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Tips On How Buyers Can Sift through Housing Inventory Effectively and Efficiently

RISMEDIA, November 17, 2010—Five years ago, a serious buyer who was pre-approved for a mortgage loan typically spent three to four weeks looking for a home and usually visited 15-20 homes. Now the search can take much longer with the amount of inventory on the market. Five years ago, a serious buyer who was pre-approved for a mortgage loan typically spent three to four weeks looking for a home and usually visited 15-20 homes, according to metro Chicago real estate agent Sarah Ritter of RE/MAX Properties in Western Springs, Ill. Now, says Ritter, “people tend to look much longer. They have a hard time saying ‘yes.’ “One couple I’m working with has looked at 42 or 43 houses and still hasn’t made an offer. But that isn’t unusual in today’s market.” 


NAR Pulse: This Week’s Top Stories from the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS

RISMEDIA, November 17, 2010—This week’s headlines from the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® include: a no cost field guide to real estate transfer taxes from NAR’s Right Tools, Right Now initiative; an exclusive offer for REALTORS® on an advanced identity protection


Well-Kept Yards Signal Neighborhood Safety, Suggests New Relocation Survey

RISMEDIA, November 16, 2010—A new survey conducted by Relocation.com finds that 75% of Americans believe the most important factor in determining a neighborhood's safety is the up-keep of surrounding homes, especially the conditions of the front lawns, which trumps even


Third Quarter Metro Area Home Prices Hold during Post-Credit Sales Decline

RISMEDIA, November 15, 2010—Fully half of the metropolitan areas tracked in the third quarter of 2010 continued to show modest home price increases from a year ago, despite a sharp decline in home sales after the deadline for the home buyer tax credit, according to the latest survey by the National Association of Realtors. In the third quarter, 77 out of 155 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) had higher median existing single-family home prices in comparison with the third quarter of 2009, including 11 with double-digit increases; two were unchanged and 76 metros showed price declines. In the third quarter of 2009, only 30 MSAs experienced annual price gains.


Home Values Near Unprecedented Decline as Hints of Stabilization Wane in Third Quarter

RISMEDIA, November 11, 2010—The United States housing market continued its long decline in the third quarter with home values falling for the 17th consecutive quarter, according to Zillow Real Estate Market Reports. With home values 25% below their June 2006 peak, the current


San Francisco Bay Area Market Report: Median Home Price Rises Slightly Despite Post-Tax Credit Sales Slowdown

RISMEDIA, November 10, 2010—Slower home sales following the expiration of federal tax incentives for home buyers, a tighter inventory of bank-owned and entry-level properties, and increased activity in several higher-priced markets fueled a slight increase in the median price of a home sold across the greater San Francisco Bay Area during the third quarter, according to an analysis of MLS data issued by the research division of Better Homes and Gardens Mason-McDuffie Real Estate, a member of RISMedia’s Real Estate Information Network® (RREIN).


Regional Spotlight: Metro Chicago Real Estate Market Registers Solid Nine Month Gain in 2010

RISMEDIA, November 10, 2010—Home sales activity in the metropolitan Chicago real estate market registered a solid gain of 11% for the first nine months of 2010 when compared to the same period in 2009. That was achieved even as third-quarter transaction volume was 22.8% lower


NAR Buyer and Seller Survey Shows Value of Long-Term Home Ownership

RISMEDIA, November 9, 2010—Home buyers today have affirmed a long-term view of home ownership, the typical seller is experiencing positive returns and the vast majority of home owners see their property as a good investment, according to the latest consumer survey of home buyers and sellers. The study was released at the 2010 Realtors Conference & Expo.


HUD and NAR Unveil Three How-To Videos to Help Consumers Navigate the Home Buying Process

RISMEDIA, November 8, 2010—Especially in today’s housing market, the prospect of buying a home can seem overwhelming for many Americans who may not be aware of how to begin the process of shopping for a home or even a mortgage. To help consumers navigate this process, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the National Association of Realtors (NAR) unveiled three how-to videos to help prospective homeowners find a home they can afford, shop for a mortgage they can sustain, and what to expect when they go to closing.


9 Tips for Attracting Off-Season Guests to Your Vacation Home

RISMEDIA, November 6, 2010—It's almost time to start thinking about building fires in the fireplace, bundling up in your warmest sweater, sipping hot cocoa while you watch the snow, and start fretting over that unrented vacation home. While T.S. Eliot may think that April is the


Renovations Halted by Recession Leave Homes in Limbo

RISMEDIA, November 4, 2010—(MCT)—Ralph and Gloria Dickerson began a $150,000 expansion of their Englewood, N.J., house in 2004. But the work dwindled to a halt several years ago, and foreclosure proceedings were started on the house last year. The property now sits empty, with exposed insulation wrap outside, peeling paint inside and signs on the lawn announcing: "For sale by owner." When home renovations stall, properties like this turn into white elephants. If they go on the market, their unkempt state scares off many potential buyers. And in the meantime, neighbors fume at the eyesore in their midst.


Fed to Take Unusual Stab at Boosting Economy through Quantitative Easing

RISMEDIA, November 3, 2010—(MCT)—The Federal Reserve began a two-day meeting that's expected to conclude with the announcement of an unorthodox plan to spark life into the U.S. economy. The Fed has signaled since August that it'll begin purchasing government bonds in an attempt to drive down the bonds' yield, or their return to investors. It hopes that by flattening the return that investors can get from the safest investments, they'll take more risks and lift the economy out of its doldrums.


Get the Most Out of Your Furniture – How to Check for Comfort and Durability

RISMEDIA, November 2, 2010—(MCT)—When men buy "guy stuff"—cars, lawn mowers, electronics—they're on their home turf. For those purchases, "Men can rely on familiar brand names and test drives to guide their decision-making," says Jackie Hirschhaut, spokesperson for the American Home Furnishings Alliance. But even though men are becoming more involved in decorating their homes, according to research by the American Furniture Manufacturers Association, "For most men, furniture stores are unfamiliar territory," says Hirschhaut.


Half-Built Homes: As Housing Market Continues to Improve, Situation Will Eventually Correct Itself

RISMEDIA, November 1, 2010—(MCT)—Every night before he goes to sleep, Ted Bachrach sets out four rat traps along a construction site next to his well-tended yard. In the morning, Bachrach gets up, makes coffee and removes the traps before he goes on with his day. "That's my daily routine," said the investment manager. Bachrach's charming wood-frame home sits next to two unfinished single-family homes on a quiet residential street in Chicago's Lincoln Park. For a while, he said, three homeless people were living in the garage of one house.


How to Determine Whether the Vacation Rental Lifestyle is Right for You

RISMEDIA, October 30, 2010—More and more people are investing in vacation homes today. And no wonder: between unbelievable real estate prices, low interest rates, and a rapidly growing base of potential customers, vacationers who'd rather stay in a charming beach cottage or woodsy cabin rather than a hotel room—there's never been a better time to buy. But here are the real questions to consider before you purchase a vacation home: Is the lifestyle that comes with owning and managing a vacation rental home right for you? Do you have the right personality for the job?


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