Archive for February, 2009
12.02.09

Escapeso Austin Real Estate asked:
What do you know about Feng Shui? If you’re like most people, you probably are not even sure if I spelled it right just now. Maybe you picture an old man doing the world’s slowest kung fu at dawn (that’s Tai Chi, totally different.) Feng shui is a sorta guidebook about the placement and architecture of a house to allow good flow of energy. And it’s not just placement of the bed and couch. The placement of the actual house and landscaping will affect the ch’i (energy) of the house in a big way. Let’s start with a few tips to bear in mind when looking examining the location for your dream home.
1. First and most important, research the history of a property. Find out what happened with the previous tenants, and the ones before them. And even the ones before them. Ask neighbors, or selling agent. If all the previous inhabitants have had money problems, family problems, etc., chances are there’s bad feng shui going on. Best to move on and look for another house.
2. Pay attention to the road placement. The road in front of your house should not be pointing directly into your home. If a house is sitting at a dead end, in a T-intersection, or in the center of cul-de-sac, then energy is constantly flowing straight down that road into the house, then building up and stagnating there. This is not good; the ch’i must continue to flow, like air. If it gets stuck in your home, it can go bad.
3. Pay attention to what’s around the house. Examine the terrain closely. Ideally, the property should have a dark turtle in the back (a mountain or hill, another house, a row of trees, a fence, etc.), a dragon (a house, a tree) to the left, a white tiger (a smaller house or tree) to the right, and a phoenix (open ground, a circular flowerbed, a meandering river or road) in front. All those exotic names are just a fun way to state the obvious —a house by itself is not ideal, since there is nothing to slow the flow of ch’i. Most houses will have all of these things around them already, but it doesn’t hurt to think about it your first time seeing a place. Other things to think about are “poison arrows,” like telephone poles, flagpoles, or the corner of a house pointing your way. They can hinder the energy flow to the house. Even a hospital can be a source of bad energy.
4. Something that probably doesn’t automatically spring to mind is the shape of the property; but that can be very important as well. Always go for something symmetrical, like a square or a rectangle. If your real estate is pretty close to square, use hedges to fill in the spots that make it irregular. Triangle-shaped properties can create disharmony. If you just love a place and absolutely have to have a it but it’s on a triangle-shaped lot, it’s better for the wide side to be in the back; the other way indicates an inability to save money.
When you visit a property, notice the shapes of the things around. I know it sounds strange, but kind of squint your eyes and see what you see, like you used to do as a kid, when you were looking at the clouds in the sky. If anything looks like something hostile, then be careful. That could be an indication of some anti-ch’i. You want enough stuff to slow the energy down to capture it but allow it to also flow.
san francisco dental implant dentist
12.02.09

Real Estate Advisor asked:
Wealthy home buyers who buy multi-million dollar homes are typically self-made millionaires with new money, according to a recent online survey of 683 Coldwell Banker Previews International property specialists. The study revealed the top professions of these affluent customers. According to the respondents, 88 % of their customers are business or corporate executives, 37 % are physicians, 31 % are lawyers, 30 % are financial professional and 14 % are entertainers, entertainment executives or professional athletes.
Wealthy home buyers require their real estate agents to be equipped with special skills, according to the Coldwell Banker’s survey. Given the magnitude of the financial transactions involved in luxury home purchases, 78 % of sales associates said that the top most need their clients require from their real estate agents is privacy and confidentiality. The luxury customers also want their real estate agents to exercise discretion while dealing with their multi-million dollar transactions. Almost 70 % of respondents polled that their wealthy clients want their real estate professionals to offer customized services while 44 % said that the luxury home buyers want their agents to have good network and work relationship with executive assistants, CPAs and attorneys.
Wealthy home buyers also want their agents to know the inside scoop on the real estate market, according to 36 % of the respondents in the Coldwell Banker’s survey. Seventeen percent of the sales associates surveyed indicated that one of the necessary skills for real estate professionals working with affluent customers was the ability to provide emotional support to their clients. And according to 11 % of respondents, luxury customers want their real estate agents to establish personal rapport with their clients.
