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Real Estate Investing For Real | A BiggerPockets Investment Property Blog
Where Have All The Houses Gone? Can we Fix the Growing Shadow Inventory Problem?
If you know who Pete Seeger is, you’ll recognize that I’m about to pirate the song he sang about the cyclical nature of war. Hang in there. I promise I’ll tie this into real estate investing. Where have all the houses gone? Gone off balance sheet, every one. When will they ever learn? When...
Recent Important Snippets You May Not Have Seen
After reading a story titled, “Local homeowners get the runaround on loan modifications” in my local paper this week, I decided to do a bit of snooping about the HAMP program. Fortunately the title company I use for my real estate deals has a very proactive website. It not only...
How to Fund and Finance Your Real Estate Deals — Without Needing Tranquilizers!
Last week I wrote about my discussions with a local loan officer for a small bank in my area. This article really touched a nerve not only with the number of comments but also with at least one of my clients. I sent a link to the article out to my...
Your Signficant Other Hates Real Estate Investing – Now What?
It’s pretty common for spouses or significant others to be really nervous and potentially downright unsupportive when you begin your quest as a wildly successful real estate investor. I’m blessed to have a spouse who is my partner in business and we work very well together, but this is not...
Three Pitfalls to Avoid When Getting Started as a Wholesaler
Wholesaling houses is a great way to make quick cash in real estate with very little risk or upfront investment. Like any other money-making niche in the real estate arena, there is a learning curve that you will need to work through if you want to become a successful wholesaler....
Walking Away From Your Upside Down Home: The 75% Solution
There has been much debate of late about whether or not it is morally acceptable for homeowners who currently own more for their mortgages than what their homes are actually worth to just walk away from their property, using their “new found” money to pay for a cheaper rental unit,...
Square Feet
Surprise Surprise: More Store Closings
More store closings are expected. This doesn’t come as much of a surprise. Given the percentage of sales retailers ring up during the holiday season, it was obvious it would have been wise to get through the holiday season and then put the wheels of closure back in action. Bloomberg has...
Align Technology Inks 129K SF Lease
Align Technology (ALGN: 17.68 +1.09%) has signed a 7-year lease with Equity Office for two buildings on Orchard Parkway. The 129,000 square foot lease is for 86-months, and consists of two (2) 64,500 SF buildings located at 2560 Orchard Parkway and 2570 Orchard Parkway. The terms of the lease are: 86 Months First...
Panasonic Takes 50K in Cupertino
After being in the market for quite some time, Panasonic has landed in Cupertino. The company leased 50K SF from Tantau Investments LLC, the partnership of Ralph Borelli, Ron Tate, Larry Wallerstein, and John Salera. The 102,500SF building, dubbed Cupertino Crossing is a new (and rather plain looking) 2-story concrete tilt...
S&P: Worst Yet To Come For Commercial Real Estate Loans
Despite all the good news that you’ve been hearing about commercial real estate, we haven’t been entirely convinced. We’ve indicated that uncertainty and continued weakness in rents and occupancy are powerful enough forces to keep the commercial real estate sector in check for some time. Now S&P is out with a...
This is a post I’ve been wanting to write for a while, but until now I was not sure how or what to write exactly. It’s a bit long, but I think it is important. Silicon Valley is the center of innovation and home to giants of industry. It’s the place...
CRE Videos … Sternlicht and More
More videos… First up, Barry Sternlicht on Bloomberg from Davos. Not much new except that they’re hot on residential land. This is understandable as housing stabilizes in a market that has seen little new development. Second up is Greg Genovese, of Thompson National Properties, and Jordan Sadler, of Keybanc Capital Markets discussing...
Life in the Ozarks of SW MO
Stone County Missouri and the Table Rock Lake area Real Estate Market Report for January 2010.
According to the local MLS statistics, single family homes sales in Stone County MO last month more than doubled with a total of 7 single family homes closing escrow. The highest priced one sold for $402,500 and the lowest priced one sold for $113,000. That gave us a median price...
Branson Missouri Real Estate Market Report for January 2010.
According to the local MLS, Branson single family homes sales last month totaled a whopping 11 homes sold. The highest priced one sold for $$325,000 and the lowest priced one sold for $96,040 with a median price of about $135,000. That is less than half the number of homes sold...
