CHANDLER, AZ
Parents pitch in on ideas to boost Chandler schools budget
The bloodied and bruised state budget is translating into a bleak financial picture for Chandler’s public schools. That’s why about 40 parents and other members of the community met Tuesday night to brainstorm ways to save money and generate more revenue for the still-growing school district. Ideas ranged from selling ads on school buses or the Chandler Unified School…Rest of Story…

EAST VALLEY, AZ
How do I pick the right real estate agent?
In today’s Phoenix Real Estate FAQ Kristin LaVanway and Dean Ouellette talk about how you should go about finding the right Phoenix East Valley real estate agent for you. The thing is, the right agent for your neighbor may not be the right agent for you, everyone is going to mesh different with different people. Choosing the right real estate agent can make the whole transaction process…Rest of Story…

LAKE GENEVA, WI
THE HEADLINES WERE OVERLY ROSY ON FEBRUARY’S CASE-SHILLER INDEX
Earlier this week, Standard & Poors released its February Case-Shiller Index, a home price tracker for select metropolitan areas. I w ill give you the numbers for Lake Geneva real estate and Walworth County further in this post. Overwhelmingly, home values fell in the 20 markets tracked by the Case-Shiller. Only San Diego showed a modest increase. The other 19 markets averaged…Rest of Story…

SAN ANTONIO, TX
KeepMyTexasHome.org – A new resource for Texas Home Owners
Although Texas escaped the mass foreclosure problem that states like California, Florida, and Arizona were plagued by, we do have them and they are a fact of life. While no one wants to lose their home, owners are often scared, confused, and frustrated. As they get behind on their mortgage payments, many people freeze up, bound by their fears and a lack of good resources…Rest of Story…

SEATTLE, WA
Seattle Real Estate Blog: A “Right to Rent” Bill Could Help Foreclosure Families Stay in their Homes!
A “Right to Rent” bill is being introduced and sponsored by Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Arizona) and Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) specifically targeted for homeowners facing foreclosure. The intent of this unique bill would be to allow families who are facing foreclose to petition a judge to stay in their home as renters under a 5-year lease. With foreclosure activity nationwide up 19…Rest of Story…

US – MORTGAGES
5 best metro areas for mortgages
Near-record-low mortgage rates should be good news for homebuyers, but restrictive lending still makes it hard to get a good loan in most parts of the country. Yet in a few metro areas, such as Houston, Dallas and Kansas City, Mo., you’ll find some of the lowest mortgage rates and the smallest percentages of people with extremely delinquent loans or foreclosed homes. Because…Rest of Story…

DeedStreet is bringing the best hyperlocal real estate stories / blogs / news of the day to one place in the form of a daily NewsRoll. We would like to make the NewsRoll as hyperlocal as possible. So if you have a RE story from your town/city/neighborhood/blog, send it our way; we will be sure to give you recognition and a link back to your site. This is just our latest experiment with real time social media, so please be sure to give us any feedback on how we can make this service even better.

COLUMBUS, OH
Columbus Ohio 43235 homes for sale
The graph shows the inventory of homes for sale for the past 15 months for single family homes in the Columbus Ohio 43235 ZIP code. There were 5 months of inventory at the end of March 2010 based on current homes sales…See Graph…

DENTON, TX
Real Estate News Video: Housing Market & Home Sales News
Workers tear down wrong Texas house in demolition mix-up….Watch Video…

PHOENIX, AZ
Is a lease purchase or lease option a good idea?
Is a lease option or lease purchase a good option after a foreclosure or short sale? We get many calls from East Valley home buyers who are looking for a lease option or a lease purchase. Often these buyers have lost their last house to a foreclosure or did a short sale and are looking to become homeowners again right away. Both a lease option and lease purchase have worked…Rest of Story…

SEATTLE, WA
Seattle Real Estate Blog: Giving Your Facebook Fans a Unique View
Having a Facebook Fan Page is vital for any business owner looking to attract customers. But if it isn’t unique or inviting…you may need to spice things up! I recently discovered FBML (Facebook Mark up Language) and the ability to customize my tabs as well as my landing page for my fans. I was thrilled to see how unique and interesting my fan page has become and the only issue…Rest of Story…

US – TAX CREDIT
End of Home Buyer Tax Credit Unlikely to Deter Most Real Estate Buyers
The expiration of the 2010 Home Buyer Tax Credits on April 30 is unlikely to put off Americans looking to purchase homes who believe now is a good time to buy and are confident that home prices will rise according to a survey released by Prudential Real Estate and Relocation Services, Inc., a Prudential Financial, Inc. company. The survey of 1,000 Americans between the…Rest of Story…

