All across the country are commercial properties just waiting to be used again. For someone who has always wanted to go into business now has numerous locations to choose from. With so many choices, a new business owner can start out with the right financing and possibly the perfect location. We always hear about location, [...]
Some are wondering if now is a good time to even invest in any type of real estate. Some are worried about the current state of the markets, the economy and current job situation. There is good reason to worry, however, if you have the financial backing now is a good time to invest. The [...]
With the interest rates as low as they are in a number of years, first time home buyers are eyeing the markets more than they have in the past. Now is a good time to buy for first time home buyers, that is if they have several things in place before actually looking at homes. [...]
The real estate markets are on the rise a little bit. Pending home sales are rising by more than 7%. This is the highest it’s been in 19 months, according to the National Association of Realtors. NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun states: “Housing affordability conditions are at a record high and there is a pent-up [...]
The real estate crisis is still on shaky ground, especially commercial real estate. It is not expected to get any better. But for commercial real estate investors who have the funds, there are great prices to be found anywhere in the country. The values on commercial property are down about 30%, which makes prices very [...]
The real estate market is getting better but slowly. The year 2012 will be better in some ways such as lower interest rates and a lot of homes to choose from. But, the lenders are pretty tight when it comes to new mortgages. So, what do you need to buy your next home in 2012. [...]
Not only are costs associated with real estate higher than in the past so are energy prices. Even if mortgage rates are lower than they have been in several years, the difference can be offset by the cost of electricity alone. It won’t do you any good to save $300 on a mortgage payment with [...]
Foreclosure is not a pretty option for either the homeowner or the lending institution. The homeowner does not want to lose their home and the lending institution does not want to get stuck with an unpaid mortgage. That’s where loan modifications come in. So, do they work? Will the lending institutions agree to it? Probably [...]
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have filed fraud charges against the top ex-executives of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. This has been an ongoing investigation since 2008 and charges have finally been filed in New York City. Will this latest in charges go the way some of the others following the 2008 financial crisis? [...]
It’s about time to have a little bit of good news where the Washington, DC real estate market is concerned. Washington, DC is one of only a handful of metropolitan areas that had the best annualized performance for the year 2011. This is good news as many others areas saw depreciation values drop even further. [...]
There has been some very lucrative tax credits that last a few years when buying or making home energy efficient. However, the best part of those credits are just about gone as 2011 rounds to a close. So far, there has not been a tax credit decision for 2012 in Congress but existing homeowners who [...]
When you decide to purchase a home, a lot of people think alright, I have the money for a down payment, my credit score is good, so let’s buy a house. It can be that simple but…… There are other things involved in buying a home that most people do not consider. This is points, [...]
Investors tend to be a little crazy when it comes to pure logic. Real estate is one particular area that seems to suffer more from reverse logic than any other investment area. What do I mean by reverse logic? Consider the current scenario – home prices are low, rental demand is high, and interest rates [...]
One of the interesting trends of late is the offer by both real estate agents and sellers to pay closing costs. Real estate agents generally offer a cash back option, however, this is no different to paying closing costs. The sting for buyers is that these offers are generally tied to buying the home at [...]
When reading newspapers, you’ll often come across statistics used to describe the current housing market. One statistic often quoted is housing affordability. Some argue that this is an important measure of society’s ability to buy homes, and is an important market trend worth noting. Others argue the opposite stating it is nothing more than a [...]
If you are in the process of looking to buy a new home, prepare yourself for some interest rate shocks. That will be one of the first effects you’ll feel if Congress fails to reach any sort of agreement on extending the national debt limit. While an increase in interest rates will hurt, and it [...]
Home buyers should be keeping their eyes on the ebb and flow of interest rates for a number of reasons. Lower interest rates, especially if they continue to trend down, creates a small increase in home sales as buyers step in to take advantage of the lower rates. At this time last year the 30 [...]
The real estate market is poised to go in a number of directions at present and every analyst seems to have a different perspective on that direction. We are in a rather unusual position nationally, one that has rarely been encountered in the past. Some areas are seeing improvements in both prices and stock reductions [...]
Interest rates have continued a slowly spiral downward in recent weeks, however, most analysts have predicted that, come this time next year, interest rates will be higher. Thirty year fixed rate mortgages are down to 4.76%, however, predictions are that these interest rates will climb to around the 6% mark by the fourth quarter of [...]
Virginia, Maryland, and Washington DC have not been immune to the recent crisis in our economy. Maryland has experienced both the highs and lows of the boom-bust cycle while Washington DC has taken a hard hit. Renting in Washington DC is now quite difficult and rental prices are high. Of the three, Virginia has continued [...]
You have to be careful when reading articles that suggest you ‘buy now’. Do you take a second look at who is offering the advice because sometimes it is vested interest at work. Not vested interest in a direct sort of way, as in hoping you will buy from them, but vested interest in a [...]
How will you use the money when you reverse mortgage your home? Believe it or not, how you use the proceeds from your reverse mortgage can have an effect on your interest rates. The interest rate you are offered can be different if you take a lump sum distribution versus taking the equity in small [...]
With interest rates dropping, many people are rushing to get new mortgages. But mortgage lenders warn there are still a lot of desperate lenders out there, so buyer beware. Don’t just call asking for rates. Ask questions, and find out what is the best deal. Make sure you get a referral on a mortgage lender [...]
Real estate used to be the backbone of any investment strategy. As a long term investment, it was secure, could be insured for damages, and if rented out, could produce a small income. For many, the events of recent years has soured this investment channel. Should it, and is real estate still a worth while [...]
Where are mortgage interest rates going? If we all had crystal balls we would probably be millionaires now. We’re not, so it’s all guess work. History tells us that as an economy improves, interest rates go up. If the economy improves too quickly then interest rates start to skyrocket. We are nowhere near that situation [...]
There are a lot of people around at present who have not escaped the latest economic downturn completely unscathed. For those who have experienced problems starting again can be difficult, especially if lenders are not looking at your situation favorably. The danger in being in this situation is that you give up that home ownership [...]
