Today's Real Estate News and Advice
Updated: November 19, 2008
Crescent Communities Releases Hottest Home-Building Trends for 2009Crescent Communities identified the hottest new home trends expected for 2009 after compiling information from buyers and prospects in all its Charlotte-area luxury communities. Full StoryAsk the HOA Expert
Should the current board review, renew and/or secure new bids for our contracted services as part of the budget process or wait for the new board to build its own budget? Can a director of the board give his proxy to someone else to vote at a board meeting? These questions and more in this week's column. Full StorySuccessful Marketing in Strange Times
It's an anxiety created by the uncertainty about the country's economic and political future, and more importantly, people have an anxiety about their own future and the future of their family. Full StoryHoliday Wish List
With the holidays just around the corner, you better get busy shopping. Here's a short wish-list of this years must-have gadgets and gizmos for the home. These modern gifts are sure to get your motor running while also enhancing the functionality and livability of your household. Full StoryReal Estate Outlook: Housing in Recovery
With all the turbulence and losses in stocks and bad economic news in the headlines lately, you can easily lose perspective on what's really going on in the real estate sector. Full StoryMaking Your Scripts Work
Effectively prospecting to someone is a delicate balancing act between subjecting someone to an unwanted sales pitch and inspiring them to actually care about whatever it is you're selling. Full StoryGreenspan & "The Globally-Integrated Phenomenon"
"Canada is an unusual case where you have done everything right, but the degree of exposure to the rest of the world, especially your neighbor to the south, means if we don't get it right, you've got a problem." PJ Wade shares Dr. Alan Greenspan's comments. Full StoryReal Estate Outlook: Housing in Recovery
With all the turbulence and losses in stocks and bad economic news in the headlines lately, you can easily lose perspective on what's really going on in the real estate sector. Full StoryMaking Your Scripts Work
Effectively prospecting to someone is a delicate balancing act between subjecting someone to an unwanted sales pitch and inspiring them to actually care about whatever it is you're selling. Full StoryMarket Conditions
The National Association of Home Builders is reporting that builder confidence has dropped again, now to the lowest reported levels since 2003. Full StoryWashington Report: Uniform Disclosures Mandated
It took six years and major controversies with Capitol Hill, but last Thursday HUD published final regulations mandating uniform disclosures for all new home mortgages -- plus tougher rules requiring "good faith estimates" from lenders that accurately reflect the line items on consumers' settlement sheets at the end of a home purchase or refinancing. Full StoryCalifornia Real Estate License Number Must Appear on "First Contact" Materials
As a result of Senate Bill 1461 (Negrete McLeod), effective July 1, 2009, California real estate licensees will have to have their license number displayed on "all solicitation materials intended to be the first point of contact with consumers…". Full StoryHot Market: Dallas/Ft. Worth: Where Everything's Big
Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas Realtors are so up on their market that they even created a web site about it: www.DFWHousingFacts.org. The web site touts all the reasons the 4th largest metropolitan area in the U.S. is a great place to buy in today’s economic environment. Full StoryMortgage Rates Down for Second Week Running
Freddie Mac today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 6.14 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending November 13, 2008, down from last week when it averaged 6.20 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 6.24 percent. Full StoryHot Market: Fort Myers Market Searing
Prices are down 39 percent in Fort Myers, Florida fueling an amazing surge in sales of more than 125 percent in September. Following years of investor-driven profit, prices have been correcting at an alarming rate, at least to those who had funny-money loans. Full StoryMarket Conditions
The latest report from Zillow indicates that one-third of Americans who sold their home in the past year lost money. Full Story