A 3.8 Percent “Sales Tax” on Your Home Sale?!... What's Facts & What's Fiction!... - 09/30/11 08:59 PM
This was an interesting subject - sales tax on home sales as a result of Obama care. The article goes on to clarify that for the most part the sale of a personal residence will be exempt. What about investors. What about the concept of investing in real estate for your retirement? Now when you sell those investment properties to fund you golden years, they might well be taxed Thanks to the Three Stooges in Washington. Via Phyllis Lerner, Realtor - Broker / Owner - Westchester County NY (William Raveis Legends Realty Group LLC): A 3.8 Percent “Sales
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Home Staging Consult - "I Wish We had Done This Sooner!" - 09/30/11 02:21 PM
Selling your home is as much the agents job to market, as it is the home owners job to present the product in the best possible light. You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Staging is not a total renovation. It's seeing the little detractors and eliminating them. It's a touch up here, a focal point there. Sharon illustrates how simply you can transform a negative into a positive in this tip packed blog. Via Sharon Tara New Hampshire Home Stager (Sharon Tara Transformations): Via Sharon Tara New Hampshire Home Stager (Sharon Tara Transformations): As a Home
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WANT A GOOD LAUGH?...Dozens OF Financial Institutions Are Being Sued By The Federal Government!!! - 09/30/11 02:14 PM
Just when you think you've heard it all --- there is more to hear. The Federal Government is suing financial institutions for selling bad paper. The biggest offender - Countrywide is no longer in existence. Sue Bank of America while you are at it for knowingly buying Countrywide's bad paper with taxpayer money. Sue Bank of America for failing to negotiate loan modifications or short sales in good faith. Those actions have hurt the American public more than selling a bunch of bad paper to unsuspecting investors. As Paula points out in her excellent blog - the proceeds from
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BRING THE BOAT AND PACK UP THE KIDS - 09/29/11 11:30 AM
Wayne County Pa offers Lake access, water sports, fishing, and outdoor activities just waiting for you to discover. Don't just dream about owning a home in a lake community - prices and interest rates will never be lower. Wayne County Pa offers a myriad of lakes and communities. There is bound to be one perfect for you. Wayne County Pa lake communities can offer a wealth of family activities at very reasonable prices. Vacation living in the Poconos can be year round for the entire family. See homes in Wayne County Pa just Click on BRING THE
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Preparing your home to ‘Get it Sold’ - 09/29/11 09:28 AM
If you are selling a home in today's market the competition is fierce. The old standby "Location Location Location" is no longer the greatest slogan to use. Condition Condition Condition is more or equally as important as the location. Once you decide to sell your home, do not think of it as, YOUR HOME any more. It has become a commodity. Do necessary repairs, de-clutter your home and depersonalize it. Here is a great blog from a fellow Realtor in Florida. No matter where the market is - the message is still the same. Via Christine Selzler Realtor Davenport Florida Homes
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Animal - Vegetable - or - Mineral? --A Pa Court Will Decide If Shale Is A Mineral - 09/27/11 09:42 AM
Let's see - Animal - Vegetable or Mineral - It's been awhile since I played this game. A diamond is a mineral. Coal is a mineral. Gas is a mineral. Is a rock a mineral? The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania may have to decide whether it is or not. The Marcellus Shale deposits located in North East Pennsylvania have been the subject of both adulation and damnation. These deposits represent one of the largest fields of natural gas discovered in our country. Some experts predict the fields will supply gas for a hundred years. Before the nature of
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214,096 AR Members Can Make A Difference - Pitch In During October - 09/27/11 12:31 AM
October is National Breast Cancer Month. Having faced this battle more than once, I am very supportive of any initiative which promotes education, prevention and ultimately a cure.