More good news for Missouri Home Buyers in 2010.
Besides the First Time Homebuyer's Tax Credit and the Previous Homeowner's New Home Tax Credit, Missouri Home Buyers have another tax credit available. Just to make it easy I will let you go there, but to sum it up, your property taxes can get paid by the State this year! HOPE FOR...
Branson Missouri Real Estate Market Report for December 2009
Branson Missouri Real Estate Market Report for December 2009 According to the local MLS, Branson single family homes sales last month total was 28. The highest priced one sold for $489,900 and the lowest priced one sold for $44,500 with a median price of $180,000. That is five less homes...
Stone County Missouri Real Estate Market Report for December 2009
Stone County Missouri Real Estate Market Report for December 2009 According to the local MLS statistics, single family homes sales in Stone County MO last month totaled 3 single family homes. The highest priced one sold for $325,000 and the lowest priced one sold for $159,000. The other one sold for...
Branson Missouri Real Estate Market Report - November 2009
According to the local MLS, Branson single family homes sales last month total was 33. The highest priced one sold for $1,275,000 and the lowest priced one sold for $74,500 with a median price of $175,000. That is an amazing change from the previous months with one more than twice...
Home mortgage rates and real estate news - CNNMoney.com
6 ways to ensure remodeling pays off
Just a few years ago you could count on getting the bulk of your money back for almost any home-improvement project you took on. Today merely replacing a toilet seat can feel like throwing caution, and cash, to the wind. According to a study from Remodeling magazine, the average return...
The commercial real estate dilemma
Luckily for banks, the commercial real estate time bomb just keeps on ticking....
Lost your house? You still have to pay
As terrible as it is to lose your house to foreclosure, at least it's a relief to put your biggest financial headache behind you, right?...
Yet another try at foreclosure rescue
Under fire for the low number of people receiving long-term mortgage help, the Treasury Department on Thursday announced new guidelines that will require applicants to provide all paperwork before getting a trial modification....
Las Vegas: Most foreclosures of any city in 2009
Cities in the so-called Sand States dominated the foreclosure rankings in 2009, with the 20 worst-hit metro areas residing in Nevada, Florida, California and Arizona....
New home sales hit 9-month low
New home sales plunged to a 9-month low in December, according to a government report issued Wednesday....
Big Bear Lake Real Estate - The Tim Wood Group
When’s The Best Time To Sell A House In Big Bear?
Click here if you cannot see embedded video. Guess it depends on how you look at it. The majority of home sales in Big Bear occur in the months between July and October, with the closings following 30-60 days after that. But, this is also when the market carries the largest amount...
2009 Big Bear Real Estate Market Recap
The real estate market in Big Bear for 2009 can be summed up in 9 words – Sales up, Prices down but stabilizing, & Inventory shrinking. Did you count? . Big Bear home sales rose 33% in 2009 while the median and average sales prices dropped 17% from the 2008...
Big Bear Home Sales – December 2009
Big Bear Home Sales Sorry I’ve been so late on posting these. To say things are busy right now in the Big Bear real estate market would be a huge understatement. So, here we go. Big Bear home sales slipped a bit in December but overall still remain strong. Home sales in December were...
Click here to see embedded video. Nope. There are actually plenty of buyers out there in this market. There are, however, very few willing to pay the over-inflated asking price of many sellers. The reality is there are very few realistic sellers on the market. We don’t have a lack of buyers. Rather,...
The Jewel of the San Bernardino Mountains
Okay. You have thought it all out. You have spent a great deal of time working the numbers and speaking with your friends and family. You are ready to take the next step and purchase a cabin in the mountains. Of course you already know about Big Bear Lake, as it...
Improve Your Price, and Improve Your Selling Opportunities.
The Big Bear Real Estate Market is not unlike any other market – Price is still the best indication of value. The most important piece of information your Realtor will provide is the market price. Get ahead of it, and you will be on your way to your next Real...
The Phoenix Real Estate Guy
Ever wonder what that mountain of paperwork that comprises your home loan package is? Bill Risser dissects the carpal tunnel causing pile with an explanation of each document....
