Technology Transactions
We all have “too much to do.” True? Sure ‘nuf. And that says a lot of
The advent of the Internet has helped many of us advance our careers. It has broadened our marketing exposure beyond local neighborhoods, Sunday classifieds, or sales magazines. We are truly global. Each day our Websites touch every corner of the globe, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. So it is critical how we conduct ourselves as licensed professionals, as the shadow cast by our Internet or e-commerce marketing magnifies our public image even more so. The world is watching, it’s time we address our behavior, by paying more attention and reviewing the information we place on our Websites.
For you to master this great speciality of real estate finance qualifying buyers is only part of the challenge. Almost as important is to keep up to date with changes in the industry. The lenders I have asked agree that you are smart to qualify a buyer by calculating the buyer’s front-end (housing) and back-end (debt) ratios.
You may be well intended about getting things done during your day at
I used to put everyone else’s requests and needs first and if there was any time left over at the end of the day for what I needed and wanted to
Do you ever wish you had a personal assistant? Someone to make sure your favorite suit is clean and ironed for your big meeting? Someone to keep your refrigerator stocked, so you don’t run out of milk? In short, someone to keep your life running smoothly, to make sure crises are averted before they happen? When it comes to real estate transactions, you do have an assistant: your title agent.
For a variety of reasons, you may have a tough listing to sell, especially if the home is vacant or in a high price range. That"s when you and your seller may need some professional help.
If you are perfectly happy with your business as it is and you can’t wait to get to the office each day and you have plenty of time and energy to do what the job takes, you don’t need a coach.
Have you ever wondered if those gifts you have been giving your clients at closing or shortly thereafter ever made an impact?
In your first conversations with buyers, ask them: How much are you comfortable spending? As they pause before they answer, you promise them you will never bump them up in price, never show them properties listed for more than the price they give you, and never even send them information on properties listed for sale at a price higher than the number they are about to provide.
In exchange for the opportunity to get a listing on a property managed by a bank or an asset manager, brokers are often asked to render Broker Price Opinions (BPOs) at rates much lower than bank appraisals cost. But the risk is greater than putting out a lot of time, effort and sometimes expense to bet on the come - sometimes agents don"t get paid until months after the BPO was performed, or they don"t get paid at all.
What is it about asking tough questions that makes many agents squirm? The best I can tell is that they are afraid they will sound pushy or seem controversial. Frankly, it is not the questions that are the problem. It’s often the way they are asked.
One thing managers have to look out for is how to help your mid-core agents. Why? These agents don’t complain and just produce wonderful results year in and year out and keep the morale of the office up. However, if they are neglected, when one leaves then more follow. You cannot afford to lose these agents. These are the ones that bring the most money to the office and cost the least to maintain.
In all areas of life, taking action is the key to success. Most people,
Listing agents would love to know the intimate details of buyers" credit backgrounds. They can use that knowledge to help sellers compare offers, with credit-worthiness as the deal-maker/breaker. This information is equally useful to buyers" agents, who can use mortgage qualification to decide whom they drive around to view homes or not.
Everybody thinks they can write well. Few can. But here"s how to write well enough to get your
There are many reasons why we are in the business and we need to remember each and every one of them. When real estate markets are changing, we sometimes focus on what is happening at the time, especially when it isn"t positive, instead of focusing on what put us in this crazy business in the first place. You can probably add much more to this list, but these are the highlights from my career:
It"s a surprisingly simple success strategy - stay in the present.
The huge impact of the federal home buyer tax credit program, which is now set to continue and even expand through next spring, dominates the housing resale numbers this week.
Every year, at about this time, I am often asked by home owners if it is prudent to put their home on the market during the upcoming holiday season, or if they should wait until after the first of the year. My answer, always, is that they should definitely consider putting their home on the market, because November and December offer a higher exposure ratio compared to other months.
The World Trade Center attack is unquestionably the most significant event in the history of the insurance industry. The events of September 11th have sent insurance costs soaring for many companies around the country with large building and property holdings leaving many firms wondering how they can possibly manage the enormous surge in insurance costs. And these rising costs are not simply limited to major metropolitan areas, costs are surging for companies nationwide and many firms are looking for answers to this crisis.
I refuse to participate in a recession!
With some Realtors, you get more than real estate advice. You get to discover your higher self and pass your wellness on to others. Meet Agent News" newest writer, Morgan Cowan, GRI, a Realtor and educator for Deepak Chopra, M.D. Morgan will teach readers how to combine wellness principles with business principles for a more abundant life.
