Archive for August, 2008

First Time Buyers Want Perfect Homes, Not Fixer Uppers

If you’re new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!Got a fixer upper you do not want to work on and you thought a first time homebuyer would be interested? Think again.
A study found by Mary Umberger and initiated by Coldwell Banker tells the opposite story. Fixer uppers […]

31Aug2008 | Tom Royce | 0 comments | Continued

Atlanta’s Intergrity Bank Fails Over Contructions Loans

Integrity Bank of Alpharetta, Georgia, just north of Atlanta, is the 10th bank to fail in the country this year. While relatively small and new, the bank had grown quickly in the developing North Atlanta region as it provided financing for construction loans as Atlanta added 1 million residents over the past decade.
Integrity’s assets […]

31Aug2008 | Tom Royce | 0 comments | Continued

Milwaukee Foreclosed On Home Over A Parking Ticket

The city of Milwaukee foreclosed on a person with physical and emotional issues over a parking ticket. Yes, you heard that right, a parking ticket.
The person, Peter Tubic, parked an unlicensed van in his parents driveway and had his house foreclosed upon over what was originally a $50 fine.
Sometimes the greed of politicians and the […]

29Aug2008 | Tom Royce | 1 comment | Continued

THE GINGHAM DRESS - A Parable For Real Estate Agents

If you are a real estate agent, read this, it may make (or save) you a big commission.

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THE GINGHAM DRESS

A lady in a faded gingham dress and her husband, dressed in a homespun threadbare suit, stepped off the train in Boston, and walked timidly without an appointment in to the Harvard University President’s outer […]

29Aug2008 | Tom Royce | 0 comments | Continued

Realtor.com Sees Traffic Increase - A Sign of Things To Come

While the RE.net rarely talks about Realtor.com, not very sexy compared to Trulia and Zillow, it is the 500 pound gorilla when it comes to consumers. So when they announced that search volume is up significantly in July, it makes me pay attention.
One of the points I have been pontificating about is that buyers […]

29Aug2008 | Tom Royce | 11 comments | Continued

This Gives A New Meaning To Starving Real Estate Agents

While most who are involved in real estate sales are worried about putting food on the table, one agent in Connecticut is accused of doing something about it. According to sellers, Holli Tapley has been charged with taking food and small change from homes that she has been showing.
One way to get past the starving charge is […]

29Aug2008 | Tom Royce | 0 comments | Continued

Green Roofs Tac Abatement For New York - No Benefit For The Sheep

When I think of green roofs I think of the old sod homes on the prairies during the dust bowl. But with new technology and agronomics, there are real benefits to adding a green roof for commercial buildings.
New York state has recognized the benefits such as cutting down run off, reduced energy use, and […]

28Aug2008 | Tom Royce | 0 comments | Continued

New York Real Estate Investor Hochfelder Accused of Grand Larceny

Commercial real estate offers amazing rewards, but the downside can also be devastating. When things are going well on can be benevolent and gracious. However, when things start falling apart people tend to get desperate.
That seems to be what is facing Adam Hochfelder as he is now facing charges that he stole 17 million dollars […]

28Aug2008 | Tom Royce | 0 comments | Continued

Comment Spam Annoys Me

There I said it, comment spam annoys me.
Look at this:

5,202 comment spam caught in AKismet in the last 3 days.
If by chance you have submitted a comment that did not get up, I apologize, but to go through the whole list would waste a couple of hours.
Akismet is a lifesaver, but I do […]

27Aug2008 | Tom Royce | 3 comments | Continued

Upfront Premiums Increasing For FHA Mortgages

The cost of borrowing will be going up as the FHA is raising it’s premiums for new loans starting October 1st, 2008. Like almost everyone who has made or backed loans over the past few years, losses are mounting at the FHA. The need to cover these losses and protect against future losses is the […]

27Aug2008 | Tom Royce | 0 comments | Continued