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Mortgage rates fall, economy slows

By Lou Barnes, Friday, December 1, 2006.

Mortgage rates are falling this morning, approaching the lows of the year; even the lowest-fee 30-year loans are down to 6 percent right now. The 10-year T-note's decisive break below 4.53 percent -- the floor since September -- to 4.41 percent this morning could easily pull mortgages into the high fives.  more...

The walkaway

By Alison Rogers, Friday, December 1, 2006.

So does no one ever simply concede a point?

I have a rental client coming into town tomorrow. (Actually, by the time this goes up on the Web and you read this, I'll be showing her properties.) She's a relo from the Midwest, referred to me by her husband's business partner and his wife, whom I just placed. She knows, let's see, no one in New York.

So I feel like she's a pretty captive client, but I still have to find her the world's greatest apartment or she won't stay captured. And we're in a little bit of a lull right now, it being December.  more...

Marketing strategies for a shifting market Premium Content

By Bernice Ross, Friday, December 1, 2006.

Are you actively prospecting for new business? Do you depend exclusively on your referral database to send business your way? To continue to make money in today's shifting market, you must have a three-pronged marketing plan that does more than just rely on someone else to generate your leads for you.  more...

Relocating home tough on children

By Katherine Salant, Friday, December 1, 2006.

When a family embarks on a new home project, how democratic should the decision-making be? Should Mom and Dad decide everything or should the kids have some say?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer. The participation of the kids depends on the family, their style of parenting and the age of the kids, therapists who work with families said in recent interviews.  more...

Tips for good home weatherization

By Paul Bianchina, Friday, December 1, 2006.

Q:  I recently spoke with an insulation contractor about insulating my 100-year-old house with a sprayed-on foam. Somewhere around R-40 is the recommended insulation for this area, but he said that his product's R-14 was sufficient. I never got a clear answer from him as to why that would be so, but it seemed to revolve around the fact that his product seals rather than just insulates. Do you have any information on this stuff, or know who else to talk to? --Marshall B.  more...

Superb real estate deals surface during holidays

By Robert Bruss, Friday, December 1, 2006.

If you are a serious home buyer, the absolute best time of the year to buy is between Thanksgiving Day and New Year's Day, even extending through Super Bowl Sunday in many cities. The reasons are (1) few home buyers are in the market during the holiday season so competition is low and (2) house and condo sellers who have their homes listed for sale now are usually highly motivated to sell and will listen to any reasonable purchase offer.  more...