Archive for the ‘Home Statistics’ Category

Warren Buffett Says Inflation is Coming.

Monday, May 4th, 2009

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the annual Berkshire Hathaway shareholder’s meeting, Warren Buffett, the oracle of Omaha, predicted that inflation will hit the US economy due to the financial crisis.  Buffett told shareholders, “I haven’t had my taxes raised.  My guess is the ultimate price will be paid by a shrinkage of the value of the dollar”.  

If Warren is right, and he usually is, the average person can use his wisdom to profit with a smart real estate investment.    

  • To invest safely, a home buyer should put 20 percent down and take out a 30 year fixed rate mortgage, locking in an interest rate around 4.5 percent.   If you haven’t owned a home over the past 3 years, you can cash in immediately with the $8000 tax credit.   When inflation hits, your mortgage costs will remain the same, as your salary increases.  This means that you have even more money to save and invest later on.
  • If you are currently renting, there is another compelling reason to invest.   During periods of inflation, rents will rise.  If you don’t own a home, your monthly rent obiligations will soar. 
  • Another reason to invest in real estate is that during times of inflation, home prices appreciate, if even at a slower pace.  History shows that during inflationary periods, real estate appreciation tends to beat inflation by 2-3 percentage points.
  • Leveraged assets, such as real estate, outperform other asset classes.  Leverage magnifies gains because as your income rises, your debt payments will not.   You’ll be able to pay off the mortgage with money that is worth less than it was when you borrowed it.
  • With home prices and interest rates hovering at historic lows, now may be the perfect time for investor’s to withdraw the cash they have sitting in savings accounts that is paying only a 2-3percent and buy a piece of property.   If you buy a property where the tenant covers the expenses and costs of ownership, then the investor can relax and wait for inflation to move up rents and home prices.

InfoTube.net and Warren Buffett agree that inflation, over the next 5 years, is a sure bet.   And, when we get rampant inflation, real estate is the perfect hedge.   Throw in low prices, cheap money, ridiculously low returns on cash investments and thousands of dollars in tax savings, and you have a powerful case for buying a home now.   

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net.  Seller’s can place a Free Property listing on the site or add an MLS listing to their by owner strategy with the click of a button.  Bonus:  Buyer’s can search for thousand’s of homes in complete privacy.  We do not sell or distribute user information and there are no pop up’s or dead links anywhere on our site.

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Don’t be Duped by Real Estate Loan Scams

Friday, May 1st, 2009

In a bad economy, housing con’s, scams and fraud are on the rise.   The increase in real estate related scams is up so much this year that the Obama administration is involved, and promises “We will shut down fraudulent companies more quickly”.

Here are some of the most common scams seen in the housing industry and tips about how to protect yourself and your family.

Promise to Stall or Halt Foreclosure

Foreclosure scammers are the worst of the worst.  Like vultures, they swope down to pick at the flesh and bones of weak and vulnerable.   These companies promise to stall, avert or stop the foreclosure process.  Many families which are facing the loss of their homes interupt their “pitch” as an answered prayer.   Don’t Fall for It. 

Homeowner’s can identify these companies because they always ask for an upfront fee for their service.   In addition to losing thousands of dollars to these con men, the victims also waste precious time in working with their lenders, which means that this scam can actually speed up the foreclosure process.

Homeowner’s are advised to check with the Better Business Bureau, their lender and the Hope Now organization, before doing business with any company promising the stop a Foreclosure.  

Loan Modificiation

The state of California issued permits to real estate agents for loan modifications.  The state now has almost 600 Realtors, so far, that can collect upfront fee’s for negotiating loan modifications and short sales with lenders on behalf of the homeowner.

We have heard reports that some of these companies charge $2500-$3000 to negotiate with lenders, saying they provide more service and expertise than overworked non-profits do.

Consumers should ALWAYS be on High Alert if they are ask to pay upfront fee’s to anyone, especially when the service provider can not guarantee results.   There are a lot of starving real estate agents out there, so beware and always verify credentials before paying for any upfront service.

Where to go for Real Help.

  1. Homeowner Preservation Foundation.  1-888-995-4673 
  2. Hope Now    Website Link
  3. Making Home Affordable. gov   Website Link
  4. Your Lender
  5. Beware:  Don’t be fooled into working with companies because they have official sounding names and copy cat websites.  The government recently shut down 5 companies and issued warning letters to 71 others who are operating under names that sound legit, but aren’t. 

