Florida  implented the act on July 1st and the result has been overwhelmingly successful, so far.   The first thing the act did was give condo associations the right to demand deliquent renters pay rents directly to the association.    Even more significant, the law eliminated developer liability.  Prior law defined a developer as  anyone who sold or leased more than 7 units in a condo in one year.   Under the old law, “Developers” faced potential unlimited liabilities for such things as construction warranties..

By removing the unlimited liabilty for bulk investors, major Wall Street firms, which represent billions in assets and capital, descended on South Florida and began gobbling up condo units in bulk.  “Since the law went into place, activity has been “off the charts”, said Peter Zaleswski, founder of Condo Vultures.   “We’re moving away from a situation where it’s 10 oe 20 units in a bulk buy, to one where it’s 100 or 200 or even 300 units,” Zalewski said.  “You have several Wall Street funds competing on the same projects.  It’s all because of the change in the new law.”

Good news for Florida homeowners and builders…Zalewski said the change has been drastic.  “I would challenge you to find one of the largest groups on Wall Street who’s not looking into South Florida right now.”  Zalewski predicted…”I would anticipate you see some huge numbers put on the board by the end of the year.”

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Paul Bianchina
Inman News

Q: I found a house I would love to buy, but the problem is it has a pool. I would love to get rid of the pool and just plant trees in the back, but friends tell me the value of the house would fall.

I don’t care; I had a pool once and it took too much effort to take care of — and nobody used it. My husband says it is so easy — he would just put dirt in the huge hole. Is it that easy? –Zein G.

A: You certainly can fill in the pool, but it’s a little more involved than just filling it with dirt. First, you need to disconnect all of the plumbing and electrical wiring associated with the pool and its support equipment. This is something that should be done by licensed professionals — especially the electrical wiring.

From there, you would want to break off the upper portion of the pool itself — the tile, concrete, etc. — down a couple of feet. That will get any of the hard surface around the top and upper edge of the pool out of the way so that it doesn’t eventually begin to show above ground again. Now you can proceed with filling in the pool itself.

To prevent dangerous settling, filling in the pool needs to be done in a succession of layers, known as “lifts.” Dirt and rock would be placed in a layer on the bottom of the pool, then compacted. Another lift of dirt and rock would be added and compacted, etc. The final lift would be all topsoil, allowing for the placement of new landscaping.

You will definitely want to talk with an experienced, licensed excavator about the exact steps required for your particular situation, and also get a bid for the cost of the work — preferably before you make your final purchase decision. You’ll also need to check with your local city building department to determine what permits might be required.

As to the purchase and the value of the house, you stand to take a hit in three different areas. You’ll be buying the house based on its value with a pool, a value that will then typically decrease when the pool is removed.

And, you have the expense of the removal and the new landscaping. I would discuss this with a real estate professional who’s experienced with your area, and make sure this makes financial sense.

Finally, be aware that the removal and filling of the pool is something that will need to be disclosed to a future buyer when you go to sell the home, and could have a potential impact on a future sale.

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From the special allocation, $16 million is initially available to pay claims to real estate professionals in Florida. Along with other local businesses in the Gulf Coast states, real estate has experienced significant economic harm since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

“This is great news for Realtors and real estate professionals in Florida, as well as those in our neighboring Gulf Coast states, who are suffering from the loss of their livelihood because of the oil spill crisis,” said 2010 Florida Realtors President Wendell Davis, a broker with Watson Realty Corp. in Jacksonville. “Many real estate claims for loss of income due to the oil spill have been in limbo, leaving people with no way to pay their bills, take care of their families or keep their businesses going. Providing this special allocation is a positive, responsive action on Mr. Feinberg’s part — one that will help people move forward and reclaim their lives.”

Until now, some real estate claims related to lost sales and loss of income were not included in Feinberg’s protocol for payments from the $20 billion BP Gulf Coast Claims Fund. Representatives of Gulf Coast Realtor associations — Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas — met several times with Feinberg to make the case that real estate brokers and agents have been financially harmed by the oil spill.

Each state Realtors organization will receive funds based on the estimated losses of individuals and brokerages resulting from cancelled sales contracts, loss of income and depressed market conditions following the BP oil spill. The allocation is available to all real estate licensees with active licenses at the time of the loss, not just Realtors.

Florida Realtors has contracted with Indiana-based NCA, an independent, national claims adjustment firm, to handle these claims and otherwise administer the funds; the other state Realtor groups in the Gulf Coast are also working with NCA. The state Realtor associations had to provide Feinberg with detailed documentation to request funds, including a timely, transparent and objective process for handling claims and for determining payments.

“Realtors in Florida build communities, and this allocation for real estate professionals will help them continue to do that,” said Davis. “This historic agreement between the real estate industry and the BP Fund is a model for public/private partnerships. It will help restore economic vitality to the Florida Panhandle, ensuring that a unique culture and way of life continues into the future.”

Florida Realtors®, formerly known as the Florida Association of Realtors®, serves as the voice for real estate in Florida. It provides programs, services, continuing education, research and legislative representation to its 115,000 members

The analysts came to their final conclusion after walking the beaches on the coast, talking to local residents and meeting with the large regional banks.  “We barely found any oil at all on the shore or in the Gulf,” analysts said. “We walked away feeling that the hype surrounding the spill was overdone, but that significant economic issues still exist in the region.”

InfoTube.net is very happy to report this good news for all coastal property owners, brokers and residents.   Thank you for visiting our website!   If you’re looking for information about InfoTubes, InfoBoxes, Flat Fee MLS, Realtor.com uploads, Free Legal Forms and Contracts…you’ve found the right website.

The #1 way that seller’s can entice buyer’s and get their attention is  an aggressive price reduction.   As many as 24 percent of home sellers have slashed prices in the last month–that is a 9 percent increase from June levels.   And, seller’s should forget about small, nickle and dime price drops.   Instead, they should dramatically drop their price  to reach a search level that will open them up to new buyers that are not aware of their listing.  For example, if your list price is $220,000, a drop to $199,000 will attract a new audience that is searching up to the $200,000 price point.  

Bottom Line:  If you are sick of waiting and want to move now, price the house to attract multiple bidders and you might even get more than you’re asking for.  And remember…if you are selling your home to buy a new one, you will likely break even because the person you are buying from is in the same gut wrenching position you are.

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MARINA BAY SANDS RESORT – Signapore 

Acrophobics Beware…If you fancy a dip in this pool, you’ll need a head for heights – it’s 55 stories up. But swimming to the edge won’t be quite as risky as it looks. While the water in the infinity pool seems to end in a sheer drop, it actually spills into a catchment area where it is pumped back into the main pool.

 At three times the length of an Olympic pool and 650 ft up, it is the largest outdoor pool in the world at that height.  It is the main feature in this impressive, boat-shaped ‘Sky Park’, perched atop the three towers that make up the world’s most expensive hotel, the £4 billion Marina Bay Sands development in Singapore.