I'm reblogging a blog Sally and David Hanson posted this evening. Let's see as 200K strong we can't reach out to clients, friends, family, coworkers and social acquaintances. If we each reach out to just one person who is diagnosed early - we've saved 200,000 lives. My best piece of advice for anyone - man or woman facing this disease - is to seek out the highest level of competent care
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Moscow Pa Homes With Room To Romp - 09/26/11 08:53 PM
Every one would like a little elbow room when they get home. Space for the kids to romp. Lawns with green grass, trees and flowers in the garden. Lots of room for those barbeques and touch football games. North Pocono schools and an easy access to major highways. Take a look at all the homes boasting an acre or more of land in the Moscow area. Click on the link - ROOM TO ROMP
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Old Forge Pa Bargain Priced Homes - 09/25/11 11:17 PM
OLD FORGE PA BARGAIN PRICED HOMES Looking to take advantage of great deals now available on the market? Bank owned properties offer a great selection even if your budget is modest. Get them before they are gone. Take a peek at some very reasonably priced homes in Old Forge Pa. click the link below to see what's currently available BARGAIN PRICED HOMES
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Scranton Pa Bargain Priced Homes - 09/25/11 10:46 PM
Bargain Priced Homes In Scranton Pa. Looking to take advantage of great deals now available on the market? Bank owned properties offer a great selection even if your budget is modest. Get them before they are gone. Take a peek at some very reasonably priced homes in Scranton Pa. just use the link below to see a current list of homes. BARGAIN PRICED HOMES
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It's Easy To Blame Defaulting Homeowners For The Mortgage Meltdown - 09/25/11 06:54 PM
Since this housing melt down started I've heard a chorus of callous individuals who want to blame homeowners for the entire debacle. I get angry when I hear the struggling homeowners knowingly bought more than they could afford. They have been demonized by those who only have one finger to point at a time. The meltdown was brought about by inter related agencies and corporations. Standing tall for not having the foresight to see where this was leading was our own Federal Government. Another Active Rain Realtor provided this interesting blog concerning the blame game. Via J. Philip Faranda (J. Philip
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WHAT IF YOU DID GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD THEN WHAT? - 09/25/11 04:29 PM
I came across this blog and found it thought provoking. Perhaps you will enjoy it as well. I know Warren Buffet has vowed to spend all his money before he dies. His sister Doris lives in Fredericksburg Va where I used to live. She carries on a charity endeavor and is known as the Sunshine Lady. Via Richie Naggar Ran Right Realty Riverside, Ca: The gap between the rich and the poor is taking on Grand Canyon dynamics. Tens of millions of people have now joined the falling/failing middle class and are entering the poverty class. Now, the picture one has
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States with the highest foreclosure rates in 2011 - 09/23/11 12:37 AM
Looking around our communities we feel our real estate market is being dominated by foreclosures. A recent blog by a fellow agent in Florida revealed the top 10 foreclosure states. Thankfully Pennsylvania is not on the list. While our market has been impacted we are not seeing the drastic numbers shared by other states. Via Stephanie Leon - Miami Lakes Real Estate Expert (Avanti Way Realty): Foreclosure filings, defined as a default notice, auction sale notice, or bank repossession show a 4 percent decrease in July from June, and a 35 percent decrease from the same period a year
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A Simple Explanation Of The Federal Reserve Statement (September 21, 2011 Edition) - 09/21/11 06:49 PM
On September 21, 2011, the Federal Open Market Committee met to determine whether interest rates would change. I ran across this blog by Daryl Mitchell which explained the results of that meeting in a nutshell. Via Daryl Mitchell (Legacy Mutual Mortgage): by Daryl Mitchell Wednesday, the Federal Open Market Committee voted to leave the Fed Funds Rate unchanged within its current target range of 0.000-0.250 percent. The vote was 7-3 — the second straight meeting at which the FOMC adjourned with as many 3 dissenters. Prior to that last meeting, there hadn’t been 3 FOMC dissenters since 1992. In its
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Do You Own Your Home? - You May Not If The Robot Signed Your Docs - 09/21/11 10:08 AM
Recently the National Association of Realtors circulated a story I saw on the wire.It seems that Robo signing of documents around the United States has led to paperwork discrepancies in real estate transactions. The current owner of the home may not in fact own it, if the documents filed are robo signed. What happens when they want to sell their home or refinance? At the same time the banks who hold mortgages on homes in default may not legally be able to foreclose on them because of robo signatures. We have already heard that banks who acquired mortgages
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Economic Conditions Find Families Joining Forces in Scranton Pa - 09/21/11 09:24 AM
