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Disclosures of an 'Agent for Life' Premium Content

By Kris Berg, Wednesday, June 17, 2009.
Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chasingfun/3460248562/" target=blank>chasingfun</a>.

A real estate career is one of excitement and intrigue. The work is highly personal and can be intensely satisfying. At the same time it can present deep challenges -- challenges associated with conquering new technological frontiers and helping to redefine and retool an entire industry.

Just kidding.

Sure, real estate can be all of those things. But if you are an agent, you know that we spend the majority of our time ...  more...

Seller sues over point-of-sale law

By Tara-Nicholle Nelson, Wednesday, June 17, 2009.

In the case Walker v. Calumet City, the homeowner (Ayanna Walker) wanted to sell her home and discovered that she would first have to comply with the city's point-of-sale (POS) ordinance, which required various inspections; fees; correcting property conditions that didn't comply with the building or zoning codes; and obtaining transfer stamps.

(The local association of Realtors had already challenged the ordinance in court, but the case was dismissed because the Realtors lacked standing. The homeowner was then brought in to the case.)

The homeowner's claim against the city alleged that the POS ordinance improperly restrained her from being able to sell her home and deprived her of due process.  more...

Six options seen for Fannie, Freddie Premium Content

By Inman News, Wednesday, June 17, 2009.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are likely to remain in government conservatorship until at least next year, the Obama administration indicated today in unveiling a sweeping plan to overhaul the financial regulatory system.

The mortgage giants' "continued stability and strength" is needed during "these difficult financial times," the administration said in a report outlining the plan.  more...

Load-bearing walls and remodel fears

By Bill and Kevin Burnett, Wednesday, June 17, 2009.

Q: I want to take down the wall separating my kitchen and dining room. How do I find out if it's a load-bearing wall and if it would be OK to do this? Who should I call to answer this question at a reasonable cost? Should I call an expensive structural engineer or a licensed remodeling contractor? Hopefully not an architect ... they cost a small fortune!

A: An architect is not required and a structural engineer is probably overkill. An experienced licensed remodeling contractor should be able to provide this information.  more...

Demand for refis, purchase loans falls

By Inman News, Wednesday, June 17, 2009.

Applications for mortgages were off 15.8 percent last week as demand for both refinancings and purchase loans fell, the Mortgage Bankers Association said.

Applications for refinancings fell 23.3 percent from the previous week, while applications for purchase loans were down 3.5 percent, according to the MBA's Weekly Mortgage Application Survey for the week ending June 12.

Borrowers seeking to refinance accounted for 54.1 percent of applications, down from 59.4 percent the previous week.  more...

Can updated tax credit stoke housing?

By Tom Kelly, Wednesday, June 17, 2009.

The primary reasons first-time homebuyers have been driven to considering a home purchase during the past few months are the attractive loan programs targeting first-timers and the generous $8,000 tax credit offered by the federal government.

Recently, the tax credit has been loaded with new angles allowing first-time buyers to add it to their down payment after the required 3.5 percent of the purchase price has come from their own funds. As of May 29, 2009, the $8,000 federal tax credit can be used as "an additional down payment or closing costs" for buyers who apply for mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration before Dec. 1, 2009.  more...

Zemanta: Boost your backlinks Premium Content

By Gahlord Dewald, Wednesday, June 17, 2009.

Two of the main marketing reasons for keeping a blog are to improve your reach via search engines and increase visitor engagement with your content.

These two tasks can sometimes seem to be at odds, especially if you're from the "write lots of keyword-stuffed blog posts" school of search-engine optimization.

But it is possible to reach new site visitors and create more engaging content if you're able to put in the work and write consistently about things that are relevant to your audience (you know, provide something of value to customers).  more...

Broker snubs limited-service listings Premium Content

By Matt Carter, Wednesday, June 17, 2009.

With the backing of its multiple listing service, one of Wisconsin's largest real estate brokerages, Shorewest Realtors, is blocking exclusive-agency listings and those under contract with limited-service brokers from appearing on the company's public-facing Web site.

Some limited-service brokers in Southeastern Wisconsin say they thought the public's right to view their listings was protected by a March 2008 consent order between their MLS, Multiple Listing Service Inc., and federal regulators.  more...