The study also included queries on the “must have” amenities that the affluent clientele want in their luxury homes. Wealthy home buyers want media rooms in their homes, according to 60 % of respondents and another 60 % polled that their affluent customers want “wired” homes. However, there are a few home design elements that are out among luxury home buyers. Gourmet kitchens, granite countertops and wet bars are no longer counted as luxuries by wealthy home buyers, according to the survey respondents.
The survey also found that the multi-million dollar home buyer pays a typical down payment of 20 % to 30 %, while a quarter of clients put down 30 % to 50 % of the sale price.
Hawthorne real estate
11.02.09

Real Estate Advisor asked:
Real estate investment is perhaps one of the most lucrative forms of investment today. But it is also equally risk bound especially when one is not well versed with the trends and nuances of the real estate market. So if you are contemplating on investing in real estate, it is best to avoid costly mistakes in real estate investment especially when you invest your hard earned money into it. Knowing the most common mistakes made by real estate investors helps one steer away from making such mistakes in the future and ensures good return on investment.
Here are the top ten mistakes made by real estate investors, according to bankrate.com. Bankrate has put together the top ten mistakes after speaking to established, full-time real estate investors and other professionals involved in real estate investment such as bankers. Read on to know them and avoid them.
1. Not planning up ahead. Lack of a proper plan is the biggest mistake made by novice investors. Finding a house after forming a proper investment strategy is the right way instead of looking for a house to fit the plan. Many make the mistake of buying a house because it seems to be a good deal and then trying to see how they can fit it into their plan. Instead of buying a house and thinking one can plan in due course, investors should rather concentrate on the numbers and try to make offers on multiple properties. This will ensure a good property that not only matches their investment model but also works out well with the numbers they had planned for.
2. To believe you can make money quickly. The second major mistake that real estate investors make is to think it is very easy to get rich in real estate. This is only a myth and the reality is that investing in real estate is a long term project.
3. Doing it single-handedly. For becoming a successful real estate investor one needs to build a team of professionals who would assist the investor in his deals. This would ideally include a real estate agent, an appraiser, a home inspector, a closing attorney and a lender.
4. Making excess payment. One another reason that investors in real estate goof up in their investment is by paying too much for the properties they buy. Paying too much and locking up all the funds in the erred property deal will leave you with no money to redeem yourself.
5. Leaving out the groundwork. Not doing your homework could be a costly mistake if you were a real estate investor. Every field of business needs sufficient amount of homework to be done, and real estate investment is no exception. Learn the fundamentals and then venture into investing in properties.
6. Throwing caution to the winds. Investors have to exercise a certain degree of caution and take earnest efforts while making a deal. New investors often fail in this regard and sign a deal without doing adequate research on the property.
7. Miscalculating money flow. Investors whose strategy is to buy, hold and rent out properties need to ensure sufficient cash flow for maintenance. Property managers could be expensive and the owner has to incur more expenses such as mortgage, taxes, insurance, advertising costs etc. Investors have to allocate their budget such that all these expenses are taken care of, or end up having their asset turn into a liability.
8. Lowering the volume. A larger volume of deals or transactions helps in increasing the profits by reducing the impacts of marginal deals.
9. Getting trapped in your own deal. Having more number of options at hand for the property you buy is a wise strategy. This helps one to be prepared for fluctuations in the real estate market. Plans to rent out the house could go awry when the rental market slumps. Having alternative plans helps you cut down losses and tackle unexpected situations.
10. Making incorrect estimates. People who plan to rehab their house need to check if they will still reap the benefits at double the time that they had estimated. This ensures they do not miscalculate and lose money on the deal.
Sacramento office space
10.02.09

Theresa Souers asked:
Even in a plunging real estate market, you can profit from investing in real estate if you know where to invest your dollars.
So, do you know where you should be investing right now in this challenging real estate market?
