home buying: Free Home Buyer Seminar-6/24-7:00pm-Coffeeberries-Londonderry NH - 06/19/15 04:58 AM
Want to buy a home but confused about the steps to take?
Whether you're a 1st time buyer, a move up buyer or would like to buy again after a foreclosure or short sale, this free seminar will answer your questions. Wednesday, June 24th at 7:00 p.m. at Coffeeberries, Appletree Mall, Orchard View Dr, Londonderry NH  
 
Good Information and great coffee - how can you go wrong?
Call Joy Baker for more information and/or questions - 603-490-5344
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home buying: Do Real Estate Agents Really Eat Their Young? - 02/02/15 10:54 AM
I recently received a phone call from a buyer looking for information on a property here in Southern New Hampshire. Our conversation was pretty short once I informed the buyer that I was not the listing agent (the property in question was actually not even listed by anyone in my office).   This buyer only wanted to speak to "The Listing Agent".  This happens with a fair amount of frequency since many buyers out there seem to be under the impression that dealing directly with the listing agent will give them an advantage over any other buyer and allow them to purchase the … (15 comments)

home buying: Just In Time For Halloween, The Spectre Of A 30% DP Requirement Rises From The Dead - 10/26/13 02:25 PM
IT'S BA-A-ACK!!!
Ever since the advent of the Dodd-Frank Act, the ugly spectre of a 30% downpayment requirement has been haunting the housing and mortgage industry. 
It all started with the best of intentions.  In an effort to discourage risky underwriting, a term of the Dodd Frank Bill requires mortgage companies that package their loans in to securities to hold five percent of the risk for any mortgages that don't meet the "Qualified Residential Mortgage" (QRM) requirements (read low risk loans). 
The problem lies in regulators attempts to define what this low risk category should look like.  The original … (2 comments)

home buying: Buyers: The QM Is Meaningless But The QRM Might Just Cost You! - 01/14/13 09:38 PM
Ever since the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released it's "Final Rule on the Ability To Repay and Qualified Mortgage Standards" (QM) on the afternoon of January 10, 2013, the media has been abuzz about "the long awaited Qualified Mortgage Rule" and what it means to buyers of real estate.  The truth is, it means very little to you as a potential buyer unless you were planning on taking out a loan you can't afford, defaulting on it and then suing your lender for "setting you up to fail".  The yet to be released QRM, on the other hand, may well … (0 comments)

home buying: FOUR HOURS IN THE LIFE OF A REAL ESTATE AGENT - 03/18/12 03:18 AM
My husband was playing solo piano at a fund raiser the other night for a Homeless Shelter.   It was for a good cause and it promised to be a fun evening so I had every intention of going.
However, this is how my day went from 4:00 on:
I contact my buyer client as I am wondering why he has not gotten back to me regarding the draft I sent him (at 1:00) of a suggested response regarding a home inspection issue.  He and I have been in constant communication about this over the last several days, collecting information and obtaining estimates.  Today … (4 comments)

home buying: The 411 On Buying Foreclosures - 01/25/12 10:50 AM
 
A quick search on Google (or any other search engine for that matter) for information about purchasing foreclosure properties will net you all kinds of information, mostly untrue and mostly centering on how, if you just send money, you can get information about all of the “deals” out there. Which, they assure you, you can buy for a song, flip for a profit and, voila, you are on your way to making your fortune as a real estate mogul.  Unfortunately, that’s not quite the way things work in the real world and the only party likely making a fortune is … (0 comments)

home buying: Buyer's Agents PLEASE Learn The Difference Between A Short Sale And A Foreclosure - 01/07/11 12:20 AM
 
I had a conversation with a Buyer’s Agent last week about a proposed offer on one of my short sale listings.  She indicated that the buyers were planning on asking for a seller contribution toward closing costs.  That, in itself, was not the issue.  The issue was that the amount they were planning on asking for was more than this servicer/investor will approve.  Further, when I told her that she argued with me that she “knew” that 3.5% was acceptable. 
Now, you have to understand that in a short sale situation, the owner of the property cannot sell the property for … (5 comments)