Article From: US News (via: finance.yahoo.com) By: Meg Handley It’s been a pretty long ride down from the meteoric highs the housing market hit in the boom years. Who knew more than five years later, Americans would still be trying to shake off the one of the worst financial hangovers the country...

1. Price it right from the get-go The old-school strategy of real estate sellers crossing their arms and holding out for a better offer will be brushed off by most homebuyers. Consider that of the homes that took four months or more to sell in the past year, almost half...

From www.costar.com By Mark Heschmeyer The commercial real estate world this year will look a lot like it did in 2011, according to CoStar newsreaders. During the last few weeks of the year, we asked readers to give us your boldest, best predictions that you could take to Las Vegas and put...

Article from: Rismedia.com By: Alan Shifran In recent years, it has been hard to ignore all of the negative publicity that has been circulating about the national economy, the stock market and current events. The state of the real estate market in particular has received a lot of bad press....

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — Mortgage rates sunk to record lows again this week. The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage fell to 3.94%, matching the all-time low hit in early October, according to Freddie Mac’s weekly mortgage rate survey. Meanwhile, 15-year fixed-rate loans hit a new record low of...

1.  The number one thing you should remember is to not be afraid. Being afraid to invest or get involved with real estate might cause you to miss great opportunities. 2. When you are selling your property, make sure that you clean, and prepare the property for showings and for someone...

  Today’s buyers are looking for turnkey homes. That is, they want to move right in without having to do a lot of work. Buyers with busy lifestyles pay a premium for listings that are in prime condition. Staging can make the difference between a listing selling or not, the...

Homebuyers, beware. In exchange for a two-month tax cut, the Senate on Saturday approved a permanent increase in fees attached to mortgages backed by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). The fee hike would apply to new mortgages and new refinances, and would last for the...

Article From: www.Philly.com By: Patrick Kerkstra Philadelphia runs the least-effective delinquent-property-tax collection system of the nation’s biggest cities, a system that has created a “culture of nonpayment” and cost the city and cash-strapped School District $472 million in unpaid real estate taxes, penalties, and interest. It is a delinquency epidemic that...

Article From: msnbc.msn.com By: Derek Kravitz WASHINGTON — The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage fell back down to 3.94 percent, the record low set earlier in the fall. Low rates offer a historic opportunity for those who can afford to buy or refinance. Still, few people are able to take advantage...