The answer: Lake Tahoe real estate
Here’s why you should invest in Lake Tahoe real estate, especially in the South Lake Tahoe area.
Top 7 Reasons to Invest in Lake Tahoe Real Estate
Investing in Lake Tahoe Real Estate Reason #7: Ideal Weather Conditions & Year Round Recreation Attracts New Buyers
Summer tourists in nearby Sacramento and Reno experience temperatures in the 100’s. The Bay Area is socked with fog. Lake Tahoe generally enjoys highs in the low 80’s.
And, don’t let the fact that Lake Tahoe is known as a world-class ski destination fool you into thinking that the winters are uncomfortable. An average January day ranges from 15 – 41 degrees with brilliant sunshine compared to Vail (0 – 31,) Jackson Hole (5 – 28,) and Stow (1 – 25.)
When a storm comes it drops the snow and leaves us basking in sunlight. In fact, the sun shines approximately 275 days a year.
This allows Lake Tahoe to offer the complete selection of recreational activities all year round
Unlike most ski or golf resorts, Lake Tahoe has something for everyone. The pristine blue waters and sandy beaches provide swimming, fishing and sun bathing. Boating opportunities range from kayaks to sailing to motors. The forest and mountain trails draw hikers, bikers, rock-climbers, snow mobiles, snow shoes, cross country skiers and campers. Golf resorts range from lakeside to high desert. Photographers, painters and artists of all mediums flock to the area.
Investing in Lake Tahoe Real Estate Reason #6: Real Estate’s Rolling Boom Effect
When an area is experiencing high real estate activity, investors should look to the surrounding areas for the next wave of activity.
The Lake Tahoe real estate market benefits from the surrounding Reno, Sacramento, and overall San Francisco Bay communities. We are receiving reports that increased real estate activity in the area and values are stabilizing.
With today’s’ inventory surplus, low interest rates and the news blasting daily “doom and gloom” reports, sellers are more willing to negotiate now.
Investing in Lake Tahoe Real Estate #5: Baby Boomer Are Buying Lake Tahoe Real Estate Now
Baby Boomers are the driving force behind the resort market industry and they have only just begun to invest. Many baby boomers are now inheriting various levels of wealth from senior family members. At the same time, they are in their peak earning years and investing actively in second homes and retirement homes.
They are searching for second homes near beaches, lakes, ski resorts and golf courses. Lake Tahoe is one of the few second home destinations that can offer all three.
Investing in Lake Tahoe Real Estate Reason #4: It’s Affordable
Reasonable pricing is one of the key reasons to invest in Lake Tahoe real estate. According to the South Lake Tahoe Association the price for a single family home within Lake Tahoe’s South Shore is less than half than homes in Vail, Aspen and Jackson Hole.
Investing in Lake Tahoe Real Estate Reason #3: Opportunities for Supplemental Income
Lake Tahoe is a world-class vacation destination. Vacation rentals bring in subsidized income which can help cover the costs of your Lake Tahoe real estate investment. When a home offers the “Tahoe Look,” dwells within a desirable location (near outdoor recreation) and includes amenities such as a hot tub or pool table, demand automatically increases.
For example one of our current listings, a 6 bedroom contemporary home has averaged an income of over $125,000 for five years now.
Investing in Lake Tahoe Real Estate Reason # 2: High Demand and Strictly Limited Supply
In a nutshell, there is no chance of real estate over-development having a negative impact on the value of Lake Tahoe homes. Generally, supply is low and demand is high.
During the 2004-2005 “boom,” investors and developers were throwing up houses at break-neck speed in hopes of huge profits. When this market came to a screeching halt, these areas were the first to see foreclosures. In Lake Tahoe, supply will always be in the favor of the investor because Lake Tahoe real estate is an environmentally protected area. That means growth is strictly limited.
And, the # 1 Reason to Invest in Lake Tahoe Real Estate: Improve Your Quality of Life:
Would You Rather Watch Your Investments or Live Them?
