It’s been a while since I’ve written a blog about Bad MLS Photos. Here are several photos that may give you a few laughs and make you wonder how they represent a house in the best possible light. If you come across a bad MLS photo, let me know and it may be featured on this blog in the future. Email your name and a link to blog@metrobrokers.com. If you know the city where the listing is located and/or the MLS number, please include it. Feel...

Power Saving For A Down Payment Now more than ever, saving for a down payment is a crucial step to owning a home. Right now Capital Hill legislators, lobbyists, real estate industry experts and others are wrangling over Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act provisions in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Among the most discussed provisions is one that would create a Qualified Residential Mortgage (QRM), one...

The housing market will remain in hibernation this winter and, without the benefit of a federal home buying tax credit, keep snoring right on through the spring, according to two recent studies. However, by the third quarter of 2011, pent up demand could stir the market from its slumber and generate a modest, groggy recovery. During its recent NARdigras 2010 Realtor Conference and Expo, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) forecast an...

#1. Selecting the right Realtor. Look for the realtor that has the most knowledge and experience. This is not the time to be with a novice or part-timer. Interview at least three before making your choice. #2. Preparing the house before placing on the market. De-personalize your house as you want the buyer to view it as their potential home. Prepare the inside as if you were ready to move this week. Most sellers do not see how much clutter is...

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that “affordability” is the top reason for home buying in 2010. That makes sense, especially in unstable market conditions. Buyers, as always, are looking for a bargain but, more than ever, they’ve been enticed by low home prices and low interest rates, according to a survey by Weichert Realtors, Inc. The survey gathered information from 1,261 of the company’s customers who bought homes between...