Posts Tagged ‘Estate’

Wisconsin Real Estate

Tuesday, September 7th, 2010

Wisconsin Real Estate

The Great Lakes

Living in Wisconsin is choosing to live and bathe in the surreal blue waters of the Great Lakes. Living in Wisconsin is choosing to live in the warmth of the sun and in the safety of the plains. Living in Wisconsin is like living in a place celebrating the freshness of life and the rising and setting of the radiant sun to the east and west.

The Birth of Wisconsin

Wisconsin was born on July 3, 1836 when the climactic American Revolution came to a dramatic halt. Wisconsin’s economy is driven by agriculture, manufacturing, and health care. It is fed by the farming industry and the dairy whose products are so great and impeccable. Wisconsin, in fact, ranks second only to California in the production of milk, butter, and other dairy products. And it ranks third to Vermont and Idaho in the per-capita production of Milk.

Like the white liquid called milk that is so vehemently produced in Wisconsin is Wisconsin itself. Wisconsin is a land of passion. Its people know there role in this Earth and they live it masterfully. Wisconsin draws its success in the fertile lands of the state. It produces the most cranberries, ginseng, corn for silage, and snap beans for processing. The sheer abundance of these crops indeed declares that Wisconsin is a great place to live in.

The Fruitful Lands

Not only does Wisconsin have many lakes it also has dozens of densely populated forests, an attraction for Wisconsin real estate investors. This, once again, provoke the fact that the lands of Wisconsin is fertile and abundant. Its lands are not barren as the deserts nor is it too wet like the marshes and the quagmires of other states.

The Wisconsin real estate properties are drawn from the great opportunities of livelihood that spans this state. Known as the Badger State, Wisconsin can brag its natural richness. Its plains that feed its people, its people that feed its industry, its industry that is, though only a minuscule, helps feed a nation called the Unites States of America.

A Mixture of Nature and People

The Wisconsin real estate properties are most noted for they synthesize two great aspects of living – environment and livelihood. Wisconsin’s geography yielded agricultural lands that until now feed its economy. It also gave rise to lakes that are one of the biggest in the nation, adding more to its superficial beauty. The variety in Wisconsin’s landscape also makes it one of the greatest vacation hotspots for outdoor recreation.

Things to Do

Even in the apparent aridity of winter, Wisconsin real estate draws crowds for skiing, snowmobile derbies, and even ice fishing. Even in the frosty times of Wisconsin, one can draw happiness and joy in recreation. Isn’t it wonderful how Wisconsin gives its residents a wonderful feeling of always having fun? This lofty feeling has fed the Wisconsin spirit and this has been passed for ages.

Wisconsin real estate is truly one to live on. You can invest on the many livelihood opportunities and you can enjoy through the many beauties and the many recreational spots. Wisconsin, known as the Badger State, is one of the prides of America.

Seth Willis Jr. is the webmaster for http://www.planetpads.com and a savvy real estate investor. His focus for Planet Pads is to allow users to showcase their real estate from all over the world .Users can browse properties , rentals , vacation homes and commercial properties from every corner of the globe.

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Using Cap Rates in Real Estate Investing

Monday, September 6th, 2010

Using Cap Rates in Real Estate Investing

If you are new to real estate, you are probably wondering about some of the terms you have heard at your real estate investment group or seen on the Internet. Understanding these terms is important to successful real estate investing. One of these terms is “Cap Rate.” Cap Rate is short for Capitalization Rate. Effectively, the Cap Rate is the rate of return provided, prior to financing, by the cash flow of an investment property.

The equation to determine the Cap Rate (CR) of a property looks like this:

NOI/FMV = CR, where NOI is net operating income from the property and FMV is the fair market value of the property.

Let me give you a simple example.

Suppose you purchase a property for 0,000. And suppose your net operating income, after operating expenses but before any interest, principle or depreciation, is ,000. Your Cap Rate is 10%, i.e., 50,000/500,000.

Now, this is your Cap Rate because you know what you paid for the property and you know its cash flow. But, what about the Market Cap Rate? The Market Cap Rate is the average Cap Rate that an investor in a specific market expects for a certain type of property.

You may wonder, “What is the significance of the Market Cap Rate for my property?” Well, as Market Cap Rates go up, values go down. Conversely, as market cap rates go down, values go up. We can see this simply by restating the formula as follows:

NOI/CR = FMV

Let’s take a look at our example when the Market Cap Rate changes.