Everyday, we hear those who have invested in Lake Tahoe real estate praise the benefits gained through living a less stressful and more joyful life. These benefits include better health, longer life, better relationships, and so forth.
How does this relate to investing?
Think about it.
Wouldn’t you rather watch it grow while relaxing on the beaches of Lake Tahoe rather than pulling your hair out in front of your computer?
You can watch arrows going up and down or you could ride the chair lift up and swish your way down. You can listen to computer chimes or you can listen to the wind in the pines.
What could be better than wrapping “quality of life” and long term investments into one “full benefits” package?
Robert Frost inspired us to unite vocation with avocation. Investing in Lake Tahoe real estate is just such a venture. The pay offs can be huge.
Laurel MD Homes
10.02.09

Peter Vekselman asked:
When should you hire a real estate coach? If you’re committed to investing in real estate, there are a lot of reasons to hire a coach. The main reason is to produce better results in your real estate business and make more money than you currently are. You may feel that you should be operating your business entirely by yourself. After all, real estate naturally attracts the sort of people who like to work independently, and succeed based on their own mettle. Pride is fine, but you’re in this to make money, aren’t you? Wouldn’t it make sense to set your pride aside and do whatever makes sense for your career?
No doubt, you are enthusiastic about real estate investing. If you’re just starting out, though, you’ll no doubt admit you’ve got a lot to learn. Wouldn’t it make sense to find a mentor who knows the ropes, and can help you achieve greater success than you would on your own? If you’ve worked in the corporate world, you know how effective a good mentor can be in furthering your knowledge and improving your skill set. Coaching is different from teaching per se in that it is more focused on setting and pursuing goals. It’s not that different from sports coaching, except that it is focused on real estate investment. Even if you are goal-oriented already, a real estate coach can help you set better, more realistic, more achievable goals without sacrificing ambition.
Even if you are already successful at buying and selling real estate, you might benefit from the services of a real estate coach. A real estate coach can focus your business and your goals, and give you an informed second opinion on your real estate practice. In fact, coaching is a better option for experienced real estate professional than for absolute beginners. Once you know the basics, you can hire a real estate coach to help you close the gap between where you are now and where you really want to be.
You are probably, at this point, wondering how real estate coaching proceeds. Real estate coaching usually moves forward through a series of structured conversations revolving around your approach to your real estate investment business. These conversations are designed to help you set and pursue clearer, more achievable goals, think more clearly about your business, and gain better perspective. Real estate coaching is designed to provide the tools to enhance the process of building a successful business, and helps you approach becoming more accountable to yourself for achieving your goals.
Real estate coaching is often done by telephone. It doesn’t have to be; it can be done in person as well. A good real estate coach will tailor his or her approach to your needs. Before you hire a real estate coach, make they are able to adapt to your unique needs and your approach to the working relationship. If you choose the right real estate coach, you can expect them to give you objective feedback on your business and your approach to real estate investing, thus putting you in a better position to attain your real estate investment goals.
Brigantine Real Estate
09.02.09

Hector Lesende asked:
Real estate investing in Miami real estate is now becoming popular again as there are many properties in foreclosure, short sale, bank reo’s, and government foreclosures. With such an overwhelming inventory of homes available for sale a real estate investor must be able to determine which one to purchase. Investors must follow six steps in order to learn, understand and achieve Miami real estate investment success.
These are the six L steps to Miami real estate investing:
1. Location – Location, location, location is still the key of buying Miami real estate. Buying Miami real estate just because the price is low in a declining area is big mistake that should be avoided. Look for homes in an excellent location like, good schools, economic stable and growing neighborhoods, near shopping centers and malls, near bus stops and metro rails, near hospitals and restaurants. Sometimes it is better to pay a little more for a property in a good location than getting a bargain in a place where it is very hard to sell or rent the asset. Location is often overlooked in purchasing real estate as many investor think they can overcome a bad location if the price is low enough. Out of two homes that are exactly the same, the one in the best location will command a much higher sales price and rental income. Location is the number consideration when purchasing Miami South Florida real estate.