Thank for for visiting InfoTube.net homes for Sale and Rent Website.  The website where Property Owners can place a Free Listing and Home Shoppers can Find thousands of properties seen no where else on the web.

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Condo and Homeowner Associations in Trouble

Tuesday, April 21st, 2009

Foreclosures and loan delinquency’s wreck havoc on the budgets of Homeowner’s Associations (HOA’s) across the country. 

Many condominium communities are glutted with nonpaying units that swamp their operating budgets, force cutbacks on promised services and increase monthly dues for owners who are paying their mortgage and association dues.

Crisis In Florida:

In Florida, the land of the condo dweller, things are spinning out of control for HOA’s and property owners.  As a result, Florida constituents are turning to legislators for an help they can provide.

Under the current system in Florida and other states, lenders can avoid paying homeowner’s fee’s until they foreclose and become the owner of the unit.   Lenders face a continuing avalanche of foreclosures and loan defaults, which means that up to 2 or more years can pass before the property transfer gets through the court system.  

During the lengthy legal process, homeowners often continue living in the units, using the ammenities and facilities for free.  Some even rent the units for income, after they have stopped making payments on the property.  Many associations are forced to cover the costs of water, cable, laundry, lawn and pool maintenance and garbage collection for paying and non-paying owner’s alike.  To make up for the added expenses, paying unit owner’s have to foot the bill or the entire association goes down.   

And, things get even more complicated.  Some banks stall on taking title to units because they have a cap that limits the amount of past-due fee’s they have to repay to 6 months or 1 percent of the original loan amount.   Some luxury condo associations report that some units have as much as $50,000 in unpaid fee’s by the time the bank takes ownership.

Downward Spiral:

Lenders are also denying financing for financially unstable buildings, which essentially means the property can not be sold, even if a buyer is found.  In January, mortgage giant Fannie Mae said it would no longer fund loans in buildings if more than 15 percent of the units were 30 or more days past due with their association fee’s.  

The problem has reached a crisis point for many HOA’s that are struggling to cover basic utilites such as water and electricity.   If they raise fee’s on paying owners for the shortfalls, they risk pushing even more residents into delinquency.  Most owners are already upside down on the property and they simply can not afford a higher payment.

Renting out units could offset loses, but rentals are usually prohibited or they are limited to a very small percentage of the number of units in the complex.  Furthermore, lenders such as Fannie Mae also deny funding for buildings that are less than 51 percent owner occupied.   So, raising money with rent income does not appear to be a viable solution, nor does it maintain the quality of life for the paying residents.

The housing crisis has uncovered many problems that we have never encountered before, but the number of failing HOA’s is an imminent crisis.   Unfortunately, it isn’t simple and if solving it isn’t done correctly, more permanent damage may occur.

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net homes for sale website.   Search our database for thousands of great deals on property across the USA.

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Buyers Learn It is Often Impossible to Buy a Foreclosure

Tuesday, April 14th, 2009

As bargain hunters everywhere turn their attention to foreclosures, many buyers discover that for all the hype, the homes can not be purchased.   Banks are so overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of REO (Real Estate Owned) properties, that they hold up sales and leave buyers stuck with thousands of dollars in extra costs.

Distressed properties now make up 25 percent of all homes for sale.   Many foreclosed homes have been vandalized, neglected and cause a blight on otherwise good neighborhoods.  Selling these properties would help stabilize house prices and remove inventory from the market, but the banks simply can’t keep up with the paperwork.

Take the case of the Collins family, who in January, rushed to buy a foreclosure on a picuresque, tree lined street in southern California.   They immediately obtained their financing, paid for inspections, appraisals and completed other paperwork the lender required from them.  It is now mid-April and the Collins family finds themselves still sitting in limbo.  They have yet to receive confirmation of a closing date or signed paperwork.

While common sense tells us that the housing market can not recover until the foreclosures are sold, the reality is that the banks can not keep up with the paperwork required to transfer the property.   There are a lot of layers and people, with varying degree’s of work ethic, that are involved with the sale of any bank owned property.  Further frustrating to “would be” buyers, is that they can’t just call the bank and ask what is going on.  There is no one to ask for help, as there is when buying from a real owner.

