Archives » June, 2007

Open house theives in your neighborhood?

According to an Inman News article published today, a duo of thieves is targeting easy prey, open houses. One of the suspects, a female in her 50’s distracts the real estate agent while the other a man in his 30’s searches the home looking for value items like wallets and purses. The suspects started […]

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How to sell your home quickly in a down market

Get a higher sales price and a faster sale.
Most home sellers and buyers aren’t aware that the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) has a secret data field which contains important information that is only visible to real estate agents. This hidden data field is where the commission rate and special comments about a property are […]

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Home sales slump in May

The National Association of Realtors® reported today that existing home sales were 5.99 million seasonally adjusted units in May down from 6.01 million units in April, and 10.3 percent below the 6.68 million-units sold in May of 2006.
Nationwide, in May the median existing-home price was $223,700 which is down 2.1 percent from May 2006 when […]

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Home buyer secret: How to get a deal on a property

Rather than offering a lower price, ask the seller to cover your closing costs, which can add up to $8,000 plus.
New home builders prefer this tactic because it allows them to record the sale at full price and agents like it because their commission is based on a higher value. The downside is […]

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Austin home sales show modest gain in May

The Austin American Statesman reported today that the Central Texas housing market was up 2 percent, year-over-year, in May. This modest gain was down relative to the 6 percent increase seen in April, hinting that home sales may be will be less than robust. Year-to-date sales are flat with 2006 at 10,355 homes […]

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Do For-Sale-By-Owners (FSBO) leave money on the table?

In a recent article, “One City’s Home Sellers Do Better on Their Own” by Jeff Baily and published in the New York Times asks the question if “paying a real estate agent’s commission, typically 5 to 6 percent of the sale price, is worth it.”
I think so and the number one reason is […]

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Mortgage rates hit 11-month high!

Bankrate.com reported today that mortgage rates have skyrocketed! “The average 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage has climbed more than half a percentage point in the last month. Such a spectacular rise has happened a few times in the last decade… The benchmark 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose 23 basis points, […]

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Home Buying: The biggest financial decision we make.

According to the National Association of Realtors, 1 of 4 Realtors has been in the real estate business less than two years.
Who would you trust to help you with the largest investment decision in your life? A newby with 18 months of experience OR a real estate MVP who knows their local market, is battle […]

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Are Realtor commission refunds a big lie?

Internet business model is changing the face of real estate.
YouSaveRealEstate.com has built the largest US network of full service REALTORS who provide commission refunds to home buyers and sellers. Our REALTOR members have elected to join the network and each feels they receive value from it, or else they would not use our service.
Your […]

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