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HomePerks offers real estate rewards

By Inman News, Wednesday, July 16, 2008.

HomePerks, a company that last year launched a system for real estate professionals to offer rewards to other professionals and to consumers, has retooled its offering.

The new version of the site, which has emerged from private beta testing, allows real estate agent members to feed property listings information to the site and "basically use it as a calling card of existing and previous inventory," said Brian Columbus, founder and CEO of HomePerks LLC, based in Oak Brook, Ill.  more...

Don't risk your security deposit

By Helene Lesel, Wednesday, July 16, 2008.

Q: I'm planning to move into a new place next week and the landlord is taking a hefty deposit. Any suggestions on getting it back when I move?

A: Deposits are always a concern for renters, especially with higher rents raising the bar on deposits. To ensure that your monies are returned, it's important to know what to do before, during and at the close of the tenancy to safeguard your investment.  more...

Making repairs shouldn't be tenant's job

By Robert Griswold, Wednesday, July 16, 2008.

Q: I have four small rental homes that are older and are really starting to show signs of wear and tear. I am constantly receiving calls from my tenants about something that is broken or needs to be replaced. This is getting expensive and is cutting into my cash flow that I need to pay my own living expenses.  more...

Is that preforeclosure really for sale?

By Inman News, Wednesday, July 16, 2008.

First Team adds RealtyTrac data  more...

Consumers don't want to be 'captured'

By Teresa Boardman, Wednesday, July 16, 2008.

There are plenty of Web sites out there that have free home searches on them. Some of the sites mention "free" more than once. I have been doing some research, and I am not finding any sites where I am expected to pay money to search for homes. I wonder why so many sites use the words "free home search." Is it someone's idea of transparency?  more...

Real estate information overload Premium Content

By Inman News, Wednesday, July 16, 2008.
Merlin Mann

Merlin Mann recalls those days in his youth spent listening to the frenzied conversations of agents in his mom's real estate office.

"They were drinking a lot of coffee and smoking a lot of Winstons," said Mann, 41, a writer and Internet personality who will deliver a keynote presentation at the Real Estate Connect conference next week in San Francisco.

There were two chalkboards in the room -- one for listings and one for sales -- said Mann, who would visit his mom's office on occasion.  more...

Top obstacles for first-time buyers

By Inman News, Wednesday, July 16, 2008.

Poll: Most see housing downturn worsening  more...

Mortgage insurance in 5 seconds

By Inman News, Wednesday, July 16, 2008.

SearchMyLoan.com searches for PMI, too
SearchMyLoan.com users can now shop for mortgage insurance using a search and pricing engine that matches a loan program and product with a mortgage insurance company in five seconds or less, the company says.  more...

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I should've left property management sooner

By Inman News, Wednesday, July 16, 2008.
Rob Massey Jr.

Rob Massey Jr. is founder of RentalHouses.com and also consults for Rentals.com.

Massey's background includes working in the property management business before launching RentalHouses.com after seeing the need to connect renters with rental properties online.

He says the hardest part of the journey was convincing property owners to advertise online.

Massey will speak at Real Estate Connect in San Francisco, July 23-25, 2008.  more...

PropertyShark chomps on real estate data

By Inman News, Wednesday, July 16, 2008.
PropertyShark.com screenshot

Editor's note: Tech Profile is a new Inman News feature that provides details about real estate technology companies.

Company name: PropertyShark.com

Company headquarters: New York City

Number of offices: 2

Web site: www.propertyshark.com  more...