Technology Transactions
I used to put everyone else’s requests and needs first and if there was any time left over at the end of the day for what I needed and wanted to
View From The Top:Industry Leaders Speak Out
Growing up, do you remember Mom saying “Look both ways when you cross the street and honey, don’t talk to strangers.” Here you are years later talking to strangers every day and even going into vacant houses with them all alone. Lets pretend I’m your Mom for a second, “Honey, if you must talk to strangers use as much caution as possible and be ready to gouge their eyes out of their heads, dear.”
You never need to know anything about a prospective client"s finances. In fact, given the impact of technology you no longer have the leverage to require that they share this information with you. Not only is it none of your business, but you can earn their loyalty and personal referrals in a better way with an approach that is more comfortable for you and for them.
Real estate finance may be the specialty for you. Compared to developing your expertise in negotiating, pricing property or technology, the amazing field of real estate finance can be yours with little cost and a limited investment in time. Here"s what you will need:
While the real estate industry gets more complex and getting transactions completed is more time-consuming, there are a few things you can do to save yourself time, effort and money. If you are a broker, you can provide some or all of these helpful services and products to your agents and use them as a recruiting tool. If you are an agent and your broker doesn"t provide these tools, you need them anyway, so be willing to bite the bullet.
There are many security concerns when it comes to open houses, but your personal safety should be first and foremost. Your seller"s security is also a priority, as an open house is an invitation to strangers to come inside. Not everyone you are going to meet intends to purchase the home, and a few may have criminal intentions.
What lies ahead for us in real estate? The same thing looking forward or looking back—change! Our business is a never-ending cycle of change. The agent who adapts quickly will be the winner. You don’t have to throw out all the rules of how you do business, but you certainly should adopt some new ones to enhance what you are doing. You should still believe in the basics, but add some new basics to your routine.
If you believe much of what you read, then you believe that a great many real estate agents are sitting around wringing their hands and waiting nervously for the next "shoe" to drop, probably right on their heads…
The more that I become familiar with the “Ninja” concept, the more I see it as a “breath of fresh air” for the real estate industry. Whenever I have taught “Ninja Selling” throughout the country, participants feel empowered about a way of working that feels natural and isn’t the latest way to manipulate the consumer. Most importantly, it is a way of working that the majority of practitioners can do with excitement and enthusiasm.
Every year, at about this time, I am often asked by home owners if it is prudent to put their home on the market during the upcoming holiday season, or if they should wait until after the first of the year. My answer, always, is that they should definitely consider putting their home on the market, because November and December offer a higher exposure ratio compared to other months.
The World Trade Center attack is unquestionably the most significant event in the history of the insurance industry. The events of September 11th have sent insurance costs soaring for many companies around the country with large building and property holdings leaving many firms wondering how they can possibly manage the enormous surge in insurance costs. And these rising costs are not simply limited to major metropolitan areas, costs are surging for companies nationwide and many firms are looking for answers to this crisis.
“And in our willingness to step into the unknown, the field of all possibilities, we surrender ourselves to the creative mind that orchestrates the dance of the universe.” Deepak Chopra, M.D.
With some Realtors, you get more than real estate advice. You get to discover your higher self and pass your wellness on to others. Meet Agent News" newest writer, Morgan Cowan, GRI, a Realtor and educator for Deepak Chopra, M.D. Morgan will teach readers how to combine wellness principles with business principles for a more abundant life.
One of the most embarrassing problems that the real estate industry faces is the high failure rate of its new practitioners. According to studies performed by the National Association of REALTORS®, new Realtors drop out at a rate of 86% per year. Only 7% renew their licenses. The reason? Overall, the 76% of the industry earns less than $30,000 per year. Those on a fifty-percent split could earn more flipping burgers.
Americans know that there are codes of conduct regarding the proper display of the American flag, but there may also be some points of etiquette that we don"t know.
I used to put everyone else’s requests and needs first and if there was any time left over at the end of the day for what I needed and wanted to do, that was acceptable. That is until I began to realize that if you and I are going to be effective time managers, we have to stay away from allocating our time solely on the basis of those who demand it. Instead, if you and I are going to be effective time managers, we have to allocate our time on the basis of those who deserve it.
