It's official, I am a Seniors Real Estate Specialist, as I earned my SRES designation last week! What is a Seniors Real Estate Specialist? From the SRES website: "By earning the SRES® Designation, you have demonstrated the necessary knowledge and expertise to counsel clients age 50+ through major financial and lifestyle transitions in relocating, refinancing, [...]
The 3.8% tax that is part of the healthcare reform bill is NOT a real estate transfer tax. Yes, it IS a tax. BUT it is NOT a transfer tax. What is it? According to the National Association of REALTORS(R) (NAR), it is "a 3.8 percent tax on investment income of upper-income households to help shore [...]
There are a few easy tips that home sellers can use and follow that should help in showing and selling their home. The National Association of REALTORS(R) put together a comprehensive list, and I will take them on below. 1) Clear off the counters! That little pile of mail. That unused juicer. The cute nicknacks [...]
In a post today from CNN's "State of the Union" interview with HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan, Bloomberg reports that house prices are unlikely to decline further, and they expect to see a rise in prices in the third quarter. This is due to the reduction in number of people defaulting on their mortgages, down 40% [...]
NAR did an analysis of what a Government shut down could mean for those trying to either buy or sell a home. It's not good for either. On the Realtor.org website, they discuss the implications: FHA would not be able to insure/endorse any new loans. IRS cannot process federal tax returns. This means that if [...]
Economists predict growth in 2011, according to an article in the Washington Post on New Year's Eve. One of the factors used was that the National Association of REALTORS(R) (NAR) stated that pending home sales were up 3.5%, showing that more buyers are moving into the real estate marketplace, and a sense of confidence about [...]
Thursday was a wonderful day -- great weather, great people, and I had a blast presenting at the Greater Baltimore Board of Realtors (GBBR) to the Women's Council of Realtors (WCR) on social media networking for real estate agents. I was asked to present based on my experience and success using social media to enhance [...]