2. Long Term – Real estate investing is a long term proposition. Don’t think you are going to be a millionaire over night. It takes years of hard work and dedication in order to succeed. Hold any property at least one year before selling it. Capital gain taxes will be greatly reduced. Consider renting the property for at two or three years. The rental income generated will help you to properly repair and renovate the property. Many investors purchased properties in the middle of real estate boom with no money down and no equity. These investors were thinking of flipping the homes fast and make a killing in the process. Many homes now in foreclosure are due to investors that were caught in the middle and now realize that real estate investing is very hard to time. Long term Miami real estate investing is the secret to a successful real estate career.
3. Lease Option – Never rent a property with a lease option to buy. Either sell or rent it straight out. A lease option usually is a disaster for both buyers and sellers. The tenant will demand a large discount of the rent to go towards the down payment and closing costs. The problem is that tenant will not buy the property at the end of the lease and the landlord/seller will have wasted a lot of money in rebates given to the tenant/buyer. Demand a 20% or 30% deposit from the tenant/buyer and a clause in the contract that if they default on the purchase they will lose the deposit. This technique will force the tenant/buyer to purchase the property or lose the deposit. The risk of losing the deposit will eliminate the tenant from taking advantage of the landlord by walking out of the contract after receiving a monthly rental discount.
4. Local – Buy real estate close to where you live. Don’t buy real estate in another state or in another country. Keep real estate investing local. Buy in your own county and in your city. The more you know about the area where you are buying the better the decision will be. The investor should always be close to the investment property. The Miami real estate investor should inspect the property often to determine any repair, roof and other problems. The landlord must inspect the property every month when collecting the rent. Check for the number of tenants actually living in the property, check for damages and destruction of the property and overall condition of the place. The investor/landlord will not be able to inspect and determine the condition of the property if it is located far away. Keeping real estate local is an essential step in real estate investing.
5. Leverage – Most real estate books and seminars tell you to use other people’s money when purchasing real estate. This technique is not the best and buyers should try to buy the property in cash if at all possible. Buying a house in cash will help you get a better deal and allow you to negotiate from a position of strength. A cash buyer will always have the upper hand in negotiating with banks, property owners, and other sellers. Cash buyers will not suffer and go into foreclosure if the market turns and they are unable to sell or rent the house right away. Like Dave Ramsey always says “cash is king and debt is dumb”. Buying an investment property in cash is an excellent way to avoid Miami real estate investment mistakes.
6. Learn – Research the property and learn everything about it before you buy. A mistake in Miami real estate investing can be very costly. Usually you make your money when you buy not when you sell. Buying the property at the wrong price the wrong place and at the wrong time could be detrimental. One mistake could wipe you out and put you out of business before you start. Ask questions to the experts, real estate agents, appraisers, mortgage brokers, and other real estate investors. Learn, research, educate yourself in all aspects of real estate investing before you purchase the asset.
It is definitely a buyers market in Miami-Dade County. Miami real estate investors have more choices than ever before when it comes to real estate investing. Investors must follow the L steps, the 6 steps real estate investor guide to successful real estate investing in order to achieve their investment goals in the Miami real estate market.
Dallas equipment rental
08.02.09

real estate asked:
Real estate photography is a new, exclusive initiative to promote international property business to inspire by the theme Development, Nature and Architecture. Real estate photography leads to increased competition in the photographic market. Most of time people would likely visit their property for sale because of the attractive images.
Tips of good real estate photography
- A good source of light.
- Wide angle lenses make real estate photos appear spacious, inspirational and motivational
- Digital formats cut down on printing and developing expenditures and makes photos available immediately.
- Same images should be available in different sizes so that according to the specifications you can provide it.
- take a shot of every part of house for sale including living room, kitchen, dining room, and other parts of the house.
- highlight the best features of your house.
- clean the entire house before taking its photos.
- hire a professional real estate photographer.