Speaking before big-shot investors on Wall Street last week, assistant Treasury secretary Anthony Ryan said the marketplace needs to be protected against financial predators.
California broker Barbara Simmons has the kind of problem all agents with Web sites wish they had - getting too many leads. So, she turned to her Mastermind Group, and collectively, top producers from across the country came up with leads management solutions for her.
Americans have a well-deserved reputation as a generous people. We support thousands of charitable organizations, and when disaster strikes, as it did on Sept. 11, 2001, our willingness to help others in need shines through.
“You can"t always get what you want..but, if you try, sometime,
The day after the terrorist strikes upon the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, headlines of major news sources portrayed the precarious status of the economy: "Attacks could tip U.S. into recession" and "Shock could shatter already fragile economy" (USA TODAY); "Economy in the balance" and "Strength seen hinging on consumer reaction in wake of attacks" (CNN.com); and "Attacks Raise Fears of a Recession (The Wall Street Journal).
In my personal opinion, it is much easier to represent the buyer rather than the seller on a multiple offer. Personally, found it easier to convert my multiple offers into closed transactions. To be successful as a buyer"s agent in a multiple offer situation, here are some simple guidelines.
When I was actively selling in Southern California, multiple offers were a fact of life. While you may think receiving two or more offers on one of your listings is a great situation to be in, actually it"s not. For properties that sell with a single offer, the "fall out" rate is 10%. For properties where there are two or more offers, the "fall out" rate is 50%.
We all encounter delays that keep us from doing what we planned to do. Life is often what happens to you along the way when you are planning otherwise.
The Federal Reserve just lowered their short term borrowing rates to banks. Does that mean that mortgage interest rates will go lower? Not necessarily. The two aren"t as related as they seem, but that may bring little comfort to anxious homebuyers who want to beat the mortgage market.
Your vision for 2001 will determine the scope of the game you play. Know yourself and your values. What will it take for you to feel 2001 was the best year ever?
Unless you"re a top producer with a number of assistants, you may believe your real estate business is pretty much a solo effort. In actuality, you have more people on your team than you realize, but are they pulling their weight?
There seems to be a feeling of security in having a lead. It feels a lot
By using strategies for the future as the central focus of your business planning for 2001, you optimize your return on business building activities. If you focus solely on setting activity goals, your attention is on what you have already been doing and it only revs up the need for action to create more. What if an entirely new approach would yield a better payoff and actually allow you to do less? The bell curve of effectiveness for any given business strategy is dynamic, not static. Certain actions will yield results for a while, but will eventually diminish in their effectiveness as markets change.
How would you feel if you were fighting a traffic ticket and your lawyer calls you the morning of the trial and advises you that s/he can’t appear at trail with you? Of course s/he has briefed the City attorney and assures you that your side will be presented to the judge.
Is your life hectic, fast-paced and fraught with deadlines and crises? The picture many of us have of the superstar agent often includes a life lived like this. It is not surprising that many agents experience burnout at some point. After all, you can only push the body so far. When you live a hurry-up, not-enough-time existence, you trigger your body’s natural response of adrenalin release. You know that feeling…the heart quickens, the senses become more alert and the tension in your muscles is increased. It is the caveman “fight or flight” response. What you probably aren’t aware of is that you can become addicted to adrenalin.
Procrastination is one of the biggest enemies we have to our Personal Productivity. Thinking about doing something and planning to do it are fine, but what if we fail to move ahead?
Because the timeline is speeded up for a relocation, you have to work smarter, not harder.
Often, we can build our business by making presentations or doing buyer/seller seminars. Does the fear of speaking in front of others stop you? Fear of public speaking rates higher than fear of death for a large part of our population. Mastering the art of feeling confident in front of others can give you a real sense of confidence in yourself and further your goals. Relax and enjoy!
Market expert Joelle Lewis reports that Portland market activity in March showed forward progress for month to month but remains slow compared to the level of activity a year ago.
You hear this term all the time -- “You need to think outside of the box,” but few know what it really means. Maybe this will help.
The recent drop in interest rates has prompted millions of households to refinance their mortgages. Borrowers who refinance need to familiarize themselves with tricky tax rules on what is or is not deductible for interest payments. Here are some reminders on how the rules work.
