Beware of Bad Advice About Foreclosure - 02/28/08 10:45 AM
A very disturbing and potentially damaging trend seems to be emerging in several real estate markets across the country. Especially those markets with flat or even declining values. The trend? Well, it seems that some very less than scrupulous folks have resorted to promoting foreclosure to people wishing to move
(2 comments)
|
Long Island Housing Slump? Homeowners Don't Believe It - 02/28/08 10:40 AM
Despite numerous reports showing home values in historic decline, more than three out of four homeowners believe their own home has not lost value in the past year, according to an online survey. The survey was conducted by Harris Interactive for Zillow.com, a Web site that gives estimated home values.
(0 comments)
|
A Quick Home Inspection Checklist - 02/25/08 10:00 AM
With home prices dropping in many areas, home inspectors are finding more and more homes which are less maintained today than they were in the past. Home buyers are cautioned to keep this in mind when searching for a home, and use this quick home inspection list as a reference when
(2 comments)
|
Can't Make the Mortgage Payment? Just Walk Away? - 02/19/08 03:05 PM
More and more borrowers are watching their house values sink while the cost of their loans skyrockets. What to do? It appears that some are opting to skip out on the mortgage all together. Homeowners are abandoning their homes and, more importantly, their mortgages, rather than trying to keep up
(3 comments)
|
Warning to Sellers: Don't Overdo! - 02/16/08 10:08 PM
With the housing market continuing to weaken, many sellers are going beyond the usual cleaning, painting and "staging" with flowers and pillows, by taking on big-ticket projects. Some experts warn that sellers are unlikely to get their money back from extensive renovations. But owners often feel they have no choice if
(4 comments)
|
Most Middle Class Workers Still Can't Afford a Home - 02/12/08 09:16 AM
Despite the housing slump, most middle income workers still don't earn enough to buy a median-priced home in their hometowns, according to the Center for Housing Policy. The center, an arm of the affordable housing advocacy group the National Housing Conference (NHC), compared housing costs in 201 metro areas with the
(2 comments)
|
Who Does Your Agent Work For? - 02/11/08 10:01 AM
Today, many states have enacted laws to help protect and educate buyers. Most real estate agents are required to disclose whom they work for. The disclosure may take place at your first face-to-face meeting, during a phone call, or by e-mail, but it should always be made before a real
(2 comments)
|
When is the Best Time to Buy Real Estate? - 02/11/08 09:55 AM
Buy when times are hard. Buy when blood is running in the streets. Buy after a flood, blizzard, riot. During such times, insurance firms and banks have properties they don't want. Owners are also desperate, as they suffer the anxieties of having to feed a white elephant. Winter and summer
(0 comments)
|
Selling Your Home? First Impressions Do Count - 02/08/08 09:56 AM
The first impression your property makes on potential buyers is vital to the success in selling your house, so it is important to make the buyer's first impression of it count. Of utmost importance will be the visual aspects of your home, especially the front yard and the entrance to the
(3 comments)
|
Will Rate Cuts Kill the Housing Market? - 02/08/08 09:52 AM
The latest rate cut from the Fed was again good news for the stock market. Unlike the last several Fed moves, however, this one didn't make mortgage borrowers very happy. The Fed has cut interest rates quickly and dramatically in recent weeks and months, and the entire yield curve has responded.
(1 comments)
|
Four Easy Home Improvements - 02/06/08 10:14 AM
If your house needs a makeover, but remodeling is beyond your reach, try these four simple fixes: Touch-up exteriors. Repainting the trim and front door of your house can significantly boost its curb appeal. This kind of retouching work is easy on the budget and can be done in just a
(2 comments)
|
Foreclosures Up 75% in 2007 - 02/06/08 10:08 AM
The number of foreclosures soared in 2007, with 405,000 households losing their home, according to a report released recently. That's up 51 percent from the 268,532 homes that were repossessed in 2006. Total foreclosure filings soared 97% in December alone compared with December of 2006, according to RealtyTrac, an online seller
(3 comments)
|