A fellow Active Rain Realtor posted this blog regarding the changing climate of real estate. In the Scranton Pa area this scenario is one we see often. During hard economic times families often join forces and share living expenses. Parents are looking for housing which can accommodate their grown children and possibly grandchildren. To search for homes in the Scranton Area click here Call The Sisters Via Barbara Hensley, Homes for Sale, Luxury, Acreage, Waterfront, Golf Course,Ranches (RE/MAX Hometown, Rockwall, Heath, Royse City, Rowlett, Texas): Economic Times Impact Family Structure | Changing Real Estate Market | Search MLS | Rockwall County Hello Muddah,
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Restaurant Bar for sale Poconos Pa -Fully Equipped - Liquor Lic -Owner Financing - 09/21/11 07:53 AM
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GM Cars And Trucks Are NOT American! - 09/20/11 06:24 PM
I went out looking at new Chevy trucks last week. I went to Silvesters in Peckville, Pa, a local GM dealer where Jayne and I have bought several cars. General Motors that company we the American tax payer bailed out and saved. The one who closed dealerships around the country and put more people out of jobs while they were restructuring the company. That alone had me particularly ticked off when it happened. Many of those dealerships were a staple in the local communities they serviced. Many were family owned and prided themselves on repeat business from their loyal
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IS THIS DUMB OR WHAT? - 09/16/11 08:24 PM
A fellow Re/Max agent posted this blog and I thought I would share it. Really made me stop and think. Seems incredible when you read it, that we are allowing these circumstances to continue unabated. Via Webster, Ma Conrad Allen, Realtor (Re/Max Professional Asociates): LET'S SEE IF I GOT THIS CORRECT - - - 3 American Hikers in The NEWS ------------------------------------------------------------------- IF YOU CROSS THE NORTH KOREAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET 12 YEARS HARD LABOR. IF YOU CROSS THE IRANIAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU ARE DETAINED INDEFINITELY. IF YOU CROSS THE AFGHAN BORDER ILLEGALLY, YOU GET SHOT. IF YOU CROSS THE SAUDI
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Lackawanna County Pa Foreclosures For Sale - 09/16/11 08:01 PM
Lackawanna County Pa Foreclosures For Sale Here is an up to date list of foreclosures in Lackawanna County Pa. Properties currently offered as foreclosures offer a variety of homes in many price ranges. Some need extensive work. Others are move in condition. Whatever you are looking for you can find it by clicking the Lackawanna County Pa Foreclosures link. The link is refreshed each time you click. Come back and check it out as often as you like. Many foreclosures can be financed with traditional bank financing. Others will require special financing options. Still others are only available to
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North Pocono Schools Pa Homes For Sale - 09/16/11 07:29 PM
How can I do a search to see all the homes available in the North Pocono School District? It might surprise folks to know that Jayne and I get asked that question frequently. Oh, not just the North Pocono school district. We get asked by parents to look specifically for homes in a particular school district. Everyone has a reason why they want to stay within the boundaries of a school district. PERHAPS ITS THE FOOTBALL TEAM OR THE MARCHING BAND Parents with older children often wish
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Can I Find Homes For Sale In The Valley View School District in Pa? - 09/15/11 09:30 PM
How can I do a search in Pa to see all the homes available in the Valley View School District? It might surprise folks to know that Jayne and I get asked that question frequently. Oh, not just the Valley View school district. We get asked by parents to look specifically for homes in a particular school district. Everyone has a reason why they want to stay within the boundaries of a school district. PERHAPS ITS THE FOOTBALL TEAM OR THE MARCHING BAND Parents with older children often wish to upgrade their homes, but not uproot their children from
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Meet ME In The Stairwell - A 9/11 Remembrance - 09/15/11 03:18 PM
I rarely publish things which circulate on the Internet. This is an exception, because I believe it is exceptional and worth sharing. One of my Active Rain members posted this in remembrance of 9/11. Via Than Maynard Managing Broker 405-527-3012 (Coldwell Banker Heart of Oklahoma):
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View This Moving Video Tribute For The 10th Anniversary Of 9/11 - 09/11/11 06:55 PM
Every now and then an American company will do something not for financial gain, but to make a point. We are all Americans - we have all been touched by the tragedy. From the smallest to the largest we are united by our common bond - Love of the United States.I am so moved by this 9/11 10th Anniversary commemoration by the Budweiser Company that I just had to share it. Please view it and pass it on to your friends and family. MUST SEE: Very Rare Budweiser 9/11 Commercial
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Hoping For A Peaceful 9/11 Anniversary - 09/11/11 09:53 AM
People have been speculating, in my opinion, out of fear that we may be attacked on the 10th anniversary of 9/11. That fear has been floated every time the anniversary date rolls around. Personally, while I am guarded, I am not afraid anything monumental will occur. Prior to 9/11 our intelligence gathering community was locked in individual little boxes. One box could not spill over and share with the other box. Each agency operated like a fiefdom. We are smarter and leaner with our intell now, as it should be. Our memories are still raw and fresh with the