UTAH
Affiliated Realty Group Merges with Prudential Utah Elite Real Estate
Prudential Real Estate and Relocation Services, Inc., a Prudential Financial, Inc. company, announced the merger of Affiliated Realty Group, independent real estate brokerage, with Prudential Utah Elite Real Estate. The transaction unites Utah County’s No. 1 and 2 brokerages based on volume, and doubles Prudential Utah Elite Real Estate’s market share…Rest of Story…

DeedStreet is bringing the best hyperlocal real estate stories / blogs / news of the day to one place in the form of a daily NewsRoll. We would like to make the NewsRoll as hyperlocal as possible. So if you have a RE story from your town/city/neighborhood/blog, send it our way; we will be sure to give you recognition and a link back to your site. This is just our latest experiment with real time social media, so please be sure to give us any feedback on how we can make this service even better.

COLUMBUS, OH
Zooland # 1 of 365 Places to Live in Columbus
Zooland is # 1 of ’365 Places to live in Columbus.’ Zooland is not a neighborhood with a pretty little marker telling you, you are entering Zooland. Zooland is in north Columbus, mixed in with Beechwold. Now there are about 6 houses on the market identified as Zooland. They are on Jeffrey, Beechwold, Morse and Royal Forest. East Royal Forest, of course. Zooland and…Rest of Story…

GILBERT, AZ
City Guide Gilbert – Blogsperiment #7,387
Introducing CityGuideGilbert.com. This is just what I need, another blog project / thing to do. So what is it? In a nutshell, it’s a… city guide to Gilbert, Arizona. A place for folks to share and discover some of the cool places to eat, shop, drink, hang out and whatnot in our fair little corner of the Phoenix metro area. At this point in time, it is woefully light on content. But that will change…Rest of Story…

LAKE GENEVA, WI
NEW HOMES SALES WERE STRONG IN MARCH, BUT NOT AS STRONG AS THE NEWS WOULD HAVE YOU BELIEVE
The sales of newly-built homes soared in March. Even more than what was expected. But the news may not be as glowing as what the media is telling us. Take a look at the headlines from last Friday:
Sales of new homes rocketed up 27 percent in March (WaPo) – New-home sales rise fastest in 47 years (CNNMoney) – Sales of New Homes Climb by Most Since 1963 (Business Week)…Rest of Story…

MISSISSIPPI
Insurance Claims Pour In from Mississippi Storm
Mississippi’s top insurance official said the devastation caused by last Saturday’s storm would be “significant” after viewing the destruction on the ground and by helicopter. “It’s pretty bad,” Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney said after touring damage in Yazoo County. He said his office didn’t have a damage estimate nor a statewide claims count. It’s not clear when a definitive…Rest of Story…

SEATTLE, WA
Seattle Real Estate: Your Mortgage Market Update
The U.S. Treasury Department announced that it will unload $129 Billion of debt this week in 5-year Treasury Inflation Protected Securities and 2-, 5- and 7-year Notes. The massive amount of debt supply being loaded into the markets just keeps on coming – and it’s getting larger. As you can see from the chart below, the Treasury auctions have more than doubled since the…Rest of Story…

TEMPE, AZ
Rail Life: blogs that make us happy
Nick Bastian loves Valley Metro Light Rail so much, he started a comprehensive blog dedicated exclusively to it. Want to know more about how budget cuts affect light rail? Need the latest light rail schedules? Not sure what shirt to wear on the annual “No Pants AZ Light Rail Ride”? Bastian’s got all the 411 at raillife.com. By day, Bastian’s a real estate agent in Tempe, a gig he’s…Rest of Story…

US – APPRECIATION
Home prices make first annual gain in three years
Whew! For the first time in three years, home prices finally climbed out of the gutter in February, rising 0.6% compared with February 2009. But, of course, whether the year-over-year increase is here to stay is still up in the air. Eleven of the 20 cities tracked by the closely watched Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller home price indexes still showed annual declines, and all but...Rest of Story…

US – INVESTMENT
Blue-Chip Real Estate Strategy Fits Economic Climate
The housing recovery is limping along slowly leaving many real estate investors wondering where to invest their dollars. Some speculation is even returning to the market with new investors looking to purchase, renovate, and resale distressed properties for short term profits. Owning a real estate investment brokerage allows me to see a variety of transactions, including retail flips…Rest of Story…

