We are working on a series of hyper local presentations to help you with you home search. You can check out a couple of our initial trials on SlideShare. Wilmette Statistics Plymouth Statistics
When you’re looking for a house, the thing you want to see more than anything else is… um . . . . . . . the house! Am I right? The most-beloved bits of our site are the “listing” pages dedicated to specific homes. Users want to get a good sense of the house…
It’s no secret that the foreclosure crisis has done some strange things to the American mortgage industry. Despite mortgage interest rates as low as they’ve been in ages, fewer new mortgages are being approved. Some explain this discrepancy by citing persistent unemployment, depleted savings accounts, and (understandably) shaky consumer confidence. While all that stuff rings…
All over the real estate world, people are singing the praises of reasonable home prices and extremely reasonable mortgage interest rates. At the same time, the foreclosure crisis has dramatically increased the demand for rental properties, since evicted homeowners won’t likely be able to qualify for a new mortgage – even for a cheaper house…
You may be familiar with the Baron de Rothschild’s remark, “Buy when blood is running in the streets”. For years, this remark has served as the guiding light for Wall Street sorcerers and speculators – and it’s no less true in real estate today. It doesn’t feel especially true, though, does it? Something is different…
When buying a home, you have to ask yourself the age old question: new vs. old? New homes have the appeal of a shiny new Schiwnn bicycle with a big red bow. A new home is a blank canvas, ready for you to paint, decorate, and break in; and the best part is that no…
Forbes.com heralded a grim forecast yesterday for potential homebuyers regarding mortgages and down payments. A poll conducted by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling asked consumers if they thought they could meet the down payment requirements in today’s market, and found that nearly half answered that they could not. The article goes on to point…
The deadline for the 2010 Homebuyer’s tax credit seems like a distant memory now, but how will the future real estate market fare? Now that the frenzy has died down, agents and homebuyers alike are curious as to what a credit-less future means for them. Each market varies from city to city, but here is…
The real estate market and the new Medicare tax imposed by the Obama Administration seem mutually exclusive, but according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), investors in real estate might be unexpectedly affected. The recently issued 3.8% tax on “unearned income” concerns only high income taxpayers; the IRS considers a high income taxpayer to…
As a parent, the wellbeing of your children is the ultimate concern in your life, especially when choosing where to live. So many elements factor into suitable housing for children; the right house for your children now might not be the right house in the future. Here are a few things for parents to keep…
A big change is coming for buyers of “flipped” homes. Previously, the Federal Housing Administration would not insure a mortgage on a home owned by the seller for less than 90 days. This edict kept investors, or “serial flippers” from inflating the prices of starter homes, sometimes with a bare minimum of repairs made to…
If you’ve decided to buy a condo for either residency or investment purposes, it is imperative that you know the possible pitfalls that can await you without sound planning and research. At the forefront of that list of pitfalls is the homeowners’ association (HOA) and its practices. First, you might want to understand exactly what…
Still thinking of buying a home while the 2010 Homebuyer’s tax credit is available? With tax season on the horizon, many buyers are setting their sights on saving as much as possible. Remember, first-time homebuyers are eligible for a tax credit of up $8,000 and repeat homebuyers are eligible for a tax credit of up…
Buying your first home ranks very high on the “life accomplishments” list, right up there with buying your first car and getting your first job. But what about buying your second or third home? Is now the right time to buy? Should you consider making the upgrade to a bigger, nicer home? Upgrading to a…
Do discounted real estate agents get you lower-quality services? As a buyer, your buyer’s agent fee is paid for by the seller, but what about those real estate companies that offer the buyer a rebate commission for the home you purchase? What this essentially means is that these discounted real estate agencies are giving you…
Does weather affect home sales? According to the Movoto agents we spoke with, weather has a significant influence on buyers’ motivation to purchase homes in particular seasons. In climates with changing seasons, most real estate agents find that homebuyers typically purchase in the spring and summer months, rather than in the colder (or in some…
In this digital age, the savvy homebuyer stays plugged into resources that will help him make the best decisions when house-hunting. Working with a realtor will alleviate a lot of stress and frustration, but there is nothing wrong with educating yourself. Here are a handful of useful websites designed to prepare you for purchasing a…
Real estate—even in this economy—continues to be an extremely lucrative way to invest capital, if you have sound advice from a knowledgeable source. If you’ve never invested in real estate before, the first and most important step is to speak with a realtor to help you parse out exactly what you want to accomplish in…
So, you’ve found the home of your dreams. With a great credit history and a well-paying job under your belt, that home is pretty much yours, right? Not quite. Unfortunately, your bid for the perfect home might not appear as strong as other bids that are accompanied with a letter of preapproval. Preapproval is an…
After much impatient foot-tapping as the extension was reviewed by Congress and the House, future homebuyers should be thrilled with the news that President Barack Obama signed the bill proposed by Senate to extend the homebuyers’ tax credit today. The 2009 tax credit was set to expire November 30th; the looming due date was the…