As the nation’s banks anticipate owning another 1.5 million foreclosed homes in 2009, things will likely get worse in terms of getting rid of them quickly.   Maybe outraged buyers, and the neighbors who tolerate these blights on our communities, should all cry out to their congressmen for help.  Perhaps, they can force the banks to step up their management of foreclosed homes, and force the agents and servicers to do their jobs.

Thank for you for visiting InfoTube.net.  If you need an InfoTube or InfoBox for your “for sale sign”, we are the manufacturer and we do it all in the USA.   Please feel free to shop on our site, place a Free Property Listing or Search our database for thousands of great homes for sale or rent. We also provide MLS listings for “by owners” for a one-time fee of $399.

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Sellers and Realtors Disagree on Home Pricing

Monday, April 13th, 2009

Results from a study just released by HomeGain revealed an ongoing ’tug of war’ between home sellers and real estate agents.  According to the survey,  50 percent of homeowners said their houses should be priced 10-20 percent higher than agents have  recommended.  Conversely, 60 percent of real estate agents reported that prospective buyers are telling them that home asking prices are still too high.

One thing we can learn from this study is that one of these groups is certainly wrong.  Either home owners are unrealistic about what their houses are worth or agents are too pessimistic about what the home will sell for.  

On one hand, agent’s have more knowledge about the market than the average home seller does and they do talk with buyer’s every day.   Yet, real estate agents have an incentive to push prices lower.  The lower the price, the faster the sale, the quicker they can ring the cash register and move on to the next deal.   So, what should a home seller do???

  1. Ask 3 real estate agents what they would list your home for.  Ask questions and understand the reasoning behind their different price recommendations.
  2. Know your competition.  Check out every house that is for sale in your area, price and size range.  Visit Open Houses to verify the condition and ammenities being offered by the competition.  Use InfoTubes and InfoBoxes on for sale signs to gain helpful insight about homes for sale in your neighborhood.   Explore property MLS listings on Realtor.com.
  3. Visit New Home Subdivisions.  All things being equal, most buyers would chose a new home over a pre-owned home, if everything was equal.   Find out how builders are pricing new homes that are similar to yours.   Keep in mind that builders also offer thousands of dollars in incentives or special financing, and they include these things in their asking prices.   Try to learn everything you can from the builder and deduct the incentives and specials that you can’t match from their asking price to get a realistic look.
  4. Visit your county property tax database.  Most counties provide sales and comparable home information online.  Your local taxing department is the final authority about what homes actually sold for.

Remember that homes are selling every day, if they are priced right.  While seller’s want to hold out for the best offer, agents want to make quick sales.  The real truth about asking versus selling prices lies somewhere in between, so home seller’s need to check their facts, first.

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net.  Please search our site to learn about thousands of great deals on real estate or if you are selling or renting a home, place a Free Home Listing with our compliments.

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Sales of Second Homes Drop, but Find Out Who Bought and Where

Monday, March 30th, 2009

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the number of people who purchased a vacation or investment home fell by 30 percent last year.   And, more than 40 percent of those who did purchase a second home paid cash.

“We expected vacation home sales to fall given the impact of a declining economy”, said Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the NAR.  “A steady share of investment-home sales results from buyers taking advantage of deeply discounted prices in many areas, with a smaller portion of new homes in the sales mix”, state Yun.

Vacation and second home sales mirrored the sales for primary residences in terms of price declines.  The median price of a vacation home dropped to $150,000 in 2008, down from $195,000 (or, 23 percent) from 2007 levels.

Other Findings from the March Survey are:

  • Who was the “Average Buyer” of Vacation Property in 2008?  The average age of a vacation home buyer was 46 years old.  They purchased a property that was generally 316 miles from their primary residence.  Their median household income was $97,200.
  • Who was the “Average Investment Home Buyer in 2008?  The average age of an investment buyer was 47.  They earned a median income of about $85,000 and purchased investment property nearby their primary residence.  The median distance for an investment purchase was 19 miles from their home.
  • What type of Property was purchased for a Vacation Home?  70 percent were detached, single family residences; 18 percent were condo’s; 5 percent town or row houses; 7 percent other.
  • Types of Property Purchased for Investment:  64 percent were detached single family homes; 22 percent condos; 8 percent town or row houses; 6 percent other.
  • Where did Vacation Home Buyers Shop?  26 percent bought in small towns; 23 percent rural areas; 23 percent resorts; 20 percent suburbs; 8 percent cities or urban areas.
  • Where did Investment Buyers Shop?  28 percent purchased in the suburbs; 20 percent in a city or urban area; 23 percent rural area; 8 percent in a small town; 6 percent in resort areas.

