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Top 10 markets for home-price growth in Q4 2011

By Inman News, Thursday, February 9, 2012.
<a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-80483p1.html" target=blank>House and dollar signs image</a> via Shutterstock.com.

Median single-family existing-home prices rose in about 20 percent of the 149 markets tracked by the National Association of Realtors in fourth-quarter 2011 compared to the same quarter in the previous year, and Florida and Texas are home to nine of the 29 metros with positive growth.

Nationally, the U.S. median single-family existing-home price fell 4.2 percent year over year in fourth-quarter 2011, to $163,500. Real estate owned (REO) and short-sale properties accounted for 30 percent of home sales in fourth-quarter 2011, down from 34 percent in fourth-quarter 2010, the association also reported.  more...

A call to stop the real estate infighting Premium Content

By Bernice Ross, Thursday, February 9, 2012.
<a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-261754p1.html">Hanging up the gloves image</a> via Shutterstock.com.

Real estate industry professionals seem to be engaged in a war both within the industry as well as with the consumers they serve. At the core is one simple issue: failure to adequately articulate the value they provide.

Due to technology changes and the worst real estate market in our lifetimes, everyone has had to redefine their value proposition. Whether it's boards of Realtors, multiple listing service providers, third-party syndicators, vendors or real estate agents, everyone is struggling to persuade the other people they deal with that what they provide is really worth it.  more...

'Repair and deduct' remedy has limits for renters

By Janet Portman, Thursday, February 9, 2012.
<a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-143395p1.html" target=blank>Tug-of-war money image</a> via Shutterstock.com.

Q: I suspect that I have bedbugs in my New York apartment. I called the landlord, who said he'd mention it to the rodent exterminator who comes once a month. But my understanding is that a bedbug infestation needs to be assessed by someone specifically trained to detect them and to use proper methods to treat them.

I don't think the rodent service is up to the task. Can I use "repair and deduct" to hire a qualified inspector to inspect the premises, then deduct the cost of the inspection from my rent? --Margaret R.  more...

Pros and cons of financing car, house at same time

By Tara-Nicholle Nelson, Thursday, February 9, 2012.
<a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-56478p1.html" target=blank>Happy family image</a> via Shutterstock.com.

Q: My wife and I plan to look for and hopefully purchase a house this spring. We have been preapproved for a decent amount (approximately $400,000). Although we are looking now, current inventory is lacking and we feel after the new realty season in our area (traditionally the week following Super Bowl Sunday) we should be able to find something we like and can afford. We are determined to find a house that we can easily live in for at least a decade.

In the meantime, we currently have two automobiles that eventually need to be replaced. We plan to replace them with newer used cars. My 1997 Mustang needs $1,200 worth of repairs to make it safe to drive. It would be a game of Russian roulette to continue navigating Chicago winters (read: snow) with my current set of tires. (I actually ended up putting in $400 in other repairs the other day.)  more...

An answer to 'What's it like to live here?'

By Inman News, Thursday, February 9, 2012.
Screenshot courtesy of Trulia.

Trulia, a prominent online real estate search and marketing company, has announced the release of a new free search feature that aims to give users a better feel for a locale they'd like to live in.

Trulia Local allows users to search cities via interactive, "zoom-able" Google Maps where they can see Trulia-listed homes both for sale and sold, area amenities like restaurants, school district and school information, and crime levels.  more...

Speed-dating lessons for real estate agents Premium Content

By Teresa Boardman, Thursday, February 9, 2012.
<a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-287929p1.html" target=blank>Stopwatch image</a> via Shutterstock.com.

Last weekend I attended an event designed to teach people how to be good at meeting people and dating. I was the official photographer, which is the same as being the official observer.

There are some similarities between online dating and online marketing, and some of the tips the daters got for interacting with total strangers on a first date work for meeting buyers or sellers for the first time.  more...

An end to property tax deferrals?

By Tom Kelly, Wednesday, February 8, 2012.
<a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-54987p1.html" target=blank>Senior homeowners image</a> via Shutterstock.com.

