If you’re planning to buy a home, an appraisal is an important step in the process. It’s a professional evaluation of the market value of the home you’d like to buy. In most cases, an appraisal is ordered by the lender to confirm or verify the value of the home prior to lending a buyer money for the purchase. It’s also a different step in the process from a home inspection, which assesses the condition of the home before you finalize the transaction. Here’s the breakdown of each one and why they’re both important when buying a home.

Home Appraisal
The National Association of Realt... Read more

With the summer moving on, we are moving into the busier season for Real Estate. Visitors that are considering buying are now winding down their vacations and focusing more on Real Estate. This is why we have seen more showings and offers in the past two weeks than in all of July. This has been a typical pattern for many years now.

Sellers are lowering prices in an effort attract those buyers and get an offer. With interest rates so lows and seller motivation high we are seeing a nice third quarter rally.

There is still a lot of inventory which will continue to keep prices do... Read more

As a Real Estate professional I get asked this question daily. I have my ideas and opinions and quite frankly they change as the "market" changes. But the one constant for me has been this: Any given property is worth what someone is willing to pay.

If you are trying to sell a property in today’s market put yourself in the shoes of a buyer. Ask yourself this question:


Would I pay what I’m asking?



Today’s buyer studies the market to determine for themselves what a certain property in a certain neighborhood is worth.



... Read more

If you are an investor looking to invest on a foreclosed property, then you may also want to consider whether to buy the Real Estate Owned property or the pre- foreclosed property that is still owned by the borrower. You may feel that investing on an REO property is a fairer deal as you will be assured with the title to the property and the insurance. Also you will have a security of the old owner not returning to claim back the property.

However, these features are not applicable when you buy a pre foreclosed home! But the real problem you will face when you want to invest on an REO... Read more

A depression in the economy can cause many home owners to throw up their arms and sell their homes in order to get rid of financial difficulties. But does that mean they can give away their property to a lender only because they cannot afford it anymore! Also those in financial crisis cannot treat their homes as easy to dispose consumer goods. I agree that a real estate investment can also be termed as an illiquid investment. But real estate history has known that selling a home takes much planning and patience for months before a suitable buyer turns up.

The early 1990s saw homes se... Read more

The real estate market in Sac Town is always booming with activity. With the availability of various home loans from the government and private mortgage lenders, buying a home in Sac Town has been made easy. But real estate has its speculations. If you do not repay your loan on time, your home is likely to be foreclosed. Foreclosed homes are budget priced homes. The foreclosed homes for sale in Sacramento have prices as low as 30 percent of the actual market value. This makes foreclosed homes affordable by people of low income and bad credit.

Buying a property in Sac Town has other a... Read more

Certified Distressed Property Expert- Linda Hess

LINDA HESS of GREATWEST GMAC REAL ESTATE, 2235 Douglas Blvd.#520, Roseville, Ca. has earned the prestigious Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) designation, having completed extensive training in foreclosure avoidance and short sales. This is invaluable expertise to offer at a time when the area is ravaged by “distressed” homes in the foreclosure process.


Short sales allow the cash-strapped seller to repay the mortgage at the price that the home sells for, even though it is lower than what is owed on the property.... Read more

My goal is to sell your property for the best price in the least amount of time with the least amount of hassle, all for YOU.

Communication is of the upmost
importance when working with your listing agent. Keeping me informed of changes in your needs and situation will go a long way to insure that you get your needs met.

I will help you to determine a value for your property based upon the current market conditions and what your needs are, but
remember that ultimately agents don’t set
property prices...buyers do! Properties are often listed at the sell... Read more

Here’s more evidence that the housing market is recovering.

Two major home builders, Toll Brothers Inc. and Hovnanian Enterprises Inc., say their losses were shrinking compared to last year because buyers are coming back to the market.

Other encouraging news came from IHS Global Insight, a research firm, which said home prices fell on average at an annual rate of 2.2 percent in the first quarter in 199 of 330 metropolitan areas. That compares with a 12.5 percent decline in the fourth quarter of 2008 in 312 metropolitan areas.

"While it’s too early to see a bott... Read more

Rate-rise threatens economic relapse

http://www.inman.com/buyers-sellers/columnists/loubarnes/rate-rise-threatens-economic-relapse



The economic optimists are still in charge of markets, rates and stocks still rising. However, the divergence is widening between them and those worried about credit and latent weakness. It may take a month or two to figure whose stubbornness has merit.

Markets first, then new economic data.

The 10-year T-note has jumped to 3.85 percent this morning, the highest since last fall, and even two-year Treasurys rose in yield... Read more

The other morning a GreatWest GMAC Real Estate professional was brainstorming with another Realtor. Both agreed that in addition to helping buyers purchase property, and sellers to sell their homes, they had voluntarily taken up the shield, for helping past clients, friends and family, to stay in their economically challenged homes during these difficult times.

Currently, they were averaging one or two calls a day, running the gamut consisting of the following:

(1) A friend, who bought a house in the 1990s, built up equity, then put on a second mortgage to finance an improve... Read more