Real estate photography is of following kinds:
- Standard real estate photography,
- Elevated pole real estate photography,
- Exterior twilight real estate photography,
- Interior real estate photography services,
- Real estate photography for builders and architects.
Real estate firms have totally booming nowadays. If you are a property agent, you have probably faced a lot of competitions. Over few older years, when all you require is a well written advertisement to sell a real estate. Currently in order to fully publish your listings, you need to attach a good real estate photographs. With the emergence of digital cameras, the realestate that you are selling can be photographed and placed online. Potential purchasers from different parts of the world can actually see your listings with the images in it. Don’t underestimate the value of these photographs because a purchaser can definitely decide to check out the real estate based on the pictures that you have.
Real estate photography makes the property images impressive. If you have a house which looks unattractive and you want to sell that but because of appearance no good investor wants to buy it. Through the technique of real estate photography you can make your house to appear better and most of the investors search online for real estate images to buy it. Based on recent estimations, the number of individual searching home for sale online has increased. Almost half of these property seekers found their dream property instantly online through the help of real estate photography. An image is worth a thousand words. Especially when your words may be limited by the Multiple Listing Service use real estate photography techniques to express your quality difference in properties.
Missoula MT real estate
08.02.09

Eliza Maledevic Ayson asked:
You may hear a lot of good things about real estate investing, that as you enter such world you can earn a lot. That’s true, but entering the world of real estate is not that simple.
Indeed, investing in real estate such as Sarasota real estate can make you earn so much. But you have to know that investing in Sarasota real estate is quite tough, in order to be successful in such world, you have to be prepared and armed with valuable information.
It also requires time, understanding, comprehension, knowledge, strategy and action. So if you plan to go on in investing at Sarasota real estate, you have to do research, this can help you out to know and learn about real estate investing. Internet is the best source of gaining information and knowledge about real estate investing.
There are plenty of ways to obtain knowledge about real estate investing. You can look for websites that offers tips and guides on investing at real estate. You can also look for testimonials and experiences of investors who became successful in real estate investing, you can learn by reading such. You can also look at your yellow pages, and search for the investors who are selling and buying properties, take time to call them and ask about their experiences, do not be ashamed to talk to them, you do not have to worry because they will definitely answer your call and be happy to share their experiences, you can learn through their experiences.
You can read a lot of books about how real estate investing works. Enrolling to universities that offering how real estate investing works can be a good way to gain knowledge and information as well.
Indeed, there are plenty of way to gain knowledge and information about Sarasota real estate. But as soon as you have the knowledge and information that are important in Sarasota real estate investing, you have to move on and take all of these into action.
Hiring a real estate agent is helpful especially if it’s your first time to make an investment in Sarasota real estate. But make sure you will work with a professional and the best one. As a piece of advice, you can ask recommendations from family and friends, then try to call atlas three real estate agent and make a schedule in order to interview the real estate agent each, but make sure to do schedules separately to avoid uncomfortable situations.
The real estate agent will definitely present themselves to you, so give them time to talk, as soon as they are done, that is the time for you to ask questions. As soon as it is done, tell them to call them back for your decision. Weigh things out and come up with the best decision.
Soon the real estate agent that you finally hire will help you out with your quest to purchase the best property in Sarasota real estate. The agent will help you out in finding the property that fits your criteria. Take time to visits the properties. Conduct home inspection.
As soon as things run properly, you and your real estate agent can make an offer. Then close the deal. Soon you will find yourself happily made your first investment in Sarasota real estate.
Eliza Maledevic
http://www.srqmls.com
Orlando Florida Private Investigator
07.02.09

Real Estate Advisor asked:
Now seems to be the best time to invest in properties in college towns where housing demand is high due to a soaring rental market according to the New rules of real estate by Business 2.0 Magazine. With home prices still out of home buyer’s range, and homeowners selling their homes due to rising interest rates, rents are expected to increase nationwide. This makes buying investment property in rental markets such as college towns an attractive option, one that is already being pursued by investors. Rents are expected to rise by 5 % by the end of this year according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), and investors are looking at college towns with increased interest.
