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According to a survey by Move.com, 12.1 percent of homebuyers intend to purchase an investment property this year, compared to only 5.6 percent of buyers polled in April. 

The percentage of investors shopping for property also jumps higher when it comes to foreclosed property.   42 percent of foreclosure buyers are purchasing for an investment.   57.6 percent of foreclosure shoppers plan to live in the home they buy.

The survey also shows that 23.6 percent of investors and buyers believe that home prices are already as low as they will go.  Nearly 20 percent feel a sense of urgency when searching for a bargain. 

Another factor motivating home buyer’s off the sidelines is the real threat of rising interest rates.  Wall Street guru’s, who agree on very little, warn that lending rates will rise in the near future.   With real estate prices at their lowest levels, buyers risk much more in waiting to purchase, than they do by locking in record low rates on their loan.

Prediction:  We believe the leading indicator of an interest rate hike will be  falling unemployment claims.  When unemployment claim filings fall below 500,000 per month, a rate hike is likely!

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net Free homes for sale and rent website.  Happy Home Shopping!!!

Mortgage giant Fannie Mae announced that it is willing to play “Let’s Make a Deal” with homeowners who are behind on their mortgage payments.

According to CNBC, Fannie Mae will give homeowners, who are in default on their loan, the option of renting the home and staying put for up to one year.  To be eligible, the homeowner must sign over the deed to the property.

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Great news for home buyers, sellers and owners, alike.  The homebuyer tax credit has been expanded to include step up buyers, who have owned a home for 5 years.  It also extends the tax credit through the end of 2010.  

GREAT NEWS! 

It appears that Senate Democrats have recognized the tremendous value of the First Time Homebuyers Tax Credit and odds are it will be renewed soon. At this time, it is believed that the credit will allow anyone purchasing a home, by April 30, 2010, to participate and receive the full credit available.

The credit will continue until the end of 2010, but the amount of tax credit will drop by 2 percent every 90 days.  The graduated benefit should help the housing market recover into and through the 2010 summer selling season.

Here is the text of the story as reported in Bloomberg News today:
Senate Democrats on Board with Credit Extension

Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) says Senate Democrats have agreed to extend the first-time home buyer tax credit.  The latest version extends the program to home sales signed not closed by April 30. Purchasers would have another 60 days to close the sale.  The credit will also be expanded to include so-called step-up buyers who have lived in their current home for at least five years.

The credit would be cut slightly to a $7,290 cap.  Income eligibility for first-time home buyers would stay the same, but it would rise for step-up buyers to $125,000 for individuals and $250,000 for couples.
Source: Bloomberg News, Dawn Kopecki and Ryan Donmoyer (10/27/2009)

If you are considering an update for the old vinyl flooring in your home,  go natural.  Natural linoleum, made from wood and cork, limestone dust, pine rosin and linseed oil, is a fantastic, green material substitution for the petroleum-based products of old.    Natural linoleum is available in either sheets or individual tiles, it offers an endless suppliy of color and pattern choices and is a great product for residential or commercial use.

Why We Like Natural Linoleum

It’s Versatile.  Marmoleum is available either sheet or tile forms.  It is used in both residential and commercial settings.  Great for resturants and offices, too.  The product can be used on floors and countertop surfaces.  It is sold in a wide range of colors and patterns.  Some patterns mimic quarried stone, others are mottled for subtle texture and other options include high tech MRI images.  The applications and decorating options are only limited by the owner’s imagination and tastes.  A Do-It-Yourselfer can easily install the tiles themselves, just like vinyl.      It’s Low Maintenance.  Manufacturers estimate the lifespan of natural linoleum at 30-40 years, compared to 10-20 for vinyl.  Scratches are no problem.  The surface is hard, and even becomes harder over time.  Additionally, any surface scratch can be buffed out, because the color extends through the entire thickness.  For cleaning, a dry mop is recommended for routine maintenance.