The infinity pool on the roof is in the ‘Sky Park‘ which spans the three towers of the hotel. The platform itself is longer than the Eiffel tower laid down and is one of the largest of its kind in the world.  

Infinity pools give the effect that the water extends to the horizon. In reality, the water spills over the edge into a catchment below, and is then pumped back into the pool. The pools have two circulation systems. The first functions like that of a regular pool, filtering and heating the water in the main pool. The second filters the water in the catch basin and returns it to the upper pool.

The hotel, which has 2,560 rooms costing from £350 a night, was officially opened yesterday with a concert by Diana Ross.   The Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi, estimated to have cost £2 billion when it opened in 2004, was previously the world’s most expensive hotel.  But with its indoor canal, opulent art, casino, outdoor plaza, convention centre, theatre, crystal pavilion and museum shaped like a lotus flower, the Marina Bay Sands has taken its crown.

The resort will employ 10,000 people directly and generate up to £48 million each year. Entrance to the casino alone is nearly £50 a day – but an average of 25,000 people have visited the casino daily since its initial phased opening two months ago.  

Thomas Arasi, president and chief executive officer of the resort, said he expects to attract an astonishing 70,000 visitors a day once it is fully open.   It was due to open in 2009, but was delayed thanks to labor and material shortages, and funding problems due to the global financial crisis.

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Tales from the front include:

Kevin Chiu, a researcher for Housing Predictor, warns:  “Housing analysts contend that the projected losses in housing value will top that of any oil disaster in the nation’s history and will send tens of thousands of additional homes into foreclosure as a result.”

Alabama real estate agent Linda Henderson reports…canceled sales and that the smell at times is so pungent that it drives people back inside their homes.  “I can tell you that things have pretty much dropped to dead,” said Ms Henderson.  “We were on track for our best year since Katrina.  This is just devastating-you can say that the spill killed the real estate recovery.”

Jack McCabe of McCabe Researcn and Consulting in Deerfield Beach, FL sums it up this way…”What the housing recession and the Great Recession couldn’t do to property values along the Gulf, this could easily accomplish.  It’s a knock out punch, plain and simple.”

There is an awful lot of real estate within 20 miles from the coastal beaches of Gulf states.   All forms of real estate, farms, office buildings, schools, government buildings, military installations, utility systems and homes are in peril. How much oil could come onshore and what the aftermath will be is entirely speculative at this point. If the oil spilling into the waters of the Gulf can’t be stopped and cleaned up before a major storm event, the devastation of the entire Gulf Coast region within at least a 20 mile distance will likely render it uninhabitable by humans. Who would want to live there, let alone buy or invest in property?

This raises the final question about BP’s oil spill:   Who will pay for the unintended loss of real estate value and the toll of human misery sure to come?  If one faces the facts as we are learning them about BP, it becomes almost a certainty that there isn’t enough money in their vast holdings to pay for the damages and losses from such an event.   The toll on human life and the economy might only be imagined as apocalyptic in scale.  The effect on the national economy, if not the global economy, is likely to follow.   The economic impact on the world, let alone the nation, is going to be staggering when, not if this event occurs.

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A report from BP shows that $157,942 was paid through June 11, 2010 for real estate related claims in the state of Florida.   While we were looking for details which might outline a precedent for future payments to victims, the report was vague and had few details.   Categories for claims included items such as swimming pools, plants, rental property, real estate sales, home structure and diminished value.  When BP was ask to provide better definitions for the categories, they said they didn’t have one, but hoped to by Monday.  We will keep you posted.

As far as Florida real estate is concerned, 1019 claims have been filed in Florida with regard to losses to rental property.  To date, payments totaling $145,744 have been paid on 393 of the claims.  In real estate sales, 199 claims have been made.  Two were paid out for a total of $9698.  Dimished value had 14 claims so far, with nothing being paid out.  3 claims were made for structural damage  with one being paid for $2500.

Bart Harrison of Clay, Ala., filed his first claim on Wednesday morning for lost rental income on his coastal property and expected to have a check for $1,010 within a few hours. The only documentation required was tax returns and rental histories for his units, which were both easy to provide.  “The guy I talked to was knowledgeable and respectful. It seemed like he really wanted to write a check and please me since it was my first time in,” Harrison said.

The one certainty is that the real estate claims will start piling up as more and more coastal area’s are affected by the spill.  Bloomberg reported that the oil spill could drive down Gulf Coast property values by 10 percent for at least three years.  CoStar Group has estimated real estate losses of $4.3 Billion along the 600 mile stretch from the Louisana bayous to Clearwater, FL

To Determine if you or someone you know may have a legimate claim against BP for losses related to real estate…..Click Here for a list of Eligible BP Claim Information and BP Required Filing Documentation

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We welcome feedback, comments and reports from the front line and encourage you to add InfoTube.net blog to your rss reader for future updates on conditions in the gulf.

CBS News Reports:

Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama are already taking a hit due to reduced tourist bookings, but with its 770 miles of Gulf Coast line, Florida stands to lose the most which is why the state is running pro-tourism ads.

Officials say Alabama’s tourism is down 50 percent so far and imagery that shows a large plume of oil heading this way could wreck Florida’s season as well.

Just a 10 percent decline in tourism related business in Florida’s 23 Gulf Shore counties could cost the Sunshine state $2.2 billion in revenue. 

Commentary:   Anytime rental vacancies rise, property values drop.   In addition to the immediate problems created by the lack of rental cash flow,  property owners are faced with a rapid drop in the value of their property.  Real estate experts in the hardest hit area’s report that property values have already dropped a whopping 20-30 percent during the last 63 days.  And, whether any prospective buyers can obtain financing and insurance on the affected coastal area’s is unclear.

Whether BP will compensate property owners in the gulf for lost property value remains uncertain.   To date, the matter has not been formally addressed.   BP is self-insured, but pollution is usually excluded as a covered peril in property insurance policies.  And, standard commercial and home insurance policies usually cover property damage only, not claims for lost value.

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net.   Our focus this week will continue with the real estate crisis that is washing up on the pristine beaches in gulf, along with the dead wildlife and waves of petroleum and a special blog on what you can do to fight back!!

The act defines seven different classes that are protected against discrimination, these include: 

Race

Color

National origin

Sex

Religion

Handicap

Familial status 

(You may notice that Age is not a protected class, in and of itself.  Sellers of property that are zoned 55+, adult only, etc. can discriminate on the basis of age, if it violates deed restrictions, zoning or restrictive convenants.

Attention Home Sellers:   You put yourself at serious risk of violating this act, if you refuse to sell or show your home to an interested buyer.  Remember that ignorance of the law is not a viable excuse or defense.  You will be held legally liable, even if you accidentally violate these laws without realizing it.

Review the following list of words that cannot be included in advertisements of your home, because they are in violation of the Fair Housing Laws.  

