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Next stop: 7% mortgage rates

By Lou Barnes, Thursday, June 15, 2006.

Last week's hopes for a mortgage-rate top are still valid, but the location may be closer to low sevens than high sixes. The latest over-target inflation report (May CPI core plus .3 percent) will likely force the Fed from 5 percent to 5.25 percent on June 29, and short-term Treasurys are beginning to price a 5.5 percent Fed in August.

The Fed must proceed until the economy slows substantially, but the global unwinding of stock markets that began two weeks ago caused bonds to get ahead of themselves.  more...

Sellers are liars

By Alison Rogers, Thursday, June 15, 2006.

I was going to write a column about the saying "Buyers are liars." I have it in my head, so hopefully you'll read it next week.

But before I sat down to write it today, I decided to attack my work e-mail. It's been three months since I got my real estate license, and I just hit that magical point where everyone else has learned that I co-broke and has decided to send flyers to me.

So I read them, and decided to write that sellers are liars instead. Or at least sellers' agents; they're such liars, in fact, that I'm gonna lay down some rules.  more...

Savvy agents tap softening for-sale-by-owner market Premium Content

By Bernice Ross, Thursday, June 15, 2006.

According to Alexa.com, Web traffic at ForSalebyOwner.com is down substantially since 2005. Given the shifts in the market, now may be the best time ever to start prospecting for-sale-by-owners, or FSBOs.

While Web leads may take months or even years to develop, there are few resources better than expired listings, referrals and FSBOs for "right now" business. When markets are strong, we see more discounting and more people selling their properties without representation.  more...

Homeowner deals with 'blistering paint' problem

By Paul Bianchina, Thursday, June 15, 2006.

Q: About four years ago, my sons painted my house. They pressure-washed and scraped and sanded one weekend, and painted the next weekend. Subsequently, blisters appeared in the paint in several areas. Last summer I had a professional painter repaint the house, again washing one weekend, along with scraping and sanding, and painting the next weekend. Now the whole house has blisters in the paint, and the paint is coming off the edges of the siding. Incidentally, I also had a new roof put on. The roofer removed three layers of shingles, replaced some plywood, and added additional vents.  more...

Kitchen and bath show unveils unique inventions

By Katherine Salant, Thursday, June 15, 2006.

Every year at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS), one manufacturer comes up with an over-the-top sensation that offers little utility but garners lots of media attention. This year's over-the-top item -- a whirlpool bath for a dog -- actually makes some sense if you're a dog owner.

Offered by MTI Whirlpools, the Jentle Pet Spa fits onto a stand about the size of a crib, so that you can bathe Fido without wrenching your back.  more...

Home sellers hit roadblocks in buyer's market

By Robert Bruss, Thursday, June 15, 2006.

Spring is the traditional peak sales season for houses and condos. Summer is also usually very good until the traditional August slump, especially for families who want to relocate before school starts. More prospective home buyers are in the market at this time of the year than during any other season.

But 2006 is proving to be a bit different. Although 2005 was a record home sales volume year, the number of residence sales has slowed this year. There could be several reasons, such as adverse weather in many areas and slowly rising mortgage interest rates.  more...