Today's Real Estate News and Advice

Updated: May 21, 2008

 Good News From Lenders
Loan money at good rates is freely and easily available today, says columnist Peter G. Miller. The catch? The rules have changed. FULL STORY->

Condo Trends: Getting Grandparents Into Senior Condominium Living
Moving into a senior-living community can be a difficult decision for the whole family. Columnist M. Anthony Carr gives some helpful tips. FULL STORY->

Regional Report: South
The Southern region of the U.S. covers a broad spectrum of markets -- from hot spots like Austin, Texas -- to some cooler markets in once booming Florida. FULL STORY->

Making Vacation Home Vacancies Vanish
Want to keep vacancies down and income up on your vacation home investment? Listen to this real estate investor, author and vacation home rental adviser. FULL STORY->

HOA Pool Rule Prejudice
Swimming pools and children. For some homeowner associations, the two do not always go together well. Some HOAs wishing to create "adults only" pool time have adopted rules that prohibit children from the swimming pool during certain times and in the process have violated the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 ("the Act"). FULL STORY->

How to Make a Success of Short Sales
Short sales are a lot of work but, you can get a lot of satisfaction from helping people who otherwise would end up in foreclosure. FULL STORY->

Realty Viewpoint: New Homes Will Cost More, Offer Less
If you're a home buyer sitting on the sidelines for the deal of the century, you may be kidding yourself. The dream home of tomorrow is likely to be smaller, plainer, and more expensive later than the home you think should go down further in price. FULL STORY->

Interest Rate Update
Today's Interest Rates from Realty Times are based on a 30 year amortization rate, with good credit and no origination fees. With no major economic news today to report, mortgage rates are stable. FULL STORY->

Devil In Details of Foreclosure 'Bargains'
Consumer temptations to cash-in on foreclosures come with reservations, but they can get rid of those jitters with a measured approach to the transaction. FULL STORY->

New Homes: What's Old is New Again
While homebuilders all over the country are searching for ways to beat the odds in a depressed housing market, one small New York builder is doing it one house at a time FULL STORY->

Interest Rate Update
Today's Interest Rates from Realty Times are based on a 30 year amortization rate, with good credit and no origination fees. Conflicting economic reports have mortgage rates in a quandary with no move up or down. FULL STORY->

Realty Viewpoint: Realtor.com's Benefits Too Little, Too Late
In an exclusive interview with Realtor.com president Errol Samuelson last week, I learned that Realtor.com is announcing a terrific new benefit to NAR members. FULL STORY->

Market Conditions: Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville market expert Bruce Jones says that while prices appear to have leveled off in his area, the increased number of homes on the market has put pressure on sellers to price their homes lower. FULL STORY->

Market Conditions: San Francisco Bay Area
Market expert Suzie Provo says the San Francisco Bay Area market remains very strong, and prices have remained stable with homes selling usually within 14 to 30 days. FULL STORY->

Is this Problem the Sellers'?
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Website Tips for Real Estate Professionals
Columnist Denise Lones gives some helpful tips on how to make your website shine above the rest! FULL STORY->

Take Ageism, Not Drivers, Off the Road
Too many people take their personal transportation for granted. PJ Wade explains why driving, which determines how we live in the communities we love, may become the first battle ground in the war against ageism. FULL STORY->

Washington Report: Risk-Based Pricing
The Federal Housing Administration shook up Washington's mortgage and real estate leaders last week by announcing that it's shifting its entire production line to risk-based pricing -- starting this summer. FULL STORY->

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