Your Carbon footprint is the amount of CO2 produced by your family annually, answer a few questions and calculate your carbon footprint. Click the link below to get started!
http://greenresourcecouncil.org/find_your_carbon_footprint.cfm
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Sunday, March 27, 2011
BUYING FORECLOSURES
I get calls all the time about clients wanting to buy foreclosures, here are a couple of things to keep in mind.
- The first step is to get pre-qualified if you are not a cash buyer. After you submit bid, you and your agent have 48 hours to get a cashier check with earnest money, and proof that you can get the money - a letter from the bank, or proof of funds if it is a cash offer. This also lets you know beforehand how much money you can spend.
- Another important thing to keep in mind is timiliness is key. Most of the HUD homes have a period of time that it can be sold to owner occupants only. After this period is over it is open to Investors and there is usually multiple offers going in from multiple sites. Being ready to jump is the key.
- Remember these homes are sold as is, neither the listing agent, selling agent or anyone knows the condition of the home. A certified home inspector is very important in determinig the condition of the home.
- Also zoning, septic/sewer systems, water supply has to be verified, it is up to the buyer to do this. It takes a little time sometimes.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
BUYERS READY TO SNATCH BARGAINS THIS SPRING
Bargain prices on housing combined with low interest rates below 5 percent may bring the real estate market its busiest spring season in years, economists say.
Distressed sales continue to put downward pressure on home prices, which may lure more buyers off the fence and ready to snag a deal during the typical prime-time buying season.
Some builders are ramping up discounts on new homes as well as boosting commissions to brokers to try to spark more transactions.
Sellers of existing-homes also are getting more competitive in pricing their homes.
"After three years of the housing downturn, people are becoming much more realistic in terms of valuing their homes," says Lawrence Yun, chief economist at the National Association of REALTORS®.
An improved job market with better in come potential may also motivate more people to buy, says David Berson of the PMI Group.
"Household formations are also very important," Berson says. "Kids may have moved back in with their parents, or two people may have moved in together, because of job concerns. Now they can move into their own place."
While interest rates are sitting comfortably below 5 percent for now (30-year fixed rates averaged 4.76 percent last week), economists warn the attractive low rates won't last long.
"Few think mortgage rates are going lower," says Mark Zandi, Moody's Analytics chief economist. "It's more likely they will be 6 percent than 4 percent next spring. This lights a fire under buyers."
Source: "Discounts Expected in Spring Housing Market," The Wall Street Journal (March 22, 2011)
Distressed sales continue to put downward pressure on home prices, which may lure more buyers off the fence and ready to snag a deal during the typical prime-time buying season.
Some builders are ramping up discounts on new homes as well as boosting commissions to brokers to try to spark more transactions.
Sellers of existing-homes also are getting more competitive in pricing their homes.
"After three years of the housing downturn, people are becoming much more realistic in terms of valuing their homes," says Lawrence Yun, chief economist at the National Association of REALTORS®.
An improved job market with better in come potential may also motivate more people to buy, says David Berson of the PMI Group.
"Household formations are also very important," Berson says. "Kids may have moved back in with their parents, or two people may have moved in together, because of job concerns. Now they can move into their own place."
While interest rates are sitting comfortably below 5 percent for now (30-year fixed rates averaged 4.76 percent last week), economists warn the attractive low rates won't last long.
"Few think mortgage rates are going lower," says Mark Zandi, Moody's Analytics chief economist. "It's more likely they will be 6 percent than 4 percent next spring. This lights a fire under buyers."
Source: "Discounts Expected in Spring Housing Market," The Wall Street Journal (March 22, 2011)
Thursday, March 17, 2011
2011 TRENDS IN KITCHEN AND BATH DESIGN
Emerging Kitchen and Bath Trends
A recent article in Residential Architect ("nkba notes 11 emerging kitchen and bath design trends," by Stephani Miller) reported on a study by the National Kitchen and Bath Association, identifying emerging kitchen and bath design trends "likely to develop further in 2011" ...seven kitchen trends, and four trends in bathroom design:
KITCHEN:
1. Shaker Style on the Rise
2. Darker Finishes First
3. Unrefrigerated Wine Storage
4. French Refrigeration
5. Induction Cooking
6. LED Uprising
7. Waste Disposal
BATHROOM
1. Quartz Surfacing
2. Green Color Palettes
3. Vessel Sinks
4. Satin Nickel Faucets
For more details about all eleven, CLICK HERE.
