What?

    By JIM RENDON
    27 Jan 2012 | 5:37 pm
    Five pairs of neighborhoods that look and feel alike, without costing the same amount.

  • On the Market in the Region

    27 Jan 2012 | 5:11 pm
    A four-bedroom 1928 Tudor in Hempstead, N.Y., and a four-bedroom colonial in Bridgeport, Conn.

  • On the Market in the Region

    By VIVIAN S. TOY with Marcelle S. Fischler, Suzanne Hamlin and Lisa Prevost
    27 Jan 2012 | 5:09 pm
    A four-bedroom 1928 Tudor in Hempstead, N.Y., and a four-bedroom colonial in Bridgeport, Conn.

  • On the Market in New York City

    27 Jan 2012 | 5:08 pm
    A Lincoln Square maisonette, a Greenwich Village one-bedroom and a Prospect Heights co-op.

  • On the Market in New York City

    By VIVIAN S. TOY with Marcelle S. Fischler, Suzanne Hamlin and Lisa Prevost
    27 Jan 2012 | 5:07 pm
    A Lincoln Square maisonette, a Greenwich Village one-bedroom and a Prospect Heights co-op.
 
 
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    HUD Press Releases

  • FHA ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL STEPS TO LIMIT RISK AND STRENGTHEN FINANCES

    20 Jan 2012 | 6:07 am
    WASHINGTON - Today, Acting Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Commissioner Carol J. Galante announced the latest in a series of steps to protect and strengthen the FHA's Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund, while enabling the agency to continue to fulfill its mission to provide access to homeownership for qualified borrowers.

  • HUD PROVIDES $400 MILLION TO HELP COMMUNITIES IN EIGHT STATES TO RECOVER FROM 2011 DISASTERS

    20 Jan 2012 | 6:07 am
    WASHINGTON - U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan today allocated $400 million in emergency aid to help communities in eight states to recover from presidentially declared natural disasters in 2011. Provided through HUD's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program, these grants will support long-term disaster recovery efforts in areas with the greatest extent of 'unmet need.'

  • HUD EXPANDS JOB AND CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS AND THE BUSINESSES THAT HIRE THEM

    18 Jan 2012 | 6:07 am
    WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced that it is launching a Section 3 Business Registry pilot program in Washington, D.C. that will expand job opportunities for low-income people and public housing residents by maintaining a registry of businesses that currently hire them. Additionally, HUD will implement the pilot program in New Orleans, Detroit, Los Angeles and Miami, to give contracting agencies and low-income residents a single source of information to find eligible Section 3 businesses and job opportunities.

  • HUD AWARDS $6.8 MILLION TO HELP LOCAL COMMUNITIES UNDERSTAND THE SCALE OF HOMELESSNESS IN THEIR AREAS

    18 Jan 2012 | 6:07 am
    WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today awarded $6.8 million to help local communities across this country to assess the nature and scope of their homeless challenge as part of a broader Administration goal of preventing and ending homelessness. The technical assistance grants awarded today will ultimately help state and local planning organizations or 'continuums of care' to improve data collection and reporting that is a critical part of designing their responses to homelessness.

  • HUD MAKES $110 MILLION AVAILABLE TO REVITALIZE COMMUNITIES

    10 Jan 2012 | 6:07 am
    WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced today that it is making available $110 million in grants to transform public and assisted housing and to revitalize communities. Appearing in today's Federal Register is the Notice of Funding Availability, the federal application, for the FY 2012 Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Program. Read HUD's funding notice.
 
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    HousingWire

  • FHA serious delinquency rate inches up while originations decline

    JON PRIOR
    27 Jan 2012 | 6:13 pm
    The serious delinquency rate for Federal Housing Administration mortgages reached 9.6% in December, the highest level in more than two years, the Department of Housing and Urban Development said. More than 711,000 FHA-insured loans were seriously delinquent, up 18.9% from one year earlier, according to the HUD report. It's also a 3.2% increase from the month [...]

  • Maryland court rejects robo-signing lawsuit

    JACOB GAFFNEY
    27 Jan 2012 | 3:12 pm
    A Maryland court ruled that homeowners lose the right to file a subsequent lawsuit against a foreclosure proceeding if the grievances are not aired during the original foreclosure. In Maryland, all foreclosures must go through the courts. In the latest Smalley v. Shapiro & Burson ruling, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland said [...]

  • Fannie Mae multifamily mortgage EVP retires, replacement named

    KERRI PANCHUK
    27 Jan 2012 | 2:40 pm
    Kenneth Bacon, executive vice president of the Fannie Mae multifamily mortgage business, is retiring after 18 years at the mortgage giant. Jeff Hayward will assume Bacon's position leading the multifamily team, the government-sponsored enterprise said. Bacon has been planning his retirement for some time, a Fannie spokesman said. Hayward had been leading the company's [...]

  • Appraisal board solicits feedback on seller concessions

    KERRI PANCHUK
    27 Jan 2012 | 2:34 pm
    An appraisal practices board formed by The Appraisal Foundation is accepting feedback on a second draft of a proposal designed to advise appraisers on how to adjust comparable sales for seller concessions. The board was formed by the foundation in July of 2010 to issue guidance on recognized valuation methods. One of its focuses is on [...]

  • Treasury to pay investors triple for HAMP principal reductions

    JON PRIOR
    27 Jan 2012 | 2:15 pm
    [Update 1: Adds comment from FHFA Acting Director] The Treasury Department will triple payments to mortgage investors for reducing borrower principal through an expanded Home Affordable Modification Program announced Friday. Officials announced several critical changes to HAMP, including an enrollment extension to Dec. 31, 2013, from its original expiration date at the end of this year. The Treasury [...]
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    Real Estate Broker Market News- IQ Real Estate

  • Free Real Estate Marketing

    28 Jan 2012 | 8:51 am
    Get quality referrals and leads. Post Flash Property Listings (up to 10 photos per listing, no limits). Upgrade to Photo / Premium Broker / Agent Listing for free. If you are a 4-Star Agent or Broker, you should check IQRealEstate.com out. Over 900,000 agents listed. We are by far the Fastest Growing Directory online. Over 300,000 pages indexed in search engines. Be IQ Smart.

  • Reno real estate firms merge

    26 Jan 2012 | 8:51 am
    Ken Amundson, managing broker for Trans-Action Realty. Trans-Action Realty and First Choice Realty 500 officially merged this month into Trans-Action Realty 500. / Tim Dunn/RGJ

  • Real Estate is Looking Up in Fairfield County

    26 Jan 2012 | 8:51 am
    FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. - Real estate markets are expected to be stronger this year in most lower Fairfield County towns, brokers say. In fact, some brokers are saying 2012 could be a great year. "I've been in the industry for 25 years," Brenda Maher, manager of the Norwalk ...

  • American broker works on Cebu realty database

    25 Jan 2012 | 8:51 am
    NOTING something missing from the local real estate industry, an American real estate broker is planning to introduce a multi-listing service in the country this year. George B.

  • How It Works: Listhub's Real Estate Network

    25 Jan 2012 | 8:51 am
    It is not uncommon for detailed questions to arise whenever there is major change afoot in the real estate industry regarding data. Listhub's announcement of the launch of the Real Estate Network precipitated many questions regarding a broker's ability to ?
 
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    Planetizen - Urban Planning, Design and Development Network

  • Friday Funny: Take the Kids to Napoleonland

    Jonathan Nettler
    27 Jan 2012 | 4:00 pm
    A new theme park dedicated to all things Napoleon has been proposed for the area south of Paris by former French minister and history buff Yves Jégo, and is being touted as a rival to Disneyland, reports Henry Samuel. read more

  • What's Wrong With America's Streets - And How To Fix Them

    Jonathan Nettler
    27 Jan 2012 | 3:00 pm
    Ben Goldman reports on a new illustrative guide, Sustainable Street Network Principles, published by the Congress for New Urbanism, that seeks to educate planners and officials on how to create successful streets and neighborhoods. read more

  • Green Building Trends To Watch in 2012

    Jonathan Nettler
    27 Jan 2012 | 2:00 pm
    Claire Easley talks with the "godfather of green," Jerry Yudelson, about the "megatrends" to watch for in the Green Building industry over the next year. read more

  • Next Step in California Redevelopment Saga: More Lawsuits

    Jonathan Nettler
    27 Jan 2012 | 1:00 pm
    In an effort to seek an 11th hour reprieve from the scheduled elimination of the state's redevelopment agencies, two consortiums of cities have filed lawsuits in Sacramento Superior Court, reports Josh Stephens. read more

  • There are 4,114 Intersections in LA, and He Controls Them All

    Jonathan Nettler
    27 Jan 2012 | 12:00 pm
    Jon Bruner profiles Los Angeles Department of Transportation Engineer Edward Yu, and the ATSAC system run by Yu and his team, which controls the timing of traffic lights at each of the city's 4,114 intersections. read more
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    Business Insider

  • 18 Unique Insights That Challenged Conventional Wisdom On The Markets And The Economy

    Eric Platt
    28 Jan 2012 | 5:23 am
    We thought we had it all figured out before this week started. We were wrong. The top minds in the investment business offered some novel analysis, broke conventional wisdom, and even opened our eyes to some misperceptions. This particular week, we learned there may be a simple explanation why the Baltic Dry Index is getting crushed, 2013 may be the real year to be worried about, and that one fact refutes the idea of a Chinese real estate bubble. What follows are excerpts from such stories this week.  All of the important stuff you might have missed this week, right here.Fast food may be…

  • CARTOONS OF THE WEEK: Newt The Outsider And Newt The Insider

    Eric Goldschein
    28 Jan 2012 | 4:00 am
    We have a ton of new cartoons this week, and the star of the show has to be Newt Gingrich, he of the open-marriage and the status of both a Washington insider and outsider. Other hot topics from the past few days include the arguments over online piracy and continued trouble in the Eurozone — particularly in Italy.  Our favorites from this batch include an actual pirate ship, a graph made of urine and the role of Islamic mathematics in WMD's. See the rest of the story at Business Insider Please follow Business Insider on Twitter and Facebook.See Also:50 Million Americans Still…

  • Experts Are Terrified By Greece And Its Debt Problems

    AP
    28 Jan 2012 | 1:48 am
    NEW YORK (AP) — Remember Greece? It's been two years since a financial crisis erupted in the birthplace of drama, and the final act is still unfinished. A second week of talks in Athens ended Friday with no deal between the country, the European Union and private holders of Greek bonds. Remarkably, even after the crisis became such an international worry last year that the leaders of France and Germany were actually referred to as "Merkozy," the European debt bomb could still explode, with Greece as the fuse. Economists and investors see a Greek default as the biggest test of the world…

  • Google: Users Are 'Delighted' With Our Search Changes (GOOG)

    Matt Rosoff
    28 Jan 2012 | 12:36 am
    A couple weeks ago, Google started blending social information from Google+ into search results. The blogosphere's reaction to this change, which Google called Search Plus Your World, was swift, loud, and mostly negative. Twitter complained that Google was unfairly favoring its own social network over competitors, then a programmer at Facebook seemed to prove it. Worse yet, the results seemed to be less relevant in a lot of cases, leading a number of people to declare Bing the better search engine. But in all the noise, what do users think? According to Google search fellow Amit Singhal, who…

  • New Email Suggests BP Hid The Truth About How Big The Oil Spill Really Was

    AP
    28 Jan 2012 | 12:06 am
    NEW ORLEANS (AP) — On the day the Deepwater Horizon sank, BP officials warned in an internal memo that if the well was not protected by the blow-out preventer at the drill site, crude oil could burst into the Gulf of Mexico at a rate of 3.4 million gallons a day, an amount a million gallons higher than what the government later believed spilled daily from the site. The email conversation, which BP agreed to release Friday as part of federal court proceedings, suggests BP managers recognized the potential of the disaster in its early hours, and company officials sought to make sure that…
 
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    Credit.com News + Advice

  • Credit.com in the News: Credit Trends, Cards for the Unbanked, Rebuilding Credit

    Tim Langevin
    27 Jan 2012 | 2:18 pm
    What went on in the week of consumer credit? So glad you asked. In addition to their regular contributions to the Credit.com blog, Credit.com’s credit and debt experts regularly offer their advice and commentary on the state of consumer finance to other media outlets.  For even more great advice and insight, we present to you the highlights from this week’s media appearances: RECOMMENDED: FREE CREDIT CHECK TOOL Credit Report Card Check your credit for free with this great tool from Credit.com. It offers expert advice on how to manage your credit. And you can return every 30…

  • Talk Credit Radio: Truth (and Myths) About Negotiating Debts

    Credit.com
    27 Jan 2012 | 12:03 pm
    This week on Talk Credit Radio: Friday January 27, 2012 Tune in to Talk Credit Radio this week with Credit.com’s personal finance expert Gerri Detweiler, live from 4-5 ET/1-2 PT. Ways to listen are listed below. Here’s a quick quiz: • True or False: There is a government program created by President Obama that requires credit card companies to work with you to pay off your debts. • True or False: Debt settlement companies can no longer charge upfront fees and must wait to get paid until they settle debt. • True or False: Creditors only negotiate with attorneys.

  • How Credit Card Balances Impact Your Score

    Tom Quinn
    27 Jan 2012 | 6:00 am
    A reader, Dylan, recently wrote in with a question for us. He has three credit cards and wants to know if it is better (results in higher points) to carry similar balances across all three cards or to carry a large balance on one of his cards and zero or very low balance on the other two cards.  The exact answer depends on the balance and ratios dynamics on Dylan’s credit cards, as well as his overall credit profile. [Related Article: 8 Credit Score Myths Debunked] How you manage your overall level of credit debt is a very important component of your credit score—and how you…

  • BofA Tests Credit Card-Tied Social Couponing

    Credit.com
    27 Jan 2012 | 6:00 am
    A new social couponing plan is being launched by the nation’s largest lender as a means of incentivizing more use of both debit and credit cards. Bank of America is currently testing a new program called BankAmeriDeals with its employees in North Carolina, South Carolina and Nevada, according to a report from The Associated Press. Currently, the bank has no timetable for rolling the plan out to consumers, but will soon extend it to its more than 275,000 employees nationwide to test it further. FREE TOOL: CHECK YOUR CREDIT Credit.com’s Credit Report Card Check your credit bureau…

  • Military Student Loan Forgiveness and Discharge Programs

    Steve Rhode
    26 Jan 2012 | 4:12 pm
    More and more at GetOutOfDebt.org we are getting questions about how to get your student loans eliminated, forgiven, or discharged if you are in or served in the military. It is absurdly ironic that members of the military can go into harm’s way, fight in combat and yet return home only to struggle to escape the invisible bondage of student loan debt. However, there are some real options that can help you do this, but like the military, there are rules to follow and hoops to jump through. [Article: Feds: Mortgage Companies Still Violating Military Families' Rights] Public Service Loan…
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    HousingWire

  • FHA serious delinquency rate inches up while originations decline

    JON PRIOR
    27 Jan 2012 | 6:13 pm
    The serious delinquency rate for Federal Housing Administration mortgages reached 9.6% in December, the highest level in more than two years, the Department of Housing and Urban Development said. More than 711,000 FHA-insured loans were seriously delinquent, up 18.9% from one year earlier, according to the HUD report. It's also a 3.2% increase from the month [...]

  • Maryland court rejects robo-signing lawsuit

    JACOB GAFFNEY
    27 Jan 2012 | 3:12 pm
    A Maryland court ruled that homeowners lose the right to file a subsequent lawsuit against a foreclosure proceeding if the grievances are not aired during the original foreclosure. In Maryland, all foreclosures must go through the courts. In the latest Smalley v. Shapiro & Burson ruling, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland said [...]

  • Fannie Mae multifamily mortgage EVP retires, replacement named

    KERRI PANCHUK
    27 Jan 2012 | 2:40 pm
    Kenneth Bacon, executive vice president of the Fannie Mae multifamily mortgage business, is retiring after 18 years at the mortgage giant. Jeff Hayward will assume Bacon's position leading the multifamily team, the government-sponsored enterprise said. Bacon has been planning his retirement for some time, a Fannie spokesman said. Hayward had been leading the company's [...]

  • Appraisal board solicits feedback on seller concessions

    KERRI PANCHUK
    27 Jan 2012 | 2:34 pm
    An appraisal practices board formed by The Appraisal Foundation is accepting feedback on a second draft of a proposal designed to advise appraisers on how to adjust comparable sales for seller concessions. The board was formed by the foundation in July of 2010 to issue guidance on recognized valuation methods. One of its focuses is on [...]

  • Treasury to pay investors triple for HAMP principal reductions

    JON PRIOR
    27 Jan 2012 | 2:15 pm
    [Update 1: Adds comment from FHFA Acting Director] The Treasury Department will triple payments to mortgage investors for reducing borrower principal through an expanded Home Affordable Modification Program announced Friday. Officials announced several critical changes to HAMP, including an enrollment extension to Dec. 31, 2013, from its original expiration date at the end of this year. The Treasury [...]
 
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    House Price Crash News Blog

  • Guardian: Buying now cheaper than renting, Halifax says

    drewster
    28 Jan 2012 | 5:24 am
    Buying a house is now much cheaper than renting, mortgage lender Halifax has claimed, in a remarkable turnaround from three years ago when the soaring property market priced out all but the wealthiest buyers. Halifax calculates that the monthly cost of buying the average three-bed home in the UK is now £600, 16% cheaper than the £716 it would cost to rent the same type of property. That contrasts with the peak of the property market in 2008, when a mortgage on the typical home cost around 29% more than renting. The figures come amid claims that first-time buyers are beginning to return…

  • Guardian: Who really gets government subsidised housing?

    drewster
    28 Jan 2012 | 5:20 am
    Official figures show government spends more money on supporting owner-occupiers than social tenants. In fact, council housing has been making a profit since 2008, which has been paid to the Treasury.

  • Bradford T&A: Property crook told to pay £140,000

    drewster
    28 Jan 2012 | 5:17 am
    A crooked Bradford property developer has been ordered by a Court to stump up £140,000 of his ill-gotten gains. He submitted false and forged documentation to the Land Registry in order to obtain ownership of derelict and empty houses in the Bradford and Halifax areas. He tried to illegally obtain ownership of four properties. He sold two properties on to unsuspecting developers and made £140,000 as a result. The scam cheated the rightful owners out of their legal rights of ownership.

  • Daily Telegraph: Britain's 'tackiest house' sells after six years

    stuartking
    28 Jan 2012 | 5:16 am
    Britain's biggest 'repossession' finally sold by receiver acting for Irish Government... but not for the asking price

  • Reuters: Treasury to take charge in next bank crisis

    alan
    27 Jan 2012 | 1:14 pm
    "The Treasury will have the power from next year to take charge in any future banking crisis, including being able to tell the Bank of England (BoE) to pump money into the financial system. Chancellor George Osborne published a draft law on Friday reforming the way Britain's financial system is regulated and setting out who has ultimate authority in a crisis" (It wasn't me Guv!)
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    Developments

  • (Video) Phil Mickelson Relists San Diego Home

    WSJ Staff
    27 Jan 2012 | 4:29 pm
    Golf champion Phil Mickelson has put his 9,500-square-foot, five-bedroom Tuscan-style home in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., a wealthy enclave near San Diego, back on the market for the reduced price of $7.1 million.

  • Rare Payoff on Vintage ’07 Commercial Loan

    Al Yoon
    27 Jan 2012 | 1:58 pm
    In some cases, it pays to wait out the slump in commercial real estate. A troubled-loan specialist firm recently sold the loan on the Crescent, a Beverly Hills, Calif., retail-and-apartment complex to a group of buyers including BlackRock Realty for about $85 million—about $8 million less than the property value at the height of the boom in 2007 but $12 million more than the loan’s unpaid balance. Harris Trifon, a commercial mortgage bond strategist at Deutsche Bank, characterized the sale as “astounding,” considering that the average loss on 2006 and 2007 vintage loans is…

  • Behind the Numbers: New-Home Sales Hit Record Low

    Dawn Wotapka
    26 Jan 2012 | 2:06 pm
    Another year, another record low for sales of new homes. Sales unexpectedly fell in December, putting the brakes on three months of increases, indicating that the hard-hit sector might not have hit bottom after all. Sales fell 2.2% from the prior month to a rate of 307,000 annualized. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires had forecast sales would tick up 1.9%. The total in 2010 was 323,000, the lowest amount since record keeping began in 1963. Particularly concerning is that December’s prices plunged 12.8% from the prior year to $210,300, a blow to anyone hoping prices had stopped…

  • Mortgage Rates Rise on Stronger Housing Reports

    WSJ Staff
    26 Jan 2012 | 12:31 pm
    By Mia Lamar Rates for fixed mortgages moved higher over the past week amid positive signals from the long-suffering U.S. housing market, according to Freddie Mac’s weekly survey of mortgage rates. “Fixed mortgage rates ticked up this week as the housing market ended 2011 on a high note,” said Freddie Mac Chief Economist Frank Nothaft, noting encouraging data like a report that existing home sales rose 5% at the end of the year to 4.61 million houses, the largest amount since May 2010. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.98% for the week ended Thursday, up from 3.88%…

  • Places for Home Builders to Dig In

    Robbie Whelan
    25 Jan 2012 | 5:41 pm
    Where are the best markets to build and sell new homes these days? Amid a flurry of housing news this week, including President Barack Obama’s latest mortgage-refinance proposal, comes an interesting piece of real-estate analysis in the building sector. Houston-based Metrostudy has analyzed the strongest markets for home builders. They include: San Diego; Southern California; Texas’s Rio Grande Valley; St. George, Utah; and Orlando. The research is by Brad Hunter, chief economist at Metrostudy, a company that, among other things, sends observers out each month to hundreds of new-home…
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    InvestorCentric

  • Fed Economists Laugh It Off

    Eric Ames
    23 Jan 2012 | 11:29 am
    A new graph is making its way around the Internet that charts the amount of laughter recorded by Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) stenographers during meetings between 2001 and 2006 – during the ramp-up to the recession. The graph shows that committee members had increasingly more fun as the years passed, and suggests they could have been doing more to keep an eye on the growing housing bubble that would soon burst. The FOMC is expected to announce a new initiative regarding interest-rate projections and future impact, and many are wondering how many will be laughing. For more on this…

  • Stiglitz Forecasts Financial Doom, Gloom

    Eric Ames
    13 Jan 2012 | 12:20 pm
    Columbia University professor and Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz is not optimistic about the prospect of the American Dream as the country moves into 2012. Stiglitz waxes philosophical about the country’s growing wage gap, terminal unemployment and financial crises that have erupted in multiple areas of the world. He opines that working on long-term problems like fiscal debt could actually solve short-term problems like unemployment if the world’s power players were not rooted in politics as usual. The fear, Stiglitz says, is that the system will cataclysmically right itself before cooler…

  • Fed Backs Conversion of Foreclosures into Rentals

    Eric Ames
    6 Jan 2012 | 11:31 am
    The Federal Reserve’s latest report on the U.S. housing market indicates its advocacy for the bundling and selling of government-owned foreclosed homes to investors who can then convert the homes into rental properties. The report notes that the market is not expected to improve and that interest in rentals will continue to increase, thereby opening the door to a government investment opportunity. Some critics believe, however, that the ulterior motive here is to neutralize an area (rental costs) that accounts the for the Fed’s “core” inflation rate by placing more rentals on the…

  • Farmland Values Soar in Heartland

    Eric Ames
    4 Jan 2012 | 12:22 pm
    Tim Iacono comments on a Brian Williams news segment detailing the rising prices of farmland across America’s heartland, particularly in Iowa, where Republican presidential candidates so recently debated. Prices in the area have risen more than 30% in Iowa and 25% on average throughout the Midwest. One land auction featured in the report resulted in a sale for more than $13,000 per acre – more than double the value from five years ago. Experts say the increases are driven by the rarity with which farmland comes on the market and the growing demand for agricultural products, particularly…

  • China Showing Signs of Economic Weakness

    Eric Ames
    20 Dec 2011 | 10:13 am
    Economist Paul Krugman takes an unflinching look at China’s current economic position, and believes what he sees is a mirror image of Japan in the 80s or the U.S. in 2007: a country that has relied on shady banking practices to sustain a boom in growth that now cannot be supported by domestic consumption or financing. Now, as the bubble is set to burst, the country seems ready to dig in its heels, particularly by issuing punitive tariffs on foreign trade partners. Krugman rightly notes that the last thing the global economy needs is another crisis point, but he also believes that is the…
 
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    The Housing Chronicles Blog

  • BuilderBytes' MetroIntelligence Economic Update for 1/27/12

    27 Jan 2012 | 1:15 pm
    Please click here to see the edition of BuilderBytes for 1/27/12 on the Web.In this issue of the MetroIntelligence Economic Update, I covered the following indicators:New home sales fall slightly from November to end worst year on record; inventory just 6.1 months at current sales ratesPending home sales ease in December but still above year-ago levelsFederal Reserve Open Market Committee opts to keep rates low through at least late 2014FHFA house price index rose by 1% in November but still down 18.8% from its April 2007 peakDurable goods orders surge for second consecutive month in…

  • BuilderBytes' MetroIntelligence Economic Update for 1/25/12

    25 Jan 2012 | 10:57 am
    Please click here to see the edition of BuilderBytes for 1/25/12 on the Web.In this issue of the MetroIntelligence Economic Update, I covered the following indicator:IMF predicts mild European recession, lower global growth for 2012Want to advertise in the newsletter and reach over 100,000 readers? Contact National Sales Manager Nick Cosan at nkosan@penpubinc.com.Want to make sure your company or event is included in the events calendar? Contact editor Dani Smith at dsmith@penpubinc.com.

  • BuilderBytes' MetroIntelligence Economic Update for 1/23/12

    23 Jan 2012 | 1:00 pm
    Please click here to see the edition of BuilderBytes for 1/23/12 on the Web.In this issue of the MetroIntelligence Economic Update, I covered the following indicators:Existing home sales in December show uptrendWant to advertise in the newsletter and reach over 100,000 readers? Contact National Sales Manager Nick Cosan at nkosan@penpubinc.com.Want to make sure your company or event is included in the events calendar? Contact editor Dani Smith at dsmith@penpubinc.com.

  • BuilderBytes' MetroIntelligence Economic Update for 1/20/12

    20 Jan 2012 | 12:28 pm
    Please click here to see the edition of BuilderBytes for 1/20/12 on the Web.In this issue of the MetroIntelligence Economic Update, I covered the following indicators:NAHB Housing Market Index rises to highest levels since June of 2007Housing starts fall more than expected in December to cap worst year on record; building permits remain flatPhiladelphia Fed survey shows continued moderate growth in JanuaryInitial unemployment claims drop by 50,000 from previous weekCPI unchanged in December but up by 3.0% for 2011Industrial production rose by 0.4% in December and by 3.1% in 4Q 2011Wholesale…

  • Quoted in L.A. times story on new home sales

    18 Jan 2012 | 12:00 pm
    The L.A. Times' Alejandro Lazo called me yesterday to talk about the latest statistics from Dataquick for Southern California, and, more specifically, what to expect for new home sales in 2012. In brief: a slight improvement which will be more pronounced in urban infill areas than in outlying suburbs unless builders have a compelling proposition to make versus cheaper existing homes (such as Lennar's inter-generational NextGen homes or KBHome's energy-efficient models):Sales of newly built homes suffered the most, falling 12% in December from the previous month to hit their lowest level on…
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    House Keys | Sun Sentinel Blogs

  • Ask a real estate pro: Why bother with a short sale?

    27 Jan 2012 | 5:00 am
    Board-certified real estate attorney Gary M. Singer answers housing questions in this space each Friday. To ask him a question about short sales, mortgages, refinancing, homeowner's associations or any other residential real estate topic, click here. Q: I have been relocated, and my property is underwater. My credit is not important to me, so I am thinking about just walking away from my house as opposed to taking the trouble of doing a short sale. Is there any reason I should not just walk away? – Anonymous A: Yes. If you just walk away, you are doing more damage than just accepting a bad…

  • RealtyTrac: Distressed homes account for 22 percent of Broward sales

    26 Jan 2012 | 2:14 pm
    South Florida looks more like the rest of the country when it comes to distressed home sales, but the trend may not last, analysts say. Homes and condominiums in some stage of foreclosure accounted for 22 percent of all Broward County sales in the third quarter, down from 48 percent a year earlier, RealtyTrac said Thursday. In Palm Beach County, distressed sales made up 25 percent of all sales, compared with 35 percent a year ago. Nationwide, one in five sales was a distressed property in the July-to-September period. Although good news, the downward trend appears to be a temporary result of…

  • Deion Sanders stars in Century 21 Super Bowl ad

    25 Jan 2012 | 5:00 am
    Another sign that the housing market is bouncing back: Century 21, the iconic real estate company, is spending serious coin on a Super Bowl commercial. The ad will run in the third quarter of the Feb. 5 clash between the Giants and Patriots. The 30-second spot will feature Hall of Fame cornerback Deion “Prime Time” Sanders, Donald Trump and speedskater Apolo Ohno. “The Super Bowl comes just before the spring selling season, making it a perfect time to signal our confidence in our agents and in the American real estate market,” Beverly Thorne, Century 21’s chief marketing officer,…

  • Consumer group slams proposed PIP law

    24 Jan 2012 | 7:30 am
    From Staff Writer Doreen Hemlock: Debate is heating up in the Florida Legislature on how to change the personal injury protection (PIP) part of auto insurance coverage. House staffers gave a briefing Monday on their plans, drawing criticism from consumer advocates. Here’s the reaction from the Florida Consumer Action Network and its executive director Bill Newton: "The insurance industry is up to the same old tricks -- looking for ways to raise insurance companies’ profit margins with little regard for the rights of consumers. Using the guise of fraud prevention, bad PIP legislation…

  • Citizens adds rebuilding cost options for homeowners

    23 Jan 2012 | 1:15 pm
    Citizens Property Insurance Corp., the state’s largest insurer, announced a change Friday to the way it handles property valuations for determining rebuilding costs. The insurer said homeowners now will have other options, including appraisals, besides the 360Value software. "Our policyholders need to make sure that they can repair or replace their homes in the event of a catastrophic loss. It is important to provide our customers with a range of reconstruction cost options when determining insured value," Citizens President Scott Wallace said in a statement. Citizens started changing its…
 
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    News-to-Use from Region VIII Office of Multifamily Housing

  • EIV Existing Tenant Search Clarification

    5 Jan 2012 | 6:00 am
    What documentation is needed in an applicant's file if the applicant household is rejected for a reason identified in an owner's Tenant Selection Plan? The policies for rejecting applicants have not changed with the addition of the EIV Existing Tenant Search screening criteria. HUD Handbook 4350.3 REV-1, paragraph 4-9 allows an owner to reject an applicant if the applicant is ineligible for occupancy in a particular unit or property. There are several program and project eligibility requirements that must be met by an applicant household. If an applicant fails to meet one of these eligibility…

  • Housing Notice 2011-21, Enterprise Income Verification (EIV) System

    31 Aug 2011 | 7:00 am
    Housing Notice 2011-21, Enterprise Income Verification (EIV) System, was issued August 19, 2011. This Notice supersedes Notices H 2008-03, H 2009-20, and H 2010-10. The Notice is posted on HUDCLIPS at http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=11-21hsgn.pdf

  • Housing Notice 2011-20, Guidelines on Bed Bug Control and Prevention in HUD Insured and Assisted Multifamily Housing

    31 Aug 2011 | 7:00 am
    Housing Notice 2011-20, Guidelines on Bed Bug Control and Prevention in HUD Insured and Assisted Multifamily Housing, was issued August 19, 2011. This Notice provides information and references to best practices regarding the prevention and control of bed bug infestations. It also provides guidance on the rights and responsibilities of HUD, Owners and Management Agents (O/As) and tenants with regard to bed bug infestations. The Notice has been attached and is also available on HUDCLIPS at http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=11-20hsgn.pdf

  • HUD Headquarters presented a 202 NOFA Broadcast on April 7 to discuss the changes and requirements contained in the FY2010 Section 202 NOFA

    13 Apr 2011 | 7:00 am
    It is strongly suggested you make every attempt to view this recorded broadcast as there are many changes contained in the FY 2010 NOFA. In addition, the Denver Multifamily HUB will be offering a workshop on April 29th from 9:00am to 1:00pm to discuss the changes and answer any questions you may have. Please RSVP by close of business on April 25th if you plan to attend. If you have any questions, please email elaine.m.chavez@hud.gov or phone (303) 672-5427.

  • Violence Against Women Act Conforming Amendments; Final Rule, Published in Federal Register

    24 Nov 2010 | 6:00 am
    HUD Programs: Violence Against Women Act Conforming Amendments; Final Rule, was published in the Federal Register on October 27, 2010, it can be found at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-26914.pdf. The final rule becomes effective November 26, 2010.
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    Alter NOW

  • Is AirBnB Becoming the eBay of Vacation Rentals?

    Tom Silva
    25 Jan 2012 | 11:13 am
    The global apartment sharing startup AirBnB has raised $112 million at a $1.3 billion valuation, confirming rumors about the fast-growing company which books rooms, apartments and houses in destinations from New York to San Francisco to Hawaii to London to Paris to Barcelona to Buenos Aires.  The round was led by Andreessen Horowitz (AH).  Reports are that Andreessen invested $60 million; another $40 million came from DST; $5 million from General Catalyst, and the rest from earlier investors and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.  The round is the second for the San Francisco-based company, bringing…

  • Government Wants to Sell Foreclosed Properties in Bulk as Rentals

    Tom Silva
    24 Jan 2012 | 10:15 am
    The Obama administration plans to work closely with federal regulators, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to start a pilot program to sell government-owned foreclosures in bulk to investors as rentals, according to administration officials. There currently are approximately 250,000 foreclosed properties on the books of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), and millions more are expected.  Last year’s foreclosure processing delays created an enormous backlog of properties yet to be processed and are just now being restarted. One of the program’s initiatives is…

  • A Tale of Two Countries: Germany and Spain

    Catalina Parada
    23 Jan 2012 | 10:52 am
    Germany’s unemployment declined more than predicted in December as car and machinery exports boomed and one of the mildest winters on record helped construction jobs. The number of jobless people declined a seasonally adjusted 22,000 to 2.89 million, according to the Nuremberg-based Federal Labor Agency.  Economists had forecast a decline of 10,000.  The adjusted jobless rate fell to just 6.8 percent.  German firms are working virtually nonstop to fulfill orders for exports and investment goods.  As a result, the nation has defied a debt crisis that the European Commission fears will…

  • Fallout From European Credit Downgrades Still Underway

    James I. Clark III
    23 Jan 2012 | 9:55 am
    European leaders will this week try to deliver new fiscal rules and cut Greece’s onerous debt burden.  All this in the wake of Standard & Poor’s (S&P) Eurozone downgrades. France was not the only Eurozone nation to feel the pain. Austria was cut to AA+ from AAA; Cyprus to BB+ from BBB; Italy to BBB+ from A; Malta to A- from A; Portugal to BB from BBB-; the Slovak Republic to A from A+; Slovenia to A+ from AA-; and Spain to A from AA-. S&P left the AAA ratings of Germany, Finland, Luxembourg and the Netherlands the same. The European Central Bank (ECB) emerged unscathed.  The…

  • That “Kodak Moment” Could Be a Thing of the Past

    Tom Silva
    17 Jan 2012 | 2:21 pm
    An American icon is on the verge of bankruptcy. The 131-year-old Eastman Kodak Company — long-time manufacturer of cameras and film — whose highly recognizable “K” logo is a universal symbol around the world, is preparing to seek bankruptcy protection in the next weeks. The venerable firm could be saved if it sells its valuable digital patents very quickly, but Kodak officials are preparing for the worst, and talking to banks about the possibility of borrowing $1 billion to keep the company in business during bankruptcy proceedings.  Their plan is to sell some 1,100…
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    NHC Open House Blog

  • FTA recognizes need to coordinate transit investments and affordable housing policy

    26 Jan 2012 | 2:02 pm
    by Ethan Handelman, National Housing ConferenceThis week, NHC loses a gifted and hardworking policy associate, Clare Duncan. Clare isn’t moving too far away in her new job at Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future, and as her new organization is both an NHC member and extremely active in the affordable housing world, we'll get to see plenty of her. Still, we'll be sad to see her go. Clare did leave us with a parting gift, though. During the last week of Clare's tenure, we learned of the success of a major effort that she, others at NHC/CHP and the broader housing community have…

  • The State of Housing

    25 Jan 2012 | 8:22 am
    by Ethan Handelman, National Housing Conference In last night’s State of the Union address, President Obama paid specific attention to the housing crisis and its economic cost to the country. He called for “smart regulations” to ensure responsible behavior by all participants in housing and mortgage markets. And he called for a mass refinancing plan, which could help many existing homeowners if implemented correctly. We eagerly await details and hope for thoughtful, nonpartisan attention to housing. The speech underscores the critical need for federal action to support housing, and…

  • New study shows high downpayment requirement would exclude many for little benefit

    20 Jan 2012 | 9:20 am
    by Ethan Handelman, National Housing Conference Setting a high downpayment or other requirements for mortgage loans would do far less to reduce defaults than it would to exclude borrowers with low incomes or from communities of color from homeownership, according to a new report from the Center for Responsible Lending and the Center for Community Capital at the University of North Carolina. The research findings focus specifically on the proposed rule for qualified residential mortgages (QRM) which implements parts of the Dodd-Frank financial reform law. Since the proposed rule came out, NHC…

  • Where families go after foreclosure

    18 Jan 2012 | 2:00 pm
    by Laura Williams, Center for Housing Policy One of the most interesting questions about foreclosures is about what happens afterwards. Does the house sit vacant? Do criminals steal the copper pipes? Is the yard kept up? Does crime increase in the neighborhood? Does the home become a rental property? What happens to the family? The Center will be hosting a webinar on that last question next week (register here!), and in advance I wanted to bring up a couple of additional studies that have tried to find out what happens to families after a foreclosure. In the first, from October of last year,…

  • NHC, U.S. Green Building Council and 14 partners release recommendations to Obama Administration for executive action to accelerate “greening” and improve sustainability in buildings

    18 Jan 2012 | 9:12 am
    by Blake Warenik, National Housing Conference and Center for Housing Policy Along with 14 partners, NHC and the U.S. Green Building Council today announced the release of a report that recommends nearly three-dozen executive actions across 23 agency programs where the Obama Administration can drive the economic and environmental benefits of green building without new legislation. The report, Better Buildings though Executive Action: Leveraging Existing Authorities to Promote Energy Efficiency and Sustainability in Multifamily and Commercial Buildings, builds on a 2010 report that identified…
 
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    Lakeland Real Estate Expert

  • Just Listed! 1/25/2012 Edition

    gatearty
    25 Jan 2012 | 11:00 am
    1636 Settlers Creek Dr, Lakeland FL 33810 4 Beds, 2 Baths, 2,266 Sq. Ft for $110,000 Contact Darren Moreno – 863-409-7766 or call our office at 863-680-9988 Short sale! This home was built in 2006 and with a little TLC you can own ALOT of home for very little. Settled on a corner lot of the Settlers Creek Community this home features 4 bedrooms and 2 and a half bathrooms. With Plenty of space to spread out the family, features separate family room, dining room and living room. Archways through the doorways, tile throughout the entire first floor and the Lanai as well. There is plenty of…

  • Just Listed! 1/20/2012 Edition

    gatearty
    20 Jan 2012 | 11:00 am
    1041 Trace Pl, Lakeland FL 33813 3 Beds, 2 Baths, 1,395 Sq. Ft for $119,900 Contact Gate Arty – 863-680-9988 or call our office at 863-680-9988 Cozy residence nestled on a quiet secluded street. Only minutes away from local shopping & Eaglebrooke Golf Course. Screened patio overlooks sprawling fenced backyard. Located in the G. Jenkins school district.Great kitchen features brand new stainless steel appliances. Residence has been completely updated & has been meticulously cared for. Move-in condition. Other features include: security system, inside utility, two car garage,…

  • Just Listed! 1/19/2012 Edition

    gatearty
    19 Jan 2012 | 11:00 am
    639 Kensington St, Lakeland FL 33803 3 Beds, 2 Baths, 1,440 Sq. Ft for $80,000 Contact Gate Arty – 863-680-9988 or call our office at 863-680-9988 Short Sale – listing price may not be sufficient to cover all encumbrances, closing costs, or other seller charges. Sale of property at full listing price may be conditioned upon approval of third parties. Cozy home located in the middle of Lakeland! Within walking distance of Cleveland Heights Golf Course, Lake Hollingsworth parks, tennis courts, and so much more! For more photos and complete details visit: Home for sale in Lakeland…

  • Just Listed! 1/12/2012 Edition

    gatearty
    12 Jan 2012 | 11:00 am
    615 Elizabeth Ln, Lakeland FL 33809 2 Beds, 2 Baths, 1,152 Sq. Ft for $46,000 Contact Jeanna Jackson – 863-559-8123 or call our office at 863-680-9988 Very nice, clean home located in a 55+ community on Lake Gibson. Community pool, beautiful clubhouse,shuffleboard,lake access and view. New roofover in 07, new A/C in 2009, irrigation system,newer appliances. Some furnishings included in sale. Large living room:15×13. Own your own land, no lot rent. Not a short sale so you can close quickly. For more photos and complete details visit: Home for sale in Lakeland – - – -…

  • Just Listed! 1/11/2012 Edition

    gatearty
    11 Jan 2012 | 11:00 am
    5225 Imperial Lakes Blvd # 22, Mulberry FL 33860 2 Beds, 1 Baths, 1,087 Sq. Ft for $89,000 Contact Becky Lane – 863-602-8605 or call our office at 863-680-9988 Short Sale. This adorable 2/1 condo is move in ready! It has wood laminate flooring, a wet bar in the living area, spacious bedrooms and a relaxing lanai which overlooks the golf course. The Double Eagle condos in Imperial Lakes are well established and maintained and have very low turnover. For more photos and complete details visit: Home for sale in Mulberry – - – - – - 627 Pine Ridge Dr, Lakeland FL 33809 2…
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    Austin Texas Real Estate Blog

  • Seeking Your Ideas and Perspective - Planning for 2012 and Beyond

    Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (512-796-7653) (Austin Texas Homes, LLC)
    7 Jan 2012 | 1:49 pm
    If you don't mind, I'd love to hear some input and perspective from you. I have a number of decisions on my mind with our company, and I would welcome any helpful advice/direction. Please note that I said "helpful". :) I'm editing this opening paragraph now that I've finished writing the rest of the post and I realize that some of the stuff I wrote below seems a little disjointed. Hang in there if you can. Here's the thing: I've been selling homes full-time in Austin for 15 years as of this month. I started my own brokerage just over 7 years ago. We've had some very good years (thankfully,…

  • A Few Thoughts on Influence

    Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (512-796-7653) (Austin Texas Homes, LLC)
    20 Dec 2011 | 2:16 pm
    It seems as though I hear more and more these days about the notion of "influence", both from sites like Klout and from various industry lists (Most Influential, etc.). My intent with this post is not to discount or disavow any such influence, but to provide some food for thought. There are plenty of people I can point to throughout the course of my life who have served as good influences on me and my character. Of course, I also had a few that were...less than helpful.  When it comes to my own personal influence, there aren't that many areas that concern me. Here's a sample: Am I…

  • The Real Estate Mystery

    Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (512-796-7653) (Austin Texas Homes, LLC)
    28 Sep 2011 | 4:35 pm
    I've been selling homes full-time in Austin since 1997. I've trained dozens of local agents, and coached many others around the country. As a broker and owner of my own independent real estate firm, I've helped with hundreds of transactions. Through my online networking efforts and "in person" conferences, I'm thankful that I've met hundreds (maybe thousands) of agents.  Why do I mention this? Well, it's pretty straightforward. Having encountered agents and clients of all types, I've noticed one trend: Real estate is neither as easy as clients think, nor as hard as agents think. Allow me to…

  • Selling a Home? Here are Some Factors that you CAN Control

    Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (512-796-7653) (Austin Texas Homes, LLC)
    20 Aug 2011 | 9:48 am
    When you’re trying to sell your home, there are things that you simply can’t change. If you bought in an awkward location, there’s not much you can do about that now. If the plan isn’t as functional/modern as most buyers would prefer, this is something that may cost too much to remedy. You also can’t really control which buyers are in the market at any given time. However, there are three big items that you can and DO control: Price Condition Agent Pricing: This is a biggie. Make sure that you give this part some sincere thought. You and your listing agent don't dictate the market -…

  • Despite What You May Have Heard, Some Realtors Do Have Integrity

    Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (512-796-7653) (Austin Texas Homes, LLC)
    8 Aug 2011 | 10:16 pm
    When dealing with real estate clients, one of the more difficult objections to overcome in the real estate industry is the fact that we are often perceived as predatory and unprofessional. If I had a nickel for every time I heard this phrase, "I haven't had very good experiences with REALTORS®", well, I'd have a whole lot of nickels. My response? "Neither have I." However, over the past couple of years, I am happy to report that I have rarely run across the types of agents who have traditionally given all of us a bad name. Yes, there are some who are still out there, but I get the feeling…
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    Start With the House

  • 12 Things to Do in 2012 to Help Yourself

    Tom Tousignant
    19 Jan 2012 | 6:30 am
    With the start of a New Year, it’s a great time to look at what you want to accomplish financially over the next twelve months.  Who has time for that?  You do! Sometime over the next few months, you are going to have to collect all that paperwork for preparing your taxes.  This is a perfect time to add an extra hour to the process and consider this list – do it for yourself and your financial safety & Success: Build an Emergency Fund – make sure you have some cash that can tide you over if something goes wrong. Pay off any debts that aren’t increasing your wealth…

  • Why Start with the House?

    Tom Tousignant
    10 Dec 2011 | 5:56 am
    I came up with the idea for “Start with the House” a few years ago after looking at financial profiles of several hundred home buyers and home owners.  I realized that people have a much greater chance of getting ahead financially when they ‘Start with the House”. What does it mean to Start with the House?  It means that financial success becomes a lot easier when decisions about home ownership and home financing are made first, then other choices close to home are made next, and lastly financial choices unrelated to where you live are made. Financial Priorities: The…

  • Real Estate Update for November 2011

    Tom Tousignant
    8 Nov 2011 | 2:49 pm
    November KCM 2011 View more webinars from Steve Harney

  • Asset Location

    Tom Tousignant
    19 May 2011 | 9:43 am
    Typical Asset Allocation Picture Many Financial Planners will talk about “Asset Allocation Strategies” as a way to safely grow your net worth.  Asset Allocation strategies sound pretty complicated to me, so I like to look at “Asset Location” first. What is Asset Location? Asset Location is having a plan for where you are going to locate your Assets – more simply, where are you going to store your money.  In terms of Start with the House, Asset Location is one of the final steps.  After you have: Established an Emergency Fund Paid of Credit Card Debt gotten the…

  • The Importance of Saving Money

    Tom Tousignant
    16 May 2011 | 7:45 am
    the most important factor about saving money is to start today.  Saving a little today will almost always give you more money than saving more money, but starting later. Consider this example, and ask yourself, who will end up with the most money at retirement? “Sarah the Saver” is a hard worker who understands the value of time and the importance of saving.  She starts saving money when she is 16. Each year, she saves $2,000 – roughly 250 hours of work at minimum wage. when she is 16, it is about half of her summer earnings – six weeks of full-time work in the summer.
 
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    REALTOR.com® Blogs

  • What Can We Do If We Feel Our Realtor Is Too Inexperienced?

    Ask a Realtor
    27 Jan 2012 | 7:45 pm
    Q: What do we do if we are worried that our Realtor, whom we love, is just too inexperienced?–Lisa, Beachwood, OH A: If you feel the Realtor is too inexperienced, you could ask him/her to team up with a more experienced one through this transaction. Or if that still doesn’t appeal to you, then perhaps ask him/her to refer you to an experienced agent (you get the benefit of being represented by an experienced agent and your Realtor friend can still be compensated via a referral fee).Alex Cortez is a Realtor® with Wailea Village Properties LLC dba/Island Sotheby’s in Kihei,…

  • If We Add A Bathroom Without A Permit Will It Affect Our Home’s Resale Value?

    Ask a Realtor
    27 Jan 2012 | 7:18 pm
    Q: My wife and I are considering converting a large closet into a half bath. The project is relatively simple as the closet is adjacent to another bath and feasible after having consulted with three different contractors. Given the high bureaucracy in our city to get all the permits needed, we are wondering if we can just do it without going through the hassle of submitting and obtaining the permit. We know that several people do it in our city for the same reason. Our concern is that when the time comes in the future to sell the house, if the fact of having this half bath not showing in the…

  • Should I Use The Realtor My Loan Officer Recommends?

    Ask a Realtor
    27 Jan 2012 | 7:05 pm
    Q: My mortgage loan originator recommended a couple of Realtors to use in finding and purchasing a home. What are the pros and cons, if any, in doing that?–Nick Is Not My Name, Ankeny, IA A:vHe/she can recommend agents with whom they have an established relationship (whether it is a friendship or more business-related, such as referring business to each other whenever possible or collecting referral fees) or agents with whom they have worked with in the past and are deemed to be professional and diligent. However, ultimately it is YOUR responsibility to find an agent who YOU feel best…

  • Contracts to Purchase Hold Near 19-month High

    Blockershopper
    27 Jan 2012 | 7:02 pm
    By Vernon Easton Figures from the National Association of Realtors show that the index of pending home sales dropped 3.5 percent last month after jumping a combined 18 percent in October and November. According to Bloomberg, the action shows stabilization in the market, which began in late 2011 and could continue into the new year. The number of Americans signing contracts to buy previously owned homes in December held near a 19-month high. The showing was also the best back-to-back reading since a buyer tax credit boosted demand in early 2010. “We’ve had a clear turn toward…

  • Open House Round-Up, Week of 01/27/2012

    Deidre Woollard
    27 Jan 2012 | 6:39 pm
    This four-bedroom home in Missouri City, Texas will be open on January 29 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. It has no back neighbors and is close to two public golf courses right in the neighborhood. The backyard has recent landscaping, large pool and extra room attached to the garage which could be used as a rec room, hobby room or office. This home is listed for $259,000. Next we head to Asbury Park, NJ to check out this renovated three-bedroom home open on January 29 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The home has a new kitchen with granite countertops and stainless steel applicances. The remodeled bathroom has a…
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    LoopNet Commercial Real Estate Blog

  • LoopNet’s Pro Tools: Point. Click. Market.

    Mea Chavez
    25 Jan 2012 | 6:40 pm
    Pro Tools makes instant marketing easy. Turn your listing details into professional flyers, websites, and email blasts. All with your brand. All with a just a few clicks. Some commercial real estate professionals have already given it a try and gotten hooked. “My clients think I spent hours making their flyers, when it really only took a few minutes.” Sabina Holtzman President, Stephen Frank Associates, LLC Flyers & Brochures   Select from multiple templates to create professional marketing materials on-the-fly.  Customize your flyers using color options, adding content or…

  • A look back at 2011... and a peek forward

    Thomas Byrne
    3 Jan 2012 | 12:38 pm
    It’s hard to believe another year has come and gone but 2012 is already here. As the team works to plan for the year, I always like to take some time to reflect back on the past year and the commercial real estate sector. Looking back on 2011, three things really stand out.Mobile Technology is the real dealCommercial Real Estate is socialLoopNet had an incredible yearMobile Technology The rise of mobile technology is hard to ignore. And it is impossible to argue we have come a long way since the first cell phone in 1984 commonly referred to as “the brick”. I vividly remember using it…

  • 2012: The Year of Mobile for CRE

    justin hu
    2 Jan 2012 | 12:02 pm
    Looks like CRE Pros wanted iPads and iPhones for Christmas this year. We hit an all time high of LoopNet app downloads last week! Each month we're seeing record growth in visits to LoopNet via mobile devices each month. Soon 1 out of every 4 visits to LoopNet will be mobile (vs desktop). And we're not standing still, we're hard at work on an update to our mobile apps that'll allow you to do even more with LoopNet.This year will be the year of mobile for commercial real estate. More and more professionals are taking advantage of the benefits of having all the information they need on the road.

  • Do you know how big Santa's House is?

    Michele - Marketing Team
    22 Dec 2011 | 4:07 pm
    With just a few days until Christmas we thought it might be fun to take a closer look at Santa’s House up in the North Pole. (Yep – we even have a property record for that)Turns out Santa’s House is over 11,361 SF.View more photos and learn more about Santa’s House on the LoopNet property record.Happy Holidays!

  • Check out the enhancements to our Property Comps reports

    Tu - Product
    19 Dec 2011 | 5:26 pm
    We’re happy to announce that LoopNet just made an exciting enhancement to the reporting feature in Property Comps. We've added auto-save! This means whenever you create a sales comp report on LoopNet it will now automatically be saved for future edits or re-use. Create a sales comp report on LoopNet: To start a report, simply select one or more comps from the search results and then click “Create Report”.Choose among our six customizable templates and click Create Report. (We have a detailed One-Page Report, a Property Comparison Report, and a Listing Broker Call Sheet, to name a…
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    Web Real Estate Marketing

  • One vision of the future for real estate agents

    Peter Toner
    26 Jan 2012 | 5:30 am
    Will real estate as we know it, be dead different by 2010? Back in 1999 my office manager and I concluded that someday soon, a system to automate the sales paperwork process from start to finish, would be a viable business opportunity. We were in agreement that a system like this would radically change real estate as we then knew it. Because if it were an open system available to consumers, it would be one less reason to use a real estate professional. But here we are 13 years later and whilst we have seen some remarkable changes to market conditions, is access to applications like…

  • Onswipe’s WordPress plugin – review.