The shoe"s on the other foot for Dr. Kenneth W. Edwards, author of Your Successful Real Estate Career, American Management Association. As the book review editor for The Real Estate Professional magazine, Edwards reads virtually every book written with regard to the real estate industry. Now it"s his turn to be reviewed as his real estate career primer hits the bookstore shelves in its third edition.
The finish line is in sight for 1999. You have about two weeks left of production to get the transactions under contract. If you are behind on your goal, here are a few steps to get a few deals under contract before the end of the year.
We invest large amounts of time with buyers. There is nothing more frustrating than spending a lot of time with buyers and than never getting paid for our efforts. The key component to successfully working with buyers is the qualifying process. Qualifying is the lost art of the sales process. Sometimes we get so excited that we have a lead that we fail to determine its value. That is why the process of qualifying is focused on determining the value of leads.
With a pull that is purely emotional, nostalgia is hot! According to
When we listen to professional athletes they often talk about "the zone." The zone is the place where they can"t miss the basket or all the putts just fall. I was reminded of this performance zone watching David Duvall shoot a 59 in the last round to win the Bob Hope tournament. He truly was in the zone. His longest putt that day was about 10 feet. His mind and body were working together in a masterful performance.
Hainge"s Rule Of Computing #12 states: "Ideally, you should spend very little
The lovable folks at the IRS have created The
Call it the backlash after the boom: Major lenders and mortgage insurers are turning off the money spigot for investors who want to buy rental houses or condos with minimal downpayments.
An Opportunity for the Realtor?
Editor"s Note: This is the second part of a two part series that started on Monday Novemer 2, 1998. If you missed part I, you can read it here: How Hard Should You Work for an Unrepresented Buyer?
The trend of second home buying for well-heeled homeowners is definitely worth noting, and there may be real opportunity for REALTORS® who serve areas with swimming, boating, golf and other recreational amenities to sell their clients second homes or vacation homes as their clients plan for retirement.
Some house cleaning service workers breathe in double the formaldehyde levels considered safe.
The housing market isn"t over-inflated like a balloon about to burst, but the strengthening economy could take some of the air out of rising home values.
For every three Canadians who say they want to buy a recreational property this year, there"s only one property owner willing to sell. There are also more U.S. buyers taking advantage of the weak Canadian dollar and snapping up vacation properties in Canada. As a result, it looks like it"s going to be a long, expensive summer for would-be buyers.
Pick any major city and you"re certain to find lots of traffic. Big city traffic is how you flow in and out of most cities, it"s a threat to life and limb when crossing streets and since it"s often a molasses-like mass of belching vehicles, big-city traffic is the surest way to enrich local cab drivers when going crosstown, uptown or nowhere at all.
The first round in election fundraising has produced an unusual crop of winners and losers. This has little to do with who raised what, but instead is about the matter of how business is done in Washington.
Spring is here, what else could possibly explain a mortgage lender who called to say my monthly payment is late.
Since the Internet first became commercially viable in the 1990s it"s been driven largely by a single principle, the idea of pushing prices to zero. If you can make money by not charging then you"ve likely got a winner.
Eminent domain -- the right of the government to take your home -- has been much in the news since the Supreme Court"s 2005 Kelo decision, but now comes word of a New Jersey court decision that adds a fresh aura of common sense to the debate
For as long as anyone can remember the only form of listing allowed in local MLS systems has been the "exclusive right to sell" agreement.
Jane Bartlett, our market expert for Wayne County, North Carolina, says due to the negative national news causing home buyers to be more cautious, she saw a little sluggishness for the first quarter, but overall figures have remained stable.
There are now 8.7 million rich folks in the world, exciting news if it did not exclude massive real estate holdings.
A few weeks ago I wrote a column entitled, "Why New Home Prices Are Too High," which argued that "the most obvious reason for steeper home prices and less affordability is that we simply have bigger houses."
The ongoing national debate regarding wealth and taxes took a turn toward reality last week when the House of Representatives decided after much debate and posturing that, yes indeed, the nation"s gilded elite will have to pay taxes upon their passing.
Consumers in New York state are getting a bonus, thanks -- as usual -- to their crusading attorney general, Eliot Spitzer. After taking on banks, stock brokers, insurance companies and others, Spitzer has now struck a glancing blow at the title insurance industry -- an industry that collects $1.1 billion in annual premiums just in New York state. Why he can"t go further should be on the front page of every real estate section.
Here"s the most amazing statistic: The United States -- traditionally the bread basket of the world -- was a net importer of food in 2005.