Bachelor apartment

Children welcome

Couples

Gentlemans Farm

Golden Agers

Handicapped

Integrated

Married

Mature

Mother-in-Law quarters

Professional

Section 8

Seniors

Singles only

Sports-minded 

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Please note that some of the figures used in our examples will vary depending on the state or county a house is sold in, as well as the settlement company used and any other unique provisions that may be contained in a contract of sale. Additionally, the real estate broker commission is typically 6 percent of the sales price, but it is not a set amount.  It is a sales expense negotiated between individual sellers and brokers.   For the purposes of our example, a $250,000 sales price was used. 

Transfer taxes

As you might expect, most state and local governments make sure they profit when someone sells a house.  In most states, one-time transfer taxes will be due when a sale takes place.  It is customary for transfer taxes to be split 50/50 between the buyer and the seller, but there is no set requirement that they be divided in that manner.

Some states, like Alaska, Idaho, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Wyoming, have no transfer taxes at all. In other states, Colorado for instance, the transfer tax is nominal – the state charges only one tenth of 1 percent ($40 on a $400,000 house) in transfer taxes. The so called “Free State” of Maryland falls on the other end of the spectrum with some of the highest transfer taxes in the nation.

Commissions

As we stated earlier, real estate commissions are not a set amount. They are a point of negotiation between the seller and the broker. For illustration purposes here, we are using the industry standard of 6 percent, or $15,000 on a $250,000 sale.

Another seller expense you may run across in some area’s is a listing broker administrative brokerage commission.  It’s usually adds another $250-$500 expense on top of the 6 percent commission fee.  The seller will see it as a separate expense on their closing statement.  So, what is this fee for? By law, brokers must keep records of all their real estate transactions for a period of years. And they must produce those records if asked for them.  Although it’s a ridiculous added on fee, the listing broker administrative brokerage commission is an expense passed along by some brokers to help defray the cost of this requirement.

Settlement fees

The buyer is responsible for hiring the settlement or title company to perform closing, so the buyer will usually pay most of the fees associated with settlement. But, the seller does have some settlement expense.  If the seller has an outstanding loan on the property, the settlement company will take care of paying that loan off out of the sales proceeds. They’ll charge something for the service, plus the cost of overnight fees to quickly get the loan payoff to the mortgage holder. In our example here, we’ll use $250.   And, since interest in collected in arrears, the seller will be responsible for any interest charges that accrue after the last payment thru the day of closing.

The Bottom Line

If you sell your house for $250,000, you can probably expect to walk away with around $230,000 after taxes, real estate commissions and fees.  If no real estate commissions have to be paid out, the seller could expect to walk away with approximately $245,000.  The real number will depend on exactly what it says in the sales contract and where the property is located.

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Are you considering a home purchase?  Are you currently renting?  Have you considered buying a rental property as an investment?  

The Rule of 15 is a quick an easy tool for determining if a property is cheaper to rent than to own….CLICK HERE  to find out how much to pay for a property based upon the annual rents.    

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Click Here to See the List of What is In…and What is Out!

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What is Home?

 
A roof to keep out the rain.  Four walls to keep out the wind.  Floors to keep out the cold.  Yes, but home is more
than that….It is the laugh of a baby, the song of a mother, the strength of a father.  Warmth of living hearts, light
from happy eyes, kindness, loyalty, comradeship.  Home is first school and first church for young ones, where
they learn what is right, what is good and what is kind.  Where they go for comfort when they are hurt or sick.
Where joy is shared and sorrow eased.  Where fathers and mothers are respected and loved.  Where children are
wanted.  Where the simplest food is good enough for kings because it is earned.  Where money is not so
important as loving-kindness.  Where even the teakettle sings from happiness.  That is home.   God bless it.
Ernestine Schumann-Heink

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Falconridge in the Peak District of Hong Kong is a Trophy Hunters Dream. 

A trophy, residential building lot, located at Falconridge in Hong Kongs’ affulent Peak district, sold at auction for a record $233 Million.   The price equates to an eye-popping, jaw dropping $8717.00 per square foot for the one acre piece of land.

The sale emphasizes that at least the luxury end of real estate in Hong Kong continues to command a premium and provides further proof that the sizzling, hot real estate market shows no signs of cooling off.   Average home prices in the cosmopolitan city soared 30 percent last year and are up 8 percent so far in 2010, in spite of efforts by the government to cool the market down.  To date, higher interest rates, large down payment requirements and increased taxes on luxury homes have done little to stop the flow of big money into the real estate market. 

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net homes for Sale and Rent website.  Ask us about our popular flat fee MLS service.   It has been the number one tool used by successful seller’s this year and you can’t beat the price.

The short video features skateboarders who comb through the Californian real estate wreckage in search of foreclosed homes with empty pools.

Cannonball from California is a place. on Vimeo.

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Christine Weber, a real estate agent living near Biloxi, MS, can already smell oil fumes at her home located 5 miles from shore.  “It is not something that can be cleaned up like a hurricane, where you can replace a roof.  You can’t remove oil from the sand or the water”, said Ms Weber.     She also added that the destruction of beaches, wildlife and healthy living conditions could bring desolation to the entire area.

Randy Tanner of Dauphin Island Real Estate, Inc, says the oil spill has had an immediate effect on tourism at the pristine barrier island in Alabama.  In the last few days, his company has lost $400,000 in vacation rental cancellations for as far away as September.

In addition to scaring off tourists…the environmental catastrophy is also scaring real estate investors who planned to redevelop the area.   Venture capitalists have pulled out of the area.  They will wait until this entire mess is cleaned up before they fund any projects for developers.

The BP oil spill, combined with the lack of any intelligent response plan, is very much an unfolding tragedy.   The start of the hurricane season brings the risk that our gorgeous coastline will be flooded and battered by waves of oil.   The scenes of burning oceans, dead oil-soaked animals and clumps of churning oil in crystal blue waters conjure up armageddon like images to be sure.   And, while predictions of disasters in the past have been sensationalized and overstated…I have a horrible feeling in my gut that this time predications about catastrophic disaster have not been exaggerated.   

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• The National Multi-Housing Council, which measures changes in rental and occupancy rates, reports that the rental market has tightened significantly in the last few months.   Their “Market Tightness” index increased 38 percent from October 2009- April 2010.
• RealFacts reports that they national average apartment rent, for all sizes of apartments, was $943 per month in the first quarter of 2010, up from $932 in the 4th quarter of 2009.
• Hitwise, which tracks online searches, revealed that online searches for rentals surged 171 percent over 2009.
• Experian said the fastest growing search terms for real estate were…”Cheap homes for Rent” up 128 percent; “House for Rent by owner” up 94 percent; and, “Home for rent by Owner” up 84 percent.
• Borrowing conditions have also eased for investment properties and interest rates are at highly attractive lows.
• Sales volumes for multi-family housing have jumped, as investors realize higher profits and higher rents going forward.