Hopefully, the survey results will help home sellers picture who the likely buyer of their vacation or investment property may be.  Picturing who the customer is likely to be is important when target marketing to their needs.

Please visit InfoTube.net to place a FREE property listing, or search our database for thousands of great deals on homes of all types.   Thanks for visiting and let us know if you have any questions or comments in the space below.

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More Home Buyer’s Find Property via the Internet

Friday, March 27th, 2009

According to a report by the National Association of Realtors, 32 percent (1/3 of all buyers) of home buyers first saw the home they purchased on the internet.   Buyer’s who found their home through a real estate agent dropped 14 percentage points to 34 percent, during the same time period.

Despite the slowdown in the housing market, buyers and sellers have increased their use of the internet when buying or selling a home.  “The internet is a very important tool in today’s real estate market”, said Tommi Crow, CEO of Crow Erickson, Inc., the company that manufactures the InfoTubes and InfoBoxes found on real estate signs from coast-to-coast.  “Home sellers know that they can use the power of the internet to reach millions of home shoppers as effectively as a real estate agent would”, said Crow, and, they can save themselves thousands of dollars in the process”, said Ms Crow.  “Americans are successfully buying and selling real estate without using agents, and that trend continues to grow”.

Home seller’s who want to maximize their online exposure use InfoTube.net, combined with the services of Why 6 Percent.  The combination of the two marketing programs provide home seller’s with a home listing on their local MLS, Realtor.com, Google, Yahoo, MSN, Craigslist, Zillow, Trulia, Infotube, Homes for Sale Live and other major web portals, which attract millions of home buyers each month.

Where a Home Buyer Found the Home Purchased*

2001 vs. 2008

         

Source

  2001    2008
Real Estate Agent   48%    34%
Internet     8%    32%
Yard Sign    15%    15%
Friend, Relative or Neighbor     8%     7%
Home Builder or their Agent     3%     7%
Print Newspaper Ad     7%     3%
Directly from Sellers / Knew the Sellers     4%     2%
Home Book or Magazine     2%     1%
Other     3%    N/A

* Source: National Association of Realtors

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net.   Sellers can place a Free Home Listing on InfoTube.net, which advertises their property listings to tens of thousands of home buyers each month.

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First-Time Buyers Dominate Housing Market

Thursday, March 26th, 2009

Mega real estate website, Realtor.com (owned by Move Inc), released survey results which showed that 54 percent of the people planning to purchase a home this year are first-time home buyers.  This is good news for home sellers because first-time buyers do not have another property they have to sell.  

In a press release statement, Steve Berkowitz, CEO of Move, Inc had more encouraging news. “It’s not all doom and gloom” said Berkowitz.  “We found Americans are optimistic about homeownership despite concerns.”  He blamed the surge in first time buyer interest on the housing crash…”has created significant demand for homeownership especially among first-time buyers,” Berkowitz continued.

Home seller’s, builders and real estate agents can use this information to their advantage when marketing property.   For example, half (50%) of the first time buyer’s polled had not heard about the $8000 tax credit, so be sure to make them aware of it.  Every little bit of information helps, as most first timers are scared about timing.

Some more interesting facts about marketing to First-Time Buyer is:

  • Most prefer more space, or more house for the dollar, over all other amenities.  Be sure to price your home to be the best house for the money.
  • Other options that appeal to first time homeowners are energy saving features, such as energy star appliances, insulation, home improvements and upgrades; a bigger yard or outdoor entertaining area; updated amenities.   Emphasize the features in your home that address these popular “wish list” items.
  • A better location was also on the wish list for first timers.  If your property is located in a convenient, safe and social area of the city, be sure to let them know what is nearby.   You may want to visit walkscore.com and post your walkscore rating on your advertising.