    Peter Toner
    19 Jan 2012 | 6:05 pm
    “This magazine doesn’t work”  is a video shared by Jason Baptiste … …. of OnSwipe in his Keynote address at Inman Connect. Apple products have changed our concepts and mindsets and their technology codes our minds!  The video (further down) shows how magazines are now useless and impossible to understand, for digital natives. A 1-year old already realizes that print is irrelevant to her world, an obvious conclusion for a baby given the choice. Adults too are glamming onto the easy of media consumption – just look at the rising numbers of tablet sales with…

  • Two takes on how social media works

    Peter Toner
    6 Jan 2012 | 9:05 am
    Gary Vaynerchuk is the master, with insanely great analogies … I have watched a number of Gary V’s speeches and this one is probably his most comprehensive and complete explanation of how social media works and how it can be leveraged – provided you are willing to “listen” .. ** warning – Gary uses strong language ** … and here is Gary again, this time with Piers Morgan (and no F bombs):

  • Facebook Timeline business cards for free

    Peter Toner
    5 Jan 2012 | 2:26 pm
    Business cards derived from your Facebook Timeline! This is a really great idea – Moo uses the info on your timeline to create a two sided business card – you can edit the info if you want before committing to print. I don’t know how long the promotion will last but the first 200,000 get 50 cards free! Here is the link to Moo Setting up your card requires Moo to access your Facebook account, then it only took about 5 minutes to complete the setup and ordering – how cool …  Thanks to Chris Smith of Inman Next for this tip. Here is a proof of my cards: BTW –…

  • Become a real estate expert – they earn more money!

    Peter Toner
    15 Dec 2011 | 12:49 pm
      This is the text from one of the follow up emails that form part of our free eBook  “I just got my real estate license, now what?” A Plan for Fast Track real estate career success. Works for struggling agents too! Please don’t be a generalist. People value and pay more attention to experts in their respective fields. That’s true of most professions including Doctors, Lawyers and of course Realtors. Experts usually earn more money too! So let’s examine, using Portland as an example, how you can become an expert in your market. If you reside somewhere in Portland…
 
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    DanoSongs.com Free Music Downloads

  • Ambient Classical Guitar | Meditation Relaxation | Unde Altus

    dano@danosongs.com (Dan-O (DanoSongs.com))
    22 Jan 2012 | 8:47 am
    Carl Sagan - Image via Wikipedia My classical guitar song “En La Brisa” seems to be useful to allot of people. So I decided to create another, but with a more ethereal dramatic sound that could be used under dialog in a soundtrack. This works out since I am working on the score for my short sci fi film. It turns out that this track, which uses some vast ambient sounds, its really relaxing and meditative. So folks could also just download the mp3, sit back and listen : ) You can of course use this as royalty free music for YouTube videos, subliminal affirmation CDs, films, or as…

  • New Hard Dubstep Music: City of Innocence

    dano@danosongs.com (Dan-O (DanoSongs.com))
    11 Jan 2012 | 8:36 am
    Image via Wikipedia Hi, here is a new dubstep style track. I’m very into heavy electronic music in soundtracks lately. For instance, the movie Hannah has some amazing action scenes with fast, heavy retro electronica – great movie. You can use this royalty free to remix, use in a YouTube video, film, etc.  Just check out the licence for complete details. All things truly wicked start from innocence. – Ernest Hemingway New Dubstep Music: City of Innocence.mp3 Related articles Year in Review 2011; Dubstep. (chaos878.wordpress.com) No such thing as too much dub (bombbeats.org)…

  • Ambient Dub: Joy in Land Formation + Parallel Universes – Are They Real?

    dano@danosongs.com (Dan-O (DanoSongs.com))
    27 Dec 2011 | 5:00 am
    Image via Wikipedia Im exploring a new style this week called ambient dub. This track is called “Joy in Land Formation”. I also discovered a new cable tv channel called “Sci” which was hidden all the way up in the hundreds. There are tons of amazing shows and is now my second tv spot after SyFy! Plus, I watched this totally mind blowing show (video trailer above) “Morgan Freeman hosts this journey through quantum physics as Curiosity answers the question, Parallel Universes – Are They Real?” Joy in looking and comprehending is nature’s most…

  • Crunk Dance Music: Rehab Sunglasses

    dano@danosongs.com (Dan-O (DanoSongs.com))
    19 Dec 2011 | 5:00 am
    Image via Wikipedia This is a new track called “Rehab Sunglasses” in the crunk style made popular by Lil Jon. Crunk is mainly known for super heavy base lines over electronic beats. This track also has a rave techo and dubstep flavor that is a bit different than traditional Crunk. Its a full length instrumental piece you could use for a complete song. “After The Matrix, I cannot wear sunglasses. As soon as I put them on, people recognize me.” - Carrie-Anne Moss To download just right click and select “save as”. Read How to Download a File if you have…

  • Instrumental Electronica: Permafrost

    dano@danosongs.com (Dan-O (DanoSongs.com))
    9 Dec 2011 | 11:27 am
    Image via Wikipedia Hi, here is a new complete instrumental electronica song called “Permafrost”. This is the 4th track in a series I am producing for a new vocal album which I am excited about. The other tracks for the CD so far are “Junk Ship Gold”, “Inkarnation” and “Heart Quake”. It will be an electronica pop album with songs similar to my vocal track “Silk”. After I record all 10 instrumentals I will write lyrics and record singing. You can check them all out here. “Dramatic discoveries … about recent gullies,…
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    St. John's Real Estate Blog

  • 17 Tobin Crescent: For lease in St. John’s east end

    Stephen Winters
    9 Jan 2012 | 8:57 am
    Located on a quiet street in the East End of St. John’s.  Very well looked after 3 + 1 bedroom bungalow with lots of upgrades.  Hardwood floors.  Updated kitchen and bathroom.  Open concept living room/dining room.  Wood burning fireplace.  Fully developed basement with rec room, laundry room, 3 piece bathroom and lots of storage.  For lease: $1250 a month pou. Includes fridge, stove, dishwasher, washer and dryer.  Close to MUN, schools and hospital. Contact Fraser or Stephen Winters for more information. Virtual tour of 17 Tobin Crescent

  • St. John’s Newfoundland MLS Stats for December 2011

    Stephen Winters
    7 Jan 2012 | 7:11 am
    As the end of 2011 came to a close we saw the “normal” slow down leading up to Christmas.  Typically new listings and offers slow til after the holidays yet the stats for “sales closed” increase. You can see this below as most of the listing to sales ratios for selected areas are well over 100%. 2011 ended up being a good year for real estate in St. John’s.  We saw modest gains and lots of the listing inventory dried up.  Expired listings were well up from previous years.  Average time on the market for a house as 2011 ended was approximately 70 days.

  • St. John’s RE/MAX Market share for 2011

    Stephen Winters
    6 Jan 2012 | 8:21 am

  • Vacancy Rate Remains Low in St. John’s Area

    Stephen Winters
    15 Dec 2011 | 8:43 am
    From the CMHC press release regarding vacancy rates in St. John’s. According to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC) Fall Rental Market Survey, the vacancy rate in the St. John’s Census metropolitan area (CMA) was 1.3 per cent, compared to 1.1 per cent in 2010. “With record employment and income growth attracting people to the region, population growth continued to create rental demand as new immigrants have a high tendency to rent,” said Chris Janes, senior market analyst with CMHC in Newfoundland and Labrador. “An increase in home prices and a solid economy also…

  • St. John’s Newfoundland MLS Stats for November 2011

    Stephen Winters
    7 Dec 2011 | 8:11 am
    The number of home sales in St. John’s increased in November to 477.  This is up 30% from November 2010.  There was a fair amount of activity this month compared to the previous months.   Listings were up only 2% and expired listings dropped back to 10%, but it was the 30% gain in sales for November made a huge difference to our market place.  It’s good to see expired listings  slowly dropping to normal levels.   With lots of buyers in the market place we should see a fairly active beginning to 2012 in St. John’s. RE/MAX released their Canadian Housing Market…
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    Miami Beach Real Estate Blog ~ Giving You The Low Down On The High End of Sunny Isles, Bal Harbour & Miami Beach Real Estate

  • Sunny Isles Beach Luxury Oceanfront Condo Market Index 1Q 2012

    AshtonColeman
    2 Jan 2012 | 2:13 pm
    Edition #8 of the January 2012 Sunny Isles Condo Index We’ll be reviewing the latest  trends and comparing the luxury oceanfront market from the 1Q 2011 Condo Index to today’s updated 1Q 2012 Sunny Isles Condo Index including premier oceanfront towers such as Turnberry Ocean Colony,Acqualina, JADE Ocean, JADE Beach, Trump Palace, Trump Royale, Ocean Four, Sayan, Trump Towers, Pinnacle & Millennium. I’ve excluded condo [...]

  • Miami Beach Condo Sales & Trends – 2011 Year In Review

    AshtonColeman
    28 Dec 2011 | 8:18 am
    Hello friends and only 5 days until 2012! As KT would say, I am a ‘Realtor first and a blogger second’ so please forgive the delay in posting new local information. What we’re reviewing below is the Miami Beach condo sales & trends for 2011 compared to prior years. I plan on doing an updated [...]

  • The Miami Beach Real Estate RE-Views for July 2011

    AshtonColeman
    26 Jul 2011 | 1:41 pm
    In the midst of Miami summertime fun and things are somewhat quiet yet both foreign & domestic buyers are still in weekly scouting the good buys from lingering inventory. Speaking of condo inventory, we see it decreasing consistently showing us a 34% (YTD) drop from July of 2010 and another 4% over the prior month. [...]

  • Sunny Isles Beach Luxury Oceanfront Condo Market Index 2Q 2011

    AshtonColeman
    19 May 2011 | 2:43 pm
    Edition #7 of the 2011 Sunny Isles Condo Index We’ll be reviewing the latest  trends and comparing the luxury oceanfront market from the 3Q 2010 Sunny Isles Condo Index to today’s updated 2Q 2011 Sunny Isles Condo Index including premier oceanfront towers such as Turnberry Ocean Colony, Acqualina, JADE Ocean, JADE Beach, Trump Palace, Trump [...]

  • The Miami Beach Real Estate RE-Views for May 2011

    AshtonColeman
    10 May 2011 | 8:49 am
    South Beach record setting Apogee just sold the most desirable Miami Beach Penthouse at $11.5 Million and was slowly reduced 48% from the original list price of $22 Million back in 2008. This sets a 2011 sales record of $1,678 per square foot while Sunny Isles Beach sold (auctioned) an Acqualina condo for $3.630M or $822 [...]
 
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    Real Estate Investing Blog

  • Benefits of US Property for International Investors

    Marco Santarelli
    19 Jan 2012 | 12:52 pm
    For many individuals, the single largest “investment” of their lives will usually be their home, as opposed to investing stock, bonds, mutual funds or certificates of deposits (CD’s). This is because purchasing real estate is less risky than investing in the stock market and can be more rewarding than changing CD interest rates. US investment property has been enticing foreign investors since the 1970s, and has become extremely attractive since 2008 based on the weakening of the US dollar.  Many financial institutions in this country are reluctant, if not somewhat skeptical, of…

  • The Housing Bust is Over

    Steve Sjuggerud
    16 Jan 2012 | 2:26 pm
    “The bursting of the global housing bubble is only halfway through,” The Economist magazine wrote recently. I disagree… Here in the U.S. at least, the housing bubble is completely over. It drives me nuts when I hear commentators say, “We’re halfway through,” and, “We have more pain to come.” The fact is, right now, houses in America are the best value they’ve been in many generations. It’s not hard to understand… Read the rest of The Housing Bust is Over » For more articles like this, please visit our Real Estate…

  • The Asset Class of Single-Family Real Estate

    Marco Santarelli
    28 Dec 2011 | 10:02 pm
    If there’s one thing that Morgan Stanley would like to advise to you, it’s to take a look at single-family homes and consider it as part of your real estate investing strategy. That’s right, these properties have become hot among real estate investors recently considering the shift in the US property market from home ownership to rentals (or as Morgan Stanley puts it, a “renter-heavy society”). It’s exactly the new real estate paradigm!  Even Bank of America and the Federal Housing Finance Agency have sought measures to reduce the impact of mortgage delinquency by working on an…

  • The New Rental Real Estate Paradigm

    Marco Santarelli
    15 Dec 2011 | 11:49 pm
    Morgan Stanley Research released its latest real estate report, Housing 2.0: The New Rental Paradigm to provide market insights to investors. It’s interesting to know that the research team observes how more Americans have become renters instead of homeowners, attributing to different factors in the economy. The report states: Across the country, more Americans are becoming home renters, and fewer Americans are becoming homeowners. The beginning of the rentership society is upon us. But all renters are not equal – of the roughly 40MM rental housing units in the country (representing…

  • National Economic Outlook (December 2011)

    Ingo Winzer
    8 Dec 2011 | 10:40 pm
    Although the overall health of the economy is of interest to everyone, if you’re a banker you particularly want to know when people will start borrowing money again. Very roughly speaking, banks typically hold equal amounts of commercial loans, commercial real estate loans, home mortgages, consumer loans, government securities, and cash. With commercial, mortgage, and consumer lending sharply lower in the last few years, banks now hold more government securities and a lot more cash, both of which don’t produce much income. Read the rest of National Economic Outlook (December 2011)…
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    TalkCharlotte.com | Charlotte NC Real Estate and MLS Search

  • Charlotte NC Real Estate Deals, Jan. 27, 2012

    Megan
    27 Jan 2012 | 1:00 pm
    If you’re searching for properties in the Charlotte NC area, you’ve definitely come to the right place!  The Talk Charlotte Real Estate Agents compile the latest reduced price properties from the Charlotte MLS to bring you the best real estate deals sorted by neighborhood and asking price. Please contact the Talk Charlotte Team to inquire further [...]

  • Cirque du Soleil Brings Michael Jackson The Immortal World Tour to Charlotte

    Megan
    27 Jan 2012 | 8:50 am
    We often talk about the benefits of living in Charlotte, NC and a big one being the access to world class cultural events right in our backyard.  Well, Charlotte residents and visitors have another chance to experience Cirque du Soleil at the Time Warner Cable Arena this year (See Also: Cirque du Soleil Comes to [...]

  • Charlotte NC Real Estate Deals, Jan. 25, 2012

    Megan
    25 Jan 2012 | 3:47 pm
    Browse through the latest reduced price real estate captured from the Charlotte area MLS and organized by neighborhood. Give us a call to learn more or to schedule a showing of any of these properties: 888-297-6100. Union County Address Type Subdivision Price Info 1312 Lookout CIR House Providence Downs South $1,399,000 Allen Tate Company| MLS # 2043293 | Active 9304 Mint Lake DR House $775,000 Keller Williams South Park| [...]

  • Charlotte NC Real Estate Deals, Jan. 20, 2012

    Megan
    20 Jan 2012 | 2:05 pm
    If you’re keeping up with us on our blog, Facebook, or twitter, you’ve likely noticed our updates regarding real estate deals in Charlotte NC.  We love helping our clients get the best deals possible on homes and properties in and around the Charlotte area.  That’s why we compile and publish the latest reduced priced properties [...]

  • U.S. National Whitewater Center in Charlotte NC – Events, Packages and Programs

    Megan
    20 Jan 2012 | 9:00 am
    Have you ever wanted to feel the rush of kayaking through whitewater rapids? Or perhaps you’ve always dreamed of scaling a  giant rock wall in the open air? Maybe you just want to get more active while enjoying nature? If any of this sounds good to you, then you should check out one of Charlotte’s [...]
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    Lake Ridge Virginia Real Estate Help For Sellers and Buyers

  • Currently there are 16 Foreclosure Homes Active For Sale in the Lake Ridge Virginia Area.

    Peggy James-Full Time Realtor I Serve The Lake Ridge Virginia Area (Exit 1st Choice Realty)
    25 Jan 2012 | 5:32 am
    Just yesterday, a Lake Ridge Virginia homeowner asked me when the real estate market was going to improve enough that he could sell. Turns out his perception of the real estate market was skewed a bit. He just assumed the local real estate market conditions were bad since he keeps seeing those yellow signs in the median strip on weekends advertising Lake Ridge Foreclosures. Imagine his surprise when I said, currently there are only 16 Foreclosures For Sale in all of the 22192 zip code area. Turns out, I uncovered that not only could he sell, he could sell for a profit. I think is one person…

  • Monday Morning Update-I've got great news for local home buyers and sellers today....

    Peggy James-Full Time Realtor I Serve The Lake Ridge Virginia Area (Exit 1st Choice Realty)
    23 Jan 2012 | 7:13 am
    The local real estate market has picked up to a pace we haven't seen since early 2003. Showings are up dramatically on our listings, my friends in the new homes arena are reporting amazing traffic and across Prince William and Northern Virginia inventory is low. So it appears spring market has arrived early this year. Breaking News---the home located at 12280 Tilney Ct, Lake Ridge Virginia went under contract is 10 Days! Listed for $845,000.  For more information on this home or to search the local MLS Listings Click Here Do you need to sell your home? I truly believe Marketing Matters! If…

  • What's Happening in The Luxury Home Market Between Woodbridge Virginia and Manassas

    Peggy James-Full Time Realtor I Serve The Lake Ridge Virginia Area (Exit 1st Choice Realty)
    20 Jan 2012 | 6:34 am
    Home buyers searching for luxury homes priced between $500,000 and $1,000,000 is up. This past weekend I experience something I have never witnessed in my twenty year career. The open house I hosted for 12280 Tilney Ct, in Lake Ridge Virginia priced at $845,000 had more than forty visitors. Even better, their have been she Realtor showings this week, and another couple is coming back to take a second look. So, that might make you wonder. "What's happening in the luxury home market" Especially in area's where you own your home such as Lake Ridge, Hunter's Ridge, Meadowbrook Woods, Coventry…

  • Westridge Subdivision home for sale at 12280 Tilney Court, Lake Ridge Virginia 22192

    Peggy James-Full Time Realtor I Serve The Lake Ridge Virginia Area (Exit 1st Choice Realty)
    13 Jan 2012 | 7:15 pm
    I've seen a lot of homes in my day and very few surprise me.  Well let's just say " my jaw dropped when  the homeowners gave me a tour." The home is nothing like the homes we've sold in the neighborhood in the past two years.  The only thing that came out of my mouth was " Oh My!" Especially when I saw the expansive addition, the back staircase, the stunning master bedroom additions, all the remodeled baths, the landscape, the patio, the detached garage with lift and who can forget the dog wash station in the two story mud room!  Have I peaked you're interest? This home will be Open…

  • Real Estate Foreclosures in Woodbridge Virginia area.

    Peggy James-Full Time Realtor I Serve The Lake Ridge Virginia Area (Exit 1st Choice Realty)
    12 Jan 2012 | 6:11 am
    People ask me all the time "how do I find real estate foreclosure homes in the Woodbridge, Lake Ridge Virginia area." My answer is simple, we can sign you up to receive automatic alerts. Then every time a new foreclosure MLS Listing is entered into the Realtors multiple listing service, you get notified even before I do. It's that simple. So share with me what you are looking for and I will immediately set up your custom search. Currently today 1/12/2012 the Woodbridge Virginia area has over fifty(50) active foreclosure homes for sale.  The lowest price condo townhouse at $63,000 and the…
 
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    Taunya Fagan Bozeman Real Estate Blog: SW Montana Homes: MLS Listings

  • USDA Loans Last Of The Zero Down Home Mortgage Loan?

    Taunya Fagan - Today's Montana Listings: Bozeman Real Estate: Luxury Homes: Land (Prudential Montana Real Estate Bozeman)
    23 Jan 2012 | 2:02 pm
    Montana offers some of the most beautiful landscapes in the country. It’s no wonder a good number of people choose to vacation here, and for those wanting to make the switch from tourist to long-term resident, you’ll be glad to know most areas within Montana qualify for USDA home loan programs. The USDA home loan is one of the last zero down mortgage programs in existence. It gives low- to middle-income families and individuals the opportunity to buy a home at an affordable rate in a relatively inexpensive rural or suburban area. Purchasing Homes in Bozeman with a USDA Mortgage Other than…

  • Recent Bozeman Real Estate Listings Week 4 January 2012 Taunya Fagan

    Taunya Fagan - Today's Montana Listings: Bozeman Real Estate: Luxury Homes: Land (Prudential Montana Real Estate Bozeman)
    23 Jan 2012 | 12:58 pm
    Today's New Listings Taunya Fagan Bozeman MT Real Estate - Gallatin County Montana Real Estate Updates.  Delivering today's newest Bozeman MT real estate listings from the Montana MLS: Bozeman Luxury Real Estate, Ranches and Farm Properties, Estate Homes. Week 4, January 22 - 27, 2012 - Find easily the latest Bozeman realty listings each day from Prudential Montana Realtor, Taunya Fagan, providing daily Bozeman real estate listings from the complete southwest Montana region. MLS#       Type          Address         Price             Beds-Baths…

  • Just Listed Bozeman MT Real Estate Listings Week 3 January 2012 Taunya Fagan

    Taunya Fagan - Today's Montana Listings: Bozeman Real Estate: Luxury Homes: Land (Prudential Montana Real Estate Bozeman)
    16 Jan 2012 | 10:22 pm
    Today's Newest Bozeman Real Estate - Taunya Fagan Southwest Montana Real Estate Daily Updates.  Bringing you the most recent Bozeman listings from the SW Montana MLS: Big Sky Luxury Homes, Affordable Bozeman Homes, Investment Opportunities. Week 3, January 15 - 21, 2012 - Easily locate the newest Bozeman Montana listings every morning from Prudential Bozeman Realtor, Taunya Fagan, providing updated real estate listings from southwest Montana. Top Prudential Bozeman Realtor 2009, 2010, 2011  MLS#       Type           …

  • Newest Montana Real Estate Listings Week 2 January 2012 Taunya Fagan

    Taunya Fagan - Today's Montana Listings: Bozeman Real Estate: Luxury Homes: Land (Prudential Montana Real Estate Bozeman)
    11 Jan 2012 | 10:07 pm
    New Bozeman MT Real Estate Listings - Taunya Fagan Prudential Bozeman's Daily Southwest Montana Real Estate Update.  Bringing you the most recent Bozeman listings from the SW Montana MLS: Luxury Property, Ranches, Land, Investment Properties. Week 2, January 8 - 14, 2012 - Readily find each of the new SW Montana listings each day from Prudential Bozeman MT Realtor, Taunya Fagan's Bozeman Real Estate Blog, giving you the most recent real estate listings from southwest Montana. MLS#       Type            Address            Price                 …

  • Mountain Secluded Bozeman Homes 1000 Smokey Hollow Road

    Taunya Fagan - Today's Montana Listings: Bozeman Real Estate: Luxury Homes: Land (Prudential Montana Real Estate Bozeman)
    6 Jan 2012 | 10:13 pm
    1000 Smokey Hollow Road - Bozeman MLS 181339 - $395,000 - 2370 sf -  Three Bedrooms, Three Bathrooms - 21 Mountain Acres - Taunya Fagan Private, gated, and secluded Bozeman mountain home with trees, views, wildlife, located between Bozeman and Livingston, Montana. Experience nature from inside your cozy southwest Montana home with wood burning stove, radiant floor heat or from your covered front porch or large rear deck. This, one of the secluded and private Bozeman homes off Jackson Creek Road, includes maple floors, stainless steel appliances, abundant windows, 3 bedrooms and office,…
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    blog.kw.com

  • What does a listing presentation with a distressed homeowner sound like?

    Keller Williams Realty
    26 Jan 2012 | 8:30 am
    WE ASKED Ryan Overmyer! What does a listing presentation with a distressed homeowner sound like? The listing presentation is a two step process.  First we do an initial over-the-phone qualification. If the projected terms are acceptable to the borrower(s) we then schedule an in-office appointment with borrower(s) for a final review and to sign documents. I have them sign anything and everything we could ever need. We also schedule a convenient time for the photographer to visit their home. By the end of the initial call sellers feel so comfortable even after such a short conversation because…

  • KW In the News Week of Jan. 23 – 27

    Keller Williams Realty
    26 Jan 2012 | 8:08 am
    Keller Williams Augusta welcomes Mark Jacobs & Associates, expands into luxury real estate. http://bit.ly/AAPqBk Welcome to the Family! Keller Williams Realty’s Englewood, Florida, Office Awarded Keller Williams Franchise. http://bit.ly/w4hS1u Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business has published its quarterly Keller Center Research Report, an online compendium of academic articles focused on residential real estate research and summaries of scholarly journal articles and books relevant to real estate sales agents. http://www.baylor.edu/business/kellercenter/ What’s…

  • Why Smart Trust = Smart Business

    Jay Papasan, VP of Publishing and Executive Editor
    6 Jan 2012 | 4:16 pm
    Imagine pitching this start-up company to a potential investor: “It’s like a giant yard sale where people purchase used clothes, electronics, even cars from total strangers based solely on the seller’s description and pictures. It’s open 24/7/365, and will attract visitors from around the world.” Sounds ludicrous, right? Actually, it’s spot on. Today, eBay is a $35 billion company with over 235 million registered users, engaged in over one million transactions a day. And, according to Stephen M.R. Covey and Greg Link, authors of the new book Smart Trust: Creating Prosperity,…

  • Keller Williams Headlines – Week of January 2, 2012

    Keller Williams Realty
    6 Jan 2012 | 11:40 am
    Welcome to 2012! As we kick off a New Year, all of our contributing writers are excited to bring you brand new content. You’ll find smart strategies to keep your day-to-day business firing away, inspirational messages to get you in the right mindset to reach your biggest goals, weekly updates on news-worthy happenings coming from your markets, and the latest breaking news from Keller Williams Realty International. We hope you’ll join us in ringing in 2012 in a big way, visit often and share with everyone you know! Here’s a look at the news-worthy items this week: Diane…
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    The Real Deal New York

  • Top residential agents of the week

    news
    27 Jan 2012 | 5:30 pm
    From left: Cathy Franklin of Brown Harris Stevens, Janice Chang and Ross Nodell of Prudential Douglas Elliman, Herve Senequier and Ann Azzara of Prudential Douglas Elliman, Marlene Marcus of Brown Harris Stevens and Stephen McRae of Sotheby's International Realty Sources: Streeteasy.com and The Real Deal. Footnotes: Data is for closed deals filed with the city this week through Friday. The chart only includes sellers’ brokers, because buyers’ brokers’ names are not available in city data or listings. The data does not include deals in contract. To obtain broker information, listing…

  • NJ tries to set plan for commercial, residential development

    news
    27 Jan 2012 | 5:00 pm
    The state of New Jersey The state of New Jersey has embarked on an ambitious new plan to promote economic growth, encourage residential development near mass transit and existing infrastructure and make its notoriously disorganized state agencies get along better with one another, the Wall Street Journal reported. The plan, which Governor Chris Christie has been working on since 2010, will be subject to public hearings starting next month and should be implemented in early 2013. But for now the “sprawling state['s]” municipalities are not sure how the new plan will affect…

  • TRD’s latest interactive crossword puzzle

    news
    27 Jan 2012 | 4:30 pm
    Click on image for crossword From the January issue: This month’s crossword puzzle is live on our website. You can get hints and see how fast you are with an on-screen stop watch in the interactive version. Play the crossword here. TRD

  • Where the biggest foreclosure discounts are, Bleecker Bob’s may be a Starbucks … and more

    news
    27 Jan 2012 | 4:00 pm
    Bleecker Bob's, at 118 West 3rd St 1. Where are the nation’s biggest foreclosure discounts? [Realtor Magazine] 2. Cherished record store Bleecker Bob’s could soon be a Starbucks [Racked] 3. Video tour of the new Whitney downtown [NYO] 4. Final mortgage agreement may not include legal immunity for banks [HuffPo] 5. Commercial property investors pulling out of London [Bloomberg] 6. Nightclub XL, first stage of new gay hotel the Out NYC, to open tonight [Hotel Chatter] 7. Flatbush Avenue bar previously full of shady strippers to become Dunkin’ Donuts, Subway [Brooklyn…

  • Marketing Directors hired to sell East Village condos

    news
    27 Jan 2012 | 3:30 pm
    From left: 211 East 13th Street, Jacqueline Urgo, president at Marketing Directors and developer Charles Blaichman The group of developers building an 82-unit condominium building at 211 East 13th Street has hired Jacqueline Urgo, president of the Marketing Developers, to promote the property, which is slated for groundbreaking this summer. The project, which will occupy a vacant site between Second and Third avenues, is being developed by Ironstate Development, Charles Blaichman, and Abram Shnay and his son, Scott Shnay. They are anticipating completing the project by late 2013. The…
 
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    The Belt Team's Northern Virginia Real Estate Blog

  • Friday Funday Video & Open House Announcements - Jan 28 & 29

    thebeltteam
    27 Jan 2012 | 8:43 am
    TGIF - Time for our Friday Funday Video & Open House Announcements! First - here’s our video. In honor of the thunder storm that welcomed Northern Virginia into the day today, we bring you “Thunder Road” from Bruce Springsteen! (Because really - who doesn’t like Bruce?!) And speaking of “Thunder Road“, did you ever wonder how streets get their names? If so, check out an article we wrote for our Life In Vienna blog a while back. The boy scouts touring our new construction project had the same question. And speaking of touring homes, we’ve got two…

  • WHERE DOES THE NORTHERN VIRGINIA REAL ESTATE MARKET STAND? HOW DID 2011 COMPARE TO 2010?

    thebeltteam
    25 Jan 2012 | 12:19 pm
    Earlier this month, our CEO Terry Belt shared his forecast for the 2012 market. (You can read about what’s in store for Northern Virginia here.) But how did we finish 2011 in comparison to 2010? Let’s take a look at the numbers. Instead of doing an analysis on the market as a whole, let’s break it down a little. As we know, real estate is local. So we selected 9 sample markets to analyze: Vienna, Oakton, McLean, Great Falls, Reston, Fairfax, Herndon, Falls Church & Arlington. Let’s see how things shook out: So - what do we conclude from all these stats? In every…

  • It’s All About “Location, Location Location” in Real Estate. So Where WERE We? Where ARE We? And WHERE ARE WE GOING?

    thebeltteam
    24 Jan 2012 | 9:54 am
    The New Year is upon us. But if we travel back to 2007-2009 and review the news headlines one would think it was Halloween for several years in real estate.  You may remember some of these news bytes: “Housing Horror”- Crain’s Business “U.S. Housing Crash Deepens in 2008 After Record Drop” - Bloomberg “Worst Case Scenario” CNN/Fortune and on and on . . . . It was “Friday the 13th” every day for a while as literally every local market in the country experienced falling sales and homes values as buyers froze and the banking, mortgage, building, and residential brokerage…

  • Just Listed in Westwood Forest - Close to Tysons & the Town of Vienna!

    thebeltteam
    23 Jan 2012 | 2:45 pm
    8701 Coldstream Drive in Vienna - $774,900 This charming colonial is in a fabulous, sought after neighborhood near Tysons & the Town of Vienna. Enjoy easy access to popular shops, restaurants & amenities. Three finished levels include a family room with woodburning fireplace ~ eat-in kitchen ~ master suite with sitting room & luxurious, updated bath ~ walkout lower level ~ deck with stairs down to a flagstone patio. More Info about 8701 Coldstream Drive in Vienna Read about “Life In Vienna” Contact The Belt Team - We have LOTS of listings coming on the market this…

  • Friday Funday Video & Open House Announcements for Jan 21 & 22

    thebeltteam
    20 Jan 2012 | 3:08 pm
    TGIF - Time for our Friday Funday Video & Open House Announcements! So . . . there’s a Winter Weather Advisory in effect for our area until 1PM Saturday. But that doesn’t stop The Belt Team from selling homes. And it shouldn’t stop you from making your real estate dreams come true either. So, we’ve got three fabulous homes being held open for you this weekend. We say “Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow“. Hope to see you there! (Scroll down for this weekend’s open house info!) First - here’s a little inspiration! OPEN SATURDAY &…
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    Bank Foreclosures Sale Articles

  • Banks Agree to Much-Awaited Foreclosure Settlement

    Jason Westmann
    26 Jan 2012 | 10:26 am
    Today, a consortium of the nation’s largest lenders, besieged by criticism of deceptive foreclosure practices like rubberstamping and “robo-signing” foreclosures, announced it had agreed to the terms proposed in a settlement. The settlement, in the works since the scandals first broke in the fall of 2010, will call for $25 billion from lenders – including Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Ally Financial, and Citibank – to go toward reducing the principal for nearly 1 million mortgages, paying 750,000 homeowners $1,800 a piece, and helping homeowners…

  • Why to Avoid Foreclosure Prevention Companies

    Jason Westmann
    20 Jan 2012 | 9:00 am
    With a lot of people facing foreclosure, many people are desperate to stop foreclosure in an effort to keep their home. More often than not, those trying to avoid foreclosure will look to foreclosure prevention companies that claim to be able to help the family stay in their home. Although these companies may seem ethical from the outside looking in, more often than not you will pay incredibly high fees and face the possibility of being scammed. There are numerous reasons to avoid foreclosure prevention companies with scams and fees coming in at the top of the list. Steep Fees for Sketchy…

  • West Coast Begins to See Foreclosure Trends Decline in 2012

    Jason Westmann
    17 Jan 2012 | 2:24 pm
    Those watching the domestic real estate markets for signs of any relief in the foreclosure market may have the beginnings of good news from the West Coast. According to recent reports, foreclosure starts – initial filings from lenders to jumpstart the foreclosure process against delinquent homeowners – declined in four out of five states being tracked. These four included Arizona, California, Nevada, and Washington. Oregon was the only state that reported an increase in foreclosure starts. Additionally, foreclosure sales increased in California and Washington while dropping in the…

  • How Home-buying is Affected with Children

    Jason Westmann
    10 Jan 2012 | 1:07 pm
    Buying a home these days involves a lot of major decisions – one of which concerns some of the most important people in your life: your children. Having children changes the decision-making equation dramatically. There are several areas of concern associated with home-buying due to having children, and a wise homeowner and parent will address each when choosing which property to purchase – especially when considering the local neighborhood. Here is a guide to picking out the right neighborhood when children are in the picture. Environmental Factors The surrounding environment…

  • Successful Steps to Getting a Mortgage Loan Modification

    Simon Lindsay
    5 Jan 2012 | 1:29 pm
    Many Americans today cannot make their monthly mortgage payments. Additionally, for millions of Americans – approximately 11 million as of 2011 – owing more on their home than it is currently worth is a sad reality. This situation is especially bad considering median home prices are only expected to decrease over the next 6-12 months in most forecasts. Short of prices suddenly reversing themselves, underwater homeowners do not have many options left open – nor do people who, for whatever reason, cannot make their current monthly payments. Fortunately, there is usually the…
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    Real Estate Investing Blog For Real Estate Investors

  • What I Wish I Would Have Known About Choosing A Mentor

    Jason Hanson
    27 Jan 2012 | 10:44 am
    The world of mentoring is a dangerous one. In fact, every time you mention the word ‘real estate mentor’ it seems like people come out of the wood-work bashing mentors, talking about how they got ripped off my some guru, and saying they’ll never use a mentor in their life. Well… over the years I’ve [...]What I Wish I Would Have Known About Choosing A Mentor is a post from: Real Estate Investing Blog For Real Estate Investors

  • Staging Homes – 14 Home Staging Tips To Sell Quickly

    Frank Chen
    26 Jan 2012 | 1:30 pm
    Want To Sell Your House Quickly In Today’s Market? Here Are Some Cheap Staging Tips For Your Real Estate Investments… Staging Homes – 14 Home Staging Tips To Sell Quickly is a post from: Real Estate Investing Blog For Real Estate Investors Staging Homes – 14 Home Staging Tips To Sell Quickly is a post from: Real Estate Investing Blog For Real Estate Investors

  • How Do Syndicators Make Money?

    James Pockross
    25 Jan 2012 | 10:47 am
    The syndicator can be compensated at the end in two different ways: 1)  by receiving a share of the profits when the property is sold; or 2)  by receiving some of the refinancing proceeds. Let’s consider some examples: You purchase a well-located run-down house in foreclosure for $95,000.  Using an investor’s  money, you make a down payment [...]How Do Syndicators Make Money? is a post from: Real Estate Investing Blog For Real Estate Investors

  • Real Estate Investor Tip – Save On Real Estate Taxes

    Camille Baptiste
    24 Jan 2012 | 11:20 am
    Taxes, Taxes, Taxes — No I’m not cussing, lol. My mailbox was full this week with my property tax bills. Get this, even though the valuations on some properties decreased, the local governments raised the rates so as to keep the same or increase their revenue. Ouch! Let’s talk about taxes and your real estate business. Every [...]Real Estate Investor Tip – Save On Real Estate Taxes is a post from: Real Estate Investing Blog For Real Estate Investors

  • How To Use Internet Domain Names To Find Rental Properties

    Thomas Lucier
    22 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pm
    In this article, you’ll learn how to use inexpensive property search methods that don’t require your physical presence in order to be effective, but which allow you to be at the right place at the right time by using the Internet, a strategic domain name technique and web page linking to find rental properties for [...]How To Use Internet Domain Names To Find Rental Properties is a post from: Real Estate Investing Blog For Real Estate Investors
 
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    Real Estate Investing Blog

  • Just listed: 267 Old Forge Cro…

    Mike Lautensack
    26 Jan 2012 | 7:20 pm
    Just listed: 267 Old Forge Crossing, Devon, PA 19333 for $995 http://t.co/bdnU8Qyw Related posts: Lovely Condo at Old Forge Cros… Lovely Condo at Old Forge Crossing “KOP”-MUST SEE! http://t.co/w9kKJ3lR... Research Firm Says U.S. Housin… Research Firm Says U.S. Housing Has Never Been This Undervalued... Check out my latest articles: … Check out my latest articles: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Mike_Lautensack... Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

  • 324 Rices Mill Rd, Wyncote, PA…

    Mike Lautensack
    26 Jan 2012 | 8:56 am
    324 Rices Mill Rd, Wyncote, PA 19095, USA http://t.co/s53uNjhe Related posts: 248 Tall Pine Dr, West Chester… 248 Tall Pine Dr, West Chester, PA 19380, USA http://t.co/rFFQRxWb... Research Firm Says U.S. Housin… Research Firm Says U.S. Housing Has Never Been This Undervalued... Check out my latest articles: … Check out my latest articles: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Mike_Lautensack... Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

  • Lovely Condo at Old Forge Cros…

    Mike Lautensack
    24 Jan 2012 | 6:24 am
    Lovely Condo at Old Forge Crossing “KOP”-MUST SEE! http://t.co/w9kKJ3lR Related posts: The Bloomberg REIT Apartment I… The Bloomberg REIT Apartment Index rose 45 percent in the... Research Firm Says U.S. Housin… Research Firm Says U.S. Housing Has Never Been This Undervalued... Check out my latest articles: … Check out my latest articles: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Mike_Lautensack... Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

  • Stunning end unit Townhouse W/…

    Mike Lautensack
    24 Jan 2012 | 6:18 am
    Stunning end unit Townhouse W/ hardwood flrs, 10ft ceilings, W/D, NICE http://t.co/qnA3vdfH Related posts: The Bloomberg REIT Apartment I… The Bloomberg REIT Apartment Index rose 45 percent in the... Research Firm Says U.S. Housin… Research Firm Says U.S. Housing Has Never Been This Undervalued... Check out my latest articles: … Check out my latest articles: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Mike_Lautensack... Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

  • Charming Spanish Style Colonia…

    Mike Lautensack
    24 Jan 2012 | 6:11 am
    Charming Spanish Style Colonial home with 3 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths ! http://t.co/5xUeyNlX Related posts: Home prices in 20 major U.S. c… Home prices in 20 major U.S. cities fell 1.1% in... Home prices in a majority of m… Home prices in a majority of major U.S. cities tracked... Existing home sales increased … Existing home sales increased 2.7 percent to a seasonally adjusted... Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
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    Corporate Real Estate

  • January-February CIRE Issue

    CRE Editors
    25 Jan 2012 | 4:56 pm
    The January-February CCIM CIRE Magazine is out. Articles include: Please click on the link to read complete commentary. Thank you!

  • John Maxwell’s Minute: Featured Podcast

    CRE Editors
    22 Jan 2012 | 2:17 pm
    John Maxwell's Minute is today's featured podcast. Please click on the link to read complete commentary. Thank you!

  • Retail Innovation Unleashed

    CRE Editors
    20 Jan 2012 | 11:00 am
    From Realcomm: The basic business assumption was that if you could replicate a grocery, without actually building a grocery store, in an environment where people had some free time, you could... Please click on the link to read complete commentary. Thank you!

  • CCIM Podcast

    CRE Editors
    19 Jan 2012 | 2:30 am
    Featured Podcast: CCIM Please click on the link to read complete commentary. Thank you!

  • Presentation Fail

    CRE Editors
    18 Jan 2012 | 5:59 pm
    What NOT to do when making a powerpoint presentation. Please click on the link to read complete commentary. Thank you!
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    Team Ensor

  • Open House Today at 1918 Marysol Trl from 1-4pm!

    Mary Fields
    22 Jan 2012 | 1:13 pm
    Mary Fields is hosting an open house today, January 22, 2012, at 1918 Marysol Trl in Trails at Carriage Hills. Mary wrote the following information about here open house today:   I was speechless and amazed when I walked in to this beautiful “New” home at 1918 Marysol trail in Carriage Hills!!  There is not another home in the area like it!!!  The price/value is exceptional!!!   Location..Location…Location!!  Great community/ schools… shopping and restaurants close by…   I loved the stunning Italian tile flooring, the rounded corners, the brightness and…

  • 7009 Mackinaw Crossing, Jonestown TX 78645 | Just Listed by Team Ensor at Sky Realty

    Joe Ensor
    21 Jan 2012 | 12:48 am
    We just listed a spectacular show-stopping home at 7009 Mackinaw Xing in the award-winning master planned community of The Hollows on Lake Travis in Jonestown, TX.  If you haven’t been to The Hollows, you absolutely must come visit.  This community is excellent for a vacation home, a retirement home, or as a luxury residence to enjoy all year-round.  I can talk about the community all day, but it’s this particular home within The Hollows that truly stands out. 7009 Mackinaw Crossing is gorgeous in every way, and is located in the exclusive gated community of Northshore at The…

  • HBA Annual Meeting Signals Positive Housing Trend for 2012

    Shannon Ensor
    12 Jan 2012 | 8:45 pm
    This morning Joe and I attended the 2012 Housing Forecast. This is a special event where industry analysts discuss the trends of 2011 and forecast where the housing market is headed in this coming year. Speakers of the event included Eldon Rude Director of the Austin Market for Metrostudy, Dr. Greg Hallman The University of Texas’ McCombs School of Business and Austin’s favorite weatherman, Jim Spencer KXAN. From these leading analysts we learned about local and national conditions and how everything from the National GDP (gross domestic product) to the weather affects our local real…

  • 12 Simple Tips When Preparing Your Home for MLS Pictures

    Shannon Ensor
    11 Jan 2012 | 6:02 pm
    Most times, when I meet with a seller for the first time we discuss staging for their home so that they can get the most money for their home in the least amount of time. Every now and then a seller calls and is ready to get the home on the market “yesterday”.  So while having a stager come to their home is still an important conversation, there are tips I give the seller so that when I arrive to the home we can get started with some great pics right away. If you are about to put your home on the market, here are 12 simple tips for getting it camera ready for the MLS (Multiple…

  • 2001 Marysol Trl, Cedar Park TX 78613 | Just Listed by Team Ensor

    Shannon Ensor
    9 Jan 2012 | 4:08 pm
    Be one of the first to know about our upcoming listing at 2001 Marysol Trail located in the Cedar Park neighborhood of Trails at Carriage Hills! One of the most unique features of this home is its large, corner lot that has been lovingly planted with Bradford pear and oak trees. Inside, you will first be wowed with the laminate wood flooring and designer paint colors. Passing from the living area to the formal dining area, you are then taken to the large kitchen where you are impressed yet again! Cooks will love the cutting block center island and the undermount cast iron sink…and…
 
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    THE TENANT ADVISOR

  • 6 Articles to Read this Weekend

    CoyDavidson
    28 Jan 2012 | 12:23 am
    Office Landlords Poised to Regain Upper Hand  2011 Sees Office Leasing, Sales and Pricing Improve Amid Growth In Office Jobs and Rising Tenant Demand. Outlook Has Landlords Preparing To Sing: “Our Day Will Come” … CoStar Group Where Did All the Workers Go? 60 Years of Economic Change  The decline of manufacturing over the last 60 [...]6 Articles to Read this Weekend is a post from: The Tenant Advisor

  • This Week in the Economy

    CoyDavidson
    27 Jan 2012 | 5:23 pm
    The (Nasdaq +1.7%) and (S&P 500 + 0.5%) posted a fourth straight week of gains, but the Dow ended the week in negative territory, down 0.5%. On the commercial real estate front Real Capital Analyitcs reported that U.S. commercial property sales rose 57 percent to more than $220 billion in 2011 and CoStar Group released [...]This Week in the Economy is a post from: The Tenant Advisor

  • Colliers Analysis: Ten Predictions for 2012

    CoyDavidson
    26 Jan 2012 | 2:18 pm
    We asked our researchers to make some big predictions for 2012. In short, we’re expecting something of a mixed bag this year. Look for modest U.S. economic growth, modest office and industrial absorption and a big bump in property investment volumes. Quality warehouse properties will be the new investment star of the year U.S. GDP [...]Colliers Analysis: Ten Predictions for 2012 is a post from: The Tenant Advisor

  • The Cost of Office Space Just Went Up

    CoyDavidson
    25 Jan 2012 | 12:05 am
    Double Digit Hikes in Commercial Property & Casualty Insurance Rates Expected in Houston Despite minimal hurricane activity, 2011 was one of the worst catastrophe years in history, the result from a rash of tornado and storm activity throughout the United States. Commercial property/casualty insurance rates are expected to increase in the 5% range overall in [...]The Cost of Office Space Just Went Up is a post from: The Tenant Advisor

  • Houston Industrial Market Report – 4Q 2011

    CoyDavidson
    23 Jan 2012 | 11:59 am
    2.9M SF in Houston’s Industrial Construction Pipeline – 1.8M SF is Spec Development Houston’s industrial market fundamentals continue to strengthen with over 1.5M SF of positive net absorption in the fourth quarter, pushing year-end absorption to 4.4M SF. Houston’s industrial vacancy continues to decrease, averaging 5.2% in the fourth quarter, 40 basis points (bps) less [...]Houston Industrial Market Report – 4Q 2011 is a post from: The Tenant Advisor
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    Son Of A Broker

  • Piggy Banks, GoMax & Mortgages

    chris
    24 Jan 2012 | 7:31 pm
    Any of Tridac – The Mortgage Centre’s clients know exactly what my connection to piggy banks is. If you’ve done business with us then you no doubt have received one of our cute little piggy banks as a ‘thank you’ gift after closing your mortgage.  The significance of the piggy bank runs deep in our family business as a metaphor for savings and the building of equity in your home. My Dad has been using piggy banks for years and the apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree as evidenced in our most recent company portrait below. Piggy banks and cute closing…

  • Mortgage Interest Rate Review January 19th 2012

    chris
    21 Jan 2012 | 10:21 am
    Late last week while I was away in Punta Cana for the Mortgage Centre Annual conference lenders announced their newest fixed rate mortgages. Lenders are now offering 3.15% for a fixed 5 year rate mortgage which has again set a new low for fixed rate mortgages. Some borrowers might be surprised that the new rates announced by lenders aren’t quite as close to BMO’s 2.99% as they might have hoped. The truth is that at 2.99% the bank is not making any profit from the mortgage after considering their borrowing costs and administration costs. So the question begs to be asked, why would…

  • Reaction to BMO’s 2.99% Fixed 5 Year Mortgage

    chris
    14 Jan 2012 | 10:47 am
    Yesterday Bank of Montreal announced a new fixed 5 year rate mortgage that has set a new all time low for mortgage rates in Canada. Is it the lowest rate? Yes. Is it the best mortgage? Maybe not. Watch the video below to learn why. Click here to view the embedded video.

  • What Is A Cashback Mortgage?

    chris
    9 Jan 2012 | 5:05 pm
    Bank branches sometimes promote them and you may have come across paper and online ads for them. So what is a cashback mortgage, and more importantly, who should consider them? A cashback means that the lender will give you 5% of your mortgage amount back as cash. So, if you borrow $100,000 they will also lend you an additional $5,000. The cash can be used for anything however, it is really designed to help buyers who can’t come up with a full 5% down payment, the minimum down payment required to buy a home. If you are buying a home and don’t have the required 5% down payment…

  • Son Of A Broker Friday The 13th Facebook Contest

    chris
    6 Jan 2012 | 4:14 pm
                  I’m happy to announce the Son Of A Broker Facebook Friday the 13th contest! Lets change your luck this coming Friday the 13th and give the traditionally unlucky day a new meaning.  I’m running a contest giving away a $50 gift card to Oliver & Bonacini which can be used at any of their fine establishments across the city.  The contest is so easy to participate in that even my Dad figured out how to join. All you have to do is “like” my facebook page. Step #1 – Visit Facebook.com/sonofabroker Step #2 –…
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    Learn Real Estate Investing | LifestylesUnlimited.com

  • Lynn Andris: Property Management with Sky Group

    webmaster@luinc.com (Professional Real Estate Investors)
    27 Jan 2012 | 4:41 pm
    Right Click to Download Tweet This! Share this on Facebook Share this on LinkedIn Stumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUpon Digg this! Subscribe to the comments for this post?

  • David Fantin: 9 Steps to a Successful Real Estate Investing Deal

    webmaster@luinc.com (Professional Real Estate Investors)
    26 Jan 2012 | 4:32 pm
    Right Click to Download Tweet This! Share this on Facebook Share this on LinkedIn Stumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUpon Digg this! Subscribe to the comments for this post?

  • David Fantin, Natalie Pilkinton: Real Estate Investment Radio Show

    webmaster@luinc.com (Professional Real Estate Investors)
    26 Jan 2012 | 3:19 am
    Right Click to Download Tweet This! Share this on Facebook Share this on LinkedIn Stumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUpon Digg this! Subscribe to the comments for this post?

  • Steve Davis: Turning a Loss Intro Cash

    webmaster@luinc.com (Professional Real Estate Investors)
    25 Jan 2012 | 4:53 pm
    Right Click to Download Tweet This! Share this on Facebook Share this on LinkedIn Stumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUpon Digg this! Subscribe to the comments for this post?

  • Steve Davis: How would YOU turn a loss into a Profit?

    webmaster@luinc.com (Professional Real Estate Investors)
    25 Jan 2012 | 3:53 am
    Right Click to Download Tweet This! Share this on Facebook Share this on LinkedIn Stumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUpon Digg this! Subscribe to the comments for this post?
 
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    Kitchener Waterloo Real Estate Investment Blog | Apartment Buildings | Condos | Development Land | Student Housing

  • Sage Condos | Pre-Construction Condos in Waterloo

    Benjamin Bach, KW Commercial Director
    22 Jan 2012 | 9:14 am
    Sage Condos Sales Update – January 23 2012 Sales launched today in Waterloo, and the building already has a majority of the units sold.  There is an extremely limited supply of 3 bedroom condos,  and a decent selection of 5 bedroom condos.  Contact us immediately to reserve the condo of your choice. — Sage Condos, Waterloo Ontario This week we have had a lot of interest from real estate investors in Waterloo’s newest condo development, Sage Condos. If you would like to review the cash flow projections and  condo floorplans click here to send us an email and we will…

  • Kitchener Waterloo Commercial Real Estate is HOT

    Benjamin Bach, KW Commercial Director
    28 Nov 2011 | 9:05 pm
    It’s getting cold out, but the commercial real estate market in Kitchener Waterloo is still HOT. The last couple of years have seen some huge brands set up shop in Waterloo Region, with others announcing plans to open in 2012 and 2013. Brands such  as Google, Apple, Coach and Marshall’s have come into Kitchener Waterloo – Google expanded from a small Waterloo office to a large presence at The Tannery in Kitchener – and soon enough we will see a few Target stores  in the Region.  Plus the rumours (so far not confirmed) that Facebook is coming to Kitchener, and that…

  • Is Facebook *actually* coming to Kitchener? Update on the rumours

    Benjamin Bach, KW Commercial Director
    27 Nov 2011 | 5:57 am
    Ever since DCN ran a story about Facebook potentially setting up offices in Kitchener’s Breithaupt Block development (link) people all over Waterloo Region have been talking about it. 570 News is running a story (below) in which they say they’ve confirmed that Facebook is coming to town.  At the moment, the only source for this is ” the company doing the work on the building.” The Record is reporting “Tony D’Angelo, of AIM Environmental Group, led the cleanup of the site that included the removal of 18 underground storage tanks. D’Angelo said Facebook’s…

  • [Rumour] Whole Foods moving into Kitchener ?

