Home

Staying local on the Web

By Teresa Boardman, Wednesday, September 10, 2008.

There are some big Web sites that consumers can use to search for homes or read blog posts written by real estate agents. They can ask questions, rate answers, rate agents, find property values and get information about specific neighborhoods.

There is a lot of user-generated content on the sites generated and donated by agents across the county who believe that the content will result in business for them.  more...

Tenant doomed after pest-control accident

By Robert Griswold, Wednesday, September 10, 2008.

Q: I recently caused a small fire and damage to my apartment by mistake. I was trying to get rid of some roaches and I didn't want to bother the landlord so I went to the store and bought some of those pest-control foggers. Something went wrong and they created an explosion that blew my patio doors off the hinges and shattered the master bedroom window. Luckily, no one was injured and there was only minor fire damage to a limited portion of the kitchen. But I did have to stay away from the apartment for five days for repairs.  more...

Mortgage servicing tied to repeat business

By Inman News, Wednesday, September 10, 2008.

Customer satisfaction with companies that service mortgages has declined for a second year in a row, according to a survey by J.D. Power and Associates -- a potential problem for lenders looking to land repeat business.

Customers with "high levels of commitment" to their servicer are more than three times more likely to say they “definitely will” continue to do business with their current lender than those customers with "moderate" levels of commitment, J.D. Power said in announcing results of the 2008 Primary Mortgage Servicer Study.  more...

Worries mount when renting to minor

By Janet Portman, Wednesday, September 10, 2008.

Q: My daughter turns 18 in a couple of months. We found an apartment in the town where she'll attend school, and I am offering to be on the lease as a guarantor. But the agent is having a fit because my daughter is a minor. Can you suggest any way around it? I even told the guy I'd pay for the place and not have her move in until she's 18. --Cynthia K.  more...

Property taxes too high? Get reassessed

By Tara-Nicholle Nelson, Wednesday, September 10, 2008.

Q: I own a home in California. Like everyone else, times are tough. I'm not looking to sell my house or anything, but I stay up on what homes are worth in my neighborhood and values have definitely taken a hit. A few weeks ago, I got my new tax bill in the mail, and it showed that the assessed value of my home, for purposes of calculating my property taxes, went up 2 percent from the assessed value last year. I guess the tax assessor doesn't read the newspaper!  more...

Inman News Tech Profiles

By Inman News, Wednesday, September 10, 2008.

Editor's note: Tech Profile is an Inman News feature that provides details about a real estate technology company, including information about a company's business model, management team, and funding sources. Click on headlines below to view individual company profiles.

MyNewPlace
MyNewPlace offers online search for rentals  more...

J.D. Power ranks home builders

By Inman News, Wednesday, September 10, 2008.

Brands of Pulte Homes Inc. ranked highest in customer satisfaction in a New-Home Builder Customer Satisfaction Study released today by J.D. Power and Associates.

Overall customer satisfaction for all builders was 779 on a 1,000-point scale in 2008, J.D. Power reported, which is up from 741 in the 2007 survey, with overall satisfaction increasing in 28 of 29 markets that were surveyed in both 2007 and 2008. The 2008 survey includes 33 U.S. market areas.  more...

Refis fuel jump in mortgage apps

By Inman News, Wednesday, September 10, 2008.

Applications for mortgage loans were up a seasonally adjusted 9.5 percent for the week ending Sept. 5, driven by a 15.4 percent jump in applications for refinancings, according to a weekly survey by the Mortgage Bankers Association.  more...

Today's broker-owners 'missing the trend'?

By Inman News, Wednesday, September 10, 2008.

Editor's note: The following is a user-comment on Kris Berg's recent column, "Real estate quakes and aftershocks."  more...

Sep

10
2008

Looking for a Career Change?

By Joel Burslem, Wednesday, September 10, 2008.

Have you checked out the Inman News Job Search page yet?  more...

Discounting can affect real estate brand

By Inman News, Wednesday, September 10, 2008.

For as long as people have been selling things, they have been discounting them. Real estate is by no means immune to this practice. Agents and brokers often offer discounts, either temporarily or permanently, for all kinds of services. Rob Hahn explores what effects discounting can have on both your business and your brand.

***  more...

First American going direct in Colorado

By Inman News, Wednesday, September 10, 2008.

First American Title Insurance Co. is establishing direct title operations in Colorado, one month after four title agencies that First American had exclusive underwriting agreements with were bought by rival Fidelity National Financial Inc.  more...

Study: Many Canadian housing markets overvalued

By Inman News, Wednesday, September 10, 2008.

A new study by a University of British Columbia professor shows homes in most Canadian urban centers except Toronto and Edmonton are priced up to 25 percent higher than they should be to balance with rents.  more...