Not far from Americus, Georgia, is a simple structure that houses one of the nation"s most impressive museums. It"s a place without famous art or a big budget, but it tells an important story.
The Pending Home Sales Index for the Midwestern region -- showed that numbers were fairing better than its Southern neighbors, with just a 3.7 percent decline -- down just over 17 percent from last year.
HUD is about to be broken up, at least that is the substance of a report in The Washington Post ("Bush Plans Sharp Cuts In HUD Community Efforts," January 14, 2005)
It used to be that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two giants of the mortgage industry, were as reliable as sunrise but now both have failed the most basic test of any business, the ability to get their books right.
One of the great assumptions made by many in real estate is that prices are like the morning sun, they"ll always rise. You see this premise repeatedly and with some logic: Figures from the National Association of Realtors show that cash prices paid for existing homes have risen every year since 1968.
It used to be that a good Wall Street hubbub involved companies that reported profits they didn"t have. Think of Enron and the like. But now we have a new phenomena, companies not reporting profits they do have.
Real estate is all about location, so we all like to know what"s happening in the neighborhood. In the usual sense, this means tidbits about home sales, schools, roads, stores and jobs.
Home prices have been rising with great ferocity in recent years, a matter which suggests to some that a real estate bubble is surely ahead. Now from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York -- that citadel of capitalism -- we hear something which approaches common sense: Home prices may not rise everywhere and everyday, but real estate has done wonderfully well in recent years and relative to other investment options offers a surprising level of security and potential.
Those who have been in real estate many years understand that while general market activity may rise or fall, even in tough times some individuals and firms continue to grow and prosper.
The 15-year FRM this week averaged 4.36 percent with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 4.40 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 5.81 percent.
It was a few weeks ago that the call came through. "Do you own that property by the shopping center? Would you like to sell?"
If you"ve seen the June issue of Money magazine you know that the topic of the month is real estate and specifically, "How Real Estate Really Builds Wealth." Money does a great job with a number of insightful articles and a bevy of statistics.
Mortgage Rates Tend Lower
The past few weeks have seen battles on two fronts, the fight to take Iraq and the debate in Washington regarding how best -- if at all -- to cut taxes.
Mortgage Rates Hit New Lows
Is there anyone who opposes clean air and water?
Mortgage Rates Remain Near Recent Lows
When it comes to the Internet and real estate there ought to be one central place where anyone can go to see who is licensed and who isn"t. Such a
It"s August in Washington, a time of year when the
If you"re in the insurance business you have a right to be nervous. Essentially you have a bet with policyholders that if their home is robbed, burned or the scene of an accident the insurance company will pay a claim. The good news is that since these are not attractive events to most people, policyholders and insurers both prefer a claims-free existence.
NAR"s mid-year meeting and exposition will be held in Washington this week, a good time
When last we left off, the Internet was to be the "next great thing." Online firms would decimate terrestrial rivals, local malls would shutter in the face of Internet competitors, and newspapers circulation would decline as the population increasingly turned to electronic updates.
In a few days thousands of real estate professionals will congregate in Chicago for the annual convention of the National Association of Realtors. The theme this year is "profiting from innovation" but I"m not sure that"s really the core concern at this moment of most attendees.
Reaching far beyond Manhattan, Washington, and Pennsylvania, the terrorist attacks of September 11th have also impacted California-based Homestore.com. On Wednesday, company shares (Nasdaq: HOMS) dropped as low as $5.66 following reduced third-quarter estimates. The stock closed at $6.20, down $.85 (12.06%) for the day.
We are now at about the time when securities analysts will begin to forecast the forthcoming demise of the housing market. The logic will be that as the economy slows fewer people will want to move up or move at all. Moreover, the impressive gains enjoyed by many homeowners in the past few years will be cited as evidence that we have a real estate "bubble" which now needs "correction."
Imagine this scene: You"re a buyer. You have a buyer broker. You look at a number of homes. One is especially recommended by the broker. You buy it at the suggestion of your adviser. At closing you find that the property is owned by your broker.
Until the past year or so, wealth in America has largely been equated with Wall Street -- and with good reason. Rising stock prices created bulging IRAs, money market accounts ballooned in size during the past decade, and newly-minted billionaires decorated both the business and style pages of local newspapers.
There was a time when the Internet and software were far more interesting than today. Several years ago there were fewer sites, no media that streamed or screamed, and software programs that readily fit on a single disk -- usually with space to spare.