    Benjamin Bach, KW Commercial Director
    25 Nov 2011 | 7:59 am
    Rumour on the street is that Whole Foods has purchased a site in Kitchener – not Waterloo -  and will be coming to the region shortly. Harp Arora on Facebook asked about a location in Kitchener vs Waterloo.  From what I’ve heard, Whole Foods wants a site that has at least 40,000 square feet of retail, and sites that size are easier located in Kitchener versus Waterloo. Further info as it becomes available …   Related posts: Kitchener Waterloo Commercial Real Estate is HOT It’s getting cold out, but the commercial real estate market... Lululemon opens temporary…

  • Lululemon opens temporary store in Uptown Waterloo Shops

    Benjamin Bach, KW Commercial Director
    25 Nov 2011 | 7:53 am
    Joining the long line of Retail tenants looking to move into Kitchener Waterloo,  Lululemon Athletica has set up a temporary store in Waterloo Town Square in Uptown Waterloo for the holiday season, in the same spot they have been before.  The store is well stocked, but has no signage as it is not a permanent location. Lululemon in Waterloo For now, Lululemon can be found inside Waterloo Town Square at 75 King Street North in Waterloo, Ontario. Related posts: Kitchener Waterloo Commercial Real Estate is HOT It’s getting cold out, but the commercial real estate market... [Rumour] Whole…
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    Your Home in Calgary - the Calgary Real Estate Market

  • CREB Forecast and the MLS HPI

    Monika Furtado
    23 Jan 2012 | 9:35 pm
    This past Wednesday the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB)  hosted their annual forecast breakfast.  Expert presentations were offered. A big takeaway was the 2012 outlook.  If you are interested in reviewing the statistics behind the press releases and headlines, then have a read.   The last week has been very busy in the marketplace so this is a great indication for the momentum building for the year.   Another statistic you will soon see in the media is the MLS House Pricing Index (HPI). Coming to Calgary in February, this index is intended to clear up the…

  • It is freezing out there!

    Monika Furtado
    16 Jan 2012 | 4:43 pm
    Even on a day like today, with -30 windchills, I am showing properties to prospective buyers. You have to think they are serious buyers. I mean, who else is out in this weather?As a seller, please take the time to treat us well and welcome us into your home. Leave the front lights on so I can find the lockbox on your front door. If your lockbox is buried and frozen in snow or require me to find it in the snowdrift at the side of your house, I have to tell you that you are not my favourite house today.  Please leave out a mat at the front door. We are trying to keep your entrance clean,…

  • Calgary Real Estate Market Update - Jan 4, 2012

    Monika Furtado
    4 Jan 2012 | 10:11 pm
    I hope you enjoyed a wonderful holiday, a very Merry Christmas and are looking forward to a great year in 2012.   The year has started out quickly with the recent upturn in activity resulting in various predictions about the future of the market. The number of listings has reduced significantly over the holidays but is stabilizing in a general sense as well.  The number of sales has increased last year especially towards the latter half of the year. Prices remain relatively consistent with last year but it also depends where you are in the city. I personally feel that sales and…

  • Changes to Real Estate practices in Calgary

    Monika Furtado
    4 Jan 2012 | 9:57 pm
    When it comes to purchasing or selling a home, some fundamental rules have just changed.   1. If you have purchased a home recently, the Inspection Schedule you previously saw has been revised. The schedule now removes any connection of dollar amounts to an inspection conditions. In simple terms it means that if the buyer is not satisfied with the condition, they do not waive and the sale does not complete. Any deposit will be returned to the buyer in this case. If other arrangements were negotiated in the purchase, they have to be clearly stated in the contract.   2. Sellers…

  • Staging for the Holidays

    Monika Furtado
    22 Dec 2011 | 10:37 am
    As my clients know, I am a strong believer in preparing a home for sale. Below is some great advice from Elysse Bulloch from Simply Stylish Staging about staging for the holidays.  ---   Christmas is fast approaching the weather is cooling off and the snow is falling.  Don’t let Christmas get in the way of selling your home. This time of year tends to bring out the serious buyer and also tends to be a less competitive time of year. Follow these holiday staging tips below.   Choose holiday decor carefully, sellers need to be careful not to overdo it. Christmas trees can…
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    Property Management

  • 2012 best places to live in the world

    Property Management Software
    15 Jan 2012 | 7:02 pm
    2012 Best places to live You might have thought the continuing recession, with its endless stories of doom and gloom, would put the skids on dreams of living abroad. But far from it.   It seems that the deeper the credit crunch bites, more and more of us want to carve out a slice of paradise overseas. According to a recent Mintel Research report, one in three Brits is now contemplating emigration. And for those who are considering the move, what better source of advice than those expats who are already out there? Last year, as part of our World’s Best Places To Live initiative, we…

  • Tips for locating energy leaks in home

    Property Management Software
    15 Jan 2012 | 6:49 pm
    First, make a list of obvious air leaks (drafts). The potential energy savings from reducing drafts in a home may range from 5% to 30% per year, and the home is generally much more comfortable afterward. Check for indoor air leaks, such as gaps along the baseboard or edge of the flooring and at junctures of the walls and ceiling. Check to see if air can flow through these places: • Electrical outlets • Switch plates • Window frames • Baseboards • Weather stripping around doors • Fireplace dampers • Attic hatches • Wall- or window-mounted air conditioners. Also look for gaps…

  • Live the life of rich and famous in Monaco

    Property Management Software
    15 Jan 2012 | 6:18 pm
    Monaco Real Estate   Until the real estate bubble burst in 2008 there was a steep increase in real estate values in Monaco; some homes doubled in price, Mr. Koning said. The global financial crisis cut the number of transactions by more than half, and prices fell 15 to 35 percent. Values appear to have stabilized, but homes are taking time to sell. “Business is slow at the moment,” said Julie Alejo, the owner of EIP Agency. “Potential clients are showing interest only in high- or low-end products.” Yet the market did get a lift as of last June, when a new law reduced closing…

  • 2011 Shocking Real Estate Deals

    Property Management Software
    15 Jan 2012 | 5:42 pm
    2011 Shocking Real Estate Deals The U.S. housing market is still in the pits, closing another year marked by falling prices, lackluster sales volumes and a steady stream of foreclosures. For the rich and famous, though, it’s been a year of record-breaking purchases. Forbes sorted through the biggest, splashiest home sales of the year to bring you a recap of the 15 they deemed the most outrageous.   One of the biggest purchases of the year just closed: an $88 million penthouse condo in New York City’s billionaire-coveted 15 Central Park West.  The 6,744-square-foot apartment, which…

  • 6 Ways to Retire Without a Mortgage

    Property Management Software
    15 Jan 2012 | 4:53 pm
    Retire without mortgage Admit it: Whether you’re 35 or 65, the prospect of retiring without a mortgage is an attractive one. No more monthly checks to your lender means extra money to spend on having fun once you exit the workforce. After years of punctual principal-and-interest payments, it’s the least you deserve, right? There are several smart ways to retire without a mortgage. We’ve come up with six that fit a variety of retirement scenarios. Some approaches benefit from an early start — so if you are able, try to plan ahead. Other mortgage-free-retirement options…
 
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    PALM SPRINGS CALIFORNIA REAL ESTATE

  • Palm Springs Area Interactive Digest: Vol. #2

    admin
    17 Jan 2012 | 11:36 pm
    View the story “Palm Springs Desert Area Interactive Digest” on Storify Storified by Stephen (Steve) Love Tue, Jan 17 2012 17:14:02 · 194 views 3 1 Palm Springs Desert Area Interactive Digest like 0 Share Email Embed The Palm Springs area may be somewhat affected by the economy like elsewhere, but it is bustling with diverse special events as well as regular local activities and entertainment. We hope you enjoy our curated articles and commentary. Don’t forget to also check our Pinboard on (Pinterest below). Share Palm Springs revival has deals for a song (or close to it)…

  • A Secret Tip For Selling Your Home

    admin
    18 Dec 2011 | 10:11 pm
    Thinking of selling your home ? Is your home reflecting your “inner wealth” pattern?  The energy of your home has an impact on the ability to sell your home quickly.  I read this article from Kathryn Weber, Feng Shui Consultant and thought I’d share it with you.  It is quite interesting and I think you’ll agree with her.  Your home says a lot about you. Want more information about this and many other related real estate topics? Sign up for our newsletter (see form in right margin of this blog), or on our Facebook Page. Creating Wealthy Habits to Manifest Prosperity…

  • New Non-Stop Flights to Palm Springs

    admin
    5 Sep 2011 | 1:49 pm
    Great news for the Palm Springs desert area! Several airlines have added new non-stop flights from major cities, making travel to this desert resort area even easier. This local real estate market continues to offer extraordinary value, made even more attractive by historically low interest rates. Please contact us @: love@palmspringsgreathomes.com www.facebook.com/loveofthedesert www.palmspringsgreathomes.com Click the following link to see Flight List: Love of the Desert’s Posterous

  • Canadians Lured To Palm Springs Area (But Best To Know The Tax Implications)!

    admin
    21 May 2011 | 2:21 pm
    There’s been a lot said about the value of Palm Springs desert area real estate…and the droves of Canadian buyers who are currenly taking advantage of prices and the strength of their Loonie (Canadian dollar) vs. the US dollar. Other reasons Canadian Snowbirds are buying real estate in the desert area include: Harsh winter has snowbirds seeking warmth  More direct flights from WestJet  Strong Canadian housing market  Valley home prices often offer extraordinary value  Insurance fees, other costs lower than East Coast  First-time buyers purchasing before Bank of Canada raises…

  • Do You Like Our New Logo (Poll)?

    admin
    10 May 2011 | 3:27 pm
    Hello Everyone. We are trying to determine whether our new logo successfully depicts our Palm Springs area real estate business and our “Love of the Desert” Brand. Please take a moment to complete this short POLL. We are looking for feedback from as wide a demographic sample as possible and would very much appreciate your Sharing, Liking, Re-Tweeting and otherwise relaying to your contacts who may be interested in participating. Our objective is to confirm that the logo not only conveys that we are Palm Springs area Realtors. We also want to ensure that it illustrates our…
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    Robert S. "Bob" Lowery

  • Hospitals Employing Physicians: Is It Different This Time?

    MREA
    24 Jan 2012 | 2:16 pm
    Around 15 years ago, physician practices were purchased by hospitals at compellingly high prices. Unfortunately for these hospital systems, within a matter of just a few years, the physicians were re-injected back into the community, largely because the hospital systems had not realized a return on investment. Fast forward to 2012, we hear similar stories about physicians becoming incorporated into a hospital’s network. ‘ The reasons for hospital systems obtaining physician groups may be many. But, most conversations boil down to either a specialty or geographic play, whereby…

  • Why We Perform Our Own Market Research

    MREA
    17 Jan 2012 | 3:05 pm
    In light of recent articles regarding the largest commercial real estate brokerage firm in the world NOT providing data to the largest online commercial real estate data provider, we thought we would make our viewers aware of the positive and negative of seeking commercial real estate information online. Having spent considerable time with a few of the largest commercial real estate platforms in the country, I can attest that commercial real estate dealings are kept sacred, some having bound agreements as to non-disclosure among all parties involved, and rightfully so.  These are business…

  • Stop, Go, Stop, Go, Stop…Go!

    MREA
    11 Jan 2012 | 1:08 am
    2012 is shaping up to be a good year for commercial real estate practitioners with a recession now becoming less of a reality.  By simply observing search queries that funnel to this blog (by no means an economic indicator), it would appear that we will see steeper interest in the consummation of land purchases for proposed developments, as well as the disconnection of locked down building construction plans. It is our responsibility to observe and record trends on how the money migrates within commercial real estate sectors to properly advise our clients within health care.  And, over the…

  • Cleaning House: HIPAA & Medical Records

    MREA
    4 Jan 2012 | 10:09 am
    ‘Cleaning House’ is a simple, figurative analogy as to what is currently taking place in the health care industry. Now that reform has been responsible for identifying and correcting some of the system’s major abusers of taxpayer dollars, the latest news is with regards to the significant security breaches of medical records that have the potential to have much greater ramifications to the local, state and even our country.  Most of the breaches have been concentrated within the medical industry, but keep in mind that this is now one of the most scrutinized sectors of our economy. We…

  • Healthcare Bankruptcy & Receivership – Real Estate Services

    MREA
    28 Dec 2011 | 1:59 pm
    MREA is dedicated to improving the health and wealth of it clients through several varying healthcare real estate competencies, many of which are located on our website. Our specialization within this narrow, niche sector provides our physicians, investors, owners and medical center customers with direct exposure to healthcare real estate opportunities. Currently, our firm is fielding a greater number of inquiries for the assistance of distressed real estate property offerings.  So, we offer a quick post of our services. As most are aware, an unfortunate reality exists in today’s real…
 
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    Distressed Properties Sale Articles

  • Distressed Properties Remain an Attractive Option for Most Buyers

    Cassiano Travareli
    26 Jan 2012 | 5:39 am
    Existing homes sales continue to do well as the sector slowly regains some sort of balance leading into 2012. One of the key factors that economists expect will make a lot of difference to the general economy is the housing sector. Most economists believe that an improving housing industry will greatly help in propelling the economy into better times. With employment levels and consumer confidence continuing to rise, housing may not take as long as expected to hit bottom and start its full recovery. Sales of Residential Units on the Rise December 2011 figures showed that sales of distressed…

  • More Positive Predictions for Housing Even with Huge Supplies of Distressed Properties

    Cassiano Travareli
    19 Jan 2012 | 5:43 am
    Despite the oversupply of distressed homes in most U.S. markets, majority of housing analysts are predicting a better year for the sector in 2012. There are various reasons behind this prediction and it is not just the housing industry that is at play. With modest improvements in employment and consumer confidence rising, most analysts expect more home buying activities, particularly when it comes to distressed houses which are still being offered at very low prices. These improvements, for the most part, are expected to continue throughout 2012. What Analysts Expect for the Year Fannie Mae…

  • Distressed Properties Becoming the Go-To Option for First Time Buyers

    Cassiano Travareli
    11 Jan 2012 | 12:06 pm
    Those who have always wanted to own a home are now being given a chance to fulfill their dream as distressed properties continue to be sold at very affordable rates. It is not just the residential type preference that has changed, but also the manner by which homebuyers are financing their purchases. Although a modest improvement in the housing market is being predicted by most analysts, they reveal that it is to be expected that distressed homes will remain the go-to option for first-time buyers and even with these affordable residences, most buyers require a lot of help. The Family That…

  • Sales of Distressed Properties to Rise, Prices Expected to Improve Mid-Year

    Cassiano Travareli
    4 Jan 2012 | 12:33 pm
    Sales of homes, particularly distressed properties, are predicted to rise during the year. The cheap prices of residences are expected to attract more buyers and investors as they try to take advantage of the low prices before they start rising again by the middle of 2012. And this is what a lot of housing analysts are predicting for the year – a mid-year rise in housing prices. They are expected to decline by more than 3.5% during the first two quarters, but by the second half of the year, prices are projected to rise by nearly 2.5%. Sales Buoyed by Urgency The expected rise in housing…

  • Who Played What Roles in the Foreclosure and Distressed Properties Problem?

    Cassiano Travareli
    3 Jan 2012 | 5:38 am
    The huge amounts of distressed properties that are still in the market are testament to the fact that the housing crisis is far from over. Although improvements have been seen in the past few months with regards to buying activities and home prices, housing is still facing a serious challenge to get back to normal. The housing industry will take a while before it returns to normal, no one can dispute that. However, it is also a fact that the collapse of the housing industry was not caused by a single entity or sector or factor. It is a combination of a number of elements, both from the public…
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    Apartment Ninjas

  • Say Goodbye to Relocation Difficulties

    Ninja Blogga
    18 Jan 2012 | 8:14 pm
    No More Apartment Relocation Problems A recent study in the United States found that one of the top stress-causing events in a person’s life, and a top organizational hassle, is moving. Yet, this does not have to be the case. It is possible to say goodbye to your relocating difficulties by using portable storage containers. What Goes Into Portable Storage Containers? This depends on who’s seeking to relocate. Are you a business or a residential home? A business tends to store industrial products, while a residence usually needs storage for larger items, such as furniture and the…

  • Resident Review of West Houston Apartments

    Ninja Blogga
    26 Oct 2011 | 4:52 pm
    Resident Review of Apartments in West Houston Review by Photographer and Current Resident of Lakeside Place Apartments in Houston, TX I’ve always had my eye on Lakeside Place Apartments, since it’s in such a great neighborhood, and so close to Beltway 8 and I-10. Plus, the space you get for the price you pay is fantastic. Ramin, in the leasing office is awesome; he gave me a great discount when I first moved-in. The leasing staff at Lakeside Place is very personable and has helped me since the day I got there. The management and leasing office in general are known throughout the…

  • Apartment Locating Uncloaked: How it Really Works

    Ninja Blogga
    2 Oct 2011 | 3:28 pm
    Shedding Light on the Role Apartment Finders Play in the Multi-Family Housing Industry Why should you use an Apartment Locator? Simple, for the same reason you would use a Real Estate Agent to sell your home and/or find you one. Since your Apartment Finder is a licensed Real Estate Salesperson in Texas, serving all Houston, DFW, Austin, and San Antonio, TX metro markets, you are using a knowledgeable professional to do your footwork. Why re-invent the wheel when your licensed, professional Apartment Locator already knows the answers? She or he has already or will spend countless hours…

  • University Park TX Neighborhood

    Ninja Blogga
    30 Sep 2011 | 4:39 pm
    University Park Neighborhood in Dallas, TX University Park Texas Apartments: 75225, 75205, 75206, 75209 One of the most sought after neighborhoods in all of Dallas, University Park (UP) is home to Southern Methodist University. Similar to its neighbor, Highland Park, it is a city partially surrounded by the municipality of Dallas. Combined, Highland Park and University Park create the Park Cities, an enclave of Dallas. Address in University Park use “Dallas, TX” as the city designation, not “University Park, TX” designations. This area is known for having some of the most beautiful…

  • Rebate Policy and Apartment Locator Service Review

    Ninja Blogga
    16 Sep 2011 | 12:44 am
    Dear Mr. Pickett: I just wanted to say thanks for sending our rebate check in a timely manner. The agent who assisted me was very personable and helped tremendously in explaining the rebate process and what needed to be completed to obtain the $150 reward. The locator agent I was assigned to made finding an apartment easy. She was very familiar with the area of town I needed and was able to provide us a tailored list of rentals that would meet our needs and wants. I contacted her as soon as my plane landed (around 5:30 pm). Within 20 minutes she had already e-mailed me an accurate list of…
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    30A to Destin FL Real Estate

  • Decorating Ideas on A Budget

    DebbieJ
    26 Jan 2012 | 11:44 am
    It is January, a New Year and time to relax after the hustle and bustle of the Holiday season. The festive decorations are put away and all of a sudden, the house looks rather bare. Ho-hum is what you say… are you bored yet? Well, don’t be! Now is a great time to freshen and update your home for the upcoming springtime. If you are on a tight budget, not to worry! You can spend little to no money to freshen the look with these decorating ideas on a budget! Many of these interior decorating ideas on a budget are great whether you plan to sell your home, or just want to breathe new life…

  • What is Your New Years Resolution?

    DebbieJ
    17 Jan 2012 | 11:37 am
    We always laugh about making New Years Resolutions and whether or not we can keep them. The fact remains that most of us stick to the tradition and make a New Years resolution every year as we ring in the New Year. I was curious as to what were the most popular New Years Resolutions are, and read hundreds from around the country. It was amazing how geographically we are alike in our commitment to making ourselves a better person each year. After compiling and sifting, I have come up with the following most popular New Years Resolutions: 1. Get in Better Shape – Whether dieting, exercising…

  • Watercolor Florida Gulf Front Home for Sale

    DebbieJ
    9 Jan 2012 | 1:05 pm
    Watercolor Florida Gulf Front Home for Sale Absolutely stunning Gulf Front home for sale in Watercolor Florida. Custom built in 2007 with steel beam structure and high grade (hurricane rated) mahogany doors and windows. Boasting over 3,400 sq. ft. of living space. Numerous porches overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, Western Lake and Grayton State Park. Features of this Watercolor Florida home include: 3-story home with open floor plan, black walnut hardwood floors throughout entire home, granite countertops, original artwork, professional interior design with high-end furnishings & 2-car…

  • Eimers Group Real Estate Agents Receive Stock Options

    DebbieJ
    5 Jan 2012 | 8:33 pm
    Eimers Group Real Estate Agents and Receive Stock Options History in the making! The traditional Real Estate Brokerage does not allow for any ownership opportunities. Just another way Eimers Group is different! Pictured from left to right, John Holahan (Realtor), Amanda Bonne (Realtor), Richard Eimers (Broker/Owner), Angie Griffith (Closing Coordinator), and Debbie James (Broker Associate).

  • New Years Eve 2011 Destin FL and 30A Celebrations

    DebbieJ
    23 Dec 2011 | 10:27 am
    New Years Eve 2011 Destin FL and 30A Celebrations Where will you be singing this song on New Years Eve 2011? Auld Lang Syne : Lyrics Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And auld lang syne! Chorus: For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne. We’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet, For auld lang syne. (Scott’s poem written by Robert Burns in 1788 and put to music) No matter where you are this New Years Eve 2011, you will probably hear the traditional “Auld Lang Syne” being played and/or sung at midnight. Here along…
 
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    Unconditional

  • Property sales have clearly turned a corner

    Alistair Helm
    25 Jan 2012 | 4:17 pm
    The property market in NZ starts 2012 in better shape than it has for the past 5 years. It would not be too optimistic to say that the industry, certainly in terms of volume sales has turned a corner. Some parts turned that corner 6 months ago (notably Auckland) whilst some will take a few more months before witnessing this change. In the 12 months of 2011 a total of 61, 269 properties were sold across the country as reported by the Real Estate Institute. This represented a modest 9% growth as compared to 2010. The word modest is most appropriate when the volume of sales is viewed against the…

  • NZ Property Report – December 2011

    Alistair Helm
    31 Dec 2011 | 4:15 pm
    The December 2011 NZ Property Report published by Realestate.co.nz provides an insight into the state of the New Zealand property market as measured by the supply side of the property market over the month of December. The key measures of the market analysed in the report are the number of new listings, the asking price expectation for those new listings and the level of inventory of unsold houses on the market at this time. The report is compiled from data captured by the website and represents close to 95% of all property movements in the NZ market as managed by licensed real estate agents.

  • Auctions provide a bellwether for the the property market

    Alistair Helm
    21 Dec 2011 | 7:28 pm
    The state of the property market can be assessed by keeping a close eye on the number of properties being marketed for Auction. When you spot more and more of the For Sale street signs emblazened with “Auction” you can safely bet that the property market is heating up. This view is certainly articulated in the article today titled “Auckland house auctions hit high“. Based on sales data supplied by the Real Estate Institute (REINZ) the number of properties sold in November across the country as Auctions was the highest ever at more than 25%. Looking specifically at the…

  • Property Pulse – November 2011

    Alistair Helm
    19 Dec 2011 | 8:30 pm
    Each month we publish a factsheet for each region of the country as well as a national report to provide an insight to the key numbers that detail the health of the property market across the country. These reports for the month of November cover all 16 provincial regions as well as reports covering the 3 main metropolitan regions of Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. The Auckland report is divided up into each of the main metro areas (North Shore, Waitakere, Manukau as well as Auckland City). Each factsheet provides the key numbers in table and chart form using the key statistics from…

  • Northland Property Pulse factsheet – November 2011

    Alistair Helm
    18 Dec 2011 | 9:25 pm
    The Northland region property pulse factsheet for November 2011 is published using data from Realestate.co.nz and REINZ (Real Estate Institute of NZ). Property sales in Northland at 136 in the month increased on a seasonally adjusted basis in November and is up 26% as compared to a year ago. The inventory of unsold houses on the market at 136 weeks has risen after falling to a low of 128 weeks. It is now just back above the long-term average of 130 weeks of equivalent sales. Median sales price for property sales in Northland at $305,000 is down 2% as compared to a year ago. The recent trend…
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    The BuzzBuzzHome Blog

  • It’s a bird! It’s a plane! Nope, it’s a drone flown by a Californian realtor… And the LAPD ain’t pleased.

    buzzhomeblog
    27 Jan 2012 | 11:30 pm
    You probably read the title of this post and were pretty confused. You should be… We were pretty puzzled when we first heard about this story as well. Turns out that realtors in California are getting creative and more than a little tech savvy with the way they shoot aerial footage of homes. According to the LA Times, the Los Angeles Police Department has issued a warning to realtors using drones to make sure they abide by federal aviation regulations. We’re not realtors ourselves, but we’d imagine that most are not up-to-date on all the latest federal aviation regulations…

  • BuzzBuzzHome launches Project 15: New home page design! Animated maps! Enhanced Leonard!

    buzzhomeblog
    27 Jan 2012 | 4:08 pm
    Following a little bit of planning, designing, coding, and hard work by our design and engineering teams, BuzzBuzzHome released a new site update dubbed “Project 15″ on January 25th at 6:00pm. You might be asking yourself, “What in the world is Project 15?” Well, if you’re reading this post, you may also have noticed a couple of not-so-subtle changes to the site. The standard point of entry on BuzzBuzzHome is the home page. But oh, wait a second. What is this slick new incarnation that you’ve stumbled upon? No, its not a trick; we launched a new home page!

  • Buzz Talk with Tony Loschiavo [INTERVIEW + RECIPE]

    buzzhomeblog
    27 Jan 2012 | 3:39 pm
    Today we’re buzzing with someone a little different! We’ve checked our records and this is indeed the first time that we’re welcoming a chef and restauranteur to the BuzzTalk hot seat. That’s right, we’re buzzing with Toronto-based restaurant owner and chef Tony Loschiavo, the owner of L-Eat Group. In the real estate world, Tony’s L-Eat Catering is a go-to caterer for industry events. In the restaurant world, Paese Ristorante, the Italian restaurant that Tony opened in 1989 is known for its excellent dining. The original Paese is located at Bathurst, near…

  • Free this weekend? Looking for a home? Check out these events!

    buzzhomeblog
    27 Jan 2012 | 1:34 pm
    Attention interior design fanatics! The only place you’ll want to be this weekend is the Metro Toronto Convention Centre for the Interior Design Show. The annual event brings the best, brightest and most creative in the industry together for seminars and product displays that you definitely won’t want to miss. Not residing in the Greater Toronto Area? Fly, bus, train, drive or sail in for the weekend — we promise that you won’t be disappointed. Now that that public service announcement is finished, it’s time to move on to our weekend events listing. If…

  • After a record setting 2011, GTA new home market set to shift into high gear

    buzzhomeblog
    27 Jan 2012 | 11:30 am
    At a media conference last week, RealNet revealed some incredible and meticulously compiled stats and then, in conjunction with BILD, held a super informative Q and A session. You may remember our live tweetathon and blog story covering the conference (it was pretty great). Well, RealNet’s George M. Carras is not a shy guy when it comes to the media, and this week he’s back in the limelight again. Today he’s in The Star’s YourHome section writing about some of the highlights from the RealNet data revealed last week and providing some insight into the numbers.
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    BornLiving Barcelona

  • Cute one bedroom fully furnished apartment close to Ciutadella Park

    admin
    4 Jan 2012 | 7:53 pm
    Located beside Calle Comerc where it meets Arc de Triomf and just a minute from Parc Ciutadella, this is a fully furnished one bedroom third floor apartment with elevator. With wood floors throughout and at 50sqm, its tastefully decorated and has plenty of natural daylight. There is an elevator in the building, central heating, a modern kitchen and a cosy double bedroom with ample wardrobe space. Ideal for a couple looking for a good value apartment for medium or long term rental in a good location. Drop us a line to make a viewing appointment.   Copyright © 2007Dieser…

  • Elegant fully furnised one bedroom in great location – great value

    editor
    31 Dec 2011 | 8:44 pm
    Located just a couple of minutes walk from the Picasso Museum in el Born, this is a very elegant and bright studio apartment ideal for one person looking for a great value furnished pad that’s fully furnished, comfortable and ready to move in. Although only 36sqm, the apartment makes very good use of space, has wood floors throughout and elegant furniture. There is a compact kitchen with full cooker, a great living room with lots of light, a double bed with curtain surround as well as central heating. Drop us a line now to arrange a viewing appointment.Copyright © 2007Dieser Feed…

  • Elegant two double bedroom midtown Eixample apartment

    admin
    16 Dec 2011 | 1:42 pm
    Located in the heart of Eixample in the very center of Barcelona and within easy walking of most of the city, this is a classic Eixample apartment with many unique features such as the original turn of the center plastered ceilings and tiled floors. There are two spacious double bedrooms, a wonderfully bright living room and two bathrooms. Ideal for a couple or family looking for an authentic apartment thats well situated. Drop us a line if you would like to arrange a viewing appointment. Copyright © 2007Dieser Feed ist nur für den persönlichen, nicht gewerblichen Gebrauch…

  • Two bedroom apartment with many original features close to Santa Catarina market

    editor
    30 Nov 2011 | 9:19 am
    Located just a couple of minutes walk away from the abundant Mercat de Santa Catarina and very close to the metro station of Jaume I, this is a centrally located apartment close to both Plaza Catalunya as well as to the Born and Gotico areas of the city.The apartment itself has  exposed original brickwork, wood parquet floors and wooden beamed ceilings throughout. It’s been renovated to a high standard while keeping many original features.There are two bedrooms, one double (with desk/study area) and one single, one large bathroom with walk-in shower, a very comfortable living and…

  • The Espacio Habitat Apartment in Barcelona

    admin
    28 Nov 2011 | 11:34 pm
    Located just off Paseo de Colon and Via Layetana, this two bedroom apartment will be your focal point from which you can map out where and what you want to see in Barcelona.The high standard and quality of the apartment combined with its proximity to Port Vell, Santa María del Mar, and las Ramblas makes it a fantastic choice for your visit to Barcelona.The area surrounding the apartment:This 90m2 flat with 16m2 terrace is embedded in catalogued historical buildings in Ciutat Vella, right where the street of Hostal del Sol meets the Roman wall. The building features a Dragon relieve on its…
 
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    Get Real Estate Blog|Salem Oregon Homes|Relocation Guide » Salem Oregon real estate home trends|Relocation Guide|Get Real Estate Blog

  • The home truth about Salem Foreclosures

    melina@tomsonburnham.com
    27 Jan 2012 | 11:40 pm
    Useless data.  I live for it.  What can I say?  When running the normal foreclosure numbers for you all, I decided since I have all these numbers just sitting there, I needed to do something with it.  So here you go, Melina’s fun facts about foreclosures in Salem Oregon.  Okay, I know what you are saying.  If I think this is fun, I really  need to consider poking a sharp stick in my eye for a rip roaring time, but I’ll pass on that.  Thanks for the offer though. ;-D The average mortgage on a home served with a foreclosure notice in Salem Oregon in 2011 was $182,593. The…

  • The home truth in Keizer in 2011

    melina@tomsonburnham.com
    15 Jan 2012 | 8:26 pm
    Home prices have continued to decline in Keizer, just like Salem.  The question is whether or not I was accurate in my predictions from last year.  I have an ego to maintain, you know.  Last year I predicted a 5% decline in home prices and a flat line in home sales.  So how did I fare?   Well like Salem I underestimated the decline a bit.  The median shifted downward by 7.7, so I missed it by 2.7%.    The average home price declined by 9.2% which isn’t surprising as fewer high end homes are selling to keep the average up.  With smaller data figures like this, the median is…

  • The home truth for Salem in 2011

    melina@tomsonburnham.com
    11 Jan 2012 | 2:59 pm
    Last year my crystal ball was off by 1.6%.  You’ll recall, I failed to eat my Wheaties and ended up erring on how much the market was going to correct for 2010.  For 2011, I guessed 5-7% with a possible 10% correction at most.   Well, Salem Oregon maxed out in 2011.  The average home price dropped 9.7% and the median shifted downward 10.7%.  It was a more volatile year than anticipated for home prices as they took a header during the first quarter, but remained at that value for the remainder of the year.   The average home price in Salem ended at $166,976 and the median was…

  • I lead the glamorous life…

    melina@tomsonburnham.com
    5 Jan 2012 | 9:41 pm
    You all think real estate is Beemers and golf outings during the day.  I know you do, but really real estate is more glamorous than that.  Seriously…so much more glam.  In fact, I am wearing my Vera Wang and Jimmy Choos as I type this.   I will share an only slightly embellished true story with you to demonstrate the sheer sophistication of being a real estate agent…   It was a cold, clear day in Salem, Oregon.  I sashayed down the stairs in my typical taffeta real estate attire ready to sell houses that day.  I popped down the top of my dark red convertible because as…

  • 365 days of being thankful

    melina@tomsonburnham.com
    1 Jan 2012 | 10:00 am
    I wrote before Thanksgiving that I think sometimes we forget that we should be thankful the other 364 days a year.   With this economy, the needs of our local citizens isn’t changing because the holiday season is over.   Our charities are still hurting and all of us are stretching our dollars in our budgets.  As such, I’ve decided to stick to my words and be thankful 365 days this year.  I’m going to share with you all and our local Salem area because I am thankful for everyone that has chosen to be my client or refer someone to me over the years.   So how does it…
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    Lansner on Real Estate

  • Million-dollar ZIPs: 4 ZIPs with priciest homes

    Jon Lansner
    28 Jan 2012 | 2:02 am
    For the 22 business days ending Jan. 11 — DataQuick’s freshest stats — the Orange County real estate market had homebuying patterns showing: 27 of O.C.’s 83 ZIP codes with gains in their respective median selling price. Overall, buyers’ prices were -2.2% vs. a year ago. Taking sales volume in consideration, home-sale pricing is up in ZIPs representing 48% of the Orange County market. 4 of 83 O.C. ZIPs with median sales prices above $1 million in the period vs. 11 million-dollar ZIPs when the county median price peaked in June 2007. Since that pricing pinnacle,…

  • Early January home sales dip 4%

    Jon Lansner
    28 Jan 2012 | 2:00 am
    Highlights of DataQuick’s Orange County homebuying report. For the 22 business days ending Jan. 11 — the latest numbers — Orange County’s real estate market saw … Median selling price for all residences of $400,000 — that is off 2.2% vs. a year ago. Total Orange County sales of 2,479 residences closed in the latest period — that is off down 4.4% vs. a year ago. Note: 15 of 83 Orange County ZIPs had both rising sales and prices in the period. Is your ZIP one of those neighborhoods? To see, CLICK HERE! Here’s the breakdown of recent activity by key…

  • O.C. Housing Mood: Not so good!

    Jon Lansner
    28 Jan 2012 | 2:00 am
    For 22 business days ending Jan. 11 — here’s our colorful analysis of local housing mood. Green’s hot; red’s not … and yellow in between! Sales slice Median Price Yr. Change Sold Yr. Change Houses $445,000 -5% 1,562 -3% Condos $260,000 -5% 733 +1.0% Newly built $603,500 +31% 184 -27% All O.C. $400,000 -2% 2,479 -4% Source: DataQuick | TREND INFO | ZIP-BY-ZIP RESULTS O.C. Housing Mood: Not so good! is a post from: Lansner on Real Estate

  • Foreclosures down 8.7% in ’11

    Jeff Collins
    27 Jan 2012 | 1:30 pm
    Click to enlarge charts Lenders seized a total of 7,219 Orange County homes through foreclosure in 2011, down 8.7% from 2010’s tally, figures from housing tracker DataQuick Information Systems show. It was the third straight year of foreclosure declines, although RealtyTrac has forecast that U.S. foreclosures would rebound next year as legal obstacles are overcome. Default notices, which mark the beginning of the foreclosure process, fell for a second straight year in 2011, dropping 7.6% from 2010 to 17,471. The “notice of default” can be filed after a homeowner has missed three or more…

  • O.C. offices rent at fastest pace since ’05

    Jon Lansner
    27 Jan 2012 | 11:30 am
    275 Valencia in Brea Orange County’s office landlords had a busy 2011, signing leases that filled a net 2.19 million square feet of office space — deals equal to filling the steel-faced, 21-story Plaza Tower in Costa Mesa four times. According to the brokers at Jones Lang LaSalle, last year was the county’s best net absorption of empty offices since 2005! Here’s JLL’s tally of the biggest office lease of last year: 275 Valencia Avenue in Brea: Bank of America renewed its lease with Lexington Realty Trust for 637,503 square feet. Tenant rep was Jones Lang LaSalle;…
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    REJournals.com

  • Connelly: CBRE finds right fit to bolster its office investment business in 2012

    Staff Writer
    27 Jan 2012 | 3:18 pm
    When CBRE recently hired Paul Lundstedt to be its executive vice president, capital markets, it was a coup for the firm, according to Chris Connelly, CBRE’s executive managing director, particularly because there is a dearth of talent in the suburban office market. Connelly recently spoke with IREJ about the impact Lundstedt’s hiring will have on the firm and how the company plans to approach a challenging office investment environment in 2012. Q. What is CBRE doing to improve its office investment business? The first thing we’re doing is recruiting and obviously Paul is representative…

  • Berkadia originates $23 million in refinancing for Milwaukee multifamily property portfolio

    Staff Writer
    27 Jan 2012 | 12:44 pm
    Berkadia Commercial Mortgage LLC closed a portfolio of five multifamily properties in Milwaukee, Racine and Cudahy, Wis. through the HUD 223 (f) program, totaling nearly $23 million in refinancing. The fixed-interest rate loans – each under 4 percent – range from 80 percent to 85percent LTV and all feature a 35-year term and amortization. The Gorman and Company portfolio includes five loft-style apartment complexes in the greater Milwaukee area. Senior Vice President Tom Sigrist, Senior Vice President Len Deering, CCIM, and Vice President Paul Matusiak worked with borrower Gary Gorman to…

  • Spalding DeDecker opens new office in Michigan

    Staff Writer
    27 Jan 2012 | 9:03 am
    Spalding DeDecker Associates, Inc., a regional civil engineering, landscape architectural and surveying firm, recently opened an office in Livonia, Mich. This office expands the firm’s geographic coverage in Michigan. It will also allow Spalding DeDecker to better serve its clients in western Wayne and Oakland counties, as well as Washtenaw and the surrounding counties. Transportation, municipal, construction engineering, land development, landscape architecture and survey services will be offered through this office. “SDA’s Livonia office was established so we could be very…

  • Wine seller opens in Brixmor-owned shopping center in Minnesota

    Staff Writer
    27 Jan 2012 | 8:59 am
    New York’s Brixmor Property Group recently announced the opening of a 4,200-square-foot The Cellars Wines and Spirits at White Bear Hills Shopping Center in White Bear Lake, Minn. Brixmor is the owner of White Bear Hills Shopping Center, and was represented by Matthew Johnson with Brixmor.

  • Signature negotiates industrial lease for more than 100,000 square feet in Michigan

    Staff Writer
    27 Jan 2012 | 8:52 am
    Offering more proof that big deals are still getting done, even in today’s challenging commercial real estate environment, Southfield, Mich-based Signature Associates recently closed a lease for more than 100,000 square feet of industrial space in Michigan. Signature negotiated the lease of 121,704 square feet of industrial space in Canton, Mich. Steve Gordon and Gary Sallen of Signature Associates represented both the landlord, 4280 Haggerty LLC, and the tenant, Poof-Slinky, Inc.
 
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    macduff consulting

  • The PGA Merchandise Show - 3 Trends for 2012

    Nick Green
    12 Jan 2012 | 2:46 pm
    Here we go again, another PGA Merchandise Show or simply "The Show" as it is called in the business. As product launch cycles have been completely turned on their heads by TaylorMade, we already know what to expect to see at the show, which is a shame. However, that's the commercial reality we live in and with the advent of social media and sites like GolfWRX and Golfspy posting pro range pictures (all supported and even paid for by the major manufacturers) there is very little at the show that we haven't seen. Hopefully some of the lesser known manufacturers with smaller budgets will give us…

  • What NOT to ask at The PGA Merchandise Show - Redux!

    Nick Green
    10 Jan 2012 | 3:07 pm
    The PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando is just around the corner and we are in final planning for clients and meeting schedules. Last year I wrote about "What not to ask at the show" and it's worth revisiting with a couple of updates. Some have remained the same - No's 1-4 - please, please avoid asking these!,  No. 5 is still in play, No. 6 - there have been some improvements, notably the "moving ball at address" rule, No. 7, the answer was millions and this year people will be buying a white 3 wood and No. 8  - substitute the name Titleist with Adams. 1. Are you having a good show?

  • TaylorMade - Marketing 101

    Nick Green
    14 Dec 2011 | 12:19 pm
    You have to hand it to the west coast dudes at TaylorMade Golf, because once again they have come up with something that has the golf world buzzing. Over the last few days it's been hard to avoid the name of their new club in the chat rooms and online golf sites. ROCKETBALLZ! Yes, you read that right, Rocketballz! That's the crazy name that allegedly came through their R & D department and some how stuck as the club went into production. Personally, I think the name is awful and the "RBZ" on the bottom of the club would have been better, but the name generated the PR they were looking…

  • Cleveland knows Marketing! A Titanium Retro Driver!

    Nick Green
    14 Nov 2011 | 10:28 am
    The folks at Cleveland Golf have come up with a cool idea! A retro titanium driver! What's that you say? Take a look at this 50's style all titanium driver with a paint job reminiscent of a Hogan driver. I have yet to see it in person and as it doesn't launch until 2012, we'll have to wait for the Orlando Golf Show in January. The epitome of cool and a great idea from CEO Greg Hopkins and his team!

  • The year of the Trues!

    Nick Green
    24 Oct 2011 | 10:53 am
    Truly, it was the years of the shoes shown above, TRUE Linkswear. A terrible pun, but the best new shoes on the market!These are shoes you can actually use straight out of the box without getting blisters and they feel like your old slippers from the first tee to the eighteenth green. I've been a Footjoy Classics (now Icon) user for 25 years, but 2011 has changed all that.First came Freddie at the Masters and the Ecco Street shoes. I bought them, I liked them but the white suede "tips" proved to be a nightmare to keep clean. I hoped someone could do better and they did! I had high hope for…
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    Reia of Macomb | Michigan Real Estate Investor Club

  • How A Two Dollar Investment Can Make You Five Thousand On Your Next Michigan Real Estate Investment

    REIA of Macomb
    26 Jan 2012 | 9:49 am
    If you haven’t noticed rehabbing is back…in a BIG way.  What’s rehabbing?  My definition is buying a house, repairing/updating/& finishing it to the maximum allowable by neighborhood standards in hopes to sell it for the highest realistic price.  That’s a mouthful. If you don’t already know, selling houses retail is a delicate balance between budget more »

  • 2012 Michigan Market Turnaround

    REIA of Macomb
    16 Jan 2012 | 10:49 am
    As we kick off the 2012 real estate investing season only one word comes to mind…TURNAROUND! In the first week of the year RealtyTrac came out with numbers proving that foreclosures are at their lowest point in 7 years in Michigan. What does that mean for us Michigan real estate investors? Well if you’re not more »

  • Help Fellow REIA of Macomb Member-Wayne Turner

    REIA of Macomb
    7 Jul 2011 | 1:11 pm
    It’s not often that you’ll see something like this from me. Typically I’m all business. As it turns out a good friend of mine and fellow real estate investor-professional-educator-REIA of Macomb member has hit a hard time in his life. Wayne Turner who I met at a networking event 5 or 6 years ago has more »

  • 9 Out of 10 Buyers Find Their House Online

    REIA of Macomb
    22 Jun 2011 | 7:08 am
    I got my chops busted everyday when I first stepped into the professional world by my sales manager.  He used to have to beat it into my head that you have to give the customer what they want-not what’s necessarily best for them.  He had a saying, “Don’t fight it, write it”. What he meant more »

  • If You’re Not Fliping You’re Losing

    REIA of Macomb
    15 Jun 2011 | 12:43 pm
      Recent statistics from the leading source in our business (check out the blue highlighted section above) , Realtor Magazine, show that the Metro Detroit region has lost 13% in housing values over the last 90 days alone.  This means that if you are holding residential real estate you are losing money as you read more »
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    PropertyManager.com

  • Two California Companies Develop Their Own “REO-to-Rental” Platform

    Bryan Ives
    27 Jan 2012 | 7:14 pm
    Following the announcement that the federal government will be implementing a pilot program in the first quarter to sell Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Federal Housing Administration REO homes in bulk to potential investors, two California companies are in the works to develop their own rental platform. Private equity fund GI Partners will be investing $250 million in Waypoint Real Estate Group based out of Oakland, Calif. Waypoint developed a process of acquiring foreclosed homes, renovating them before leasing the properties to residents. Waypoint has been in business for three years and since…

  • 10 More Pinterest Tips for Property Managers!

    Charity Hisle
    25 Jan 2012 | 7:58 pm
    In our last post about Pinterest, we discussed why each property management group should have a Pinterest account. But how do you get creative with your account without being too salesy? Here are ten more ideas for using Pinterest for your communities: 1. Create an account for your property management group then create a pinboard for every community. 2. Pin items of interest by category, here are a few ideas for categories: a. Interior design ideas: create a board for each room of the home. b. Fitness and Food: create a board that emphasizes healthy living and recipes. c. Shopping lists:…

  • How to Attract “Generation Y” Residents for Your Rental Properties

    Marc Courtenay
    23 Jan 2012 | 2:05 pm
    Believe it or not, there are up to 80 million people between the ages of 16 and 29 who will be filling your vacancies in the year ahead. They are often called “Generation Y.” Also known as the “Echo Boomers”, they are the children of that other gigantic demographic, The Baby Boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964). Born between 1981 and 1995, they’re already having a huge impact on entire segments of the economy. And as the population ages, they will become the next dominant generation of Americans. So whether you call them “echo boomers,” “Generation…

  • Investors Favor City Apartments Over Suburban Communities

    Bryan Ives
    19 Jan 2012 | 2:03 pm
    Apartment building sales continue to remain strong, but in some areas investors are opting to invest in properties in cities rather than the suburbs. Two deals in the Boston area serve as a prime example. According to Simon Butler, an executive director at Cushman & Wakefield, a 1,020- unit apartment complex with over 90% occupancy in the suburb Framingham, Mass. sold for $128 million, just below what it sold for in 2007 at $130 million. Charleston, S.C.-based Greystar Real Estate Partners acquired the property from JPI of Irving, Texas. On the other hand, a 232-unit Cambridge, Mass.,…

  • Should Your Property Management Company Investigate Pinterest?

    Charity Hisle
    17 Jan 2012 | 7:48 pm
    With over 4 million users, Pinterest is now in the top 10 list of social networks! It is a unique (and public) website that allows users to organize and share images and videos from across the web with one another. Think of Pinterest as an online bulletin board! Pinterest provides the opportunity to visually demonstrate to others what is happening below the surface – all the while linking back to the original source of the image. People pin inspirational, educational, entertaining and fun photos and videos making each pinboard unique to the individual pinner. The opportunities for local…
 
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    GreenPropertyManagement.com

  • Backyard Chickens

    Jennifer Marcus Newton
    27 Jan 2012 | 11:04 am
    One of the perks of my last apartment in California was access to seven hens. Really, the perk had more to do with the eggs the chickens produced, but the thought of interacting with hens was strangely thrilling. I’d never been around them before and I was extremely curious. I imagined making my way to the coop with an egg basket tucked under my arm. Gathering eggs was a nostalgic task I attached to the wholesome life on the prairie I’d read about in the Little House on the Prairie series. Truth be told, I was thoroughly intimidated by the chickens. Not completely alektorophobic, but when…

  • Save Paper in Your Property Management Office

    Mary Girsch-Bock
    11 Jan 2012 | 10:00 am
    As more property management companies become more environmentally conscious, property managers continue to search for more ways to go ‘green.’ This process can include everything from reducing office thermometers to using more environmentally friendly cleaning products. One of the easiest ways to reduce your carbon footprint is to reduce paper usage in your office. While this may sound simple at first, we all know that the property management industry is very paper-driven (think application, credit report, lease agreement, lease renewal, etc.). But with some newly formed, environmentally…

  • An Environmentally Responsible Move-Out List

    Jennifer Marcus Newton
    29 Dec 2011 | 6:52 pm
    You’re not the only one making wish lists this time of year. Here’s one for your residents to check twice to make sure their next move-out is environmentally responsible. Or, should a tenant leave you with a move-out mess, this handy list will help you navigate the detritus responsibly. Thank goodness for security deposits. Televisions—Just a few weeks ago, Best Buy announced that it’s dropping the $10 fee for recycling old TVs. Televisions and other electronic waste can’t be tossed in landfills, but not all e-waste recycling is actually environmentally safe. Some e-waste is…

  • Increase Your Energy-Saving Awareness and Green Profits Will Follow

    Marc Courtenay
    14 Dec 2011 | 5:52 pm
    In the many decades that I’ve counseled and consulted with my clients, I’ve been impressed how many want to do the right things-especially when it comes to human relationships and the environment. As Property Managers, we are often measured by how we get along with our clients and residents. More and more we are also judged by the example we set as the “stewards” of the buildings and grounds that compose the properties we manage. You wouldn’t be reading this article if you didn’t have a “green conscience” of some sort. That’s why I’d like to share some simple ideas for…

  • Getting Personal about Public Transportation

    Jennifer Marcus Newton
    2 Dec 2011 | 12:34 pm
    Public transportation is really an unsung eco hero. Some people complain that trains are dirty or buses run late. And sure, there are some strange folks who take the train once in a while. But there are also strange folks who get behind the wheel and drive behind you (or in front of you). But no matter where you are in the world, local public transportation reduces carbon emissions for every person on board. It also reduces the number of personal vehicles on the road, thereby reducing traffic congestion. Over the course of a year, you can cut your own carbon emissions by nearly 5,000 pounds…
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    Select Property

  • Student Property continues to outperform UK property market

    Max Bielby
    26 Jan 2012 | 3:56 am
    Knight Frank’s 2012 student property report has highlighted the continued popularity of the asset class as an investment. Student accommodation in the UK has achieved extremely high returns for the second year running, vastly outpacing the returns generated by the rest of the UK’s residential and commercial property markets. James Pullan, the head of student property at Knight Frank stated “Student property has outperformed every other commercial property class” explaining “A key reason for this outperformance is that there is still a structural undersupply of purpose-built student…

  • UAE economy improves and ‘strong recovery’ forecast in 2012

    Max Bielby
    23 Jan 2012 | 12:14 pm
    Figures posted by the National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) show that the UAE’s real GDP grew by 4.6% in 2011. The Kuwait bank said it expects record low inflation will spur further economic growth in 2012 as the UAE’s major business hubs like Dubai and Abu Dhabi become more cost-competitive. The Oxford Business Group is also confident of the UAE’s strong economic performance in 2012. Their report stated “Indeed, despite the concerns over the global economy, Dubai appears to be looking at the New Year with confidence, with the government set to step up investments aimed at bolstering…

  • Student property the best performing asset class in UK property

    Max Bielby
    19 Jan 2012 | 8:02 am
    Investors of UK student accommodation are set to enjoy yet another year of strong returns according to the latest report in the Sunday Times. As part of an article reviewing the best performing asset classes within the UK’s property market, The Sunday Times ranked student accommodation at the top with average returns of 13.5% last year. This vastly outperformed the growth seen in the standard housing market which saw values fall by 1.3% on average. While returns generated by student accommodation are forecast to decrease this year due to the increase in tuition fees this autumn, experts…

  • Dubai property prices up 1.09% in December

    Max Bielby
    18 Jan 2012 | 3:24 am
    According to the latest REIDIN.com index, average property prices in Dubai increased by 1.09% last month. The monthly increase in real estate values in the last month of 2011 mirrors the general trend seen through-out last year of slow and steady increases in values. The gradual improvement of Dubai’s real estate market through-out 2011 was helped by several factors including the Arab Spring which saw capital flowing into the emirate as the safe haven of the Middle East. Properties in prime locations saw the highest increase in values attracting high demand from local residents and…

  • Hilton to open a luxury hotel on Ras Al Khaimah’s Al Marjan

    Max Bielby
    16 Jan 2012 | 4:33 am
    Hilton Worldwide confirmed a deal to bring a second DoubleTree by Hilton hotel to Ras Al Khaimah this weekend. The new DoubleTree Resort by Hilton is expected to open at the beginning of 2014 on RAK’s famous Al Marjan Island. Hilton’s luxury resort will be one of the first hotels to open on the highly anticipated Al Marjan Island. Al Marjan, which is RAK’s first manmade island, is expected to become a popular tourism hub offering a tranquil paradise at the centre of the Middle East. As the most scenic and naturally beautiful of the UAE’s emirates, RAK has a unique advantage over the…
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    ERA Wilder Realty

  • You're Invited to the State of the Lake Address

    25 Jan 2012 | 2:35 pm
    Todd Beckstrom with ERA Wilder Realty invites you to attend the State of the Lake Address on January 31 at 6:00pm at the Timberlake Golf Club in Chapin, SC. RSVP by visiting our event on Facebook or by emailing Todd@era.com.    

  • Successfully Selling HUD Homes in SC Training - January 24, 2012

    19 Jan 2012 | 2:00 pm
    Registration is required to attend this training class. Please register by Monday, January 23, 2012 by visiting http://www.HUDPEMCOevents.eventbrite.com or by emailing lucindab@erawilderrealty.com  

  • Step 13 of the listing presentation: Close and get the listing signed

    16 Jan 2012 | 1:20 pm
    At this point in the listing presentation you get to find out one thing, how good your listing presentation was. If the seller stalls, or objects over commissions, there’s only one reason, you didn’t make a strong presentation or present enough value to cause them to take action and list with you. Now what? Go back and review all the features and benefits that you presented and ask them a simple question, “What part of my marketing plan do you feel won’t get you the maximum exposure to the greatest pool of buyers?” Don’t go into your “But I’m the…

  • Event: State of the Lake

    12 Jan 2012 | 10:30 am
    Hear from the experts on: Lake Murray Market Conditions. Buying Trends, Determining the Value of your Home, Selling Strategies, What to Look for in the Months to Come    

  • Step 12 of the listing presentation - Pricing Strategy

    12 Jan 2012 | 10:29 am
    Who sets the price of a home when you list it?  The Seller!  Don’t fall into the pricing trap.  Here’s your pricing strategy conversation that will place responsibility back on the decision makers shoulders! “Mr. and Mrs. Seller, as I shared with you earlier, my job is to take your home to market and test the market through my marketing efforts.  Periodically I am going to deliver back to you the results of that test.  I will provide you a current update of the marketplace and you will decide if we need to change our strategy.  Mr. and Mrs. Seller,…
 
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    Repo Homes Blog

  • Repo Homes Sales Rise As Market Improves

    admin
    25 Jan 2012 | 11:26 am
    Sales of existing residential properties have risen, offering some sign of an improving housing sector. Analysts believe that the trend is set to continue in 2012 as the economy slowly gets back on its feet.Repo Homes Sales Rise As Market Improves is a post from Repo-Homes.com - Your online source for house repossessions for sale.