[SOURCES: Real Trends; NKBA]
A recent article in Residential Architect ("nkba notes 11 emerging kitchen and bath design trends," by Stephani Miller) reported on a study by the National Kitchen and Bath Association, identifying emerging kitchen and bath design trends "likely to develop further in 2011" ...seven kitchen trends, and four trends in bathroom design:
KITCHEN:
1. Shaker Style on the Rise
2. Darker Finishes First
3. Unrefrigerated Wine Storage
4. French Refrigeration
5. Induction Cooking
6. LED Uprising
7. Waste Disposal
BATHROOM
1. Quartz Surfacing
2. Green Color Palettes
3. Vessel Sinks
4. Satin Nickel Faucets
For more details about all eleven, CLICK HERE.
[SOURCES: Real Trends; NKBA]
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
CRYE-LEIKE WEBSITE WINS AWARD! WWW.CRYE-LEIKE.COM
I am proud to announce that Crye Leike has won the Best Website SEO Strategy award from Leading Real Estate Companies of the World. Crye Leike stood out in this category which represents the strategy that a website employs to rank high with the various search engines in order to monetize the web presence and conduct e-commerce, beating various other highly regarded real estate companies from around the globe that had also been nominated in this category.
Crye Leike also received the 2010 Website Quality Certification. It is an honor to be the recipient of the WQC two years in a row. This is an affirmation of the expertise of our IT staff as well as their dedication to provide the best consumer experience for all the hundreds of thousands of visitors that come to the Crye Leike website on a regular basis for all their real estate needs.
This was awarded in Las Vegas earlier this week at the Leading RE Annual Conference and Awards Gala and I want to thank and congratulate the entire IT team as well as all of the Crye Leike organization for winning this prestigious award.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
COMMITTEE VOTES TO END 2 HOUSING AID PROGRAMS
Committee Votes to End 2 Housing Aid Programs
Republicans in the House Financial Services Committee voted Thursday to end two foreclosure programs that they argue haven't done enough to help struggling home owners.
One program at risk is aimed at helping borrowers who owe more than their homes are worth to refinance into 30-year fixed rate mortgages backed by the Federal Housing Administration, which is known as the FHA's short refinance program. The other program is aimed at helping unemployed home owners by allowing them to make payments on their homes for up to two years.
A vote to terminate the two programs is expected to go before the full House for a vote next week. The effort will likely fail once it reaches the Democrat-controlled Senate, Reuters News reports.
Meanwhile, Republicans have delayed a vote to end two other housing aid programs: The Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP), another foreclosure prevention program, as well as a program designed to help local and state governments stabilize neighborhoods hard hit by the foreclosure crisis.
Source: "Republicans Take Steps to Kill Obama Mortgage Aid," Reuters (March 3, 2011)
Republicans in the House Financial Services Committee voted Thursday to end two foreclosure programs that they argue haven't done enough to help struggling home owners.
One program at risk is aimed at helping borrowers who owe more than their homes are worth to refinance into 30-year fixed rate mortgages backed by the Federal Housing Administration, which is known as the FHA's short refinance program. The other program is aimed at helping unemployed home owners by allowing them to make payments on their homes for up to two years.
A vote to terminate the two programs is expected to go before the full House for a vote next week. The effort will likely fail once it reaches the Democrat-controlled Senate, Reuters News reports.
Meanwhile, Republicans have delayed a vote to end two other housing aid programs: The Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP), another foreclosure prevention program, as well as a program designed to help local and state governments stabilize neighborhoods hard hit by the foreclosure crisis.
Source: "Republicans Take Steps to Kill Obama Mortgage Aid," Reuters (March 3, 2011)
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
EVERYBODY IS TALKING ABOUT GREEN BUILDING WHAT ALL THE HYPE?
I read a great article in the National Geographic " Green Design Spree Aims to Trim US Government's Big Energy Bill from Dec. 2010 and really enjoyed it. As a GREEN Designee of NAR, I decided it was high time I started spreading the green news!
Guess how much the US government's annual power and fuel costs are? For years it has been clear there is a huge opportunity here, actually the US Congress has been setting federal efficiency goals since 1978. Energy use per square foot in US government buildings has fallen nearly 30% since 1985. The challenges remain substantial, stay tuned for ways to save energy in you home.
Do you know what your family's carbon footprint is? Find out
Guess how much the US government's annual power and fuel costs are? For years it has been clear there is a huge opportunity here, actually the US Congress has been setting federal efficiency goals since 1978. Energy use per square foot in US government buildings has fallen nearly 30% since 1985. The challenges remain substantial, stay tuned for ways to save energy in you home.
Do you know what your family's carbon footprint is? Find out
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