1) Avoid rushing into home ownership for tax credits – Sometimes you need to look outside the real estate world to find good advice on real estate. If you were buying a house anyways the $8000 first-time home buyer tax credit is a good program for you, but don’t buy a house just because you think the program is going to save you money.
2) To point, or not to point – THAT is the question – Should you pay points to get a lower interest rate? Depends on a few factors, one being how long will you live in the house.
3) Obama send SWAT teams into mortgage servicing office – The Obama administration is applying pressure to banks to approve more loan modifications.
4) The 2009 NAR profile of buyers and sellers if full of important and interesting data – I have posted this information before from another post, but it is worth reposting.
5) Are you the CEO of your real estate business? – Good advice for new agents who are still trying to set up their business.
6) Mortgage rates should linger near all-time lows for a while – The one thing about mortgage rates, no one knows for sure. Over the past few weeks all the “experts” have been saying rate increases are coming. Now that they are to “linger” near the low, maybe that means increases will come now?
7) New RESPA laws and what they mean to you – John Jones’ Tuesday Morning Coffee looks at the new RESPA laws coming in January and what they mean to you the buyer and mortgage brokers.
8) Update on changes coming to short sales – The US Treasury Department has announced changes coming to short sales and new requirements they will have for lenders. With changes this big I’m gonna hold a “I will believe it when I see it” attitude.
9) Walk away from mortgage if underwater: Professor paper – I was just asked by a friend in California yesterday if I thought it was a good idea to walk away from a mortgage that is way underwater. And I must admit I agree with most of what the professor says in this paper, even if he is from the U of A.
10) ROI in social media marketing for real estate – Is the time you are spending on social media as a real estate agent really worth your investment?
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