Just Real Estate. The Best of ActiveRain ReBlogged. No recipes, no jokes, no SEO, no fluff

  Almost every inspection that I've done, I've come across light fixtures that don't work.  Regardless of the actual problem, I write these fixtures in the report as "inoperable" and that further investigation is required.  Some inspectors have long narrative scripts that could include possible w...

  About a week or so ago I wrote a post regarding mortgage marketing, or the lack thereof in the current marketplace.   The discussion also touched on the fact that many lenders have closed their wholesale lending divisions meaning they will no longer offer their loan products through mortgage br...

  If anyone needs hard evidence that the real estate market cycle is flattening out and turning around, check out the latest pending home sales index numbers. On a national basis, the index jumped by 5.3 percent last month. But more importantly, it rose in every region of the country, suggesting ...

  Good Afternoon, AR, from the Beautiful North Side of Chicago! Here's a case of bad news, and crumby timing, out of seemingly-cash-strapped, and possibly government-bailed-out, U.S. Loan Guarantors Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  For many, conventional loan processing fees are going up! The increas...

  We got called in to help get a great little bungalow ready for sale about two and a half weeks ago. The owner is an elderly lady who is now living in a retirement home and her family is selling her house for her. As part of our services, we also manage projects like having all the wallpaper tak...

                                      * * * * HARD CORE REAL ESTATE TALK * * * * HUD PROPOSES CHANGES TO RESPA that they claim would save consumers over $8 Billion a year by requiring disclosures that would help consumers shop for title insurance and settlement services.  WHICH COMES FIRST, FINDI...

                                                 * * * * HARD CORE REAL ESTATE TALK * * * * LISTEN UP FOLKS!!  It's time for an wake up call for real estate agents and brokers to . . . . COME BACK TO EARTH!  A thoughtful article by Neal Bloom read this morning made me realize that all of the hoop...

  Reverse mortgage are undoubtedly mortgage types that people love to hate. However, every year the number of people taking reverse mortgages is constantly rising. In the United States alone, there are about hundreds of thousands in reverse mortgage transactions every year. The figure seems to be...

  I once had a homeowner approach me at one of my Opens while her home was still listed with another agent.  She wanted me to list her home when the current listing expired.  Since she "opened the door" I should have had her sign a contract to list her home on a future date.  However, I didn't an...

  So, you've just wrote a contract on a home for your clients, and you're wondering what the home inspection will reveal. After all, the previous homeowner didn't maintain their property very well. The paint is peeling, the grass is long, and the garbage is piled up. This tells you more about a p...