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Mortgage rates hold at 2006 low point

By Lou Barnes, Friday, December 8, 2006.

Mortgage rates have held last week's 6 percent low (also the low for 2006), but there is no follow-through and the market is vulnerable without news of deepening economic slowdown.

The Federal Reserve's meeting next week will be a non-event (the Fed will stay put at 5.25 percent and say nothing except "wait-to-see"). Housing data due before Christmas might move rates, but the next substantial news will be consumer performance in holiday shopping, which is weeks away.  more...

GMAC rolls out 30-year loan for Mexican homes

By Tom Kelly, Friday, December 8, 2006.

LA JOLLA, Calif. -- The new political administration in Mexico is committed to continuing the flow of foreign investment into the country - including the promotion of second homes and retirement residences - and United States mortgage lenders have taken the message to market.

GMAC International Mortgage this week announced it had rolled out a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage for Americans buying property in Mexico in addition to a "stated income" or limited documentation option for a slightly higher interest rate.  more...

Real estate blog can be lucrative side job Premium Content

By Bernice Ross, Friday, December 8, 2006.

Does the thought of starting your own blog overwhelm you? If so, it may be time to rethink your reluctance. A blog can help you create new business while also providing a steady income stream separate from your real estate activities.

I've been playing in the blogosphere for about four months. It has been an interesting experience. A number of our posts have been tongue-in-cheek and some have been quite serious.  more...

The Internet 'relo'

By Alison Rogers, Friday, December 8, 2006.

I just got a $6,000 commission -- for a rental.

Wait, it gets better: I found her on the Internet.

She posted on some message boards I frequent, explaining that she was relocating, wanted to know about neighborhoods, and was looking for "an awesome broker." That alone differentiated her from the mainstream of Internet chat that I usually read -- most posters want advice about how to kill their brokers, or how to stiff their brokers, not information on how to actually hook up with one.  more...

The big bad house

By Arrol Gellner, Friday, December 8, 2006.

According to U.S. Census Bureau statistics, the size of the average American house more than doubled between 1950 and 1999. From 1982-2004, the typical new single-family house grew some 40 percent larger from 1,690 square feet to 2,366 square feet. 

In the face of these increases, however, the size of the average American household has shrunk from 3.3 to 2.6 people. This seeming paradox betrays the trend toward ever-larger houses for what it is: a real estate fashion, and an irrational one at that. And like all fashions, it's doomed to reverse eventually.  more...

Tool up for holiday giving

By Paul Bianchina, Friday, December 8, 2006.

It's time once again to be looking for some great gift ideas for the home handyperson or tool nut on your gift list. Here are some fun and practical suggestions for brightening up the holiday season:  more...

10 best real estate books of 2006

By Robert Bruss, Friday, December 8, 2006.

Each week I read and review at least one new real estate book. At the end of each year, it is my honor to select from these 52 books the "top 10" real estate books. 2006 was an especially difficult year to select the best because there were so many new, high-quality realty books.

All of these excellent real estate books are available in stock or by special order at local bookstores, public libraries, and www.Amazon.com. Here are the 10 best real estate books of 2006, plus five Honorable Mentions:  more...