US – LEADS
Online Marketing: Is It Time to Retire the Word “Lead?”
I’ve never been a big fan of semantics. You wouldn’t have found me saying, “Well, it depends on what your definition of ‘is’ is,” like President Bill Clinton. I also don’t fancy myself a great judge or decider of what constitutes a definition, like U.S. Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart, who famously said, “I’m not sure I can express in words the meaning of “pornography,” but I know it…Rest of Story…

DeedStreet is bringing the best hyperlocal real estate stories / blogs / news of the day to one place in the form of a daily NewsRoll. We would like to make the NewsRoll as hyperlocal as possible. So if you have a RE story from your town/city/neighborhood/blog, send it our way; we will be sure to give you recognition and a link back to your site. This is just our latest experiment with real time social media, so please be sure to give us any feedback on how we can make this service even better.

ARLINGTON, VA
Arlington County Real Estate Taxes Are Going Up in 2010
The Arlington County FY 2011 Budget has officially been adopted. Among the budget changes – an 8.3 cent INCREASE in the property tax rate. This change brings the Arlington property tax rate to $0.945 per $100 assessed value, plus a $1.3 stormwater tax (an increase of $0.3) to a total Arlington County Real Estate Property Tax to $0.958 per $100 assessed value. How to calculate your…Rest of Story…

LAKE GENEVA, WI
WHAT’S AHEAD FOR LAKE GENEVA REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE RATES THIS WEEK: APRIL 26, 2010
Lake Geneva real estate mortgage markets worsened last week in see-saw trading. By the time Friday’s market closed, mortgage rates for Lake Geneva real estate were higher across the board — ARMs, fixed rates, FHA and conventional. The biggest stories of last week were actually non-stories.
First, the ash cloud from Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull volcano dissipated, allowing…Rest of Story…

SAN ANTONIO, TX
This should be an interesting week in real estate
Well folks, this is it. The final week of the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit (unless you qualify as a service member of the military with “official extended duty”). We’ve been talking about it for what seems like forever, but the time has rushed by and now it’s here. The end of a tax credit that has stirred feelings and opinions from both sides of the fence, for and against…Rest of Story…

SEATTLE, WA
Seattle Real Estate: Homebuyers Tax Credit Expires This Week!
The heat is on for those who are out shopping for homes right now – as the Homebuyers Tax Credit is about to come to an end. Last November, the government expanded and extended the new Homebuyers Tax Credit. According to the program, first-time homebuyers are eligible for a tax credit of up to 10% of the purchase price of the home, with a maximum credit of $8,000…Rest of Story…

US – AFFORDABILITY
Real Estate News Video: Housing Market & Home Sales News
Real Estate expert Barbara Corcoran talks about great homes for good prices that buyers can get in different cities across America…Watch Video…

WORTHINGTON, OH
Old Worthington – National Historic District
The Old Worthington historic disctrict was approved to be on the National Register of Historic Places. After years of work, the Old Worthington Association has accomplished this. The Old Worthington Association site says: “This decade-long project seeks to expand on the many places already on the National Register by designating James Kilbourne’s original town plat as a Historic…Rest of Story…

DeedStreet is bringing the best hyperlocal real estate stories / blogs / news of the day to one place in the form of a daily NewsRoll. We would like to make the NewsRoll as hyperlocal as possible. So if you have a RE story from your town/city/neighborhood/blog, send it our way; we will be sure to give you recognition and a link back to your site. This is just our latest experiment with real time social media, so please be sure to give us any feedback on how we can make this service even better.

CENTRAL OHIO
Real estate vets taking on firms they helped build
Two veterans of the Central Ohio residential real estate trade are going into business together in an attempt to displace the two agencies they built over the course of their careers. Pat Grabill and George Smith are forming Grabill-Smith & Co. Smith, 81, is a past president of what was once HER Realtors and is today Real Living HER, the region’s largest brokerage. Read more: Real estate…Rest of Story…

SAN ANTONIO, TX
Fiesta San Antonio – Sunday April 25, 2010 Events
Fiestas Fantasias at Market Square – 10AM-12AM @ Market Square
Sculptors Invitational – 11AM-5PM @ Villa del Carmen Conservatory
St. Luke Fiesta Finale – 11AM-9:30PM @ St. Luke Catholic Church
10th Street River Festival – 12PM-12AM @ 10th St. & Ave. B…Rest of Schedule…