Real Estate 101: Representation
Welcome to Real Estate 101, a new series on Phoenix Real Estate Guy. Today we explore representation, and why it's not a good idea for a buyer to use the seller's agent....
Gilbert Police Officer Killed. RIP Lt. Eric Shuhandler
Gilbert police officer Eric Shuhandler was gunned down after stopping two sub-humans for having an obscured license plate. May he rest in peace. Memorial fund information included for his two young daughters....
Oh the Irony! Adventures in Blogging
Ironic? Funny? Pathetic? A commenter makes a personal attack. Now he wants it removed because the comment is showing up in Google searches for his name. . ....
How not to sell your Phoenix home
Your home will get more exposure to potential buyers and real estate agents via the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Make sure what is there is what buyers need. Here is one side of the listing info spectrum. The dark side... FAIL is one way to put it....
FHA Changes: It Could Have Been Worse?
FHA is making changes to the FHA loan program that will result in slightly higher costs to get an FHA loan - but it could have been worse....
Bankrate.com: Bankrate.com: Today's new stories Headlines
Big 3 offer discounts after Toyota recall
The Toyota recall prompts Detroit to offer incentives to trade cars with the gas pedal problem....
Go 'basic' when buying major appliances
This month's Frugal $ense winner discovered a way to get big savings on major appliances....
Toyota recall curtails available Camrys
Not all Camrys are part of the Toyota recall. Find out what you can and cannot buy....
What's ahead for the housing market?
Demographics may mean tomorrow's home will get smaller, cheaper and more energy-efficient....
A congressman and former presidential candidate, Ron Paul champions the abolition of the Fed....
No capital gains due for some investors
Some taxpayers won't pay any capital gains tax. Find out if you are eligible for this break....
The Refinement of Income and Rent Determination Requirements in Public and Assisted Housing Programs: Implementation of the Enterprise Income Verification System – Amendments; Final Rule, was published in the Federal Register, December 29, 2009. The final rule will become effective January 31, 2010....
UPDATE ON THE DECEMBER 2009 EIV WEBCAST
The EIV webcast has been taped and will be posted to HUD's webcasts page. A live Question and Answer session will be held on February 25, 2010 from 11:00 EST to 1:00 EST....
Users can scroll down to " Brochure." Hardcopies of the English version and all of the translated versions are available from the Multifamily Housing Clearinghouse by calling 1-800-685-8470....
2010 Operating Cost Adjustment Factors (OCAFs) Operating Cost Adjustment Factors (OCAF) Published
The Operating Cost Adjustment Factors (OCAF) for 2010 were published in the November 12, 2009 Federal Register. The factors are effective February 11, 2010....
The appropriate changes and/or revisions to Chapter 6, Conducting Management Reviews, have not completed the required clearance process. To give sufficient time for the publication and to review the changes and/or revisions, implementation is extended until March 1, 2010....
No Social Security Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for 2010
With consumer prices down over the past year, monthly Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits for more than 57 million Americans will not automatically increase in 2010. This will be the first year without an automatic Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) since they went into effect in 1975. For additional...
Credit.Com News Feed: Housing Market
FTC proposes rule to eliminate up-front fees
In an effort to protect homeowners from fraudulent firms, a Federal Trade Commission rule proposed Thursday would require mortgage modification and foreclosure rescue companies to provide services before charging customers....
Second lien program through HAMP to help debt management gets nod from BoA
There are a number of debt management issues facing consumers in the country, including dealing with credit card debt and difficulties with their home loans....
Home sales drop in 2009 even with credit for first time homebuyers
Despite a credit put forward for first time homebuyers, recent statistics show that sales of new homes fell for both December and 2009 as a whole....
Property-value declines continuing to level off
Homeowners worried about everything from falling credit scores and property values to looming foreclosure fears got a small bit of good news this week....
December saw drop in home sales
Consumers with sufficient credit scores still have several months left to apply if they are hoping to apply for a mortgage and qualify for the federal homebuyer's tax credit....
Foreclosure activity could rise in the coming year
Despite the widespread perception that the recession has turned a corner and is largely over, that will be of little help to the several million Americans who are still expected to face foreclosure and ruined credit scores in 2010....
