buyer: Short Sales, Bank Owned Properties and Credit Pulls - 11/19/09 05:55 PM
A few days ago I wrote about how the purchase offering process is having issues… issues that are especially apparent on Bank-Owned Properties (we call them REOs).
Banks are often requiring that ALL offers be accompanied by pre-qualification letters from specific approved lenders (perhaps even from their own loan department). In … (4 comments)
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buyer: Job Loss/Mortgage Payment Insurance for Buyers! - 11/16/09 08:54 PM
We are pleased and excited to announce the roll-out of a new program for buyers... Job Loss Insurance.
This is a cool program to take a little bit of apprehension out of buying a home. In effect, it is an insurance policy that protects the buyer in case of job loss. … (3 comments)
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buyer: Go ahead and get mad now... - 11/16/09 04:07 PM
It doesn't matter whether you agree or disagree... You'll probably be mad about this, so go ahead and get fired up.
The vast majority of real estate agents are honest, ethical and hard-working. But there are some that don't hit all of those points... either by choice or by circumstance. And … (54 comments)
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buyer: First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit... Extended and Expanded - 11/15/09 10:41 PM
The First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit isn't just for First Time Home Buyers anymore.
Previously the credit only applied to purchasers that hadn't owned a home during the previous 36 months, and that restriction still applies for crediting the full $8000. Here is a little bit about the old credit.
… (2 comments)
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buyer: Foreclosure Stripping? - 11/15/09 12:16 PM
Clark Howard was talking about this a couple of days ago, and Fox News is talking about it today. And it doesn't involve a pole...
Foreclosure Stripping...
In effect, some folks that are losing their homes are "fighting back" in their own little way. Prior to departure, these folks are looking … (12 comments)
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buyer: But with the Tax Credit Extension... I can wait to buy... - 11/08/09 11:54 PM
AgainWell, yes, you can.
The question is "Should you?"
There are a few things to keep in mind as you decide about timing on purchases using the First Time Home Buyers Tax Credit (up to $8000)... and Move Up Buyers Tax Credit( up to $6500).
How is the inventory in your … (10 comments)
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buyer: Holy Crap... It's Almost November... FTHBTC... Extended? - 10/28/09 07:12 PM
Do you know what those initials (FTHBTC) stand for?
First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit...
If you aren't already familiar with it, it might be gone before you get a chance to get more familiar... It is currently slated to expire at the end of November. And the clock is ticking.
… (4 comments)
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buyer: Let's increase the Home Buyer Tax Credit to $100,000... - 10/03/09 11:40 PM
And while we are at it, why don't we expand it to cover everyone. Do you think the NAR would get behind this?
Honestly, I bet that they would see that this would be ludicrous. Not that it wouldn't be GREAT for real estate agents, we would be rolling in it. … (143 comments)
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buyer: First Time Home Buyers... I just found a REAL bargain... - 09/24/09 10:22 PM
The October issue of Realtor Magazine (our industry magazine) had an interesting article about dispelling myths while educating first time home buyers. The third point was about the realities of "bargains".
There are absolutely some bargains in the market... But, often those properties that are the real bargains are NOT … (7 comments)
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buyer: First Time Home Buyers... I need to see all of the options. - 09/24/09 05:27 PM
The October issue of Realtor Magazine (our industry magazine) had an interesting article about dispelling myths while educating first time home buyers. The second point was about excessive caution, and buyer, especially new buyers, wanting to see "everything on the market".
I have to admit... the writer at Realtor Magazine … (2 comments)
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buyer: First Time Home Buyers... Is the market weak? - 09/23/09 11:42 PM
The October issue of Realtor Magazine (our industry magazine) had an interesting article about dispelling myths while educating first time home buyers. The first point was about the weakness of the housing market.
They are absolutely correct that we can't flip on the TV, radio or computer, nor pick up a … (0 comments)
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buyer: Water, Water, Everywhere... Trashing the House... - 09/17/09 08:40 PM
Water is essential for life. Without it, everything dies. But... sometimes it can be a pain in the butt... like when it is in the wrong place in the house... or outside of the house...
I have a buyer that is under contract on a beautiful home... or more accurately, a … (6 comments)
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buyer: Is this the time to buy your first house? - 09/12/09 04:50 PM
Maybe... Maybe not...
Make no mistake, there are some deals in the market. And combined with the $8000 First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit (FTHBTC), this can be a great time to buy a first home. Interest rates have remained low... despite a LOT of predictions to the contrary. In fact, … (5 comments)
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buyer: Deal or No Deal... - 09/10/09 10:30 PM
It isn't just a TV show with Howie Mandel and a bunch of hotties holding briefcases. It is daily life in real estate...
And one of the issues that buyers face is the Deal or No Deal mindset. It boils down to this...
Do you want a deal?
Many buyers see … (2 comments)
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buyer: Over-Updated, Under-Updated... - 09/05/09 10:55 PM
I visited a home recently that had an interesting mix of over and under updated features.
Overall, the home was quite beautiful. The finishes were well done and attractive. Honestly, it showed better than the photos... and that is a good thing, the photos weren't bad.
The yard was amazing. The … (4 comments)
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buyer: Deals in Bankrupt Subdivisions? - 09/03/09 11:49 AM
I recently took some buyers out looking at houses in an area with a lot of bankrupt subdivisions. The houses were, in many cases, quite attractive and priced very competitively.
But there are a lot of considerations that buyers need to weigh before buying a home in a subdivision where the … (9 comments)
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buyer: Strange People... muttering... muttering... - 09/01/09 10:52 PM
Have you ever hung out around the County Courthouse on the first Tuesday of the month?
The County Courts CAN make for some great people watching on any day of the month (ok, any weekday...), but the first Tuesday on the month here in Georgia is a little more special. There … (0 comments)
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buyer: Sellers, Are you ready to compete for Buyers? - 08/30/09 10:12 PM
Image via Wikipedia
That's right...
Buyers are looking at homes, and they still have a choice.
Don't get me wrong, there is competition among Buyers for some homes, but the competition goes both ways.
Buyers that don't snap up the deal fast enough might find that they lose it … (6 comments)
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buyer: Police Response time... 15 minutes. - 08/22/09 11:45 PM
The listing said to call before visiting the home. The listing sheet said that the alarm code was in the lockbox. I called... the agent reiterated that the alarm code was in the lockbox.
The house had a keypad deadbolt. The lockbox contained a code that accessed the deadbolt.
It was … (15 comments)
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buyer: Too Late for Shortie? - 08/09/09 10:44 PM
I was talking with a client last night... a first time home buyer. He wants to take advantage of the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit (FTHBTC). As we were looking through the results, one thing became VERY clear...
In the price range, foreclosures and short sales dominate the market. Of … (0 comments)
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