SEATTLE, WA
Seattle Real Estate: When Doing a Short Sale Transaction, Do you know who’s Handling your BPO?
Short Sales by their very nature are anything but Short. Add to that the many variables that go into your Short Sale actually selling. You have to deal with several people at the same bank and then there is the BPO or Brokers Price Opinion. Do you ever know who is performing this function for the bank? Have you done a BPO yourself? With the Governments HAFA, or Home Affordible…Rest of Story…

US – CRE
AgentGenius on CRE Websites
AgentGenius has a post up on CRE websites, listing 32 top web destinations in the space. But the best thing in my mind is that they have left Costar out of the top 32! First, I have no idea whether or not this is just an error, or perhaps a subconscious thing, but no matter how you slice it, Costar has to be in the top 32. But that doesn’t make it any less entertaining! I wouldn’t have…Rest of Story…

US – RE SALES TAX
3.8% “Real Estate Sales Tax” thanks to Health Care Legislation?
Recently, the emails have been flying, I’ve seen a few mention on places like Twitter and Facebook, and I’ve even heard a few Realtors® up in arms and misquoting the provisions for a 3.8% “real estate sales tax” in the Health Care Reform Bill. While real estate might seem a bit odd stuck in the middle of health care legislation. In today’s political whirlwind of health care reform, it’s no wonder…Rest of Story…

UTAH
Sale of homes hits hopeful high — for now
Local home sales are peaking in Utah and nationwide as homebuyers try to take advantage of government tax breaks due to expire at the end of the month. The president of the Utah Association of Realtors told the Deseret News on Friday that he has seen a significant rise in new home sales in recent weeks, prompted by the impending end of the federal incentive launched…Rest of Story…

DeedStreet is bringing the best hyperlocal real estate stories / blogs / news of the day to one place in the form of a daily NewsRoll. We would like to make the NewsRoll as hyperlocal as possible. So if you have a RE story from your town/city/neighborhood/blog, send it our way; we will be sure to give you recognition and a link back to your site. This is just our latest experiment with real time social media, so please be sure to give us any feedback on how we can make this service even better.

COLUMBUS, OH
Columbus Ohio 43235 homes for sale
The graph shows home sale and inventory of homes for sale for the past 15 months for single family homes in the Columbus Ohio 43235 ZIP code…Look at the Graph…

FALLS CHURCH, VA
Huge Price Increases in Falls Church VA Real Estate in March 2010
What a huge difference a year makes. March 2010 for Falls Church, VA saw about the same number of homes sold – 119 in 2010 v. 116 in 2009 – but the numbers are vastly different. Average Home Sale Price is up across the board – 30% for single family homes, 10% for townhomes, a whopping 89% for 1 bedroom condos, and 17% for 2 bedroom condos…all sold within about 2/3rd of…Rest of Story…

LAKE GENEVA, WI
HOME RESALES BOOM INTO THE END OF THE TAX CREDIT; LAKE GENEVA REAL ESTATE HOME VALUES SEEN RISING.
Existing Home Sales rose in March, as expected. U.S. home buyers closed on 7 percent more homes as compared to February. Furthermore, versus March 2009 — a month many people equate to the low point of the U.S. economy — sales volume was up 16 percent. “Existing home sale” is the technical term for a home resale; a home previously inhabited by a person. It’s the opposite…Rest of Story…

MAGGIE VALLEY & WAYNESVILLE, NC
Maggie Valley & Waynesville, NC New Listings
See the 15 homes listed Thurs in Maggie Valley, Waynesville. Makes 169 new listings in HAYWOOD County 4 Apr. Crazy…See the Listings…

MAUI, HI
Maui Property Search – IDX with no registration needed – start your search
Aloha from sunny Maui Hawaii – the best island in the world. If you’re looking for a house, condo or vacant land on Maui, you can begin your search from my website. I’ll even make it super easy for you by taking you right to the MLS info with 1 click…Begin your Search…

MARICOPA, AZ
Maricopa Meadows residents prepare claim against developers
Meadows Foundations are crumbling. Informational meeting 4/24/10 9am at Maricopa Wells Middle School…Read the Story…

PHOENIX, AZ
Financing Energy Effecient Improvements? Easy with an EEM!
Lots of homes in Phoenix area, especially older homes, are in great need of improvements in the energy efficiency arena. We often come across homes with old single-pane windows, old exterior doors and aged heating and cooling systems. And in the greater Phoenix area, you need all the help you can get to help reduce your energy consumption in order to save money…Rest of Story…

