Periodically we’ll feature one of our real estate professionals here to let our readers know about some great Realtors, Mortgage Brokers, and Other Real Estate Professionals. Gay Friendly Vermont Realtors and Real Estate Professionals Michael’s Burlington, Vermont knowledge and his extensive real estate experience will help you whether you want to buy or sell a… Read more »
Monthly Archives: March 2011
KS: Farmland Sales Going Strong
A recent auction of seven dry land Kansas farms attracted a strong field of 51 registered bidders, leading to sale prices that reflect the continued upward trend in prices of agricultural land, according to R.D. Schrader, president of Schrader Real Estate & Auction Company, which conducted the sale. On March 25, Schrader successfully sold the… Read more »
Australian Home Builder Moving Into Seattle Real Estate Market
As reported by Eric Pryne of the Seattle Times, an Australian home builder is making a big move into the Seattle real estate market. By building 500 homes in the area, it will immediately become one of the largest builders in our market. New construction starts have been down significantly in recent years, and as… Read more »
Foreign Investors Buying Up Tampa Bay Real Estate
Foreign investors have more than doubled their purchases of Tampa Bay real estate in the last year, as buyers look beyond Miami for bargains. At $120 million, overseas purchases in Tampa Bay in the last 12 months trailed only Miami at $127 million and Palm Beach at $275 million. In the previous two years, according… Read more »
Canada: Vancouver Island Real Estate Lagging Behind Mainland
Nanaimo’s condo market is flatlining, as condominium sales improve in B.C.’s bigger markets. Slashed prices are being used to push unit sales at one of Nanaimo’s biggest downtown condo towers, while another building remains shelved for the foreseeable future. Greater Vancouver is enjoying a bullish market, especially in condo sales, fuelled by Chinese investors looking… Read more »
Home Prices in Tampa Still Dropping
In the first half of the aughts (2000-2005), home prices rose dramatically in the U.S., and few places soared higher in property values than in the Tampa Bay area. Although some real estate representatives boasted at the time that home values would only continue to rise, we all know that in fact they had peaked… Read more »
What Gay and Lesbian Homeowners Need to Know for Tax Season
Not only did LGBT Americans lose an hour of sleep by setting clocks forward in March, but many of them are still losing sleep as they worry about looming state and federal tax filing deadlines. To take full advantage of any tax breaks and benefits that are available to LGBT real estate buyers, sellers, or… Read more »
13% of US Homes Are Vacant
High residential vacancies are killing many housing markets, as foreclosed homes sit on the market and depress sale prices and property values. And it’s only getting worse: The national vacancy rate crept up to just over 13% according to last week’s decennial census report. That’s up from 12.1% in 2007. “More vacant homes equal more… Read more »
Banks Seeking Judgments Against Foreclosed Homeowners
He once lived just steps from the ocean in a home valued last decade at more than $500,000 . But John Ericksen has fallen – far – and the bank that took away his Juno Beach home last year isn’t done with him yet. In November, Riverside National Bank won a $151,461 claim against the… Read more »
When Will Housing Market Begin Recovery in Earnest?