At first the proposal seems benign: Let"s allow taxpayers to place more money in tax-deferred retirement accounts. What could possibly be wrong with that?
Imagine for a moment that two real estate sites are battling for your business. You"re a broker and post listings on both. At the end of the day which site is more interesting?
HomeStore.com, Inc. (Nasdaq: HOMS), operator of Realtor.com, announced pro forma revenues of $118.4 million for the first quarter, as well as a pro forma profit of $4 million. This is the third consecutive quarter the company has reported cash profitability.
As the weather improves, homeowners start to tackle a major home improvement project: fixing or replacing their roof. Often this is a job that homeowners delay doing because it can be a pricey, tedious process.
The past year has seen technology stocks take a beating on Wall Street, and now the question arises as to whether a small-but-fundamental change in the world economic order is taking place -- one which would make the U.S. just another high-tech center rather than a world leader.
HUD has a new secretary, Mel Martinez, and if changes on the Department"s web site are any indication of his approach to running the big federal institution, we may like this guy. What"s more, we may actually be able to find information on the site.
Wouldn"t you like to know that the person appraising your home is competent and able?
Peter G. Miller
Peter G. Miller
Peter G. Miller
Peter G. Miller
Peter G. Miller
Peter G. Miller
Peter G. Miller
Peter G. Miller
Peter G. Miller
Peter G. Miller
Peter G. Miller, OurBroker®
Antitrust officials at the U.S. Department of Justice lobbed another warning shell at a state legislature over "anti-competitive" real estate brokerage rules last week. Meanwhile in Washington, the war of words between NAR and the Justice department over Virtual Office Website (VOW) policies appeared to move toward a possible settlement.
Our market experts at Finding Homes for You report that now is a great time to be a buyer in the St. Louis and St. Charles area.
Question: My husband and I are interested in buying investment properties and fixing them up for resale. What"s the best way to find contractors? Is trial-by-fire the only option, or are there classes focused on this kind of project management?
Question: As a first time new home buyer, my wife and I are interested in how you feel the mortgage debacle will impact buyers across the board.
Question: My ex-boyfriend and I own a house as tenants in common but our relationship ended more than two years ago. What"s the best way for the house to be placed solely in his name so that I am no longer responsible for the loan? He has a title company asking me to sign a "deed of gift," claiming that there are no tax consequences for me. Everything I have read indicates that I would have to pay taxes if I sign a gift deed. The house was originally purchased for $230,000 and was recently appraised at $700,000.
Question: After taking the last walk-through tour I closed on my house. Everything seemed fine. All the upgraded appliances (Stove/oven, Microwave and Dishwasher) were installed. I was handed the keys to the house the next day at about 4 PM. I did not go to inspect the house on the day of settlement but the next day when I went to the house at about 6.30 PM all the appliances (stove/oven, microwave and dishwasher) were gone from the house. I filed a police report. The officer inspected the house and found out that there was no sign of a break-in, no windows were broken or unlocked and all the locks were intact. He made a report but also suggested that I talk to the builder.
Question: I own three duplexes. I have three vacant units and three in need of repairs. The present income is $17,500, of which I net $10,000. There are no mortgages. I have been offered $300,000 -- which is $40,000 less than the tax value. Single renovated homes in area bring in $178,000. Based on the present income, and if I repair other units -- future income, what would be considered a fair price for these properties?
Question: I"m a mortgage lender and have been for 15 years. Since relocating to a new state several years ago, I"ve been continuously fighting a problem with builders and new construction loans.
Sales increased from the second quarter in 45 states and the District of Columbia; 28 states and D.C. saw double-digit gains. Year-over-year sales were higher in 32 states and D.C.
Question: My house is on the market with a broker and the listing agreement expires at the end if the month. I will put the property back on the market in the following weeks with a new broker. Will the number of days on the market showing on the MLS include the time listed with the first broker?
Question: I have had my home on the market for more than four months and many real estate agents avoid it when they see that we back up to the power lines. Agents will make an appointment to come and "preview" for their out-of-town clients and then never show up. Upon contacting them, I learned that once they notice that there are power lines in the field behind us they will mark our home off their list.
Question: After our marriage, my husband was approved for a home loan in which he is the only borrower. After finding the house, my husband wanted to have my name on the title also, but the lender wanted me to submit my passport and permanent resident card (I"m not a citizen yet). However, my passport was expired because it has not been used since I had a permanent resident card. I need to wait for a passport renewal.