SEATTLE, WA
Seattle Real Estate: Putting a Welcome Tab on your Facebook Fan Page
I was recently checking out the great information I receive daily from Social Media Examiner when I decided to click on their facebook tab on their website to check out their fan page. I was taken to a very unique place on their fan page that Welcomed me with a nice big picture, video and a lot of information about who and what they are. I thought, “What a great application for…Rest of Story…

TEMPE, AZ
Top 10 real estate blog posts of the day for 4/23/2010
NOTE All good things must end. May 3rd will mark my one year anniversary of Top Posts of the Day. It will also mark my last segment as I shift business focus. If you are interested in taking over please email me and let me know. I will export my RSS reader to you. Expect a 2-hour a day commitment. 1) Just Bought a Home; Did You Plan For Expenses? – Great post because most people…Rest of Story…

US – SHORTSALES
New short-sale rules may help sellers
Homeowners struggling to sell their homes in a short sale are getting some relief, thanks to the federal government’s Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives (HAFA) program. Up to now, many short sales — in which the lender accepts a sale of the property for less than the full amount owed — have taken months to complete. Sometimes, the complex and lengthy…Rest of Story…

DeedStreet is bringing the best hyperlocal real estate stories / blogs / news of the day to one place in the form of a daily NewsRoll. We would like to make the NewsRoll as hyperlocal as possible. So if you have a RE story from your town/city/neighborhood/blog, send it our way; we will be sure to give you recognition and a link back to your site. This is just our latest experiment with real time social media, so please be sure to give us any feedback on how we can make this service even better.

COLUMBUS, OH
The Residences of Creekside, Gahanna OH 43230
The Residences of Creekside is the residential component of a mixed use development in “Olde Gahanna” on the Big Walnut Creek known as Creekside Gahanna. The Residences of Creekside are luxury condominiums in this “town center” infill development. Tuesday evening I had an opportunity to visit The Residences of Creekside in Gahanna, the luxury condominiums built by…Rest of Story…

HOUSTON, TX
Today’s toast goes out to HAR and Bob Hale
12seconds: Daily toast of the day goes to Bob Hale and HAR…Watch the Video…

LAkE GENEVA, WI
FIGHT YOUR LAKE GENEVA REAL ESTATE PROPERTY TAX BILL WITHOUT A LAWYER
More than 60 percent of U.S. homes are “over-assessed”, says an industry trade group. Homeowners in Lake Geneva pay more in property taxes than they otherwise should have to. You might be one of them. Have you considered fighting your real estate tax bill? In this 4-minute piece from The Today Show, you’ll learn: When to file your tax bill dispute for the best chances of winning…Rest of Story…

McLEAN, VA
McLean, VA Real Estate On The Way Up
The March 2010 numbers show a tremendous jump in prices in McLean! Again, I like to break up McLean by zip code because the markets are so different…22101 saw an average sale price increase of 3%. The 22102 market went up 71%. Read that again: 71% person from 2009. Both zip codes saw a decrease in days on the market, 22101 by 40% and 22102 by 37%. Selling faster and…Rest of Story…

PHOENIX, AZ
Top 10 real estate blog posts of the day for 4/22/2010
Today’s top 10 real estate blog posts of the day. 1) Bob Hale is sticking his neck out – who’s got his back? – This is a great start and I hope to see more associations start to implement it. Combine this with client feedback and we could really move the profession a long ways down the path in a good direction. 2) 5 Must-Have Products for the Virtual Real Estate Agent – These are five…Rest of Story…

SAN ANTONIO, TX
Fiesta San Antonio – Thursday April 22, 2010 Events
Multicultural Conference – 9AM-2PM @ San Antonio College
San Antonio Cactus & Xerophyte Society State Show & Sale – 9AM-5PM @ San Antonio Garden Center
Fiesta Flower Show – 10AM-4PM @ Woman’s Club of San Antonio
Fiestas Fantasias at Market Square – 10AM-12AM @ Market Square…Rest of Schedule…

SEATTLE, WA
Seattle Real Estate: How Do You Get Your Real Estate Information?
In my Blogging and Social Media Class yesterday, I brought up a very good point in that how you get your information will be in partnership with how you deliver your real estate marketing to your customers. What I mean by this is really about why some blog and some don’t. I’ve come to realize, if you want to get a message…any message out to your sphere or community, how you…Rest of Story…