Why is the Rental Market going to get tougher?

• Homes are cheaper than they have been in over 10 years, but lingering fear about real estate ownership are holding some potential buyers back.
• Tighter lending requirements keep many from obtaining the financing required to buy.
• Some people don’t plan to rent forever, but as values still fall in their area, it makes sense to wait.
• In our tight job market, many people want the flexibility of renting in case they need to relocate for a better job opportunity.

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net homes for sale and rent website.   Expose your property to thousands of buyers and tenants by placing a Free Listing on our Website Today.  You have everything to gain…nothing to lose!

According to the PMI Mortgage Insurance Company, which makes its money by insuring loans against default, has published its list of the 10 safest and riskiest housing markets.  Seven of the 10 markets facing the highest risk of price declines in the next two years are in Florida.   Six of ten markets which were determined to be of the least risk are in North Dakota and Iowa.

The PMI Risk Index takes considers factors such as unemployment, foreclosures, inventory levels and price volatility.   The good news is that the risk further home-price declines decreased in 93 percent of the 384 markets tracked by PMI.  The huge drop in risk was largly due to improvements in affordability and declining foreclosures.

10 riskiest housing markets
1. Naples-Marco Island, Fla.
2. Lake Havasu City-Kingman, Ariz.
3. Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Fla.
4. Lakeland-Winter Haven, Fla.
5. Palm Coast, Fla.
6. Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, Fla.
7. Port St. Lucie, Fla.
8. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, Calif.
9. Las Vegas-Paradise, Nev.
10. Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach, Fla.

10 least risky markets
1. Grand Forks, N.D.-Minn.
2. Fargo N.D.-Minn.
3. Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, Texas
4. Fayetteville, N.C.
5. Iowa City, Iowa
6. Ames, Iowa
7. Cedar Rapids, Iowa
8. Morgantown, W.V.
9. Texarkana, Texas-Ark.
10. Bismark, N.D.

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Purchasing a For Sale by Owner property has a number of unique benefits that all buyers should be aware of.    Too often, buyers don’t consider fsbo listings because they are working with a real estate agent.  They are unaware that most builders and owners are willing to work with buyer’s agents and many advertise their homes on the local MLS.  If you are in the market for a home and you are not considering “by owner” listings…you could be missing out on some great deals.   Here are a few of the Advantages of buying a For Sale by Owner home.

Save Thousands on Commissions and Fee’s

When purchasing a home listed by a traditional listing broker, a 6 percent commission is factored into the seller’s asking price.  Buyers often think they aren’t paying the listing commission…but in fact…the agents $6000 cut is included in every $100,000 of the asking price.   When a homeowner or builder sells their own property, they pay no commission or a much smaller 3 percent to the buyers agent.  This substantial savings can be passed onto the buyer, who can now afford more home or get the same home for less money.

Easy Appointments to View

If you want to look a home listed with a full service broker, you have to schedule all appointments through the listing broker.  The listing broker then has to contact the owner and the buyer agent to schedule a time to look inside the home.  This process can often be inconvenient or sometimes aggravating depending on the time lapse in getting everyone on board.   When dealing directly with the seller, there is no need to go through other people to schedule a tour.  The seller will look at his schedule and immediately give you the date and time, making the entire buying process much simplier.

Negotiating the Offer

When purchasing directly from the property owner, negotiating the offer can be much easier, too.  Typically, the buyers agent first presents the offer to the listing agent…then, the listing agent makes an appointment to relay the offer to the seller.   If the seller makes a counteroffer, the whole procedure is reversed back through both agents making the whole process take a lot longer than it should.   When making an offer directly with the seller, the middle men are eliminated, which increases the odds of putting together a deal that works for both parties….and does so in record time.

InfoTube.net has over 20,000 properties listed directly by owner or by builder.  We encourage buyers to seriously consider these properties, whether you are working with an agent or not.  Working directly with the owner has many distinct advantages and benefits….no drawbacks. 

Every single home seller can Up the Odds of Selling their home this season.  And, best of all…we aren’t recommending  lowering your price….

To learn how successful seller’s got the job done this spring…CLICK HERE….for details with Before and After Photo’s.

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net.   Homes that have languished on the market in the past are now Under Contract!!!  If you need help selling your home, we are here to help you!  Call 1-800-858-6000 or visit our site today.

Tree FAQs:

“Over the course of 50 years, a single tree can generate $31,250 of oxygen, provide $62,000 worth of air pollution control, recycle $37,500 worth of water, and control $31,500 worth of soil erosion. ”

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”Anonymous

“One tree can absorb more than a ton of carbon over its lifetime.”
Via:  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Trees reduce storm water runoff and erosion, and they remove harmful chemicals from the soil to prevent them from running into streams and rivers.
Via:  USDA Forest Service

It doesn’t take a lot of money or time to plant one tree for Earth Day!   In addition to being good for the earth…planting a treel also adds green to your bank account when you sell your home.   Mature landscape has no subsitute.

 InfoTube.net planted 7 tree’s for Earth Day this year and we hope to plant more next year.   Thank you for visiting and please plant a tree today!

Let’s face it, not all plants can stand up to dogs, bouncing balls, kids and all around foot traffic. But there are some plants made for the feet-whether two or four.

These creeping perennials are very low growing ground covers that, when stepped on, bounce right back, and they come in a wide variety of color. Some favorites include blue star creeper, stonecrop and creeping wire vine. Miniature rush resembles grass but holds up to foot traffic. The choices are endless.

Before you rush out to buy your creeping perennials, you need to make an assessment of where you’ll plant them. For sunny locations, select something like thyme or stonecrop. If the soil is wet, choose plants like viola and Lysimachia. And also, how much foot traffic will the plants really get? The rule of thumb is this: The more delicate the leaf structure, the less traffic they’ll be able to withstand.

If your pathway is stone, soften the look of the edges by choosing plants that will give it some old world charm and make it look like it has been there forever. If the area is in full sun and drains well, Potentilla, an aggressive speader, will fill in the cracks quickly.

Space between stepping stones and pavers will vary on type of path. Plant a full plant in wider spaces for faster “fill-in”. In small spaces, use a utility knife to cut your plant into quarters. If the space is very tight, try slicing long slender pieces to tuck in. If your existing path needs more space, chisel out some of the original path to creat more of a gap for your plants.

A good place to visit these plants that are “Good For Your Sole” is www.STEPABLES.com.

The true test comes with help from the dog. If the plants can  withstand him, they can withstand anything.

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net.  Our business is marketing homes.  We have helped thousands of home owners and we can help you, too.  

Tip for Spring Home Sales:   Boost your curb appeal and you will boost your bottom line. 

Fannie Mae is dangling a new carrot under the noses of deliquent borrowers…if they agree to turn over their deed in lue of foreclosure…they will be eligible for a new mortgage in two (2) years versus the four (4) year present waiting period.

