Today's Real Estate News and AdviceUpdated: July 6, 2009Washington Report: Home Valuation Code of Conduct Critics of Fannie Mae's and Freddie Mac's controversial new appraisal rules ratcheted up the pressure before the July 4 congressional recess with the introduction of bipartisan legislation that would mandate an 18-month moratorium on the “Home Valuation Code of Conduct.” FULL STORY-> The Contract Offer: What Price to Start With When a decision is made to make an offer to purchase a home, be sure to go back and take a second look. It is so much easier changing your mind about a home before a contract offer is made than after a contract offer is accepted and signed by the seller. This second appointment would be a perfect time to bring along others who may have an impact on a buying decision, such as parents, friend, contractor, etc. FULL STORY-> Can Trees Help Sell Your Home? The population of the U.S. nearly doubled from 1950 to 2000 but with that growth our water demands more than tripled, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The government predicts that there will be water shortages in 36 states by the year 2013. That’s disappointing news to homeowners who love their green lawns and think that they add value to their homes. The good news is that a yard can still look attractive and yet use less water to maintain its beauty. FULL STORY-> Investor Report: FHA Reverse Purchasing Here's a real estate investment idea that's so new that a lot of people have never even heard of it: Buying multi-unit property with an FHA reverse mortgage -- living in one unit, renting out the others, and NEVER paying a dime in monthly principal or interest costs. FULL STORY-> Hot Market: Lone Texas City Beats Odds in Economic Growth A Brookings Institute report pointed out McAllen, Texas as “the only major city in the country that saw growth in employment and output during the first quarter of 2009,” as reported in The Monitor, the Rio Grande Valley’s main newspaper and online news service. FULL STORY-> How to Engage an Expired Listing If you’re a listing Agent, the two biggest questions you face are: Who do I call? and Where can I obtain Seller information? If you’re working to convert expired listings, the answers are right at your fingertips. FULL STORY-> The Confident Rookie Series As we all know, many rookie agents are woefully unprepared for the realities of their new career. They’re told to “fake it ‘til you make it” and sent out into the world to generate business for themselves before they even spell “MLS!” FULL STORY-> A Recession Is A Horrible Thing To Waste: Part 2 Peter L. Mosca shares part two of an excerpt of an interview with David O. Kingston, Chairman and CEO of Kingston Companies, an Idaho Falls, Idaho privately held group of 25 enterprises with a concentration in real estate development, agriculture, and power generation; Michael Anderson, Founder and co-owner, Nate Hanks, Co-Owner and Blaine Walker, President, all with RealSource in Salt Lake City, a commercial real estate provider of a full menu of institutional level services and products to help the entrepreneurial real estate investor invest well. FULL STORY-> Job Loss Mortgage Insurance: New Sources Today's job-loss mortgage insurance is a growth industry spawned by the recession. Once only the domain of traditional insurers, the coverage is now available from a variety of sources. FULL STORY-> Can Trees Help Sell Your Home? The population of the U.S. nearly doubled from 1950 to 2000 but with that growth our water demands more than tripled, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The government predicts that there will be water shortages in 36 states by the year 2013. That’s disappointing news to homeowners who love their green lawns and think that they add value to their homes. The good news is that a yard can still look attractive and yet use less water to maintain its beauty. FULL STORY-> Investor Report: FHA Reverse Purchasing Here's a real estate investment idea that's so new that a lot of people have never even heard of it: Buying multi-unit property with an FHA reverse mortgage -- living in one unit, renting out the others, and NEVER paying a dime in monthly principal or interest costs. FULL STORY-> How to Engage an Expired Listing If you’re a listing Agent, the two biggest questions you face are: Who do I call? and Where can I obtain Seller information? If you’re working to convert expired listings, the answers are right at your fingertips. FULL STORY-> Hot Market: Lone Texas City Beats Odds in Economic Growth A Brookings Institute report pointed out McAllen, Texas as “the only major city in the country that saw growth in employment and output during the first quarter of 2009,” as reported in The Monitor, the Rio Grande Valley’s main newspaper and online news service. FULL STORY-> Job Loss Mortgage Insurance: New Sources Today's job-loss mortgage insurance is a growth industry spawned by the recession. Once only the domain of traditional insurers, the coverage is now available from a variety of sources. FULL STORY-> A Recession Is A Horrible Thing To Waste: Part 2 Peter L. Mosca shares part two of an excerpt of an interview with David O. Kingston, Chairman and CEO of Kingston Companies, an Idaho Falls, Idaho privately held group of 25 enterprises with a concentration in real estate development, agriculture, and power generation; Michael Anderson, Founder and co-owner, Nate Hanks, Co-Owner and Blaine Walker, President, all with RealSource in Salt Lake City, a commercial real estate provider of a full menu of institutional level services and products to help the entrepreneurial real estate investor invest well. FULL STORY-> The Confident Rookie Series As we all know, many rookie agents are woefully unprepared for the realities of their new career. They’re told to “fake it ‘til you make it” and sent out into the world to generate business for themselves before they even spell “MLS!” FULL STORY-> Home Remodeling Showing Signs of Recovery, Future Looks Bright Recent surveys and reports show a picture of the home remodeling industry that is a mixed bag of good news and bad. FULL STORY-> HOA Musical Meetings A well conducted meeting is like a music to your ears. Using a well thought out plan, the Chair cues, directs and closes the meeting much like a conductor. Conducting successful meetings doesn't happen by chance. There is a combination of clear purpose coupled with ground rules. Here are some tips that can make your meetings like music to the ears. FULL STORY-> More Biz in Today's Tough Market – The Phrase That Pays BNI is a group Brian Hilliard works with in Atlanta, and is best known for generating referrals amongst its members. In other words, 20 or so entrepreneurs get together on a weekly basis with the sole intent of developing relationships, and passing referrals to members based on the contacts those individuals have in the local business community. FULL STORY-> More Real Estate News and Advice... |