US – LUXURY
One of the world’s most expensive homes up for auction
Have you ever wanted to just get rid of everything and start all over again? Well, unfortunately, not many of us can afford such luxuries — but then, not many of us have a house that is even close to being valued at $100 million. That was the price billionaire Patricia Kluge originally was asking for her 45-room estate in Albemarle County, Va., making it one of the world’s most expensive…Rest of Story…

US – TAX CREDIT
Builders Pin Hopes on Tax Credit Rush as Clock Continues to Tick
Builder Marshal Granor is hoping this will be a banner month for home sales. In fact, an eight-foot-long banner announcing Granor Price Homes’ “Let’s Make a Deal Weekend” will greet prospective buyers at its developments on two April weekends. The Horsham, Pa., firm is among thousands of builders and real estate agents nationwide attempting to lasso home buyers before…Rest of Story…

DeedStreet is bringing the best hyperlocal real estate stories / blogs / news of the day to one place in the form of a daily NewsRoll. We would like to make the NewsRoll as hyperlocal as possible. So if you have a RE story from your town/city/neighborhood/blog, send it our way; we will be sure to give you recognition and a link back to your site. This is just our latest experiment with real time social media, so please be sure to give us any feedback on how we can make this service even better.

ARLINGTON, VA
Arlington VA Home Prices Up 17% from 2009
There has been a palpable shift in the Arlington, VA real estate market over the past few months, and the March statistics reflect that. Inventory is way down as we’ve sold through many of the properties for sale, and haven’t had the same number of new properties come on the market for sale – the market has self-corrected. Here’s the overall picture of our current market: A total…Rest of Story…

COLUMBUS, OH
Worthington Schools – NOT
I found a “Hot Worthington listing” on Zillow in the Columbus Ohio 43235 ZIP code* or NOT. The “listing” on Lorraine is in The Gables. The Gables is a lovely, sought after northwest Columbus neighborhood in the Columbus City School District. Search for The Gables homes for sale or other Northwest Columbus neighborhoods – search by neighborhood or subdivision…Rest of Story…

LAKE GENEVA, WI
HOW ICELAND’S VOLCANOES ARE HELPING LAKE GENEVA REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE RATES FALL
Lake Geneva real estate mortgage rates and home affordability have improved lately, thanks to an unlikely ally — Mother Nature. In the 7 days since Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull erupted, ash clouds have grounded planes, disrupted businesses, and stranded exports in warehouses worldwide. It’s a drag on commerce that’s spilled over onto Wall Street. As experts debate the potential for…Rest of Story…

MAUI, HI
Denver investors buy Hotel Hana-Maui
A Denver-based real estate investment company is buying the Hotel Hana-Maui for an undisclosed amount and plans to change how the boutique hotel is operated. AmStar Group LLC said Tuesday that it would purchase the 70-room hotel on 70 oceanfront acres in East Maui from Ohana Hotel Co. in a deal that is expected to close in May. The firm plans to reposition the AAA Four…Rest of Story…

PHOENIX, AZ
Top 10 real estate posts of the day for 4/21/2010
Today’s Top 10 real estate posts of the day in no particular order. 1) #RTB | Real Estate Liposuction – This was posted when? 2005? Amazing how something so relevant 5 years ago still is today. 2) Zplat! Forbes Throws Zillow Under the Bus – Forbes dumps Zillow inventory numbers as a source after Denver blow up. 3) Some Light in the USDA Tunnel? – One big problem with USDA…Rest of Story…

SAN ANTONIO, TX
Question: Should I work with a Realtor® when building a new home?
I’m often asked (or see questions) about whether one should work with a Realtor® when buying and building a new home. When you visit a new community and sit with the sales representative for a builder in San Antonio, you’re sitting with the seller. The sale rep is working for the seller (the builder) and although they are friendly and shouldn’t take advantage of you, the fact is they…Rest of Story…

UTAH
Utah’s housing market: Good time for buyers, but for how long?
After walking a pair of reporters through the World War II-era brick cottage, Bill Heiner is questioned about whether the home’s $209,900 price point might still be too high given the renovations and upgrades the property requires. The affable 30-year real estate veteran says he doesn’t think so and that the current price tag, down almost 10 percent from the initial listing, is…Rest of Story…

