The percentage of Americans who have been waiting to buy a home over concerns about the economy has dropped by more than half since 2010, a new survey by FindLaw.com says. Sixty-three percent of Americans surveyed said in 2010 that they were putting off homebuying decisions because of the sluggish economy. In 2012, the percentage has dropped to 30 percent. “Two years ago, the economic situation was driving a lot of potential home buyers to the sidelines,” says Stephanie Rahlfs, an […]

I have been a full time licensed agent celebrating my 20th year in the business. I have been a consitent top producer with a team of two full time assistants and one part time. Our job is to make your transaction easy and stress free. We go above and beyond to find you the home that suits your needs best. I also have a marketing assistant to provide you with top notch marketing that goes above and beyond. I look […]

Fannie Mae announced that an improving housing market has helped it post a $1.8 billion profit during the third quarter, and as such, the mortgage giant will not be needing to ask for more aid in taxpayer bailout money. A year prior, Fannie Mae reported a loss of $5.1 billion. “We are seeing signs of sustained improvement in housing and our actions to support the housing recovery have generated strong financial results in 2012,” says Timothy Mayopoulos, Fannie Mae’s chief […]

Scam artists are posing as landlords and are advertising foreclosed homes as rentals, a growing group of real estate agents warns. These scammers dupe unsuspecting renters by offering up properties they claim are for rent — which are often bank-owned and which they have no stake in. Then, these scammers often request personal credit information from the would-be renters and at least two months of rent up front for the lease. Many of these would-be renters don’t even realize they’ve been […]

Charles Thomas (Tom) Johnson, ABR, CRS Broker Sales Associate The Tom Johnson Group Prudential Fox & Roach Realtors As a full time resident of the South Jersey Shore area, I love working in a career that combines my passion for real estate, people, and this beautiful part of the country. With my detailed knowledge of the local market, I truly enjoy helping people find that very special home that fits their lifestyle. I am a consistent winner of New Jersey […]

The Federal Housing Administration has ordered a 90-day temporary suspension of foreclosures in areas affected by Hurricane Sandy last week, the U.S. Housing and Urban Development announced Monday. “I directed all FHA lenders to impose a moratorium on any foreclosures for 90 days in disaster-affected areas,” Shaun Donovan, HUD secretary, told reporters. “We don’t want families to be victimized twice — once by the storm and once by a foreclosure.” Following the storm last week that ravaged the East Coast, […]

Some Americans are embracing the investor role in real estate, hoping it will fund their future retirement. First-time investors are taking the strategy of buying foreclosed homes at super low rates and turning them into rental properties to increase cash-flow now and hopefully later too. “The typical small-size mom-and-pop investor has two or three properties, looking at it as an income supplement with the possibility of being able to sell at some point when prices rise enough for them,” says […]

Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage is New England’s most comprehensive real estate services organization. My commitment and focus is to provide genuine one-stop shopping services to my clients and customers. Real Estate, Mortgage, Insurance, Moving and Relocation are now available. Please contact me today – I look forward to assisting you with your home purchase, sael and or relocation.  Click here to search for a gay or lesbian real estate agent anywhere in the country. Professional/Personal Distinctions: Member of the National […]

Foreclosures are falling across the country, but they still make up a big chunk of some markets’ housing stock. CoreLogic reveals in its report on September housing data that the following states have the highest foreclosure inventories: Florida: 11.5% of its housing stock New Jersey: 7.3% New York: 5.3% Illinois: 5.2% Nevada: 4.9% Meanwhile, the five states with the lowest foreclosure inventories are Wyoming (0.5%), Alaska (0.7%), North Dakota (0.7%), Nebraska (0.9%), and South Dakota (1.1%).   The author of […]

Home owners who experienced foreclosures are finding themselves owning again sometimes only three years later—possibly even less—with Federal Housing Administration-backed loans. Mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac usually require a seven-year wait following a foreclosure. However, the FHA will approve loans after three years, if the borrower can show good credit and ability to pay the mortgage. The FHA insures loans with low down payments, such as 3.5 percent, and tends to have greater flexibility with income requirements too. […]