There you go again….the seller is waiting impatiently at home for you to present your buyer’s offer that you’re hurriedly writing up, and you can’t remember how to spell “obfuscate” which your buyer insists must be in the offer because….well, who cares why? He just wants to make a point about something…but you can’t find the office dictionary. If only you knew how to find basic things like this on the Web.
Retro is definitely IN! We’ve seen it in many categories of
Andersonville, Indiana high school freshman Lindsey Murphy is exploring careers and has some interest in selling real estate. Recently she wrote me the following e-mail:
Recently I was reflecting on what it took to be successful in real estate and life. My mind recalled a movie from the early 1980’s called Buckaroo Bonzai. One of the characters in the movie had a saying that caught on in my circle of friends at the time. The saying was “where ever you go…there you are.” Now it was a cute little saying at the time, but the truth is most of us have to struggle to live it.
One of the most difficult tasks in life is defining your purpose.
Seattle-area agents are reviewing their own safety procedures after news broke that seasoned 40-year-old Windermere agent Michael Emert was murdered January 5th, 2001 in a Woodinville home listed for sale. While investors close in a suspect, information such as whether Mr. Emert was showing the home or previewing it for a buyer, is being withheld by authorities.
You have chosen real estate as your career and you are very excited about all the possibilities. You are ready to get going. You just know that you will be successful because you are not afraid of work. Why do so many get off track? Make good choices and you will realize your goals.
Most agents begin their real estate career with the hope of gaining financial independence. They are attracted by the possibility of earning large sums of money. Even when agents make more than a six-figure income, the vast majority have not dramatically improved their financial balance sheet. After looking at hundreds of agents’ P&L statements and personal spending habits, I’ve determined that real estate agents are poorly prepared for financial independence. Why should real estate agents be any different from the American population in general?
Managers ask their agents to have a business plan, but it is amazing to me that managers don’t have really concrete, easy to see plans for their offices. When I started managing an office, I knew what my company expected of me, but I didn’t have anything that was specific in terms of when and what I was going to do. So, I developed an easy plan that worked really well for me. Read on.
How would you feel if you were fighting a traffic ticket and your lawyer calls you the morning of the trial and advises you that s/he can’t appear at trail with you? Of course s/he has briefed the City attorney and assures you that your side will be presented to the judge.
We try so hard to make sure our buyer client is protected and that they are getting the home they deserve. However, there are times when we might be a little over zealous.
When you are new you should be trying all kinds of prospecting, but the most important for long term, non-burnout, is a geographical farm. I have heard many trainers say this takes too long to get business. My response is that it takes longer because it lasts longer. It will be the bread and butter of your business in good and bad times. Build your career with a foundation of geographical area prospecting or “farming.”
Marketing new homes online is no different than existing homes. Or is it? There are some differences that you need to know, whether you are a Realtor representing one or more builders and their properties, or whether you are builder"s agent working for one builder.
Because the timeline is speeded up for a relocation, you have to work smarter, not harder.
When you"re trying to build a business online, it pays to know the people who are already know how to get around on the Net. Many of these agents are also trainers, and these trainers are former agents, and they are happy to share their insights with you.
Editorials don"t come with guarantees, but if you and your agents will follow the advice outlined by Arizona attorney and risk management consultant Robert Bass, you can significantly reduce your liability exposure.
The median price in the South was $167,200, down 7.1 percent from a year ago.
Starting a career in real estate is challenging at best. Many enter the field in middle age when the "kids are grown," or when they have retired or abandoned other careers. Some people get licensed hoping to "dabble" in real estate while they continue other interests. Others enter the profession fresh out of school, or they by-pass a university education in favor of community college real estate courses to get quickly into a career. Some of these folks may do very well if they have the determination, financial cushion and skills to make a go of it. Most, however, fail, with as many as 85 percent dropping out of the business the first year. Fifteen of remaining agents don"t renew their licenses. Where will you end up? As a wash-out? Or, will you be a high-steppin" multi-million dollar producer?