WAUCONDA, WA
Washington Town Sells for $360,000 on eBay
There are always a number of unusual items for sale on eBay, but it’s not every day that you see an entire town go up for auction. The fetching price for tiny Wauconda, Washington was a mere $360,000, which sounds like a veritable bargain if one of your dreams in life is to own your own zip code. Wauconda consists of only a restaurant, a small store, a gas pump, a four…Rest of Story…

DeedStreet is bringing the best hyperlocal real estate stories / blogs / news of the day to one place in the form of a daily NewsRoll. We would like to make the NewsRoll as hyperlocal as possible. So if you have a RE story from your town/city/neighborhood/blog, send it our way; we will be sure to give you recognition and a link back to your site. This is just our latest experiment with real time social media, so please be sure to give us any feedback on how we can make this service even better.

COLUMBUS, OH
Hot Worthington Listing… or Not
A house on Lorraine Ave. was the first home I saw trying to find something else on Zillow….
Lorraine Ave. in Worthington???? I racked my brain. It is Columbus Ohio 43235. I was looking for info on homes in Brookside Woods which are in the city of Columbus and are either in the Worthington City School District or the Dublin City School District (boundary line runs through this…Rest of Story…

LAKE GENEVA, WI
WHAT’S AHEAD FOR LAKE GENEVA REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE RATES THIS WEEK: APRIL 19, 2010
Lake Geneva real estate mortgage markets improved last week for the second week in a row. And, also for the second week in a row, rates were down on “safe haven” buying — just not for the same safe haven reasons as before. If you’ll remember, safe haven buying is when investors sense market risk, then move money toward less risky investments…Rest of Story…

HOUSING STARTS DATA HINTS THAT LAKE GENEVA REAL ESTATE HOUSING WILL EXPAND EVEN AFTER THE TAX CREDIT EXPIRES
After a strong March showing and a surprise upward-revision for February, Housing Starts are, once again, trending better. It’s yet another signal that Lake Geneva real estate and housing nationwide is stabilized. A Housing Start is a new home on which construction has started and, over the last 6 months, home builders are averaging one half-million starts per month…Rest of Story…

PHOENIX, AZ
Top 10 real estate blog posts of the day for 4/20/2010
Top 10 real estate blog posts of the day in no particular order. 1) Getting A Mortgage After Foreclosure Just Got Easier – Fannie says you will be able to buy a home just two years after a foreclosure, with 20% down. 2) Can I Make Offers on More Than One Short Sale? – Well said Kelly. Much respect. I can tell you we are in the minority though…Rest of Story…

SAN ANTONIO, TX
Has the tax credit helped lower inventory in San Antonio?
The emphasis behind the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit from its inception was to help clear out the large inventory of homes available across the country. When inventory levels remain high for too long and the number of homes being bought is less than the number of homes coming onto the market for sale, we have a situation where buyers have all the control (buyer’s market)…Rest of Story…

Fiesta San Antonio – Tuesday April 20, 2010 Events
Children’s Texas History Forum – 9:15AM-12:30PM @ Alamo Hall
Fiesta River Art Show – 10AM-5PM @ River Walk
Fiestas Fantasias at Market Square – 10AM-12AM @ Market Square
Floral Fiesta – 10AM-8PM @ Witte Museum…Rest of Events…

SEATTLE, WA
Seattle Real Estate: Housing, Jobs and Rescession Reports…The Good and the Bad
The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) said that it would be “premature” to give an end date to the recession based on the economic data seen so far. And while some of the statistics may show that the economy has improved in many areas – the labor market continues to be very weak. It also remains to be seen how housing will fare without stimulus, and additionally…Rest of Story…

US – BUY VS. RENT
Buy vs. rent: Making the right choice
Last year, I wrote about what I deemed “The Big Rethink,” meaning Americans’ wholesale reconsideration of whether homeownership is still a desirable piece of The American Dream. While I concluded — and several studies have now documented — that most Americans do still have a desire to own a home, this month I came across several data points that made it clear…Rest of Story…

US – TAX CREDIT
Why the Home Buyer Tax Credit Won’t Be Extended
The clock is ticking on the Home Buyer Tax Credit with only 11 days left for buyers to enter into contracts. While some may believe there isn’t enough stimulus left to boost the housing market, many including the National Association of Realtors and National Association of Home Builders are no longer pushing for an extension. This is a sign that the market is stepping back in…Rest of Story...