Suppose the Market Cap Rate for your property goes from 10% to 7%. What does that mean for the value of your property? To find out, simply divide your net operating income (NOI) by the Cap Rate. So, 50,000/.07 = 4,000. Your property’s value went from 0,000 to over 0,000 through no effort of yours, but simply because the Cap Rate went down.

Conversely, suppose the Market Cap Rate goes from 10% to 12%. What does that mean for the value of your property on the open market? Again, simply divide the NOI by the Cap Rate. So, ,000/.12 = 7,000 So, the value of your property has decreased because the Market Cap Rate has increased.

What causes the Market Cap Rate (MCR) to change? It’s simply a matter of supply and demand. The more demand for investment property, the lower the MCR. The lower the demand for investment property, the higher the MCR.

So what should the Cap Rate of a property mean to you?

A Cap Rate should tell you two things. The first is how leverage will affect your investment. As long as your Cap Rate is higher than your borrowing cost (interest rate), then you should borrow as much as possible with respect to the acquisition and/or holding of that property. However, if your Cap Rate is less than your borrowing cost, then you should either pay cash for the property or find a different property to buy.

You should also monitor your property Cap Rates to help you determine when you should sell. You should probably sell the property if the Cap Rate falls below your borrowing cost. Why? Because in opportunity cost, you are losing money. Here is an example:

Let’s say you purchased your property for 0,000 when the Market Cap Rate was 10%. And let’s say your mortgage is at 7%. Now, suppose the MCR goes to 5%. What should you do? You should probably sell the property.

At this point, the property is worth ,000,000. Let’s say you want to maximize your Velocity of Money, so you refinance to a total of 0,000. Your NOI is still ,000. But you are paying 7% on your money. So now, your interest is ,000 but your income is only ,000 so you have negative cash flow of ,000. With the MCR below your borrowing cost, borrowing out the equity puts you in a negative cash flow position. Instead, you should look at the advantages of selling the property and purchasing a new property with a higher Cap Rate.

Of course, there are some things you can do to increase the value without regard to the Cap Rate. Your value will increase any time you increase your NOI. If you can make changes to your property to increase the rent or to decrease expenses, you will increase the value of your property even if your Cap Rate stays the same.

But any time your cap rate gets lower than your borrowing rate, you should consider selling the property. Many people in Phoenix and California got caught in this trap in the mid-2000′s. Cap rates were at an all time low; some as low as 3-4%. These same people lost many of their properties to foreclosure because they could not make the negative cash flow payments.

So pay attention to the Cap Rate in your market for your investments. If Cap Rates are low, it may be time to sell. If Cap Rates are high, it may be a great time to buy more property in your market. A good real estate broker can give you a pretty good idea of the cap rate for your property.

Warmest Regards,

Tom

Tom Wheelwright is not only the founder and CEO of Provision, but he is the creative force behind Provision Wealth Strategists. In addition to his management responsibilities, Tom likes to coach clients on wealth, business, and tax strategies. Along with his frequent seminars on these strategies, Tom is an adjunct professor in the Masters of Tax program at Arizona State University. For more information, visit http://www.provisionwealth.com.

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Sorting Through the Real Estate Market in Northern Illinois

Monday, September 6th, 2010

Sorting Through the Real Estate Market in Northern Illinois

Even though it isn’t nearly as big as Texas or California, Illinois is currently the fifth most populous state in the nation. And, of the millions of people living in Illinois, 75 percent of them have settled in the northern part of the state.


People are drawn to Northern Illinois for many reasons. The area is not only beautiful, but successful as well. Universities, favorite 500 companies and numerous research facilities all attract students and employees to Chicago and the surrounding cities. One reason why businesses thrive there is because northeast Illinois is an ideal transportation hub. With a natural Lake Michigan port on the east side of Chicago and main waterways like the Mississippi, Illinois and Chicago rivers nearby, it is very easy to move goods to and from the area. Not to mention the extensive railways that run across the state.


With so many people living in and around Chicago, there is obviously a vast amount of real estate in the area to accommodate them. If you are looking for Illinois real estate in or around Chicago, just finding which houses are for sale can be a little daunting.


Before you even begin looking at houses though, I would recommend learning a little bit about the neighborhoods in and around Chicago. That way, you’ll know more about the environments, price ranges and attractions that are available.


