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RISMEDIA, November 11, 2009—Geared specifically toward agents, don’t miss “Staying Up in a Down Market: Short Sales, Expireds & Price Reductions,” scheduled for this Saturday from 1:30-3 p.m. at the San Diego Convention Center during the NAR Conference.  All NAR full-conference and day-conference attendees are encouraged to attend.  This session—held as part of the NAR Conference program,

RISMEDIA, December 7, 2009—HomeGain.com, one of the first websites to offer Web-based free instant home values, announced that it has released the results of its nationwide home improvement and home staging Home Sale Maximizer survey. HomeGain's recent survey shows the top do-it-yourself home improvements that Realtors recommend to home sellers. HomeGain received responses

RISMEDIA, November 9, 2009—President Barack Obama has approved the first-time homebuyer tax credit extension which will extend the tax credit until April 30, 2010.  The extension is part of a $24 billion economic stimulus bill that will extend the $8,000 tax credit for homebuyers who are purchasing their first home from the current November 30 deadline

RISMEDIA, December 7, 2009—The definition of family has expanded far beyond the traditional image of a married couple and 2.2 children, and daily lives are busier than ever. Understanding a family’s unique needs and lifestyle is important in helping them find a house that really feels like home. Flexibility may be the buzzword of the millennia. Flexible schedules, flexible work hours, flexible space—Americans are regaining control by rearranging the flow of their day-to-day lives. Very few of us lead cookie-cutter lives, so cookie-cutter home solutions

RISMEDIA, November 5, 2009—After two weeks of delay, the Senate cleared the way to pass a seven month extension and expansion of the tax credit for homebuyers. By an 85 to 2 roll call vote, the Senate voted to cut off debate on a package of measures that includes the homebuyer credit, making it virtually certain that the legislation will reach President Obama for his signature this week.  The homebuyer tax credit, due to expire at the end of November

RISMEDIA, November 4, 2009—(MCT)—Congress is a step closer to extending the $8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit and offering a new credit to other types of buyers, but some analysts are downplaying the controversial stimulus' effect on the housing market.  In a recent interview, Fox-Pitt Kelton analyst Robert Stevenson said the Senate’s proposal for extending the $8,000 tax credit for new homebuyers will have a "limited impact" on home sales.

RISMEDIA, November 3, 2009—We’ve heard a lot about the ‘perfect storm’ over the past year—appreciating home prices, plus loans gone bad, plus unemployment equals a devastating downturn for real estate. But there’s another perfect storm you should know about: distressed properties, plus a growing pool of buyers, plus HUD’s FHA 203k program equals increased homeownership and brand-new business for Realtors. To spread the word about 203k—an FHA loan that enables home buyers to purchase and renovate properties—

RISMEDIA, November 2, 2009—Being a homeowner is one of the biggest dreams for the American people. Due to record numbers of homeownership and cheap mortgage rates, individuals who did not own a home previously are now looking for mortgages for financing their ambitions. On certain occasions, the dream of homeownership is associated with a cost that exceeds the mortgage.  For finding out how much your mortgage is going to cost you,

RISMEDIA, October 30, 2009—(MCT/The Wall Street Journal)-The Senate has reached a compromise on extending and expanding the $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers, a boost the housing industry believes will help it pull out of its two-year-old downturn.  While its passage remains uncertain, the agreement would extend the existing credit for first-time homebuyers, worth up to $8,000, while offering

RISMEDIA, October 29, 2009—Feeling good about a home and a neighborhood is part and parcel of making the decision to buy, so staging a home should involve more than just raising the charm factor. Look for ways to also make the house say “safe and secure” to ensure a more well-rounded first impression.  In the course of my adult life, I’ve lived in 14 different residences,

RISMEDIA, October 28, 2009—Data through August 2009, released by Standard & Poor's for its S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, one of the leading measures of U.S. home prices, show that the annual rate of decline of the 10-City and 20-City Composites improved compared to last month's reading. This marks approximately seven months of improved readings in these statistics, beginning in early 2009. The annual returns of the 10-City and 20-City Composite Home Price Indices, declined 10.6% and 11.3%, respectively, in August compared to the same month last year. Nineteen of the 20 metro areas and both Composites showed an improvement in the annual rates of decline with August's readings compared to July. Cleveland was the only exception.

RISMEDIA, October 26, 2009—Existing-home sales bounced back strongly in September with first-time buyers driving much of the activity, marking five gains in the past six months, according to the National Association of Realtors®. Existing-home sales–including single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops–jumped 9.4% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.57 million units in September from a level of 5.10 million in August, and are 9.2% higher than

RISMEDIA, October 23, 2009—(MCT)—For buyers, short sales are a way to get a bargain. For upside-down homeowners, they are a way to avoid foreclosure. But for pretty much everyone involved, short sales are not a way to buy a house quickly.  But short sales can be anything but short. Unless they work with highly skilled agents,

RISMEDIA, October 22, 2009—Top real estate executives and officials from around the country will convene to discuss Maximizing Distressed Property Business at this year’s RISMedia Power Broker Forum being held Friday, Nov. 13 during the NAR Convention in San Diego. This year’s faciliators and panelists not to be missed, include:

RISMEDIA, October 21, 2009—The new home market is cooling down and government intervention has been a key driver to new home sales, according to a recent monthly survey of home builders, just released by John Burns Real Estate Consulting.  In addition to the tax credit that expires Nov. 30, government mortgage programs have been critical in 2009. The survey reveals that 59% of this year's sales have been dependent on