"As of September 1, 2011 appraisals will change drastically. We now must complete appraisals in what is defined as UAD or Uniform Appraisal Dataset format. This is a GSE Fannie, Freddie requirement." I saw this blog just this morning posted by Bobbie Smith, a Realtor up in the Poconos. An appraiser in her area, Mary Thompson, was giving her [...]
National Association of Realtors (NAR) annualized numbers from the Existing Sales Report says 14,000 homes sell every day in this country. That means 14,000 yesterday, 14,000 today and 14,000 tomorrow! Most of the country is still showing sales below last year. This years sales are compared against the expiring home [...]
What is the difference between condo living and one of the new planned communities with a homeowners association? Until I became a Realtor, I always thought that a condo was an apartment-style home. Well I learned differently. Condo refers to the method of ownership, not the style of home. Not all condos share common [...]
Kathy has asked me once again to contribute an article for her newsletter. Some of you may remember previous articles about financing homes for retirement and a myriad of options to choose from. My name is [...]
I was working with a wonderful couple that was looking for a retirement home here in Coastal Delaware. They had just retired, their family home was for sale, and Kathy was working with them to find a new home. Well, they found the perfect home and applied for a mortgage. Everything had been planned out very carefully and they had no doubt [...]
Is a new home on your holiday list this year? Conventional wisdom will tell you -
The holidays are a bad time of year to go house hunting!
1. Interest Rates are low but they are beginning to creep up again. 2. Home prices are low and there are deals on both new and inventory homes. 3. [...]
In the Delaware beach resort town of Lewes, Kathy Sperl-Bell, CRS, of RE/MAX Associates, says activity among baby boomers started picking up again earlier this year after a three-year slowdown. In much of the country, Realtors are feeling the pain of boomers' inability or unwillingness to invest in another home while the economy remains [...]
In Delaware, the Buyer chooses the settlement attorney and the attorney represents the Buyer, not the Seller. If the Seller wishes to retain their own counsel, they may do so, but you should not give up your right to representation by your own attorney In new construction, it has become common practice for some builders to form a [...]
This past weekend, I went to my 45th high school reunion in Wayne, New Jersey. It was great to see old friends and take the tour of our old haunts, but WOW, how things have changed. The traffic was the most obvious and also the most talked about among my classmates who still live in the area. Traffic affects every aspect of life, especially [...]
Meet Real Estate's 'Interventionist'
HARD TRUTH: Mike Aubrey discusses pricing and market conditions with sellers during an episode of HGTV's "Real Estate Intervention." The show airs Tuesdays beginning June 29 at 9:30 p.m. [...]