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net home for sale website.  Sellers can place a free property listing on the site.   The site is loaded with freebies, advise and helpful features.   At InfoTube.net, Buyers can search the for fantastic deals and seller’s can do homework on the competition.

If you are selling a home and would like to advertise on the MLS and Realtor.com, click HERE. Our special “by owner” program places your property listing on all major real estate websites for a $399 one time fee. Why Pay 6 Percent?

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Good news for Sellers. Housing Sales Increase.

Tuesday, March 24th, 2009


Sales of existing homes rose to their highest levels since 2003.   Watch the short video from CNBC for a synopsis of the latest housing numbers from across the nation.

More good news on the housing front.  Infotube is seeing a pick up in activity across the board.   Product sales of InfoTubes and InfoBoxes are picking up at major retailers such as Lowes and Home Depot.  Internet traffic and the number of house ad views on InfoTube.net are growing daily.
The spring selling season is on its way and timing is everything.  If you have a property to sell, make sure you are taking advantage of all the effective advertising channels available to you.
Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net.  Thousands of buyers search our website daily for new listings.  If you haven’t taken advantage of our Free Property Listing, please do so today.

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Interest Rates, Home Prices, Tax Incentives Move Buyers Off the Fence

Thursday, March 19th, 2009

People who are gainfully employed, with solid credit, and have a down payment can buy a lot more house these days, thanks to record low interest rates and home prices.

The average interest rate for a 30 year fixed-rate mortgage fell to 4.79 percent on Wednesday, after the Fed announced that it would begin buying up bonds and mortgage-backed securities.

The real estate market has recently seen a pick up in activity due to the $8000 tax credit for first-time buyers. And, the huge drop in lending rates yesterday, put a huge layer of icing on the cake for home seller’s. When people, who can qualify for a loan to buy a home, see the combination of tax incentives, low interest rates and dramatic price drops, the ones that are sitting on the fence, jump in and buy. Urgency to buy and refinance is also important when rates fall this low, as often the drop is temporary, as it was in January 2009.

The convergence of ecomonic stimulus does benefit some Americans more than others, however. People who do not have a down payment or good credit are less likely to benefit from the postive news, as are the 14 million Americans who are upside down (owe more on their home than it is worth) or face foreclosure. More than 13,000 struggling homeowner’s are calling the Homeownership Perservation Foundation each day. The hotline for help number is 1-888-995-HOPE.

Thank you for visiting InfoTube. net homes for sale website. Spring is here. Rates are Low. House Prices are Fantastic. Tax Incentives Abound. Buyers, Get off the Fence and Lock in the Deal of Your Lifetime. The fact is you have to live somewhere, and if renting was so great, ask yourself why your landlord owns??

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Loan Modification Loophole Leaves Taxpayers on the Hook

Wednesday, March 18th, 2009

While I am sure that all Americans appreciate the efforts being made in Washington to save us from ourselves… they have again overlooked a simple requirement for loan modifications which could cost taxpayers billions of dollars.

Much like the “overlooked” loopholes that allowed bonus payments, in excess of $160 million, to be paid to employee’s of Goldman Sach’s and AIG, the Obama loan modification program sets up the same windfall profit situation, without regulation, for the financial institutions who modify loans.

Under the guidelines for the loan modification program, lenders are being offered taxpayer incentives (money) to modify loans.   These cash incentives provide a huge Boom to the mortgage lending business, but unfortunately for taxpayers, some crucial regulations are missing.  Does this sound familiar?

One immediate loophole that needs to be closed is the issue of how the borrower will qualify for their new, reduced loan.   The Obama plan gives lenders incentives (ie: taxpayer money) to bring a borrower’s monthly payments down to 31 percent of their gross income.  However, the plan totally ignores the amount of other debt that the borrower can have. 

Why is a borrower’s debt important?  If a homeowner has excessive credit cards, car notes, college loans or other debt, with substantial monthly payments, they may not be able to afford even 31 percent of their income for a modified mortgage payment.   Under the present program guidelines, lender’s would be still be paid to modify a loans for borrower’s who would not qualify for a loan, if their debt was considered.