I am a pretty intense person at times and this does sometimes play havoc with relationships as well as health. As I did some real soul searching just prior to the holidays I came up with some thoughts I"d like to share with you, many of which I gleaned from others. These will result in a much happier, more prosperous new year.
The Internet poses a very real opportunity for REALTORS® to raise the performance bar. Although the costs of doing business are allegedly cheaper on the Internet, the reality is that the Internet poses an expensive learning curve for all industries, not to mention the individual practitioners of real estate.
In an effort to get organized and stay organized, every office - even your office at home, needs a filing system. The following information may prove useful to you in the event you are ever called upon to search your own paper trail or in the event you are called upon to be a professional witness regarding a real estate transaction.
Most agents know deep down inside that they need to do a better job of
Certainly the impressive figures cited by listing aggregators such as
Like Freud"s famous question regarding women, REALTORS® often ask
Whether you realize it or not, new information is coming to you daily that subliminally or consciously impacts your perceptions and performance as a REALTOR®. It is your choice to accept it, analyze it, and decide whether this data is important enough to make a change in how you do things, or change you as a person and the way others perceive you.
Business can make for some strange bedfellows, especially among those that sleep together. There are successful husband and wife teams who work together beautifully and others who appear to bring out the worst in each other. What are the benefits vs. the pitfalls of working together?
Real estate agents do not have time to conduct extensive training seminars for
You know the look. The FSBO (For Sale By Owner) opens the door. You introduce yourself. And that look comes over his/her face. That tired, "you are nothing better than a thief here to steal all my hardearned equity and who needs you anyway" look.
The trend of second home buying for well-heeled homeowners is definitely worth noting, and there may be real opportunity for REALTORS® who serve areas with swimming, boating, golf and other recreational amenities to sell their clients second homes or vacation homes as their clients plan for retirement.
A train wreck is an other-worldly event.
The shake-up of Canada"s home improvement retailing industry continued last week with the announcement that Montreal-based Rona Inc. will purchase Revy Home Centres, a network of 50 hardware and building materials stores. The purchase price will be about $220-million when the deal closes in early July.
With a number of mortgage reform bills in Washington now under consideration, it"s interesting to see what progressive consumers and business folk can pull off by working together.
It has been intriguing in recent weeks to hear various pronouncements saying that the current housing downturn is done, finished and history. Forbes, as one example, flatly tells us that "the housing market is about to hit bottom." Not to be outdone, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson told CNBC that the housing slide is "largely contained."
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have come up with a new idea that may cut consumer settlement costs by a billion dollars annually and maybe a lot more. This is good news for buyers and sellers, but in an odd way it"s likely to make some folks unhappy.
Since the Internet first became commercially viable in the 1990s it"s been driven largely by a single principle, the idea of pushing prices to zero. If you can make money by not charging then you"ve likely got a winner.
For as long as anyone can remember the only form of listing allowed in local MLS systems has been the "exclusive right to sell" agreement.
Imagine if someone said, let"s raise $1.8 billion and use that money to create more affordable housing opportunities. That would be a hugely impressive project, a winner for everyone.
The news that new home starts dropped 7.4 percent in April raises two interesting puzzles: Why the decline and what does it mean?
Here"s the most amazing statistic: The United States -- traditionally the bread basket of the world -- was a net importer of food in 2005.
You knew it was coming. A just-issued 2,652-page report by former New Hampshire Senator Warren Rudman details the world inside Fannie Mae and the drive to produce financial results that would satisfy stock analysts.
The care and concern that erupted after Hurricane Katrina is beginning to give way to a harsh reality: A city of 460,000 people has been largely demolished and now comes the unromantic matter of figuring out who owes what to whom.
"You cannot completely trust the advice your broker gives you," said Christopher J. Mayer, a professor of real estate at Columbia Business School. "You have to become more educated as a buyer." Why a Real Estate Agent May Skip the Extra Mile, The New York Times, February 20, 2005
At a time when home values in most areas are appreciating at a rapid pace, the key to sustaining property sales and rising home values is the monthly mortgage payment. Hold down monthly costs and strong sales are virtually assured -- just look at the rates seen during the past two years, and then consider where sale volume would be if rates were 8, 9 or 10 percent.
