Real Estate by Deborah

Real Estate Market - LOOKING AHEAD!

2009-01-18T14:57:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Real Estate Glimpse. For those of you in the North East, we hope you are keeping warm. This is a month of reflecting and summarizing. We also see speculation. This first article is a candid look at all of this…A Recap of 2008 and Outlook for 2009 - Real Estate Channel Global ...

This next article reported by ABC news gives tips to the home buyer and seller to be successful in this market. …so here are some tips for homebuyers and sellers to help them survive, and even thrive, in the transition year of 2009. Select the link to read more: How to come out ahead in the 2009 real estate market

Lower interest rates can boost the housing market. Read one market area’s spin on this: Housing market boost possible

Market Update

2009-01-04T19:17:00.000-08:00

Happy New Years! Welcome to this week’s Real Estate Glimpse. For the first time home buyers there is an income-tax credit on their home purchase as passed in Congress earlier this year. This article gives you the full story: Home Buyer Tax Credit: How It Works.

“The key to successful selling in a 'declining market' is pricing your home at today's market value, having your home in tip-top condition and …Don't let your ego or pride get in the way when determining a price for your home.” Check out more Realty Times pointers in: Selling Your Home in a Declining Market.

Last time we focused on Mortgages. Low rates continue and it remains a great time to buy. Check out this article: Mortgage rates fall to third straight record low.

Thank you and we will talk to you soon…

Focus on Mortgage Rates

2008-12-20T17:00:00.000-08:00

Welcome to this week’s Real Estate Glimpse. With the interest rates lowered, it continues to be a great time to buy as well as sell. Yes, your home will sell for less than it would have a few years back but, just think of how much more you can afford in this market. Take a look at this Inman News article: Mortgage rates down, applications up.

Holiday Magic Touches the Housing Market. “Could this shining star be a sign of something even more significant than an increase in home buying? Perhaps that ever present cloud of reluctance and unwillingness to invest is dissipating?” Click on this article and then select “Read Full Story…”

The Fed rate cut will encourage more that lower mortgage rates According to USA Today:
What Fed rate cut to zero to 0.25% means for consumers

And for those of you who watched 60 Minutes last Sunday this article may clarify some of the points explored: 60 Minutes of Gloom and Doom "The Option Arm"

Market conditions - check out these recent articles!

2008-09-23T11:14:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to Real Estate Glimpse. The market has been very busy these last few months.

We continue to be inundated with dramatic media coverage. Yesterday was definitely a shaky day. Just for a little balance – here’s a recheck on economic conditions and indicators:

Gales of Punitive Destruction

And to add to this – here is an article that focuses on Connecticut conditions. “Paul Bishop, managing director of the National Association of Realtors Research Department, had some encouraging news for those working in the local housing market this week.”

Our View: Housing market slowly rebounding

And to finish up, take a look at this one – it’s all in how you look at it:

And now, a word about the media and the housing market...

Check these articles out!

2008-03-04T05:53:00.000-08:00

Here are some interesting Real Estate articles and videos published this week:

In the Wall Street Journal this week the question continues…Is Housing Market Pessimism Overdone? This article looks at the direction and conflicts in Washington. What are the realities and how should our tax dollars be spent.

The following link has 2 videos featured on KOLO 8 News Now. The first one discusses buyers who are buying up and how they particularly benefit in this market. The second video covers the advantages the current market has for the first time buyer. Both worth viewing! Select this link:
Now might be the perfect time to buy a larger home, and "move on up..."

Buyers, what are you waiting for? Once everyone realizes the opportunity, it will be gone! Check this article out: When is the right time to start house hunting?

There's activity out there!

2008-02-27T13:54:00.000-08:00

Mortgage bond prices fell pushing mortgage interest rates slightly higher this week. As a result, buyers are starting to get out beyond the media biased influence!

Inman News takes an interesting spin on the media’s stories and their influences: Lou Barnes states:

“Worse than paralysis: the soap-opera focus on preventing foreclosures. The press is packed with truly sad stories, scary forecasts and grotesque misinformation about the actual situation, cause and possible resolution.”

Check out the rest of the article Credit crunch fixes? Policymakers need to get on with it.

Everyone has their own style on handling the media’s damage - here’s what one Texas Real Estate Professional is doing: Midstate not as affected by national market slump.

And…last of all here’s another comment on the nonexistence of the National Real Estate market that is continually quoted: THE NEWS MEDIA AND PRINT JOURNALISTS REPORT ON THE NATIONAL ...