  • Areas Race Toward Housing Recovery – Repo Homes Still in Demand

    admin
    18 Jan 2012 | 1:11 pm
    Housing analysts expect recovery in the housing market to be slow in 2012, although certain areas may gain more traction than others, especially those that are selling more repossessed homes. And it is not just home buying that will help these areas, but also the industries.Areas Race Toward Housing Recovery – Repo Homes Still in Demand is a post from Repo-Homes.com - Your online source for house repossessions for sale.

  • What Repo Homes Really Mean for the Economy

    admin
    11 Jan 2012 | 11:25 am
    The number of repo houses continues to weigh down the housing market. However, positive signs are being seen in some areas of the U.S. where sales of existing residential properties, particularly repossessed homes, have been rising for the past fewWhat Repo Homes Really Mean for the Economy is a post from Repo-Homes.com - Your online source for house repossessions for sale.

  • Promising Signs for 2012 Despite Continuous Flood of Repo Homes

    admin
    4 Jan 2012 | 11:30 am
    The number of repossessed homes is expected to rise again in select areas of the country in 2012 as a result of the end of the foreclosure processing moratorium. This anticipated resurgence in distressed property numbers will inevitably result in further depression in housingPromising Signs for 2012 Despite Continuous Flood of Repo Homes is a post from Repo-Homes.com - Your online source for house repossessions for sale.

  • Repo Homes Still Weakening Housing, but Better Things Expected for 2012

    admin
    2 Jan 2012 | 5:15 am
    The huge number of repo homes and underwater mortgages is preventing the U.S. housing industry from gaining traction. Despite the slow upward movement of the sector, there has been a general optimism that housing will prove to be a key factor for the nation's economic recovery comeRepo Homes Still Weakening Housing, but Better Things Expected for 2012 is a post from Repo-Homes.com - Your online source for house repossessions for sale.
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    Salt Spring Island Real Estate | Gulf Islands Properties

  • January 2012, Salt Spring Island Market Analyses

    saltspringislandrealestate@gmail.com ( Li Read)
    2 Jan 2012 | 7:42 pm
    January 2012, Salt Spring Island Market Analyses Happy New Year! I think many people will be glad to see the back of 2011…we may look back a few years from now and decide that 2011 was the key year in the societal shift that has been underway since 2000. Key in the sense that change [...]

  • December, 2011, Salt Spring Island, BC

    saltspringislandrealestate@gmail.com ( Li Read)
    9 Dec 2011 | 1:58 pm
    December, 2011. The end of the year is a time to both look back, as a kind of summing up, with the benefit of hind-sight, and also a time to look forward, to dare a little, to make some projections. The hind-sight part: On looking back, it’s clear that entry level residential was the flavour [...]

  • November 2011, Salt Spring Island, BC

    saltspringislandrealestate@gmail.com ( Li Read)
    1 Nov 2011 | 8:34 pm
    November, 2011. At this time of year, it’s a mix of settling into a softer season, with an emphasis on holiday celebrations, with family & friends, and also a time for business planning for the following year. I often think of November, December, January as the “fallow field” moment…we drop inward, to the root level [...]

  • October 2011 | Salt Spring Island Market Analysis

    saltspringislandrealestate@gmail.com ( Li Read)
    1 Oct 2011 | 3:40 pm
    October, 2011. It’s Harvest Time…also, in the business cycle, it’s now the fourth quarter. The general dishevelment of this “real” 21st Century remains with us all. Yes, in a way real estate remains localized. It’s the item we know, if we’re local. In another, it’s not…global issues afflict all regions, no area is exempt from [...]

  • All Things Salt Spring | Christopher Roy

    saltspringislandrealestate@gmail.com ( Li Read)
    7 Sep 2011 | 12:51 pm
    Salt Spring Digital on Ning Salt Spring Digital All Things Salt Spring | Li Read & Christopher Roy
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    rentBits Blog

  • 7 Ways to Increase sales in a Volatile Economy

    rentBits Team
    12 Jan 2012 | 11:14 am
    Author of SNAP Selling & Selling to Big Companies, Jill Konrath, has released a white paper entitled, “Selling in a Volatile Economy.” I highly recommend it for any sales person or company looking to grow their business. The 7 Tips are: Deepen Your Expertise Strengthen your Value Propositions What is a value proposition? It’s a clear statement about the [...]

  • Data Visualization of New Homes Sold

    Dan Daugherty
    11 Jan 2012 | 8:10 pm
    Data from the Census Bureau shows the obvious. New home sales have been on a decline ever since Sept 2006. In Oct 2010 however, this trend has flattened out. Construction of new homes have declined as well but is this a sign of stabilization in the real estate market?

  • Phoenix Apartment Market Data

    Dan Daugherty
    10 Jan 2012 | 10:21 pm
    Phoenix has seen some of the highest vacancy rates in the United States over the last year. Much of this has been due to the high foreclosure rate. Of existing mortgages, CoreLogic said 3.4% of them were in foreclosure in the month of Sept 2011. How is all of this affecting the rental market in Phoenix? Apartment [...]

  • Renting is the New Buying

    rentBits Team
    10 Jan 2012 | 7:09 pm
    In previous years, it was embarrassing to say you rent. Today, in most cases, it is embarrassing to say you own. According to the US Census Bureau, the U.S. homeownership rate has fallen about 1.5% over the past year (from 66.9% to 65.9%). For every 1% drop in the homeownership rate, it represents approximately 1 million new renters entering [...]

  • The State of the Denver Market

    rentBits Team
    9 Jan 2012 | 9:21 am
    There are currently over 98 million renters in the US. 40 Million of those are in single family homes and the remaining renters are in the apartment buildings with 2 units or more. U.S. Households: Renters & Owners Type of Household Number of Households (000) % of U.S. Total Number of Residents (000) Renter-Occupied Housing 40,119 34% 98,820 Owner-Occupied Housing 78,583 66% 207,291 Total 118,702 100% 306,111 Source: NMHC tabulations of 2011 Current Population [...]
 
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    San Fernando Valley Real Estate

  • I predict the short-term future of the local real estate market

    24 Jan 2012 | 7:13 pm
    Although I don't have a crystal ball, I think we're in for a strong first and second yearly quarters, as far as San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles real estate goes. Why do I say that? It appears that buyers are coming out of the woodwork.  There's a nexus right now between low interest rates and lower-than-in-recent-memory home prices and short inventory.  Everything is going into multiple offers.  There are lots of cash buyers out there.  Plus, I think that potential buyers may just be tired of sitting on their hands and may be feeling a little more confident than…

  • Yet more info on Southland property flippers

    18 Jan 2012 | 3:51 pm
    I've been posting about flipped properties lately, and here's more info and statistics about that very thing from today's L.A. Times.  The short of it: investors, most of whom are likely property flippers, are crowding the low end of the market.  The title should link; if not, click here.  Some salient quotes: "The one thing that is certainly true at the moment — because rents are rising and house prices are flat or falling — is yields on houses are pretty good right now," said Richard Green, director of the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate. "It creates a problem for…

  • Real estate word for the weekend: flip

    16 Jan 2012 | 7:39 pm
    I showed property all over the San Fernando Valley this past weekend.  It seems that just about everything I saw was a professionally rehabbed home.  And they were mostly nicely done, too.  The one above is on Buffalo, just south of Chandler, and it's already in escrow.  The other noted trend: most of the flippers are also real estate brokers with their own companies -- no longer are these groups of flippers giving their properties over to large real estate brokerages to sell, they are creating their own companies and selling the properties themselves. Back to the…

  • Cutest house of the week, in Echo Park! But my clients didn't get it. Bah.

    13 Jan 2012 | 2:04 pm
    This is 1801 Bellevue in Echo Park and it's the cutest house I saw this week.  It's a rehab/flip, and it's adorable.  It has 3 beds, 2 baths, a den, a separate studio, and an oversize garage plus a front and back yard.  It also has been really well-staged, and I'm crazy about good staging.  I know that some people don't care for Echo Park, but this street feels really safe -- it's a cul-de-sac at both ends.  Recently, the community has attracted many buyers who like both the traditional family housing stock and the urban feel.  Plus, the city is re-doing Echo…

  • Cheaper to buy than to rent? Just about...

    12 Jan 2012 | 4:32 pm
    With interest rates down to 3.85%, it may be cheaper to buy -- yes, including property taxes and insurance -- than it is to rent.  Some clients of mine have made an offer on a $525k home.  They are putting 20% down, and their lender has given them a rate of 3.85% with no points.  Unheard of.  Their lender's estimate showed that their monthly nut, including property taxes and insurance, will be $2500 plus change.  This is for a redone 3+2 with a separate studio! Considering that barely decent 2 bedroom homes are renting for around $2k, could the housing market turn…
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    Foreclosure News

  • Want Terrific Deals on Foreclosure Properties? Check Out These States

    admin
    26 Jan 2012 | 9:58 am
    The foreclosure market in the U.S. is absolutely saturated with great deals and steals – namely in the form of hundreds of thousands of home foreclosures priced well below fair market value. Couple that with dirt-cheap interest rates and you can easily see why 2012 is shaping up to be one of the hottest years on record for buying foreclosures. Where should you look, though? Some states are hotter than others, and the success of your venture will depend on finding the right markets. Here are ten states that hold the most promise to budding homeowners, entrepreneurs, and investors looking…

  • Tons of Opportunities and Potential Pratfalls for Foreign Real Estate Investors in the U.S.

    admin
    19 Jan 2012 | 1:16 pm
    The real estate market today is a veritable garden ripe for picking for foreign investors flush with cash and capital. Last year saw a record number of real estate transactions closed by foreign investors who flocked to hot spots in Florida, New York, and other hot locales, all seeking incredible deals with distressed properties and foreclosures galore. This year is no exception, but while there are still plenty of great deals to be had, there are some potential pitfalls to avoid, too. Real estate agents and foreign entrepreneurs alike should be cautious and well-prepared when digging into…

  • How to Use Google Maps When Looking for a New Home

    admin
    17 Jan 2012 | 1:45 pm
    If you are considering purchasing a new home or investment property outside of your area, Google Maps should be your new best friend. Never before has it been easier to take the address of your desired property and obtain information in regards to surrounding businesses as well as potentially seeing a satellite view of the home from the street. The Map View The number one reason to utilize Google Maps when looking for a new home outside of your area is that it is free. All you have to do is log onto Google Maps and type in the address for the property you are considering purchasing. Instantly…

  • Fannie Mae CEO Michael J. Williams Resigns

    admin
    12 Jan 2012 | 12:32 pm
    Barely three and a half years after the federal government bailed out mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the CEO of Fannie Mae, Michael J. Williams, has called it quits. Williams, 53, was announced as the director of the beleaguered agency in 2008 after the federal government stepped in and placed both firms into government conservatorship. The move has cost taxpayers roughly $150 billion, and that price tag could climb to well above $250 billion – a quarter of a trillion dollars – before it is all said and done. Since his appointment, Williams has faced intense fire from…

  • How Home Staging Helps Sell a Home

    admin
    10 Jan 2012 | 1:43 pm
    Trying to sell a home, or thinking about it in the near future? If so, you have somewhat of a challenge ahead of you, as today’s housing market is definitely a buyer’s market. Selling a home isn’t nearly as simple as it was prior to the housing bubble popping in 2007; now, sellers have to take extra steps and pull out all the stops to make their home as presentable as possible. One way you can put your home in the best light possible is to stage it appropriately, taking into consideration what people desire when they look for a home. Here we’ll discuss what goes into a…
 
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    ReTechulous.Com» | Real Estate Marketing »

  • Configuring Your “PURL” Page

    Ryan Hartman
    23 Jan 2012 | 9:49 am
    The Awesome Real Estate Website has a “Purl” feature built into it… which means you can create “Personalized URL’s” for individual people, or Property Listings. This screencast explains the functionality and shows you how to configure your own PURL page…

  • A few quick design tweaks

    Ryan Hartman
    23 Jan 2012 | 9:45 am
    Not terribly important, but if you’re in the mood… here’s a quick video about a few simple design tweaks you can do to your Awesome Real Estate website. You have a lot of design options and flexibility with your ARW… feel free to play around, but don’t waste too much time making things pretty… creating content is much more important!

  • “Where” Contest — Getting Technical

    Ryan Hartman
    21 Jan 2012 | 1:20 pm
    Ok, Please login / become a member.

  • “Where Contest” — Getting Started

    Ryan Hartman
    19 Jan 2012 | 2:49 pm
    The next phase in setting up our “Where In” Contest will be to grab a Youtube Account specific for the contest, or at least specifically for your Awesome Real Estate Website. The reason for setting this up on it’s own account is because we may eventually just want to set an autopost, so anything we upload to the youtube account gets added to the blog. (More on that later…) For now… Go grab a new youtube account Go take a 5-15 second video of some random person, place, or thing… something you think people might recognize, but don’t make it super easy.

  • Adding Facebook Comments To Your Awesome Real Estate Website

    Ryan Hartman
    19 Jan 2012 | 2:39 pm
    In this tutorial we’re quickly adding Facebook commenting to our Awesome Real Estate Website Blog Posts. This will come in handy soon because we’re going to be driving more traffic from Facebook as we launch our local “Where Is This” picture/video contests… The first person who comments on the post of course will always be the winner, so we need the comment box Tutorial ** Note, in the Facebook Comments settings, toward the top… select “Version 2″ and that will get rid of the annoying error message…
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    NeilSchwartz.net

  • Mike Ferry One on One Retreat 2012 Notes

    Neil Schwartz
    26 Jan 2012 | 8:45 am
    Here are out notes, hope you find them helpful. What was the main point you got out of the event? Email me and let me know, or comment below.   Day 1 Part 1 Customer Service / Past Client System Overview Until you understand the value of your past clients you wont list in high [...] [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

  • The Mike Ferry Organization Blog

    Neil Schwartz
    23 Jan 2012 | 7:30 am
    Mike Ferry – How to Choose the Right Real Estate Sales Coaching and Training Company I received a copy of a message from our client Bill Gross to his boss, Neil Schwartz at Century 21 Masters. It was interesting because Bill is a fanatical prospector and recruiter for Neil’s company, and on... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

  • Building Your Business

    Neil Schwartz
    20 Jan 2012 | 9:11 pm
    - Get your Ego out of the way. - Learn to change your behavior. - Work on your level of commitment. Related Posts:4 Steps to Pursuing Excellence in Real EstateComfortable? You’re NOT growing!The Next LevelFocus, Consistency and Commitment is what it Takes!Could You Have Done More?Do What... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

  • How to Create a Schedule

    Neil Schwartz
    20 Jan 2012 | 8:24 pm
    Do you ever wonder why it is that some people achieve more success than others with the same 24 hours that you have? The answer is…….. scheduling. - Powerful agents create a schedule and commit themselves to creating higher outcomes on a daily basis. - In order to control your business... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

  • Powerful Thoughts

    Neil Schwartz
    19 Jan 2012 | 8:45 pm
    Filling yourself with positive thoughts on a daily basis provides you with the fuel needed to have a spectacular day. Related Posts:Are You Listening To The Coaching You Are Getting?The Next Level4 Steps to Pursuing Excellence in Real EstateBuilding Your BusinessDo What Other’s Won’t... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
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    Home Auctions Blog

  • Positive Numbers for Foreclosure Auctions at the End of 2011

    cassy82
    26 Jan 2012 | 5:56 am
    Sales of residential properties, particularly existing homes, ended 2011 on a strong note. During the last few months of last year, a big number of investors and independent homebuyers left the sidelines to take advantage of the bargain properties that were on offer. This trend is expected to continue on to 2012 as buyers gain more confidence. Buyers' improving outlook for the housing sector has a lot to do with the declining unemployment rate and the fact that the general economy is getting better as we move deeper into the current year. Buyers Contributing to Housing Stability Sales of…

  • Varied Choices at Foreclosure Auctions Attracting Investors and Buyers

    cassy82
    19 Jan 2012 | 6:05 am
    A lot of home buyers and real estate investors are getting into the trend of attending foreclosure home auctions to find bargain properties. The low prices of homes offered at these auctions have given a lot of people the opportunity to own a house or invest in real estate. As the housing market shows signs of recovery, pent up demand drives sales of homes, particularly those sold at a foreclosure auction. Analysts expect sales to rise rapidly in 2012 and for these sales to contribute to the housing sector's recovery. Recovery Signs Seen in Various Segments It is not just residential…

  • Home Buying at Foreclosure Auctions Expected to Escalate in 2012

    cassy82
    11 Jan 2012 | 12:39 pm
    As the housing market starts to shown signs of revival, most analysts expect homebuyers and real estate investors to trek to foreclosure auctions in 2012 to try and take advantage of bargain deals before prices start to rise again. It has long been asserted that there are still buyers waiting on the sidelines to see how the housing industry will perform and whether prices will drop even lower. Most analysts believe though, that the waiting time is over and most property buyers will be heading to a foreclosure auction in the coming few months. Bargain Homes Still Aplenty Home prices are still…

  • Investors Needed at Foreclosure Auctions for the Market to Recover

    cassy82
    4 Jan 2012 | 1:04 pm
    The price of residential properties is expected to drop further in the coming few months at least, mainly because of the huge amount of properties being sold as REOs or at foreclosure auctions. The drop in prices, most analysts believe, is necessary before the market can revert back to normal. Despite the projected decline in prices in the coming months, a lot of homebuyers will still not be able to purchase homes, even those offered at very low prices at a foreclosure auction. The reason for this is the tight lending standards that have been put in place when the crisis started hitting the…

  • Buying at Foreclosure Auctions Expected to Pick Up As Market Hits Bottom

    cassy82
    2 Jan 2012 | 10:39 am
    A lot of investors, and even independent home buyers, are shifting their attention to foreclosure auctions as signs start to emerge that the housing market is hitting bottom. This means that soon the sector will start its recovery and prices of homes will start to rise again. Recovery projections Because of the huge amount of cheap houses offered at foreclosure home auctions, a big number of analysts have predicted earlier that the recovery of the housing market will not start until at least four or five years from now. However, things seem to be picking up as more and more industry analysts…
 
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    Windsong Properties - Ranch Home Builder in Atlanta

  • Active Learning – Active Adults

    windsong
    24 Jan 2012 | 12:46 pm
    Some of the happiest moments in our lives are those in which we accomplish something new. Think about the wide grin of a baby who is just learning to walk, or the delight on the face of a child who hits the ball in Little League, or the smile of accomplishment worn by a college [...]

  • Active Adult Community = Friendships!

    windsong
    18 Jan 2012 | 1:34 pm
    “Friendship… is one of those things that give value to survival.” – C.S. Lewis Friendships are important not only to our own sense of fulfillment, but also to health and longevity. Studies show that people who have a close circle of friends and are socially active tend to live longer, healthier, more productive lives. When [...]

  • Virtual European Vacation

    windsong
    16 Jan 2012 | 8:31 am
    Experience the Grand Cathedrals of Europe with instructor  Howard Cohen at OLLI, Kennesaw State University’s 55+ education institute.  An experienced traveler of Europe, Howard developed an interest the the origin of the grand cathedrals he visited.  Combining his historical research with a stunning dvd series, Howard with take you on an historical journey through these [...]

  • Achieving New Year’s Resolution Goals Is A Breeze!

    windsong
    11 Jan 2012 | 6:31 pm
    Getting healthy, exercising and achieving fitness goals is at the forefront of everyone’s mind at the first of each year. But by the end of the first week of January, millions of New Year’s resolutions have already been broken, and by February, the vast majority of those things we made a commitment to change have [...]

  • Sleep better, be stronger at OLLI – Kennesaw State University

    windsong
    9 Jan 2012 | 8:30 am
    Gentle Yoga and Pilates Basics instructor Emily Berreth is starting two new sessions at OLLI – the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute of Kennesaw State University.  Designed for students 50 and over, the two classes will have a positive effect on every day living.  Gentle Yoga focuses on utilizing familiar postures to increase fitness while Pilates [...]
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    Bank Owned Homes Blog

  • Housing Sector Stabilizing As Bank Owned Properties Attract Buyers

    admin
    25 Jan 2012 | 11:42 am
    The economy, as a whole, is showing signs of strengthening, with the housing sector leading the charge as it demonstrates signs of stability. Multiple factors are at play when it comes to the general economy, but there is no denying that housing will play a major role. The Commerce Department has issued a report showing that new home sales have climbed, while homebuilder shares have also shown some improvements. This demonstrates how consumer confidence is picking up, which is a good thing given that 70% of the nation's gross domestic product is tied up with consumer buying. More Buyers,…

  • Selling Pace for Bank Owned Properties Picking Up in Most Areas

    admin
    18 Jan 2012 | 1:40 pm
    More homebuyers and real estate investors are favoring bank owned homes. This trend is bringing down the median selling price of residential properties as shown by sector data gathered during the first few weeks of 2012. On the other hand, it has also increased the sales pace in the residential market during those first few weeks as buyers take advantage of the bargain prices of bank owned houses. Most analysts have declared that the low prices are hindering the housing market's recovery, but it may not be as bad as some analysts see it. The Need to Lower the Inventory It is true that…

  • New Use Found for Bank Owned Properties

    admin
    9 Jan 2012 | 11:09 am
    Most Americans currently have a very low opinion about homeownership, but this has not stopped them from taking advantage of the cheap bank owned properties that are available in the market. The strengthening rental housing market has given them a new option when it comes to real estate investing. With so many investors entering the rental market, does this mean that the real estate industry will see a massive recovery in 2012? Most industry observers believe that this is too much to hope for, but most also agree that things will be better this year. Rental Market Thriving Although…

  • Cheap Bank Owned Properties, Low Mortgage Rates – Happy Homebuyers

    admin
    4 Jan 2012 | 12:04 pm
    Prices of residential properties continue to drop in most cities of the U.S. as bank owned properties dominate the home selling market. Data for October showed a drop in housing prices in most hard-hit areas compared with September, including Las Vegas, Detroit and Phoenix. Despite the drop in prices and the expected resurgence in the number of bank owned homes in 2012, majority of housing market observers believe that the year will bring some semblance of improvement in the industry. However, the recovery will vary from one area to another as some regions demonstrate the ability to stabilize…

  • Oversupply of Bank Owned Properties Overshadows Positive Market Developments

    admin
    3 Jan 2012 | 7:55 am
    Cheap bank owned properties are still very much a part of the U.S. housing market. Admittedly, they are a big part of the reason why housing remains in trouble. However, some analysts have stated that the prices of residential properties have actually improved, although most members of the public are unaware of these developments. According to some housing industry analysts, the housing market is actually not as bad as most people think. Prices of regular dwellings have reportedly stabilized for the most part of 2011, but news like this are being overshadowed by the huge amount of bank owned…
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    Susan Singer

  • UES Residents Push Back On MTA Plan To Build New Subway Entrance

    Susan Singer
    27 Jan 2012 | 12:37 pm
    The Metropolitan Transportation Authority wants to build new entrances so the disabled can access the subway at 68th Street, but some Upper East Side residents say the plan will diminish the quality of their block. NY1’s Tina Redwine filed the following report. People who live on East 69th Street between Lexington and Park say it’s a special place. “It is a beautiful block. Quiet. It has been here for a long time and I don’t think it will enhance our street at all,” said one resident. “It” is the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s plan to build new…

  • Rejection From A Co-Op Board Can Sometimes Be Reversed

    Susan Singer
    23 Jan 2012 | 6:11 pm
    New Yorkers who are rejected by a co-op board should not lose hope, as they may be able to get the board to reconsider their applications.   Let’s say you find the perfect apartment in a co-op, submit a board package, go on the interview and are promptly turned down. Most people lick their wounds and move on, but many do not realize they still may have a chance. Real estate attorney Sandor Krauss says in rare cases, an applicant can get a board to reconsider. “No is usually no. However, there are times where certain circumstances that are unique to your application can be…

  • Trump Soho’s Developers to Auction Hotel and Unsold Condos

    Susan Singer
    19 Jan 2012 | 4:04 pm
    The developers of Manhattan’s Trump Soho will put the hotel and its unsold condominium units up for sale, said Alex Sapir, one of the property’s builders. The Sapir Organization, which developed the property with Bayrock Group LLC, has hired brokers Eastdil Secured LLC and Jones Lang LaSalle Inc. to hold an auction for the unspecified number of unsold condominium units and the hotel’s common areas, said Alex Sapir, president of the Sapir Organization. Sales of the Trump luxury units come as the city’s supply of for-sale condos shrinks. There were 3,382 units listed for sale in the…

  • Some City Co-Ops Become More Accepting Of Dogs

    Susan Singer
    17 Jan 2012 | 9:58 am
    Dogs are members of the family to some and unwanted neighbors to others, so several buildings have a ban on four-legged pets. But these days, there are so many legal loopholes around no-dog polices that many co-ops are eliminating them.   “As a trend, it’s becoming much more common. The forces of change are pushing for allowing dogs because it has become impossible to prohibit them,” says real estate attorney Dean Roberts of Norris McLaughlin & Marcus. Roberts, who works with buildings to resolve doggie dilemmas, says changes to local and federal laws have left loopholes…

  • 3 Bed | 4 Bath | $4,950,000 | Chelsea

    Susan Singer
    17 Jan 2012 | 9:24 am
    410 West 24th Street Apt. 18BCE Listing ID#: 600949 Description: Stunning Chelsea pre-war 3 bedroom and 4 bath home, easily converts to a 4th bedroom if desired. Known as the jewel in the crown of London Terrace, this exceptional property has South, North, East and West exposures. Unobstructed views of the Empire State Building and cityscape. No expense has been spared in this mint renovation. Custom arched glass French doors, formal entry, 9 outfitted closets and a working fireplace are a just a few of the features that make this apartment a true gem and a unique offering in Chelsea. All…
 
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    Findwell Blog

  • Evaluating a home before a foreclosure auction

    Kevin Lisota
    23 Jan 2012 | 2:17 pm
    With many homes currently in foreclosure, buyers may turn to a foreclosure auction as a potential place to find a deal on a house. In Washington state, foreclosed homes are sold through a trustee auction, which is a process that happens outside of the court system. If you plan to buy a home at a trustee auction, you need to understand the process and bidding requirements. More importantly, you need to understand as much as you can about the home you are bidding on, particularly since you are purchasing in as-is condition. Evaluating a home that is being sold at a foreclosure auction can be…

  • A condo video intercom system from the future!

    Kevin Lisota
    23 Jan 2012 | 10:55 am
    Most large condo complexes have some sort of secure entry system. Modern ones tend to have a voice intercom where you can buzz in your visitors via a code on your phone. Sometimes there is also a video camera at the entry gate, but almost none are as groovy as the one I stumbled upon yesterday in a 1985 condo. When a visitor buzzes from the entry, you pick up this handset to speak to them. But what if you want to see who’s at the door? Well, just pop open the Jetson’s-style monitor! (That is a mini-CRT that pops out!)  

  • A Middle Earth neighborhood for Lord of the Rings fans

    Kevin Lisota
    6 Jan 2012 | 1:31 pm
    When developers create a new subdivision, the name of the neighborhood and streets are usually pretty boring. When I was back in Wisconsin over the holidays, I came across a creative one that appeals to Lord of the Rings fans like myself called The Shire in Brookfield. Not only do they have a Hobbit door at the entrance, but you can also live on streets like Rivendell Drive or Brandywine Lane. However, you’ll notice that the homes are a little larger than typical Hobbit size!

  • Timing your offer on a bank-owned (REO) home

    Kevin Lisota
    21 Dec 2011 | 2:25 pm
    If you are in the market to buy a home, chances are that you are going to come across bank-owned (REO) homes. (In King County, 11% of the listings on the market right now are bank-owned.) Bank-owned homes can come on the market at very attractive prices designed to sell them quickly. Attractive prices means that you will likely have to compete with other buyers, and one of the keys to your success is understanding how to best time your offer. It looks like a good deal Some banks will price their homes at fair market prices and are willing to be patient to maximize their sale price. Other…

  • 11 years of housing supply & demand in King County

    Kevin Lisota
    12 Dec 2011 | 11:00 am
    The health of the real estate market is on everyone’s mind these days. We went from an unbelievable boom in housing prices in Seattle to a crash that is still being felt. I wanted to take a look at the supply and demand that has driven the last decade of housing activity here to get a clearer picture of where we are today. Housing prices fluctuate based on a complex mix of job growth, population growth, interest rates and consumer sentiment. Layered on top of that is a large percent of pre-foreclosure and foreclosed inventory. But at the core, it is an exercise of supply and demand.
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    NuWire Investor: RealEstateInvestment

  • Seniors Housing Market Sees Slight Gains

    27 Jan 2012 | 1:02 pm
    Occupancy rates and rents for senior housing continued to edge up in the final quarter of 2011, despite a decline in construction and nominal inventory growth. Analysts are measuring positive growth in both assisted and independent living, although nursing care and inventory have been falling for years...

  • Natural Disasters Influence Japanese Property Buys

    27 Jan 2012 | 12:02 pm
    Recent earthquakes and tsunamis have redefined the way the Japanese look at many things, from their national power supply to what kind of property to buy. In particular, Japanese condo prices have taken a hit as more buyers grow cautious about the location and construction of their real estate purchase...

  • Berlin, Germany Beckons Expats

    27 Jan 2012 | 11:11 am
    Berlin, Germany, is an exciting mash-up of Old-World style, arts-influenced culture and cutting-edge technology and some expats are taking notice. Property in Berlin is very inexpensive compared to other European hotspots like London or Paris, and buyers can still enjoy 20th century style that makes...

  • 5 Cities, 25% of All Global Property Investment

    27 Jan 2012 | 10:55 am
    Jones Lang LaSalle reports that 25% of all property investment in the world is made in just five cities, and that more than half of all investments take place in 30 cities. The five major cities for property investment include New York, Tokyo, London, Hong Kong and Paris, although several up-and-coming...

  • Obama’s Mortgage Plan Announcement Disappoints

    26 Jan 2012 | 12:23 pm
    President Barack Obama announced during his State of the Union address that struggling homeowners would be able to save $3,000 a year through a new refinancing plan paid for by a fee levied on banks. The president said this bank tax would act as a way for banks to repay the debt they owe to taxpayers...
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    Chicago Agent Magazine

  • Baird & Warner Acquires Prime Property Partners of La Grange

    Chicago Agent
    27 Jan 2012 | 12:42 pm
    Baird & Warner has just announced its acquisition of Prime Property Partners. Baird & Warner Real Estate announced today that it has acquired west suburban real estate broker Prime Property Partners, expanding its field of service to several western neighborhoods in the Chicagoland area. Stephen W. Baird, the president and chief executive officer of Baird & Warner, said the acquisition was exactly what his firm was looking for. “Prime Property Partners is an outstanding example of what we look for in an affiliate: a cutting-edge firm with local market expertise that is…

  • New SF Home Sales Down in December, but Brighter Dawn Ahead

    Chicago Agent
    27 Jan 2012 | 10:27 am
    Though new home sales look bad, they could be paving the way for growth in 2012. New single-family home sales in December fell by 2.2 percent from November and 7.3 percent from December 2010, capping off what analysts are labeling a new record low in new home sales – though 2012 may be a new dawn for the struggling market. According to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, 307,000 new single-family properties were sold in December, down from 314,000 in November and 331,000 in December 2010. The main problem plaguing new-home sales,…

  • Craig Hogan Accepts New Role at Coldwell Banker

    Chicago Agent
    27 Jan 2012 | 9:55 am
    Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage named Craig Hogan the director of Previews luxury practice group for the city of Chicago. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage named local agent Craig Hogan the director of its Previews luxury practice group for the city of Chicago. Hogan comes to Coldwell Banker from Keller Williams, bringing with him 14 years of residential real estate experience with a specialty in Chicago’s luxury market. The announcement comes after Coldwell Banker’s acquisition of four local Keller Williams offices earlier this month, including the Gold Coast office where Hogan…

  • Confidence Picks Up in Latest NAR Index

    Chicago Agent
    27 Jan 2012 | 9:47 am
    Realtor confidence increased year-over-year in NAR's latest index. The National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) released its latest Confidence Index yesterday, showing a distinct rise in year-over-year confidence in December among the more than 3,000 agents surveyed. A measure of the strength of the current housing market and expectations about the future, the survey’s questions are designed to capture the effects of existing economic conditions and trends on the real estate business. The index for single-family home sales was 31.6, an increase from 30.4 in November and 24.5…

  • The Tricia Fox Group Joins @properties

    Chicago Agent
    27 Jan 2012 | 9:18 am
    Tricia Fox, a veteran Gold Coast broker, and her group joined @properties. Residential brokerage @properties has acquired The Tricia Fox Group, a 19-agent group headed by veteran Gold Coast broker Tricia Fox, part of a post-acquisition shakeup that has become a recurring story in the real estate industry. The Tricia Fox Group left Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage less than two weeks after the brokerage acquired the Keller Williams Gold Coast office, reports Crain’s. Real estate investor William O’Kane, who owned Keller Williams offices in Lincoln Square, Lincoln Park, Gold…
 
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    The Edmonton Real Estate Blog

  • What’s going on with Condo Prices in Edmonton?

    Sara MacLennan
    27 Jan 2012 | 3:48 pm
    Over the past 5 weeks we've seen the average price of condos drop from $230k to $208k. That's a pretty significant drop over a 5 week period, so a reader asked - "what's going on with condos?" There are a number of answers to that question... first of all, when you look at the chart tracking the average price trends for condos and single family homes, you can see there are much greater fluctuations in average condo prices than single family home prices. The simple explanation for that is that there are more sales of single family homes in Edmonton, which means more data to work with, which…

  • Edmonton Real Estate Market Weekly Update – Jan. 27/12

    Sara MacLennan
    27 Jan 2012 | 1:09 pm
    Edmonton Real Estate Market Update Here is our update on the Edmonton real estate market. (Previous week’s numbers are in brackets). For the past 7 days: New listings: 358 (383, 438, 239) # Sales: 177 (139, 109, 74) Ratio: 49% (36%, 25%, 31%) # Price changes: 119 (111, 125, 73) # Expired/Off Market Listings: 122 (160, 143, 577) Net loss/gain in listings this week: 59 (84, 186, -412) Active single family home listings: 2020 (2013, 1972, 1843) Active condo listings: 1237 (1182, 1139, 1067) Homes 4-week running average: $358k ($353k, $357k, $366k) Condos 4-week running average: $208k ($211k,…

  • Special Report: Year in Review and 2012 Forecast

    Sara MacLennan
    23 Jan 2012 | 2:28 pm
    We have finally completed our annual "Year in Review and 2012 Forecast." We will be emailing it out to subscribers and fans tomorrow (Jan. 24) afternoon. Don't miss out - subscribe or like us today!

  • The Difference Is? Calgary VS Edmonton

    Sheldon Johnston
    23 Jan 2012 | 2:22 pm
    I always like to tease my Calgary counterparts. When I was on the Real Estate Council of Alberta as a council member, the pre-meeting banter would always include some sort of comment welcoming the Calgary members from their carbon monoxide filled commute. They would counter with a humourous comment about Edmonton and on and on it went. My favorite joke was about a friend who left a pair of Flames tickets on his dashboard, and after a few minutes parked at 7-11 found his window was smashed. Their faces would give that expression of understanding and empathy, and then I would fire away with:…

  • Edmonton Real Estate Market Weekly Update – Jan. 20/11

    Sara MacLennan
    20 Jan 2012 | 12:21 pm
    Edmonton Real Estate Market Update Here is our update on the Edmonton real estate market. (Previous week’s numbers are in brackets). For the past 7 days: New listings: 383 (438, 239, 69) # Sales: 139 (109, 74, 91) Ratio: 36% (25%, 31%, 132%) # Price changes: 111 (125, 73, 29) # Expired/Off Market Listings: 160 (143, 577, 105) Net loss/gain in listings this week: 84 (186, -412, -127) Active single family home listings: 2013 (1972, 1843, 2094) Active condo listings: 1182 (1139, 1067, 1209) Homes 4-week running average: $353k ($357k, $366k, $366k) Condos 4-week running average: $211k ($220k,…
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    Ozarks Law & Economy

  • Elected representatives trump democracy, as Missouri legislature overrides initiatives

    Harry Styron
    23 Jan 2012 | 12:04 pm
    When a million Missourians adopt an initiative petition, why should our elected representatives be allowed to override the voice of the people? According to Howard Wright’s blog post, it’s because they can. Wright describes how our elected representatives have acted to undermine legislation adopted through the initiative petition process provided for in the Missouri Constitution. In particular, Missouri’s puppy mill initiative adopted in 2008 was overturned by the General Assembly in 2009. After Missouri voters approved a minimum wage law in 2006 with a 76% majority, the…

  • HOA needs to get the owner’s name right to collect assessments

    Harry Styron
    20 Jan 2012 | 11:25 am
    Whenever a homeowner association (HOA) gives me an account for collection, the first thing I do is verify the name in which the lot or unit is held. Frequently, the books of the HOA show owner as an individual or couple, often with a nickname. Failure to keep track of the name in which property is held can defeat a claim for assessments, as shown in River Oaks Homes Association v. Lounce, a case that originated in Jackson County, Missouri. The HOA obtained a judgment against Zeria Lounce, individually and as trustee of her living trust, for several years’ worth of delinquent…

  • Non-compete can be enforceable without geographic limit

    Harry Styron
    30 Nov 2011 | 5:17 pm
    The basic rule is that a non-compete covenant with an employee will not be enforced unless it is reasonable in duration and with respect to the geographic area it applies to. Otherwise, employees would be trapped in jobs, because they wouldn’t be able to work if they left the employer. But a St. Louis judge’s order was reversed by the Missouri Court of Appeals for the Eastern District in Whelan Security Co. v. Kennebrew, even though the non-compete covenant did not define the geographic area where the former employee was prohibited from competing with his former employer. The…

  • Addressing water supply issues in the Western Ozarks

    Harry Styron
    9 Nov 2011 | 7:06 am
    Imagine this headline: Taneycomo trout die as officials refuse to release water from Table Rock Lake It’s not far-fetched. Something similar happened in the fall of 2011 below Lake Tenkiller, in the Ozarks of eastern Oklahoma, where low water levels resulting from the prolonged drought left that reservoir with no unallocated water. You can get an idea of the reactions from this article in the Sequoyah County Times.  All the water in Tenkiller was spoken for, and the trout fishery suffered. What’s this about allocation of water? In reservoirs managed by the Corps of Engineers and…

  • Elements of Ozarks civil litigation: a woman, an oral agreement, cattle, a pig, a shotgun, a deputy

    Harry Styron
    30 Sep 2011 | 7:52 am
    Real estate law practice in the rural parts of the Ozarks, at least at the level of taking phone calls from prospective clients, often involves unwritten agreements, a woman’s role, cattle, guns, vehicles, accusations of trespass and calling the sheriff. Once in a while, a case makes it to the appellate court, as in Manley v Meyer, which has these common ingredients. Manley had an unwritten agreement with William and Linda Meyer that allowed Manley to put cattle on 57 acres owned by the Meyers. Under the agreement, Manley could also hunt, cut hay, and ride ATVs on the property for a…
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    aBetterOffice

  • Executive Office Suites Industry Weekly Roundup

    Jennifer LeClaire
    27 Jan 2012 | 3:08 pm
    MIAMI-Trying to keep up with what’s going on in the world of executive office suites, shared office space, coworking facilities and virtual offices? Here’s your weekly round up of news for the week of Jan. 23, 2011 from across the industry from aBetterOffice.com: News from aBetterVirtual: Genbook Nixes Virtual Receptionists With Online Scheduling, Analytics Davinci Virtual Office Solutions Rolls Out iPhone App Junk South Turns to Virtual PBX to Handle High Call Volumes Follow aBetterVirtual on Twitter. News from Officing Today: Floating Meeting Rooms Gain International Attention Regus…

  • Boulder Coworking Brand CodeSpace Expands With Focus on Designers

    Jennifer LeClaire
    26 Jan 2012 | 2:53 pm
    BOULDER, CO—Trada’s free coworking office space in downtown Boulder just got a little better. That’s because it expanded. Trada just announced that it’s expanded CodeSpace to make more room for freelance graphic designers. Now, Boulder’s creative types have a free location to work without fighting for tables in coffee shops. CodeSpace is always free and offers three private co-working spaces and shared tables where anyone can work. “Boulder has a high concentration of talented designers who are doing amazing work,” says Niel Robertson, founder and CEO of Trada. “I’ve lived…

  • Queens Executive Office Suites Targeting European Companies

    Jennifer LeClaire
    25 Jan 2012 | 10:11 am
    QUEENS, NY—Despite the economic uncertainty in Europe and Asia, one executive office suites facility has decided to target companies in these foreign nations with alternative office space. The Executive Office Center at Fresh Meadows is expanding its operations to serve countries in Europe and Asia seeking market penetration in Queens, New York. It’s the latest growth strategy of the fast-growth serviced office space. Jack Blumner, the Executive Office Center at Fresh Meadows’ executive director, says he decided to reach overseas because of the ethnic diversity of Queen’s population.

  • Think Big Partners Opens Kansas City Coworking Space

    Jennifer LeClaire
    24 Jan 2012 | 10:20 am
    KANSAS CITY, MO—Think Big Partners is living up to its name in 2012. At the Gigabit Challenge Finale in Kansas City, co-founder Herb Sih announced several new initiatives. The 2012 roadmap is dubbed Think Big Nation, an umbrella, of sorts that covers the firm’s recent efforts to challenge the way entrepreneurship works and how successful startups are formed. Call it a “not only for profit” model that aims to create more successful startups. As part of Think Big Nation, we’ll see the expansion of the Think Big Conference, the development of Think Big’s first accelerator class, the…

  • Premier Business Centers Opening Mission Viejo Executive Office Suites

    Jennifer LeClaire
    23 Jan 2012 | 9:58 am
    MISSION VIEJO, CA—On the heels of announcing its Foothill Ranch location, Premier Business Centers is planning another new executive office suites facility. This time, Premier Business Centers has inked a lease for serviced office space in Mission Ridge, a prestigious project in the affluent Mission Viejo area of South Orange County. Mission Ridge is a Class A, four-story office building with luxury in mind. The project dons a courtyard with relaxing fountains, outdoor seating, picnic area and a shower and locker room facility. The address is 27101 Puerta Real. That’s right next to the…
 
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    New Homes Section

  • Survey Finds U.S. Has Most Affordable Housing Market

    Ryan Home City
    23 Jan 2012 | 6:02 pm
    Complaints about the high home prices in America might be a bit unfounded. In a survey released on Jan. 23, entitled Eighth Annual Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey, the United States was found to have the most affordable housing market among comparable nations. The survey uses what is known as the Median Multiple to determine [...]

  • Divorce: How to Split the Home

    JaysonNHS
    23 Jan 2012 | 1:40 pm
    Of all the assets that a couple owns, the house is often the biggest. As of late, however, it may have become the biggest liability. About 20% of mortgages are underwater (i.e. the homeowner owes more on the mortgage than the home is worth). The result of so many variables affecting a home’s value is [...]

  • Foreclosure-to-Rental Conversion Program in the Works

    JaysonNHS
    19 Jan 2012 | 2:40 pm
    Recent reports reveal that the Obama administration is finalizing plans on a massive sell-off of some of the nearly 300,000 foreclosed homes held by mortgage underwriters Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). The homes would be sold as part of a massive rental conversion program that would sell the foreclosures in [...]

  • Fed Says Amendments are Needed to Get the Housing Market Back on Track

    JaysonNHS
    17 Jan 2012 | 12:40 pm
    Housing needs substantial help from the federal government, taxpayers and the banking industry if it hopes to attain a real recovery, according to arguments put forth by three top Federal Reserve officials in speeches last week. The speeches are part of the recent Federal Reserve push to influence government fiscal policies and mandates, all in [...]

  • Improving Markets Jump in January to Start the New Year Off

    JaysonNHS
    17 Jan 2012 | 12:28 pm
    In what may be the latest evidence of a nascent recovery for real estate, the number of local markets around the country showing significant improvement jumped this month, with nearly 80 metropolitan districts now showing a rebound in their housing sectors. The Improving Markets Index (IMI), distributed monthly by the National Association of Home Builders [...]
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    Notorious R.O.B. » The Notorious R.O.B. –

  • Imagine All The People…

    Rob Hahn
    18 Jan 2012 | 3:55 pm
    Click here to view the embedded video. Lawrence Yun, the Chief Economist of NAR and my doppelganger, has a new post up in which he discusses the growth in global population: In regards to the United States, some have claimed that the large number of people retiring and an eventual dying off of the baby boomers will mean less housing demand in the future. This ignores one simple fact about the broader population and not just the baby boomers. Every year about 3 million additional people live in the U.S. The projection by the Census further calls for more people for the foreseeable future with…

  • Simple, Easy, and the Starbucks Index

    Rob Hahn
    17 Jan 2012 | 12:39 pm
      Easy Is Not Simple I would write a review of my week in New York City at the Inman Connect conference… except that I was in meetings pretty much all day long, and missed all but one session. I’ll direct you instead to people like Sean Carpenter for a recap. But I did have a great series of #lobbycon sessions with new friends and old, typically over cocktails, and sometimes on street corners. That made me have one of those “a-ha” moments, which is either a flash of insight or complete idiocy. I figured you guys could tell me which it is. Simple. Easy. The two are…

  • Seven Predictions for 2012, The Techno Edition

    Rob Hahn
    2 Jan 2012 | 5:59 pm
    Continuing the tradition that started when the earth was young (or last year… depending on your definition of “time”), I’d like to present this year’s version of “Predictions Guaranteed to be Wrong, Or Your Money Back”! As we saw in the report card post, last year, I went 4.5 for 7 in predictions. I hope to bat lower for this year’s predictions. Of course, I can guarantee 0 for 7 by making ridiculous predictions, like “The Jets will win the SuperBowl”. Without further ado, the predictions for 2012…   Click here to view the…

  • Reviewing My 2011 Predictions

    Rob Hahn
    28 Dec 2011 | 2:14 pm
    In 2009, I batted .600 in predictions for 2010.  And I thought that was fun. It’s one thing to make predictions; it’s another to look back and see how those predictions fared. How did I do last year in predicting events of 2011? I was hoping to be maybe 1 out of 7, since most of my predictions last year were of the doom-n-gloom variety. Sadly, I think I’m 4.5 out of 7 for a .642 batting average. Hall of Fame (Infamy?), here I come. We’ll review my take on the predictions for 2011 after the jump. 1. The Beginning of the End of the Homeownership Society – NO The…

  • Watson, And the Future of Real Estate Technology

    Rob Hahn
    16 Dec 2011 | 3:50 pm
      Say hello to Watson Over on Facebook, in one of the real estate discussion groups I’m involved with, Loren Sanders posted the following: I saw a documentary called “The Pit” about floor traders on the New York Board of Trade. It shows before and after they were bought out by an electronic trading company ICE. It is not an exact parallel to real estate but it shows clearly that progress waits for no one and no one (or company) is bigger than than market. That is my long winded lead in to: What are you doing now so your service will be relevant 2 years from now? That…
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    Massachusetts Real Estate

  • 9 Winterberry Lane Milford MA

    Bill Gassett Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate (RE/MAX Executive Realty)
    25 Jan 2012 | 10:29 am
    Milford MA Real Estate ~ Just listed 9 Winterberry Lane Milford MA. Listed at $369,900 by Bill Gassett, RE/MAX Executive Realty. If you are in the market for a well kept home in a fantastic Milford neighborhood then looking no further than this home in The Highlands! There is no doubt The Highlands is one of the most popular neighborhoods in town. It is located on the Hopkinton side of Milford and offers an easy commute to major routes. 9 Winterberry Lane has most things buyers want in a property including a cul-de-sac location and incredible level fenced backyard. In my opinion the lot is…

  • 24 Louisa Drive Northbridge MA

    Bill Gassett Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate (RE/MAX Executive Realty)
    24 Jan 2012 | 3:33 pm
    Northbridge MA Real Estate ~ Just listed 24 Louisa Drive Northbridge MA. Listed at $309,900 by Bill Gassett, RE/MAX Executive Realty. Are you looking for a well maintained home in a terrific Northbridge Neighborhood? Look no further than this fabulous colonial home at 24 Louisa Drive! You will love the large kitchen with tons of Oak cabinetry and nice eating area with sliders that offers views to a private deck overlooking the backyard. One of my favorite features is the spacious family room that is located directly off the kitchen. The space is just super with cathedral ceilings, brick…

  • Northbridge Real Estate Market Report December 2011

    Bill Gassett Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate (RE/MAX Executive Realty)
    11 Jan 2012 | 6:52 am
                                         Northbridge MA Real Estate Market Report for December 2011 In December of 2011 there was 8 homes that closed within the month for Northbridge Massachusetts. This is an increase of 4 units as there were 4 homes that closed in December of 2010. The Average list price for the homes that closed in Northbridge for December of 2010 was $295,950 The Average list price for the homes that closed in Northbridge for December of 2011 was $280,025 The Average sale price for the homes that closed in Northbridge for December of 2010…

  • Southboro Real Estate Market Report December 2011

    Bill Gassett Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate (RE/MAX Executive Realty)
    10 Jan 2012 | 2:03 pm
                                        Southboro Massachusetts Real Estate Market Report for December 2011 In December of 2011 there were 10 homes that closed within the month for Southboro Massachusetts. This is an increase of 3 units, as there were 7 homes that closed in December of 2010. The Average list price for the homes that closed in December of 2010 was $793,660 The Average list price for the homes that closed in December of 2011 was $501,525 The Average sale price for the homes that closed in December of 2010 was $688,300 The Average sale price for…

  • Westboro Real Estate Market Report December 2011

    Bill Gassett Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate (RE/MAX Executive Realty)
    9 Jan 2012 | 3:54 pm
                               Westboro Massachusetts Real Estate Market Report for December 2011 In December of 2011 there were 10 homes that closed within the month for Westboro Massachusetts. This is an increase of 3 units, as there was 7 homes that closed in December of 2010. The Average list price for the homes that closed in Westboro for December of 2010 was $545,629 The Average list price for the homes that closed in Westboro for December of 2011 was $358,930 The Average sale price for the homes that closed in Westboro for December of 2010 was $513,793 The Average…
 
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    Real Estate Investing Blog

  • Benefits of US Property for International Investors

    Marco Santarelli
    19 Jan 2012 | 12:52 pm
    For many individuals, the single largest “investment” of their lives will usually be their home, as opposed to investing stock, bonds, mutual funds or certificates of deposits (CD’s). This is because purchasing real estate is less risky than investing in the stock market and can be more rewarding than changing CD interest rates. US investment property has been enticing foreign investors since the 1970s, and has become extremely attractive since 2008 based on the weakening of the US dollar.  Many financial institutions in this country are reluctant, if not somewhat skeptical, of…

  • The Housing Bust is Over

    Steve Sjuggerud
    16 Jan 2012 | 2:26 pm
    “The bursting of the global housing bubble is only halfway through,” The Economist magazine wrote recently. I disagree… Here in the U.S. at least, the housing bubble is completely over. It drives me nuts when I hear commentators say, “We’re halfway through,” and, “We have more pain to come.” The fact is, right now, houses in America are the best value they’ve been in many generations. It’s not hard to understand… Read the rest of The Housing Bust is Over » For more articles like this, please visit our Real Estate…

  • The Asset Class of Single-Family Real Estate

    Marco Santarelli
    28 Dec 2011 | 10:02 pm
    If there’s one thing that Morgan Stanley would like to advise to you, it’s to take a look at single-family homes and consider it as part of your real estate investing strategy. That’s right, these properties have become hot among real estate investors recently considering the shift in the US property market from home ownership to rentals (or as Morgan Stanley puts it, a “renter-heavy society”). It’s exactly the new real estate paradigm!  Even Bank of America and the Federal Housing Finance Agency have sought measures to reduce the impact of mortgage delinquency by working on an…

  • The New Rental Real Estate Paradigm

    Marco Santarelli
    15 Dec 2011 | 11:49 pm
    Morgan Stanley Research released its latest real estate report, Housing 2.0: The New Rental Paradigm to provide market insights to investors. It’s interesting to know that the research team observes how more Americans have become renters instead of homeowners, attributing to different factors in the economy. The report states: Across the country, more Americans are becoming home renters, and fewer Americans are becoming homeowners. The beginning of the rentership society is upon us. But all renters are not equal – of the roughly 40MM rental housing units in the country (representing…

  • National Economic Outlook (December 2011)

    Ingo Winzer
    8 Dec 2011 | 10:40 pm
    Although the overall health of the economy is of interest to everyone, if you’re a banker you particularly want to know when people will start borrowing money again. Very roughly speaking, banks typically hold equal amounts of commercial loans, commercial real estate loans, home mortgages, consumer loans, government securities, and cash. With commercial, mortgage, and consumer lending sharply lower in the last few years, banks now hold more government securities and a lot more cash, both of which don’t produce much income. Read the rest of National Economic Outlook (December 2011)…
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    Energized Seller

  • What is an alternative solution to planting grass?