There are two major reasons why it is prudent to buy investment property in college towns now. When compared with other rental markets, the rentals in apartment buildings in college towns are much stronger and hence more profitable. This has been augmented by the fact that apartment buildings in college towns are fewer in number. This demand for apartment buildings has also increased due to the rising admissions in colleges mostly from the Gen Y or the echo boomers, which has further increased the asking rates in the college town rental markets. These properties have a low vacancy rate, especially in buildings located near the campuses. Investors in commercial apartment buildings also get to increase their rent with the mounting demand making such investment a highly profitable venture.
So if you are a prospective landlord who has decided to encash this favorable situation, then you can start with choosing the college town that has the lowest ratio of university-owned beds to the student population. As Michael Zaransky, co-founder of Prime Property Investors in Chicago says, prospective investors would do well to pick the college towns that have the ratio of university-owned beds to students at 30 % or lower. One should also look into colleges that propose to expand their student ranks by 2 or 3 % every year.
Investors should also need to take into consideration the disadvantages involved in owning commercial apartment buildings in college towns. The business could be trying sometimes, and involves risks with college policies liable to changes and the difficulty involved in predicting volatile student demand. However, considering the high rate of returns that the investment has to offer, the pros seem to far outnumber the cons making buying investment property in college towns a smart option.
Oakland retail space
07.02.09

Real Estate Advisor asked:
According to “Out of Reach”, the annual report of the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), prices of many rental markets have increased sharply over the past few years making affordable housing difficult for low and medium wage workers.
The report reveals a marked disparity between people’s earning and rental housing costs. This difference is sizeable and has increased every year. In fact, the cost of rental housing has gone up by 28% in the past 7 years, much beyond the wages earned by the people who need affordable housing the most.
NLIHC calculated the hourly wage needed to afford the rent and utilities of a market rate rental home in each state. Affordable housing was defined as the cost of a two-bedroom rental home without having to spend more than 30% of one’s gross income on housing costs. The report terms this rate of affordability as the ‘national housing wage’, which has increased to $16.31 from last year’s $15.78.
Housing prices in many rental markets far exceed the wages of the renters, making them the least affordable rental markets. Based on the Out of Reach 2006 report, Hawaii stands at the top of the ten most pricy rental markets for a two-bedroom rental home. Listed below are top 10 most expensive states for rental housing:
1. Hawaii – hourly wage of $23.53 needed to afford a two-bedroom rental home.
2. California – hourly wage of $22.86 needed to afford a two-bedroom rental home.
3. Massachusetts – hourly wage of $22.65 needed to afford a two-bedroom rental home.
4. New Jersey – hourly wage of $21.21 needed to afford a two-bedroom rental home.
5. New York – hourly wage of $20.70 needed to afford a two-bedroom rental home.
6. Connecticut – hourly wage of $20.42 needed to afford a two-bedroom rental home.
7. Maryland – hourly wage of $20.07 needed to afford a two-bedroom rental home.
8. Rhode Island – hourly wage of $19.36 needed to afford a two-bedroom rental home.
9. New Hampshire – hourly wage of $18.10 needed to afford a two-bedroom rental home.
10. Alaska – hourly wage of $17.90 needed to afford a two-bedroom rental home.
The report concluded that a minimum-wage earner making $10,712 a year cannot afford even a one-bedroom home anywhere in the country. The reality is that a wage earner needs to make $28,475 per year to afford a two-bedroom rental home. Families with two minimum-wage earners need to make at least $33,925 to afford a two-bedroom rental home.
Baltimore real estate
07.02.09

Kenneth Diesi asked:
Locating real estate notes is one of the best ways ways to become a real estate investor. Most real estate notes are snapped up right a way, and that is a problem. But there is a method of getting those good real estate note leads and turning them into a sale.
What is underrated and under used by most real estate investors is this one method. I was refering to sales over the phone. Finding real estate notes at a great price can be done this way.