One of the most expensive real estate areas is central Chicago. This would include any real estate in or around the Loop. The Loop is the second-largest business district in the U.S. (right after Manhattan). Here you’ll find all the downtown attractions of Chicago. Apartments or penthouses in this area will likely be somewhere between 0,000 and several million dollars. If you are a wealthy, city-dweller, it might be the place for you, but personally I would prefer northern Chicago.


Northern Chicago is still very expensive, but there are beautiful parks, beaches, running trails and neighborhoods in this section. The closer you live to the city center though, the pricier the real estate becomes. I like this area because it tends to have bigger homes and lots, which is nice in such a populated area.


Although Southern Chicago has a reputation for gangs and poverty, the area possesses favorable characteristics too. For example, some of the city’s largest parks are in the southern section and there are a few middle and upper-class neighborhoods are there too. Southern Chicago is largely industrial though.


Western Chicago seems to be a popular area with students and is famous for its ethnic diversity. Median rent prices in this area are around 0. A few well-known neighborhoods in western Chicago include Wicker Park, Garfield Park, Austin and Lawndale.


These overviews barely scratch the surface of the different regions in Chicago, but they may help point you in the right direction. Each area has several neighborhoods and each neighborhood possess a different flavor. If you need to commute to work, look for a home near Chicago’s excellent public transportation hubs.

If you want more help sorting through the neighborhoods and houses in northern Illinois, trust RE/MAX (http://www.illinoisproperty.com) to lead you to the best Illinois real estate. RE/MAX helps buy and sell more houses than any other agency in Chicago. The author, Art Gib, is a freelance writer.

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It’s a Real Estate Boom for First Time Home Buyers

Sunday, September 5th, 2010

It’s a Real Estate Boom for First Time Home Buyers

The subprime mortgage real estate fiasco has created a glut of residential real estate in the real estate market. Foreclosures are on the rise and it doesn’t look like the end is in sight for at least another year. Thousands of home owners are losing their homes because adjustable mortgage rates have adjusted upward and caused increases of monthly mortgage payments so high that the affected home owners just can’t make the payments. It is inevitable, under these circumstances that many homes go into foreclosure and banks have to take them back.

While it is unfortunate that many home owners are losing their homes, the opposite and upside effect is that the real estate market is now a boom for the first time home buyer.

Mortgage interest rates are still low and banks and real estate lending institutions have 30-40 year fixed loans for home buyers. With home values in many areas around the country, such as California, plummeting anywhere from 30-50 percent of what they were a year ago, the market is wide open for buyers who have never owed a home and would like to do so now.

Lending institutions and sellers are very motivated now and are readily lending their ears to home buyers saying “lets make a deal” and deal they will. Here are some of the innovative and sensible ways home buyers can now acquire a home of their own when they are armed with some real estate homebuyer education.

1. Use government grants and loans for down payment assistance.

The federal government in 2003 established the American Dream Down Payment Act. This federal law has allocated 0 Million a year since 2003 to assist with arranging down payments for first time home buyers. This is a good indication of just how serious the government is about helping Americans make the American dream of home ownership come true.

Fannie Mae, one of the many federally supported programs for home buyers has programs such as the MyCommunity Fixed Rate Mortgage. This unique program is ideally suited for the first time home buyer. It provides for low down payment, high loan to value with broad flexibility, including nontraditional credit considerations allowing for the buyer to qualify for the loan. It also has special financial options to serve public servant professions such as teachers, police officers, firefighters and health care workers, and people with disabilities.100% financing is available with 30-40 year fixed rates. Check out the details at http://www.efannie.com.

These funds, in addition to other government funding sources, are made available through federal, state and local government agencies that provide down payment assistance to their citizens on a case by case basis.

Every major city and county has one of these programs. One need only exercise a little initiative and these funds can be acquired. Contact your local housing authority, city managers office or county administration department to find out about them and how to apply.

2. Use non-profit agency down payment assistance

Another little known, but long existing opportunity for first time home buyers to acquire help with down payment assistance is the numerous numbers of non-profit agencies around the country that provide free down payment assistance to home buyers. The Community Reinvestment Act of 1977, enacted by Congress in 1977 and revised in 1995, requires banks located within identified communities to make loans and reinvest the depositors’ deposits within that community.