    BakerJ
    24 Jan 2012 | 10:39 pm
    I am about to put my home on the market and my agent has recommended that I do a few fixes to my home before I list it.  One of the suggestions was to put grass in the backyard.  Right now I have a few trees and a little grass and the rest of the lawn is dirt.  Unfortunately, there are a few factors stopping me from putting in a full lawn.  First, I am no longer living in the home and therefor won't be able to water it on a regular basis.  Secondly, I live in a city were we are frequently on water restrictions and I may not be able to water the grass enough to…

  • Wall Bed in Master Bedroom

    June
    14 Dec 2011 | 1:39 pm
    Do I need to remove the wall bed  to stage my master bedroom?  I could move the murphy bed into the second bedroom.  Or...should I remove it altogether?

  • Leaking Windows

    eseller1
    15 Nov 2011 | 4:31 pm
    My friends' windows are leaking. No, not in the usual sense of the word leaking as there is no air or water coming through.  They are double paned windows and whenever it's humid, she can see condensation in between the glass.  In addition, the condensation causes them to look dirty because residue is left behind even after they dry out.  What can be done to alleviate the problem without having to replace the windows entirely?  She is looking for a low cost alternative before putting her home on the market. Thanks for your help!

  • Staging 2nd master as bedroom or library/office?

    elizabethjdunbar
    25 Sep 2011 | 8:29 pm
    I have a large home with two master bedrooms (the main one is upstairs with ensuite master bath plus   three other bedrooms; the other master is downstairs with a smaller ensuite bathroom). We currently use the downstairs master as a multi-purpose guest room/library/office since it is very large.  We already have three other living spaces--a small formal living, a family room, and a bonus space used as a playroom. We are wondering how best to stage the space for resale purposes--is it better to stage as a bedroom and turn the bonus space into an office? Too many options! What…

  • Login name is used on directory listing

    Ruth Howard
    16 Aug 2011 | 3:21 pm
    My login is used on the Home Stagers directory instead of my name.  I have tried to edit but the system will not let me.  Please advise. Thank you  
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    Home Staging with Alice T. Chan

  • Window Treatment Tricks for Unbalanced Window Walls

    Alice T. Chan
    27 Jan 2012 | 6:33 pm
    When I first moved into this house a few weeks ago, one of the most challenging rooms to decorate was the living room for 3 specific reasons: 1) there is a HUGE intake on the TV wall (I’m talking about a 2.5′ x 2.5′ vent. It’s an absolute eyesore! I’ll address that in another blog [...]

  • DIY Curtain Rod Tricks

    Alice T. Chan
    5 Jan 2012 | 9:00 am
    What happens when you have lemons?  You make lemonade.  I did just that recently with my new kitchen window project. So here’s what happened… The kitchen window is 58″W.  I bought a rod on clearance at Bed Bath & Beyond for $14.99 + $5 off coupon making it only $9.99…SCORE!  Unfortunately, I realized after the [...]

  • Last Few Days to Get *FREE* INSTALLATION

    Alice T. Chan
    3 Jan 2012 | 6:25 pm
    Give your home a fresh new look with beautiful Carpet, Hardwood and Laminate Flooring and Window Treatments. Plus, for a limited time, get our professional installation FREE**. Shop in the comfort of your own home for the latest styles from trusted name brands and you get our quality, professional installation for FREE*! Here’s how the [...]

  • Make Getting Organized in the New Year Your Lifestyle Resolution

    Alice T. Chan
    3 Jan 2012 | 6:03 pm
    Happy New Year! Here we are at the beginning of a fresh start.  Whether or not you believe in making resolutions, we all have things we would like to see change and change for the better.  The new year gives us all motivation to rid ourselves of old habits and incorporate better ones into our [...]

  • Pssst…I can smell your BFF, can you?

    Alice T. Chan
    21 Oct 2011 | 9:00 am
    Big dog. Little dog. Big dogs and little dogs. Black and white dogs. These are the first few lines from one of my daughter’s favorite books when she was around 2 years old. Guess what I see every day as a design consultant? Big dogs and little dogs. I also see cats. Long hair cats [...]
 
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    Energized Seller

  • What is an alternative solution to planting grass?

    BakerJ
    24 Jan 2012 | 10:39 pm
    I am about to put my home on the market and my agent has recommended that I do a few fixes to my home before I list it.  One of the suggestions was to put grass in the backyard.  Right now I have a few trees and a little grass and the rest of the lawn is dirt.  Unfortunately, there are a few factors stopping me from putting in a full lawn.  First, I am no longer living in the home and therefor won't be able to water it on a regular basis.  Secondly, I live in a city were we are frequently on water restrictions and I may not be able to water the grass enough to…

  • Wall Bed in Master Bedroom

    June
    14 Dec 2011 | 1:39 pm
    Do I need to remove the wall bed  to stage my master bedroom?  I could move the murphy bed into the second bedroom.  Or...should I remove it altogether?

  • Leaking Windows

    eseller1
    15 Nov 2011 | 4:31 pm
    My friends' windows are leaking. No, not in the usual sense of the word leaking as there is no air or water coming through.  They are double paned windows and whenever it's humid, she can see condensation in between the glass.  In addition, the condensation causes them to look dirty because residue is left behind even after they dry out.  What can be done to alleviate the problem without having to replace the windows entirely?  She is looking for a low cost alternative before putting her home on the market. Thanks for your help!

  • Staging 2nd master as bedroom or library/office?

    elizabethjdunbar
    25 Sep 2011 | 8:29 pm
    I have a large home with two master bedrooms (the main one is upstairs with ensuite master bath plus   three other bedrooms; the other master is downstairs with a smaller ensuite bathroom). We currently use the downstairs master as a multi-purpose guest room/library/office since it is very large.  We already have three other living spaces--a small formal living, a family room, and a bonus space used as a playroom. We are wondering how best to stage the space for resale purposes--is it better to stage as a bedroom and turn the bonus space into an office? Too many options! What…

  • Login name is used on directory listing

    Ruth Howard
    16 Aug 2011 | 3:21 pm
    My login is used on the Home Stagers directory instead of my name.  I have tried to edit but the system will not let me.  Please advise. Thank you  
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    Expert Real Estate Advice

  • Enjoy the Superbowl at Home with Crowd Pleasing Recipe!

    Christina Asad Edwards @ www.DaytonOhioHouse.com (Home Experts Realty)
    19 Jan 2012 | 11:44 am
    Enjoy the Superbowl at Home with Crowd Pleasing Recipe! Crowd Pleasing Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe INGREDIENTS: 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese (or neufchatel to save calories), softened 1/2 cup blue cheese or ranch salad dressing 1/2 cup hot sauce 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese 2 cans (12.5 oz. each) White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained DIRECTIONS: Mix all ingredients together. Microwave 5 minutes, stiring halfway through. Serve with celery and tortilla chips. Enjoy the Superbowl at home with the buffalo chicken dip recipe! About the Author...Blogarticlewas…

  • Ohio Miami Valley Restaurant Association Sneak Peek to Restaurant Week

    Christina Asad Edwards @ www.DaytonOhioHouse.com (Home Experts Realty)
    18 Jan 2012 | 10:23 am
    Ohio Miami Valley Restaurant Association Sneak Peek to Restaurant Week The Ohio Miami Valley Restaurant Association Sneak Peek to Restaurant Week will be held from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, January 18, at Watson’s, 2590 E. Whipp Rd. Centerville, OH. The event will feature food samples from 13 local restaurants that will be among Dayton area eateries participating in Winter Restaurant Week January 22 - 29, in which restaurants offer special three-course meals for either $20.12, $25.12, or $30.12, and donate $1 toward a local charities. The Sneak Peek, presented by Buckeye Vodka, will also…

  • 7 Home Improvement Projects for $1,000 (or Less)

    Christina Asad Edwards @ www.DaytonOhioHouse.com (Home Experts Realty)
    5 Jan 2012 | 3:12 pm
    Show Your Home Pride: 7 Home Improvement Projects for $1,000 (or Less) By: Lisa Kaplan Gordon Published: November 1, 2011 www.HouseLogic.com  Americans still think buying a home is one of the best decisions they’ve ever made. Here are some ways to increase your home’s value and comfort for less than $1,000. We knew reports of the death of American home ownership were greatly exaggerated (nod to Mark Twain), and now we’ve got the numbers to prove it.A just-released survey by the Meredith Corp., which publishes Better Homes and Gardens magazine, says the vast majority of people polled…

  • Ice Skate in Downtown Dayton

    Christina Asad Edwards @ www.DaytonOhioHouse.com (Home Experts Realty)
    14 Dec 2011 | 10:25 am
    Ice Skate in Downtown Dayton Friday, Dec 16 7:00p at RiverScape MetroPark, Dayton, OH Price: $5   What better way to spend a Friday or Saturday night than by skating near the river, under a beautifully lit canopy. Enjoy the evening drinking hot chocolate, warming up by the outdoor fireplaces and taking in the sights and sounds of downtown! Bring family, friends or go solo to skate MetroParks Ice Rink. Admission is $5 and includes the use of ice skates. Call (937) 278-2607 for more information. Fees: $5 About the Author...Blogarticlewas provided by Christina Asad Edwards, a Nationally…

  • Dayton Ohio Holiday Festival

    Christina Asad Edwards @ www.DaytonOhioHouse.com (Home Experts Realty)
    25 Nov 2011 | 4:07 pm
    Dayton Ohio Holiday Festival Kick off the 39th Annual Dayton Holiday Festival Friday, November 25, 4-9 p.m. with: The Grande Illumination tree lighting on Friday, November 25, 7:45 p.m. at Courthouse Square, Third & Main Streets. Watch the holidays light up during Dayton's traditional tree lighting. At 7:45, we'll throw the switch and approximately 50,000 colored lights will brighten the two-story-tall holiday tree on Courthouse Square. The Dayton Children's Parade, Spectacular in Lights on Friday, November 25, Approximately 8 p.m. Along Second, Main & Fourth Streets. Immediately…
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    The BuzzBuzzHome Blog

  • It’s a bird! It’s a plane! Nope, it’s a drone flown by a Californian realtor… And the LAPD ain’t pleased.

    buzzhomeblog
    27 Jan 2012 | 11:30 pm
    You probably read the title of this post and were pretty confused. You should be… We were pretty puzzled when we first heard about this story as well. Turns out that realtors in California are getting creative and more than a little tech savvy with the way they shoot aerial footage of homes. According to the LA Times, the Los Angeles Police Department has issued a warning to realtors using drones to make sure they abide by federal aviation regulations. We’re not realtors ourselves, but we’d imagine that most are not up-to-date on all the latest federal aviation regulations…

  • BuzzBuzzHome launches Project 15: New home page design! Animated maps! Enhanced Leonard!

    buzzhomeblog
    27 Jan 2012 | 4:08 pm
    Following a little bit of planning, designing, coding, and hard work by our design and engineering teams, BuzzBuzzHome released a new site update dubbed “Project 15″ on January 25th at 6:00pm. You might be asking yourself, “What in the world is Project 15?” Well, if you’re reading this post, you may also have noticed a couple of not-so-subtle changes to the site. The standard point of entry on BuzzBuzzHome is the home page. But oh, wait a second. What is this slick new incarnation that you’ve stumbled upon? No, its not a trick; we launched a new home page!

  • Buzz Talk with Tony Loschiavo [INTERVIEW + RECIPE]

    buzzhomeblog
    27 Jan 2012 | 3:39 pm
    Today we’re buzzing with someone a little different! We’ve checked our records and this is indeed the first time that we’re welcoming a chef and restauranteur to the BuzzTalk hot seat. That’s right, we’re buzzing with Toronto-based restaurant owner and chef Tony Loschiavo, the owner of L-Eat Group. In the real estate world, Tony’s L-Eat Catering is a go-to caterer for industry events. In the restaurant world, Paese Ristorante, the Italian restaurant that Tony opened in 1989 is known for its excellent dining. The original Paese is located at Bathurst, near…

  • Free this weekend? Looking for a home? Check out these events!

    buzzhomeblog
    27 Jan 2012 | 1:34 pm
    Attention interior design fanatics! The only place you’ll want to be this weekend is the Metro Toronto Convention Centre for the Interior Design Show. The annual event brings the best, brightest and most creative in the industry together for seminars and product displays that you definitely won’t want to miss. Not residing in the Greater Toronto Area? Fly, bus, train, drive or sail in for the weekend — we promise that you won’t be disappointed. Now that that public service announcement is finished, it’s time to move on to our weekend events listing. If…

  • After a record setting 2011, GTA new home market set to shift into high gear

    buzzhomeblog
    27 Jan 2012 | 11:30 am
    At a media conference last week, RealNet revealed some incredible and meticulously compiled stats and then, in conjunction with BILD, held a super informative Q and A session. You may remember our live tweetathon and blog story covering the conference (it was pretty great). Well, RealNet’s George M. Carras is not a shy guy when it comes to the media, and this week he’s back in the limelight again. Today he’s in The Star’s YourHome section writing about some of the highlights from the RealNet data revealed last week and providing some insight into the numbers.
 
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    HUD Homes Lawrenceville » General

  • Atlanta Investment Property and the Benefits of Wholesaling

    Rigo Silva
    9 Jan 2012 | 1:09 pm
    This is a question that I get asked quite a bit about Atlanta Investment Property and I do have an opinion and glad you are reading this article because I am going to make sure that you get as much out of this as possible.

  • Atlanta Real Estate Investment and the Hispanic Community

    Rigo Silva
    9 Jan 2012 | 12:26 pm
    As an Atlanta Real Estate Agent that specializes in the local, national and international real estate investment community for Atlanta Investment Properties, I am in constant contact with all sorts of investors and since I am speak both English/Spanish it has allowed me to grow my business by extending my expertise to the Spanish Speaking Investors Community for Georgia Investment Properties which is my topic for this article and want to thank you for reading it and I hope you find it useful and informative

  • Georgia Investment Properties and the Pros and Cons of Wholesale Real Estate Investing

    Rigo Silva
    8 Jan 2012 | 2:47 pm
    Atlanta Real Estate Investment is on fire and since I am on the front lines for Georgia Investment properties, I can see what is working and who is having great success when it comes to real estate wholesaling. There is nothing better than getting invaluable information in real time for free and I am more than happy to share with you all the pros and cons to wholesaling so let us begin.

  • Georgia Investment Properties Success Tips for Beginners

    Rigo Silva
    8 Jan 2012 | 2:42 pm
    Starting out and wanting to get into real estate investing without really having an idea is always the hardest part but it is a mere challenge especially if one is motivated and believe that dreams do come true if you are willing to put in the hard work.

  • VA Benefits for Today’s Veteran

    Rigo Silva
    29 Sep 2011 | 4:53 pm
    The benefits to our veterans include continuing education, medical assistance through the Veterans Hospital, home financing, life insurance and more. These programs are designed to aid all our veterans in need of help adjusting to civilian life. As of August 2009 the Post 9/11 GI Bill was passed to include financing of education that includes undergraduate and graduate degrees in higher education. Vocational and technical training is also provided. This program also offers tutorial assistance and will pay for any certification and licensing fees that are approved under the Post 9/11 GI Bill.
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    Debra Sinick

  • Predictions for 2012 Real Estate on the Eastside-Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland, Etc.

    debrasinick
    23 Jan 2012 | 11:08 pm
    With the start of the new year, we’re seeing a more positive attitude out in the marketplace.  It’s amazing what a new year can bring in attitude and outlook for people.  Many are making choices to move because they want or need to do so.  For some, the price issue is taking a back seat to the need to move.  We have several clients who plan to move because they just got married and want a new home or would like to live in the city, downsize or relocate.  These moves are lifestyle choices.  Some will lose money, while others will make a profit on their home sale.  Lifestyle…

  • How Was The Seattle Eastside Condo Market in December 2011?

    debrasinick
    22 Jan 2012 | 11:41 pm
    Seattle Eastside Condo Sales Through December, 2011 Seattle Eastside condo inventory dipped to 2011′s lowest point in December, 2011.   The year began and ended with under 1000 condos for sale. The number of available eastside condos peaked in June with well over 1100 condos for sale.    The peak was never really much of a peak when we look at the peak numbers in previous years.  In the past, the number of condos could easily top out at 1500 for sale.  In  October 2010, there were 1375 condos for sale, and that was not even the peak month for 2010. As most people know, condos…

  • 2011 Ends With The Fewest Homes for Sale in 4 Years on Seattle’s Eastside

    debrasinick
    19 Jan 2012 | 1:52 pm
    How Many Homes Sold on Seattle’s Eastside in December, 2011? We have to go back before the bubble burst to February 2007 to find so few homes for sale on Seattle’s eastside!  There’s a healthy number of homes for sale on the eastside, 1897 at the close of December, so there are good choices for buyers.  With fewer homes on the market, it spurs the competition among buyers for the best homes and should help stabilize prices. In some neighborhoods, there aren’t any homes for sale right now. Pricing is becoming more affordable for a new set of buyers who are coming to…

  • How Was The Real Estate Market In Your Seattle-Eastside City in December 2011?

    debrasinick
    11 Jan 2012 | 5:07 pm
    The December Real Estate Map Showing a Balanced Market Between Buyers and Sellers The Seattle-Eastside real estate market ends 2011 in better shape than we’ve seen in the last four years.  There’s a more evenly balanced market between buyers and sellers, which the market is a fairly “normal” one in which some homes sit on the market and the good ones that show well and are priced well sell quickly.  In a balanced market, there is no  “one size fits all.” We see all kinds of things happening with homes, depending on the price, condition, sellers and buyer…

  • Sellers in the Seattle Area and On the Eastside Start Your Engines!

    debrasinick
    5 Jan 2012 | 2:23 pm
    At the start of 2012, there are less than 8000 homes for sale in King County!  Compare this number to the start of the last three years: 2011:  10,008 homes for sale 2010:    9726 homes for sale 2009:  11,363 homes for sale The old law of supply and demand is at work here and is starting to favor sellers more than it has for years.  There’s a 3.6 months supply of homes for sale in King County.  This means there’s a balanced market between buyers and sellers with the market tipping towards the sellers.  (Less than 3 months of inventory indicates a sellers market.) On…
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    IPIN Live

  • Demand for European Commercial Property 'Will Remain Strong'

    26 Jan 2012 | 6:00 pm
    Investors will continue to plough their money into European commercial property over the course of 2012, BNP Paribas Real Estate has predicted. In the firm's At a Glance Main Investment Markets in Western Europe report for the final quarter of 2011, it revealed the volume of transactions in the commercial real estate investment market climbed by seven per cent last year, in comparison with 2010. The organisation asserted demand for such assets "should remain strong", and highlighted the expectation that some institutional investors will increase their exposure to property markets during…

  • Opportunities for Investors in London Hotel Market?

    25 Jan 2012 | 6:00 pm
    There are significant opportunities for real estate investment in London's hotel market this year, one expert has claimed. Ray Withers, director of Property Frontiers, explained the Olympic Games and other sporting events like Wimbledon will help boost consumer spending in the UK's capital city this year, which will have a knock-on effect for hoteliers. He stated the hotel market in London has been forecast to experience "near double-digit growth" over the course of the next 12 months. Mr Withers added: "2012 is expected to be a record-breaking year for the capital with over 5,000 new rooms…

  • Uncertainty Ahead for European Real Estate

    25 Jan 2012 | 6:00 pm
    The outlook for European real estate investment in 2012 is one of caution, with concerns over the sovereign debt crisis in the eurozone continuing to play on investors' minds. In its most recent report into commercial property investment in the continent, Cushman & Wakefield predicted transaction volumes will "hold firm" this year, although the group stressed there is still much uncertainty on the markets. Looking at the close of 2011, the firm pointed to higher-than-expected investment volumes in the last three months of the year, bringing the total amount transacted in 2011 to 126.2…

  • India Gears Up for Another Property-Focussed Year

    25 Jan 2012 | 6:00 pm
    Research released this month revealed a significant jump in the amount of investment from private equity (PE) firms being ploughed into India's real estate markets. Venture Intelligence noted that USD 2.68 billion (GBP 1.72 billion) worth of property investments were made by PE organisations in India over the course of 2011, representing a 69 per cent rise over the amount transacted by such companies in 2010. With PE firms showing a marked increase in interest in the sector, could this mean more of the same for property investments in 2012?National director of capital transactions at the…

  • UK House Prices Down in January

    24 Jan 2012 | 6:00 pm
    Household sentiment about the value of properties in the UK slipped in January compared to December, a new survey has revealed. The Knight Frank/Markit January House Price Sentiment Index (HPSI) found that around 19 per cent of those questioned believed their home was worth less in January in comparison with the previous month. This led the HPSI figure to drop to 43.2 from 43.3 in this period. Knight Frank explained any reading under 50 indicates that, overall, the value of residential real estate in the UK is falling.Looking at the year ahead, the study found homeowners in three out of the…
 
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    Global Real Estate & Investment News from Propertyshowrooms.com

  • Spanish property prices 'will fall as banks sell assets'

    26 Jan 2012 | 6:00 pm
    When Spanish financial institutions begin to sell-off their real estate portfolios, the price of buying a home in the nation is likely to fall. This is the assertion of economy minister Luis de Guindos, who told state broadcaster TVE many residential properties held by the country's banks are not going to market because they are not being valued correctly, Bloomberg reported. He added when they are put up for sale at their true worth "we'll find that the price of housing in Spain will fall more, there'll be an adjustment and it will be more available for a lot more people," the news…

  • Abu Dhabi property deals rise in 2011

    26 Jan 2012 | 6:00 pm
    The value of real estate transactions completed in Abu Dhabi in 2011 reached AED 42.9 billion (£7.5 billion), authorities in the emirate have revealed. Adel Hussain, a media consultant for the municipality, told Gulf News that this represents a five per cent increase compared to the volume of deals recorded in 2010. Acting executive director of municipal services Awaidah Al Qubaisi told the publication there is now more positive sentiment surrounding property in Abu Dhabi than there was 12 months ago. "There was increased investor confidence last year in the Abu Dhabi economy,…

  • Is now a good time to buy Panama property?

    26 Jan 2012 | 6:00 pm
    The latter part of 2012 could be the right time to invest in real estate in Panama, with one expert in the country expecting property prices to begin to rise from 2013. In an article for The Panama Report, Kent Davis, from Panama Equity Real Estate, explained that values are likely to fall by between 10 and 20 per cent in Panama City this year, largely as a result of the number of construction projects coming to an end. However, he went on to predict that prices will pick up again in 2013, and this will happen "in a manner never seen before due in part to a completely modernised…

  • Luxury Spanish property market 'performing well'

    25 Jan 2012 | 6:00 pm
    There continues to be an appetite among investors for luxury real estate in Spain, one agency has revealed. Lucas Fox International Properties announced this week that 2011 was its "most successful operational year to date", with the firm citing its strong client base and portfolio of desirable assets among the factors that have helped it perform well. Aimar Valls, head of commercial and investment property at the organisation, commented: "In the last year we have received a dramatic rise in both the quantity and quality of enquiries for commercial and investment…

  • Bulgaria property prices fall in 2011

    25 Jan 2012 | 6:00 pm
    New research has revealed the value of Bulgarian property fell by between five and ten per cent in 2011, compared to 2010. Propertywire reported on the data, which was gathered from brokers operating in the nation, noting that the situation is not expected to change over the course of the next 12 months. Operations director at a Bulgarian real estate firm Polina Stoikova told the publication that the greatest demand is for properties in a low price bracket that are located in major cities. Bansko, a ski resort, is one of the places that has experienced some of the biggest falls, with real…
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    Naples Real Estate Blog

  • Naples Real Estate Update

    21 Jan 2012 | 2:25 pm
    What is happening today in the Naples Real Estate market? Just released, The NABOR Market Report has some exciting and interesting statistics about the current state of the real estate market in Naples Florida. Several factors are coming into play regarding value, primarily supply and demand. The 2011 housing inventory ended at a 5 year low. Specifically, the number of properties listed below $300,000., which has been the driving force behind our recovery, are way down. There has been a 21% drop in inventory in this price range. This is the lowest level of housing available in the under…

  • Good Intentions

    20 Jan 2012 | 4:57 pm
    Who is it that said the road to heaven is paved with good intentions? I'm not sure, but if that's the case, I'm well on my way. I had a lofty goal this year: I wanted to post to my real estate blog at least 3 times each week. I had, what I thought, was a fairly easy schedule to implement, and I had a list of wonderful suggestions from some of my faithful blog followers as to the type of content they hoped for...I had every good intention...I was committed...and now I'm beginning to feel like I should be 'committed'.....along comes 'season' and BAM! I had forgotten what it was like to be this…

  • Naples featured Business of the Week

    9 Jan 2012 | 2:18 pm
    Hi there! It has already been a crazy first 9 days of 2012. Wow! The feedback I've gotten from the last question posed online regarding content was overwhelming! Thank you all for your emails! I have already decided to change one thing because of the result of asking for your suggestions. Our "Select Vendor of the Week" will now be called "Naples featured Business of the Week". This will also allow me to feature restaurants and galleries and other such businesses that don't really 'qualify' as vendors per se. That being said, The Harris Peppe Team is pleased to feature The Mangrove Cafe…

  • The Unveiling of a New Year of Blogging!

    6 Jan 2012 | 10:39 am
    Greetings Naples Real Estate Blog Fans! We are nearly one week into the new year and I am trying to come up with some fresh ideas to increase activity on our blog! One thing which I am going to try to do this year is keep a "patterned pace" when posting. I've learned several tips from fellow bloggers, and more regular posting seems to be one of the keys to successful blogging. Keep in mind, when I began to blog 4 years ago, only 3% of the real estate population blogged. That percentage has increased substantially, but as of this writing, I only know of two other agents in my office, of over…

  • 2012 : The Year We Have All Been Waiting For...

    31 Dec 2011 | 9:15 am
    "An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in...A pessimist stays up till midnight to make sure the old year leaves." ~Bill Vaughn So, has there ever been another year written about as often as 2012? Of course, 1984 comes to mind...as does the new millennium. Ah yes, waiting for the clock to strike on December 31st, 1999 at 11:59 PM--I'm sure you remember where you were at that moment....ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one...Wasn't the world supposed to end then, too? But, the Twenty-12 phenomenon has crept beyond ones own imagination into the mainstream…
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    Secure Real Estate Phoenix

  • FAQ- Arizona Short Sales

    Charlie Allred
    4 Jan 2012 | 11:46 am
    Short Sale FAQ Discover all the answers to the Short Sale frequently asked questions!  Charlie Allred, Designated broker for Secure Real Estate explains in detail the most commonly asked Short Sale Questions. Including: What is a short sale The Short Sale Process Short Sale Tax consequences Short Sale Legal consequences Benefits of a Short Sale Discover how you can live for free during the short sale process

  • How do I start a short sale?

    Charlie Allred
    29 Dec 2011 | 9:25 am
    Most of my articles come directly from clients.  I know short sales, so sometimes I forget what a potential client doesn’t know yet. A client asked me “How do I start my Short Sale”? My Answer: You make an appointment with Secure Real Estate. However, the answer is a little longer. First- Make sure a short sale is your best option.  We offer a free phone consultation.  The phone consult takes 5-10 minutes.  We have an assessment to determine if you are a good candidate for a short sale.  If you are not- we refer to a non-profit HUD approved counseling group for other…

  • Short Sale Process

    Charlie Allred
    15 Dec 2011 | 8:51 am
    A short sale is when you sell your house for less than you owe, your lender is asked to forgive the deficiency between what you owe and the sales price. Example: Purchased house for $150,000 House is worth $100,000 Sell your house for $100,000 Can you imagine selling your house for the $100,000 and still owing $50,000 to your lender, once you move out of the house?  This could happen if your Short Sale is not negotiated to “waive the deficiency amount”. There is a $50,000 difference between what you owe to your Lender and the sales price.  We, at Secure Real Estate, negotiate…

  • Save Our Home AZ

    Charlie Allred
    7 Dec 2011 | 7:11 am
    In a new program sponsored by the Arizona Department of Housing, a Short Sale Seller in Arizona can receive up to $4,500 upon the completion of a successful Arizona Short Sale.  Watch this video with Tim & Kim Hensley of Genesis Housing Services- a HUD approved housing agency.  They offer free counseling to homeowners as a non-profit organization located in Gilbert, AZ. Save Our Home AZ- Receive $4500 for Short Selling your Home   Arizona Department of Housing

  • The Scary Stuff No One Tells You

    Charlie Allred
    3 Dec 2011 | 8:08 am
    Last week, we were talking to one of our clients.  He was explaining how he felt about deciding to complete a short sale. He said: “I must do a short sale, I cannot foreclose because I will be a loser and my family will leave me.” This may seem a bit dramatic and pretty far fetched, this is the way all of our clients feel, whether or not they say it.  Everyone wants to be a successful person and support their family.  We all feel a sense of responsibility to complete our obligations Have you ever wondered: What will I do with this house? Will our house value ever bounce back?
 
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    The Rodeo Realty Journal

  • Local Real Estate Market Reports Are Now Posted!

    27 Jan 2012 | 10:49 am
    Check out the most recent real estate market reports for your area!At Rodeo Realty, we believe education is the key to helping clients make the best possible decisions about buying and selling homes. Our comprehensive reports provide in depth analyses of real estate trends in specific communities. These analyses demonstrate the changes in market conditions varying from city to city in San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles.

  • Now you can catch Rodeo Realty President,Syd Leibovitch on Facebook!

    24 Jan 2012 | 2:05 pm
    Stay up to date with all Rodeo Realty news through our Facebook page and  Syd Leibovitch 's new page!

  • Congrats Rodeo Agents! You're #1 in Everything!

    23 Jan 2012 | 12:38 pm

  • Rodeo Realty: The Los Angeles Real Estate Powerhouse

    20 Jan 2012 | 7:16 pm
    Rodeo Realty: The Los Angeles Real Estate Powerhouse Beverly Hills, CA – January 17, 2012Rodeo Realty Inc., the Beverly Hills based luxury real estate firm, has had record expansion in 2011. Syd Leibovitch, owner and president, announced the firm had the best year in its 26 year history. Despite the current economic outlook of the housing market, Rodeo Realty has overcome the rough reality of the housing down fall, and thrived using it as a platform to flourish, expand and build a solid team of agents. In 2011, closed sales for the firm were up an astonishing 20% from the previous year.

  • Rodeo's Vice President of Private Estates Division will be a speaker at the MLS Luxury Real Estate Congress Event in Venice, Italy.

    16 Jan 2012 | 12:50 pm
    Congrats to Mr. Greg Moesser of Rodeo Realty! Moesser has been selected to be one of the renowned speakers at the MLS International Luxury Real Estate Congress event in Venice, Italy April 12-13, 2012. As a specialist in California luxury Properties, Moesser assists international buyers seeking USA properties. He has represented clients worldwide, including buyers from Europe, Russia and Dubai.For more information on this event please visit: http://www.prestige-mls.com/luxury-real-estate-congress/speakersTo register for this event please email: info@prestige-mls.com
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    GreenwichStreets.com

  • 45 Open Houses in Greenwich, CT for Sunday, Jan. 22nd from $325K to 6MM

    21 Jan 2012 | 10:00 pm
    This week there are 45 open house in Greenwich. We have 3 rentals ranging from $3,300 to $4,800. Two of the rentals are in downtown Greenwich and one is in Riverside. Single family homes for sale range from a downtown condo for $325,000 to a house for $5.95MM off of Glenville Road. We have 20 houses under $1MM and 21 house over $1MM. The complete list of open houses is below. You can see the interactive map here and find detailed instructions for its use here. If you mouse over a pin on the map a box will pop-up with the address, time and price of the open house. If click on the pin or if you…

  • 2012 the Year of the Homebuilder

    15 Jan 2012 | 3:03 pm
    Wall Street Journal video on homebuilders, new home market and their stocks. In Greenwich we could really need some new houses, we have only two homes under $3MM that were built in the last two years. Permalink | Leave a comment  »

  • 27 Open Houses in Greenwich for Sunday 1/15 from $4K to $12.7MM

    14 Jan 2012 | 6:23 am
    This week we have 27 open house in Greenwich from a $4,000 rental in downtown Greenwich to a $12.75 MM house on the waterfront. The complete list of open house is below. You can see the interactive map here and find instructions for its use here.We have 12 houses under $1MM and 8 houses over $2MM. If you mouse over a pin on the map a box will pop-up with the address, time and price of the open house. If click on the pin or if you click on an address in the right column of the map a larger balloon will pop-up. Click on the MLS number in the balloon and you will get the details of the property.

  • Hedge Fund Invests $250MM to Buy Foreclosed Homes and Rent Them

    13 Jan 2012 | 6:28 am
    GI Partners has invested a big chunk of change in Waypoint Real Estate Group, which rents foreclosed homes. Nick Timaros and other WSJ reporters review some of the issues in this type of investment. Locally, I'm working with a couple of investors that are looking to invest in Greenwich real estate. So the foresighted are moving forward as the recovery starts to accelerate. Permalink | Leave a comment  »

  • 20 Open Houses in Greenwich, CT on 1/8/12 from $325K to $8.75MM

    8 Jan 2012 | 12:38 am
    This week we have 20 open house in Greenwich from a $4,800 rental in downtown Greenwich to a $8.75 MM house in mid-country. The complete list of open house is below. You can see the interactive map here and find instructions for its use here.We have 13 houses under $1MM and 12 houses over $2MM. If you mouse over a pin on the map it will give you a balloon with the address, time and price of the open house. If click on the pin a larger balloon will pop-up. Click on the MLS number in the balloon and you will get the details of the property.   Address Town  List Price  Open House…
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    managementtrust.com

  • The Importance of Bell Tower Condominium Association v. Haffert

    25 Jan 2012 | 10:54 am
    A recent court case of Bell Tower Condominium Association v. Haffert in New Jersey has put condominium Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in the spotlight, raising questions about the appropriate way to handle disagreements between condo associations and owners. It started over the payment of special assessments in the condo association, and became a full blown trial as a result of the association refusing ADR.   At trial level, the court dismissed the owners’ claim for ADR.  However, on January 12, 2012, the appellate court reversed the judgment, explaining that the state…

  • Should being on an HOA board feel like work or volunteering?

    19 Jan 2012 | 8:46 am
    Being an HOA or condo association board member is a very peculiar occupation. Technically, you are a volunteer, but the idea of what a volunteer really is in this situation may feel distorted from how it’s normally interpreted. Take the case of Reed Sandridge, who runs the blog YearofGiving.org. Sandridge participated in 52 volunteer opportunities last year, documenting the entire experience. Many of his opportunities were with soup kitchens, animal rescue centers, and an MS Society; traditional volunteer experiences. But, interestingly enough, one of Sandrige’s chronicled…

  • The Management Trust - Las Vegas named CAI Company of the Year

    17 Jan 2012 | 8:20 am
    Each year the local Community Association Institute (CAI) of Las Vegas, Nevada holds an Awards Gala to recognize its participants.  Held this past Saturday evening at the Treasure Island Hotel Grand Ballroom, The Management Trust – Las Vegas was nominated by one of our industry partners in the Category of Outstanding “Medium” Management company of the Year.  And - if you have not yet figured it out based on the photo to the right - we won! The award category is to recognize a management company with 4,999-19,999 units within the state of Nevada that…

  • The 5 Biggest Issues for Community Associations in 2012

    12 Jan 2012 | 9:25 am
    Along with a new year comes a set of new challenges, and being prepared for them is the first step towards reaching your goals as a community association in 2012. Here is a list of the top five issues we predict community associations will face this year – with tips on how to overcome them: 1. Owners slacking on payments No surprise here. Delayed payments from homeowners may be the biggest issue community association boards face every year.  When a community member pays less than is required, others must pick up the slack or risk the association becoming financially unable to…

  • New California Community Association Laws for 2012

    11 Jan 2012 | 1:19 pm
    A new year always introduces changes in our lives. Apart from New Year's resolutions you have promised to fulfill, there may also be a number of new laws your community association should be aware of. For community associations in California, please be sure you're aware of three new laws that pertain to community associations and its residents. Senate Bill 332: Smoking-free condo associations Much to the non-smokers’ delight, Senate Bill 332 enables residential landlords to prohibit smoking in buildings and common areas. This means that a rental agreement can now specify in which…
 
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    The Inside Edge

  • Spotlight Shines on 2012 Rental Costs

    Alison Feemantle
    25 Jan 2012 | 6:05 am
    Property lettings are put under the microscope this week as a survey released by one prominent agent suggests that the costs of renting your home may be dropping. Meanwhile, the survey goes on to suggest that Christmas spending is one of the factors currently having an impact on a rise in late rental payments. LSL Property Services claim that the average monthly rental payment across the UK in December fell by 0.8% from the previous month. However, LSL go on to state that this still represents an increase of 4% on comparative prices from December 2010. The fall comes after ten straight months…

  • First Positive Signs for 2012 Property

    Alison Feemantle
    20 Jan 2012 | 7:23 am
    Now that the wave of predictions for the 2012 property market has died down, the first batch of actual figures are being released with some positive signs for the year ahead. Reports released this week indicate that the asking price for new properties released on to the market actually grew by 1.4% Perhaps more significantly, there was an increase in potential buyer activity too with 27 per cent more internet searches performed than at the same time in 2011. While a figure of 1.4% in prices may not be enough to get too many experts excited, the 27% search increase is an impressive rise and…

  • New Figures Show Mortgage Lending Growth

    Alison Feemantle
    18 Jan 2012 | 6:39 am
    Figures released this week show that mortgage lending grew in November 2011 and while the news tends to contradict some of the gloomy forecasts for the 2012 property market, it is being met with considerable and predictable caution. The figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders show that lending rose by 4% from the previous month with the number of loans made increasing to 47,000. This also represented a rise of 3% on the figures from November 2010. The CML welcomed the news amidst claims that mortgage lending restrictions were going to increase but figures are still running at around half…

  • Vendors with Great Expectations

    Alison Feemantle
    13 Jan 2012 | 5:00 am
    Figures released by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors indicate that there has been a further rise in the number of new properties released onto the market. December statistics show that new instructions rose for the third consecutive month but RICS claim that the housing market will remain stagnant, largely due to the unrealistic expectations of vendors. Overall, the figures are impressive and in London, the number of new properties coming on to the market has reached its highest level since 2005. The number of buyer inquiries has also increased but surveyors are resigned to…

  • Repossessions on the Rise

    Alison Feemantle
    11 Jan 2012 | 5:06 am
    The national media continue to provide us with their predictions for 2012 and while there are mixed feelings about many areas of the property market, a general consensus hints at a gloomy twelve months for house repossessions. The Council of Mortgage Lenders claim that with unemployment set to rise even further next year, more property owners will be forced to surrender their homes as the economic situation fails to improve. The CML suggest that repossessions in 2012 will not hit the high levels of 2009 but they still forecast a rise from a 2011 figure of 37,000 to 45,000 in twelve months’…
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    Foreclosure Blog | Latest Foreclosure News | ForeclosureDeals.com

  • Hard-Hit Foreclosure Victims Look to Republican Candidates for Answers

    John Evan Miller
    27 Jan 2012 | 10:56 am
    As the 2012 Republican primary season rolls on, with the next primary in Florida on Tuesday, January 31, foreclosure victims, underwater homeowners, and owners of distressed properties in the Sunshine State look to the slate of candidates for proposed solutions as they tour the state in advance of the election. Florida has long since been near the top of the list when it comes to home foreclosures. The state’s current foreclosure rate remains sky high, with one out of every 360 housing units in the state in some part of the foreclosure process. South Florida has been particularly hit…

  • Will Homeowners Benefit from the $25 Billion Foreclosure Settlement?

    James Foxx
    25 Jan 2012 | 10:05 am
    People who say that the proposed $25 billion foreclosure settlement between states and five major lenders is near are perilously close to the boy who cried wolf, but this time a resolution may actually be near. The question now becomes this: If/when this settlement passes, will homeowners receive any significant benefit? On the surface, the question is a bit silly. One would expect homeowners to receive some kind of restitution for being wrongfully foreclosed on by banks like Bank of America, Citibank, Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase, and Ally Financial. Previous versions of the settlement,…

  • 2012 Delivers More Good News for the Housing Market

    John Evan Miller
    23 Jan 2012 | 10:19 am
    This week, reports released indicated that existing housing sales figures in the U.S. finished December with a strong 5% increase, putting the statistic in the black for the year and lending credence to the notion that a housing crisis recovery could be in the works. Now, additional data suggest that foreclosure rates and mortgage loan delinquencies dropped in 2011 – meaning that 2011 could be, in hindsight, the beginning of the end to the crisis. The data – compiled by Lender Processing Services – suggest that overall mortgage delinquencies fell by a substantial 7.7% from…

  • Are We Close to Foreclosure Fraud Settlement Deal? Washington Insiders Say Yes

    John Evan Miller
    20 Jan 2012 | 10:16 am
    The foreclosure fraud crisis that started in 2010 when five major lenders – along with a host of smaller ones – were accused of widespread fraud, deception, and negligence in foreclosure processing that allegedly led to unethical and/or illegal foreclosures across the nation. Now, well over a year later, and after several false alarms of a settlement between a coalition of state attorneys-general and the five major lenders at the heart of the case (JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Citibank, and Ally Financial), a deal may be within striking distance according to…

  • Hot Trends to Track in Real Estate for 1Q 2012

    John Evan Miller
    18 Jan 2012 | 12:13 pm
    As the first quarter of the new year gets into full gear, the real estate market finds itself trying to still solve the foreclosure crisis and recover from nearly five years of falling prices, rising inventory, and lackluster demand. Will the new year be any different? What changes and trends will we notice in 2012 – and which, in particular, can be observed over the next few months? The Bottom May Be Near It would be premature to say that we have reached the bottom of the housing market as far as housing prices are concerned. We expect prices to continue to fall or at least remain…
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    TheRedPin Pulse: Where the Canadian New Homes Have a Heartbeat

  • CBC: TREB Warns of Appliance Thefts in New Homes

    TheRedPin Team
    27 Jan 2012 | 3:17 pm
    According to the Toronto Real Estate Board, theft of appliances in newly built, but vacant, homes has become a major concern for Torontonians. On 3 occasions the past 6 months, thieves managed to ‘clean up’ a newly built home costing the owners over $100,000 worth of new appliances. TREB has released a notice to over 30,000 Realtors® warning them of the issue. Richard Silver, TREB’s president, says that this is the first time in his 30+ years in the businesses that he’s had to go through something like this. “It’s more organized criminals,” says…

  • Toronto’s Condo Units Are Getting Even Smaller!

    TheRedPin Team
    27 Jan 2012 | 12:48 pm
     Condo units are getting smaller and smaller by the year, a fact that has raised some concerns amongst real estate enthusiasts and homebuyers in Toronto. On average, condo units have shrunk 6% to 820 sqft over the units built last year. That’s 52 sqft smaller than the average in 2010. Even Paul Golini, chairman of BILD (Building Industry and Land Development Association) wonders whether we’ve reached a limit: “there are only so many bedrooms you can fit into 500 square feet.” he says. Why are builders making smaller units these days? well with over 13,000 units on the…

  • How a Little Imagination Can Rejuvenate Toronto’s Aging Highrises [VIDEO]

    TheRedPin Team
    26 Jan 2012 | 2:49 pm
    This post is all about imagination and how it can be used to turn a decade old building into a little paradise. Imagine you are driving through Toronto, you will see stunning buildings like Shangri La or The Perry light up the downtown skyline; if you look harder however, you see old highrises that are home to thousands of citizens, but have very little ‘life’ of their own. They look dark, have very little connection with their neighbouring buildings, and seem to house residents who just can’t wait to move out. The funny thing is that Shangri la and other new condos will one…

  • Register for VIP Opportunity to Fabrik Condos… Register Before January 31

    TheRedPin Team
    26 Jan 2012 | 11:46 am
    Fabrik Condos will be built in downtown Toronto by renown developers Menkes. Here is your chance to get the best unit ahead of the rest of the public Sales start: January 31 so make sure you register prior to that day and we’ll get back to you when it all starts View Project Page! VIP Registration! Location: Fabrik is located at 431 Richmond Street West. Grocery:  China City Supermarket, Winston’s Grocery, Convenience Plus, One Star Convenience Banks: RBC, HSBC, CIBC, TD, BMO, Scotiabank PharmacyShoppers Drug Mart, Rexall Pharma Plus, Pathway Pharmacy   Schools and Daycares: …

  • Real Estate Developers Expo is Almost Here, Get in for Free!

    TheRedPin Team
    25 Jan 2012 | 3:16 pm
    On February 4-5, Sheraton Toronto Airport Conference Centre  will host REDEX, the Real Estate Developers Expo with a focus on investing in both local and international markets.     Get FREE Tickets to REDEX – Limited Time TheRedPin is an official Media Sponsor of the event   Here is your chance to meet face to face with real estate developers from around the world. RedEX is the first real estate event that lets you directly interact with developers along with experts in financing, mortgages, renovators etc. The first show will be held on February 4th and 5th in Toronto,…
 
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    Charlotte NC Video Production | Photography | WordPress Web Design | Social Media | Branding

  • How To Speed Up or Fix a Slow Computer – Part 3 Disk Backup and Maintenance

    admin
    23 Jan 2012 | 9:08 am
    This is the 3rd in a 3 part series of step by step how to videos on speeding up a slow computer. The whole video series was done by my 9 year old, Jessi, who got tired of me being late for dinner because I was with clients fixing their computers. After hearing me say that I was going to make this video “how to” series for months, she offered to do it herself. She had seen me perform this procedure on her computer before, and with a little editing help, she did it. A step by step procedure on how to speed up your own computer without having to call, “the guy”. Like…

  • How To Speed Up or Fix a Slow Computer or Laptop – Part 2, Get Rid of Spyware & Viruses

    admin
    20 Jan 2012 | 2:36 pm
    This is the 2nd in a 3 part series of step by step how to videos on speeding up a slow computer. The whole video series was done by my 9 year old, Jessi, who got tired of me being late for dinner because I was with clients fixing their computers. After hearing me say that I was going to make this video “how to” series for months, she offered to do it herself. She had seen me perform this procedure on her computer before, and with a little editing help, she did it. A step by step procedure on how to speed up your own computer without having to call, “the guy”. Like…

  • How To Speed Up or Fix a Slow PC – Part 1 Get rid of junk files

    admin
    19 Jan 2012 | 9:53 am
    It happens all the time.  I’m with a client working on their website or doing social media consulting, and invariably they say, “While you’re here, can you take a look at my computer it’s… ……”.   A while ago, I was working with a client who (after we finished the demo on her new website) said her laptop used to be fast, but was lagging like it was stuck in the mud.  I took her through the exact procedure contained in these 3 How To Videos.  Her computer was much faster.  She was forever grateful, however, my family – not so much.  I…

  • Bonterra Builders Presents Skybrook in Huntersville – New Homes Construction

    admin
    13 Jan 2012 | 8:23 am
    Bonterra Builders and Amazing Video Tours are proud to bring you this video presentation (not one of those virtual 360 tours) of a new Bonterra Builder’s new home community, Skybrook in Huntersville, NC There is a reason that more than 1300 families have made the choice to call Skybrook home. Situated on 1100 acres in Huntersville, about 15 miles north of Uptown Charlotte, Skybrook offers sweeping vistas, rolling hills and tree-lined streets along with resort style amenities and 200 acres of open space. Skybrook is convenient to the NC Research Center, University of North Carolina…

  • New Homes in Indian Land, SC – Bonterra Builders – Barber Rock

    admin
    5 Jan 2012 | 6:35 pm
    Bonterra Builders  and Amazing Video Tours are proud to bring you this video presentation (not one of those virtual 360 tours) of their newest community in Indian Land, SC,  Barber Rock. Barber Rock, located just across the SC border in Indian Land, is Bonterra Builders newest community.   Barber Rock was originally part of the historic Barberville Plantation which dates back to the Revolutionary War and was named for a unique rocky outcropping on a stream known as Clem’s Branch which was used for decades by local residents as a swimming and recreation area. The historic context of…
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    Saint Louis Real Estate Agents, Realtor Blog

  • Multi Family Foreclosure Property in South City

    STLRealtor
    25 Jan 2012 | 9:41 am
    Great Investment! 3905 Wyoming St, St Louis 63116 Mostly remodeled 2 story duplex located near Tower Grove Park. Each unit has 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, living and dining rooms, newer wood floors, ceramic tile, windows, interior doors, lighting, kitchen cabinets and countertops. Each side has a full basement, deck and fenced backyard. HVAC systems need repair. Sold in “as is” condition. Search All Area Properties Search Foreclosures Check out St. Louis City! Enjoy all the conveniences of City living. Whether you’re single or part of a family, a sports fanatic or culture enthusiast, a…

  • Spacious South City Foreclosure! Don’t Miss this Awesome Deal!

    STLRealtor
    25 Jan 2012 | 9:37 am
    Your Dream Home Awaits! 6614 Michigan Ave, St Louis 63111 Spacious 4 bedroom 3 bath home with many updates. Large rooms throughout, including a master bedroom suite with remodeled bath, jacuzzi tub, walk in closet, and deck. Kitchen has newer cabinets, countertops, wood floor and center island. Newer carpet, flooring, windows, 6 panel doors. Electric, HVAC and plumbing need repairs. Sold in “as is” condition. Search All Area Properties Search Foreclosures Check out St. Louis City! Enjoy all the conveniences of City living. Whether you’re single or part of a family, a sports…

  • Check Out this “Green” Chesterfield Home!

    STLRealtor
    25 Jan 2012 | 9:30 am
    Beautiful Home, Quiet Location! 903 Strecker Rd, Chesterfield 63005-6617 Incredible Custom-built Colorado Style Green Home now available for lease or lease purchase! Secluded at the top of a wooded hill, it was constructed to give its inhabitants an amazing view of nature and the changing of the seasons. Tri-level home has 2 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, a den that can double as another bedroom, master suite has double vanity and separate shower and whirlpool tub. Spiral staircases and open balconies on each level. Also massive rec room/storage on upper level. New carpet throughout and some nice…

  • Beautiful Brentwood Garden Apartment for Rent!

    STLRealtor
    24 Jan 2012 | 12:52 pm
    Hurry! Apartment won’t Last Long! 1437 Oriole Place, Brentwood 63144-1126 Beautifully maintainted 2 bed, 1 bath ground level, end unit in Brentwood Forest. New carpet recently installed, wood burning fireplace, covered deck off family room, separate dining room, washer and dryer are in separate laundry room which is unique among these units, bedrooms are also about equal size and in a more rare configuration than most units. Access to community pool, tennis courts, clubhouse, walking trails, and stocked lake on property. All appliances stay. This one won’t last long! Search All…

  • Great Jennings Bungalow for Sale!

    STLRealtor
    24 Jan 2012 | 12:41 pm
    Another Great Investment Opportunity in Foreclosure! 7204 Albright Ave, St Louis 63136-1227 Bank Owned Property. Property to be sold in as-is condition. Search All Area Properties Search Foreclosures Check out St. Louis County! The county is conveniently located just outside the city. You can experience all the joys of the city, but be able to drive home to a quiet suburban lifestyle when you’re finished. In St. Louis County, you’re sure to find your white-picket-fence dream come true! Learn More about St. Louis County For questions or to set up a tour of this home call:…
 
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    UrbanTurf Chicago

  • An Israeli Contemporary

    UrbanTurf Staff
    27 Jan 2012 | 4:00 pm
    In a departure from all things Chicago real estate related, UrbanTurf takes a look at a home that would be a rarity in this city. Keep reading »

  • O’Hare Ranks Number Two for Flights

    Erin Calandriello
    27 Jan 2012 | 12:00 pm
    O'Hare International Airport's madness might have been captured in the 1990 movie classic, Home Alone, but it hasn't been the world's busiest airport for over a decade. Keep reading »

  • $125,000 Fridays: East Rogers Park on the Cheap

    Erin Calandriello
    27 Jan 2012 | 9:00 am
    Instead of taking a look at a property in the seven-figure price range this Friday, UrbanTurf decided to switch it up, looking at a two-bedroom rehabbed condo in East Rogers Park for just $125,000. Keep reading »

  • This Week’s Find: A Three-Bedroom Loft in Former Nabisco Factory

    Erin Calandriello
    26 Jan 2012 | 5:00 pm
    This Week's Find is a three-bedroom loft in a factory building where crackers and biscuits were made in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Keep reading »

  • Target Buys Cabrini-Green Lot

    Erin Calandriello
    26 Jan 2012 | 3:00 pm
    Crain's reports that Target has purchased a 3.6-acre lot for $8.8 million on the site of the former Cabrini-Green housing project, where it plans to construct a 150,000 square-foot store. Keep reading »
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    Eurobrix Blog

  • Looking for thrifty travel? Try a home swap

    Yuri Brixenmortar
    23 Jan 2012 | 11:15 am
    If money is tight and you would still like to go abroad this summer, you could consider a holiday that will give you free accommodation worldwide: a house swap. Do you fancy an Italian villa? A flat in bustling Cannes in the South of France? A room with a view over Central Park? No, you can’t have all of them at once but you can take your pick. All you need is to be willing to exchange your own home (or second home if you have one), to be trusting and trustworthy, willing to research and communicate with another family, and take the time to do it properly – maintain a home,…

  • Buyers looking for cheap real estate in Europe are still picking Spain

    Yuri Brixenmortar
    22 Dec 2011 | 6:51 am
    Photo credit: R Duran Buyers looking for cheap real estate in Europe are still picking, according to the latest sales figures. The Ministry of Public Transactions revealed that sales of Spanish property have jumped by 24.7 per cent in the third quarter of 2011 compared to the same period in 2010. This year-on-year rise is only matched by the repeated annual reductions in prices that have plagued the country’s market for the past year. Indeed, figures from the National Statistics Institute have found that property prices in Spain have dropped consistently for the last 14 quarters in a…

  • Mansions in Europe don’t spend this much on Christmas, do they?