In addition, borrowers who lost their home due to “extenuating circumstances” beyond their control will be able to qualify for financing with as little as 10 percent down after only 2 years.  Circumstances such as job loss, illness or divorce are considered “beyond ones control”.

Bankruptcy and foreclosure damage millions of borrowers’ credit scores, leaving most unqualified for another mortgage for years.  Fannie Mae requires that borrowers resestablish credit for a five (5) year period in the case of foreclosure.  The minimum wait for borrowers who filed for bankruptcy protection is currently 2-4 years depending on whether the borrower filed under Chapter 7  (4 years) or Chapter 13 (2-4 years) depending on circumstances.

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net Homes for Sale and Lease Website.  Place a Free property listing or search our database for thousands of great deals on real estate.

InfoTube salutes the homeowners and architects who created this beautiful home.    If you have a heavenly home that you want to sell…create a FREE webpage about your property at InfoTube.net.

1. Set the Stage.  Mow, clean, store and pack.  Open the windows and pull back the drapes.  Turn on the lights and light a few candles. 
2. Consider taking your pet to a neighbor or pet sitter during your Open House.
3. Use a sign-in notebook to record contact information and invite comments and feedback.
4. Ask a mortgage company to assist you in holding an open house.  Many local companies provide an on-site lending officer to assist buyers in calculating payments and exploring financing options.
5. Consider calling your local title company to see if they offer assistance to sellers holding open houses.  Most of these companies offer a variety of free, helpful assistance, often including food, signage, advertising, etc…
6. It is best to keep your Open House an adult only event.  Consider arranging for your children to be away during your Open House.
7. Don’t crowd the attendee’s or become their tour guide.  Greet each visitor at the door and be available to answer any questions they might have, but stay in the background.  Encourage the buyers to tour on their own and at their own pace.  Make every effort to insure that each person is at ease.  Allow them the privacy and time they need to discover all features of your home that interest them.  
8. Place small items, such as jewelry and medications, in a safe place during your Open House.  Theft and stealing are very rare, but do occur occasionally in some areas.  Safekeeping a few items will give you peace of mind and will assist you in your effort to Stage and Show your home.
9. Be prepared for comments that you may not appreciate and try to not go on the defensive.  You are selling, but remember buyers are buying.  Remain composed when hurtful comments are made about your décor, price, neighbors, floorplan or location.  Bite your tongue, smile, remain professional and courteous.  Showing your own home is a most difficult task.  To do it successfully, it is necessary to remain objective and most of us are not, especially about our home.  Be polite and helpful to the buyer at all costs, no matter how hard.
10. Smile, relax and enjoy meeting new people.  Your Open House is your time to stand in the spot light, so greet your visitors as you would like to be greeted. 

In conclusion, remember that holding an Open House is not mandatory for selling a home.  It is a valuable marketing tool because it allows home shoppers easy access to your home.    They are also very cost effective in terms of exposure, if you get the buyers to attend.   On the other hand, you may not want the public touring your home or open houses may not be popular in your area.  The decision to host or not is up to you… 

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net homes for sale and rent website.  National Open House Weekend is this Saturday and Sunday.  Buyers will be looking for Royal Blue balloons flying at Open Houses held by Realtors.  Make the most of this opportunity and make sure blue balloons are flying at your house, too.   Best of luck and let us know how you did! 

For Sale Signs are popping up like tulips and National Open House Weekend is This Saturday and Sunday.  

Every home seller should take advantage of the tremendous amount of buyer traffic that will be on the street this weekend.  The Realtors Association is doing the advertising for you.   Don’t pass up the opportunity to show off your  home, too!!

What Time Should You Hold Your Home Open?

• Open your home to the public for 3 hours, both Saturday and Sunday.   On Sunday, don’t start before 1:00.

Idea’s for Advertising and Marketing Your Open House. 

• Place an ad in your Newspaper Classified real estate section.  Check to see if your local paper has a special Open House section, many do.  You should run your ad the morning of the Open House and if budget allows, run your ad a few days in advance of the Open House.
• Edit your InfoTube ad and include the date and time of your Open House on your free internet ad.  Be sure to remove the dates from your ad, once the event has past.
• After editing your ad to include your Open House date, Print new brochures with the date and time, then refill your InfoTube.   (Tip:  Make sure you print plenty of brochures to hand out at your Open House.)
• Open House Directional Signs.  Nothing boosts attendance as much as directional signs placed at all key intersections and the routes traveled to reach your home.  You can purchase directional Arrow and Open House signs at most major home centers.  Please collect all signs after your Open House to avoid possible citations.  Many towns consider left over signs as “littering”, after the event has passed.
• Attract more attention.  Purchase an Open House sign for a few dollars at your local hardware store.  Tie brightly colored balloons to the sign the day of the event.
• Post your Open House on OpenHouse.com.  Place a post on Craigslist.  Send out an email.  Use the internet to gain as much attention as possible.

Tomorrow we will address Setting the Stage for the perfect Open House.   Topics will include setting the scene, staging, how to give a tour, how to work with buyers and much more….so please check back in with us!

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net.  Get outside after work today and start sprucing up that front yard.  Nothing  draws buyers like great curb appeal.

Why we think so… Ten year treasury securities very recently touched the 4% mark.    The home mortgage is based on the 10 year note in a majority of cases.   The bank adds a premium onto the 10 year rate and that is what an individual will pay for a home mortgage.

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net.  If you would like to receive all the breaking news on real estate sales and marketing, follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

If we believe that our government’s must increase revenue, then we need to ask ourselves…what on earth is left to tax or legalize???    We already tax income, sales, investments, property, personal possessions, death, sins such as drinking alcohol, smoking or chewing tobacco… So, is left?   

You’re Going to Tax my What???

• We Want To Legalize and Tax Your Pot, Grass, Weed, Ganga, Marijuana, Willie Nelson Special…  Why???Legalizing herb would generate millions in revenue from sales and excise taxes.  Create jobs and income taxes. Help the environment.  Re-purpose unused land and land formerly used for tobacco farming.  Cut billions of dollars in spending on law enforcement.    Slash budgets for the courts, legal systems, jails,prisons and cost of incarcerations.   Of all the proposals under consideration…legalizing pot has the most upside.
• Your George Hamilton Tan….Effective July 1st, everyone will pay a 10% tax for using a tanning bed.
• Your Pole Dance…Texas already has a stripper tax  and now other states are considering one.  Hey…doesn’t everyone know by now…keep your hands off the strippers!
• Your Tattoo…Minnesota and several other states plan to tax your INK. 
• Your Bottled Water…A dozen states plan to add a special tax for bottled water.
• Your Pizza…Chicago Style, Stuffed or Flatbread…they are coming for you.  Several states hope to implement Junk Food Taxes which would also include a “Sin Tax” on Sodas, Chips and Fast Food Burgers.