For decades now and continuing into the future banks have been making huge amounts of funds available to invest in targeted communities. However, the availability of the funds was not publicized in a significant way and many people did not and still do not know about these funds. Many non-profit agencies became aware that they could help in the community revitalization effort by creating a means whereby the banks could channel the funds through various home assistance programs that non-profits created. The non-profits that specialize in this type of program have grown over the years. Some are very large and are nation wide such as the Nehemiah Corporation – www.nehemiahcorp.org.

They get funding from the banks via the Community Reinvestment Act and other funding sources and then provide for down payment assistance and other housing assistance to persons desiring to own a home.

One of the high points of these programs is that the funding is often times not limited to first time home buyers and certainly is not limited to only low income home buyers. This creates yet another source of down payment assistance for the prospective home buyer. Given the numerous avenues of funding to assist in buying a home and the present market swing in favor of home buyers, buyers are now firmly in the driver’s seat.

Roy Landers is a California attorney and real estate broker with over twenty years of real investing experience. He is also a licensed real estate broker in the country of Mexico. He teaches real estate investment strategies through seminars and some conducts free home buyer education courses for first time home buyers. For information visit the website at http://www.housingamericans.com or contact roylanders@housingamericans.com

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The Future of the Real Estate Market for 2008

Sunday, September 5th, 2010

The Future of the Real Estate Market for 2008

Copyright (c) 2008 Troy Foote

Will the current real estate condition get any worse before it gets better?

That is the question that many homeowners are asking. Because the market has not seen conditions like this within the last several years it is no wonder that many homeowners are worried.

There has been a number of factors that have contributed to this worry: prices of homes have fallen sharply in a short period of time, home ownership for first-time buyers have dropped due to being frozen out of the market and to make matters worse, foreclosures and mortgage brokerage bankruptcies are at a all time high.

Experts are telling us that the current market condition is going to get worse before it gets better. A couple of factors that determine this is that interest rates are not improving nor is obtaining credit.

However it is not just the residential market that is being affected, commercial real estate is suffering too.

Many experts believe that commercial real estate will continue to soften throughout 2008 including shopping centers, offices and apartment buildings. Because of the slow economic growth, interest rates will remain high thus triggering the continued softening of the commercial real estate market.

Many feel that the relief from the real estate market will not be achieved soon, at least not in the coming months. The inventory of homes currently on the market has continued to grow in the past months. Just in the first quarter alone over 730,000 homes have received foreclosure notices, which is one out of 171 homes across the US!

According to the U.S. Census Bureau the rate of homes in the United States there were vacant and for sale during the last months of 2007 was higher than it had been since 1965.

Demand for housing will remain low, impacting the prices of homes. . High risk buyers who would have been able to qualify for sub prime loans in the past have now discovered they are locked out of the market, thus unable to provide any immediate relief.

Furthermore, even buyers who are able to qualify but who do not have a large amount for down payments may also discover it remains difficult to become approved for mortgage loans.

While residential markets throughout the United States have been hit hard, Florida seems to be suffering more than many others. Part of the reason for this is the fact that literally thousands of condominiums that were under construction are anticipated to be completed this year.

In many cases, deposits have already been placed on these units; however, there is some concern that because property values have dropped and the tightening credit situation will give buyers reason to be concerned and perhaps even back out. In the event a large number of buyers back out of those units, this could cause a serious problem with construction loan defaults in this market.

California has also suffered as buyers who struggled to take out risky loans in order to purchase homes with soaring property values in the past few years discover they are no longer able to meet their housing payments. In many cases, selling those homes now is difficult as property values drop and mortgage payments rise.

While the news certainly may appear to be grim, there is some silver lining to those dark clouds. It appears that the housing market could well bottom out in 2008. This is actually good news because the market must bottom out before it can begin the climb back to the top.

Hello my name is Troy. Do you know what to do if ever faced with foreclosure? It is a scary thought. You need to know your rights and how to stop or prevent it. TheStop Foreclosure handbook is a valuable quide that you need NOW.

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Idahos Boise Area Real Estate Market ? Well Worth a Good Look

Saturday, September 4th, 2010

Idahos Boise Area Real Estate Market ? Well Worth a Good Look

With so much of the spotlight on over hyped real estate markets in boom to bust areas located in states such as California, New York and Arizona, Boise Idaho has just not appeared on a lot of peoples radar screens. However; there are some very important people who have been taking note of Boise Idaho and the Boise area real estate market.