If you get a note seller interested on the phone, and get him to send you a copy of the documents, then you can usually close on 2/3 of those that are interested. Most real estate investors avoid telemarketing for fear of knowing what to say to a real estate note holder over the phone.
As in any telemarketing business, telemarketing for real estate investing will also be a numbers game. The probability of finding someone wanting to cash out their estate notes increases with the number of leads you call. You will be able to purchase a list of real estate note holders, after this you will need to follow the four following steps when you go to contact them:
The first step needed is to create credibility between the real estate note holder and yourself. Your best bet is to act just like everyone else and do it just as soon as they answer the phone. You have to find common ground with the person, whether it’s in the way you say hello, or the way you talk about local areas. When an individual shows a liking to you, you may get a good deal on the real estate notes you want to find.
Research studies strongly conclude that the person on the other end of the phone with you can tell whether you are smiling and in a good mood or if you have a negative attitude, just by your manner of speaking. Keeping the phone atmosphere warm and friendly is of high importance.
In your opener you can mail things to people like information on how they can profit on their real estate notes. Ask if they would be like to receive, for free, this kind of information.
Approach them as if you are only there to do a study of the market of note holders.
When you want to know about real estate notes through telemarketing, you will have to tell as to what you can do for the note holder. If you have listened well to the real estate note holder and approach things with confidence, you can use the information he has given you to close the sale. Just listen to him tell you his reasons for needing money.
The most important part of finding real estate notes over the phone is not getting the prospect to sign a contract at this point, but to go look for the original note and mortgage and agree to either fax you a copy, see you, or mail you a copy.
Usually when note buyers can get a seller to locate the original contract, then they are more likely to close on the deal. Any person who is interested enough to look for a real estate note will be more interested than you think in selling that real estate note.
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Malibu homes
07.02.09
Real Estate Advisor asked:
Modest median price gains in new and existing homes, a stable interest rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage, decreased housing starts and a stable unemployment rate are some of the features of the 2007 housing forecast provided by major trade group economists as reported by The Inman News.
NAR chief economist David Lereah expects new-home sales to fall from 1.07 million units sold in 2006 to 975,000 units in 2007, which is an 8.7% decline. He cites decreased new home construction as a large contributing factor to this change. The median new home price of $238,400 in 2006 is expected to increase by 1.3 percent to $241,400 in 2007.
NAR also predicts that existing home sales figures for 2006 to end around 6.47 million units, which is an 8.6% decline from 2005. The 2007 forecast for existing home sales is 6.43 million units. The median price of existing homes in 2006 was $223,700 and is expected to increase 1.7% to $227,500 in 2007.
Doug Duncan, chief economist for the Mortgage Bankers Association predicts the interest rates on 30-year fixed mortgages to stay around 6.5 percent, but mortgage originations to fall 14% to $2.1 trillion.
While Lereah predicts that the unemployment rate to stay at 4.7 percent, Duncan takes it higher and believes it may reach 5.2 percent by midyear 2007. However, he concurs with Lereah in predicting modest home price gains in new and existing homes for the coming year.
The housing forecast of The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) is in line with NAR and the Mortgage Bankers Association. According to David Seiders, Chief Economist at NAHB, the year 2007 will see the housing market re-adjust itself once the housing demand stabilizes, leading to a healthy balance between supply and demand.
Looking at the state level, the California Association of Realtors (CAR) projects that the median price of California homes will end 2006 around $560,700, and will decline in 2007 to $550,000 — a 1.7% drop. The number of units sold in California will end 2006 around 481,200, and is projected to decrease 447,500 in 2007. CAR predicts that the unemployment rate will stay around 5.1 percent, although interest rates on the 30-year fixed mortgage may hover around 6.7 percent in 2007.
The overall housing forecast for 2007 made by these four major real estate trade groups is not at all bad. Home buyers and investors planning to go ahead with their real estate activities can fare better with the help of a good real estate agent.
Commercial Real Estate San Diego
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