Real Estate Q&A
Seller's Responsibility After the Closing
About a month ago we bought a one-bedroom co-op in Brooklyn. During our walk-through before the closing, the seller told us that all the appliances were in good working condition. A couple of weeks after we moved in, the refrigerator stopped working. A repairman told us that it would make...
At what point does the board become liable for having such an overzealous policy?...
When Maintenance Is Long in Arrears
Can a co-op refuse to entertain any application for a new shareholder to buy an apartment until the arrears and penalties are paid?...
Co-op Buyer Looks for a 'Bridge'
I own a co-op in Forest Hills. I am waiting to buy a bigger unit - now owned by the sponsor - when it becomes available. I don't want to sell my place until this larger one is for sale. My mortgage broker told me that banks no longer give...
Six months ago I bought a co-op apartment in Bayside, Queens. I am susceptible to mold, so before closing I had the apartment inspected by a specialist who didn't find any mold. Days after the closing I felt sick in the apartment and brought this to the attention of management....
What Constitutes a Board Vacancy
Our Brooklyn co-op has a five-member board of directors. One of them notified the board that he was "suspending" himself for an unspecified period of time, but was not resigning. There are five months before the next election. What should our board do until then?...
NYT > Real Estate
Living In | Belmont, the Bronx: The Bigger Little Italy
Belmont, is known as the Little Italy of the Bronx, but it also has sizable communities of Puerto Rican and Albanian immigrants. ...
Big Deal: The Unedited Version
Of the dozen or so listings at Morgan Court, one stands out for being dressed up enough to be featured in Architectural Digest. Perhaps because it was, in 2004. ...
Big Deal: But Does It Have a Garage?
Jimmie Johnson, who won his fourth consecutive Nascar Sprint Cup Series championship last year, has just sold his 3,200-square-foot loft in Chelsea for $4 million. ...
A Brooklyn Heights triplex with sweeping Manhattan and harbor views has just taken the prize for Brooklyn’s priciest condo, with an $8.495 million sale price. ...
Some bankers are using their bonuses for “smart, sound real estate purchases.” ...
In the Region | Westchester: Sick and Tired of Treading Water
Last week in Yonkers, lenders came under heavy criticism for their apparent reluctance to negotiate or compromise on mortgages that are “underwater.” ...
Wallingford Wired
The biggest influence on mortgage rates this week came from outside the US. Concerns about the possible default of sovereign debt in smaller nations caused investors to seek the relative safety of US fixed income securities. This week’s economic data was roughly balanced in terms of positive and negative surprises....
Just Listed: 25 Laura Rd, Hamden CT
Spectacular custom ranch home on 17+ acres. Home offers spacious rooms including living room with bay window, kitchen with island open to family room, master bedroom with bath and 2 walk-in closets, large sunroom, 31×24 rec room (perfect for home theater), newer furnace and central air. Home great for in-law...
While the economic data released this week had little impact, mortgage rates were heavily influenced by two big stories. One was an announcement that China will take steps to slow its economic growth and the other was President Obama’s proposed new restrictions on the activities of financial institutions. Both measures...
VIDEO: Housing Affordability for the 2010 Market
Chris Raveis, Managing Partner, William Raveis NY, MA & Affiliates, presents an analysis of housing affordability for the 2010 market:If you have specific questions about our local housing market, please give The Harriman Team a call today at (203)-672-4499.addthis_url = 'http%3A%2F%2Fwallingfordwired.com%2F2010%2Fvideo-housing-affordability-for-the-2010-market'; addthis_title = 'VIDEO%3A+Housing+Affordability+for+the+2010+Market'; addthis_pub [...]Post...
Wallingford Sonic Appeal Passes ZBA
So, my wife and I just got back from attending the Zoning Board of Appeals meeting at the Wallingford Town Hall. After an hour of sitting in some rather uncomfortable auditorium chairs, we got the news we had been waiting for: The Zoning Board of Appeals has passed the variance request...
How You Can Help the People of Haiti On January 12th, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck about 10 miles outside Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital city, causing massive destruction and the loss of thousands of lives. The images of carnage and despair caused by this disaster (like the one below) have affected millions...