With the Tax Credit Deadline Looming – A Game of Chicken is Erupting
We put an offer in for a buyer yesterday; the seller has asked that we reduce the inspection period from 10 days to 7 days. Why? If the deal falls through, he wants time to sell his house again before April 30th. Hmmm…… Guess you can’t blame a seller for hedging his bets. We seem to have encountered a strange twist now that we are late in April, sellers are taking advantage…Rest of Story…

WASHINGTON, DC
Washington, D.C. Real Estate Market Lacking Properties To Sell
Much like the surrounding areas of the D.C. Metro area, The District is at very low inventory levels too. So low in fact, that 52% of the condo/coop inventory in March sold in the first 30 days; for rowhouses/single family homes – it was at 42%. Condo/Coop Inventory is down 16% from this time in 2009, but it’s the highest level since last August. Part of this comes from the fact…Rest of Story…

DeedStreet is bringing the best hyperlocal real estate stories / blogs / news of the day to one place in the form of a daily NewsRoll. We would like to make the NewsRoll as hyperlocal as possible. So if you have a RE story from your town/city/neighborhood/blog, send it our way; we will be sure to give you recognition and a link back to your site. This is just our latest experiment with real time social media, so please be sure to give us any feedback on how we can make this service even better.

COLUMBUS, OH
Worthingview
Worthingview is a City of Columbus neighborhood in the Worthington City School
District. The Worthingview neighborhood is west of the Olentangy River off Wilson Bridge Road inside 270. Most of the homes in the Worthingview neighborhood were built in the late 1970′s into the 1980s.There are three Worthingview homes on the market. Search Worthington area…Rest of Story…

MESA, AZ
Hilltop house, once a Mesa neighborhood mystery, falls to foreclosure
From their homes near east Mesa’s foothills, neighbors reminisce about hikes up a boulder-studded butte for 360-degree views of the Valley and beyond. “We used to go up there at night and watch the sunset,” said Roger Baker, recalling his frequent climbs to a 2,000-foot elevation known locally as Ravens Roost. But that was before concrete trucks and construction crews…Rest of Story…

PHOENIX, AZ
Top 10 real estate posts of the day for 4/19/2010
Today’s top 10 real estate posts of the day in no particular order. 1) Who Finds Homes? Buyers or Realtors? – I agree that for the most part the job of a real estate agent has shifted from finding a house to representing a buyer, and I think that is a good thing for the buyer because they know what they want a lot more than we know what they want. 2) 30 Seconds to More Real Estate…Rest of Story…

SAN ANTONIO, TX
IT’S FIESTA TIME!
While the weather hasn’t exactly been prime for Fiesta in San Antonio, people are making the best of it and having fun. The bad news it doesn’t look like this rainy pattern is going to dissipate any time soon and most of Fiesta will be touched by showers, clouds, and the occasional thunderstorm. Hopefully the real nasty stuff will stay away so that the weather is more…Rest of Story…

SEATTLE, WA
Seattle Real Estate: Fannie Mae Setting New Time Line Policy on Getting a Loan After a (Pre) Foreclosure.
Fannie Mae has updated a number of policies in regards to future home buyers eligibility to get a new mortgage loan after experiencing a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure, pre-foreclosure sale, or short sale. This comes in another attempt to support overall market stability and reinforce the importance of borrowers working with their servicers when they have difficulty repaying…Rest of Story…

US – BUYING & SELLING
Selling your home while buying a new one
In a perfect world, you would coordinate the closings for both properties on the same day, providing a seamless transition from your old home to the new one. But the real world tends to be messier than that. While taking out another mortgage remains an option, shouldering two mortgages is harder now than it used to be, says Pete Bonnikson, senior vice president at E-Loan, an…Rest of Story…

US – TAX CREDIT
As Deadline Looms, 10 Million Visit Tax Credit Website
nterest in the federal home buyer tax credit surged in the first three months of 2010, with the FederalHousingTaxCredit.com website reaching a milestone 10 million visits. Spurred by a sense of urgency as the credit’s April 30 expiration date approaches, the site has logged about a million visits each month in January, February and March. The National Association of Home…Rest of Story…

DeedStreet is bringing the best hyperlocal real estate stories / blogs / news of the day to one place in the form of a daily NewsRoll. We would like to make the NewsRoll as hyperlocal as possible. So if you have a RE story from your town/city/neighborhood/blog, send it our way; we will be sure to give you recognition and a link back to your site. This is just our latest experiment with real time social media, so please be sure to give us any feedback on how we can make this service even better.