In order for the Obama housing plan to work, changes must be made.  If not, taxpayers should expect another fiasco, like the ones we a discovered after AIG, Goldman Sachs and the automakers used their taxpayer bailout money for bonuses, trips, jets and office remodeling.

To date, over 50 percent of all modified loans have fallen back into default and the foreclosed homes are showing up on the market.   Before the taxpayer’s pay out billions of dollars to unregulated lenders, as an “incentive” to modify loans to keep people in their homes, let’s make darn sure the borrower doesn’t have so much debt that they can’t repay their loan, again.   After all, how much debt a borrower has is a standard measure used to qualify for a typical loan.  Why is the borrower’s debt ratio being overlooked, when taxpayer’s are on the hook?

If you agree, write to your congressional representative.  There is still time to “modify” our guidelines for lenders.  Hopefully, with a little public outcry, this loophole will be eliminated before we hear that billions have been paid for modified loans that fall back into default in record time.

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net, a FREE home listing website for everyone.   Please feel free to search our database for thousand’s of great deals on real estate.

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Tax Perks and Tips for Homeowners and Buyers

Monday, March 16th, 2009

Tax Perks of Homeownership

  1. 100 percent of the mortgage interest you pay is tax deductible, which can add thousands of dollars to your bottom line each year.   Click Here to FIND OUT HOW MUCH YOU CAN DEDUCT, if you own a home.
  2. Property taxes (real estate taxes) paid to state and local governments are 100 percent deductible on your federal income tax return.
  3. Up to $500,000 ($250,000 for singles) in profit is tax free when you sell your home.

2009 Housing Stimulus Increases Tax Savings of Ownership

  1. Deduct $8000 from Your Tax Bill.   To qualify for the $8000 tax savings you must be a first-time (have not owned in the last 3 years)homebuyer earning less than $150,000 (married, filing jointly) per year.  You must live in the home for 3 years after purchase.
  2. Go Green and Take a $1500 Tax Credit.   The requirements for energy tax credits have eased.  Take advantage of a $1500 Tax Credit for home improvements such as energy-efficient windows, doors, insulation, appliances and mechanical systems.  
  3. Save 30 percent on Alternative Energy for your Home.   Earn a 30 percent tax credit for each dollar spent on things like solar heating, heat pumps or fuel cells.
  4. Save up to $2 million on foreclosures and short sales.   Taxpayers get a free pass on mortgage debt forgiveness until 2012.   Filers can exclude up to $2 million in forgiven mortgage debt, where the home sold for less than the amount owed on the loan.

Owning a home certainly has its privileges, both emotional and financial.  And, real estate is still the granddaddy of tax deductions.   Buy a home and save thousands of dollars, or rent and pay thousands to Uncle Sam.   If in doubt, ask your landlord why they own???

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net homes for sale website.   Place a Free Property Listing or Search our Database for Thousands of Homes for Sale.  

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6 of 10 Buyers Believe Home Prices are High

Thursday, March 12th, 2009

 Homegain recently polled Realtors from across the country to learn what buyer’s and seller’s think about home pricing.  The results are shown below.

Buyers think listing prices are …
  Overpriced Fairly priced Underpriced
US 59% 18% 23%
West 51% 23% 26%
Southeast 59% 15% 26%
Midwest 63% 16% 21%
Northeast 62% 18% 20%
Vs. suggested price, owners think their home’s worth is …
  Higher Equal Lower
US 63% 14% 23%
West 54% 16% 30%
Southeast 67% 11% 22%
Midwest 62% 17% 21%
Northeast 72% 10% 18%
Realtors think in the next 6 months, prices in their towns will …
  Decrease Stay same Increase
US 53% 36% 11%
West 66% 27% 7%
Southeast 52% 36% 12%
Midwest 43% 42% 15%
Northeast 54% 40% 6%

To see the survey questions with more data and information CLICK HERE.

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net homes for sale website.   Feel free to place a free property for sale or lease listing or Search our database of thousands of homes for sale or lease by owner.

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Real Estate Video is a Must for Homeseller’s

Friday, March 6th, 2009

One of the largest obstacles that for sale by owner’s face is a lack of exposure for their home listing.   Whether you have an MLS listing or not, Video is one solution that costs nothing (ie: FREE and Easy to do) and greatly increases web presence.

If you don’t think that video can help you sell your property, just take a look and see what the numbers for January 2009 tell you.