    Yuri Brixenmortar
    21 Dec 2011 | 10:42 am
      Photo credit: Christoph W David Beckham and Victoria Beckham have returned to the UK with a splash. Celebrating the festive season, they returned to their house (known as Beckingham Palace) in Hertfordshire to spend a total of £35,000 on Christmas decorations. Mansions in Europe don’t spend that much on Christmas, do they? The former Man United midfield and his family wanted to have “the best of everything”, according to the Mirror, choosing to buy all their trees and extravagant extras from Fortnum and Mason. Six 10-foot Christmas trees and excessive…

  • Don’t look at European hotels for sale – just go straight to London.

    Yuri Brixenmortar
    20 Dec 2011 | 6:28 am
    Photo credit: J Donohoe Don’t look at European hotels for sale – just go straight to London. That’s the advice you can see commercial property investors being given, in light of a new study from STR Global and Whitebridge Hospitality. The research found that London hotels are outperforming the rest of the UK property market for profitability – and have been for the past 11 years. The profit gap between hotels in the capital and other regions of Britain has been getting bigger since 2000, keeping up with inflation while the rest of the UK’s hotels have seen profit…

  • Blair castle sale – Europe’s most exciting auction?

    Yuri Brixenmortar
    19 Dec 2011 | 11:22 am
    Photo credit: HillcroftDave The contents of Blair Castle are going up for auction next year – and people are getting rather excited about it. The castle, located in Edinburgh, was sold in November to a member of the Tory party (an energy minister, no less) for somewhere around £2.5 million. The castle dates back 900 years and was purchased by the Westminster-based politician Charles Hendry and his wife Sallie – but the couple aren’t interested in the castle’s contents. The transaction in the first place raised enough controversy, with Mr Hendry being accused of…
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    Myrtle Beach Rentals

  • Real Estate Sales in the New Year

    North Myrtle Beach Rentals
    4 Jan 2012 | 12:20 pm
    The year 2011 was a great year for real estate sales and this year it is expected to be even better! With thousands of home buyers looking for property everyday there is most definitely a market for listing your home. Most buyers come in with a mindset on what they want and if it is [...]

  • Luxury Homes

    Vacation Luxury Rentals
    9 Oct 2011 | 4:40 am
    Luxury Homes Sublime beaches, gorgeous gardens, serene spas, and luxuriant golf courses are what make Myrtle Beach, South Carolina a great place to live. This metropolitan coastal town is one of the most bold, beautiful, and striking locations along the southeast and has the essence of classic southern charm. In Myrtle Beach, you can pamper [...]

  • Renovations Wrapping Up

    North Myrtle Beach Rentals
    6 Oct 2011 | 2:52 pm
    Golf Course Renovations Around the Grand Strand, summer renovation projects for local golf courses are coming to a close as the cooler weather settles in. However, there have been two new courses that have reentered the Myrtle Beach market, as well as Ocean Isle Beach areas. After being closed for 22 months, Brick Landing in [...]

  • Grand Strand Resorts

    North Myrtle Beach Rentals
    3 Oct 2011 | 3:47 am
    Grand Strand Resorts Myrtle Beach, South Carolina or better known as the Grand Strand is one of the most popular family beach destinations in the United States. With over 60 miles of sparkling blue Atlantic Ocean, white sandy beaches, exciting entertainment, nightlife, restaurants, festivals, water parks, and much more, Myrtle Beach makes a perfect vacation [...]

  • Oceanfront Condo Rentals

    North Myrtle Beach Rentals
    28 Sep 2011 | 2:38 pm
    Oceanfront Condo Rentals Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is the perfect place to live! Located in what is better known as the Grand Strand, it consists of sixty miles of sandy beaches and resides along the blue Atlantic. The area is not only famous for being the No. 1 Family Beach in America, but is also [...]
 
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    TheSquareFoot

  • Planning An Office Move – Practical Tips For A Successful Office Relocation

    Justin Lee
    26 Jan 2012 | 10:50 pm
    Guest Post Provided by HelpMovingOffice.com As 2012 gets under way, and businesses prepare for the future, an office relocation is proving to be a highly effective strategy for companies to get into cheaper and more appropriate office space. With the correct amount of planning, budgeting and management, relocating can enable companies to raise their corporate profile, grow their customer base, improve operational efficiency and attract & retain talented employees. Value for money should be a key part of all business decisions – and most certainly true when it comes to an office…

  • Starbucks Is Getting Saucy, What Liquor License Issues Do Retail Tenants Run Into?

    Justin Lee
    25 Jan 2012 | 12:38 pm
    There have been a few stories that have come out recently saying that Starbucks will begin selling beer and wine at locations in several major US markets by the end of 2012.  Starbucks began testing the concept in some of it’s Seattle home based locations back in late 2011, and is planning on implementing the sale of beer and wine in cities like Atlanta, Chicago, and a few cities in Southern California soon.  Word has it that they will start testing the concept in 4-6 locations in each of those markets and go from there.  Seems as if Starbucks is attempting to become more of a true…

  • Noble Energy Signs a 497,000 Deal in Northwest Houston – How does this breakdown for the Layman?

    Aron Susman
    24 Jan 2012 | 11:25 am
    Noble Energy just signed a 497,000 square foot lease in the former Hewlett Packard building in northwest Houston. That is almost 11.5 acres and they will occupy all 10 floors with plans to expand in the future. As everyone who lives and breathes commercial real estate in Houston knows, this is a massive deal (and the second recent big win for North Houston after the Exxon deal). However, for small business owners who are learning about the basics for their search and/or lease, we thought we would break it down into some digestible numbers. Based on an average annual rental rate of $25 a…

  • The Cult of Amazon Prime and How It Could Affect The Future Of Office & Retail Space

    Aron Susman
    12 Jan 2012 | 12:13 pm
                    We recently read an article, The Cult Of Amazon Prime, which details how Amazon could silently take over the world and affect commercial real estate. For anyone not privy to Amazon Prime, it is a yearly membership ($79) that allows you to get free 2 day shipping for anything bought on Amazon. Apparently there over 5 million worldwide subscribers and this number doubles every 18 months. According to forecasts, Prime will reach 30M-40M of the 120M households in the United States in the next four years (with ~20M accounts). The point of…

  • The Haimish Line and New York Office Space For Lease

    Jonathan Wasserstrum
    4 Jan 2012 | 10:11 am
    The always awesome Mark Suster posted on New Years his new year’s resolution to spend more time on “the right side of the Haimish line” which is a term that was coined by David Brooks here.  I highly recommend reading both Suster and Brooks in their entirety as this notion of the hamish line it is a great way to have a more fulfilling year.  I agree whole heartedly in getting out in the mix.  It’s why I try to strike up conversations with those around me where ever I am.  There is always something new and interesting to learn from others. Anyway, one particular…
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    South Florida Law Blog

  • Week In Review: Foreclosure and the GOP; Banks May Lose HAMP Money; Bondi Stands Behind Settlement; Stern Wants Fries With That

    OppenheimLaw
    27 Jan 2012 | 2:41 pm
    The South Florida Law Blog loves a good burger! We’re finally starting to catch our breath, with the substantial amount of news we’ve seen come down the pipeline in the housing market this week. President Obama’s State of the Union, and the apparent collapse of the federal government’s settlement with the banks have been our focus this week, and rightfully so.  But there’s been lots of other stories that have crossed our desk this week, some big, some small, but all important.   Republicans Offer Unpopular Solutions for Housing Fix Most of our attention has been on the…

  • Fraud Probe Has Real Teeth, Banks Are Running Scared

    OppenheimLaw
    26 Jan 2012 | 4:09 pm
    Like the characters in "The Blair Witch Project", the banks are running scared! Well what a wild week it has been.  When we came to work on Monday we feared President Obama would put the housing crisis to bed without ever holding the banks’ feet to the fire. The settlement with the banks, which we have blogged about ad nauseam this week, seemed as sure as a chip-shot field goal. But thanks to President Obama’s suddenly get-tough approach, as evidenced by his State of the Union speech, we’ve seen the banks’ kick go wide-right and now all bets are off. Can There Be Real…

  • Obama and the State of the Union — a Political Jekyll and Hyde?

    OppenheimLaw
    25 Jan 2012 | 5:19 pm
    Leading up to the State of the Union, we heard a lot of chatter that a proposed $25 billion settlement with the banks would be a selling point in President Obama’s speech.And maybe it would have been, had President Obama delivered the State of the Union. But clearly the person we saw last night addressing Congress was candidate Obama, who is a very different individual. The State of the Union, at times, felt more like a stump speech that an address from a sitting president. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Obama finally sounded like someone willing to play tough with the…

  • Foreclosure Fallout: Robo-Signing deal falls flat

    OppenheimLaw
    24 Jan 2012 | 2:58 pm
    President Obama is likely to talk about this in tonight’s State of The Union Address, but we’re not going to wait that long. With details of the proposed $25 billion settlement with the nation’s largest banks over the robo-signing fiasco now out in the public eye thanks to the Associated Press, we feel a large sense of disappointment. There’s no question that this deal will change the mortgage industry for the better. Some homeowners will even have a much better chance of being able to restructure their loans when facing foreclosure under this deal. No One’s Getting Their Keys…

  • Will Obama Target Housing Crisis During State Of The Union?

    OppenheimLaw
    23 Jan 2012 | 4:57 pm
    President Barack Obama delivers remarks on the economy at Shaker Heights High School,Shaker Heights, Ohio, Jan. 4, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy) We really haven’t seen President Obama insert himself directly into the housing crisis, but there are rumblings that he may do just that during Tuesday’s State of The Union address. The fact is that is what homeowners have been clamoring for. A new USA TODAY/Gallup Poll found 58% of Americans want the government to do more to help people keep homes. According to HousingWire, Ohio senator Sherrod Brown told reporters today…
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    First Home, First Loan » Stephen Katz

  • U.S. Home Sales Rise For 3rd Straight Month

    Stephen Katz
    23 Jan 2012 | 12:18 am
    Real Estate Inventory Down 9.2% Once again we see continuing improvement in the national real estate market, home sales in the U.S. are up again in December for the third straight month. For 2011 as a whole, sales of existing homes also rose significantly, with a 1.7% increase over 2010. Inventories are shrinking as well as the total inventories in the U.S. dropped more than 9%.  Affordability of financing and lower prices continue looks to be the dominant driving force in the US real estate market starting to turn the corner.  From Realtor Magazine: “The latest monthly data shows…

  • Breaking Down Closing Costs

    Stephen Katz
    4 Nov 2011 | 12:23 pm
    · Lender Fees are collected by, and retained by, the mortgage company. These include: underwriting fee, processing fee, closing fee, funding fee, doc prep fee and so forth. These fees should be shopped by the consumer as they can vary greatly among lenders. · Origination Fees – When this term is properly used it includes all discount points and lender fees. Be cautious in using this term to compare mortgage companies, as its use is inconsistent. · Third party fees – Are paid to outside vendors used in the course of the loan process for credit reports, appraisals, surveys, courier,…

  • VA Loans: Pros & Cons

    Stephen Katz
    13 Oct 2011 | 12:36 am
    If you’re a qualifying veteran or service member, a VA mortgage can be a great deal. VA mortgages offer a lot of benefits, including being one of the few 100% financing options available. There are however, certain situations where you may be better off going with a FHA mortgage or a conventional loan backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. Pros of a VA home loan The government guarantees at least one-quarter of the loan  amount on a VA mortgage, which is why you don’t need to put up a down payment.  It’s also why you don’t have to buy mortgage insurance, which is…

  • Dysfunctional Congress leads to even Lower Interest Rates

    Stephen Katz
    2 Aug 2011 | 4:56 pm
    Current low mortgage rates have fallen again as the U.S. continues to shows signs of a sluggish economy with a drop in consumer spending. Dropping by .125%, today’s 30 year fixed mortgage interest rates are at 4.125%. 15 year fixed mortgage interest rates are at 3.500% and 5/1 ARM loan rates are at 2.750%, both remaining the same. Conforming 30 year fixed mortgage loans are the most desired long term mortgage product amongst borrowers because they offer the security of a monthly mortgage payment that remains the same for the entire length of the loan. With 0.7 to 1% origination fee, these…

  • Tips to Help Your Kids have a Smooth Move

    Stephen Katz
    28 Jul 2011 | 11:43 am
    This is a great list to start with when you move with children.  You have to really see it through their eyes and work to understand their concerns.  Many times, it is just about asking them questions and soliciting their feelings to help them through the process.  This is a good list of checkpoints. Moving with children can be a stressful and traumatic experience, especially for younger children.  However, it doesn’t have to be.  Read through these simple tips on making relocating with children easy and exciting for them, and less stressful for you!   Be Positive! It is not…
 
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    San Francisco Real Estate Blog, Listings, & Buyer/Seller Resources

  • Mobile Homes of San Francisco

    Matt Fuller, GRI
    27 Jan 2012 | 11:56 am
    Tell someone you live in a mobile home in San Francisco and they’ll look at you like you’re crazy. Which you might be, but I digress. While San Francisco real estate might be known for six-figure sale prices in small packages, we aren’t known as the land of trailer parks. Perhaps it’s because we’re prone to earthquakes instead of tornadoes? There are a few homes in San Francisco, though, that are more mobile than their appearance suggests. 200 Woodside Ave., now found in the Forest Hill extension neighborhood but once part of St. Francis Wood, is one such house.

  • San Francisco, 1955

    Matt Fuller, GRI
    26 Jan 2012 | 5:26 pm
    Today’s quick afternoon distraction is a video of San Francisco taken in 1955. Here are a few of my thoughts after watching it: - Twin Peaks is naked! It was shocking to see how different Twin Peaks is today compared to the video, since most of Twin Peaks wasn’t built on until the 1960′s and 1970′s. - Golden Gate Park in 1955 looks pretty much like Golden Gate Park in 2012, with the exception of those museums that have undergone an earthquake-induced transformation. - Downtown San Francisco, where are your skyscrapers? What stands out to you in the video? Share…

  • Congratulations to 2011 Zephyr Top 10 Producers

    Matt Fuller, GRI
    25 Jan 2012 | 2:23 pm
    At this morning’s Zephyr sales meeting, the company top producers were announced. Top Producer is one of those terms that might seem straight-forward, but upon closer examination is actually a bit ambiguous. While a real estate Top Producer is exactly that – an agent  that does a lot of business (usually by dollar volume) – the definition varies from company to company. Some real estate companies might recognize their top 10%, or their top 25%. Even if two different companies recognized their top 10%, the dollar volume required to be in that bracket might vary wildly. Top…

  • Portola Dr & O’Shaughnessy Blvd. – Then and Now

    Matt Fuller, GRI
    24 Jan 2012 | 12:29 pm
    While doing some research for an upcoming blog post about Portola Dr. I came across this great picture of the strip mall located along Portola between Evelyn and Fowler that was taken in 1938. For comparison, I went out and took a picture from roughly the same vantage point last Friday. As you can see, the more things change, the more they stay the same! Portola Dr. in 1938, source: foundsf.org The Miraloma Appliance co. is now home to the Portola Cleaners, while the Merit Food Center has made way for Tower Burger (yum!). I can’t quite read the signs on the next two buildings, does…

  • Common Sense or Anti-Homeless?

    Matt Fuller, GRI
    23 Jan 2012 | 5:01 pm
    The creation of parklets in San Francisco has led to some unintended consequences. They aren’t on park land, so park rules and regulations can’t be enforced. They aren’t a sidewalk, though, so sidewalk laws don’t apply. And even though they might be in the street, their design is such that laws governing what you can and can’t do in a street don’t quite fit either. Parklet in the Inner Sunset (wouldn't be affected by the Wiener legislation, as written) City Supervisor Scott Wiener has introduced legislation that will spell out what is and isn’t…
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    Virtual Tour Software ~ Virtual Tour Company

  • Tallahassee Testimonial

    Team BlueLaVaMedia
    27 Jan 2012 | 3:23 pm
    I have been a virtual tour provider for several years. RTV is hands down the best virtual tour software company in the industry. RTV provides lighting fast support, online seminars that are fun and informative on various topics like marketing, photography techniques, business strategies, and the product the product is fantastic to boot. The major draw for me is that they offer a system for businesses like myself that streamlines the entire tour process from shoot to production to hosting. They even send my customers weekly stats. As a provider with RTV they often send me leads and direct jobs…

  • Improving Your Photography

    Team BlueLaVaMedia
    26 Jan 2012 | 11:12 am
    Interior photography can be tricky sometimes and sometimes the photos don’t come out quite like you or the client hopes.  I myself have been noticing some problems with photos coming in for Tour Track jobs.  It seems that lately people photographing interiors of model homes and hotels have been framing their pictures in a way that shows quite a bit of the ceiling, too much ceiling really.  While showing the ceiling may seem to give the feeling of a larger room, if it cuts off the furniture as a result it should not be done.  It may seem natural to walk right in and point…

  • How it all Started - RealVision History

    Team BlueLaVaMedia
    25 Jan 2012 | 9:48 am
    This all started about about 34 years ago. At age 16 I was photographing weddings and already doing portrait photography. I had a love of photography that stemmed from my Grandfather. He was not a professional but he also had the same passion. I worked in Allen Brooks Studio in Westland, Michigan for many years as a portrait and, wedding  and commercial photographer. In the early 90's I was burned out and decided to make a career change. I decided that I would work in the computer field and worked as the lead Technician for Michigan Mulitple Listing Service now known as MIRealSource. In…

  • Excellence is Our Standard

    Team BlueLaVaMedia
    24 Jan 2012 | 12:05 pm
    At Vision Quest Virtual Tours, we photograph all of our tours using a secret technique that provides an incredible level of clarity and detail that is not available in traditional photography.  For each individual image, we photograph many exposures and then blend these together to provide an image that shows both the dark and bright areas equally well.  To see the difference that HDR makes, take a look at this tour...http://rtvpix.com/BU-0966-L16DVB-01?h=500&w=700 We photographed 350 tours in 31 states last year and drove 39,000 miles to shoot tours.  We photograph a wide…

  • The Drive to 1000 Tours

    Team BlueLaVaMedia
    23 Jan 2012 | 3:04 pm
    So far our local virtual tour company, "Perfect Images" has done 500 virtual tours. We've done tours for 80 realtors and over 35 real estate companies, some commercial business too. Does this make us experts on Virtual Tours? I believe it does. I remember the days when our first virtual tours would take us about two to three hours to finish. Of course, it did not take us long to bring this time down to one hour or less. I am talking about the whole process. Taking the pictures takes approximately 30 minutes and the stitching process another 30 minutes or less. You know, that what's so great…
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    Ann Arbor Homes and Real Estate Update

  • 17 Jan 2012 | 9:11 pm

    17 Jan 2012 | 9:11 pm
    Vernon Downs neighborhood is located on the west side of Ann Arbor north off of Scio Church Rd and west of 7th street.  Vernon Downs and adjacent Sunnyside and Wuerth subdivisions consist mostly of solid will built 1950's and 1960's brick three bedroom ranches along with a some two story homes.  The subdivision was plated and mostly built by George V.  Airey, George V. Airey Building Company  in the late 1950'sVernon Downs appeals to home buyers looking to be close to downtown but can not find affordable maintained housing in the old westside…

  • Some of our Preferred Contractors

    13 Jan 2012 | 4:24 pm
    Looking to paint a few rooms in your new home? C & Q Painting LLC has worked with PiperPartners and our buyers/sellers in the past and never left a single customer disappointed. Karolynn Schofield of the PiperPartners real estate team says of C & Q that, “they have provided outstanding painting services to my buyers and [John Crawford, owner] is one of the most professional and skilled tradesmen I have ever worked with.”

  • PiperPartners announces Partnership with Cole Taylor Mortgage.

    13 Jan 2012 | 4:13 pm
    Money Source Center and Cole Taylor Mortgage is pleased to be a new working partner with PiperPartners. We believe that his focus on Kerrytown and Downtown Ann Arbor readily fits with our focus on Ann Arbor.Money Source is a local company which serves as a retail location for Cole Taylor Mortgage a subsidiary of Taylor Capital Group a publicly traded company with more than $4.3 billion in assets.This affiliation allows Money Source to partner with people like Andy Piper and offer his clients 24/7 services and the best refinancing opportunities, provided by local lenders with national backing.

  • Preparing for your 2011 taxes

    13 Jan 2012 | 4:12 pm
    Tax season is rapidly approaching and if you’ve purchased through PiperPartners in 2011 we have HUD statements available. Simply call your PiperPartners buyer or listing agnet or contact them through our website and request a copy of your HUD or call direct at 734-604-8242.

  • PiperPartners is offering a Free home warranty to honor returning Veterans.

    13 Jan 2012 | 4:10 pm
    To honor the men and women of our armed services we would like to extend the offer a free home warranty to any veteran of the American armed forces. Meet with a PiperPartners real estate team buyer specialist by February 29th to be eligible for a free home warranty. In addition to being a veteran, eligibility will also require that you close on your house with PiperPartners. A value of $405.
 
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    Welcome To International Realty Group Ltd

  • Cayman Real Estate - DISCOVERY POINT CLUB

    27 Jan 2012 | 5:49 am
    Price :  US$599,000 Cayman PropertyCayman Islands PropertyProperty In Cayman IslandsGrand Cayman Property Cayman Real Estate Main Features: MLS : 102105 Address :2043 West Bay Road, Seven Mile Beach, State : Grand Cayman Square Feet: From 1,301 Sector:W Bay Bch SouthZoning:Beach Resort/ResidentialClass:ExistingConstruction:BlockFoundation:SlabFloors:3Furnished:Partially FurnishedHome Features :Balcony, Waterfront, Dishwasher, Microwave, Air Conditioning, Cable/Satellite TVLocal Amenities:Close to Shops, Close to Grocery Store, Close to Beach, Close to Restaurants, Close to…

  • Cayman Commercial Real Estate - Artillery Court One

    20 Jan 2012 | 2:15 am
    Price :  US$35 / per Sft Cayman Property Cayman Real Estate Main Features: MLS : 00000 State : Grand Cayman Square Feet: From 350 Commercial Use : Industrial/Warehouse Sector:Georgetown Center Cayman Property Description :Call for details. From 350sq.ft. Active Commercial Contact Cayman Real Estate Broker :Contact AgentOllie CollinsEmail: ollieirg@candw.kyPhone:  345-623-1111 Cell:     345-548-411  

  • Cayman Commercial Property - Strathvale House Office Space FOR LEASE

    16 Jan 2012 | 6:36 am
    Price :  US$45 / per Sft Cayman Real EstateCayman Islands Real Estate Cayman Real Estate Main Features:MLS : 000000State : Grand CaymanSquare Feet: From 3,300Commercial Use : Industrial/WarehouseSector:Georgetown CenterClass:ExistingFoundation:Pier and BeamFurnished:UnfurnishedHome Features :Balcony, Waterfront, Air Conditioning, Broad BandLocal Amenities:Close to TownCommunity Features:Property Manager, ParkingCayman Property Description :Fully fitted out office space in a class A building. Backup power. Assigned Parking. Ocean Views. ActiveCommercial2002Contact Cayman Real…

  • Cayman Islands Real Estate - Suncloud Estate

    31 Dec 2011 | 4:02 am
    Price :  US$3,300,000 Cayman PropertyCayman Real Estate         Cayman Real Estate Main Features:MLS : 114635Address :Rum Point Drive,State : Grand CaymanSquare Feet: 7,016Stories:3Sector:Rum PointZoning:Beach Resort/ResidentialClass:ExistingConstruction:BlockFoundation:SlabFloors:3Furnished:Partially FurnishedHome Features :Balcony, Waterfront, Dishwasher, Disposal, Microwave, Washer/Dryer, Air Conditioning, Cable/Satellite TV, Broad BandLocal Amenities:Close to Shops, Close to Grocery Store, Close to Beach, Close to Restaurants, Close…

  • Cayman Real Estate - HSBC House

    30 Dec 2011 | 6:31 am
    Price :  US$47 per PSQFT Cayman Commercial Real EstateCayman Islands Real EstateCayman Real Estate Main Features:State : Grand Cayman Commercial Use : Industrial/Warehouse Sector:Georgetown CommCayman Property Description :Sub lease office space available in this Class A building on the outskirts of George Town. Newly rebuilt to hurricane rated specs. Full back up generator and water with 24 hour security on site. Call for details.Contact Cayman Real Estate Broker : Contact AgentOllie CollinsEmail :ollieirg@candw.kyPhone:  345-623-1111 Cell:     345-548-4116
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    M Brewer Group

  • Act like a Apartment Owner

    Mike Brewer
    27 Jan 2012 | 10:33 am
    You have heard it a million times if you have heard it once. “Act like an owner.” But, how do you get employees to act like owners? As it relates to the statement; I have two questions I like to ask people. First one relates to leadership and specifically employee issues; If you owned this apartment management company; would this person be working for you? The second pertains to more general items that comes up on a daily basis. If the sign out in front of this apartment community read [your name] apartments; what would you do? Nine point nine times out of ten the answer comes…

  • Fill Your Marketing Balloons With More Than Air

    JHerzog
    23 Jan 2012 | 9:18 am
    I was recently given the privelege to co-moderate a brainstorming session on the topic of marketing. The session was held for members of the apartment management industry at various stages in their careers, from leasing agents who have been in the industry for 2 months to  property managers with 10 years of experience. My topic was old school marketing. Old school referring to anything not social media. More specifically, tools such as resident retention, outreach marketing, Craigslist, etc. The idea was to get creative juices flowing, discuss what’s working, what’s not…

  • How do I Build Habits?

    Mike Brewer
    20 Jan 2012 | 3:52 am
    I am often asked questions that lead with the word, how. How do you do this, how do you do that, how can I be or do better in my career, life or otherwise. Or, how do you go about creating good professional habits? Which follows the lines of  my favorite question, also the premise of this post; how do you get out of bed so early in the morning? My answer: I made it a habit. Those that know me, know that I work crazy hours often times hitting the pillow right prior to the rooster’s announcement of the day to come. And, I rise at roughly 6:00am everyday without the aid of an alarm clock.

  • Apartment Marketing: Paying Rent is a Social Act

    Mike Brewer
    13 Jan 2012 | 4:00 am
    Ran across Pepsi’s Social Vending Machine Story while I was in the process of purging some old files and it got me thinking about ways that we could make paying rent an even more social experience. Is it reasonable to think that Facebook, Twitter, G+ or even resident portals could be robust enough to allow payments by third parties unassociated with lease contracts and the such? Following the concept of Pepsi  creating a the experience of sending free sodas to friends; could you see the same thing apply to rent payments? If my buddy knows that I have fallen on hard times and wants to…

  • To Drop or Not to Drop the Drop Box

    Mike Brewer
    6 Jan 2012 | 5:05 am
    “But I put it in the drop box!” “Yes you did but it was after the due date.” But, it was in there before you opened your office this morning” The all to familiar ring around the first of the month. Time to pay the rent and the drop box is the perfect scape goat for would be late payers. My question: Do we need a drop box? Should we take them away and force payment during business hours only? I am an advocate for it. Not because I want to make it hard for people to pay their rent. Not because I have a mean spirit. It’s rather because I’ve had thousands…
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    THE TENANT ADVISOR

  • This Week in the Economy

    CoyDavidson
    27 Jan 2012 | 5:23 pm
    The (Nasdaq +1.7%) and (S&P 500 + 0.5%) posted a fourth straight week of gains, but the Dow ended the week in negative territory, down 0.5%. On the commercial real estate front Real Capital Analyitcs reported that U.S. commercial property sales rose 57 percent to more than $220 billion in 2011 and CoStar Group released [...]This Week in the Economy is a post from: The Tenant Advisor

  • Colliers Analysis: Ten Predictions for 2012

    CoyDavidson
    26 Jan 2012 | 2:18 pm
    We asked our researchers to make some big predictions for 2012. In short, we’re expecting something of a mixed bag this year. Look for modest U.S. economic growth, modest office and industrial absorption and a big bump in property investment volumes. Quality warehouse properties will be the new investment star of the year U.S. GDP [...]Colliers Analysis: Ten Predictions for 2012 is a post from: The Tenant Advisor

  • The Cost of Office Space Just Went Up

    CoyDavidson
    25 Jan 2012 | 12:05 am
    Double Digit Hikes in Commercial Property & Casualty Insurance Rates Expected in Houston Despite minimal hurricane activity, 2011 was one of the worst catastrophe years in history, the result from a rash of tornado and storm activity throughout the United States. Commercial property/casualty insurance rates are expected to increase in the 5% range overall in [...]The Cost of Office Space Just Went Up is a post from: The Tenant Advisor

  • Houston Industrial Market Report – 4Q 2011

    CoyDavidson
    23 Jan 2012 | 11:59 am
    2.9M SF in Houston’s Industrial Construction Pipeline – 1.8M SF is Spec Development Houston’s industrial market fundamentals continue to strengthen with over 1.5M SF of positive net absorption in the fourth quarter, pushing year-end absorption to 4.4M SF. Houston’s industrial vacancy continues to decrease, averaging 5.2% in the fourth quarter, 40 basis points (bps) less [...]Houston Industrial Market Report – 4Q 2011 is a post from: The Tenant Advisor

  • Relocation Provisions in Office Leases

    CoyDavidson
    21 Jan 2012 | 4:50 pm
    What’s this Paragraph About Substitute Premises? Commercial leases typically contain a provision allowing the Landlord to move tenants from one location within a project to another to accommodate a larger tenant should contiguous space become available during the lease term. No tenant whether office, retail or industrial should casually accept this provision provided they have [...]Relocation Provisions in Office Leases is a post from: The Tenant Advisor
 
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    Modern Estate Agent blog

  • How to find landlords? Use a landlord database of course

    19 Jan 2012 | 6:00 pm
    One of the most common challenges we heard from letting agents last year was winning new rental business - finding more landlords. If you're in the business you won't need telling that, as a result of being the growth part of the industry, lettings has become much more competitive in recent years. Plenty of start-up agents (often with with cut-price management services) have popped up, previously sales-only estate agents have added lettings departments, and established agents are often finding their fees being pressurised as a result. A good letting agent will maintain a database of…

  • 8 ways you can control the impact of estate agency review websites

    11 Jan 2012 | 6:00 pm
    Review websites are a big part of the internet these days - and the property industry is no different to any other. In the past few years, the trend has accelerated and the list of estate agent specific review websites is getting longer: www.whichpropertyagent.co.uk www.allagents.co.uk (the ones who force their logo onto your website header, yuk!) www.referenceline.com (one of the more credible sites) www.estateagentreview.co.uk www.theadvisory.co.uk www.meetmyagent.co.uk www.agentright.com www.agent-tracker.co.uk www.estatepropertyagents.co.uk and sister site…

  • Christmas marketing done well

    15 Dec 2011 | 6:00 pm
    I've often found that Christmas is a time of year when marketing people get inventive. Kudos to Kimberley Lane at Berry Recruitment then, for scoring points by arriving unannounced at reception this morning bearing gifts and smiling like a Cheshire cat. I don't mind confessing that anyone who gives me chocolate immediately breaks down a barrier or two! The diary may or may not come in handy, but it scores points for being good quality. Are you planning anything similar? Have you been won over by someone making a similar festive effort?

  • The ASA rule against personal estate agent franchises again

    11 Dec 2011 | 6:00 pm
    Eighteen months on from the ASA ruling against Spicerhaart and they are still struggling to come to terms with the personal Estate Agent model. A new ruling against Century 21 concluded that the public are still likely to make the assumption that an 'office' must be a physical one. It's clear that 'office' is not a good word, but the ASA statement is a concern: "We told Century 21 United Kingdom that they should only list locations in which they had physical offices." iSold say they are 'available in .. locations'. Does that help? We have asked the question of the ASA and will post an…

  • A more visual way of seeing who visits your website

    1 Dec 2011 | 6:00 pm
    Those of you using Google Analytics on a regular basis might have noticed some great changes during the last few weeks, assuming you've updated to using the new version. The new features include visitor and goal flow charts, real-time visitor stats, the ability to monitor slow pages - and a favourite of ours, a keyword cloud. The lucky readers who possess a Modern Estate Agent mouse mat will have seen similar clouds many times. :o)  The keyword cloud tool is all about visualising the keywords your visitors used to find your website on Google. The bigger the word, the more people who…
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    Taunya Fagan Bozeman Real Estate Blog: SW Montana Homes: MLS Listings

  • USDA Loans Last Of The Zero Down Home Mortgage Loan?

    Taunya Fagan - Today's Montana Listings: Bozeman Real Estate: Luxury Homes: Land (Prudential Montana Real Estate Bozeman)
    23 Jan 2012 | 2:02 pm
    Montana offers some of the most beautiful landscapes in the country. It’s no wonder a good number of people choose to vacation here, and for those wanting to make the switch from tourist to long-term resident, you’ll be glad to know most areas within Montana qualify for USDA home loan programs. The USDA home loan is one of the last zero down mortgage programs in existence. It gives low- to middle-income families and individuals the opportunity to buy a home at an affordable rate in a relatively inexpensive rural or suburban area. Purchasing Homes in Bozeman with a USDA Mortgage Other than…

  • Recent Bozeman Real Estate Listings Week 4 January 2012 Taunya Fagan

    Taunya Fagan - Today's Montana Listings: Bozeman Real Estate: Luxury Homes: Land (Prudential Montana Real Estate Bozeman)
    23 Jan 2012 | 12:58 pm
    Today's New Listings Taunya Fagan Bozeman MT Real Estate - Gallatin County Montana Real Estate Updates.  Delivering today's newest Bozeman MT real estate listings from the Montana MLS: Bozeman Luxury Real Estate, Ranches and Farm Properties, Estate Homes. Week 4, January 22 - 27, 2012 - Find easily the latest Bozeman realty listings each day from Prudential Montana Realtor, Taunya Fagan, providing daily Bozeman real estate listings from the complete southwest Montana region. MLS#       Type          Address         Price             Beds-Baths…

  • Just Listed Bozeman MT Real Estate Listings Week 3 January 2012 Taunya Fagan

    Taunya Fagan - Today's Montana Listings: Bozeman Real Estate: Luxury Homes: Land (Prudential Montana Real Estate Bozeman)
    16 Jan 2012 | 10:22 pm
    Today's Newest Bozeman Real Estate - Taunya Fagan Southwest Montana Real Estate Daily Updates.  Bringing you the most recent Bozeman listings from the SW Montana MLS: Big Sky Luxury Homes, Affordable Bozeman Homes, Investment Opportunities. Week 3, January 15 - 21, 2012 - Easily locate the newest Bozeman Montana listings every morning from Prudential Bozeman Realtor, Taunya Fagan, providing updated real estate listings from southwest Montana. Top Prudential Bozeman Realtor 2009, 2010, 2011  MLS#       Type           …

  • Newest Montana Real Estate Listings Week 2 January 2012 Taunya Fagan

    Taunya Fagan - Today's Montana Listings: Bozeman Real Estate: Luxury Homes: Land (Prudential Montana Real Estate Bozeman)
    11 Jan 2012 | 10:07 pm
    New Bozeman MT Real Estate Listings - Taunya Fagan Prudential Bozeman's Daily Southwest Montana Real Estate Update.  Bringing you the most recent Bozeman listings from the SW Montana MLS: Luxury Property, Ranches, Land, Investment Properties. Week 2, January 8 - 14, 2012 - Readily find each of the new SW Montana listings each day from Prudential Bozeman MT Realtor, Taunya Fagan's Bozeman Real Estate Blog, giving you the most recent real estate listings from southwest Montana. MLS#       Type            Address            Price                 …

  • Mountain Secluded Bozeman Homes 1000 Smokey Hollow Road

    Taunya Fagan - Today's Montana Listings: Bozeman Real Estate: Luxury Homes: Land (Prudential Montana Real Estate Bozeman)
    6 Jan 2012 | 10:13 pm
    1000 Smokey Hollow Road - Bozeman MLS 181339 - $395,000 - 2370 sf -  Three Bedrooms, Three Bathrooms - 21 Mountain Acres - Taunya Fagan Private, gated, and secluded Bozeman mountain home with trees, views, wildlife, located between Bozeman and Livingston, Montana. Experience nature from inside your cozy southwest Montana home with wood burning stove, radiant floor heat or from your covered front porch or large rear deck. This, one of the secluded and private Bozeman homes off Jackson Creek Road, includes maple floors, stainless steel appliances, abundant windows, 3 bedrooms and office,…
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    Waterfront Properties in Jupiter | Real Estate Blog

  • High Tech Houses that Have it All

    6 Jan 2012 | 9:18 am
    If you are looking for a house and want to have one which is high on the high tech side of the equation there are many out there just for you.  Depending on what you are looking for you will have many options but there is one particularly that will absolutely have everything you can possibly imagine.It starts with retractable walls that you can move in and out depending on what size room you want – perfect for that large holiday dinner.  It also features a retractable roof for those nice, star filled nights.  The windows are all automated for opening and closing as are the doors.  All…

  • Using the Internet to Sell Your Home

    19 Dec 2011 | 1:15 pm
    Given the fact that most homebuyers use the Internet to aid them in their search for a home, using the Internet as part of your marketing strategy is an important step toward getting your home sold. After all, the more people who are able to see your home, the more likely you are to find an interested buyer. Therefore, if you are serious about getting your home sold, it is a good idea to talk it over with your real estate agent in order to develop an effective Internet marketing strategy. Listing Your Home Online When it comes to listing your home online, there are many websites available.

  • The Great Real Estate Search | Search for Your Dream Home

    4 Oct 2011 | 1:52 pm
    It is not often that those in the market for a new home know exactly what they are looking for. Sometimes we don’t even know what location is right for our new home or if there are multiple options. Soon, we quickly realize a barrage of questions is coming our way. Questions in need of answers include: What style of home? What part of town will work for my family and me? How many bedrooms? Large yard? Pool? The answers to all of these questions will provide you the framework for determining needs for the home of your dreams. By creating a saved search on our website you are creating…

  • Seller’s Checklist: Waterfront Properties

    3 Oct 2011 | 10:56 am
    Many people who put waterfront homes on the market think their homes will sell themselves. While this may have been true a few years ago, the reality is that the economic downturn has made it more difficult to sell even the most beautiful homes in the most attractive locations. Furthermore, even if the home will be an easy sell, you certainly want to get as much money for the property as possible. To get your home sold quickly and to make the process of selling your waterfront home as easy as possible, be sure to keep this checklist in mind. Get an Appraisal The first step to selling a…

  • Orange Beach: White Sand & Waterfront Condos

    26 Sep 2011 | 7:55 am
    Orange Beach is located on the gulf coast of Alabama. Beautiful, waterfront condos and white sand beaches are part of the reputation of Orange Beach boasts. The condos For sale in Orange Beach are available in a number of styles and sizes ranging from high-rises with large penthouse suites to low-rise condominiums with single bedroom units, and everything in between. Each condominium is unique and offers its own set of special amenities with many over looking the Gulf and its white beaches. Surrounding the Condos in Orange Beach, Alabama is the area that comprises Orange Beach and Gulf…
 
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    Maine Real Estate Blog

  • Welcome Southwest Airlines to Portland International Jetport!

    LegacySIR
    23 Jan 2012 | 10:44 am
    Southwest flying to Portland with load of potential The airline’s confirmation that it will serve the city means more routes and cheaper fares may follow. By Beth Quimby bquimby@mainetoday.com Staff Writer (Portland Press Herald) PORTLAND – Mainers won’t need to drive to Manchester, N.H., or Boston much longer to catch a ride on Southwest Airlines. Portland is on the list of AirTran cities Southwest Airlines will continue to serve as the two airlines combine operations. The Associated Press On Friday, the nation’s largest domestic airline announced that Portland…

  • Alexa Oestreicher joins Legacy Properties Sotheby’s International Realty As Vice President in Real Estate Sales

    LegacySIR
    19 Jan 2012 | 9:47 am
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                  CONTACT:   Christopher Lynch 207-780-8900 clynch@legacysir.com   Alexa Oestreicher joins Legacy Properties Sotheby’s International Realty as a Vice President in Real Estate Sales Greater Portland, ME (Jan. 16, 2012) –Maine Real Estate News:  We are pleased to announce thatAlexa Oestreicher,Maine native and longtimeYarmouth resident, has joined Legacy Properties Sotheby’s International Realty as a Vice President.  Alexa, a licensed Associate Broker, will be based in the Greater…

  • Maine Real Estate – Supply of Inventory of Homes Down 21% From 2010

    LegacySIR
    16 Jan 2012 | 4:46 pm
    Maine Real Estate Maine Real Estate Statistics Presented by Legacy Properties Sotheby’s International Realty Maine Real Estate ”Supply of Inventory” for the past Year Inventory of Single Family Homes Drops 21% over 2010   The Maine Real Estate market has seen a significant improvement compared to the same period in 2010.  A decrease in inventory reflects increasing demand for single family homes and is an excellent leading indicator of the condition of the overall market. Legacy Properties Sotheby’s International Realty has several Maine Real Estate Agents based in it…

  • Maine Real Estate – Homes Under Contract In December Are Up 25% over 2010

    LegacySIR
    16 Jan 2012 | 4:41 pm
    Maine Real Estate Maine Real Estate Statistics Presented by Legacy Properties Sotheby’s International Realty Maine Real Estate ”Under Contract” for the past Year A 25% Increase in Single Family Homes Under Contract The Maine Real Estate market has seen a significant improvement compared to the same period in 2010.  Under Contract properties is an excellent leading indicator of the condition of the overall market and a very strong sign for further growth. Legacy Properties Sotheby’s International Realty has several Maine Real Estate Agents based in it Portland…

  • Maine Real Estate – December Sales Volume Up 5% Over 2010

    LegacySIR
    16 Jan 2012 | 4:27 pm
    Maine Real Estate Maine Real Estate Statistics Presented by Legacy Properties Sotheby’s International Realty Maine Real Estate ”Sold Unit Volume” for the past Year A 5% Increase in Single Family Homes Sold The Maine Real Estate market has seen a significant improvement compared to the same period in 2010. Sold Volume in Maine has improved along with other significant measures of Maine Real Estate for several consecutive months. This improvement in volume has helped to stabilize prices in most Maine markets. Legacy Properties Sotheby’s International Realty has…
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    expertVIEW Blog

  • Welcome news for Victorian vendors with median prices on the rise

    Enzo Raimondo
    27 Jan 2012 | 12:55 am
    REIV December quarter median prices reveal that house and unit values have remained relatively stable over the quarter. The median house price in metropolitan Melbourne was $550,000, representing a... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

  • QLD: Trying times in 2011, positive hopes for 2012

    Pamela Bennett
    19 Jan 2012 | 6:31 pm
    The past year has been an upward battle for Queenslanders, getting off to a tragic start with devastating flood and cyclone damage wreaking havoc across the state. The impact of the Queensland floods... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

  • WA: The year that was, the year that will be

    David Airey
    13 Jan 2012 | 12:36 am
    2011 was a year characterised by fence sitting across Western Australia, with buyer’s exercising caution due to widespread uncertainty around the global economy.  In particular, upgrade buyers sat on... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

  • Survey reveals first home buyers are going into hiding

    realestateVIEW.com.au
    11 Jan 2012 | 1:09 am
    With recent studies showing 60,000 fewer first home buyers entered the market in 2011, getting onto the property ladder is evidently now harder than ever. Along with property prices skyrocketing in... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

  • Is declining housing affordability making renting a more attractive option?

    realestateVIEW.com.au
    15 Dec 2011 | 12:21 am
    It’s the age old question – are you better off buying or renting? While there’s a host of arguments for and against each alternative, one thing is clear – renting is now a much more attractive option... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
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    Las Vegas Remax Real Estate Agent

  • 4 New Homes in Mountain’s Edge Las Vegas – Bulk Price!

    Bob Ratliff - RE/MAX LAS VEGAS & Henderson, NV.
    24 Jan 2012 | 3:59 pm
    4 New Homes in Mountain’s Edge Las Vegas Las Vegas RE/MAX featured listings Bulk Price $479,900 – $81 per square foot Each home is 3 bedrooms, 2 ½ baths One home is 1470 square feet Three homes are 1483 square feet 2-car garage Kitchens feature beech wood cabinets and granite counter tops Master bath with dual sinks Separate tub & [...]

  • Inspirada Homes Las Vegas

    Bob Ratliff - RE/MAX LAS VEGAS & Henderson, NV.
    16 Nov 2011 | 5:41 pm
    Inspirada Homes Las Vegas for Sale Located in the southern foothills of the Las Vegas Valley, Inspirada Homes Las Vegas offers a blend of architectural styles including Spanish, Tuscan, Italiante, Monterrey and Craftsman elevations, some with wrap around porches. This is a charming city without walls separating neighborhoods. Inspirada Homes Las Vegas villages feature choices [...]

  • Giverny at Summerlin Las Vegas in Gardens Village

    Bob Ratliff - RE/MAX LAS VEGAS & Henderson, NV.
    3 Nov 2011 | 1:11 am
    Giverny at Summerlin Las Vegas in Gardens Village Giverny at Summerlin Las Vegas in Gardens Village single family homes are located in The Gardens Village. Just like the other Summerlin villages in the community, The Gardens Village has terrific amenities for its residents. For example, there are trails for walking, jogging, and biking. Parks and recreation are abundant [...]

  • The District at Green Valley Ranch Condos for Sale

    Bob Ratliff - RE/MAX LAS VEGAS & Henderson, NV.
    1 Nov 2011 | 1:28 pm
    The District at Green Valley Ranch Condos for Sale The District at Green Valley Ranch Condos for Sale offer upbeat contemporary living along with convenient amenities like no other in the entire Las Vegas Valley.   The District at Green Valley Ranch Condos for Sale is located off the 215 hwy and Green Valley park way in [...]

  • Green Valley Ranch Henderson NV Homes

    Bob Ratliff - RE/MAX LAS VEGAS & Henderson, NV.
    1 Nov 2011 | 2:20 am
    Green Valley Ranch Henderson NV Homes Master-Planned Community Green Valley Ranch Henderson NV Homes is conveniently located just southeast of the Las Vegas Valley. Green Valley Ranch Henderson NV Homes master-planned community of Green Valley Ranch is one of the state’s finest. Green Valley Ranch Henderson NV Homes is located about 10 miles off the [...]
 
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    Century 21 Alliance Realty - THE Gail Spada TEAM

  • Housing sales activity and trends show brighter future

    Gail Spada
    27 Jan 2012 | 2:05 pm
    I don’t mean to sound like a broken record, but everywhere I turn lately I seem to find more good news about better things to come in the real estate market. The evidence is both anecdotal and statistical. Anecdotally, I can tell you that for the first month of 2012, it is as if someone has opened a floodgate. After being in a wait-and-see mode for several years, sellers are racing to list their homes. Meanwhile, buyers who have been straddling the fence about making firm offers are leaping to take advantage of reasonably priced homes and low mortgage interest rates. Our TEAM, in our new…

  • Tampa Bay housing market has a sunny disposition

    Gail Spada
    12 Jan 2012 | 5:04 pm
    Maintaining a positive attitude is a way of life for me. Admittedly, I sometimes must strain my neck and eyes to find the silver lining hiding behind some of the darker clouds, but I usually succeed. But I didn’t have to look very far last week to find the bright side of some news about the sometimes gloomy Florida housing market. Two reports gave us a double dose of encouragement.  For the first time in 5 years, more people moved into Florida than moved out, according to the 2011 Atlas Van Lines Migration Patterns study. The increase was slight — 5,636 inbound moves vs 5,269…

  • New Year’s resolutions for home sellers and buyers

    Gail Spada
    6 Jan 2012 | 8:26 am
    The beginning of a new calendar year is the time many of us designate to make changes in our lives. Whether you want to lose weight, quit smoking or read a few more books, this is an opportunity to reflect and rethink how we will conduct ourselves in the coming year. Even though most new year’s resolutions tend to be of a personal nature, it’s also an opportunity to assess improvements we can make to our professional lives and finances. As a REALTOR®, my professional resolution, year in and year out, is to list and sell more homes. Fortunately, The TEAM and I do quite well in that…

  • Congratulations to our photo contest winner!

    Gail Spada
    31 Dec 2011 | 6:02 pm
    Melissa Rodgers was already a fan of THE Gail Spada TEAM on Facebook. The 37-year-old Palm Harbor resident says she has two reasons for regularly reading The TEAM Works blog. First, Melissa and her husband own a home inspection and pest control business, and she finds the consumer-driven real estate information published here useful. Second, Melissa is an animal lover and “anytime I see someone who is donating their time and money to help the local humane society,” I try to support them, said Melissa, a native Floridian who is the human companion of Snowflake, a 5-year-old, 6-pound…

  • 5 ideas for year-round housewarming gifts

    Gail Spada
    23 Dec 2011 | 9:08 am
    Most of us know someone whose birthday is on Christmas Day, or just before or after. And most of us also know that can be both a blessing a curse, depending on how your family and friends balance these special days. The seasonal hustle and bustle can make it easy for others to shortchange — or even forget – a Christmas birthday. But birthdays are not the only special occasions that occur during the Christmas season; care must be taken not to overlook weddings and anniversaries, either. Another special day that sometimes gets lost on the holiday schedule — and it only occurs…
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    Building the Places You Call Home

  • The 13th Annual Air Potato Round-Up!

    Emmer Group
    13 Jan 2012 | 10:18 am
    Alachua County is known for the University of Florida, cultural diversity, a great local music scene… and air potatoes? Unfortunately, it’s true: we’re just one of the counties in Florida affected by this heavily invasive species of plant that can really get in the way of our beautiful, native breeds. So, like any good citizens of nature’s habitat, we have sought for ways to correct this intruding wrong, and one of those ways is coming up very soon. This year's Air Potato Roundup poster courtesy of Merald Clark!   That’s right! It’s time again for the Annual Air Potato…

  • Your 2012 Resolution Should Be… To Get Talking!

    Emmer Group
    3 Jan 2012 | 2:41 pm
    It’s not hard to argue that 2011 was a difficult year for the housing market: between the robo-signing drama, the foreclosure stats and the depressing rollercoaster ride regularly documented by the media, it’s nice to know the year is over and we get a fresh start. Like many other real estate web-experts, such as InmanNews or, closer to home, SunSentinel, we at Emmer thought it would be a good idea to provide you with some real estate resolutions to start this year off on the right foot. Sometimes all you really need to do is talk! Before you make any big decisions, try to get another…

  • Walking in a Winter… Real Estate Market?

    Emmer Group
    19 Dec 2011 | 11:14 am
    When you think of the winter holidays, there’s a variety of things that come to mind: reindeer, presents, candles… home listings? Selling a home during the most festive time of year can be frustrating, when there are so many other things going on, and sometimes it’s a difficult necessity. But what if you could hold off a few more months- should you? Not according to a recent survey done by Realtor.com. According to them, 60 percent of real estate professionals polled said it was a good idea to try to sell during this time of year, as there’s less competition and the buyers are often…

  • A Beautiful Holiday Home… for You!

    Emmer Group
    8 Dec 2011 | 1:34 pm
    We hope you're having a happy holiday season and that you enjoy the post we've got for you below! ‘Tis the season for giving! And we decided we certainly wanted to give to you, so we pulled out a very special trump card and are featuring an excellent article written by Erik Braunitzer of Douglas Elliman Real Estate Company, Agents for New York City Rentals. We hope you enjoy the piece, and thank you, Erik, for your great contribution! Making Your Home Beautiful for the Holidays If you’ve become bored with the same old routine of dragging out old decorations every winter and…

  • Traditions: What Makes a Holiday Have-To?

