my old blog

I recently heard about a FSBO ad in Craigslist that offered 1% to any Realtor who brought a buyer - it was called a finder's fee.  A mutual friend called to let me know about it in case I was interested.   In years gone by, these FSBOs had successfully sold two other houses on their own.  "They k...

Short sales aren't for every buyer.  If you have a great deal of patience and don't have a short timeline for moving, a short sale may be a good way to find a great deal on a home. Here are a few tips if you decide to consider a short sale: Understand the Short Sale Process Research Market Value ...

This chart gives an overview of the short sale process based on my experience in the last four years working with short sales.  The chart focuses on essential short sale tasks, not every step in the home selling process. The first two stages are primarily tasks for the listing agent to complete w...

From Mashable.com, here are 7 Simple ways to help Japan's earthquake victims  

My primary laptop died on Friday.  The repair rep had bad news, so I purchased a new one for just a few dollars more than it would cost to fix the old one.  It has taken me two half-days to get the new one set up to do everything the old one did.  Luckily, I had backed up files recently and had m...

An article in the NY Times today says that AARP is suing HUD regarding their unfair rule changes in reverse mortgages (RM). Surviving spouses are now facing foreclosure if their name wasn't on the note.   Even after careful research and going through the RM process, home owners may still not unde...

Our Tallahassee paper yesterday described a program in a Clearwater High School that, according to Amazon (supplier of Kindles), is a world-first.  Instead of heavy textbooks, students were issued a Kindle for $177 each and use it to read and study. It's also connected to the school's internet so...

There's a house in Tallahassee that's been for sale for three years - and it's not a short sale. The seller has reduced the price six times, chasing the market down with reductions that came too late and weren't enough. It's actually a nice house on a large lot in a great neighborhood.  It's room...