What passes for optimism on the housing market these days is a pale reflection of the glory days of five years ago. “Housing is dead,” writes MarketWatch’s Rex Nutting. “There is no doubt about that. Housing is as dead as a door nail.” The good news, such as it is, is that “housing is just… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Tamara Z., San Diego
Periodically we’ll feature one of our real estate professionals here to let our readers know about some great Realtors, Mortgage Brokers, and Other Real Estate Professionals. Gay Friendly San Diego Realtors and Real Estate Professionals Tamara is both an owner and investor in and outside San Diego, so she understands the importance of having someone… Read more »
Tucson: Catalina Foothills Losing Population, Census Says
The Catalina Foothills, an area synonymous with growth and prestige for the past 70 years, is losing residents. It was one of just three Pima County communities to show population declines in the 2010 census, along with the southeast-side neighborhood of Littletown and the old mining town of Ajo. The Foothills, where household income approaches… Read more »
IN: Muncie Area Home Sales Down in February
After years of recession and job losses, after tightened mortgage requirements and hundreds of foreclosures, the Delaware County housing market is still waiting to recover. But when will the housing market bounce back? The latest figures from the Indiana Association of Realtors show that closed home sales were down 43 percent in February compared to… Read more »
NV: 65% of Homes in State “Underwater”
One of the many real estate issues homeowners in the United States face is negative equity, which occurs when homeowners owe more on their homes than they are worth. It’s a more significant problem here in Nevada than it is in any other state. According to a recent report from CoreLogic, 55.6 percent of all… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Shea Steel, Portland, OR
Periodically we’ll feature one of our real estate professionals here to let our readers know about some great Realtors, Mortgage Brokers, and Other Real Estate Professionals. Gay Friendly Portland, Oregon Realtors and Real Estate Professionals Shea is a multi-million dollar selling agent living in beautiful Portland, Oregon. She is passionate about the Portland real estate… Read more »
Has the Las Vegas Real Estate Market Finally Bottomed Out?
With the Vegas housing market at the bottom, and the Canadian dollar at the top, purchasing a second home in the gambling capital of America seems a sure bet for discretionary second homebuyers. After five years of declining prices, the real estate market in Las Vegas may have bottomed out, say some local realtors after… Read more »
MA: South Shore Home Sales Still Slow
After a whirlwind of activity last year, this spring’s real estate market promises to be a lower-key affair. With lingering job insecurity and a long-delayed recovery in the labor market, economic headwinds are expected to buffet the home sales environment. “It still is a buyer’s market because we still have considerable supply of properties,” said… Read more »
NH: February Home Sales Down in Cheshire County, Up For Whole State
New Hampshire’s real estate industry is showing some signs of revival, but the picture in Cheshire County isn’t all that bright, according to data from the New Hampshire Association of Realtors. Statewide, home sales in February were up 7.2 percent from the year-ago period. The gain came off a similar-size jump in January. A total… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Julie Nelson, Austin, TX
Periodically we’ll feature one of our real estate professionals here to let our readers know about some great Realtors, Mortgage Brokers, and Other Real Estate Professionals. Gay Friendly Austin Realtors and Real Estate Professionals Led by Julie Nelson, The Nelson Project is a team of 4 real estate professionals with Keller Williams Realty serving Austin,… Read more »
Palm Springs Area Real Estate Bucks Nationwide Trend in February
Home sales rose 7.3 percent in February across the Coachella Valley compared to the same month a year ago, bucking a downward trend in Southern California and the nation. The latest monthly home-sales tally also rose considerably from January, La Jolla-based DataQuick Information Systems reported. The 848 existing homes, condos and newly built homes that… Read more »
NY: Bargain Basement Prices – Studios for As Low As $200K
WHEN New York’s real estate market was at its dizziest height, $1 million studios had become routine and buyers with less than $250,000 to spend were almost surely headed out of Manhattan, perhaps even to another state. iPhone App But in a clear sign that the city’s recovery is still elusive, the studio market has… Read more »
Buy A Little Fabulous: Cher’s Former Miami Beach Home for Sale
Cher’s former Miami Beach home is now on the market for $10.2 million with a price cut of $4.7 million. This 11,460-square-foot mansion with six bedrooms and eight bathrooms served as the award winning singer and actress’ primary residence in the mid 1990s and went on to serve several other rich and famous as their… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Val Tolson, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