CyberhomesBlog.com
Intro to Social Media for Title Reps
Recently I gave a presentation to a group of progressive title representatives and here is the training video recap. This session was one hour and covered Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Please let me know if you have any comments in this thread....
Facebook’s Big Changes and What They Mean to Your Business
Over the past few years Facebook has seen many changes. You may remember Facebook apps seemed to be the hottest thing around. But it didn’t take long for all of us to try them…and get burned out! Also during this time Twitter burst onto the scene and taught us...
How To Generate a Property Report On Cyberhomes
Did you know that you can generate a property report using Cyberhomes? Watch this quick video for step by step directions. Watch other Cyberhomes videos....
Understanding Comparable Properties on Cyberhomes
Have you ever wondered how comparable properties are used on Cyberhomes? Or maybe how you can pick and choose the best and most accurate comparables for your estimate? Watch this quick 3 minute video with Marty Frame as he covers those topics and more....
The Silver Lining Found In Our Q2 09′ Cyberhomes Data Report
Its time to start looking at the bright side... Data from the Q2 09’ Cyberhomes Data Report shows that 8 cities with healthy sales volume saw positive changes in volume and median prices over the last year. That’s not many, but in this market, any signs of positive change are...
Do Website Ads Increase Conversions?
What’s your opinion about ads on your website…good or bad? I was reading an article over on the Wav Group blog about ads and their relationship with conversations. The post highlighted research done by the Online Publishers Association and comScore. The report points out that advertising on websites actually increases...
BloodhoundBlog
Deflationary Or Inflationary? Laying Economists End To End
The last half of the title came to me as I recalled one of Johnny Carson’s most memorable lines. He was talking about how economists are supposed to be the smartest kids in the room, but at the same time can’t agree with each other what day it is. He...
What’s Your Niche Biche! – Could Broker Pimps Just Mandate Agent Created Content?
So, if a broker owner really wanted to build a mega monster traffic magnet lead generation machine, couldn’t he or she just mandate that team members create a regularly occurring piece of content around some theme? Maybe the agent entrance interview would so something like this?: Broker Pimp: So, what’s your niche...
Funny and Instructive – Life Gives Second Chances
Your thoughts? (Hat tip to Tom Royce for the heads up on this.) The Colbert Report Mon – Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c...
Sign this contract with us, and we will deliver fresh leads right to your in-box! The cost? Well, the cost is more than covered by just one deal! Can you afford not to take advantage of this? Should we bill you on the 1st or the 15th of the month?...
A Scary Thought on the (Non-Existent?) Shadow Inventory
The shadow inventory has been a topic of interest with almost every agent I talk to lately. Most believe it is large and few understand why it isn’t in the marketplace rather than held by the banks. Russell Shaw recently wrote about the shadow inventory being gibberish. It is an...
President Obama To Las Vegas Residents: “Screw You!”
President Obama told a New Hampshire town hall meeting: “When times are tough, you tighten your belts. You don’t go buying a boat when you can barely pay your mortgage. You don’t blow a bunch of cash in Vegas when you’re trying to save for college. You prioritize. You make tough...
RealCentralVA.com
More Charlottesville Real Estate Data than You Might Have Wanted
This is going to be a developing post as I read through Barry Merchant's presentation from this morning. Barry Merchant's VHDA presentation at Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors (PDF) Additionally, Here is an advance copy of the Nest Report, what we believe to...
Light Industrial and a Gas Station in Crozet?
A spirited crowd of Crozet residents was on hand at a public forum Thursday to challenge the notion that western Albemarle is a prime location for expanded industrial development. The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors has asked for consideration of a new light industrial...
The Burden of Proof – Real Estate Assessment Appeals
HB570 is an outstanding bill in the Virginia General Assembly that takes on particular relevance in 2010, with property assessments likely being challenged by some in Charlottesville, Albemarle and surrounding Counties. ... It "Changes the burden of proof from the taxpayer to the assessor when a...
Yes Charlottesville – It is Supposed to Snow
Again . CBS19Weather says - @ JimDuncan Some models are indicating 12-18"; that is of course preliminary & subject to change. Our prediction comes closer to time (tk) ...