One common misperception of reverse mortgages is that prospective borrowers can qualify for an amount equal to the value of their home, or at least the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan limit.

The actual reverse mortgage amount is substantially less than both those numbers, ensuring that there will likely be sufficient equity left in the home when the loan comes due.  more...

Zillow releases mortgage app for Android devices

By Inman News, Wednesday, February 8, 2012.
Screenshot courtesy of Zillow.

Today, real estate search and valuation site Zillow launched an Android version of its free Zillow Mortgage Marketplace app that helps users calculate different aspects of a mortgage, including estimating monthly payments. It joins an iPhone version released in June 2011.

Since the mobile app's release for iPhone about eight months ago, its financial calculators have been used more than 1.5 million times, said Erin Lantz, director of Zillow's Mortgage Marketplace.  more...

10 hottest markets for out-of-area house hunters

By Inman News, Wednesday, February 8, 2012.
<a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-248635p1.html">Real estate moves image</a> via Shutterstock.com.

Deep price declines have made metropolitan areas in the Sunshine State popular destinations for online house hunters looking to move to a different metro area, according to a quarterly report by real estate search and marketing company Trulia.

Trulia's Metro Movers Report is based on the ratio of inbound property searches on Trulia.com in a given metro area by out-of-area residents, compared to outbound searches by locals. The report examined searches on Trulia.com between Oct. 1, 2011, and Dec. 31, 2011, in U.S. metropolitan areas.  more...

Popular neighborhood attributes: kid-friendly and hip

By Inman News, Wednesday, February 8, 2012.
Neighborhood Suggester screenshot courtesy of Robot Workshop.

"Fun for Kids," "Fun and Hip," and "Most People Use Public Transportation," in that order, are the most popular attributes selected in a search tool launched last year by real estate technology firm Robot Workshop, the company announced.

The 17 neighborhood attributes that users can select from using Robot Workshop's Neighborhood Suggester tool include: "Fun and Hip," "Local Culture," "Pet Friendly," "Golfers Paradise," "Near Everyday Needs," "Near Shopping," and "Quality Schools," among others.  more...

The legendary pads of Grammy winners past

By Inman News, Wednesday, February 8, 2012.
<a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-706243p1.html">Gramophone image</a> via Shutterstock.com.

With their musical achievements crafted in attics, basements, bungalows, Victorians, Jersey cottages and Hollywood mansions, the legends of pop, folk, alternative, rap and rock have shown that home may not be where the heart is, but it's definitely where the art is.

From the hills of Los Angeles to the lakes of Tennessee, some of America's most original and game-changing creators have called upon special, sometimes spiritual, places to conjure their muses to bring forth the tunes.  more...

Avoid costly garbage disposal fixes

By Bill and Kevin Burnett, Wednesday, February 8, 2012.
<a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-187633p1.html" target=blank>Plumber image</a> via Shutterstock.com.

Q: We had a small disaster on Christmas Day. While peeling potatoes for the mashers, I turned the garbage disposal on. It ground for a little while, and then the water level started to rise in the sink. I turned the disposal off and waited a few moments. The water level remained. I turned the disposal switch on, then nothing. I checked the circuit breaker in the garage. It wasn't tripped.

Fortunately, I was able to get dinner on the table and the dishes done by using the laundry sink.  more...

'Will work for food': real estate survival stories Premium Content

By Alisha Alway Braatz, Wednesday, February 8, 2012.
<a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-11724p1.html" target=blank>Granola bar</a> via Shutterstock.com.

Real estate agents are special creatures with near inhuman powers of restraint. (Well, most of us.) We can go eight hours without eating, drinking or going to the bathroom, and we call that taking prospective clients on a "tour."

Oh to be sure, we have all been taught to provide our clients with granola bars, bottled water and bathroom breaks -- but I've run into quite a few Realtors (including myself) who often forget what the mere human needs for survival -- and press onward to see "just one more house."  more...

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