It’s Green and Better for the Environment.  Natural linoleum is much better for the environment than petroleum based, vinyl products.  Vinyl’s are not sustainable and are highly polluting in their manufacturing process.  Natural linoleum is made from wood, rosin, limestone and linseed oil.  All these materials occur naturally and are sustainable.  When it’s time to remodel, natural linoleum can be shredded and turned into compost for the garden versus filling a landfill.  Additional bonus, natural linoleum will last and look good for a least least twice as long as vinyl.

Disadvantages.  The linseed oil in the products “off gas” and some people are sensitive to its fumes.  We advise that you air out the product for a few weeks before you install it, if you have a sensitive reaction to the smell.   Like most plant-based products, linoleum doesn’t perform well in area’s with constant moisture.  Test the moisture content of floor slabs before installation.  Use Caulk to seal edges around tubs and showers where flooring abuts.  The only other disadvantage is probably the initial cost of the product.  Marmoleum costs around $4.00 per square foot, compared with $1.50 to $2.00 for vinyl flooring.

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net FREE homes for sale and lease website.  Search for properties or post your listing.  We connect thousands of buyers and sellers each day, and we can help you get more exposure, too.

Toxic, sulfur laden sheetrock, Made in China, is making people sick, causing electrical wiring to go crazy and is corroding copper, wire and stainless steel in American homes.   The problem has affected thousands of homes in 20 states, yet, the US court system is powerless when to hold Chinese manufacturers (most of which are owned by the Chinese government) responsible for problems caused by their products.

The hardest hit area of the country may be the slowly recovering New Orleans area, and the coastal area’s wiped out by Katrina.  After enduring floods and mud, this man-made victimization is the last thing these communities need or deserve.   For those wondering how bad the problem is….The problem is so bad that local governments, already low on funds, are waiving property taxes for homes rebuilt with the Made in China, toxic sheetrock.

                                      Facts About Toxic Chinese Drywall and Sheetrock:

1. The sheetrock may emit a sulfuric odor, which smells a bit like rotten eggs.
2. Health Problems are being Reported.  The most common health effects from the drywall are skin rashes, blisters and headaches.
3. Homeowners insurance does not cover claims due to construction defects.  When insurers discover a property has Chinese drywall, they are canceling homeowner policies.
4. The gases emitted by the Chinese Drywall eat away at any copper, aluminum or stainless materials inside the home.  This means that appliances, wiring, mirrors, computers, toys, plumbing pipes and fixtures, jewelry, HVAC or any systems that contain these component materials will also be damaged, usually beyond repair
5. Seller’s of Homes that contain Chinese Sheetrock must disclose that fact, even if all the sheetrock in the home has been replaced.
6. If your home contains any Chinese Made Drywall/Sheetrock file a compliant with Consumer Product Protection Council and also check about making a local compliant with your state.
7. For updates on the Chinese drywall, multi-district lawsuits (MDL #2047 to to www.laed.uscourts.gov and click on Drywall MDL.

One tell tale sign of toxic sheetrock can be seen in the corners of mirrors

Watch for corrosion in and around plumbing fixtures, refrigerators, ac units, on stainless steel appliances or any area with metal components.  

Our two cents:  In light of this most recent, very serious, and potentially deadly, problem with cheap imports, all Americans need to reconsider their ongoing love affair with everything cheap and Chinese.  If the US government, who allows these imports, can’t force the Chinese manufacturers to stand behind the products they sell, then the retailers, who chose to buy these goods should have to.    The cost of uprooting families and replacing all the sheetrock, mechanical systems and personal property in over 60,000 reported homes is overwhelming.   If anyone deserves a taxpayer bailout, it’s these innocent homeowners who have been victimized by governments and retailers, alike.

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net.  All our products are MADE, ASSEMBLED and SHIPPED right here in the USA!!!   In November, we will celebrate our 20th Anniversary, proving that you can hire US workers and run a profitable business.   Thank you for your support over all these years and please tell your friends about us!!!

Dear InfoTube,

My Uncle, who owned a unit in a co-op apartment building, passed away recently.  If the heirs decide they do not want to sell the unit, will they be allowed to stay there part time?  Or, can they chose to live in the apartment if they  wanted to? 