Rated Number One

Fortune Magazine for instance, recently rated Boise Idaho number one in the nation in its 2005 list of best places to begin a career in business. Boise didn’t do so well with Inc Magazine however, because in that same year they rated the city number two in its list of the best cities start a business in. Life isn’t all work and no play, so it might be noted that Sports Illustrated rated Boise Number One Sports Town U.S. in 2004.

A Viable Market

These and so many other acallaides by numerous notable national publications and research centers have, of course had a profound effect on the Boise are real estate market. The result is that the devastating financial and economic shock and awe that has roared through so many other boom to bust market areas of the nation, has seemed to pass much more gently over the greater Boise area where homes are still being g bought and sold at a relatively brisk pace.

Still Affordable

For instance, homes can still be found for sale in the Boise area real estate market for as low as 0,000. These lower priced homes are also in very safe, livable neighborhoods and the Wall Street Journal recognized this fact by designating Boise Idaho as a retirees oasis in 2004. Also, with so many people now migrating to greener modes of transport, it may be well worth noting that Boise was singled out by Bike Magazine, as the Number one biking town in the U.S. in 2003.

Written by Antonious Driver. Find the best information on Boise area real estate as well as Boise MLS

Written by Antonious Driver. Find the best information on Boise area real estate as well as Boise MLS

Modern Home, Modern Real Estate

Saturday, September 4th, 2010

Modern Home, Modern Real Estate

The current U.S. real estate market is a burden and an asset to American investors, an article from Housing Predictor, an online forecaster of market trends, reports.

Citing as evidence thousands of reported home foreclosures, as well as homes that have been on the market for a substantial period of time without selling, the article notes that for a select group of investors, the time is drawing near to consider investments that could potentially turn into lucrative purchases and over time provide significant monetary returns.

The central issue is timing. Many investors are waiting to see how the government’s bailout affects Wall Street and consequently influences the real estate market, but many more investors are holding out until the bottom of the housing market hits its lowest rates.

Housing prices will continue to fall in the immediate future, and the nation’s credit crisis has put the brakes on consumer spending and made it difficult to obtain a reasonable mortgage. This means that housing prices could tumble even further and that investors could see more attractive prices for potential purchases.

But this wait-and-see approach has risks. If housing prices do not continue to go down, the opportunity for an investor to acquire property at its ideal price might pass him by. All this keeps mortgage companies, banks, real estate forecasters, and investors closely monitoring America’s temperamental housing market.

The next reasonable question to ask is when the bottom will hit. Housing Predictor forecasts that by 2009, and through 2010, most markets across the country will reach their lowest rates. The bottom will not come at once to every market in the country. Instead it will be a slow procedure, one that leaves some markets with their worst days behind them and others with their worst days still ahead. Based on current trends and data, the housing market will make a turnaround in 2010 and 2011. But the bottom is already near in California, Florida, Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan, which means that by the time the rest of the country is enduring its hardest times, these markets could very well be showing signs of growth.

Real Estate Investors understand the benefits of vigilance and timing. For some, whose previous investments have left them in a position to spend today, the market is an asset. And for others, perhaps just starting out, this too is a time of opportunity. But it is an opportunity that will largely be defined by the vision, resources, and wisdom of the investments. Warren Buffett has said that his investment philosophy is simple: Be cautious when others are aggressive, and aggressive when others are cautious. This statement is as true today as it was when the housing market was at its strongest.

Nowhere near its peak and still growing with tremendous strength, modern design has budding interior designers everywhere excited and spending. Across the globe, more and more consumers are environmentally conscious and have specific ideas and expectations when it comes to furnishing their homes. They want products that have superior design, products that are eco-friendly and practical. But they also want products that reflect their personalities and domestic lives, products that mark an increased enthusiasm for sustainability and uniqueness.

* Innovative Work Space Design from Design Within Reach This enthusiasm is global and has sparked increased sales for products with a keen sense of modern design. In Europe, Questo Design focuses on producing quirky accessories and highly stylized furniture. The Scandinavian inspired company Ikea brings sensibility and affordability to its myriad lighting, kitchen appliances and decor products. In the U.S., Design Within Reach, Hive, and 2Modern, are but three of the hundreds of companies whose collective business goal is offering sophisticated products to a hungry and intelligent consumer market.

Splinter off a section of modern design consumers and you will find people looking to buy or sell modern homes built with the same principals and sensibilities. A vast market is available for those who want their homes to be a symbol of their creativity, ingenuity, or personal style.