Periodically we’ll feature one of our real estate professionals here to let our readers know about some great Realtors, Mortgage Brokers, and Other Real Estate Professionals. Gay Friendly Delaware Realtors and Real Estate Professionals The Rehoboth beach real estate market becomes more sophisticated and challenging every day, and you need a real estate professional who… Read more »
CA: Sacramento Median Home Prices Fell in February
Sacramento County home sales hovered around seasonal norms for the second month in a row, but the median price fell again as investors snapped up distressed properties, according to figures released Thursday by market watcher DataQuick Information Systems. Sales in Sacramento County rose 6.3 percent in February compared to the same month of 2010, the… Read more »
US: Foreclosures Drop to 36 Month Low
The number of U.S. homes in some stage of foreclosure fell last month to a 36-month low, as lenders delayed taking action against homeowners amid heightened scrutiny over banks’ handling of home repossessions. Foreclosure-related notices sent to homeowners in February tumbled 14 percent from January and 27 percent versus the same month last year, foreclosure… Read more »
More Mid Michigan Houses Sitting Empty
A new wave of Census data released Wednesday confirmed what most mid-Michigan residents already knew just from taking a walk in their neighborhoods. There are more empty houses than 10 years ago. New Census housing data show an across-the-map spike in the number of vacant homes and apartments in the tri-county area with the percentage… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Ariel Feir, Irvine, California
Periodically we’ll feature one of our real estate professionals here to let our readers know about some great Realtors, Mortgage Brokers, and Other Real Estate Professionals. Gay Friendly Orange County Realtors and Real Estate Professionals Ariel is very experienced in business and in the Irvine real estate market, with detailed local area knowledge of the… Read more »
New York Foreclosures Drop in February
PropertyShark.com, the premier real estate research site, today released its monthly report covering first-time residential New York City foreclosures for February 2011. Key Report Findings New scheduled foreclosures in NYC were down 82% in February 2011 over February 2010 and were down 59% over January 2011. * Compared to the February 2010 level, the number… Read more »
US: New Home Sales in February At Lowest Level Since 1963
Sales of new homes in the United States have slumped to the lowest level since the 1960’s, official data showed Wednesday, offering more evidence of an lingering real estate crisis. Sales tumbled nearly 17 percent in February, the Commerce Department said, to a seasonally adjusted total of 250,000 sales during the month. That marked the… Read more »
TN: Nashville Foreclosures Jumped at End of 2010
CoreLogic reports that the Nashville-area foreclosure rate ended 2010 at 1.89 percent, 16 basis points higher than a November number that was itself up 17 beeps from October. We can take some solace from the fact that Middle Tennessee’s housing market is still in much better shape than the nation’s — December’s foreclosure rate was… Read more »
Real Estate Issues for Same Sex Couples
We were recently contacted by a reader who wanted to thank us for maintaining such a valuable resource at SDGLN. The reader also recommended a resource to share with other readers. After investigating, I also found the information to be solid and informative resource. If you have information or resources that you would like to… Read more »
“Million Dollar Listing” Realtor to Come Out
Million Dollar Listing real estate agent Josh Flagg is gay and will make it known to viewers of his Bravo reality show on Tuesday, Reality Blurred reports. Flagg gives an interview to San Diego Gay and Lesbian News in advance of the episode. Says Flagg: “You know my sexuality does not define me, it is… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Danielle Lazier, San Francisco
Periodically we’ll feature one of our real estate professionals here to let our readers know about some great Realtors, Mortgage Brokers, and Other Real Estate Professionals. Gay Friendly San Francisco Bay Area Realtors and Real Estate Professionals I’m Danielle Lazier of Zephyr Real Estate – a real-estate professional who has your success as a property… Read more »
Gay Investors Buying Up Fort Lauderdale Beach Properties
A pair of international investors are in the midst of the largest buy-up of property in the blocks behind the city beach since the end of the Spring Break era. Acting independently of each other, the two men have spent about $39 million to acquire more than two dozen small hotels, apartment buildings and shops…. Read more »
OH: Cincinnati Real Estate Market Sees Glut of Properties
Spring can be an exciting time for homeowners ready to sell. But it is less so for those whose home has lingered on the market through multiple spring selling seasons. Years of listings, open houses and showings without offers are weighing on many homeowners. “I would like to move on,” said Jim Oliver, who’s been… Read more »
Are Short Sales the New Normal?
