Media Still Not Responsible For Housing Woes
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At first, it’s novel, a real hoot, and quite a spectacle.
Kitchen Trend Report Inspires Kitchen Lovers
In residential real estate, it’s kitchens and bathrooms that count — in more ways than one — but too often the full significance of their contribution is overlooked and, therefore, full investment potential may not be realized. Consequently, property owners may settle for substandard, even unsafe, living conditions or may concentrate on short-term fads instead of long-term gains when renovating.
Interest Rates: The Looming X Factor
Mortgage interest rates are at their lowest levels since May, a reality that confounds common sense.
NIMBY Profile Tough To Pigeonhole
Call it a subculture, grassroots movement or a cross-section of the American politic, the myopic NIMBY movement is a force to be reckoned with.
Final ‘Red Flag’ Rules Set To Wave Off ID Theft
Preemptive federal “red flag” regulations, designed to strike at identity theft in its earliest stages, rolls out next year.
Long-Term Mortgage Rates Ease Slightly
McLEAN, VA — Freddie Mac (NYSE:FRE) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 6.24 percent with an average 0.4 point for the week ending November 8, 2007, down from last week when it averaged 6.26 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 6.33 percent. The 30-year FRM has not been this low since the week ending May 17, 2007, when it averaged 6.21 percent.
Foreclosures Undercutting Social Benefits of Homeownership
In Cleveland, OH, more than 10,000 families — one in eight of all homeowners in the city — will face eviction this year according to Claudia Coulton, co-director of the Centre for Urban Poverty at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.
Foreclosure Victims Should Get Help, Institute Says
Foreclosure rates continue to increase nationwide, with California, Nevada, Florida and Arizona still leading the rest of the country with home loans that have soured since the housing market began its slowdown almost 18 months ago.
The Battle of the Interest Rate vs. Lower Closing Costs
A friend of mine was buying a new home recently and was very excited about the closing costs he was receiving from the builder. With the $20,000 closing costs and about $12,000 drop in price, he was counting the dollars he would save. There was just one catch in this real estate diamond — the builder required him to use its mortgage company and settlement partner.
Money Really Can Grow On Trees
Buying a home and getting a home inspection typically go hand in hand. But now, a new company is aiming to make sure you dig a little deeper to learn the true value of a property.
Lenders Turning The Screws On Mortgages
If you are sitting on the fence waiting for mortgage lenders to open the flood gates on the dammed up flow of home loans, get comfortable.
“Women Building Women:” An Idea Who’s Time Has Come — Big Time!
Several months ago, I wrote a column entitled, “Women Building Women.” It evolved from my belief that I had about urging women everywhere to share their financial wisdom, insight, and intuition with each other to help take financial control of their lives and their futures.
Mag Picks Most Valuable Products’
The ballots have been cast, the votes have been tallied, and the winners have been chosen in Building Products’ 2007 Most Valuable Products awards competition.
Foreclosure Fallout Landing On Neighboring Homes
Foreclosures in your neighborhood don’t just cost homeowners their homes — as if that wasn’t bad enough — they also depress nearby home values and rob the tax base for as long as two years.
Energy Saving is Consumer Key Interest in Green Building
Why are consumers interested in green building?
Have We Hit the Bottom Yet?
I just saw a couple of headlines this week that would shiver the timbers of most real estate markets: “Home Sales Plunge” and “Navigating the Foreclosure Mess.” These headlines just don’t give buyers or sellers a confidence boost. But as I always say — or someone said — the Devil is in the details. That’s no more true than in the world of real estate.
Under-Reported Concerns Of Buyers Exposed
A real estate industry trade group that serves only buyers says their constituency isn’t getting the straight scoop about housing market conditions and they want to set the record straight.
Real Estate Brokerages Say Green is the New Gold
Canada’s residential real estate industry is discovering that adopting programs and procedures that are good for the environment is also good for business.
Will The Silent Killer Invade Your Home?
Do you know why you will not be killed or maimed by carbon monoxide? What steps have you taken to ensure this toxic, odourless, colourless gas — universally known as The Silent Killer — does not become an unwanted guest in the spaces you consider safe?
Local Stats More Telling: NAR
A record 30,000 real estate agents and brokers were sent home from their annual convention in Las Vegas last week with one important message:
More Gifts That Really Hit Home
We’ve got a list for you and we’ve checked it twice to make sure you get the most housing bang for your holiday spending bucks.
Formal Consensus
When it comes to decision making in homeowner associations, parliamentary procedure (like Roberts Rules) is often the basis for making them. It provides a systematic and efficient way to get business done. However, parliamentary procedure is based on the democratic notion of “majority rules.” Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. Americans have come to think this is the best option. While the system works pretty well, there is another process for decision making called “Formal Consensus.”
Weak Housing Market Remains a Drag on the Economy Even as Mortgage Rates Continue to Decline
McLEAN, VA — Freddie Mac (NYSE:FRE) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 6.20 percent with an average 0.5 point for the week ending November 21, 2007, down from last week when it averaged 6.24 percent as well. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 6.18 percent. The 30-year FRM has not been lower since the week ending May 10, 2007, when it averaged 6.15 percent.
Thank You for This Old House
There’s a leaking toilet tank thing-a-mabob (the official do-it-yourselfer name for it) downstairs in the bathroom where I have also discovered a leak either from the outside wall (or a pinhole leak in the wall) that is ruining the vanity. Meanwhile, I’m in the middle of my 2-week job on laying out laminate flooring on my whole main level — I’m on the 9th week.
Silicon Valley Micro-Markets Emerge
If you are buying or selling a home in Silicon Valley, now is the time, perhaps more than ever, to be sure you hire someone who has his or her finger on the pulse of a specific micro-market.
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