Dear Niece,

Unfortunately, the answer to both of your questions is No.  Under all proprietary leases, occupancy is limited to the shareholder, only.  If a shareholder is deceased, no other person can live in the apartment without the consent of the co-op.  When your Uncle was alive, he could ask family members and guests to stay in the apartment, but only if he was there, too.

If you decide to keep the apartment, the new shareholder of record will need approval from the co-op board before they occupy the unit.   Even for a week or two.

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net FREE homes for sale and lease website.  We have been in the business of connecting buyer’s and seller’s since 1989.  We can help you, too.

A new website The Bed Bug Registry is a free, public database of bedbug infestations. Use it to check for bedbug reports before booking a hotel room or renting an apartment.

The Bedbug Registry gives travelers and renters a reliable and neutral platform for reporting their encounters with bedbugs. Though most Americans have still never encountered one, these retro pests are spreading extremely quickly across several American and Canadian cities.

Bed bugs are easy to transport in luggage and very hard to get rid of. For this reason they have become an especial nuisance for hotels, who are not eager to publicize their infestations. You can’t tell whether a building or hotel room has them based on cleanliness - the bugs can thrive anywhere there are cracks and crevices to hide in.

Until a reliable, safe pesticide becomes available, avoiding bedbug encounters will be the only reliable way to ensure they don’t spread into your own home.

To Read More About How to Spot and Stop Bed Bugs Before You are Eaten Alive,  CLICK HERE!!!    

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Thomas Edison’s light bulb, invented in 1879, will not be sold in the U.S. after January 1, 2012. 

As part of the Clean Energy Bill, signed in 2007, most wattages of incandescent light bulbs, will go the way of leaded gas and oil based paint.   Australia started the light bulb ban in 2007.  Europe followed in September, this year. 

Even though Americans hate forced change, there are some reasons this change makes sense.  According to Energy Star, “a qualified compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) will save about $30 over its lifetime and pay for itself in about 6 months.  It uses 75 percent less energy and lasts about 10 times longer than an incandescent bulb.” 

Futhermore, Noah Horowitz, with the Natural Resources Defense Council stated “it would eliminate the need to build 30 new coal power plants and save as much electricity as used by all the homes in Texas.”

Astounding Energy Savings, No More Coal Plants and Free Money, too, what’s not to love??  Well, a couple of things…First of all, fluorescent bulbs contain mercury.  Remember the dangers of mercury?  If a bulb breaks, the mercury scatters around the room or hides in the carpet and toys.  And, don’t throw the new bulbs into the trash.  To dispose of these bulbs, if they don’t break first, they need to be handled like hazardous waste, ie: paint, chemicals, batteries, etc.  Home Depot, True Value, IKEA and other retailers will recycle them, but you need to carefully pack them up and drive them to the store.

Secondly, fluorescents can’t be used with a dimmer switch.  My personal favorite trick for creating ambiance.  And, I’ve already tried CFL’s and found they don’t produce enough light, or maybe the right hue of light, for easy reading and other close up tasks.  And, probably most concerning, they also aren’t a great light for those of us who look for bulbs that cast flattering, soft light ):

Change is coming.  Adjust or stock up before January 2012.   Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net your FREE homes for sale and lease website.  Have a great weekend and happy home selling and buying.

Marketing a vacant home can be difficult challenge, because empty rooms are hard to size up and they don’t stand out in a buyer’s mind.  This leaves every vacant home looking like the one next door, with the only difference in a buyer’s mind being, which home has the lowest price.

This problem may have been solved by Krisztina Bell, a smart Atlanta Realtor, who invented and patented a software program that will “virtually” stage any vacant property for around $250.  Her company has been heralded by the Chicago Tribune, San Francisco Chronical and other publications as the answer to giving the effect of a professionally staged home at a fraction of the cost.

With 90 percent of home buyers doing their shopping online, and thousands of vacant homes on the market, Ms Bell’s idea is smart and timely.  Her technique transforms listing photo’s of vacant homes into homes with professionally designed interiors, using a library of attractive furnishings, accessories and artwork.   The resulting “after” photo’s are realistic, authentic and hard to distinguish from a home that has been actually staged with furnishings.