    Emmer Group
    30 Nov 2011 | 10:51 am
    What are your holiday traditions? We've got plenty, most involving the two big "F" 's: Family and Food! As we all slowly recover from too many leftovers and the Black Friday brawls, it’s a good time to remember that the giving season is upon us and our holiday festivities are just beginning. With that in mind, we wanted to bring up one of our favorite parts of this holiday season, which happen to be traditions.   We were just reading on the South Florida Law Blog about Roy Oppenheim’s regular Thanksgiving “Turkey Stand Off” (a great article, if you haven’t…
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    Foreclosure News - Foreclosure Warehouse.com

  • Mortgage Writedowns for Nearly One Million Homeowners in US

    Courtney Allen
    27 Jan 2012 | 5:02 am
    Photo by TheTruthAbout Recently, the Secretary of US Housing and Urban Development, Shaun Donovan has announced that nearly one million homeowners in America would soon receive mortgage writedowns under a contract with banks to fix the problem of improper foreclosure practices. This deal would make a significant change in the foreclosure market by reducing the huge existing mortgage load. Since the beginning of the foreclosure crisis, this is the biggest initiative so far. In a conference in Washington, he said, “We’re very close to a settlement that would both fix the servicing…

  • Legal Funds for Foreclosure Prevention Programs

    Courtney Allen
    26 Jan 2012 | 5:47 am
    Photo by Kenteegardin Recently, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has proposed a new budget for his state which will be effective from the first day of April 2012. After the declaration of this new budget, advocates for homeowners said that this new budget will highly affect the current legal assistance schemes and counseling programs which are conducted all across the state to help struggling homeowners avoid foreclosure. In 2008, when lenders started to default on their lending loans and the number of foreclosure gradually started to increase, it was stated in that year’s budget that every year…

  • Family to Get Back the Ownership of their Foreclosed Home

    Courtney Allen
    25 Jan 2012 | 5:16 am
    Photo by Digitalart A company in Oakland, Waypoint Homes buys and sells foreclosed homes in Solano and Contra Costa counties. It has recently sold a property to an Antioch buyer who had lost this very same property nearly two years back due to foreclosure. The Antioch family members are very happy to get their home back at an amount much less than what this home actually worth. The buyer, Darren Gates is a contractor who is very happy to get back his property. He said, “We’re so lucky. I mean it’s the kind of thing, you tell it to the guy on the next bar stool, he thinks you did…

  • Avondale Activists Protest Against Foreclosure and Racial Discrimination

    Courtney Allen
    24 Jan 2012 | 5:06 am
    Photo by JacobRuff Nearly 100 residents including children, white and black people gathered in front of 3638 Reading Road to protest against foreclosure processing. A German based bank, Deutsche Bank seized an apartment building which houses four families in the month of October three years ago. Then, the bank sold this property within a month to a company in North California for a low price of $4,000. In the same year, another similar building next door was also foreclosed by this German bank and was sold in 2010 for much lower price than earlier for only $1,000. Even after selling these…

  • Advocates Request Lawmakers in Massachusetts

    Courtney Allen
    23 Jan 2012 | 5:11 am
    Photo by Watcharakun Advocates in Massachusetts argued for the sake of homeowners and requested lawmakers to modify the legal system of the state so that distressed homeowners in the state can at least get one day to move their foreclosure cases in the courthouse before banks force these helpless people out of their properties to foreclose them. They also requested them to make this state the last state in New England which needs the assistance of the judicial system for foreclosure cases. However, housing attorneys are dead against this modification because according to them the courthouses…
 
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    The MD Suburbs of DC

  • The Cough Drop Philosopher

    Ken Montville
    25 Jan 2012 | 10:09 am
    If you’re anywhere on Facebook (and who isn’t), you’ve probably seen the gazillion quotes that get posted to people’s walls. They’re all very positive and uplifting. They’ve even taken on new life in the form of graphics with different typefaces, sizes, backgrounds.  In fact, the way the quote is presented sometimes overshadows the message of the quote itself. Enter Hall’s Cough Drops. My wife an I have been trading cold symptoms back and forth for the last few days and while she prefers the Luden’s Honey Licorice cough drop, my loyalty…

  • Real Estate Market Trends for the MD Suburbs of Washington, DC

    Ken Montville
    24 Jan 2012 | 9:47 am
    (Please note: you may have to click here to see the video for the real estate market trends) In this video provided by Real Estate Business Intelligence (a MRIS company) there is some room for optimism that home prices are finally starting to bottom out.  This will be a good thing for home sellers that have been waiting to see if now is the time to put their home on the market. If experience is any guide, though, a lot of buyers will continue to sit on the fence waiting for lower prices and/or lower mortgage interest rates.  Unfortunately, just like the home seller who was waiting for the…

  • Foreclosure Sales by County in the MD Suburbs of DC

    Ken Montville
    19 Jan 2012 | 7:41 am
    We’ve been dealing with the “foreclosure crisis” for awhile now. The sad part is that it is far from over. Many parts of the MD Suburbs of Washington, DC are still have large numbers of homes that are in foreclosure that still haven’t been sold. Worse still are the large number of short sales that are not fully foreclosed upon but are in the process.  If the banks do not allow the short sales to sell in time, they all eventually become foreclosures and end up in the statistics. Prince George’s County which includes a lot of the towns I work in – College…

  • Steps to a Mortgage for a Second Home

    Ken Montville
    16 Jan 2012 | 7:43 am
    Purchasing your first home is always thrilling and buying the second one is equally exciting. Make use of your common sense as well as other strategies to buy the right home at the right value and in the right place for you and your family. In the present economic situation, buying a home is something very expensive. Under such a situation, you might need the help of a mortgage company that’s skilled enough to provide you with the best home loan. Remember, this is a crucial decision, and before you opt for a home loan ask yourself “mortgage how much can I borrow?” Following are a few…

  • Real Estate Market Trends for Beltsville and Silver Spring, MD

    Ken Montville
    13 Jan 2012 | 8:20 am
    (Note: if you are having trouble viewing the graphs just click here…it’s worth it) Every now and then I like to take a look at market trends in the area.  In this case, I’m going to look at Beltsville, MD in Prince George’s County and the 20904 zip code in Silver Spring, MD located in Montgomery County. These are two contiguous areas with the biggest point of difference being the County.  There is this long held notion that Montgomery County is the “better” County. There are a number of reasons for this: the idea that the school system is more desirable…
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    AOL Real Estate - Blog

  • Foreclosure Discount Capitals: Best Cities to Beat the Bank

    Teke Wiggin
    28 Jan 2012 | 12:00 am
    Filed under: News In the wake of the housing crisis, the number foreclosures has skyrocketed as depressed real estate prices and subprime mortgages continue to push millions of borrowers into default. As of Dec. 31, banks owned nearly 700,000 homes. Hordes more are on pace to join that enormous inventory, with 700,000 homeowners in some state of foreclosure. Jumping nearly fourfold since the peak of the housing boom, foreclosure sales accounted for 20 percent of total sales in the country between July and September of last year. While the vacant properties represent loss and hardship for…

  • 10 States With the Most Mortgage Debt

    24/7 Wall St.
    27 Jan 2012 | 10:00 am
    Filed under: News, EconomyHow much residents of each state owe on their mortgages is an interesting statistic. For the most part, residents of the states with the highest average mortgage debt are not in trouble. While the average home price in these states dropped in value during the recession, the foreclosure rates in these states are among the lowest in the country. The reason: Residents of these states can generally afford to lose and owe more money than their counterparts in other states. (Click the gallery below to see the full list.) %Gallery-145835% 24/7 Wall St. examined a recent…

  • At Foreclosure Epicenter, Apathy Toward Both Political Parties

    The Associated Press
    27 Jan 2012 | 6:15 am
    Filed under: News LEHIGH ACRES, Fla. -- At Our Daily Bread Food Pantry, the conversation often centers on real estate. Once taboo details -- home values and what people paid for their properties -- are casually discussed, and there appears to be little shame in walking away from a mortgage or fighting the bank on a foreclosure. With Florida's Republican presidential primary just days away, the talk has turned to politics. At the food pantry and throughout hard-hit Lehigh Acres, frustrations over the housing crisis and the federal government's seeming inability to help has turned into apathy…

  • Open Houses of the Week: Jan. 27-29

    AOL Real Estate Editors
    27 Jan 2012 | 12:00 am
    Filed under: NewsThere's something about that "Open House" sign that acts like a magnet. Whether you're looking for a new place to live, keeping tabs on real estate in your neighborhood, or just angling for a sneak peek at someone else's private domain, the lure of an open door is strong indeed. From a sumptuous mansion in the proper South, to a ridiculously affordable bungalow in the City of Angels, we lay down the welcome mat at some of the most interesting open houses in the nation. So wipe your feet at the door and scroll right on through. Open Houses for Jan. 27-29 Atlanta Open house:…

  • Chef Gordon Ramsay Bites on $6.75 Million Bel-Air Home

    Krisanne Alcantara
    26 Jan 2012 | 3:00 pm
    Filed under: News, Celebrity Homes British chef, restaurateur and television personality Gordon Ramsay is officially crossing the pond, having just snagged a $6.75 million luxury mansion in Los Angeles, Calif. The famously hot-tempered "Hell's Kitchen" and "MasterChef" star's new 7,413-square-foot home is located in the prestigious guard-gated compound of Bel Air Crest. The stunning mansion sits on a one-acre lot and boasts remarkable canyon, city and ocean views. It was built in 2003, designed by award-winning "starchitect" Ken Ungar and features five bedrooms, six bathrooms, generous living…
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    AOL Real Estate - Blog

  • Foreclosure Discount Capitals: Best Cities to Beat the Bank

    Teke Wiggin
    28 Jan 2012 | 12:00 am
    Filed under: News In the wake of the housing crisis, the number foreclosures has skyrocketed as depressed real estate prices and subprime mortgages continue to push millions of borrowers into default. As of Dec. 31, banks owned nearly 700,000 homes. Hordes more are on pace to join that enormous inventory, with 700,000 homeowners in some state of foreclosure. Jumping nearly fourfold since the peak of the housing boom, foreclosure sales accounted for 20 percent of total sales in the country between July and September of last year. While the vacant properties represent loss and hardship for…

  • 10 States With the Most Mortgage Debt

    24/7 Wall St.
    27 Jan 2012 | 10:00 am
    Filed under: News, EconomyHow much residents of each state owe on their mortgages is an interesting statistic. For the most part, residents of the states with the highest average mortgage debt are not in trouble. While the average home price in these states dropped in value during the recession, the foreclosure rates in these states are among the lowest in the country. The reason: Residents of these states can generally afford to lose and owe more money than their counterparts in other states. (Click the gallery below to see the full list.) %Gallery-145835% 24/7 Wall St. examined a recent…

  • At Foreclosure Epicenter, Apathy Toward Both Political Parties

    The Associated Press
    27 Jan 2012 | 6:15 am
    Filed under: News LEHIGH ACRES, Fla. -- At Our Daily Bread Food Pantry, the conversation often centers on real estate. Once taboo details -- home values and what people paid for their properties -- are casually discussed, and there appears to be little shame in walking away from a mortgage or fighting the bank on a foreclosure. With Florida's Republican presidential primary just days away, the talk has turned to politics. At the food pantry and throughout hard-hit Lehigh Acres, frustrations over the housing crisis and the federal government's seeming inability to help has turned into apathy…

  • Open Houses of the Week: Jan. 27-29

    AOL Real Estate Editors
    27 Jan 2012 | 12:00 am
    Filed under: NewsThere's something about that "Open House" sign that acts like a magnet. Whether you're looking for a new place to live, keeping tabs on real estate in your neighborhood, or just angling for a sneak peek at someone else's private domain, the lure of an open door is strong indeed. From a sumptuous mansion in the proper South, to a ridiculously affordable bungalow in the City of Angels, we lay down the welcome mat at some of the most interesting open houses in the nation. So wipe your feet at the door and scroll right on through. Open Houses for Jan. 27-29 Atlanta Open house:…

  • Chef Gordon Ramsay Bites on $6.75 Million Bel-Air Home

    Krisanne Alcantara
    26 Jan 2012 | 3:00 pm
    Filed under: News, Celebrity Homes British chef, restaurateur and television personality Gordon Ramsay is officially crossing the pond, having just snagged a $6.75 million luxury mansion in Los Angeles, Calif. The famously hot-tempered "Hell's Kitchen" and "MasterChef" star's new 7,413-square-foot home is located in the prestigious guard-gated compound of Bel Air Crest. The stunning mansion sits on a one-acre lot and boasts remarkable canyon, city and ocean views. It was built in 2003, designed by award-winning "starchitect" Ken Ungar and features five bedrooms, six bathrooms, generous living…
 
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    Tampa Florida Real Estate New Homes For Sale

  • Mobley Homes Tampa Florida

    Danny
    18 Jan 2012 | 12:59 pm
    Mobley Homes Tampa Florida. Are you looking to buy a new Mobley Home? Call us today we are new home specialists who will work on your behalf and negotiate a great deal on your new home. We have sold hundreds of new homes and know all the new home builders and new home communities. Call us 813-365-3574 Bassett Creek at K-bar Ranch The Woodlands at K-Bar Ranch Easton Park at K-Bar Ranch Stone Creek Townhomes K-Bar Ranch Townes on the Green Zephyrhills The Moorings at Lake Padgett  Land O Lakes South Tampa Homes Mobley Floor Plans Tampa Sedonia Bandelier I Carlton IV Nantucket I Contessa…

  • Cardel Homes Tampa Florida

    Danny
    17 Jan 2012 | 8:01 pm
    Cardel Homes Tampa Florida. Are you looking to buy a new Cardel Home? Call us today we are new home specialists who will work on your behalf and negotiate a great deal on your new home. We have sold hundreds of new homes and know all the new home builders and new home communities. Call us 813-365-3574 Hawk Creek Reserve Lithia Egret Landing Fishhawk Ranch Starling at Fishhawk Ranch Mirabay  Apollo Beach Bassett Creek New Tampa Country Walk Verandah Cardel Homes Floor Plans The Gulfstream The Kingfisher II The Sandhill The Sawgrass Coral Harbor II The Tanager The Oak Park The Dolcetto The…

  • Homes For Sale 33647

    Danny
    19 Nov 2011 | 11:45 am
    Search Homes For Sale 33647 zip code of Tampa Florida. 33602 Downtown/Channelside 33603 Seminole Heights 33604 Sulpher Springs 33605 Ybor City 33606 Davis Island 33607 West Tampa 33609 33629 Palma Ceila 33610 East Lake 33611 Macdill AFB 33612 Forest Hills 33613 Avila- Lake Magdalene 33614 Egypt Lake 33615 33634 Town & Country 33616 Port Tampa 33617 USF Area 33618 33625 Carrollwood 33619 Palm River 33624 Northdale 33626 Westchase 33629 Bay to Bay 33635 Countryway 33617 33637 Temple Terrace 33647 New Tampa 1 – 30 of 387 « Prev Next » Sort By Price Low to High Price High…

  • Homes For Sale 33637

    Danny
    19 Nov 2011 | 11:42 am
    Search Homes For Sale 33637 zip code of Tampa Florida. 33602 Downtown/Channelside 33603 Seminole Heights 33604 Sulpher Springs 33605 Ybor City 33606 Davis Island 33607 West Tampa 33609 33629 Palma Ceila 33610 East Lake 33611 Macdill AFB 33612 Forest Hills 33613 Avila- Lake Magdalene 33614 Egypt Lake 33615 33634 Town & Country 33616 Port Tampa 33617 USF Area 33618 33625 Carrollwood 33619 Palm River 33624 Northdale 33626 Westchase 33629 Bay to Bay 33635 Countryway 33617 33637 Temple Terrace 33647 New Tampa 1 – 30 of 44 « Prev Next » Sort By Price Low to High Price High to…

  • Homes For Sale 33634

    Danny
    19 Nov 2011 | 11:38 am
    Search Homes For Sale 33634 zip code of Tampa Florida. 33602 Downtown/Channelside 33603 Seminole Heights 33604 Sulpher Springs 33605 Ybor City 33606 Davis Island 33607 West Tampa 33609 33629 Palma Ceila 33610 East Lake 33611 Macdill AFB 33612 Forest Hills 33613 Avila- Lake Magdalene 33614 Egypt Lake 33615 33634 Town & Country 33616 Port Tampa 33617 USF Area 33618 33625 Carrollwood 33619 Palm River 33624 Northdale 33626 Westchase 33629 Bay to Bay 33635 Countryway 33617 33637 Temple Terrace 33647 New Tampa 1 – 30 of 60 « Prev Next » Sort By Price Low to High Price High to…
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    Colorado Springs Vintage Homes Blog

  • Neighborhood Profile — Historic Homes in the Old North End

    Kathy Torline
    27 Jan 2012 | 11:18 am
    Homes in North End are in the Central Area in Colorado Springs Searchfor Homes in Central Colorado Springs Zip Code 80903 & 80907 Related Articles: Neighborhood Profile, Historic homes in the East End Addition in Central Colorado Springs Average prices have increased for Homes in Central Colorado Springs 9 neighborhoods with Historic Colorado Springs Homes 11 areas to find Colorado Springs Historic properties Single Family Homes in Old North End were primarily built from 1901 to 1981, with an average age built in the 1920’s.  The majority of the houses are 2-stories and ranches,…

  • Cash continues to drive the REO Market

    Kathy Torline
    25 Jan 2012 | 7:10 am
    Cash is still King Search for Colorado Springs Homes Related Articles: Is Investing in Colorado Springs Real Estate for you? Analyzing real estate investments 6 tips for purchasing Colorado Springs Investment Property FHA loans and fourplexes in Colorado Springs Location, Location, Location for Real Estate Investment Property The Perfect Storm, it’s time to buy Investment Property Rents keep rising There was an interesting article in DS News about how cash investors are pushing down prices.  According to a quote in this article “In December 2011, data collected for the HousingPulse…

  • Limited Service Listing

    Kathy Torline
    24 Jan 2012 | 8:36 am
    Can a Colorado Springs For Sale By Owner put their property in the MLS if they don’t have a Realtor? Search for Colorado Springs Homes Related Articles 9 reasons to use a buyer’s agent to help you find a house 6 things to add to your budget when buying a house 10 questions to ask the Neighbors How accurate are real estate listings on the Internet? Embracing Technology Home owners who have decided not to use a Realtor to sell their Colorado Springs Home used to be able to pay a small fee to some Limited Service real estate companies and list their home on the Pikes Peak MLS.    Due…

  • Don’t Assume anything in Real Estate Series, #1

    Kathy Torline
    19 Jan 2012 | 8:01 am
    I’ve decided to start a new Series, Don’t Assume Anything in Real Estate. This series is really just a bunch of random articles about the many assumptions buyers and sellers make when selling, leasing, or purchasing a home. Search for homes in Colorado Springs Related Articles 9 reasons to use a buyer’s agent to help you find a house 6 things to add to your budget when buying a house 10 questions to ask the Neighbors It’s taking longer 7 tips to be a good Real Estate buyer You aren’t under contract yet! Some buyers are under the mistaken impressions that once they write…

  • Neighborhood Profile — Downtown Colorado Springs

    Kathy Torline
    16 Jan 2012 | 8:16 am
    Homes in Downtown Colorado Springs are in the Central Area of the city Search for Homes in Central Colorado Springs Zip Code 80903 Related Articles: Neighborhood Profile, Historic homes in the East End Addition in Central Colorado Springs Neighborhood Profile, Historic Old North End in Colorado Springs Average prices have increased for Homes in Central Colorado Springs 9 neighborhoods with Historic Colorado Springs Homes 11 areas to find Colorado Springs Historic properties Single Family Homes in Downtown Colorado Springs were primarily built from 1890 to 1924, with an average age built in…
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    McGuire Neighbors

  • Get the Scoop on San Francisco MLS Changes

    27 Jan 2012 | 5:14 pm
    Beginning January 2012 the San Francisco Multiple Listing Service (MLS) added additional status categories in response to the changes in the current real estate market.  In the past once an offer was received and until contingencies were removed, a property was listed in the MLS online simply asActive-Continued Weeks to months may pass while an offer on a property wades through the approval process of a trust sale, short sale, or foreclosure. The new status categories provide buyers, sellers and agents with more accurate complete information about listing status. The new categories and…

  • San Francisco Parking Tips: Reviewing David LaBau's Finding the Sweet Spot

    20 Jan 2012 | 4:53 pm
    There’s no question that I’m parking obsessed, I admit it freely. Over five years ago, when my compact station wagon died, I bought a Mazda Miata. A major part of my choice was based on the length of the car.  Many friends and business associates thought I had gone round the bend, but five years later it is clear I was a visionary ahead of my time. Fast forward to today where Mini’s, Fiats, and Smart Cars are found on just about every street in San Francisco. Today, parking is on the minds of everyone who owns a car in San Francisco. Parking will…

  • Jack London’s Paradise: Marin County

    19 Jan 2012 | 6:52 pm
    Twice last week, I found myself trying to describe to out-of-area clients, the difference between living in Marin versus their other options the East Bay or the Peninsula. This conversation comes up a lot with buyers moving here for jobs in San Francisco, as Marin tends to be a bit pricier and has a smaller supply of homes (i.e. less housing stock) than the East Bay and much of the Peninsula. It can be hard for someone from out of the area to see why. While I’ve never lived in either of those areas, I have heard very good things and have seen some lovely places too, and so I usually…

  • Smack Dab in the Heart of SF

    18 Jan 2012 | 1:35 pm
    For 25 years I’ve been touring houses, condos and buildings in San Francisco, and I’ve come to love particular enclaves. Some are best kept secrets, some are under-valued.  Some have features only residents can truly appreciate. One of these micro-neighborhoods is tucked at the far western border of NOPA. Once upon a time it was known as part of Hayes Valley, and some folks think of it as Inner Richmond or Lone Mountain though it doesn’t squarely fit any of those labels. Here you’ll find quiet streets without noisy commercial uses and a charming array of late…

  • Get Your House Naked and Ready to Sell!

    13 Jan 2012 | 1:55 pm
    Clutter is always on the minds of Realtors, Sellers and Buyers. I don’t know if there has been a scientific study to find out if homes with less clutter sell faster, but I am sure that every Realtor I know would agree this is true.  Buyers have come to expect that homes are staged, or at least look staged. The minimalist look is IN. It is not inexpensive to stage a home and as the days on market before the sale of a home have increased many people have chosen to go on living in their homes while they are on the market. To know that at least twice a week strangers will be…
 
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    Access Philly Real Estate Blog

  • January Office Meeting at One Shot Coffee!

    blogeditor
    18 Jan 2012 | 12:56 pm
    Mark Taubman, Dalin Financial Today, RE/MAX Access had our monthly Office Meeting. This month it was held upstairs at One Shot Coffee which is conveniently located about one block away from our office at The Piazza. We discussed goals for 2012 as well as new events and classes being held at our office in the upcoming months. We showed the agents the brand new RE/MAX logo and also gave out pins of the new logo.  We want to thank Mark Taubman with Dalin Financial, Larry Freedman who explained the zoning process for NLNA, and Brands Imaging for guest speaking! Larry Freedman, NLNA Zoning…

  • Week 2 of Office Training Sessions: Buyer Agency with Steve Osiecki

    blogeditor
    17 Jan 2012 | 10:27 am
    Week 2 of Office Training Sessions at RE/MAX ACCESS: Buyer Agency with Steve Osiecki Share and Enjoy:

  • Just Reduced in Port Richmond! 3 Story 4 Bedroom Home

    blogeditor
    12 Jan 2012 | 12:29 pm
    2742 E Clearfield Street, Philadelphia, PA 19134 $119,700 View Photo Gallery 3 Story 4 Bedroom Home (One Bedroom is Being Used as a Walk-In Closet / Dressing Rm on 2nd Fl Behind Main Bedroom & next to Bathroom) w/ BREEZEWAY is Ready for you to Move Right into With-Out Doing Anything Except Un-Pack!! 1st Fl Features Newer Carpet, Fresh Paint, & a Beautiful Wood Staircase; The Eat-in-Kitchen has Ample Cabinets & Counter Space, New Stove & Stainless Steel Refrigerator. The 2nd Fl Features a Lg Front Bedroom (All Bedrooms Have Fresh Paint & Newer Carpets) & Nice Ceiling…

  • Radio 104.5 Winter Jam 2012 is coming Saturday, January 28th to The Piazza!

    blogeditor
    12 Jan 2012 | 9:19 am
    If you enjoy winter sports, cold weather, snow and live music this is the place to be! At the Piazza at Schmidts -  the Ski Bum Urban Terrain Park launching from a 13 foot high lift, complete with trucked in snow. It’s all open to the public-no ticket required-plus Games on the jumbotron, the Miller Lite Beer Garden, and live music from New Found Glory and Phillys own Rivers Monroe. WHAT: Radio 104.5 Winter Jam 2012 WHEN: Saturday January 28th 12noon -5pm WHERE: The Piazza At Schmidts’s, North Second Street and Germantown Avenue, Below Girard in Philadelphia FREE!!! [Image Via]…

  • Does your dog have spokesdog star potential?

    blogeditor
    10 Jan 2012 | 10:57 am
    The Philadelphia Water Department is searching for “spokesdogs” worthy of the title Philly Water’s Best Friend. Dog owners in Northern Liberties and Queen Village have until Feb. 15 to make their pooches eligible for the competition’s grand prize, a $200 gift from a local pet store. Spokesdogs will be chosen to teach bark-park buddies and their caretakers about the importance of picking up pet waste. Each spokesdog will be chosen at a community event and will win $200 worth of prizes from a pet shop in their neighborhood. As a part of the campaign, the winning…
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    The Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

  • Tip Jar: Have a Bad Day

    Christopher and Stephanie Somers - Realtors - Philadelphia Real Estate (Realtor / Owner - RE/MAX Access)
    26 Jan 2012 | 12:33 pm
    Success does not exist without the SUCK. So our tip to you: Embrace those bad days! They are going to happen. When did it become a belief that success comes easy? It does not. It requires hard work, hard knocks, and sometimes a hard head to finally see the fruits of success. Success without the suck just does not exist.  We've all see the billboard...Bill Gates started Microsoft in a recession! That's what I am talking about. To achieve success you have to not only deal with moments of suckiness but also see the opportunity in that sucky moment. Let me put it like this, sometimes you just…

  • Meet Your Neighbors: Bloom in Northern Liberties

    Christopher and Stephanie Somers - Realtors - Philadelphia Real Estate (Realtor / Owner - RE/MAX Access)
    26 Jan 2012 | 9:46 am
    Welcome to Bloom in Northern Liberties. This boutique is one of my favorites for women's apparel, jewelry, accessories, and gifts. I love shopping here. The girls who work here are beautiful and know their stuff. Their selections are unique and you won't be wearing the same clothing that all the other girls are wearing, plus, they have one of a kind jewelry that really lets you make that personal fashion statement. Trust me girls, you'll love this place! So, if you are ever in the neighborhood shopping, you must make it a point to visit Bloom at 1001 N 2nd Street in The Piazza at Suite 20,…

  • What is a Turnkey Property? Stephanie Somers Explains...

    Christopher and Stephanie Somers - Realtors - Philadelphia Real Estate (Realtor / Owner - RE/MAX Access)
    25 Jan 2012 | 4:31 pm
    Come take a ride with Stephanie Somers and she'll explain what a turnkey property is, along with a peek at a ready-to-rock property for short sale in Northern Liberties. Any questions? Ask Stephanie! Related: Tip Jar: To Sell or To Rent Your Property in 2012? Ask Stephanie! Feel free to subscribe to our blog or our monthly newsletter to stay up to date with our latest posts and information on the Philadelphia Real Estate Market.  You can also sign up to receive the Philadelphia Real Estate Blog via email.

  • Where Do Presidential Candidates Stand on Housing?

    Christopher and Stephanie Somers - Realtors - Philadelphia Real Estate (Realtor / Owner - RE/MAX Access)
    23 Jan 2012 | 2:36 pm
    Where does your favorite candidate stand on housing issues?  This Zillow post breaks it down, from Obama's plan to eliminate Mortgage Interest Deduction for the "rich" to Romney's position that "the right course is to let the markets work." The graph, from Zillow: [image via Zillow.com] Feel free to subscribe to our blog or our monthly newsletter to stay up to date with our latest posts and information on the Philadelphia Real Estate Market.  You can also sign up to receive the Philadelphia Real Estate Blog via email.

  • Fresh Address: 732 N Terrace Street Short Sale!

    Christopher and Stephanie Somers - Realtors - Philadelphia Real Estate (Realtor / Owner - RE/MAX Access)
    23 Jan 2012 | 9:56 am
    This week's Fresh Address is an incredible Short Sale Opportunity. This is Where It's At: 732 N Terrace Street, A is a quaint Northern Liberties studio nestled in a parklike setting in a gated community. Come On In: This turn key property is rented at $850 a month. This studio includes a refrigerator, dishwasher, and a coin operated laundry in the basement. Little to no upkeep. Condo fees covers heat, gas cooking and water. $75,000 is a steal! We welcome your visit. Contact the Somers Team for more information. Feel free to subscribe to our blog or our monthly newsletter to stay up to…
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    AgencyLogic PowerSites

  • Facebook – A Suggestion ;)

    Stephen M. Fells
    26 Jan 2012 | 7:00 am

  • The Top 5 Most Expensive NFL Super Bowl Star Homes

    Stephen M. Fells
    26 Jan 2012 | 6:00 am
    Super Bowl XLVI is almost here so lets look at the top five most expensive Super Bowl homes. Learn who the big NFL spenders are as we countdown the former Super Bowl players with the most expensive house on the market.

  • Pending Home Sales Decline in December, Remain Above a Year Ago

    Stephen M. Fells
    26 Jan 2012 | 5:00 am
    Washington, January 25, 2012 (Realtor.org) After reaching a 19-month high, pending home sales eased in December but stayed above year-ago levels, according to the National Association of Realtors®. The Pending Home Sales Index,* a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, declined 3.5 percent to 96.6 in December from 100.1 in November but is 5.6 percent above December 2010 when it was 91.5. The data reflects contracts but not closings. Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said the trend line remains positive. “Even with a modest decline, the preceding two months of contract…

  • The Social Sharing Avalanche

    Stephen M. Fells
    25 Jan 2012 | 8:00 am
    Source: Voltier Digital and Plastick Media

  • Social Media Explained

    Stephen M. Fells
    25 Jan 2012 | 7:00 am
    Source: BuzzFeed
 
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    International real estate investing in Central America

  • Overseas construction blog part 11: The last quarter mile

    revealrealestate
    2 Jan 2012 | 7:50 pm
    This is the 11th in a series of posts in which David Steckler shares his experiences of building a vacation home at Hacienda Iguana resort on Nicaragua’s Pacific coast. Here are the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth,seventh,eighth,ninth and tenth. The goal of this candid construction blog is to reduce the anxiety of people who own real estate in Nicaragua and plan to build, but are afraid of making mistakes along the way. The last 1/4 mile of the journey For our December visit, Marcia and I joined forces and ventured south to visit our house project to knock off some major tasks,…

  • Overseas construction blog part 10: The devil is in the details

    revealrealestate
    22 Nov 2011 | 5:01 pm
    This is the 10th in a series of posts in which David Steckler shares his experiences of building a vacation home at Hacienda Iguana resort on Nicaragua’s Pacific coast. Here are the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth,seventh,eighth and ninth. The goal of this candid construction blog is to reduce the anxiety of people who have real estate in Nicaragua and plan to build, but are afraid of making mistakes along the way. The devil is in the details Rainy weather finally caught up with our construction schedule and literally bogged down progress. Still, much was accomplished during…

  • Overseas construction blog part 9: Finish work is on the agenda

    revealrealestate
    27 Sep 2011 | 3:22 pm
    This is the ninth of a series of posts in which David Steckler shares his experiences of building a vacation home at Hacienda Iguana resort on Nicaragua’s Pacific coast. Here are the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth,seventh and eighth.The goal of this candid construction blog is to reduce the anxiety levels of people who have real estate in Nicaragua and plan to build, but are afraid of making mistakes along the way. Finish work is on the agenda As we plan our next visit to Nicaragua we’ve been making many decisions about wall paint, tile, decorative murals, bathroom vessels and…

  • Overseas construction blog part 8: It’s now a proper shelter for the tropics!

    revealrealestate
    20 Aug 2011 | 12:32 pm
    This is the eighth of a series of posts in which David Steckler shares his experiences of building a vacation home at Hacienda Iguana resort on Nicaragua’s Pacific coast. Here are the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh. The goal of this candid construction blog is to reduce the anxiety levels of people who have real estate in Nicaragua and plan to build, but are afraid of making mistakes along the way. It’s now a proper shelter for the tropics! The white metal roof panels from Costa Rica have arrived and they’re going up, the floors are poured and ready to receive…

  • Overseas construction blog part 7: How about this color combination?

    revealrealestate
    7 Jul 2011 | 3:27 pm
    This is the seventh of a series of posts in which David Steckler shares his experiences of building a vacation home at Hacienda Iguana resort on Nicaragua’s Pacific coast. Here are the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth. The goal of this candid construction blog is to reduce the anxiety levels of people who have real estate in Nicaragua and plan to build, but are afraid of making mistakes along the way. How about this color combination? In the last two months the construction crew has primarily been focused on welding the roof joists together so we can place our order to MetalCo.
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    Bonita Springs Fl Real Estate

  • Snail Mail in Brendan Cove | Bonita Springs, Florida

    chrisgriffith
    27 Jan 2012 | 7:20 pm
    Bonita Springs Real Estate is Escargoing Fast! That was funny to me!  Anywho, my friend Lisa, a New Orleans Real Estate agent mentioned my mailbox posts in a Facebook comment.  I realized that it has been a while since I posted one.  Oddly, just days ago I ran into this little critter the other day and thought, snail mail … perfect for the real estate blog, snapped his picture and forgot about it. This is this snail’s 15 minutes of fame so leave a comment in place of applause.  If you’re wondering, his little rascal was in Brendan Cove in Bonita Springs,…

  • Real Estate Financing Questions | Mortgage Mailbag

    chrisgriffith
    25 Jan 2012 | 6:46 am
    Mortgages, Divorce, Refinance and Quit Claim Deeds A couple of great mortgage questions have come in over the last few weeks … Question: We’re considering selling our place and purchasing another and we would like to do back to back closings. Is this something that can be done? Not everyone can pay cash for real estate and there are consumers taking advantage of the great prices to move around or upsize. Much like stacking rows of dominos, counting on one closing to fund the next closing is a tricky position to get into. Besides a home owner having to sell one to get into the next home,…

  • Twinkle Lights and Hurricane Tape

    chrisgriffith
    18 Jan 2012 | 7:37 am
      Selling Your Bonita Springs Home – Remove Dated Decor There isn’t a more magical time of the year than Christmas, uh, “the holidays”. A good portion of the masses deck their halls and don their lights with gay apparel as early as, well, before Thanksgiving now. I think it was a little about two weeks before Thanksgiving that I forever deprogrammed a radio station in my car which made the mistake of trying to make me choke down “rum pum pum pum” before I had even guilted my children into buying the turkey and pulling out the pilgrim salt and pepper shakers. With the…

  • Bonita Springs Florida Real Estate | What Price Range is Selling December 2011

    chrisgriffith
    17 Jan 2012 | 9:06 pm
    What Price Range of Real Estate is Selling? 2011 went out with a bang!  We have lift off of Bonita Springs home sales in the $400K price range and up.  Tourist season came back and so did all of the Bonita Springs home shoppers looking for bargains.  It’s been a while since the $400K and under price point dipped below the seventy percentile rate.  That price point had to give way sooner or later as the real estate inventory has sold off like gang busters this year.  You can compare this and many other market graphs by visiting the archives of the Bonita Springs real…

  • Historical Bonita Springs Real Estate Sales | December 2002-2011

    chrisgriffith
    17 Jan 2012 | 3:23 pm
    The History of Bonita Springs Home Sales Ever wonder if “that many” home sales is either good or bad?  How much real estate is selling in Bonita Springs? How many homes and condos sold in Bonita Springs last year?  Here is a whole decade of Bonita Springs home sales (and condos and I tossed in Estero home sales, too).  You can see we’re at about 2003 levels of real estate inventory. Prices are down but we’re selling homes!  We’re at a balanced real estate market in many price points and neighborhoods. Enjoy these additional December 2011 real estate market…
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    Business 2

  • Why SOPA / PIPA matters to us all

    Peter Ricci
    22 Jan 2012 | 4:35 pm
    Ever since the age of the cassette tape the media industries across the globe have been “lobbying” and “contributing” to our politics in a way many of us do not even understand. We pretty much live in a world now where where just about all levels of government are enabled not by the people, but by corporations and PIPA and SOPA are just another two examples of how industries will stop at nothing to have control over what we can consume, when we can consume it and in what manner it is consumed! Citizen politics these days are divided by extremes, almost entirely divided…

  • The True Impact of the Internet on Holiday Rental Property Management

    Guest Author
    15 Jan 2012 | 5:28 pm
    “Every act of creation is the first act of destruction “ – Pablo Picasso As the balance of control and profits in the short-term holiday rental market continues to change for the players in this market: the owners, property managers, internet marketing channels and the clients, the response we make as property managers to the changing approaches will determine our longevity in this industry. The question is who really benefits in the end or are we just in a race to the bottom? The internet has reshaped the holiday property management industry as it has done to nearly every other…

  • Thoughts on Realestate.com.au’s dominance

    Peter Ricci
    12 Jan 2012 | 9:10 pm
    As a follow up to Dave Platters excellent, well articulated post on why anyone “is dreaming” that they can beat real estate.com.au, it made me revisit an idea I had a few years back. I think for the most part Dave is correct, however there is something that needs to be done about property content origination. To me it has always been about control, if you go back to the early days on business2.com.au I wrote passionately about how agents will pay a price for putting all of their eggs in one basket and relying on one company for their web, marketing and portal needs, and it has…

  • Beating realestate.com.au, and other fantasies

    Dave Platter
    11 Jan 2012 | 4:23 am
    I’m talking to you. Yes, you. The person who thinks you will start an Australian real estate portal that will shoot right past domain, dethrone realestate.com.au and become the new number one. Or, maybe you’re an agent who for some reason (perhaps because you have to send them a check every month?) doesn’t like realestate.com.au and wishes the industry would start a portal as a realestate.com.au killer. I have a message for you: you’re dreaming. I tell you this because of a very interesting discussion that developed in the comments of Ryan’s excellent post on…

  • Is Domain threatening Competition within the real estate industry?

    Andrew Blachut
    6 Jan 2012 | 6:02 pm
    Changes to you Domain advertising rates: On December 15th. 2012 a Domain National Sales Manager wrote to PropertyNow (and presumably to some other companies) The email communication sent to PropertyNow is shown below. The essential elements of  Domain’s email to PropertyNow, is that Domain intend a price increase (after approximately 6 years at the current rate) of something in the order of 53,000% ( based on the current clients using PropertyNow)  If the calculation of the percentage increase were based solely on new clients to PropertyNow from February onward, then the increase is…
 
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    TalkCharlotte.com | Charlotte NC Real Estate and MLS Search

  • Charlotte NC Real Estate Deals, Jan. 27, 2012

    Megan
    27 Jan 2012 | 1:00 pm
    If you’re searching for properties in the Charlotte NC area, you’ve definitely come to the right place!  The Talk Charlotte Real Estate Agents compile the latest reduced price properties from the Charlotte MLS to bring you the best real estate deals sorted by neighborhood and asking price. Please contact the Talk Charlotte Team to inquire further [...]

  • Cirque du Soleil Brings Michael Jackson The Immortal World Tour to Charlotte

    Megan
    27 Jan 2012 | 8:50 am
    We often talk about the benefits of living in Charlotte, NC and a big one being the access to world class cultural events right in our backyard.  Well, Charlotte residents and visitors have another chance to experience Cirque du Soleil at the Time Warner Cable Arena this year (See Also: Cirque du Soleil Comes to [...]

  • Charlotte NC Real Estate Deals, Jan. 25, 2012

    Megan
    25 Jan 2012 | 3:47 pm
    Browse through the latest reduced price real estate captured from the Charlotte area MLS and organized by neighborhood. Give us a call to learn more or to schedule a showing of any of these properties: 888-297-6100. Union County Address Type Subdivision Price Info 1312 Lookout CIR House Providence Downs South $1,399,000 Allen Tate Company| MLS # 2043293 | Active 9304 Mint Lake DR House $775,000 Keller Williams South Park| [...]

  • Charlotte NC Real Estate Deals, Jan. 20, 2012

    Megan
    20 Jan 2012 | 2:05 pm
    If you’re keeping up with us on our blog, Facebook, or twitter, you’ve likely noticed our updates regarding real estate deals in Charlotte NC.  We love helping our clients get the best deals possible on homes and properties in and around the Charlotte area.  That’s why we compile and publish the latest reduced priced properties [...]

  • U.S. National Whitewater Center in Charlotte NC – Events, Packages and Programs

    Megan
    20 Jan 2012 | 9:00 am
    Have you ever wanted to feel the rush of kayaking through whitewater rapids? Or perhaps you’ve always dreamed of scaling a  giant rock wall in the open air? Maybe you just want to get more active while enjoying nature? If any of this sounds good to you, then you should check out one of Charlotte’s [...]
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    Inspected Thoughts

  • 30 Year Mortgage Rates Matched All-Time Record Lows Last Week

    frankschulteladbeck
    12 Jan 2012 | 2:30 pm
    2012 started out with a “Bang” for those interested in refinancing their mortgages and for home buyers looking to capitalize on historically low interest rates. Last week, Freddie Mac reported that the 30 year fixed rate mortgage average tied an all-time low coming in at 3.91% with 0.8 points. The 15 year fixed average also fell slightly moving 0.01% lower to 3.23% (.8 pts). Five year adjustable rate mortgages also remain viable options for those looking for short term financing solutions. The 5 year treasury-indexed ARM rate average was 2.86% (.7 points) last week. Below is a…

  • A Look Back at Home Inspection in 2011

    frankschulteladbeck
    19 Dec 2011 | 2:30 pm
    As the end of the year approaches, I am thinking of the trends that I noticed in Houston real estate. Maybe the tales of a Houston home inspector are not the standard for examining real estate trends, yet I feel that the year has shown positive signs. A few neighbors have asked me about my business outlook. Perhaps this is a way to judge if they should go into the market with their own home. That could be the first trend which I noticed: the hesitant seller. There are people who want to move, but they are waiting until the market appears better for sellers. The interesting aspect of this…

  • How Soon Should a Home Inspector Take to Write a Report?

    frankschulteladbeck
    8 Dec 2011 | 2:30 pm
    A home inspector can give you the information about the findings verbally, but a home inspection report is the document that you need. Should you be kept waiting for this report? Several years ago a home inspector told me that he took two weeks to write a report. His reports were long, filled with quotes and diagrams. Another home inspector told me that his report was a checklist, which he gave to the client at the end of the inspection. His reports were obviously short. Here we have two extremes, so which one do you prefer? That is a bad question.  How long it takes to produce the…

  • How to Seal Your Air Duct

    frankschulteladbeck
    7 Dec 2011 | 2:30 pm
    Insulating is great; however, you could have energy efficiency issues with your air ducts. Sealing your air ducts can help to make your system more efficient. I read a summary of a study done about the state of energy efficency in our homes. Most Americans want more efficient homes, because they want to reduce their energy bills. Most of us do one thing towards this goal, maybe two. We insulate; we caulk, sealing air gaps. Our bills see minor improvement, so we think this energy efficiency kick might not be worth it. If we are trying, we go for one more effort to reduce our electric bill:…

  • Could I Have a Roof Leak at a Plumbing Vent?

    frankschulteladbeck
    28 Nov 2011 | 2:30 pm
    Roof leaks are associated with problems in the roof covering, but we have various vents disrupting this surface. Plumbing vents are one of those penetrations. Older lead flashing on plumbing vents are giving way to the new plastic vents, which may not be so great. I do home inspections during the rain. I joke that it is the best time to find a leak, which does happen, but going up to the roof in the rain is not the safest proposition. I do not advise people to go on a roof during the rain, yet I have done so during inspections. The one benefit is that you begin to see what you suspected.
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    New Hope Homes For Sale| New Hope Homes

  • 2012 is going to be a year of change in the residential market

    financemyhome1
    24 Jan 2012 | 9:24 am
    My phone has been ringing off the hook with buyers and sellers getting ready to “get ready”. I hope it continues! Let me tell you that the sentiment may have turned. If I can help you, and you’ve been on the fence, the time is now. One of my resources that I follow is Alex Charfen from the CDPE Institute. Watch what he has to say about some MAJOR money entering into the residential marketplace:  

  • Kung Hei Fat Choy

    financemyhome1
    23 Jan 2012 | 8:14 am
    Happy Chinese New Year-Officially on January 23rd. Some of my family members are from China. We often will celebrate Chinese New Year with a tremendous meal and good company. This is the year of the Dragon. 2012 is going to be an exciting year-count on it! I hope it is your best.  

  • In the middle of the Winter we all need some “Summer Madness”

    financemyhome1
    6 Jan 2012 | 8:26 am
    I could listen to this song over and over. It has nothing to do with real estate or mortgage-but what the heck-it’s a great tune. Sit back and enjoy!  

  • Something to think about starting the New Year

    financemyhome1
    5 Jan 2012 | 4:55 am
    This video was sent to me today. I wanted to share it because I believe it is powerful. The meaning is up for your interpretation, as is(are) the message(s). Best wishes for a wonderful 2012.  

  • Certificates Of Rent Paid – 2011

    financemyhome1
    28 Dec 2011 | 12:00 pm
    Don’t forget to give your tenants their CRP’s by the end of January 2012. If you are a tenant, don’t forget to ask. These are useful to a tenant that qualifies for a tax deduction.  
 
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    Houston Apartment Insiders' Blog

  • Apartment-Friendly Renovations: 6 Big, But Temporary Changes

    melanieblevy@gmail.com
    26 Jan 2012 | 3:51 pm
    Here are six ways you can make big changes to the look and feel of your Houston apartment, while keeping your landlord happy. Big changes - completely temporary! Your Houston apartment is your home, and you’ll want to make it your own. Of course, in order to get your security deposit back, you’ll need to make sure any changes you make can be completely undone when you move out. This limits your options for apartment renovation, but not as much as you may think. Here are six ways you can make big changes to the look and feel of your Houston apartment, while keeping your landlord happy:…

  • 12 Apartment Fire Safety Tips

    melanieblevy@gmail.com
    19 Jan 2012 | 3:11 pm
    What fire safety precautions do you need to be aware of as an apartment dweller? We have the tips you need to stay safe and avoid danger. At Houston Apartment Insiders, we want to help you move into an apartment that’s comfortable, great for your unique lifestyle, and above all, safe. We’ve already given you advice on how to prepare for natural disasters. We’ve also given you tips on choosing and setting up a Houston apartment to help prevent crime. Today, we’d like to talk about fire safety. Be especially sure to read over the apartment fire safety tips below if you’re a student…

  • Resources for Houston Vegetarians

    melanieblevy@gmail.com
    13 Jan 2012 | 4:19 pm
    If you’re vegetarian or vegan and new to Houston, you may wonder whether you can find good eats and like-minded people in a state so famous for steak. We’ve got the scoop! If you’re vegetarian or vegan and new to Houston, you may wonder whether you can find good eats and like-minded people in a state so famous for steak. Wonder no more! Houston is a vibrant and varied city, with plenty of company for people with any tastes or dietary needs. We’ve already blogged about how to live gluten-free in Houston. For Houston vegans and vegetarians, there are so many restaurants, stores, and…

  • Top 10 Apartment Security Tips

    melanieblevy@gmail.com
    5 Jan 2012 | 3:36 pm
    To help you sort through the security measure you can take to protect yourself and your loved ones, we’ve compiled the 10 best apartment security tips to keep in mind, both while you’re apartment hunting and after you’ve moved in.Houston is a beautiful city, and Houston Apartment Insiders can help you find a great apartment in in the Houston neighborhood that’s right for you. Still, crime can happen in even the best neighborhoods and apartment complexes. Renter’s insurance can replace your belongings if they are stolen or damaged, but you, your family, and your pets are…

  • Houston Apartment News for the New Year

    melanieblevy@gmail.com
    29 Dec 2011 | 2:52 pm
    What will 2012 hold for Houston apartments and real estate? A glimpse of the local market over the next year from Houston Apartment Insiders. As we plan for our New Year’s Eve celebrations, our thoughts turn to the future. What will 2012 hold for Houston apartments and real estate? We can get a pretty good idea by looking at recent real estate news reports. Houston journalists are making predictions for 2012 jobs, apartments, and real estate. Whether you plan to move to Houston or move within the city in this coming year, it’s good to know what to expect.   Houston economy, jobs, and…
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    Blog Feed

  • The Peninsula in Hawaii Kai - Honolulu Real Estate

    27 Jan 2012 | 8:59 pm
    Hawaii Kai Peninsula is a gated community with a combination of 630 single and family homes, townhouses, and condominiums.  This community is located on the eastern side of Hawaii Kai near Koko Crater.  It was the last waterfront community to be built (built in 2006 by Stanford Carr Development, Inc) in the area. There is nearly one mile of homes that have views of the water and the marina is at every turn.  The Peninsula is divided into two sections.  The first section is located at 520 Lunalilo Home Road and is located within the marina.  The other section is 580…

  • Ko’olani Hawaii Luxury Condos

    4 Jan 2012 | 7:26 pm
    Ko’olani is a residential condominium apartment building. It was built in 2005 and is located in Honolulu between the ocean and Ko’olau Mountain and adjacent to Ala Moana Center and the Ward Centers.  It describes itself as having features that are second to none. The area is a secluded retreat in the urban heart of Honolulu. This is a top of the line building with high-end construction materials and finishes which include granite, limestone, and marble.  There are European cabinets and fixtures throughout and insulated glass.  Each unit also has central air…

  • Hawaii Relocation

    12 Dec 2011 | 11:09 pm
    Hawaii is the youngest state in the United States.  It joined the union in 1959.  It is the only state to be made up primarily of islands.  The Hawaiian Islands because of their location are a vibrant mix of North American, Asian, and native cultures.  It comprises most of the Hawaiian volcanic chain that consists of hundreds of islands that are spread out thousands of miles.  The main eight islands, however, are Hawaii or The Big Island, Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, Kohoolawe, and Maui. Each island has its own majestic history that has turned them into what…

  • Makakilo Real Estate - beautiful scenery of the mountainside and beaches

    10 Dec 2011 | 12:56 pm
    Makakilo is a residential area in the Ewa District on the island of Oahu. In the Hawaiian language, maka kilo means “observing eyes”. It is located at the south end of the Wai’anae mountain range above the city Kapolei.  The area sits at a higher elevation than other parts of the island so it gets to experience a cooler and breezier environment than areas that sit lower down.  Many people that live here have homes that sit farther off from the ocean but still have spectacular views of the Pacific.  There are 13,158 people who live in Makakilo, making it the…

  • Ko Olina is a great place to call home

    10 Dec 2011 | 12:48 pm
    Ko Olina real estate is a great place to call home and has six neighborhoods located in the resort environment. Five of the communities offer access to Ko Olina sports club which provides tennis courts, gyms, and discounts to use within the area.  The area is home to four lagoons and many miles of trails. The resort is also only three miles from the area of Kapolei, which is an easy access to go shopping.  The first housing district, Kai Lani, is on the right when first entering the resort. It is home to 30 different homes each with a distinct view of the ocean and many only being…
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    IPIN Live

  • Demand for European Commercial Property 'Will Remain Strong'

    26 Jan 2012 | 6:00 pm
    Investors will continue to plough their money into European commercial property over the course of 2012, BNP Paribas Real Estate has predicted. In the firm's At a Glance Main Investment Markets in Western Europe report for the final quarter of 2011, it revealed the volume of transactions in the commercial real estate investment market climbed by seven per cent last year, in comparison with 2010. The organisation asserted demand for such assets "should remain strong", and highlighted the expectation that some institutional investors will increase their exposure to property markets during…

  • Opportunities for Investors in London Hotel Market?

    25 Jan 2012 | 6:00 pm
    There are significant opportunities for real estate investment in London's hotel market this year, one expert has claimed. Ray Withers, director of Property Frontiers, explained the Olympic Games and other sporting events like Wimbledon will help boost consumer spending in the UK's capital city this year, which will have a knock-on effect for hoteliers. He stated the hotel market in London has been forecast to experience "near double-digit growth" over the course of the next 12 months. Mr Withers added: "2012 is expected to be a record-breaking year for the capital with over 5,000 new rooms…

  • Uncertainty Ahead for European Real Estate

    25 Jan 2012 | 6:00 pm
    The outlook for European real estate investment in 2012 is one of caution, with concerns over the sovereign debt crisis in the eurozone continuing to play on investors' minds. In its most recent report into commercial property investment in the continent, Cushman & Wakefield predicted transaction volumes will "hold firm" this year, although the group stressed there is still much uncertainty on the markets. Looking at the close of 2011, the firm pointed to higher-than-expected investment volumes in the last three months of the year, bringing the total amount transacted in 2011 to 126.2…

  • India Gears Up for Another Property-Focussed Year

    25 Jan 2012 | 6:00 pm
    Research released this month revealed a significant jump in the amount of investment from private equity (PE) firms being ploughed into India's real estate markets. Venture Intelligence noted that USD 2.68 billion (GBP 1.72 billion) worth of property investments were made by PE organisations in India over the course of 2011, representing a 69 per cent rise over the amount transacted by such companies in 2010. With PE firms showing a marked increase in interest in the sector, could this mean more of the same for property investments in 2012?National director of capital transactions at the…

  • UK House Prices Down in January

    24 Jan 2012 | 6:00 pm
    Household sentiment about the value of properties in the UK slipped in January compared to December, a new survey has revealed. The Knight Frank/Markit January House Price Sentiment Index (HPSI) found that around 19 per cent of those questioned believed their home was worth less in January in comparison with the previous month. This led the HPSI figure to drop to 43.2 from 43.3 in this period. Knight Frank explained any reading under 50 indicates that, overall, the value of residential real estate in the UK is falling.Looking at the year ahead, the study found homeowners in three out of the…
 
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    Foreclosures Blog - Foreclosure Listings Nationwide

  • Foreclosure Listings Attracting Different Types of Buyers

    Elizabeth Rush
    26 Jan 2012 | 6:54 am
    The low prices of residential properties in the country, particularly those offered at foreclosure listings, have provided people from different walks of life a chance to become homeowners. This has proven to be highly beneficial for the housing sector in general as sales of houses continue to rise. Traditionally, families are the most common buyers of houses. Now, however, single people and younger individuals being assisted financially by their older folks have also become viable homeowners. Foreign property buyers have also come into the market, which can only benefit the housing industry…

  • Investors Target Foreclosure Listings

    Elizabeth Rush
    19 Jan 2012 | 6:46 am
    There have been gloomy predictions that the housing market will continue to suffer throughout the year as foreclosure home listings remain considerable. However, it looks like these properties have become a viable investment option for most real estate businesses. Claims that housing will continue to be in poor condition in 2012 because of the huge amount of properties under foreclosure list is not exactly accurate. The presence of more distressed properties under foreclosure listings can actually be considered a sign that the housing sector is poised for a recovery. The Good Side of…

  • Investment Opportunities Abound at Foreclosure Listings

    Elizabeth Rush
    11 Jan 2012 | 1:22 pm
    It has been a well-known fact that houses and condos under foreclosure listings are some of the lowest-priced deals homebuyers and investors can find. These properties offer a host of possible investment vehicles to investors and even to independent buyers. Recently, real estate buyers are finding rental homes as some of the most profitable ventures in the market. With foreclosure listing properties being sold at very low prices, those who invest in them can expect great returns in the coming months and years. Foreclosure-Buying Benefits Most Sector It is not just investors purchasing…

  • Foreclosure Listings Will Continue to Favor Homebuyers

    Elizabeth Rush
    4 Jan 2012 | 1:52 pm
    The number of properties that will get into foreclosure listings is expected to remain high during 2012. Most analysts believe that the year will be a bit better than 2011, although it will continue to be a buyer's market in most areas of the U.S. During the second half of 2011, a lot of property buyers expressed concern that the supply of cheap foreclosure listing homes is diminishing and that they may have come into the market too late to take advantage of the bargains. However, analysts have stated that most of these bargain properties are just caught in the shadow inventory and more…

  • Surging Demand for Condos in Foreclosure Listings in Florida

    Jason MacDowell
    28 Dec 2011 | 12:24 pm
    Buyers are taking advantage of the cheap prices of condominiums in Florida’s foreclosure listings as more and more condo units got sold in the past few months. Sales of condo units surged in November of this year by 2% from one year ago. The increase may not be much, but based on the current condition of the real estate market, a two percent rise in sales is actually a significant improvement. The surge in activities in the selling market proves that Florida is still one of the most favored areas among real estate buyers. Retreating prices fueling demand The primary reason cited by…
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    "Not your average Jo."

