By all expectations this should be a sad day, a memory of a painful failure, a tragedy out of our control, a reminder of cruel times. It is instead a memorable and very special day for which we will always be grateful. THE IDES OF MARCH IN 2007 were exciting and euphoric. Months of wondering, […]
Read More →Selling Lots & Land 1st Quarter 2012
Every six months or so I attempt to delve deeply into the dark underworld of selling lots and land in this housing depression in order to update our clients. Our clients who own buildable parcels of land believed they had some of the best investments in real estate, and they did at one time, but they have […]
Read More →September 2011 Market Action Report
View the full analysis of September’s real estate market performance in the Market Action Report for September 2011 (this includes Yamhill County, Oregon). Sales activity in the Portland Metro area showed improvements in closed and pending sales this September compared with September 2010, and the inventory level remained much lower than the same month in 2010. […]
Read More →Former FSBO CEO sells home the traditional way
It’s all too ironic to find out that the founder of the FSBO website, ForSaleByOwner.com, gave up after trying to sell his New York apartment on his own after 6 months and hired a Realtor®. But irony and validation for our profession aside, it’s important to know what your Realtor® can do for you and […]
Read More →Finally, A Sensible Solution to Ensure Affordable Mortgage Rates
Article by John Feerhery HouseLogic.com Many pundits and policymakers insouciantly throw around the idea that Congress ought to get rid of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Sure, Fannie and Freddie have their fair share of warts — they became insolvent after buying bundles of loans, including exotic, high-risk, and undocumented mortgages that helped stimulate the housing […]
Read More →It Pays to Support Responsible Homeownership
Article by Dona DeZube HouseLogic.com Helping others become homeowners protects your home’s value and builds stronger communities. When people move from renting to owning a home, they’re more likely to vote, get involved in community groups, and care about their home’s appearance. The children of homeowners do 23% better in school, according to a 2001 […]
Read More →What Is a 203k Mortgage?
Article by Shauna Zamarripa, ehow contributor Published March 23rd, 2011 ehow.com When consumers use FHA financing, the most traditional source of funding is an FHA 203b loan. However, FHA 203b loans have specific requirements of a property for purchase; namely the condition of the property and habitability requirements. However, for properties that are severely damaged, […]
Read More →Let Qualified Home Buyers Breathe Life Into Home Market
Article by John Feehery Published May 16, 2011 HouseLogic.com President Obama’s poll numbers have recovered nicely thanks to the good news surrounding the demise of Osama bin Laden. But the bin Laden bounce will wear off quickly unless the administration takes some bold steps to restore economic confidence in this country. Creating jobs is certainly an […]
Read More →Buy vs. Rent: These days, buying wins
Article by Les Christy May 13, 2011 Published on CNNMoney For the first time in years, buying a home may beat renting. It has become very lucrative in recent years to rent out properties. If you are fortunate enough to be in this position, it would be a wise decision to stock up on lease […]
Read More →Attention, Lawmakers: Taxpayers Oppose Ditching Mortgage Interest Deduction
Article by Natasha Altamirano Published April 27th, 2011 HouseLogic.com Tax Day is behind us, but if some Washington policymakers get their way, so too might be many popular tax breaks, such as the mortgage interest deduction, which saves the itemizing American household about $3,000 per year. Several budget plans and proposals to reduce the federal budget deficit […]
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