Fannie Mae "Loan Quality Initiative" begins June 1, 2010. How will this affect home buyers? - 05/29/10 10:33 AM
These changes will affect ALL FHA borrowers, so get prepared! Lori
Via Amy Jones (Chandler, Arizona RE/Max Excalibur):
Beginning with applications dated June 1st, Fannie Mae is implementing the “Loan Quality Initiative” (LQI) guidelines.  All Fannie Mae lenders must adhere to these guidelines.  In a nutshell, the LQI guideline changes are:
Credit re-verification the day of funding:  Fannie Mae will require the borrower’s credit to be repulled the day of funding.  If the credit obligations change by more than 2%, the loan is required to go back to underwriting for approval.  Peoples Mortgage will reverify credit obligations on the borrower’s credit report … (2 comments)

Speechless Sunday: A Dog's Life - 05/24/10 12:08 AM
Susu's favorite spot - on the stairs. Sigh. Comfy and loved.

 
Lori is a residential Realtor serving the greater Tulsa area, and specializing in midtown Tulsa real estate. Please visit Lori’s web site, LoriCain.com or call 918-852-5036.
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Creek Nation Council Oak Park, 1750 South Cheyenne Avenue, Tulsa Oklahoma, midtown Tulsa - 05/21/10 12:54 PM
Creek Nation Council Oak Park, 1750 South Cheyenne Avenue, Tulsa Oklahoma, midtown Tulsa
An integral part of Tulsa's history in midtown Tulsa is the Council Oaks Tree at 18th and Cheyenne in the Buena Vista subdivision.
The Creek Council tree, a mature post oak, marks the traditional "ceremonial ground" chosen in 1836 by the Creek Indians. In 1834, they had begun their involuntary migration from the southeast under the control of the U.S. government. In this spot, the Creek Indians kindled a ceremonial fire using live coals they had carried from their homeland over a “trail of tears. ” Of … (6 comments)

Thank you to my proactive appraiser who cared enough to ask AND will likely keep our deal together! - 05/17/10 08:51 AM
Thank you to my proactive appraiser who cared enough to ask AND will likely keep our deal together!
The appraiser valuing a property I'm selling actually got in touch with me requesting an explanation for my property selling for $15,000 more than it sold for six months ago - she wanted to be proactive and head off questions she knew her Underwriters would have!
After experiencing aignst from both the buying and selling side of a transaction when the appraisal comes in shy of the negotiated sales price, I greatly appreciate the opportunity to explain!

The appraiser e-mailed me, … (17 comments)

The Blue Dome Arts Festival in downtown Tulsa through May 16, 2010 - 05/15/10 06:50 AM
The Blue Dome Arts Festival in downtown Tulsa through May 16, 2010
Hard to say why the local Tulsans tend to support the Blue Dome Arts festival over Mayfest.
I can remember visiting local artists at Mayfest when I moved to Tulsa in the early 80s. Now you'll find only a few participating. The gentleman from our parish, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, use to sell Greek food at Mayfest until the fees escalated to a point that they could no longer make a profit.
So, now at Tulsa's Mayfest, you'll find fair food and out-of-town "international" artists - few … (7 comments)

Buying a Builder Home Without Representation Can be a Nightmare - 05/11/10 01:27 PM
This Arizona Realtor writes an excellent post about why Buyer's Representation is critical to home buyers, particularly when purchasing new construction!
Via Joyce & Terry Thomas Anthem Merrill Ranch AZ Real Estate (US Preferred Realty):
Buying a Builder Home Without Representation Can be a Nightmare.  This is a scary and unfortunately true story.  All names are being protected in this story.  Buyers need to take buying a home from a builder very seriously when they enter a builder's sales center and make sure they are fully represented by a Buyer's Agent (Realtor).
The main thing to keep in mind is that the "Realtors" working … (2 comments)

11 Steps For Getting Your Home Sold - Even In This Market! - 05/10/10 07:07 PM
This home stager seems to know more about selling real estate than many Realtors I run across. If YOUR home is listed for sale, have you checked to see the level of internet exposure you are receiving? Is YOUR Realtor WRITING blogs about your home for sale? If you're not plastered over the internet with multiple photos, virtual tours and extensive verbiage, your Realtor is just spinning her wheels and wasting your valuable time. And, OF COURSE, I encourage home staging!!
Via Michelle Minch Home Staging Los Angeles & Pasadena, CA (Moving Mountains Design Home Staging, Pasadena, CA):
11 Steps For Getting Your … (3 comments)

The historic Kennedy Mansion Bed and Breakfast: downtown, midtown Tulsa - 05/10/10 05:24 AM
The historic Kennedy Mansion Bed and Breakfast: downtown, midtown Tulsa
Midtown Tulsa is fortunate to have several attractive bed & breakfast facilities, but my pick for Mother’s Day weekend was the historic Kennedy Mansion Bed and Breakfast. The mansion was built in the early 1920s during Tulsa’s first oil boom and the many details honoring the decade can be admired here.

Although the Kennedy mansion is in Tulsa and minutes north of the downtown BOK Center and other Tulsa downtown attractions, it is actually in Osage county - probably the very eastern boundary of Osage county.
Since my Mother and … (15 comments)

Speechless Sunday: Irises from our midtown Tulsa garden on South Cheyenne - 05/09/10 01:57 PM
These irises planted by my husband's mother years ago still bring beauty and joy to our days!

Lori is a residential Realtor serving the greater Tulsa area, and specializing in midtown Tulsa real estate. Please visit Lori’s web site, LoriCain.com or call 918-852-5036.
 
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The Revitalization of Downtown Tulsa - next, the parking meters - 05/07/10 08:03 PM
The Revitalization of Downtown Tulsa - next, the parking meters

Although I live on the outskirts of downtown Tulsa, I venture downtown seldom other than to get my hair and nails done at The Salon at Philtower - a business I highly recommend. Owner of the salon, Amanda, has parking spaces available at 5th & Cincinnati for customers, but the last time I was there, no spaces were available and I had to park (parallel park, no less) on the street.
I’m actually SKILLED at parallel parking, but was totally bewildered when I could find no parking meter … (2 comments)

Home Repairs - don’t skimp now - get them done by a professional - 05/06/10 09:46 AM
Home Repairs - don’t skimp now - get them done by a professional

I just attended re-inspections at a home I sold and several home repairs did NOT pass re-inspection. Although it’s the Seller’s responsibility to get a bid for home repairs, I generally always forward the home inspection reports and list of requested repairs to my favorite repairman, Gary Ellis.
Gary’s repairs always pass re-inspection and in fact, one inspector was so impressed with the work done, he personally called me to find out who had done the work.
So, I had a home Seller that wanted to … (6 comments)

New Real Estate Industry Term: the Man Cave - 05/05/10 09:20 AM
New Real Estate Industry Term: the Man Cave
After spending more time with younger couples home searching before the tax stimulus deadline, I learned a new word or phrase that I believe is becoming an industry standard: the “man cave.” I’m not sure if it’s one word or two words or whether it’s hyphenated, but it’s definitely a term widely used.
From what I’ve learned from clients, a “man cave” is the SINGLE room in the home that the male gets to decorate and keep his personal stuff not allowed anywhere else in the house. He can paint the … (91 comments)

 

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