2008-01-21T18:09:00.000-08:00

Hello,

The year 2008 is well under way. According to NAR (National Association of Realtors) 2007 was the 5th BEST year for Real Estate. This does not seem to correlate with the media drama we all have to tolerate!

This first article is a brief summary of the 2007 results and some 2008 projections. Take a look and see what Eric Rogers has to say: “…2008 is here, and with it, more optimism in the housing market.” Read more: 2007 Market Wrapup.

“The areas that are truly experiencing the “bubble” are the areas that have been out of control the last few years…Well, if is a good time to buy a home, how is the real estate market so bad?” Here’s another great article to check out: The Reality Of the Negative News!

And, if you are still having doubts click on this one: The silver lining of 2007's housing market.

Have a great week!

Are You Thinking About the Value of Your Home?

2008-01-07T16:36:00.000-08:00

Thinking about the value of your home? Want easy suggestions on how to increase it? Here’s a list from NAR (National Association of Realtors) that is practical and relatively easy to implement just click here: 5 Simple Ways to Increase a Home’s Value.

What is the Real Estate Market really doing? This second article is typical of many areas of our country. Slight increases in median price in 2007 have replaced the double digit increases from the previous 4 years. Take a look at what the Bellingham Herald has to say: County home prices up slightly in 2007.

It’s time to start focusing on the positive aspects of our current Real Estate Market. This article has some great ones! Top 7 Surprising Secrets of A Slowing Real Estate Market.

Are you still hesitating to buy a home?

2007-12-09T19:01:00.000-08:00

Is the Media's drama still scaring you? One of the areas that the media uses to support the drama of the housing market is foreclosures. Realty Tech produces foreclosure statistics (since 2005) that are often quoted by the media. As you may know, Realty Tech is a company that charges the consumer to access foreclosure listings. It would most likely benefit Realty Tech and attract more users if there are a high number of foreclosures. Foreclosures have received a tremendous amount of media coverage, particularly over the last couple of years. I wonder if the Realty Tech user numbers has increased over the last couple of years? Check out this first article found in the Orange County Register:
Tracking the Truth on Foreclosures!
(http://www.ocregister.com/money/realtytrac-foreclosure-data-1924443-count-numbers)
…and decide for your self! And after you view this article it will be apparent to you that there are not nearly as many foreclosures as originally reported. So...don't miss this great home buying opportunity because it will not wait for you!

The median price of homes here in CT has steadily increased this past year. It’s there in the numbers but often NOT referenced. Here’s an area that is finally coming out and admitting that things are not as bad as the media would have you believe. The Asbury Park Press states: “According to USA Today, there never has been a better time to buy a house. Interest rates are at an all-time low.” And then talks about house buying: “…people do it every day; we don't wait for the media to declare it safe, especially when many daily newspapers are losing readership and seek high-drama stories to keep reader attention.” Read more: Region's real estate market faring better than most. (http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071202/OPINION/712020308/1030/OPINION).

Read and realize the reality.

GET THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STORY!

2007-11-01T10:10:00.000-07:00

It’s about time!! The media, for the most part, has reported and presented one side to the current housing market status. I was so exciting to see that Coldwell Banker Silicon Valley President, Joe Brown kicked off the “Reality Check on Reality” campaign. The other side of the story is about to be exposed! Why should you, the buyer (or seller), be kept in the dark? Why should you miss one of the greatest housing opportunities to get your dream home?

Besides coming out and just stating the facts, Brown has initiated a full campaign to educate buyers and sellers so they will not miss this window of opportunity. He states: “Real estate goes through cycles like any other sector, and the housing market nationally has slowed down over the past couple of years after being red-hot in the early 2000s,” Brown said. “But what consumers have to remember is that real estate historically has proven to be an excellent long-term investment. The current market provides an opportunity for buyers who have been on the sidelines for years to finally jump in and buy a home at a good price.”

You will hear time and time again that Real Estate is the best investment with low risks. It always increases over the long term. To avoid Real Estate, at this point, when interest rates are extremely low and home prices are good, is a mistake that will only be realized too late!

Afraid there’s no available mortgages? Explore the options. You will be pleasantly surprised; take a look at all the great mortgages programs available. First time buyer have some of the best opportunities yet! Need a jumbo loan? Just check availability. It’s there! More will be posted at a later time.

Consumers have a right to know both sides. Why should investors be the only ones getting the deals? Don’t miss out, THIS TIME. Get educated and take advantage of the opportunity BEFORE it passes you by!