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net homes for sale and rent website.    Connecting Buyers and Sellers is what we do…and best of all It’s Still Taxfree, for Now…   And, if you know of a proposed ridiculous tax or legalization for tax purposes in your area…post it for us…knowledge is key…

Adding a video tour of your home can attract more buyers and hold their attention longer than still pictures.   But, before you grab your camera and start shooting…take a minute to learn how to present your home in it’s best light.

9 Tips for Staging a Virtual Home or Video Tour: 

1. Understand the camera’s perspective.
The camera’s eye is very different from the human eye. It magnifies clutter and poor furniture arrangement.  Make a home camera friendly in a virtual tour, cater to the lens.

2. Make the home “White Glove clean.”
Because the camera magnifies grime, each room must be spotless. Don’t forget floor coverings and walls; a carpet stain might be overlooked by prospects during a regular home showing, but that stain becomes a focal point for online viewers.

3. Pack up the clutter.
But leave three items of varying heights on each surface. For example, on an end table you can place a lamp (high), a small plant (medium), and a book (low).

4. Snap pictures.
Get an idea of what the home will look like on camera. Closely examine the photos and list changes that would improve each room’s appearance: opening blinds to let in natural light, removing magnets from the refrigerator, or taking down distracting art.

5. Pare down furniture.
Identify one or two pieces of furniture that can be removed from each room to make the space appear larger.

6. Rearrange.
Spotlight the flow of a space by creating a focal point on the furthest wall from the doorway and arranging the other pieces of furniture to make a triangle shape. The focal point may be a bed in a bedroom or a china cabinet in a dining room.

7. Reaccessorize.
Include a healthy plant in every room; the camera loves green. Energize bland decor by placing a bright vase or fresh flowers on a mantle or draping an afghan over a couch.  

 8.  Film Outdoors.

Outdoor amenities sell homes, too.   Buyers love views, pools, landscaping, creeks, tree lined streets, waterfronts, decks and porches.  Use video to show off property features that words or still photographs can not adequately convey.
9. Keep the home in Show Condition.
You want buyers who liked what they saw online to see the same home in person.

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net homes for Sale and Rent website.   Search pver 21,000 home listings from the privacy of your home.  And, Sellers Place a FREE property listing, today.   Buyers are waiting!

• 1.  Ask the Seller to Pay Them.  Most lenders allow the seller to contribute up to 6 percent of the purchase price toward the buyers closing costs.  For buyers who are short on upfront cash, it may make sense to offer the seller more money for the property, but ask that they pay for the closing.  (Bonus:  Mortgage points are tax deductible, even if the Seller pays them.
• 2.  Shop Loans.  Loan fee’s vary drastically, so plan to shop and negotiate.  Ask 3-4 lenders for their best rate (without points) and an estimate of their fee’s.  Submit a loan application with the lender that is offering the best deal and carefully read the good-faith estimate they provide.
• 3.  Buy Cheaper Title Insurance.  Title insurance is required by all lenders and protects against disputes or challenges to ownership.   Keep in mind that it is insurance, so as much as 80 percent of the premium will be paid to the agent as a commission.  Shop for cheaper title insurance with companies like EnTitle Direct, which charge less for insurance by eliminating the middleman.

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net homes for Sale and Rent FREE website.  The Fed left rates unchanged today.  Let’s Celebrate!!

InfoTube has been showing homebuyers the beauty of what’s inside since 1988.     And, it’s made 100 percent in the USA!   Seller’s, what’s not to Love????

If you love fun tidbits about real estate…check out InfoTube.net for Real Estate Facebook Page.  Post Before and After Pictures, Ask a Question, Brag about a Genius Real Estate Deal, Check out Your Agent…Become a Fan Today.

The  program, which takes effect April 5, 2010,  pays lenders and borrowers to complete a short sale.   Key points of the program are as follows.

• 1.  The program compels lenders to accept a short sale offer and forgive the difference they are owed between the market value and the outstanding mortgage balance. 
• 2.  The lender will receive $1000 for every short sale they participate in.
• 3.  The program encourages millions of borrowers to get serious about getting rid of their homes.  It  pays homeowners $1500 in walking away cash for finding buyer for their property and closing the sale.
• 4.  The lender will utilize real estate agents to determine the present market value for a home.  That value will set the minimum acceptable price.   The estimated value will not be shared with the homeowner.  If an offer is submitted that is equal to or higher than the estimated value, the lender MUST take it.

Pro’s and Con’s

• 1.  For the investment pools which own most of the home loans, there is the hope of getting more money from a short sale than a foreclosure proceeding.
• 2.  For the lender, $1000 will help offset the labor intensive short sale process.
• 3.  For the borrower, their credit will suffer less damage.  They have the lenders assurance that they won’t be sued down the line for their unpaid balance.  And, they get $15oo to assist with their relocation.
• 4.  For the community, short sales mean fewer empty houses sitting around waiting for the bank sale.  It is estimated as many as half of all vacant properties are ransacked, neglected, vandalized and depress the value of neighboring homes.
• 5.  The downside is that short sales are “tailor made” for fraud.  House values are inherently subjective, which provides a wide latitude for potential conflicts.
• 6.  Another problem is that bankers hate the very idea of accepting an offer short of what they are owed.  By nature, they don’t want to sell anything at a discount.  If they loan $200,000 …they expect to be repaid $200,000, not $150,000.

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net your FREE homes for sale and rent website.  Search our listings in complete privacy or place a home ad for FREE.  We also provide Free Legal Forms, Sales and Marketing Advice, Flat Fee MLS and Realtor.com listings and More….

HAVE WE HAD ENOUGH, ALREADY???

Forget about the politicans in Washington DC, they don’t really work for us and we don’t need them to make our position clear.   Americans can simply move their checking or savings accounts from the Wall Street “bailout” behemoths such as Citibank, Bank of America and Wachovia to their local, community bank or credit unions.  And, switching  banks is not a lot of trouble.  If you want to read over a checklist before you start, go to the moveyourmoney.info website for tips and helpful information. 

Millions of taxpayers and outraged citizens have already moved their money.  They’ve had enough and they’re not taking it anymore.   The bonus… even though it surprised many people who made the change, the rewards for switching to a local bank are huge   All banks, large and small, now offer Debit and Credit cards, ATM’s and Online banking.    But, the big banks can not match small banks in terms of service.  Local banks offer lower fee’s, higher interest rates on deposits, personalized service focused on the local community and perhaps best of all, you can speak face to face with someone you know, who can make a decision for the bank.   What’s not to LOVE????

Crow Erickson, Inc., parent company of InfoTube.net, puts our money where our mouth is.  We conduct all our business at a local, community bank and we hope every hard working American follows our lead.  Are you Tired of Feeling Helpless??   Do you Want Change Really???   You have the power, this time!  Move ALL Your Money from the Megabanks today.  Action is the only change Wall Street understands.