The reported thinking in Washington which suggests that it may be time to end the interest write-off for up to $100,000 in home equity financing is a non-starter, a political suicide mission in a city where taking care of one"s own political hide is always a first priority.
I went to one of the new home builders in Palm Beach county two years ago and they offered a three-bedroom house for around $150K. Now the price for the same house is $280K. What"s going on here?
For the past several years real estate prices in my community, like many, have risen with a speed and certainty that has been a delight to behold. Now the government is getting even with vast assessment increases that will lead to steep increases in property taxes.
It used to be that real estate regulation was an insider"s game, something that existed in large measure to protect brokers and salespeople from competition. To understand just how friendly the system was, consider these gems from the 1967 edition of the real estate laws in the District of Columbia:
The .25 percent rise in the Federal Reserve Board"s discount and federal funds rates are neither dramatic nor unexpected. Bright people, and even Wall Street analysts, have been expecting such increases for months.
You couldn"t beat the last week of April for happy real estate news. While 2004 was supposed to be a year of modest home sales and somewhat higher interest rates, what we"re seeing this year -- so far -- is stunningly upbeat in many areas of the country.
Mortgage Rates Trend Lower In January
Here"s a real shocker -- several recent studies now say that if you live in a suburban community which relies on cars and SUVs you"re likely to weigh more and die earlier than those who reside in cities where people walk more frequently.
While there has been much debate regarding what broker data to post online, how to post it, and who should do the posting, little has been said about the pros and cons of forming instant client relationships on the Internet.
With the federal government and many states now running at a deficit, it"s little wonder that local bureaucrats are eying the Internet as a potent source of new revenue. The idea is to tax online retail sales, not a bad thought when you consider that one alternative might be still-higher property taxes.
Mortgage Rates Remain Flat
For a number of years Wall Street analysts, futurists, and astrologers have been extolling the wonders of the coming Internet era, and with good reason: The Internet surely has value.
It"s common advice for those new to real estate sales: Pick up the phone. Call local homes 100 times a day, every day, to find listings and buyer clients.
Reaching far beyond Manhattan, Washington, and Pennsylvania, the terrorist attacks of September 11th have also impacted California-based Homestore.com. On Wednesday, company shares (Nasdaq: HOMS) dropped as low as $5.66 following reduced third-quarter estimates. The stock closed at $6.20, down $.85 (12.06%) for the day.
Since late August Homestore shares have been below their $20 IPO price, a reduction in value which follows widespread market losses on Wall Street. But while some Homestore woes are plainly the result of overall Wall Street trends,
"Low hanging fruit" is a shorthand expression, the idea that some sales are so easy, so obvious, that they"re virtually automatic. Hot dogs at a ball game, the need for a plumber when the hot water heater goes, and title insurance when a home changes hands are all examples of low hanging fruit.
Shares for Homestore.com, Inc. (Nasdaq: HOMS), operator of Realtor.com, closed down nearly 10 percent Friday following a research report by Merrill Lynch"s Henry Blodget, the Wall Street analyst who in 1998 said that Amazon shares would rise to $400 apiece -- and they did.
As the weather improves, homeowners start to tackle a major home improvement project: fixing or replacing their roof. Often this is a job that homeowners delay doing because it can be a pricey, tedious process.
It"s time to buy and at the magic moment there is an exchange of paperwork.
Here"s the good news: New appliance standards from the Energy Department will cut fuel usage and save American consumers $19 billion over 30 years.
Wouldn"t you like to know that the person appraising your home is competent and able?
Peter G. Miller
Peter G. Miller
Peter G. Miller
Bob Stahl reports that the sales volume in the Greater Phoenix area resale market improved in February, with 3,700 recorded sales compared to 3,300 in January.
Equity?