  • Home Staging Oakville Real Estate Jo Hardy

    26 Jan 2012 | 10:17 am
    Joanne's design sense was honed from planning and overseeing several home renovations, personally and professionally, as well as acting as a home stager. After buying and selling many properties in Oakville, Toronto and cottage country, she fell in love with the process; viewing properties, learning the market, identifying which attributes spoke to her and navigating the real estate process.  For more information Contact Joanne Hardy, 67 Lakeshore Ave West. Oakville Ontario L6K 1C9 (905) 338-9000Cell: 416- 230-1425http://www.housesforsaleoakville.com/blog/feed/

  • Tips on Winter home Maintenance

    22 Jan 2012 | 9:45 am
    Inside your home you should inspect your fireplace and call a chimney sweep if necessary. An inspection and maintenance should be preformed for your heating system. An inspection of your dryer hoses and exterior vents should be done at least once a year. Making sure that your hot water tank is in good working order is another step in maintaining your Oakville home. Just prior to the winter months it is good to have the ducts in your home inspected and cleaned-after all you will be relying only on the air that passes through them as you will not be able to open windows in the winter months. It…

  • Five Home Renovations That Pay Off

    19 Jan 2012 | 9:31 am
    Five Home Renovations That Pay OffWith homes sitting on the market for months, many homeowners are turning to remodelling projects that not only make the house look better, they also help increase the value of the home. Even if you're not selling your home, you may want to consider some of the renovations listed below that help increase the value of a home: #1 Get the roof replaced: If you have an older home, get the roof replaced. The average roof costs anywhere from $6,500 to $8,000. Experts state that if you get the roof replaced, a homeowner can recoup the costs, plus an additional 50% on…

  • Oakville Retirement Homes

    12 Jan 2012 | 11:23 am
    While Oakville attracts many new families to its thriving, luxurious, tree-lined, streets and welcoming waterfront, it is also home to many retirees and those seeking a quieter lifestyle. To find out more about the Oakville retirement lifestyle and Oakville's options for retirement living, click here to get links and resources and to read more. Jo Hardyoakvilleproperty.comhttp://www.housesforsaleoakville.com/blog/feed/

  • Happy Holidays

    21 Dec 2011 | 1:36 pm
    With Christmas just a few days away with people doing their last minute shopping I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Holidays.Jo Hardyoakvilleproperty.comhttp://www.housesforsaleoakville.com/blog/feed/
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    Massachusetts Real Estate News

  • Short Sale Negotiations|Seller Cash Contribution

    Bill Gassett
    23 Jan 2012 | 6:47 am
    Negotiation With Short Sale Lenders In working in the short sale arena for the last five plus years, I have seen lenders do just about everything when it comes to negotiating short sales with home owners. There really is no “standard” in short sales. The way one short sale file at one particular lender is handled can be totally different on the next. One of the biggest reasons for this is that every lender has different investors that actually own the loans. There could be more than twenty five different investors that have interests in loans at one lending institution. So for…

  • What is Real Estate Title Insurance

    Bill Gassett
    29 Nov 2011 | 7:03 am
    Real Estate Title Insurance Explained When purchasing a home one of the things that buyer’s will be asked is whether or not they want Real Estate title insurance. Often times I find that home buyer’s lament over this decision because of the expense involved. Real Estate title insurance is certainly not cheap! While title insurance is a one time expense, it can be disturbing for a buyer tight on cash to have to come up with such a large unexpected expenditure. Real Estate title insurance can easily run into thousands of dollars in a home purchase. Unlike other insurance policies…

  • Credit Scoring Impacts Short Sale vs Foreclosure

    Bill Gassett
    11 Oct 2011 | 6:29 am
    It is probably safe to assume that most consumers like to work with folks they know can be trusted. In Real Estate, like some other businesses there are those that can always be counted on for delivering great advice and others that only care about their own pocket book. I always tell people some of the best Real Estate agents are those that don’t NEED to make a sale! It makes perfect sense because an agent that NEEDS business is far more likely to tell a buyer or seller something they want to hear rather than the truth. Short sales unfortunately are a specialized Real Estate…

  • A Guide To Mortgage Equity Loan Options

    Bill Gassett
    19 Sep 2011 | 6:31 am
    When looking to take money out of an existing home or other Real Estate borrowers often have a decision to make on what is the best method to do so. There are basically three financing options that are available to home owners. These include a cash out re-finance, home equity loan or a home equity line of credit (HELOC). Determining which of these type of loan options will work best basically comes down to what purpose the money is going to be used for. Unfortunately being in the Real Estate field, I often come across folks who have over extended themselves and find that they have created…

  • Fixing Your Finances After Foreclosure or Short Sale

    Bill Gassett
    15 Aug 2011 | 6:30 am
    There are not many things that can negatively impact your credit score more than a foreclosure or short sale. In fact one of the more common untruths you will hear from many Realtors is that short sales don’t impact your credit scores like foreclosures do. This is absolutely WRONG! If you fail to pay your mortgage during a short sale the credit score impact will be nearly identical to a foreclosure according to My FICO the governing body for credit scoring. Being a Realtor myself for the last twenty five years it does not surprise me when I hear this misinformation being spewed in…
 
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    Kendyl's Open House

  • Best Glendale Open House Guide

    Kendyl
    27 Jan 2012 | 10:18 am
    This weekend will be awesome weather for looking at lovely homes.  Let’s start with the pretty, shall we?  1814 Earlmont is a divine Mid Century Pool Home in La Cañada.  It is located down a looooooong driveway and there is a real feeling of privacy and mystery. Another pretty is this delightful Arts and Crafts Cottage in La Crescenta.  At $599,000 I think this is super value for a true character home.  And, since we are talking about character homes, check out this tasteful English Tudor in Glendale on Maryland. This is a stunning remodel/restoration with Carrera Marble, expresso…

  • 3 Bedroom Spanish in Glendale Sold OVER Asking!

    Kendyl
    24 Jan 2012 | 11:25 pm
    Do you remember this lovely 3 bedroom, 2 bath Spanish style home in Glendale? This was one of my favorite Spanish Style homes, ever.  It had style, panache, and unusual architectural detail. It was a show stopper. You guys thought it was special, as well.  When we played, “What’s My Price” nearly half guessed it would sell for more than the list price. And you were right!  We just closed escrow at $670,000- $11,000 over the asking price.  There were several offers, most offering more than asking.  However, one couple had a smarter agent than most.  This agent asked…

  • I Don’t Need This Big House…

    Kendyl
    22 Jan 2012 | 12:54 pm
    I often talk with homeowners who would like to simplify their lives. They fantasize about living in a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home in Glendale, with one story, all remodeled and conveniently located. Inertia is a hard thing to overcome.  Where would you go?  How much of your life will have to change- new stores, new driving routes, new neighbors, new trash day?  And then there is all the STUFF in your current home.  How will you deal with all that STUFF? But, moving to a more convenient home would really improve your life. This year, at Kendyl’s Open House, I am hoping to inspire a few…

  • Best Open House Guide in Town

    Kendyl
    20 Jan 2012 | 8:03 pm
    And we are back with the best darn Open House Guide in Town. First off is an overlooked area of Glendale, low down on Verdugo and bordering on Eagle Rock, that is known as Sagamore Park.  At $499,000 the point of this home is convenience! Remodeled, city views, close to everything and very private. (908 Osceola Dr.) (click the text for a full report on this home) This charmer is a short sale, so view with appropriate caution.  On the opposite side of the home buying experience is Emerald Isle.  This is for the buyer looking for space and recreation- it is rare to get 4 bedrooms with pool…

  • $650,000 – 5 Houses in 5 Cities

    Kendyl
    17 Jan 2012 | 10:53 pm
    If you are like most home buyers you have a  list of areas where you would be comfortable living.  You might have your first choice, a reasonable second and a, “if my dream home came up I’d go there” third choice. When formulating these lists you consider a number of things- schools, proximity to work, the look and feel of a city and whether or not you know anyone there. All of these are highly personal choices.  However, the one factor that is not all that personal is price.  What kind of bang do you get for your buck? I took a look at homes currently for sale in…
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    Lofts.com

  • More residential Housing proposed for Seaport District

    Yoni Haiminis
    23 Jan 2012 | 4:11 pm
    Rendering of a a proposed development at 411 D Street South Boston developers filed recently with the Boston Redevelopment Authority for a 200,000 square-foot project on D Street in the Seaport District across from the Convention & Exhibition center. The development at 411 D Street would raze the current commercial structures on the property and replace them with two residential structures with retail/commercial space on the ground floor.  This would be a great addition to the fast growing seaport District neighborhood as residents of neighboring 437 D Street Lofts have continued to…

  • DNA Lofts to be Auctioned off!!

    Shuki Haiminis
    9 Sep 2011 | 11:26 am
    The DNA Lofts development located at 944 Dorchester Ave in Boston, MA is going to be auctioning off the remaining condominiums.  The auction is set to take place on the evening of Thursday October 6th, will be for 25 luxurious loft-style condominiums.  DNA Lofts is a newly constructed complex located in North Dorchester , just minutes from Boston Medical Center, Umass Boston The South End and the Red-Line.  Minimum bids start at $115,000 up to 60 percent below asking prices and dramatically lower than the current average listing price in Greater Boston The DNA Lofts development was…

  • Spacious sky-view Seaport loft

    Shuki Haiminis
    8 Aug 2011 | 6:00 am
    The 1922 South Boston factory/headquarters of the Joseph Burnett Company, a manufacturer of vanilla and other flavorings, food colorings, puddings and cake mixes for more than a century, has acquired a new flavor and color as The Lofts at 437 D St., a 42-unit loft condominium. Now for sale here at $869,000 is a 1-bed, 2-bath penthouse unit with 54 feet of windows, exciting city views, radiant sun, and high, wide living spaces that can be arranged according to your personal taste. Configure creatively Home arrangement is a piece of cake in this 1,719-square-foot unit because of how the old…

  • Luxury loft condo in historic North End textile building

    Shuki Haiminis
    3 Aug 2011 | 8:25 am
    The high beamed ceilings, vast warehouse floors, oversized windows and sturdy brick walls of the North End’s old Castignetti Bros. men’s clothier at 26 Stillman St. seemed well suited for the 28 luxury loft condos the 1899 building became in 2001. Now for sale here at $995,000 is a 1,689-square-foot, 2-bed, 2-bath unit well tailored to fit your lifestyle and taste. Lofty living The hardwood-floored living room exposes original beams and brickwork, lets in a floor-to-ceiling window-wall of sunshine and city views, and is wide open to your preference in home arrangement. The dining…

  • Luxury loft at 36A, South Boston

    Shuki Haiminis
    24 Mar 2011 | 8:58 pm
    Built in 2007, The Lofts at 36A are the latest addition to South Boston’s growing residential loft district — a high-end community of high ceilings, vast floors, walls of windows, breathtaking city and Seaport panoramas, fine finishes and sustainable designs and materials. Now for sale for $629,000 at The Lofts at 36A is a 1,370-square-foot, 2-bed, 2-bath unit with all of the above features and finishes plus Grohe and Kohler plumbing fixtures, Cola stained concrete floors, a garage parking space and a whole lot more, for a luxury loft lifestyle second to none. Light-filled living and…
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    RealLead Blog

  • What’s all the Tweeting About?

    reallead
    19 Jan 2012 | 2:18 pm
    As the CEO of RealLead, I was excited to get the opportunity to share our free mobile marketing tools on stage at the Inman Connect conference last week in New York City. It was great to hear so many Agents and Brokers talk about the need for having a mobile marketing strategy in order to reach today’s consumers.  If you missed the conference below is our 5 minute demo – and below that are some of the great Tweets about our technology. Thanks for the great support! We’re excited to offer a top quality mobile marketing tool to allow Agents and Brokers to generate more…

  • Comparing Mobile Phone Lead Gen Tools

    reallead
    4 Jan 2012 | 4:29 pm
    For the real estate industry, it’s imperative to have a mobile marketing solution for generating real-time leads for your listings. Below is a chart that compares the current mobile phone technologies that allow you to generate leads – including when the technology was first used, consumer usage, consumer adoption, and whether or not it’s hit a tipping point in the market. One of the things we do here at RealLead is track mobile marketing trends. For example, QR codes are all the rage right now, but we know they will soon become obsolete, or morph into something that…

  • Two Real Estate Industry Predictions for 2012

    reallead
    30 Dec 2011 | 2:08 pm
    It’s that time of year when people start making predictions about what’s to come in the year ahead. The real estate market is no different – we all want to know what lies ahead for home owners, buyers, sellers, realtors, banks, investors, mortgage companies, and real estate technology… We’ve scoured the Web and below are the two themes based on overall market behavior and trends. One is about properties, and the other is about technology… #1:  Ubiquity of Real Estate Owned (REO) Properties: Several people are predicting that the large inventory of…

  • Free Signup for Mobile Leads – For Real…

    reallead
    21 Dec 2011 | 4:51 pm
    Today is an important day here at RealLead – we’ve officially moved from Private Beta into Live Beta. Any of the  users listed below can sign-up for RealLead, and activate properties with unique mobile codes for FREE! Yeehaw! This means you can: Sign-up – for free! Activate all of your listings with Pay-Per-Lead mobile plan – for free! Set-up multiple mobile marketing campaigns – for free! Track where you leads are coming from on your personal Dashboard – for free!           Are you? A Realtor®? A Broker Owner? A Commercial…

  • Take a Tour of RealLead

    reallead
    13 Dec 2011 | 11:40 am
 
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    PropertyShark BlogCenter

  • Foreclosures surge in Manhattan, but down everywhere else in NYC

    laura
    20 Jan 2012 | 8:31 am
    NYC foreclosures recorded a sharp fall as a consequence of the bank moratorium, making 2011 the year with the lowest number of foreclosures in the last seven years. The 996 first-time foreclosures recorded in 2011 are down 61% compared to 2010 (2,579) and down 74% from the peak recorded in 2008 (3,874). “The impressive drop in foreclosures merely represents a delaying of the inevitable. Thousands of homeowners are behind on their mortgage payments or have stopped making them altogether.” said PropertyShark founder Matthew Haines. “I expect that thousands of home foreclosures…

  • Biggest Real Estate Commercial Sales of 2011 in NYC

    Catalin
    18 Jan 2012 | 6:17 am
    As first reported by The Real Deal, 2011 saw a rise in the number of commercial transactions in NYC. A very long distance away from the gloomy days of 2009, the 10 biggest sales of 2011 accounted for $5.76 billion in volume of transactions. Nine of the ten deals that make up the top 10 involved Manhattan properties, with one in Queens (the building at 42-1 28th Street, in Long Island City). 1. 601 W 26th Street Topping the list is the building at 601 W 26th Street, a.k.a. the Starrett-Lehigh Building. The 19-story, 2.3 million-square-foot building occupies an entire block in Chelsea and was…

  • Most Expensive Home Sales in the Hamptons in 2011

    Catalin
    9 Jan 2012 | 9:14 am
    2011 was anything but a banner year for real estate in America, and although many reports hailed the strength of the luxury real estate market, in many regions facts are hard to come by. The biggest sale of 2011 in the Hamptons didn’t even come close to the biggest in 2010, which raked in a whooping $43.5M. As a matter of fact, the most expensive home sold in the year that just ended would have only grabbed 3rd spot in 2010. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that 2011 lacks any spectacular transactions, on the contrary. Here’s a top 10 of the most expensive homes sold in 2011. 1.

  • Q4 2011 Manhattan Apartment Sales Map

    laura
    6 Jan 2012 | 10:00 am
    The fourth quarter of 2011 has ended, so our interactive apartment sales map is ready to show which parts of Manhattan had the highest density of sales and where the priciest sales were. To better visualize it, on the map, the number of sales by building is depicted by the size of the circle while the color indicates the price per square foot. You can click on the dots to see more details about sold units in the buildings you’re interested in. ththt Click on the following link to browse current Manhattan apartments for sale. Share on Facebook Tweet This Post

  • Istanbul Property: A Safe-Haven Emerging Market Investment

    calin
    6 Jan 2012 | 4:45 am
    As we look around the world – where economies are now not recovering from one epic financial crisis, but trying to either stay out, get out or minimize their exposure to a second – it is a struggle to find anywhere that looks like a good place to invest, save for things such as structured property investments. One place that really is standing out right now is Istanbul, which is currently appealing both to emerging markets investors and wealthy investors seeking a safe-haven. Prime property in prime locations is now proven as resilient against financial shocks. So, with cash…
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    Green Home Design

  • 7 Giant Herbs You Can Grow at Home

    admin
    25 Jan 2012 | 4:14 pm
    For those who love to cook and eat a lot of salad there is nothing better than having one’s own herb garden. To grow your own herbs, it is not necessary that you should have a large garden, as you can grow them in pots or in a small section of your garden. You can [...]

  • Don’t Sit on the Fence – Reuse Plastic Bottles

    admin
    20 Jan 2012 | 2:58 pm
    As far as the plastic bottle facts go, it’s truly amazing how much plastic we consume every year. In Britain, we use estimated 15 million plastic bottles every day! Worldwide, however, people consume around 9 billion bottles per year. Sadly, only between 2.5 and 5% of the PET bottles are being recycled, depending on which [...]

  • Home Owners Turn to Renewable Energy as Utility Bills Rise in the Recession

    admin
    17 Jan 2012 | 11:46 am
    Drastic rises in gas and electricity prices have left millions of households across the U.K. feeling the squeeze when it comes to energy bills. Last year alone saw a shocking £224 added to the average household’s living costs; an increase made even more daunting by budget and wage cuts made during the recession. Simply put, [...]

  • Green Kitchen with Water Based Wood Stains

    admin
    16 Jan 2012 | 2:57 pm
    This glorious green kitchen design has moved away from the mainstream “white look” as far as possible. Who has said that a kitchen has to be white anyway? These kitchen units are natural pine with some surfaces finished in moss green. But it’s not just any moss green. The material used in this picture is [...]

  • Earthquake-prone Hotel Built in 360 Hours

    admin
    9 Jan 2012 | 3:39 pm
    A Chinese company Broad Group has built an earthquake-prone 30-storey hotel in just 360 hours. That’s 15 days! When it comes to sustainable construction, one way of being sustainable is to build quickly. There’s no need to spend years on the building site when through proper planning and well-organised on-site work, you can build much [...]
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    Calgary Real Estate

  • Mortgage Rates – 3rd Week of 2012

    27 Jan 2012 | 6:03 am
    Prime and Qualifying Rate 3rd week of 2012 Source: RateSuperMarket.ca The Bank of Canada left its overnight rate target of 1 per cent unchanged for the 16th consecutive month. Mark Carney, BoC governor, said that although interest rates remain unaltered, the Bank is aware that their decision could cause additional household debt. He believes that continued low interest rates will offset global economic uncertainty and lead to a strong housing market and increased consumer spending. “Household expenditures are expected to remain high relative to GDP (gross domestic product) and the ratio of…

  • Investment Tip of the Week – 106 – 635 57 Avenue SW

    26 Jan 2012 | 5:44 am
    106 635 57 Avenue SW INVESTORS ALERT THE BELGRAVIA BUILDING. This is the deal of the year so far and the best price in Windsor Park. Across from Chinook Mall, this 500 sq.ft 1 bedroom apartment is a steal at this price! Condo fee is only $206 and building is managed by a professional management company. Potential rent is $800. At 2.99%, monthly mortgage payment is $480. Great for first time home buyers as well – why pay rent? Very good price, fantastic neibourhood, needs some work, one bed room apartment. Close to Chinook Mall. Property will be sold “as is where is with no warranties or…

  • Renting vs. Buying: What to Choose?

    19 Jan 2012 | 9:49 am
    Calgary Neighborhood by Justin Scott Campbell Buying own home – who doesn’t dream about that? However, after financial crisis more and more people reconsider their dreams and realize that renting has advantages that are worth of giving up the own-home-dream at least temporarily. “With the tight credit market and stricter downpayment requirements, rent-to-own has emerged as a trend for people who otherwise would be home buyers,” said Eric Mangan for Forbes, spokesman for ForSaleByOwner.com, a real estate listing company. No Investment General belief that buying real estate will be…

  • Calgary Housing Market Stable in December

    18 Jan 2012 | 9:47 am
     Houses by DArcy Norman   For the month of December, new listings for single family homes fell 41% for the month, and are down 1% for the year. Average price also fell 5% over last month but year over year was up 7%. December sales are historically lower than other months due to the holidays. December 2011 ended with 24% less sales than the prior month and 1% lower than same month, last year. Calgary condo market performed similar to single family homes. The only significant change was that average condo price increased by 2.5% over November 2011. There is now 2 months of supply on…

  • Investment Tip Of The Week – 304 Douglas Glen BV SE

    18 Jan 2012 | 7:22 am
    304 Douglas Glen BV SE Come and view this diamond in the rough. Just a little bit of polishing to make this gem shine once again. This two storey 1996 home boasts over 1900 sq. ft. of finished area above grade and a fully finished basement. The main floor has an open concept with a large kitchen, living room and dining nook. The spacious kitchen has tonnes of cabinet space, large island, breakfast bar and corner pantry. Exit through the dining nook to the backyard where you will find a large deck, hot tub and landscaped yard- great for entertaining. The main floor laundry and a 2-piece…
 
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    Back Bay Realty Group Blog

  • Tipping My Cap to the W Boston

    Chris Dunn
    26 Jan 2012 | 11:55 am
    It’s no secret that The Clarendon is out front when it comes to sales out of the group of new full service buildings. In 2011 though, perhaps the best kept secret was the W Boston. The W has been through a lot in the past year including a bankruptcy, but in spite of this, the W still sold an impressive number of homes. According to MLS records The Clarendon sold 32 Homes in 2011 while the W sold 30. Now, W sales team will tell you the numbers are actually a difference of 1, but nevertheless it’s still impressive. So a tip of my cap to Dinny and her staff and we wish them continued…

  • Renters make Buying more Difficult

    Chris Dunn
    23 Jan 2012 | 2:50 pm
    Over the past few years the number of people who have decided to rent our their condos in Boston rather than sell them has certainly increased, and in some cases dramatically so. The side of effect of all this renting is just beginning to show it’s face. We’ve already talked about how rentals are now priced sky high, (see here) but there is now a second side that is starting to show it’s face. Owner Occupancy Rates Most people have never really focused on this little used metric when buying a home, but it’s incredibly important. The most important use of this statistic…

  • Be on the Parade Route

    Chris Dunn
    22 Jan 2012 | 6:14 pm
     The Patriots unbelievable win over the Ravens and return to the Superbowl has the entire city of Boston overjoyed. It was a remarkable win and now it’s time to look ahead. Assuming a Superbowl win, we have found the perfect place to celebrate. 410 Boylston Street #2 is currently on the market for $1,995,000. This beautiful new construction 3 bed features two private decks one right out front and one in the back. The front deck will provide unparalleled views of the parade route whether it’s the Patriots, Celtics, Red Sox or Bruins you will have a front row seat to the action.

  • Green Moving

    Chris Dunn
    20 Jan 2012 | 9:56 am
    So Boston has been on a big kick lately to make the city more green in any way it can. While I applaud the city and it’s residents for their efforts, there are times when you have to be honest and say, “Ok now you’re taking it just too far.” The best example, bicycle movers. Yes, Gentle Giant the moving company with the big purple trucks that are a common sighting over the summer months, is introducing a new service. The offering is called Bike Moves. The idea behind the program is that for Boston residents who are moving just around town, this will cut down on costs…

  • Yacht Apartments

    Chris Dunn
    20 Jan 2012 | 9:21 am
    So our last home on the water was a big hit and now we have another for you to consider. This home comes not from Seattle, but rather Sweden home of Ikea. The owners,  a couple who live in Stockholm, decided they were done with land living and decided to move aboard. As a boating enthusiast, I read about how people are doing this all the time, but not many go to the lengths they did. Their custom home is stunning from Bow to Stern. The kitchen is fantastic with it’s butcher block counters and gas range. They even managed to sneak in a full size dishwasher. The living room has a wood…
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    Kristin Kanan

  • Checking In: Mixed Feelings on SaMo Professional Building Hotel Plans

    Kristin Kanan
    28 Jan 2012 | 12:24 am
    Image via Santa Monica Patch A proposal to build a hotel at Seventh and Wilshire in Santa Monica is either sprinting towards approval or limping to a slow death–depends on which story you read. The plan, which has been in the works for years, includes renovating and building around the landmarked Santa Monica Professional Building [...]

  • On the Racked: Over the Top Poptasm at Joyrich, Pressed Juicery’s New Lifestyle Site, SoulCycle WeHo Opening Soon

    Kristin Kanan
    28 Jan 2012 | 12:24 am
    WEST HOLLYWOOD: Racked takes a spin around Joyrich’s over-the-top Melrose flagship. Just like Japan’s hyperactive capital, the LA clothing brand and retailer’s space is oozing with creativity and provides shoppers with an insane amount of inspiration. ONLINE: Pressed Juicery has launched a lifestyle site named The Chalkboard that features recipes, mantras, fitness tips, and interviews [...]

  • CurbedWire: Americana at Brand Expansion Begins, Big Affordable Development Opens in Historic South-Central

    Kristin Kanan
    28 Jan 2012 | 12:24 am
    HISTORIC SOUTH-CENTRAL: The ribbon was cut yesterday on the first phase of the Crossings on 29th Street, an affordable Crafstman-style development that will eventually bring 550 affordable rental and condo units, retail, and community facilities to a former industrial site at Twenty-Ninth Street near San Pedro Street, adjacent to the 28th Street Elementary School. The [...]

  • Consumer bureau reviewing real estate appraisal fee disclosure

    Kristin Kanan
    28 Jan 2012 | 12:24 am
    The new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is working on a real estate issue that gets to the core of the agency’s purpose: bringing clarity and better disclosures about the often opaque and costly fees that home buyers, sellers and refinancers are hit with at closings. One of the disclosures under review might surprise you: appraisal [...]

  • A quirky Spanish Revival in Los Feliz

    Kristin Kanan
    28 Jan 2012 | 12:24 am
    A.F. Leicht designed quirky Spanish Revival houses in Los Angeles as well as evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson’s landmark Angelus Temple. His interiors often had irregular-shaped or curved walls, rooms or hallways. This Los Feliz villa, with rounded rooms, fancifully shaped living room French doors and elliptical master bathroom, captures his signature style. Location: 2226 N. [...]
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    HSH Associates Financial News Blog

  • 10 things I learned from my evacuation

    Gina Pogol
    27 Jan 2012 | 3:24 pm
    If you live in an area prone to natural disasters, you’ll probably have to evacuate your home someday. Last year, 2.5 million folks were ordered out when Hurricane Irene neared the East Coast. Thousands were told to leave Texas in 2011 as 180 wildfires broke out across the state. And even the White House evacuated last year after an earthquake. Chances are good that someday you’ll evacuate as well. I was working from home, just south of Reno, Nev., last Thursday when I got a reverse 911 call from the sheriff’s office, telling me that a large wildfire was moving quickly in my…

  • Does mortgage insurance hurt my chances of a HARP refinance?

    Tim Manni
    26 Jan 2012 | 5:03 pm
    On Tuesday, blog.HSH.com reader Diana wrote in with the following comment: I have perfect credit, have never been late on a payment, have a low debt-to-income ratio, but I can’t qualify for HARP because I currently have mortgage insurance. WTF? Is this a way to get people to buy mortgage insurance? I am so confused by this. I also heard there is going to be a HARP 3. Technically, Diana—or anyone else for that matter—shouldn’t be turned down from the HARP program because of mortgage insurance. MakingHomeAffordable.gov explains that HARP has a policy for applicants with and without…

  • Is another refinance plan on its way?

    Tim Manni
    25 Jan 2012 | 12:25 pm
    If you were among the many watching the president’s State of the Union address last evening, chances are you didn’t even realize President Obama hinted at a new refinance plan. In fact, the word “refinance” didn’t even appear in the president’s speech. The term “refinancing” was only mentioned once. “And that’s why I’m sending this Congress a plan that gives every responsible homeowner the chance to save about $3,000 a year on their mortgage, by refinancing at historically low rates,” said the president.  “No more red tape. No more runaround from the banks. A small…

  • The FHA is on the rebound, but changes are needed

    Peter Miller
    24 Jan 2012 | 10:25 am
    Is the FHA really in peril? The American Enterprise Institute (AEI), a conservative think tank, apparently thinks so. “No serious observer of the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) believes its financial future is bright,” writes Peter J. Wallison and Edward J. Pinto in a recent market outlook titled, “Bet the house: why the FHA is going (for) broke.” The FHA seems to be getting better, not worse However, a serious market observer might disagree, countering that the financial future of the FHA is a lot better than it used to be. The facts are these: The down-payment…

  • 4 signs housing in on the mend (finally!)

    Keith Gumbinger
    23 Jan 2012 | 10:54 am
    Low and stable mortgage rates and a modestly improving economy are starting to produce positive effects on the nation’s housing market. While starting from extraordinarily low levels, and though improvement is still of course tenuous, there have been accumulating signs of improvement for months. If the economy can continue to nudge forward for a while longer without some new or already-known catastrophe to derail it, we just might have ourselves a housing market worth talking about when spring rolls around. 4 signs housing is on the upswing 1. Mortgage rates: Granted, mortgage rates…
 
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    Move Apartment and Home Trends

  • Apartment Community Spotlight – Archstone Santa Monica on Main

    Dave Masters
    27 Jan 2012 | 11:02 am
    Situated just steps from the beach in Santa Monica, as well as all of the shopping & dining that Main Street has to offer, the beautiful Archstone Santa Monica on Main is this week’s Apartment Community Spotlight.  Santa Monica living doesn’t get much better than this folks. Literally, walk 3 minutes and be in the sand. 3 minutes in another direction, and take in boutique shopping, surf/skate shopping, eating, and sipping coffee from the plethora of options available to you on Main Street. Walk 10 minutes in the other direction and find yourself at the historic Santa Monica…

  • Move Expands ListHub Network

    Scott Garner
    11 Jan 2012 | 6:00 am
    Move is announcing today that ListHub, the largest syndicator of real estate listings, is launching the Real Estate  Network (REN) to extend the syndication of property listings to highly trafficked websites operated by real estate franchisors and brokerage networks. ListHub’s Real Estate Network will be available at no charge and as a voluntary syndication option for brokers and Multiple Listing Services (MLSs). Century 21, Coldwell Banker, Realty Executives International, and RE/MAX are among the first publishers to join the network at launch. Together, these publisher websites attract…

  • Move CFO Rachel Glaser: “I See So Much Potential”

    Rachel Glaser
    10 Jan 2012 | 4:05 pm
    When I was asked why I joined Move, these are the first three reasons that came to mind. First and foremost, I see so much potential. For me, it is far more exciting to accelerate a car from zero to 60 than to move the needle from 60 mph to 70. The collection of assets that Steve and the management team have assembled is head and shoulders above the next closest competitor. I am delighted to be joining the team that will step on the gas and generate the momentum to grow. Secondly, through many rounds of interviews, I met a very impressive group of people – the management team, the…

  • Apartment Community Spotlight – The Flats at Dupont Circle

    Dave Masters
    10 Jan 2012 | 1:12 pm
    Nestled within the thriving Dupont Circle area of DC, The Flats at Dupont Circle are this weeks Apartment Community Spotlight. Dupont Circle has it all.  A super walkable neighborhood,  with plenty of bars, restaurants, shopping and convenient access to the Metro and buses. You name it, this area has it. So how about living in an apartment with as much to offer as the neighborhood it resides in? Sounds good to me. TheFlats at Dupont Circle come equipped with a  Yoga/Pilates studio, fitness center, movie screening room, and free wi-fi in all of the common areas. A perfect community for…

  • Move Employee Spotlight: Srinivasa Morthala, Siebel Lead Developer

    Scott Garner
    4 Jan 2012 | 11:45 am
    Srinivasa Morthala is a Siebel Developer in Move’s Westlake Village office, just outside of Los Angeles. We sat down with him recently to talk about what it’s like to work for Move. 1. What led you to Move? The chance to work in sunny California with a company that is always pushing forward on the technology front was too good to pass up. My wife also works at Move, so that’s another big plus. 2. What’s your favorite thing about working at Move? I am part of a great team, my manager is supportive, and the work is challenging and gives me the opportunity to prove myself. 3.
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    Real Estate Coaching Productivity Junkies - Social Media

  • Tools To Stay Productive With Katie Lance – Productivity Nugget #224

    darin
    5 Jan 2012 | 3:08 pm
    Katie Lance, Social Media Director, for Inman News has a full plate. The number of platforms that she covers is mind numbing. The amount of content that she needs to create and consume is overwhelming. So how does she do it all? Take a listen to this Productivity Podcast where she shares How she handles her email How she handles her social media Can’t see the audio player? CLICK HERE I will be joining Katie and the Inman News team at Real Estate Connect next week. Will you be there? For more info on Productivity… Get Immediate Access to the Productivity Kit For FREE you will get…

  • I see you Oel ngati kameie!

    darin
    4 Jan 2012 | 12:18 pm
    I see you! That would be the translation of ”Oel ngati kameie!” “Oel ngati kameie” means “I see you” in the Navi language, from the movie Avatar. What a wonderful greeting, huh? I see you! Acknowledging someone. Letting them know you see them, that you are giving them attention. Boy, that sure seems the opposite of marketing and especially social media now a days. There seems to be a lot of screaming online, “Look at me!!!” How’s that working for you? Is your facebook page bringing you business? Is your facebook profile bringing you the…

  • What Social Network Should You Be On In 2012

    darin
    31 Dec 2011 | 2:09 pm
    Yesterday, I asked my email list what email they wanted today, Improve SEO with Linkbuilding Made Social or What Social Network Should You Be On For Maximum Boost In 2012 I thought What Social Network would be the run away favorite. It was only about a 60/40 favorite, which tells me something. What does it tell you? Here is the winner, What Social Network Should You Be On… There are only two channels I watch on TV. Well, three actually. I watch SyFy and ESPN. And then I watch whatever channel the Packers and Badgers are on. I’m sure I’m not the only SyFy Nerd + Sports…

  • How Should I Schedule My Daily Activities In Business – Productivity Nugget #223

    darin
    28 Dec 2011 | 12:46 pm
    Here is a question I got recently, Darin, with so much to do in my business and my day, how should I schedule my daily activities? Great question, especially as we head into the new year. Here is a Productivity Nugget to answer your question. And below the video, you can sign up to get access to the Productivity Junkies Time Management Kit to help you even more with this. Get Free Access To The Time Management Kit CLICK HERE FOR THE TIME MANAGEMENT KIT I will give you The Time Awareness Exercise Plus, Top 10 videos and articles I have on Time Management CLICK HERE FOR THE TIME MANAGEMENT KIT

  • What You Can Learn From The 13-0 Packers About Your Business

    darin
    13 Dec 2011 | 11:57 pm
    I’m proud to be from Wisconsin. Some of my earliest memories are of watching the Packers on TV with my Dad and my Brothers. That’s just the way it is in Wisconsin I guess. The Packers are having an amazing season following their Super Bowl win. They will have literally not lost a game in over a year! The last team to beat them was the New England Patriots exactly one year ago. The Packers lost with their backup quarterback playing, cuz Rodgers was out with a concussion. But since that time…PERFECTION! How have they done it? What can you learn from them and apply to your…
 
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    Foreclosure Process and Questions

  • Tax Foreclosures Causing Hiccups for Homeowners as well as for Jackson County

    nehaag
    23 Jan 2012 | 5:19 am
    Tax foreclosures are causing hiccups for homeowners as well as for Jackson County. High unemployment and the stormy economic climate are making it difficult for property owners to be current on property taxes. This has led to less revenue collection by the municipalities and its chain reaction of the administration suffering from budget cuts and being unable to fund essential services. The cycle of woes is vicious. In March last year 107 houses were tax foreclosed with dues going back to 2008. Jackson County saw 226 properties being foreclosed upon due to unpaid taxes – it is a record in…

  • Connecticut Foreclosure Process

    nehaag
    20 Jan 2012 | 7:56 pm
    Connecticut State is in the New England part of northeast USA. The state is divided by the Connecticut River and its capital is Hartford City. A good portion of the state is included in the metropolitan area of New York. There is a large concentration of financial entities here making the median family income the highest in the country; but there is a yawning gap in wealth between the rich and poorer sections of its cities making the latter dangerous zones. Connecticut was not spared the travails of the foreclosure crisis but in 2011 the numbers have decreased although the trends are…

  • Arkansas Foreclosure Process

    nehaag
    17 Jan 2012 | 7:56 pm
    Arkansas, named after Indian tribe, lies to the southern parts of USA. The capital city is Little Rock. The rage of the foreclosure crisis has been relativelyless Arkansas. The rate of unemployment as on September 2011 is below the average of the nation. Arkansas’ economy is multi faceted dealing mainly with agricultural items. The headquarters Wal-Mart is located in Arkansas. One of the most unique attracting of Arkansas is it has the only diamond mine in the world that is public. The Arkansas foreclosure process can be either judicial or non-judicial with the primary instrument being…

  • Alaska Foreclosure Process

    nehaag
    16 Jan 2012 | 6:46 am
    Foreclosures in remote Alaska? Yes it is happening in the biggest American state is located to the extreme north-west of the country encircled by Canada, Arctic and Pacific Oceans; further west Russia is a neighbour across the Bering Strait. Nearly half the people live in the metropolitan region of Anchorage. Financial maladies like epidemics know no barriers. Till July 2010 the rate of foreclosure in Alaska has been light as compared to other regions of USA. During the first six months of 2010, the foreclosure process swallowed 1,529 families – including all the stages of the foreclosure…

  • West Virginia Foreclosure Laws

    nehaag
    13 Jan 2012 | 8:34 pm
    West Virginia State is in the southeastern part of USA nestling in the Appalachians. Charleston is its capital city. Till the second quarter of 2011 although default numbers have increased, the foreclosure inventory and new foreclosure numbers have decreased. In West Virginia foreclosure laws both judicial and non-judicial foreclosure is available. The primary instrument of security is known as either Deed of Trust or Mortgage. Generally the time taken for foreclosure to run its course is 60 days. The borrower does not have the Right of Redemption; neither is Deficiency Judgment permitted. In…
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    Vancouver Real Estate

  • No Price Correction for 2012 per Royal LePage

    admin
    26 Jan 2012 | 2:41 pm
    There has been talk of a housing bubble in Canada for some time. But one of Canada’s largest realty firms, Royal LePage, does not believe this is in the cards. Rather, their prediction is for almost a three percent increase … Continue reading →

  • Real Estate Market Close to Balance

    admin
    22 Dec 2011 | 8:00 am
    After being one of the most volatile real estate markets in Canada, British Columbia may finally be in balanced territory. November 2011 Multiple Listing Sales are down just a hint from the same month in 2010. As far as price … Continue reading →

  • Vancouver Seeing Increase of Multi-Family Home Starts

    admin
    19 Dec 2011 | 1:00 pm
    The housing picture in Greater Vancouver is taking a slight shift from what was considered the norm. Multi family homes are being considered more than they have in the past, so much so that in November starts in the multi … Continue reading →

  • November Real Estate Sales Cool in Vancouver, Balancing Market

    admin
    16 Dec 2011 | 9:00 am
    For the past few years many have doubted the strength of the Vancouver real estate market. This past November saw a slight decline in sales and the tendency of these people are to say I told you so. But for … Continue reading →

  • Some Are Worried About a Vancouver Real Estate Bubble, Others Deny Existence

    admin
    14 Dec 2011 | 3:55 pm
    A 13 percent decrease in housing starts this November has the housing bubble aficionados out in full force. If you use the seasonally adjusted rate, November’s housing numbers come to 181,100 compared to October which had 208,800 housing starts. Also … Continue reading →
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    Merrimack Valley Real Estate- Serving Northeastern Massachusetts

  • Showing Your Home- Is your agent hindering showings?

    Massachusetts Realtor
    21 Jan 2012 | 1:29 pm
    Showing your home leads to offers.  I think that it goes without saying, that in most cases, the more showings you receive on your home the more likely you are to receive an offer. With that said, I write this post out of a little frustration.  Last Saturday, I tried to schedule 7 showings in Haverhill, Massachusetts.  It was like pulling teeth to schedule the showings.  I had to contact the listing agents directly on 5 of the homes and 2 I contacted had to contact the agency.  The 2 agency showings went relatively smoothly, where the other showings that had to be arranged directly with…

  • Owner Occupancy Ratio for Condominium Puchase

    Massachusetts Realtor
    7 Jan 2012 | 1:47 pm
    A question just cam up on Trulia…  What does lower owner occupancy mean and why would a 20% requirement down be needed? What is owner occupancy ratio? The owner occupancy ratio is a term you see when purchasing a condominium. Most lenders require a homeowners questionnaire to be filled out asking many questions about the entire condominium project before lending on a condominium.  The owner occupancy ratio is the percentage of the units that are occupied by the owner versus the percentage owned by investors and occupied by lenders.  So if there are a 100 units in a complex and there…

  • Another Ecstatic Real Estate Client!!

    Massachusetts Realtor
    4 Jan 2012 | 5:36 pm
    I just received a happy holiday email form this client. I closed on two properties for the same client, the sale of the current home to purchase a new one.  Here is what they had to say: “I wanted to let you know that we LOVE our house and just commented to each other that we wouldn’t have been able to do it without you.  Thank you, again! I first met with my clients early last spring and we discussed the real estate market in Haverhill, what it takes to get your home sold in the current market and their hopes for a new home and the timing of selling and buying at the same time. …

  • Price Change- Tewksbury Home for Sale

    Massachusetts Realtor
    3 Jan 2012 | 5:35 pm
    230 Cabot Road, Tewksbury MA 01876- Just Reduced to $350,000 Check out this recently rehabbed 1997  Colonial with a great open floor plan on the main living level.  All new flooring through out, new heating system, new kitchen rehabbed baths and more…  View more information on this home including pictures, room details, interactive floor plan and more.   Related Posts:230 Cabot Road, Tewksbury MA 01876157 Perkins Street, Melrose MA 02176- MLS# 71216257107 Foster Street Unit 306 Peabody MA 01960- MLS7125364Open House- 121 High Street Ext. Lancaster MA3 Greenhill Farm Road…

  • 8 Cedar Street, Unit 5 Haverhill MA 01830 MLS# 71321460

    Massachusetts Realtor
    31 Dec 2011 | 7:26 am
    8 Cedar Street, Unit 5 Haverhill MA 01830 MLS# 71321460-  $59,000 Status- For Sale 2 Bedroom  |  860 square feet  |  1 Bath  |  Garden Style Condominium  Sunny and bright! Located on the top floor of the building this unit receives plenty of sun all day thru its large windows… and there are plenty of them.  Recently rehabbed in 2006, this Haverhill condominium unit is in excellent shape as well as the entire building. This condo features refinished hard wood floors through out, maple kitchen with granite tile counters, stainless appliances and ceramic tile floor, laundry in the…
 
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    Active Website Enterprise Network Blog

  • Real Estate Comes to Pinterest

    Amanda Stephan
    27 Jan 2012 | 1:41 pm
    (Tweet this article!) If you haven’t heard of Pinterest by now, I HIGHLY recommend checking out this new site that allows you to make virtual pinboards of items you find interesting – from recipes to crafts to fashion and more. I’ve been a member of Pinterest for several months now, and besides the fact that I’m sleep deprived from spending all night pinning my favorite items and browsing other’s boards for my next project idea (seriously, it’s my latest online addiction), I think this platform provides a unique opportunity to the Real Estate Industry. Pinterest and real estate…

  • Network Mobile Traffic Is Double Internet Average

    dyanagutierrez
    26 Jan 2012 | 11:27 am
    (Tweet this article!) Last week, we released our mobile Individual Property Websites (IPWs) and as a follow up, we want to discuss why we felt there was a need to release these mobile IPWs now.  As we all know, the usage of mobile is continuing to grow as more and more Americans are adopting Smartphones – which in turn is generating more mobile traffic to the internet and your website. In a report released last October by comScore entitled Digital Omnivores: How Tablets, Smartphones and Connected Devices are Changing U.S. Digital Media Consumption Habits, they found that 6.8% of all…

  • Mobile IPW’s Now Available for Network Members!

    Amanda Stephan
    19 Jan 2012 | 5:22 pm
    (Tweet this Article!) We’re pleased to announce that mobile-enabled Individual Property Websites (IPWs) are now available on The Enterprise Platform! With over 53 million SmartPhones in use in the United States, having your website enhanced for mobile viewing is important in order to provide potential buyers with detailed property information on-the-go. Designed with usability in mind, our mobile IPWs give customers the ability to navigate a property website with ease anytime, anywhere. Customers will be able to scan a QR code or enter the property’s URL on their mobile device to…

  • Training Your Agents in 2012

    dyanagutierrez
    18 Jan 2012 | 2:06 pm
    (Tweet This Article!) Looking back at 2011, we saw huge advancements when it came to search functionality, lead tracking technology, website development and social integration – just to name a few. These innovative tools were developed as a result of the modern consumer’s expectations. Today’s real estate customer is more tech-savvy and has access to a plethora of information online – and they expect their agents to be more knowledgeable as well. Preparing your agents for these inevitable changes is crucial to your future success as a highly-regarded brokerage. With technology…

  • Turpin Real Estate Launches Tr-State Alliance

    Amanda Stephan
    11 Jan 2012 | 4:35 pm
    (Tweet This Article!) Enterprise Network member, Turpin Real Estate, has announced the launch of the Tri-State Alliance, a partnership that allows Turpin to share property listings with other brokerages in the area. Alongside Turpin, Halstead Property, Houlihan Lawrence and Coach Realtors are joining forces and sharing their listings online in an effort to streamline the home buying and selling process for their customers. By bringing together a total of 68 offices, more than 2,900 agents and 8,000 exclusive listings, these four brokerages are expanding their reach and offering a more…
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    International Real Property Exchange

  • Italian Inspired Home @ Portofino, Alabang

    Buy Philippine Homes
    23 Jan 2012 | 3:23 am
    Property Details:Address: Portofino Heights, Alabang Daanghari roadPrice: Php 35,000,000Category: House and LotYear Built: 2008House Size: 605Lot Size: 507Bedrooms: 8Bathrooms: 8Property Description:Brittany’s Portofino takes center stage as the most luxurious residential estate in the Uptown section of Evia. Portofino, named after a seaport town in Southern Italy that means ‘fine gateway,’ is a vast 300-hectare European-inspired community, located only minutes from Alabang Town Center, along Daang Hari. It is a fitting landmark community in the gateway to ‘the new south’ –…

  • The CIPS Institute COMES to MANILA, PHILIPPINES

    Buy Philippine Homes
    26 Dec 2011 | 4:46 pm
    In cooperation with the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (NAR), the largest trade association of real estate agents in the USA, we are proud to offer the Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS), a well renowned training for international real estate transactions. The five-day curriculum will provide all participants full interactive participation, working groups, learn how to solve case studies, and most especially learn how to package and market yourself for global exposure!FOUR (4) MORE COMPELLING REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD ATTEND THE CIPS COURSE AND OBTAIN CIPS DESIGNATION:Be the…

  • Ten Ways to Prepare for Home Ownership

    Buy Philippine Homes
    21 Dec 2011 | 8:00 am
    Decide what you can afford. Generally, you can afford a home equal in value to between two and three times your gross income.Develop your home wish list. Then, prioritize the features on your list.Select where you want to live. Compile a list of three or four neighborhoods you’d like to live in, taking into account items such as schools, recreational facilities, area expansion plans, and safety.Start saving. Do you have enough money saved to qualify for a mortgage and cover your down payment? Ideally, you should have 20 percent of the purchase price saved as a down payment. Also, don’t…

  • House And Lot @ Shangrila Village, Baguio City

    Buy Philippine Homes
    12 Dec 2011 | 10:39 am
    Property Details:Address: Shangrila Village, Baguio CityPrice: Php 12,900,000Category: House and LotYear Built: 2008House Size: 310Lot Size: 354Bedrooms: 4Bathrooms: 3Property Description:Where the cool, fresh air and mountain vistas of Baguio is within reach...witness the dramatic cloud as it envelopes your very own backyard and enjoy a "Relaxing Baguio!" everyday...Home Features:kitchen with granite countertops and backsplashbreakfast bar with glass tilescathedral ceilings with crown mouldings throughouthuge master bedroom with walk-in closetcozy family roomgranite and hardwood floors…

  • Panagbenga 2012 Schedule Of Traditional Activities

    Buy Philippine Homes
    18 Nov 2011 | 12:39 pm
    The major annual festival in Baguio City has been officially declared open last November 14, 2011. Panagbenga 2012, formerly known as the "Baguio Flower Festival" is in its 17th season with the theme "Community Convergence for a Sustainable Tourism Growth is expected to attract thousands of spectators as well as tourists as it did in the past celebrations. Baguio City is now gearing up for the events and the secretariat has released recently the schedule of traditional activities. Panagbenga is a "Kankanaey term for “a season of blooming”.Panagbenga 2012 Major Highlights Panagbenga…
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    Austin Real Estate Secrets

  • Can you Recommend a Good Realtor in Austin?

    Tim Thornton, Greater Austin Area Realtor® ZipRealty, inc.
    24 Jan 2012 | 10:55 pm
    This week I ran into a friend/past client that I have not seen in almost 3 years since I sold one of his homes. He said to me "I have been thinking about you this week. I need to give your name to a friend who is selling his house." It is very interesting because this person had been referred to me by another client and friend after I listed and sold her house and another neighbor's house. In a very short period of months I had been referred to three neighbors and sold all three of their homes. And now, those clients are referring me to their friends and neighbors. More than a few of past…

  • Austin Real Estate Inventory is Low Low Low! Time to Sell!

    Tim Thornton, Greater Austin Area Realtor® ZipRealty, inc.
    23 Jan 2012 | 12:27 pm
    Do you know how low the Austin Real Estate inventory levels are right now? Low. Low. Low. Translation: It's a seller's market and it's time to put your home on the market. Right now. Let's Talk this week! about what your home is worth where you live! Here is detailed information on some key communities in Austin where I focus the majority of my time and resources: Steiner Ranch/River Place/Westminster Glen:(77) Homes For Sale (30) Pending contracts (60) Sold - past 90 days Estimated 3 months of inventory Westlake area:(65) Homes For Sale (13) Pending contracts (39) Sold - past 90 days…

  • Happy Chinese New Year!

    Tim Thornton, Greater Austin Area Realtor® ZipRealty, inc.
    22 Jan 2012 | 12:00 am
    Chinese New Year is one of the most important days in the Asian Calendar. Based on the Lunar Calendar, Chinese New Year is a lot like our Thanksgiving tradition--a celebration of family ties and great food. To my family in Taiwan, my friends in Hong Kong, Singapore, China, Thailand and South East Asia and to my friends here in Austin celebrating the Lunar New Year-- I wish you a very Happy New Year! Tim Thornton, Realtor ®, Austin, Texas.

  • Choose your Lender Wisely, Austin

    Tim Thornton, Greater Austin Area Realtor® ZipRealty, inc.
    18 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pm
    Real Estate lending has gone from sort-of complex to very complicated--during the past few years. It used to be that the rules of lending seemed fairly stable, but now lending has become as dynamic as the property itself. One of my roles as a Realtor is to assist in making the big picture process happen Faster, Better and Easier than you trying to figure out the Austin Real Estate maze alone. The puzzle involves a host of people and businesses--title companies, builders, inspectors, contractors, realtors and of course--mortgage lenders. Although everyone knows how important getting a good…

  • The Austin Golfer: River Place Country Club & Golf Course

    Tim Thornton, Greater Austin Area Realtor® ZipRealty, inc.
    14 Jan 2012 | 8:20 pm
    The newest feature of Austin Real Estate Secrets is: The Austin Golfer. I will be reviewing and giving you my perspective of some of Austin's best and most talked about Golf Courses, Country Clubs and Golf Communities. And it is no coincidence that the first in this new series will start with River Place Country Club and Golf Course--a prominent and recognized community in Austin--known for great golf, wonderful family living and beautiful homes. What more could a person ask for? In Austin, we don't normally call it a River--it's Lake Austin, but River Place is the exception to this and many…
 
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