• Nearly 40 percent of buyers sited financial reasons as the motivation for co-habitation
• A third of the buyers who were looking for an “in law” friendly floorplan cited care issues.
• Only 6 percent said a strong family bond was the reason they were living with family.

InfoTube.net offers some Tips for Buyers and Sellers regarding the “In Law” suite Trend

• Everyone involved in the purchase should talk frankly about sharing rooms, bathrooms and common area’s, such as kitchens and family rooms.
• Sellers with rooms or places to accomodate multi-generational living should definitely highlight and play up that aspect of their home.
• Buyers will be very clear about their needs and are willing to pay for extras.  Extra bedrooms, bathrooms or even plumbing roughed in for an extra bath will be important.  Luxury ammenities such as separate kitchens, entrances, handicapped accessibility, one level living or a free standing additional building on the property are most sought after.

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net homes for sale and rent website.  Search our listings for thousands of deals found no where else on the web.

ATLANTA —

 Channel 2’s Tom Regan talked with one home seller who was shocked by what he caught on camera in his home. David Scitthelm owned a beautiful home in Buckhead. He was proud to put it up for sale, but he wasn’t pleased with the conduct of the two real estate agents who arrived to show the house. 

To Learn More or Watch the Short Video, CLICK HERE

Commentary:  Infotube.net  ALWAYS advises that home sellers  hide or pack away anything that is private or could be used against them in a negotiation.   And, private mail and legal notice issues aside…did you see how this agent hunted for books, stereo equipment, family photographs, collections, etc. to gain personal knowledge about the sellers?   Hopefully this story plainly illustrates to homesellers the importance of packing up all personal items BEFORE they put their home on the market.  Added Bonus:  A staged home always shows better and appeals to a wider audience, too.  

P.S.  And, don’t forget your medicine cabinet (:

Before……

After…..

1.  Measure your mirror, then purchase a molding you like at the hardware store.  Some stores will even cut it for you.

2.  Stain the molding to match the woodwork in your bathroom.

3.  Apply glue to molding, then stick it to the mirror. 

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net free homes for sale and rent website.   At InfoTube.net you can place your property listing on the site, search for your dream home, advertise your home on the MLS, print brochures for your InfoTube or InfoBox or print free legal forms.

New home starts are up 36 percent, factory and industrial output is up, job loss has slowed from 700,000 job losses last January to only 20,000 January 2010.  If you need more proof…the Fed just increased the discount lending rate it charges banks for the first time in years.   If they didn’t think the economy was heating up…they would have never raised rates.  And, we think they know something about an improving  job market that they’re keeping to themselves for now…

So, what cities will come out of the crash the fastest?  Where can you invest and look like a Warren Buffett investor in 5 years?  Here are 10 cities where Moody’s and the New York Post think you can put your money to work now.

1. Memphis, TN

2.  Salinas, CA

3.  Medford, OR

4.  Washington DC and surrounding areas

5.  Mobile, AL

6.  Las Cruces, NM

7.  Fayetteville, NC

8.  Phoenix, AZ

9.  Fort Worth.Arlington, TX

10. Cincinnati, OH

To read the complete article, with detailed explanation for the picks… CLICK HERE!!!

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net homes for sale and rent website.   If you haven’t checked out our Facebook Fan Page or our Twitter account, please do.  We post informative and FUNNY stuff about all things real estate.

Why?   There are so many incomplete developments for sale, that finished building lots are being dumped onto the market at 50 cents or less on the dollar.   Small builders or investors, who have the time to hunt down smaller projects, or buy the fill in lots that don’t interest big investors, are doing even better.  They report buying quality building lots at 20 – 30 cents on the dollar.

The Law of Supply and Demand.  

Supply:  The two to three year supply of unsold building lots has stopped developers from investing in more land, finishing projects or starting new ones.   

Demand:  The United Stated needs 1.2 million new homes for the next 10 years, just to keep pace with population growth.  During the past few years, builders have constructed only 500,000-600,000 homes per year, or less than half the amount needed to keep pace.    When housing demand rises, the need for finished lots will be painfully obvious and builders will pay a premium to get their hands on them.

Investment in building lots was significant by the end of 2009.  Before you jump in and invest in a vacant building lot, make sure your expectations are reasonable.   Other than the Golden Rule…Location, Location, Location…, keep in mind, generally, land can not be flipped.  Plan to hold on to the property for a minimum of one year and up to three.  If you are considering unfinished lots, plan to wait a minimum of three to four years before ringing the register.

MORE…..Check back with us tomorrow.  We’ll tell you how to spot a good price for a lot and buy below the finishing costs!

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net, a FREE website for real estate.  Search thousands of listings for great deals or put your property on the site today.

Share Your Property Information with One Click

InfoTube.net has provided a direct “Share” link on every home listing.  The “Share” link automatically feeds your property listing to all major sharing websites such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc.  If you use social networking or RSS feed websites, simply select where you want your property listing posted and click.  It’s that easy.  (The Share Link can be located under the “Email Seller” link on every home listing.)

Sellers and Buyers Communicate, Learn and Get Advise

InfoTube.net for Real Estate has an Offical Facebook and Twitter page where you can post pictures, questions, idea’s or funny real estate stuff you want to share.  Become a Fan and Contributor Today. 

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net for Real Estate.  We hope you like the new improvements.  If you don’t already have a FREE property listing on InfoTube.net, post one today, you’re missing buyers.

Al Lewis

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

President Obama has often said that it would be a shame to waste this economic crisis. Nowhere is that more true than in residential real estate. Federal home-buyer tax credits up to $8,000 designed to increase home sales and reduce foreclosures are having little impact. Sales of existing homes fell a record 17 percent in December, while foreclosure petitions are rising. Instead, let’s use this crisis to try a new approach: permanently slashing the 6 percent real estate brokerage commissions prevalent in most markets.

Unlike commissions paid for buying cars, stocks or insurance, these hidden commissions include two payouts – about 3 percent each to the seller’s broker and the buyer’s broker. But there’s no need for two brokers in real estate transactions. These hidden fees survive only because real estate brokerage is a cartel. Forty years ago, you needed one broker to buy a house – today you need two. In law and medicine, fee splitting is illegal. In real estate, it is required.

Most people would not hire commissioned brokers if they had to pay for them directly – that’s why the brokerage industry wants them hidden. So let’s eliminate hidden fees for the buyer’s broker. We could then drop the homeowner tax credit, since the buyer is saving three grand, and replace it with a $1,000 incentive credit. This cash bonus would go only to home buyers whose purchase prices include a total commission of 3 percent or less (or none at all).

The selling brokers will naturally complain: “We can’t afford to split a 3 percent commission with the buyer’s broker. That’s how much we need to make ourselves. So buyers will have to make their own arrangements if they want assistance.”