From San Francisco’s Bay Area to Boston’s historic outskirts, residential and commercial spaces designed with innovative architecture and sustainability continues to attract investors. These homes serve as local attractions and are often the focus of modern living oriented magazines such as Dwell and Metro Green+Business. They are places where industry meets intelligence, where design is defined by craftsmanship and durability.

* Classic Modern Living Just Outside New York City

Homeowners interested in selling their modern home today have key advantages in the current real estate market. The first advantage is that many modern homes now on the market attract buyers who have distinct interests in specific architecture and amenities that can only be found in certain modern homes. It’s a straightforward theory that is verified when thousands of people with similar tastes buy and sell homes to one another.

The second advantage is that a unique, modern home will always be just that: unique and modern. Even when styles and tastes change, superior craftsmanship and design allow modern homes to stand out and remain marketable. This market sustainability makes a modern home an investment that will experience years of healthy monetary returns.

A modern home is in some ways an extension of the person who lives there. It is about design and architecture. But it’s also about character. As someone buying or selling a modern home understands, a home is more than a roof and windows and floors. It is a space that informs and accentuates the people who live there. For these reasons, whether you are an investor, a person in the market to buy or sell, a modern home is a wise and rewarding investment, no matter the economic climate.

Brief Summary for the Article: Housing prices will continue to fall in the immediate future, and the nation’s credit crisis has put the brakes on consumer spending and made it difficult to obtain a reasonable mortgage. This means that housing prices could tumble even further and that investors could see more attractive prices for potential purchases.

A modern home is in some ways an extension of the person who lives there. It is about design and architecture. But it’s also about character. As someone buying or selling a modern home understands, a home is more than a roof and windows and floors. It is a space that informs and accentuates the people who live there. Visit SellModern.com for more information about modern designs, modern architecture, and modern homes

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Ideas for Proper Urban Development in Laguna Niguel Real Estate

Friday, September 3rd, 2010

Ideas for Proper Urban Development in Laguna Niguel Real Estate

Having described both the political and the economic dynamics of outcome-specific planning and financing activities, together with their philosophical constraints, I will now consider recommendations for future action in Laguna Niguel real estate law and urban development.

Classical liberal philosophy provides a useful approach in formulating recommendations because it provides a method of analysis for legal economic discourse that encompasses notions of natural law, inalienable rights, and the commitment of limited government to supplying and protecting the moral and normative imperatives of human dignity.

It is important to understand that classical liberalism does not take an amoral approach to economic analysis such as that used and advocated by conservative legal economists. Nor does it simply adhere to the false scientific principle of wealth maximization as the ultimate morality of the Laguna Niguel marketplace.

Classical liberalism requires a constant and continuous dialogue on the subject of human dignity that may lead to the determination of government’s proper role in the protection of individual liberty within the context of an organized social structure in Laguna Niguel Real Estate market.

The conventional planning process centered on highest processes where the urban planner shaped the plans. The planner is usually capable in surveying, engineering or architecture, contributing to the town planning process ideals established on these areas. They characteristically functioned for national or local governments.

Classical liberalism, therefore, does not proscribe planning and financing activities in Laguna Niguel. On the contrary, it provides a framework for taking into account the factors discussed in this book and using them to formulate a perspective or approach consistent with the requirements of a free market economy.

A free market economy such as Laguna, in the classical liberal sense, is concerned with both market efficiency and preservation of individual liberty through a moral and limited approach to California government. Similarly, the free market metaphor and classical liberal theory provide a structure for legal economic discourse that promotes underlying norms and values considered essential to Laguna Niguel realtors.

Lisa Cooper is an expert realtor and deals in Laguna Niguel Real Estate, Dana Point Real Estate, San Juan Capistrano Real Estate, and Orange County Real Estate.

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Has The Real Estate Market Bottomed Out In Prosper? Plano, Mckinney And Frisco?

Friday, September 3rd, 2010

Has The Real Estate Market Bottomed Out In Prosper? Plano, Mckinney And Frisco?

Has The Real Estate Market Bottomed Out In Prosper?

 

Take a drive down Prosper Trail starting at the Exxon station all the way to the tollroad extension.   We need not identify the subdivisions but the two between Preston and Coleman where there must be at least 500+ lots currently have no residents.  There appears to be 2 models built in one subdivision and 5 specs in the other.  Then continue to the tollroad and you will see another huge development on your right with no homes built…not even a model.  For more empty subdivisions drive Custer Rd. from Prosper Trail to #1461.  Are there some sales taking place?  Yes there are a few.

