Archive for the ‘Agents’ Category

Mortgage firms and Sharks?

Tuesday, August 10th, 2010

sharks.jpgMortgage firms, lending investors and real estates brokers are falling victim to smart mobs who target people who are responsible for the foreclosure crisis that still continues to this day. Their method of attack is bold and sometimes surprising enough a homeowner can get wrongly accused. They use plastic sharks to show their disgust at these people especially those who lend money to homeowners or “loan Sharks” as they call them. They throw them all over the front yard or hang them in front of their offices which have caused some alarm for these people who have already fallen prey to the attack of these sharks (plastic).

Eppraisal

Tuesday, May 25th, 2010

eppraisal.jpgAnother newcomer to the real estates market, the internet-based appraisal system allows you to get the best possible appraisals for your property from realtors. Get information from public records regarding properties and get the ho-down on its history. It is nice to get news from time to time for the bad news regarding the housing market just keeps on coming with no end in sight. Innovation is helping struggling buyers ,sellers along with realtors on the internet in hopes of getting small successes in the gloomy state real estate has been in the past few months. The real estates market hit a 12-year low where there are more houses than people are buying. Those who choose to buy are either holding off till the gloom fizzes out or till predictions get prices down to the lowest they will ever be. Check out Eppraisal.com to get a feel on how people are banding together to help themselves and to find the latest trends in the real estates market.

Swapping Real Estates

Wednesday, April 21st, 2010

swapee.jpgYes, it sounds crazy but the current problems the housing market is having as the effects of the bad sub-prime loans crisis of last year it is quite an innovative idea. And it is all done through the internet, taking the real estates business into the High-tech world of the internet. The advantage reach and low costs in deployment are good for home based real-estates people for all you need is a computer and a connection to the internet. Many have seen the benefits of swapping their properties for ones they like but cannot afford in exchange for their current house who someone else may like to own. This is good news for the real estates business for all the negative press and news has sent the industry down the drain into recession. Check out <strong><a href=http://www.swapee.com/default.asp>Swapee.com</a></strong> for details regarding people who might be willing to swap their homes for yours and get the house that you have been wishing for. You�ll be amazed at the number of people who are willing to do the same.

Federal Projections

Saturday, February 13th, 2010

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The Federal government has announced that projections show slower economic growth and expansion is to be expected this coming 2008. This belays earlier information released by the Fed that the economy was doing better and released higher projected rates. This gives rise to more speculation that Mortgage interest rates would recover better this coming year. People are now looking towards the stock exchange�s performance for whoever controls the Dow has a lot on influence on the said rates. Average mortgage rates for the whole spread still run into the 6% mark which is the highest for six months. Leaving many with dread as to how and when the markets would start recovery.

Old yet Charming

Saturday, January 9th, 2010

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Metropolitan areas like New York are known for architectural gems that have stood the test of time. These gems also get put up for sale by owners who might have lived there for their whole lives. These properties have a certain charm that would appeal to those who fancy and are fanatics of the architectural world. Some buyers prefer location, some prefer convenience, but nothing beats a house with character. Such properties are listed on the web site NY Daily News in the Real Estates section where they have tools that could help you quickly go through listings making the search process easier and les laborious. There are also similar sites in most metro area news agencies so be sure to check them out first before setting out on the town.

Are Municipal Bonds the Next Big Unknown Unknown?

Thursday, August 14th, 2008


Image Source: www.rwsbroker.com

In the financial crisis of today, to use a popular maxim of Donald Rumsfeld’s invention, “there are known unknowns and unknown unknowns.” Some major unknowns have surfaced to become economic hurricanes reeking havoc on financial markets worldwide, such as the failure of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. But what unknown unknowns are still lurking under the surface, waiting to be discovered, buried in the media headlines, that could have an equally devastating effect on the economy and real estate markets across the country? One such potential dangerous unknown unknown that hasn’t received very much press attention recently is the current lack of financial stability in the municipal bond market.

Municipal bonds are sold by cities and municipalities across the nation to fund large real estate and infrastructure construction projects. They offer investors a tax free stream of income and offered by brokers around the nation as a low risk way to receive income without increasing the investor’s tax burden. Well, it turns out that the municipal bond markets now are starting to sound like a familiar story. Municipalities across the nation have taken advantage of low interest rates over the past two years to fund construction projects. However, about a one third of these funds were borrowed using a variable rate of interest. Now the municipalities are having trouble paying back their investors.

Hotpads

Tuesday, July 1st, 2008

hotpads.jpgThe innovations just keep coming on people who are betting on technology which is the Internet in helping ease the crisis in the housing market. The site is said to be one of the best place to buy, sell or just look around for properties that are for sale and so much more information. Want to rent, they also have options when you begin your search to select either for sale, for rent and comparison statistics whether to buy or rent. The best thing about the site is that it does not only give you addresses with names on them, it gives you a map with all the addresses superimposed on them so you get the best view say of how convenient it would be to get to the grocery or pharmacist. The maps are a true innovation for it gives you a virtual view of the property and the general area. Check out Hotpads.com for more information on the site.

Buyers Tips – Part 1

Sunday, June 1st, 2008

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If you want to save a couple of bucks and have spare time, you can do house hunting on your own. Grab the classifieds for a comprehensive listing of all available properties and divide them into areas. Once you have grouped them into manageable chunks, try to give the agents or sellers a call to get more details and try getting schedules for favorable ones. If the house is being sold by the owner and has been on the list for quite sometime, they would be easier to bargain with. But this would not always work for all homeowners for like you, some want to save the 3% charge asked for by agents so be ready to negotiate on a level scale.

Listing Agents Adding Teeth

Thursday, April 17th, 2008

agents.jpgIn Montana that is, where a realtor group has asked the state board to review the actions of a listing broker who has violated the rules of engagement so to speak in the real estate business of the practice which was approved by the state, that all agents are to submit their listings to a broker who then consults the group which places the property in listings. The listing broker in question broke the rule by taking his listings and submitting offers to buyers without consulting the local industry thus bypassing their value in the whole deal. The norm for such transactions would have a seller hire an agent, who submits their listing to the listing agency who then is contacted by the agent of the buyers all while they are under the eyes of the realtor group and state officials. There was a circumvention of the process when the listing company got seller agents directly in contact with buyers with evidence to support it having taken place. The Montana Realty Board is reviewing the case and is set to release a statement soon.

Short Sales – The Easy Way out of your Mortgage, sometimes (Part 2)

Friday, February 29th, 2008

shrtsls1.jpgThis almost forgotten practice is now experiencing resurgence at a rate of 18% of total house sales in the industry. There are pitfalls which the lenders can initiate that could cause a total failure of the deal for they are taken into the equation for the sale to take place. Real-estate agents also see the success rates of such moves as very low for there is less money for all in the whole picture. One agent quoted getting 65 listings for short sales but estimate only about 2 or three to follow through. Buyers are advised to be cautious for however tantalizing the deal may be, the high-risks associated with it does indeed make for one balancing act.