And that is exactly the point: Instead of allowing the 3 percent commission to be hidden in the sales price, this tax incentive would encourage home buyers to pay openly for whatever level of assistance they want, if any. Given those other options and the chance to collect $1,000, few buyers would opt to pay a 3 percent out-of-pocket commission – about $15,000 on a median-priced Bay Area home. Faced with the prospect of paying that bill explicitly, most Internet-savvy buyers would probably opt for personal advice just a few times during the home-buying process, and pay by the hour or by the showing.

Even with only $1,000 of tax credit, these buyers will be better off financially than first-time buyers who collect a hefty home buyer credit, but who still pay hidden commissions. And taxpayers are better off, too. Any buyer could still opt to pay the traditional commission at closing – but would have to forgo the incentive credit.

This temporary incentive credit could permanently alter the structure of real estate brokerage, because there would be no going back once the credit expires. As happened when stock commissions were allowed to decline, much lower transaction costs would create more transactions and hence more liquidity. Liquid markets will allow people to sell houses more easily before they go “underwater,” thus reducing foreclosures.

Of course the real estate brokerage industry, which has strongly endorsed home buyer tax credits, will oppose this incentive credit. Fortunately, an equally powerful coalition of builders, bankers, mortgage brokers and consumer advocates will be lined up supporting it.

Much lower transaction costs would not just reduce foreclosures by facilitating transactions, but would also increase people’s net equity in their existing homes. Homeowners would be better off and, at least in real estate, this economic crisis would not be wasted.

Al Lewis is author of “OOBonomics: 12 ‘Outside Of the box’ Ideas to Improve the Economy.”

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/02/02/ED4C1BP3O5.DTL

This article appeared on page A – 10 of the San Francisco Chronicle

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For information about the help that is available in your area, search for “down payment assistance programs” and include the name of your region of the country.   Also, check the HUD website which is providing a Neighborhood Stabilization Program.

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Clicking the link takes only 15 seconds and doesn’t cost you one thing!!  Please do it today and everyday.  And, please tell your friends.  It’s a great way to make a difference with no strings attached!!

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net a FREE homes for sale and rent website, that also has no strings attached.  Feel free to post your property listing or search for over 20,000 great deals on homes with complete privacy.

Before you consider investing your savings in real estate, ask yourself why you’re doing so.  Do you think that landlords get rich off rental income?  Do you expect home prices to suddenly rebound?  Do you expect to flip your investment for big profit, like some did 4 or 5 years ago??  If this is what you’re thinking, you might need to think again. 

Myth #1: Real Estate can Make You Rich:  We’ve all heard the late night commercials and multi-level marketing groups that make their money by selling the keys to making riches in real estate.  Don’t buy into it.  Unless you’ve owned a property for many years, or you found the deal of a lifetime, you should know that rarely does the rental income cover expenses.  In other words, rental property will cost you money, not make it.  When the market was soaring higher, landlords could justify losing money every year on rent, because they saw their property values grow.  In 2010, it will be very difficult to make renting a profitable venture.

Myth #2:  Rents Above Base Costs = Profit:  Calculating potential profit from rentals is not at all that simple.  An investor needs to be sure to calculate all the real expenses of owning property. 

Hidden Expenses.  If you have a loan, you’ll pay interest so figure that in.  Property taxes on real estate are already high and expected to go higher.  If future tax increases exceed the probability of rent increases, you lose even more.  Landlords also need a personal liability insurance umbrella, in addition to insurance coverage for the structure itself.   Landlords should count on having a one month vacancy (no renter) per year, as leases expire.  In addition, you’ll need to budget for the advertising, signage, etc needed to attract a new tenant.  Don’t forget to add in the cost of accounting and filing tax returns on rental properties. 

Don’t forget about Repairs and Maintenance.  They will vary depending on the age and condition of the property, but even if you buy brand new, the best tenants will cause normal wear and tear.  In addition, all property needs to be updated and maintained regularly.  If you don’t have the skills or the time, budget in repair costs plus the labor. 

Utilities and ground care can also eat away at potential earnings.  If the property is separately metered, the tenant pays the utilities.  If not, the landlord pays.  Unless the property is a single family home, the landlord will always pay for sewer and water, at a minimum.

Myth #3:  The Cost of Opportunity:  The Costs of Lost opportunity to be more precise.  If you invest your savings in a piece of rental property, then you can’t invest it in stocks, bonds or other financial instruments.   It is important for investors to know what their money can earn, in order to decide the best place to put their cash.   And, remember that real estate is not liquid, like equities and other investments.  You can’t dump a bad real estate investment, or cash in your profits, with a call or click of your mouse, like you can other investment vehicles.  Remember that just to sell a piece of investment property can take months or years, and fee’s to sell will generally erase 10-12 percent of the sales price.

Myth #4:  Fat Cat Landlords Sit While Cash Rolls in:  Being a landlord may look like a “cushie” job, but nothing could be further from the truth.  Landlords are responsible to their tenants and the law.  Owning any property, even one you occupy, requires constant attention and upkeep.   Unless you own over 10 units, you probably can’t justify the cost of a property manager to oversee finding and screening tenants, enforcement of leases, collecting and accounting for monthly rentals or handling evictions.  In addition, all landlords should be willing to accept late night phone calls or vacation interuptions for flooding, broken down heat or AC, leaking roofs, etc.  If that scene doesn’t sound appealing to you, or you’re not very handy, then becoming a landlord probably isn’t a job you will like.   

Conclusion:  Real estate is a high maintenance investment vehicle.   It is also one that is very expensive and time consuming to get rid of, if you don’t like it.   So, if you are considering becoming a landlord for any reason, make sure you calculate all the costs, time and trouble, before you jump in.

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In all seven of its districts, though, sales of lower-priced homes outpaced those of higher-priced homes by a wide margin, the Fed reported. It credited the government homebuyer tax credit for boosting interest in less-expensive properties.

And the extension of the tax credit could act as a shot in the arm for purchase activity later in the year, the Fed suggested. “The extension of the credit into 2010,” the Fed noted, “could give an added impetus to the expected seasonal sales upturn this spring.” 

Concerns about the continued housing recovery abound among policymakers and the chattering class, however. Both the tax credit and the Fed’s purchase of mortgage-backed securities are slated to end in the coming months, and it’s unclear whether there will be sufficient demand for home purchases without those stimuli.

This week, the Mortgage Bankers Association released a forecast for mortgage activity; it anticipates that mortgage issuance will fall 40 percent from 2009. The decline will be led by a plummeting rate of home refinancing, the MBA said.

InfoTube.net reads between the lines:  The market is being driven on the low end by Federal stimulus and the housing market will drop off after the April deadline for qualification passes.   If you have a home to sell, you will see more buying momentum earlier in the year than later.  To maximize your investment, clean, repair, stage and advertise your property on the internet during the first quarter of 2010.   January – April will be the period we will see the more homes go under contract for the year.