To view the Photo Gallery of some impressive Before and After Pictures, please visit her website VirtuallyStagingProperties.com, by clicking this link.  You will be amazed.  And, if you have a vacant home to sell, you should seriously consider this inexpensive option and make your home pop.

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net homes for sale and rent website.  If you virtually stage your home, be sure to upload the slideshow to InfoTube.net.  Thousands of buyer’s search our site daily for new information on properties.

The large number of foreclosed homes have become a blight on the residential landscape.   But, swimming pools in abandoned, foreclosed homes, with no electricity, pose special problems.   Swimming pools become stagnate and unsantitary due to a lack of chemicals, then quickly grow thick with algae that is unsightly, and expensive to get rid of.

Enter the pleco algae eating fish, which are commonly found and abundant in fresh water lakes.   Only 15 pleco fish, placed in an abandoned pool, quickly eat away the algae and keep it away.

The environmentally smart solution leaves pools more sanitary, makes the homes more attractive to prospective home buyer’s and saves thousands of dollars in upkeep.   After the new owner moves in, they can return the fish to the lake or leave them in the pool for backyard fishing fun.

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net homes for sale and rent complimentary website.  Search for some great deals or post your property for more exposure.  It’s FREE!!

I’m sure we’ve all heard our parents warn, “and, don’t let the bed bugs bite”, as we toddled off to bed…but most of us have never considered that bed bugs were real pests, because most of us have never seen a bed bug.  

As creepy as it is, Bed Bugs are real and they are back with a vengence.  The use of DDT eradicated bed bugs more than 50 years ago, which explains why most of us have never seen one.   Today, exterminators use roach traps, instead of insecticide sprays, which do not wipe out the bed bugs along with the roaches.  So, the tiny bed bug is making a resurgence in a big way.

How Can You Find Bed Bugs before You’re Eaten?  READ MORE…..

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Green News Alert:  A new paint additive, Insuladd, developed by the government, cuts energy costs and reduces mold and mildew.

Insuladd insulating paint additive increases the “Mean Radiant Temperature” of any home or office and provides energy savings by reflecting and dissipating heat.   Reports show an average decrease in utility bills of 20 percent (and, as high as 40 percent for in some homes) after a home or building has been painted with the additive.  

Product Features:

• Increase the R value by making paint insulating.
• It is safe and non-toxic
• It can be applied to roofs, walls and ceilings.  Interior or exterior.
• It works in hot or cold climates.
• Reduced heating and cooling costs, while increasing comfort.
• It prevents mold and mildew by blocking moisture and condensation.
• It can be added to any house paint.
• Can be used for all residential or commercial paint applications

Tips for Using the Product:

• Add the mixture to your paint, then stir throughly before applying.
• If you want a satin or gloss finish, add Insuladd to the primer coat and first coat.  Apply a finish coat without the additive.
• If you want a high gloss coat on trim, don’t use the additive.
• Insuladd will leave a very slight texture to the walls that can be felt, but usually isn’t visable.  It may hide cosmetic defects such as gouges, dents and surface imperfections if 2 coats are applied.
• Insuladd is ideal for light colored paints and you will notice no change in the color of your paint.
• If you are using a dark paint, Insuladd may lighten the color by up to one shade.   If this is a problem, tint the paint one shade darker at purchase.
• Don’t pour the mixture into a one gallon paint can to avoid overflow.  The additive will overfill a full gallon of paint.  Pour the paint into a 5 gallon can, add additive and mix.  Left over paint with additive can be stored in the original container for touch ups.

Paint, insulate, save money on energy bills, increase the comfort of your living space, prevent mold and mildew.  What’s not to love.

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net.  We have been helping home sellers since 1988 and we can help you too.  Check out all the freebies on our site.

The housing recession/depression and the long number of days on the market, means that many people need to move to a new location, before they sell their home.  If you are facing this situation, please be aware of some special problems and concerns regarding vacant property before you decide to move on and leave your home behind.

