Home Buyer Tax Credit Could Rise To $15,000
July 2nd, 2009First-time buyers have helped spark a modest comeback for the housing market. Spurred by incentives like the $8,000 tax credit, first-time buyers now make up 4o percent of all home purchases, according to the National Association of Realtors® . With the credit expiring in the coming months, talks of postponing the expiration [...]
REALTORS® Are New Users of Facebook
July 2nd, 2009A recent survey by the National Association of REALTORS® found that only about a third of Real Estate professionals are taking advantage of social media. This number is surprisingly low when you consider 89 percent of home buyers start their search online. In face, 71 percent of REALTORS® who are 29 years old and younger [...]
Home Staging Invites Buyers Into Your Home
July 1st, 2009Before gaining popularity and becoming the theme for several HGTV shows, many homeowners were skeptical about the impact home staging would make on prospective buyers. Barb Swarz is credited with inventing home staging in 1972 and starting the International Association of Home Staging Professionals, which now has over 9,000 members. Did you know a form [...]
Real Estate Discounts Attract Buyers
July 1st, 2009Investors and first-time buyers are taking advantage of the deep discounts being offered in hard-hit areas across the country. Leading the way are California and Florida, where REALTORS® are reporting increased closings month-over-month and rising pending sales. Aiding in the resurgence of activity are government-backed incentives like the $8,000 tax credit.
Peter Zalewski and Condo Vultures [...]
Real Estate Predictions Focused on Local Market Data
June 30th, 2009The ongoing debate over property values and the elusive bottom of the market continues to keep some buyers from entering the market. Mixed data and pockets of unaffected areas paint a skewed picture as foreclosures continue to impact median home values. Overall, home prices have fallen 32 percent nationwide with a projected 10-15 percent left to fall over [...]