Peter G. Miller
Peter G. Miller
Peter G. Miller
Question: I just joined a major lender and I"ve been told that most of our mortgages are scheduled interest. This means if a borrower pays additional principal one month it will be taken off the back end of the loan and the prepayment will not change the loan"s amortization schedule. Is this true or just bad information to get people into our simple interest loans?
Question: As a first time new home buyer, my wife and I are interested in how you feel the mortgage debacle will impact buyers across the board.
Question: I found a house through the newspaper. Since no broker has shown me the home or done anything for me related to the property, can I go directly to the listing broker and ask for the half of the commission that a broker would have earned had he done his job?
Question: I was wondering about people who sell their homes at a loss. Can you write off the loss as a deduction against income? Are there any other options that make the loss less painful?
Question: My ex-boyfriend and I own a house as tenants in common but our relationship ended more than two years ago. What"s the best way for the house to be placed solely in his name so that I am no longer responsible for the loan? He has a title company asking me to sign a "deed of gift," claiming that there are no tax consequences for me. Everything I have read indicates that I would have to pay taxes if I sign a gift deed. The house was originally purchased for $230,000 and was recently appraised at $700,000.
Question: After taking the last walk-through tour I closed on my house. Everything seemed fine. All the upgraded appliances (Stove/oven, Microwave and Dishwasher) were installed. I was handed the keys to the house the next day at about 4 PM. I did not go to inspect the house on the day of settlement but the next day when I went to the house at about 6.30 PM all the appliances (stove/oven, microwave and dishwasher) were gone from the house. I filed a police report. The officer inspected the house and found out that there was no sign of a break-in, no windows were broken or unlocked and all the locks were intact. He made a report but also suggested that I talk to the builder.
Question: What portion of legal expenses are permitted in a 1031 exchange if the lawyer handles everything: Selling the property, reviewing loan fees, escrowing fees, legal issues, and acquisition of other properties not included in the listing of three replacement properties.
Question: I live in Colorado and have a home that may be foreclosed because of decreased income from a job change. If my property is foreclosed will I be responsible for paying the difference between what the bank sells the home for and any remaining mortgage balance?
Some people might assume that with the overall real estate market down, investors in single family rental homes are fewer and fewer in number.
Question: My girlfriend and I just bought a house. Since I have a better credit score than her, I was the one who applied for the loan and was put on the title alone. My girlfriend pays half of the mortgage. How can I add my girlfriend to the title of the house?
Question: I"m planing on flipping a townhouse in Florida. Do you thing I will be able to make a profit on this property? I"m paying $340,000 for the townhouse.
Question: Three years ago my husband became very ill and stopped working. We couldn"t handle the mortgage payments, so I asked my brother and his roommate to transfer the house to their names just until we were really to get the house back and they agreed. We continued living in the house and making the payments. Now, my brother and his roommate do not talk to each other and we want the house back, but the roommate does not answer my phone calls.
Question: After our marriage, my husband was approved for a home loan in which he is the only borrower. After finding the house, my husband wanted to have my name on the title also, but the lender wanted me to submit my passport and permanent resident card (I"m not a citizen yet). However, my passport was expired because it has not been used since I had a permanent resident card. I need to wait for a passport renewal.
Question: I"m getting ready to purchase a new home and found out the rental investments (four of them) on my credit report are driving my score low. What"s the best way out of this. Should I set up a company to hold these companies?
Realty Times contributor, Broderick Perkins, says prices in California have been hit hard, with the median price on a single family home down 26 percent from a year ago.
Question: I"m in the process of applying for a full documentation mortgage. I have submitted all my required tax forms, stubs, and bank info. My question concerns electronic signatures: Isn"t there a security threat to consumers when companies accept electronic signatures? Suppose my loan officer purposely inflates my income to qualify me without my knowing it? Since everything is done electronically, what safeguards are there? Is there any way I can find what has been submitted to underwriters?
Question: I have been offered a chance to purchase 5 acres of land. The seller had purchased 40 acres on a land contract, and the house on that land is in need of repair. To make the repairs he wants to sell 5 acres. Can he sell this property without sub-dividing it?