1. Insurance.  Insurance companies place a higher risk, therefore cost, to insure vacant property.  As many owner’s have also discovered, vacant homes are targets for thiefs, vagrants and vandals.  In addition, vacant properties are more likely to suffer damage from fire and water.  Add in the higher liability of “No one lives there…let’s play” and it is no wonder that the cost to insure a vacant home is substantially more expensive.   Talk to your insurance agent, before you move out, to determine the best protection for the money.
2. Protect Your Property.  It’s a good idea to install a monitered security system in a vacant property.  If the service moniters fire, smoke and theft, it can lower your insurance premiums.  Also, don’t forget to install new batteries in all smoke detectors.   You should also have a friend or neighbor check the property on a regular basis. 
3. Create the Illusion of Occupancy.  Ask a neighbor to park their car in your driveway.  Stop mail and newspaper service, or make sure someone collects it.  Install timers on lights.  Leave some window treatments and furniture in the home.  Keep the lawn, landscape and home exterior maintained at all times.   
4. Rent it Out.  Renting the home will insure it is occupied and the rent will offset the costs of carrying the property.   The insurance will need to change to a rental policy, but rental insurance is much cheaper than the premium for vacant homes.
5. Let a Friend Live in the Home.  If you don’t want to tie the house up by renting it, consider letting a trusted friend or family member live in the home until it sells.  If you don’t know anyone, hire a housesitter.  Either way, the home remains occupied and vacancy problems are averted.
6. Don’t Sneak.   If your home is vacant for longer than your insurance policy allows, you could save a ton of money by sneaking.  But, don’t.  First, insurance fraud is a serious matter.  Secondly, if your vacant home is damaged or totaled, the insurer can and will challenge your claim.   Don’t commit fraud.  The little bit of money you may save is just not worth it.

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net, a Free Homes for Sale and Rent website.  The market is certainly showing some positive signs.  We have better than expected sales across the entire country, price declines have lessened, rates are low and banks are lending.  If you need to buy or sell, InfoTube.net is the place to be.

Story from Philadelphia Inquirer:

Unoccupied, these homes would be defenseless in a storm; there will be no one to put up shutters, batten down garage doors, and otherwise secure homes. But that’s not all. Nearby homes and their residents would also be at risk from wind-propelled debris.

Lehigh Acres and other communities at the epicenter of the nation’s housing crisis are coming to realize that this year’s hurricane season, which began this month, represents yet another pitfall. Hurricanes could make hazards of thousands of foreclosed-upon houses, and their diminished value could decrease even more.

“Here’s your choice,” said Julie Rochman, president of the Tampa-based Institute for Business and Home Safety. “Spend a little bit of time and money to secure the properties to withstand wind and water, or not do the right thing and have the homes become damaged and are valued less.”

The Associated Press Economic Stress Index - a month-by-month analysis of foreclosure, bankruptcy and unemployment rates in more than 3,000 U.S. counties - confirms that some of the areas most likely to be struck by a hurricane are suffering the most in this recession.

In March, there were 281,691 homes in foreclosure in Florida and coastal counties in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia.

Lee County, where Manikchand lives, is among the hardest-hit counties in the country. A 22-year-old pharmacy student, he took advantage of a dismal housing market and bought a foreclosed duplex for $36,000.

In coming months, he and millions of others along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts will dutifully track tropical weather forecasts and stockpile batteries, flashlights, and tins of tuna, hoping that hurricanes blow harmlessly out to sea.

But who will secure all the foreclosed homes if a storm does approach? No one really knows.

In some cases, a property-management company hired by the bank could do the work. Or it could be a real estate agent, a homeowners’ association, or even resourceful neighbors who clear debris from yards and board windows.

Yet no state laws mandate who prepares buildings before a hurricane; even officials from the Florida Division of Emergency Management say that securing foreclosures isn’t a concern.

“It’s not an aspect that we really deal with,” said John Cherry, the agency’s external-affairs director. “Our No. 1 concern is life safety.”

Quick evacuation, not securing vacant homes, will be the priority if a major storm looms, others say. But shutterless homes can be a major safety hazard in a hurricane. And a region full of destroyed or heavily damaged homes would depress real estate values even further.

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