As Hurricane Sandy threatens the Atlantic Coast in what’s being dubbed as “Frankenstorm,” many home owners are asking themselves: Have I done enough to disaster-proof my home? Forbes recently provided several tips on how to disaster-proof a home, including: Trim the trees. Make sure the trees around your property are trimmed and pruned. Forbes points out that if your overgrown tree is near a power line, you should contact the local utility company—they may even cut the tree back for […]

Matt is an outside the box thinker looking to genuinely help clients with their real estate needs. After living in Grinnell for 6 years he and his partner moved to the beautiful lake community of Holiday Lake just north of Brooklyn Iowa where he’s positioned perfectly to service all of Poweshiek county. Let Matt’s knowledge of Grinnell, his life at the lake, and his knowledge of Poweshiek county work for you today. Contact Matt today!   Click here to search […]

Western states continue to dominate, showing some of the fastest paces of recovery in the nation’s housing markets. With inventories falling, national median list prices increased 2.54 percent year-over-year during the third quarter, Realtor.com reprots. The site released its rankings of the top 10 turnaround towns, based on third quarter housing data of median list price increases, inventory levels, and employment rates. 1. Oakland, Calif. 2. Sacramento, Calif. 3. San Jose, Calif. 4. San Francisco 5. Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, Wash. 6. Bakersfield, […]

About 74 percent of the general public says real estate agents do not do enough to justify their commission, according to a new study conducted by the University of Central Florida’s Department of Psychology and Merge. Real estate professionals report they are increasingly facing questions over their paycheck in a transaction. About 73 percent of sellers raised questions about real estate professionals’ commission after a listing is sold, and 64 percent of sellers often complained about the commission agents charge, […]

Home prices are inching up, record-low mortgage rates are creating more urgency with buyers, and foreclosures are falling. But despite the glowing reports, economists are still questioning whether the housing recovery will last. The challenges that persist could make this “one of the longest, most excruciating recoveries in housing history,” MSN Real Estate reports. Some of those challenges to the housing recovery: Access to credit still remains very tight, job growth remains weak, and a large number of underwater home […]

Starting this week, Fannie Mae is allowing electronic signatures on offer documents for its HomePath REO properties. Real estate professionals can also now obtain Fannie Mae offer documents and local sales contract approved forms through their multiple listing systems and real estate associations, HousingWire reports. Fannie says it hopes that by now permitting electronic signatures and making offer forms more readily available electronically, they’ll be able to reduce errors in filling out the forms and that real estate professionals will have easier […]

Lee has lived in the north metro his whole life and is very versed in the area. He has an unbeatable combination of knowledge and experience that you will find invaluable in your home buying or selling experience. He can guide you through every step of the journey with skill and compassion.   Click here to search for a gay or lesbian real estate agent anywhere in the country. Professional/Personal Distinctions: Member – National Association of Realtors, Member – Minnesota […]

Are you looking to work with a gay Twin Cities, MN Realtor to help find or sell a home? I am a full time broker that loves selling real estate. If you are relocating to the area, I would love introduce you to our city and help you find the perfect home/neighborhood for you to call home! If you currently reside in the Twin Cities and you are thinking of buying or selling – I would love to meet with […]

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced that it is now accepting consumer complaints about credit reporting and will work to help resolve individual credit reporting issues. “Credit reporting touches the financial lives of nearly each and every American,” writes Scott Pluta, CFPB’s assistant director for the Office of Consumer Response. “Credit reports affect whether or not you are able to get a credit card, a home loan, an auto loan, or a student loan, the ability to rent an apartment […]

Economists from the Mortgage Bankers Association sounded an optimistic note at a press conference yesterday afternoon during the organization’s Conference & Expo in Chicago, with predictions that unemployment will go down, home purchase loan originations will go up, and mortgage rates will remain low in 2013. All of these point to a continued housing recovery, but they cautioned that major economic challenges loom that could bring about a reversal — particularly in interest rates. “The most immediate threat is the […]