  • 14.8 Billion (yes, Billion) video’s were viewed in January 2009.
  • 147 Million (yes, Million) people watched internet video’s during the month.

If you didn’t think you need video before, these numbers should change your mind.  And, I am not just talking about home virtual tours.  Virtual tours or 360 room views are fine, but they are just the tip of the iceberg.  Homeseller’s can add a lot of variety to their video’s and increase user interest dramatically.    Video tours are fantastic for area’s such as:

  • Subdivision and neighborhood drive thru’s.
  • Parks, greenbelts and nearby outdoor recreation area’s.
  • Shopping Centers that are conveniently located near the property.
  • Schools that serve the area.
  • Churches or government centers such as libraries and public transportation systems.
  • Museums and cultural sites of interest.

All of these local highlight area’s are of high interest to someone looking for a home to buy.  The internet is a world wide web, so seller’s can’t assume that their buyer will be familiar with their town or city.  Make a lasting impression and use video to show buyer’s what your location has to offer.

InfoTube.net automatically uploads all home video’s to Google and Youtube, the number one search engine for video.   You may not know that Google also searches video descriptive text, so your home listing will show up, even if the word “video” isn’t mentioned in the search term or keyword.

If you don’t use video to assist you in marketing your home, you are falling behind your competition every single day.   But, thankfully spring is coming and it’s not too late!!   Grab your digital camera and give the world a look at your home and location today.

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net homes for sale website.  Click here to learn how to create an internet website for your property, showcase your home with Video Tours and attract thousands of home buyers today!!

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Obama Gives Lenders Approval to Modify Loans

Wednesday, March 4th, 2009

The Obama administration has given lenders the “Go Ahead” to begin modifying mortgage loans for homeowner’s facing financial hardships.   The Foreclosure Prevention Plan program is designed to ease the downward pressure on home prices, keep qualified people in their homes and prevent more foreclosures.

The Guidelines for Qualifying for this Program are as follows:

Eligiblity and Qualification:

  1. Loans must be originated on or before January 1, 2009.
  2. $729,750 is the maximum loan balance.
  3. The property must be Owner Occupied.  Investor-owned, Vacant and Condemned properties are Excluded.
  4. Borrowers must FULLY document income by providing their last 2 paycheck stubs, tax returns, and must sign an affidavit of financial hardship.
  5. Owner occupancy status will be verified through credit reports and other documentation.
  6. Incentives will be given to lenders who modify loans for risky borrowers, who have not missed payments yet.
  7. Loans can be modified only once.

Loan Terms and Procedures:

  1. The modified monthly mortgage payment can not exceed 38 percent of the borrower’s gross (Earnings before taxes) monthly income. 
  2. Lenders must follow steps to reduce montly payments to 30 percent of gross income.  First, the initial interest rate can be lowered to a floor of 2 percent;  Second, the lender can stretch the loan term to a maximum of 40 years;  Then, principal debt can be forgiven, but only if the lender agree’s to do so.
  3. Monthly Payment Calculations must include principal, interest, taxes, insurance, flood insurance and homeowner’s or condo dues.
  4. Monthly Income includes wages, salary, overtime, fees, commissions, tips, social security, pensions and other sources of taxable income.

Incentive Payments to Lenders and Borrowers:

  1. Lenders will receive $1000 for each loan they modify.  They will also receive $1000 per year on performing modified loans.
  2. Homeowners who pay their modified loan on time will receive a yearly $1000 principal reduction for 5 years.
  3. The lender receive a one-tine bonus of $1500 on each loan they modifiy for borrowers who are current on their mortgage payments.
  4. Similar incentives and bonuses will be paid to Hope for Homeowner refinances.
  5. Incentives will be given to lenders who extinguish 2nd mortgages on modified loans.

Accountability and Loan Transparency:  No More Liar Loans

  1. Measures to prevent and detect fraud, such as documentation and auditing requirements, are a central point of the program.
  2. Lenders are required to collect, maintain and share records for verification and review.  Records include borrower eligibility, underwriting, property verification and other documentation.
  3. In some cases, property appraisal will not be required. 

To verify eligibility or check requirements, the goverment has a question and answer website.  Visit Financial Stability to learn more about qualifying.

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