 

Whenever I write a column, I always want to be optimistic.  Optimism is a human condition.  That is where we all want to be.  You will see some numbers from January that would seem to indicate there is a light at the end of tunnel. Now, there is nothing I would like more than to tell you that things are looking up and 2005 is here again !  Here in Prosper, Plano, McKinney and Frisco we are reducing inventory but not at the bottom yet.

 

 Remember the old saying that “liars figure and figures lie.”  For example, what the federal government and the National Association of Realtors do not include in their reports is the “shadow inventory.”  This is comprised of literally hundreds of thousands   of foreclosed homes that have not been relisted yet. Believe it or not the lenders don’t always get these marketed immediately.

 

. Another significant omission from the stats is the “expired and terminated listings” where owners have removed their listings waiting to relist when the market improves.   So, the inventory and the days on market stats are skewed and look better than they really are.

 

We all know the real estate market has been in the toilet for the past few years, and that nobody’s buying.  It’s tough to buy a house when you have no money and no one will offer you credit. Having said this it must be noticed that north central Texas has tumbled the least (although Collin County had the largest increase in foreclosures last month over Denton and Dallas counties).  Markets that hold up the best in a recession are generally the first to rebound.  So, eventually Prosper,Plano, Frisco and McKinney may lead the way.

 

The home market is usually cyclical and history tells us it is usually 3 to 4 years.  We know that half of California and Michigan would move to Texas if they could sell their

present homes.  And many will. In addition, there are a lot of buyers sitting on the side lines looking for further declines in home prices.  So, we know there is a lot of pent up demand out there.  When demand finally surpasses supply we will be on the upswing. Prosper has a ton of inventory lots and  is ready to  recover.

 

What this all means to Prosperites is that if you are thinking of selling…hold off and if you are thinking of buying proceed cautiously and drive a hard bargain. For more infomation go to www.remingtonrealtygroup.com.

 

The truth is that no one will be able to forecast the bottom.  We will only know this in hindsight as we begin to recover. As they say on Fox news channel, “we report…you decide.  Here are the January stats for Prosper.

* 57 new listings vs. 65 for last January(down 12%)

 *21 sales vs. 14 for last January( up 43%)

 *2,750 median price vs.0,450

 *89% of asking price sold vs. 92% (down 3%)

 *198 average days on market VS. 184( up 7%)  *Inventory of homes 212 vs 306 (down 31%) 

 

Remington Realty Group’s Bill Remington is widely regarded for providing comprehensive real estate services to buyers and sellers of homes in Prosper, Plano,Frisco, McKinney, Carrollton,Richardson,Allen. Bill is President of Prosper Chamber of Commerce. Expert in short sales, REOs and foreclosures.Learn more

Charlotte Real Estate

Friday, September 3rd, 2010

Charlotte Real Estate

Charlotte Real Estate Prices Fall

 

Charlotte nc real estate prices fell 7.2% in Dec. from a year earlier.

They fell 2.5% in Dec. from Nov.

The 7.2%  price decline was among the smallest of the 20+ markets tracked by the national Home Price Index.

Denver Colorado was the healthiest of the 20 cities, with a 4% drop in home prices when compared with Dec 2007.

The overall national index of the 20 cities saw an 18.5% decline. Phoenix Arizona was the weakest market with a decline of 34%, followed by Las Vegas Nevada, down 33% and San Francisco California, down over 30%.

The national index says as of Dec 2008, average home prices across the U. S. A. are at similar levels to what they were in the 3rd quarter of 2003. From the peak in the second quarter of 2006, average home prices are down over 25%. 

there are some strong signs that we just might be at the real estate turnaround point.

The first sign is the massive stimulus bill signed into law by President Obama is certain to pull new homebuyers into the real estate market who would have otherwise have stayed on the sidelines and kept renting.

The new federal tax credit goes up to ,000 and does not have to be paid pack, unlike last year’s ineffective credit program. It’ s mainly intended for first time homepuyers, but under the program definition, you’re a first time homebuyer as long as you haven’t owned or co-owned a house during the last three years.

You might have sold your long-time home in 2005 or early 2006, and haven’t owned a house since, but you still qualify as a first timer for the ,000 credit this year. Hopefully there will be more incentives and buyers coming out. Personally, I’m expecting a great spring and summe

 

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