Question: I own a two-family house and want to sell it fast. I"m not in a position to go through the hassle of hiring a broker and showing it every day. How can I find a reputable investment company and would this route be advisable? Would I lose much in profit?
Question: I own a condo worth $180,000 (mortgage free). Due to my elderly parents health I am considering moving in with them to care for them. (They live in the same complex.) I find myself with two options: sell my condo outright and invest the money in a safe CD or rent the unit. The first plan might bring in $5,500 in interest. Renting would bring in $8,500 after taxes and association fees. Should I consider other factors beside the numerical figures? I also co-own my parents condo with them.
Question: We"re selling our primary residence. We"ll clear about $475,000 when all is done. We also own two rentals. We want to refinance and pay one house down, but we"re not sure which house to pay down. The house we want to live in has a $265,000 mortgage while the rental has a $165,000 mortgage. If we pay down the rental, then cashflow from that property will more than pay the mortgage for our replacement home. Which should we pay off?
Question: Our broker has agreed to cancel our 180-day listing contract two months early. However she is now telling us that she won"t release us from the contract unless we pay her marketing expenses.
Question: I have a house with a market value of $520,000. A friend of mine wants to buy a 50 percent interest in the house. He is planning on taking a loan of $280,000 to pay off the current loan and for some repairs. He will make all mortgage and property tax payments. I will not live in the house, he and his family will. Can we create this arrangement with quitclaim deeds?
Question: I"m a Navy officer on active duty. I purchased home #1 in 1999, lived in it for three years, was transferred to another state, and then rented the property from 2002-2004. We purchased home #2, which I have been living in for the last three years. We sold home #1 in April 2004 for a moderate profit. We are planning to sell home #2 this summer due to my deployment to the Persian Gulf and my subsequent transfer shortly thereafter. Am I going to be forced to pay capital gains tax on one of the two homes because, the sale of two homes is within two years?
With an economy that has flat-lined, but plagued with more high level jobs than qualified employees, the condo market in Hawaii is showing surprising strength. The Honolulu Star Bulletin reports February was a very good month for condo sellers with prices outpacing February a year ago as high as 19 percent in Kauai to $565,000.
Question: I currently own a property worth around 500K but I bought it for 300K two years ago. Since I have 200K in equity I was thinking about taking out an equity line of credit for about 100K, leaving 20 percent in my current property. With this 100K, I would like to spend 60K (10 percent) as a down payment for a 600K new home. I would then use the other 40K to subsidize some of my income to make the new mortgage payment and at the same time give me a little spare cash in case my current residence doesn"t rent. I estimate that the 40K will subsidize my income for about three years. I am hoping that in three years time my new primary and rental homes" values would have risen enough to allow me continue this same process. Is my thought process sound? Is three years a good time frame?
Question: I"ve been working overseas and next year will probably be my last. I"ve owned a home in the U.S. for six years and can pay off the mortgage in a few months. I will probably sell the property in the next five years.
Question: In looking carefully at our rental home we found evidence of water problems. We told the landlord, but he took no action to resolve the matter. Then we had a massive rainstorm and the basement flooded with six feet of water. Our possessions in that area of the house were submerged. We value our loss at $50,000 -- but our renter"s insurance does not cover flooding. The local housing authority has found numerous code violations. What can we do?
Question: My husband and I built a new home last November. However, after being here for a short while we both miss country living. I"ve heard different points of views on selling so soon after building. How long should we live here before selling? We are both medical professionals. Our mortgage guy told us that we would have a penalty for refinancing before three years. Does that mean the same if we sell before that time? Also, we have had a former bankruptcy and are about three years out. Our credit is building back and we were able to get a building loan. We"d really like to move to the country but don"t want a hefty penalty.
Question: How are closing costs figured and how do we know if we"re getting the best deal? For instance, friends of our purchased a home recently for $350k with closing costs of $4k. I was quoted $7.5 to $8.3k in closing costs on a $385k mortgage, but was told that number can be negotiated. What should we expect?