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Getting Ready To Buy A Home In The Scranton Pa Area? Lenders Are Important - 09/10/11 06:21 PM
If you are contemplating buying a home in the Scranton Pa area this article may be of help to you. Who your lender is - is just as important as how much home can you afford. If you have any questions regarding loan qualifications or would like referrals to lenders in the area please give me a call or email me. Via Randy L. Prothero - Hawaii REALTOR® (Century 21 Liberty Homes): Over the last few years I have caught heat from mortgage brokers who disagree with my opinion in regards to why it is better to work with funding lenders over mortgage
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What You Need To Know About A Home Hot Tub - 09/10/11 06:11 PM
Recently I've shown several homes with hot tubs. Some of my buyers love them and some hate them. I've never owned one personally so I have no opinion. I found a great article written by a fellow Realtor which may be of interest to buyers considering a home which already has a hot tub installed. Via Heather Anderson Janus RE Group - Collin County TX - Allen, Frisco, Plano (214.-317.1964 www.janusREgroup.com): First, you need to know that the purchase of a hot tub will be worth more to you than you'll ever know and if used properly will allow for more
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Don't be a naked buyer with cellulite - 09/08/11 10:01 PM
Here is a great article by a fellow Realtor in Oregon. Makes perfect sense in our market as well. Unless you know exactly what you can afford there is no sense running around looking at home. If you have not been pre-approved by a local lender feel free to call or email me for some reliable references. Via Cindy Westfall ABR,GRI Your Tualatin REALTOR® (Prudential NW Properties, Portland Metro & Suburbs, Oregon): Don't be a naked buyer with cellulite A buyer without a pre-approval letter heading out to search for homes is like a person with cellulite wearing a thong on
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BUYERS - What If The Appraisal Comes In Too Low? - 09/08/11 03:18 PM
Since the Real Estate meltdown we have seen appraisals in Pennsylvania become very conservative. In some instances they are coming in lower than the sellers asking price. Buyers and sellers alike hold their breathe until the final word is in. A recent blog from an associate in Virginia spells out some of the remedies which may be available to buyers. A word of caution about seller held second mortgages. Not all lenders will approve your primary financing if the seller is holding a second. Also, why would you agree to pay more for a home than the appraiser said
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Who Really Owns Your Home? - 09/08/11 01:15 PM
Today the National Association of Realtors circulated a story I saw on the wire yesterday. It seems that Robo signing of documents around the United States has led to paperwork discrepancies in real estate transactions. The current owner of the home may not in fact own it, if the documents filed are robo signed. What happens when they want to sell their home? At the same time the banks who hold mortgages on homes in default may not legally be able to foreclose on them because of robo signatures. We have already heard that banks who acquired mortgages and
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Pennsylvania Braces For Major Flooding - Evacuations Underway - Highways Closed - 09/08/11 12:41 PM
Disasters can be created as a result of one incident or a combination of incidents leading to an unfavorable outcome. It appears the accumulation of rain from both Irene and Lee has pushed river stages into the danger zone here in Pennsylvania. Officials expect massive flooding similar to what was experienced from Hurricane Agnes in 1972. In Luzerne County the Susquehanna River is expected to crest at or above flood stage later today or tomorrow. I lived through and experienced the devastation of Agnes when it hit. I can tell you first hand how treacherous the force of water can
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Are Those Tire Tracks On The Moon I See? - 09/08/11 09:29 AM
Recently when I was commenting on a blog I noticed a previous Rainer had made a comment about "Walking on the moon" in a skeptical manner. Our lunar presence has been questioned by scores of people as a farce. A fairy tale if you will. I vaguely remember a movie James Brolin starred in which was based on the theory that our moon landing was a creation of Hollywood. Those of you who know me, know I am a firm believer in political conspiracy. I believe our government has concealed and covered up the truth
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New Initiative Announced For Underwater Mortgages - 09/07/11 03:10 PM
NEW HOPE FOR UNDERWATER MORTGAGES Globe Newswire reported on July 25, 2011, that an innovative approach to "fixing" delinquent mortgages had been announced by Ocwen Financial. Ocwen is a mortgage service provider. They are going to offer a program designed to help underwater homeowners by forgiving part of their debt and bringing their mortgages current. The program allows the resetting of the mortgage to 95% of the current market value. This gives the homeowner an instant equity position. The deficit amount is forgiven in stages over a 3 year period as long as the homeowner stays current on the new
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