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Advice for the Rookie Realtor

By Inman News, Thursday, September 9, 2004.

Re: 'Rookie Realtor smacked by greed' (Sept. 8)

Dear Rookie:

Sounds like you're experiencing roadblocks being placed in front of you instead of your broker doing everything possible to help you succeed! I'm not in favor of cutting fees...(you generally get what you pay for) but one would think your broker should also have a finger on the pulse of the market, and be able to see what you saw! The broker of the one who listed it sure did!  more...

FedEx property sold in San Diego

By Inman News, Thursday, September 9, 2004.

Grubb & Ellis/BRE Commercial represented Hibiscus Investments in the purchase of the 76,822-square-foot Federal Express Building in San Diego, Calif.

The value of the transaction was approximately $9.5 million. 

The project, located at 1650 47th St., sits on 6.5 acres and is the office of Federal Express.

The seller of the property was FEB San Diego.

San Diego-based Grubb & Ellis/BRE Commercial is a privately held commercial real estate brokerage.

***  more...

Behringer Harvard builds Texas portfolio

By Inman News, Thursday, September 9, 2004.

Behringer Harvard Funds purchased two Dallas commercial real estate properties totaling 186,292 square feet.

The total value of the transactions was not disclosed.

Plaza Bank Center, located at 9090 Skillman, is a mixed-use retail complex with a stucco facade and a Spanish tile roof. The 99,000-square-foot building is located at the intersection of Audelia Road, Skillman Street and IH 635 in the Lake Highlands area.  more...

REIT finds Maryland office tenant

By Inman News, Thursday, September 9, 2004.

Corporate Office Properties Trust executed a long-term lease agreement with Northrop Grumman Corp. for occupancy of a 104,000-square-foot office building in Annapolis Junction, Md.

The value of the transaction was not disclosed.

The property, located at 2691 Technology Drive, is a Class A development currently under construction in Phase I of The National Business Park.  more...

Change coming for overnight interest rates

By Lou Barnes, Thursday, September 9, 2004.

Rates fell this week, not a lot, but back to the post-spring lows: low-fee mortgages shading under 5.75 percent, taken there by the 10-year T-note trading persistently in the 4-teens.

Last week's news of modest job creation in August has been overtaken by the reality of negligible inflation (wholesale "producer" prices fell .1 percent last month), and Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan's formal acknowledgement of that fact in testimony to Congress on Wednesday: "...Inflation and inflation expectations have eased in recent months."  more...

Cendant beefs up real estate portal with consumer rebates Premium Content

By Glenn Roberts Jr., Thursday, September 9, 2004.

Officials at CompleteHome.com, which is affiliated with real estate powerhouse Cendant Corp., announced this week that the site is offering a cash rebate of up to $3,600, where available, to consumers who use a referred agent to sell their existing home and buy a new home.

 

A rebate of up to $1,800 is available to consumers who use a referred agent for one transaction – either a home sale or a h  more...

Whose house is that?

By Julie Brosterman, Thursday, September 9, 2004.

I love the shortcuts in Los Angeles that can take you from trafficked boulevards into rustic canyons. For natives only. Skies so blue. As my car screeched to a halt the other day – almost causing an accident behind the white van blocking the road – I looked up and realized that I was in front of Courtney Cox's house. The white Starline Tours van was precariously wedged halfway between those going up and those coming down the canyon street.  more...

New real estate software hits dashboards Premium Content

By Bernice Ross, Thursday, September 9, 2004.

You've just sold the most dilapidated property you have ever seen. Your state requires you to identify all "visible defects" and disclose them in writing to your buyer who is a real estate attorney. After three hours, you have 15 pages of notes. You're now looking at another three hours of entering all the "defects" on your computer. If you would like to shorten this process by 50 percent, it may be time to upgrade to a "Real Estate Dashboard."  more...

Real estate: The week ahead

By Inman News, Thursday, September 9, 2004.

  • The National Association of Realtors kicks off Realtor Safety week, Sept. 12-18. The association promotes learning and discussion among Realtors about safety challenges in the profession.  more...

PlugStar offers alternative to Craigslist

By Inman News, Thursday, September 9, 2004.

PlugStar.com, a new Web-based national classified advertising network, features real estate listings, product sales, trades and swaps, and also postings related to professional services, dating, jobs and local events.

The site, now in its beta testing stage, aims to offer listings in every state.  more...

Bank of America launches new real estate site

By Inman News, Thursday, September 9, 2004.

Bank of America has launched a new feature on its Web site that lets consumers search local MLS listings in select markets.

The Bank of America Real Estate Center provides access to Multiple Listing Service properties in Las Vegas, San Diego and Tucson, Ariz. The bank plans to expand the listings to include other cities, including those in other states.  more...

Newspaper publisher accused of housing discrimination

By Inman News, Thursday, September 9, 2004.

The U.S. Housing and Urban Development said today it has charged the Want Ads of Boise Inc., the publisher of the Thrifty Nickel, with violating the Fair Housing Act by accepting and publishing housing ads that excluded potential owners and renters because of their familial status.

The charge stems from a September 2003 complaint filed by the Intermountain Fair Housing Council (IFHC), a nonprofit organization whose mission is to ensure inclusive housing for all people throughout Idaho.  more...

Overnight mortgage rates sink

By Inman News, Thursday, September 9, 2004.

Long-term mortgage interest rates dropped Thursday, and the benchmark 10-year Treasury bond yield rose to 4.2 percent.

The 30-year fixed-rate average fell to 5.39 percent, and the 15-year fixed-rate slipped to 4.8 percent. The 1-year adjustable was down at 3.21 percent.

The 30-year Treasury bond yield increased to 4.99 percent.

Rates are current as of 7:15 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.  more...

10 key questions to ask real estate agents

By Robert Bruss, Thursday, September 9, 2004.

If you are thinking of taking advantage of the current excellent home sales market in most communities, the fall home-selling season is the second-best time of the year to sell (spring is always the best time to sell your house or condo because the most prospective buyers are in the market at that time in most areas).

Of course, the first step to a successful house or condo sale is to get the property into its best physical condition. Painting, cleaning, and repairing will usually pay off with thousands of extra profit dollars.  more...

Searching for solid home-project supports

By Paul Bianchina, Thursday, September 9, 2004.

We've all seen those instructions that come with a new cabinet, shelf or any of a variety of other household items: "Requires solid support. Attach directly to wall studs" or words to that effect. Good advice, but how do you go about finding those often elusive studs in a wall that's covered with drywall or plaster?

It's a dilemma that has faced homeowners and contractors alike, and a number of high-tech and low-tech solutions have evolved over the years.  more...