In February of 2008, the Oregon Legislature overwhelmingly passed SB1080, a bill that prevents illegal immigrants from obtaining an Oregon driver"s license. The Governor signed the bill into law on the 19th of February. This bill was passed to prevent driver"s license fraud, as well as to comply with the first steps necessary for homeland security regulations.
Question: I"m a first-time home buyer earning approximately $100,000 in the NYC region. Although the interest rates are low, prices have escalated so quickly that I"m concerned I don"t have quite enough to cover the cost of a home. I"m only seeking a two or three bedroom townhome in Staten Island, yet prices often exceed $350,000.
Question: I have been renting in a major metro area. Last year I decided to research buying a home. I was utterly shocked at the cost of housing. For example, a drafty 5-room starter home built in 1920, in need of work, located well outside of the city, goes for a quarter million. The house that I grew up in is worth well over 300k (my parents paid 39k for it in 1977) and anything close to the city (within an hour) -- forget it.
Question: I am a real estate salesperson who listed a 1-bedroom, 1-bath condo last March. It"s still for sale. Two people have looked at it-- in total. We have lowered the price two times and have offered a $1,000 bonus to the agent who brings a buyer. Nobody is even calling. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Question: We have a contract on a home in California which has now been destroyed by the recent fires. Does the sale still take place? The structure was insured recently for 380k and the house sold for 570k. The land might be worth about 350-400k by itself.
Question: What does the term "under contract" mean?
Whether or not you have the vision of Frank Lloyd Wright, or don"t know a casement window from a double-hung, you can now create window and wall designs from thousands of possible combinations that reflect your own personal style.
Question: We purchased a timeshare in 1989 and have been trying to sell it for 6 years. It is listed at 25% of purchase price with no takers. We asked the company we bought it from if we could give it back to them for nothing and they refused! Can we just donate the property to a charity?
Question: I have a buyer and they offered a very good price, perhaps a bit higher than a house of this size and neighborhood has ever fetched. Maybe the low age and excellent condition and extras justify this. Just before the offer, mortgage rates were lower than ever in recent memory, but now they have jumped .75 - 1.5%, which I suppose may erode the value. If I get a lower number from an assessor than our agreed price, and the lender insists on 100% assessed valuation, what are my options as a seller?
Question: We are purchasing a home. An offer has been negotiated and accepted. Earnest money has been paid. Friday was the home inspection which passed except for the need to replace the roof.
We have done a great job of polluting this world. Over the years, industry has poured millions of gallons of pollution into our drinking water and rivers. And industrial smoke stacks have belched tons and tons of harmful materials into the air that we all need to breathe.
Thank goodness oil prices pulled back this week, falling as much as $9 a barrel over two days. Consumers needed a break, but that doesn"t mean concern about energy prices is going away.
Dallas homeowners are between a rock and a hard place.
Thirty-one percent of top executives interviewed in a survey by the Business Roundtable said most will cut payrolls in the next few months. By how much is not known, but one thing is for certain -- they won"t cut their own pay.
If it feels to you like the flood of foreclosures is never going to end, there"s signs of hope coming from an unlikely place. According to the broker-owned Realcomp, housing sales in foreclosure-drenched Detroit and Wayne County are up for the fifth consecutive month.
It"s a housing market that"s being measured not in sales, but in the rate of decline. Finally there"s some good news for sellers -- a floor is forming for some of the most volatile markets.
One of the side effects of a slowing market is reduced liquidity. Home prices make selling less attractive, which has resulted in many people choosing to rent their homes instead. But these accidental landlords have a thing or two to learn.
Consumer confidence is at a 16-year low, says the Conference Board. Hit hard by high gas prices, lower housing prices, and rising medical and food bills, consumers had the bleakest expectations for jobs and inflation for the next 12 months since 1982.
Remember the Department of Justice lawsuit against the National Association of Realtors" Virtual Office Website policy? It was filed back in September 2005, and has been draggin" on ever since.
If you"re a home buyer sitting on the sidelines for the deal of the century, you may be kidding yourself. That dream home you"re waiting to buy when the housing slump is over is likely to be smaller, plainer, and more expensive later than today"s homes.