Question: I"m a real estate broker. My customer just purchased a ground floor condo by the beach. After escrow closed the adjacent unit had plumbing problems that caused my customer"s toilet to back up.
Question: I own a rental property that was my former home. Soon I will be looking to buy a new home and keep my rental property active. I notice that my former home is on my credit report which will lower my credit score due to owning more than one property and showing that amount of liability. Would you recommend that I open a business account and have the business own the rental property to clear up my debt to credit ratio problem?
Question: Is it possible to buy a house that costs $570,000 with a 5 percent downpayment? I have excellent credit. What other requirements would I need to buy a house using a 5 percent downpayment. Is it worth it or should I save for a bigger downpayment.
Question: We currently have our home listed for sale. The most our broker has done is list it on our local MLS, we have had only two people interested in looking at it and both times other brokers entered with the lockbox and our broker was not there.
Question: I have two rental properties, both purchased in 2003. One valued at $375,000 with a loan balance of $153,000, the other valued at $350,000 with a loan balance of $146,000. If I sell, I would just bank the money and when the housing market crashes, I"ll pay cash for a retirement house. My principal home is valued $800,000 with a loan balance of $173,000. I will sell this home when I retire in about five years.
Question: My husband wants to purchase investment property; I do not. Can he enter into a real estate transaction without me?
Question: We came across a beautiful brand-new home. We fell in love with it but found out that the property tax would be about $8,000 a year while other houses in the same price range had taxes of $3,000 to 4,000 a year. Why is it that the property tax on the new home is so much higher.
Question: I have a friend whose broker showed her house to some very "questionable" people. They said their aunt was going to buy a house for them. It was an $800,000 house and there seemed no way these people could be seriously looking at it.
Question: I"m buying a new house and it looks as though the builder will not have the house completed by, or on, the closing date. I had a 60 day lock-in on a good mortgage rate, it now looks as though I will be paying a higher rate because of the contractor"s delay. Do I have any recourse with this?
Question: I just bought my first house on Friday and I"m waiting to move in on the 31st of March. Meantime, I just got laid off and might have to move to another state for a job. I have a two-year prepayment penalty on the loan. How long should I wait before I sell my house?
Question: Is private mortgage insurance based on the original purchase price of the home, the current value or the refinanced amount?
Question: What is the best way to measure appreciation in local homes?
Question: We settled on our house in April and made a verbal agreement to rent back until our new house was built. Our builders verbally said May 28th was our settlement. After giving our buyers the tentative date of May 28th, the builder pushed us back until June 10th. We then relayed the different date of June 10th to our buyers, who officially now own the home. Can they force us to leave on the 28th? Nothing is in writing except the June 10th date by our builder. Even the rent back was verbal. After many attempts to compensate our new buyers for the inconvenience they demand us out by the 28th. Could they arrest me for trespassing?
Question: Why does it take 45 days to close on a home sale? The loan is approved, the home inspection is done, it takes two weeks to search the title and the money is here. Can we demand a sooner closing date?
Question: I have been renting in a major metro area. Last year I decided to research buying a home. I was utterly shocked at the cost of housing. For example, a drafty 5-room starter home built in 1920, in need of work, located well outside of the city, goes for a quarter million. The house that I grew up in is worth well over 300k (my parents paid 39k for it in 1977) and anything close to the city (within an hour) -- forget it.
Question: I"ve recently purchased our first home. I was told by my agent that the previous owner had died on the property, cause was unknown. Fact is -- according to the neighbors -- he committed suicide with a gun right next to the entry door. My wife and I are deeply disturbed by this and wonder why such a violent death was not disclosed by the seller and the agents?
With real housing prices falling at a rate of approximately 1.5 percent, the Center for Economic and Policy Research predicts that most Baby Boomers will be financially devastated if the housing crunch continues to 2009.
Unfortunately for them, home builders are paying a heavy price for overbuilding, building too far away from city centers, and building the wrong products for the population.
It"s good to see public high schools get some love, as they did in a recent Newsweek report. The top 1, 300 schools in the nation were ranked on such factors as the number of students taking and passing Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate and/or Cambridge tests, graduating seniors, and how many students receive federally subsidized meals.
If gas prices are any indicator of what"s going to happen to housing, then home builders should listen to what new car buyers are planning to do.
You can take almost any piece of information and make it sound good or bad. And no one is better at spin than the financial press when it wants to get behind a story like the housing slump.