Glenmore Embezzler to Plead Guilty
This is reason I advise my clients to pay the most attention to the budgets of HOAs. I’m writing about this for no reason other than I think it’s an important lesson for buyers – as in, no homeowners’ association is immune, and I’m testing out the Diverse Solutions’ plugin that...
Foreclosures, FHA and Tax Credit Timelines and a Look at 2010
Some of the topics we discussed: - Foreclosures in Charlottesville's MSA - FHA's increasing limits/guidelines (story coming later this week) and their impact on the real estate market, specifically first-time homebuyers. - The homebuyer tax credit's impending expiration - If you're...
HomeGain Blog
The key to mainstreaming green homes is to make sure that consumers understand the value of green upgrades — how cost-effective energy efficiency can be in the long run. Consumers want homes that are environmentally friendly and home values should reflect the increased savings. Better Homes and Gardens Recent poll results of...
Agent Success Newsletter - January/February 2010 Issue
HomeGain rolled out its January/February 2010 newsletter for real estate agents, called “Agent Success Newsletter“. The digital real estate newsletter included: Feature Story: The 2009 Top Performing AgentEvaluator Agents by Highest Home Sales Volume and Highest Dollar were announced last month by region, nationwide and by state. We were pleased to also recognize...
Will Mortgage Underwriters Be Using Mapquest Soon?
Transportation costs may soon become a recognized expense for mortgage applications if the Natural Resources Defense Council study holds up. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the study showed that higher transportation costs resulted in a higher foreclosure rate: The draft report looked at trends associated with 40,000 mortgages in...
This is my first contribution to HomeGain and thought what a better place to start then at the beginning – the importance of home staging and why it is such a hot industry in the real estate market. In 2009 HomeGain released its national survey results for the top Return on...
Welcome New Guest Blogger, Stephanie Decker of Staged Homes
We’d like to welcome Stephanie Decker of Staged Homes, LLC in Mill Valley, CA to our team of HomeGain Guest Bloggers! Stephanie will be our designated home staging expert, blogging about ways to help Realtors work through home staging issues and work effectively with home sellers. With more than 20 years...
If I Didn’t Know … Would I Know?
If I wasn’t constantly being told be the TV, radio, newspaper, and magazines that we are in a financial downturn, would I know that from my every day life experiences over the last year? My answer is no. My life has gone on pretty much unchanged from what it was prior to...
Business Insider
Swiss Central Bank Mysteriously Intervenes In Its Currency Market, Causing Chaos
The Swiss Central Bank stepped in to defend its Swiss Franc (CHF) overnight in Asia. The move rocked the EUR/CHF as shown below. Alphaville: An FX trading source tells FT Alphaville, the SNB was seen stepping in on the EBS platform — one of the two main FX interbank trading places...
Blame Toyota's Disaster On Japanese Corporate Culture
Jeff Kingston of Temple University in Japan thinks the entire Toyota disaster has its roots in Japan's deferential corporate culture. Essentially, design problems were sufficiently challenged and critical information wasn't relayed properly to management due to Toyota's traditional Japanese corporate culture. He's careful to remind that every nation shares the communication...
Roubini: From Here On Out, The Market Will Be Flat At Best
During his interview with Bloomberg TV, Nouriel Roubini says the S&P will remain "flat over the year." "The markets in my view are going to do okay in the first half of the year, but expect there to be a massive slow down in growth in the second half of the...
North Carolina Judge Saves World From John Edwards Sex Tape
When we heard John Edwards had a sex tape, we groaned and mused (via Twitter) that this would really hurt his chances in the 2012 presidential elections. We've also been wondering when the 15 minutes of fame for former Edwards' aide Andrew Young -- the possessor of said sex tape --...
More Newspapers Put Up New York Times-Like Paywall
MediaNews is following the Financial Times and the New York Times by building a metered paywall for two of its papers in May, Bloomberg reports. Under the plan, MediaNews will grant access to "as many as 25 'premium' articles monthly, after which they'll have to pay an undetermined fee unless they...
Whose Bonus Is The Biggest In Bank CEO Battle Of The Riches
Many Wall Street firms have had a great year spending tax payer cash and making billions as a result. So why wouldn't they bank that money for a rainy day like Spetember 2008? Because they are handing out massive bonuses to the CEO's that made it all tick in 2009, and don't...