Back in 2003, when I first got my real estate license, times were good. The prices of homes were going up, sellers were getting a great return on their investment, buyers were getting homes with ‘no money’ down and life was wonderful. But as everyone now knows, the housing bubble has burst and we are… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Kyle Matthews, Encino, California
Periodically we’ll feature one of our real estate professionals here to let our readers know about some great Realtors, Mortgage Brokers, and Other Real Estate Professionals. Gay Friendly Los Angeles Realtors and Real Estate Professionals Kyle is a Los Angeles Realtor with White House Properties. Kyle works extensively to help buyers and sellers meet their… Read more »
Canada: Vancouver Home Sales Rose in February
Residential MLS home sales increased by 2.1 per cent in February to a seasonally-adjusted annualized rate of 92,250 units. This marked a seventh straight monthly increase in provincial activity. Gains were driven by higher sales in the real estate board areas spanning Metro Vancouver and Abbotsford/ Mission, which observed a 4.9 per cent increase. Combined… Read more »
Canada: Calgary Real Estate Market Improving
Two months does not a trend make -but in terms of resale housing, things are already looking better than a year ago. With the new mortgage rules in place, and 35-year amortizations gone the way of the dodo bird, it will take a while to see what impact those two elements will have on sales…. Read more »
Five Ways to Sell a Home Faster
LGBT home sellers should understand that it is still a buyer’s market and that the average time it takes to sell a home is more indicative of a bear market than it is of a bullish one. With that in mind, LGBT homeowners who hope to sell in 2011 are encouraged to be proactive about… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Todd Black, Toronto
Periodically we’ll feature one of our real estate professionals here to let our readers know about some great Realtors, Mortgage Brokers, and Other Real Estate Professionals. Gay Friendly Toronto Realtors and Real Estate Professionals There is nothing quite like the experience of matching buyers with sellers, and knowing that you are making a real difference… Read more »
Top Reasons Mortgage Applications Are Denied
1.) Loan-to-Value Ratio – Perhaps the most common problem in today’s mortgage industry is a low loan-to-value ratio. This is the percentage of the loan amount compared to the overall value of the property. For example, if you currently have a balance on your first mortgage of $200,000 and the appraisal comes back with a… Read more »
TX: Dallas Real Estate Market Improved in 2010
While home prices plummeted throughout most of the country last year, people moving to the Dallas-Fort Worth area enjoyed improved real estate values. According to a study conducted by the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University, prices for nondistressed homes increased 1.2 percent on a per-square-foot basis compared to 2009, while the value of… Read more »
North Dakota: Real Estate Market to Watch in 2011
North Dakota may not be known for much, but housing experts say people planning on moving should get familiar with the region, as it’s one of the top real estate markets to move to, according to Inman News. The main thing going for the state, according to the paper, is its low unemployment rate, as… Read more »
US: Just 4 in 10 Expect Home Values to Increase by 2016
Homeowners are more pessimistic about the short-term housing market, but now fewer than half the nation’s homeowners expect the value of their homes to go up in the next five years. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of 720 Homeowners shows that just 19% of homeowners believe their home’s value will go up over… Read more »
OR: Portland Real Estate Has Another Difficult Month
February was another dismal month in residential real estate with deep declines in new listings, pending sales and prices. The median home sales price in the Portland metro area finished the month at $213,700, down 9.1 percent from February 2010, according to the Regional Multiple Listing Service’s monthly Market Action report. The average sales price… Read more »
NY: Long Island Real Estate Sales Jump
Long Island home sales in February jumped 7.5 percent over a year ago, the first such increase in eight months, a new report said. The Multiple Listing Service of Long Island reported that there were 1,784 closings last month and 1,660 in February 2010. It marked the first time since June 2010 that monthly sales… Read more »
NC: Asheville Condo Project Never Materialized
At the time he put his money down, Justin Arnall figured the Zona Lofts project was a sure bet. Its design — with solar panels and a rainwater collection system — allowed marketing it as environmentally friendly. It offered a good location for people wanting downtown living. And many of the condos would be inexpensive… Read more »
Central Louisiana Real Estate Market Still Depressed
While the Alexandria area housing market has weathered the economic downturn better than many parts of the country, its has taken its share of hits. The number of practicing Realtors is down, the foreclosure rate is up, and sale, volume fell significantly through the early part of 2011. “We’re still in a down cycle, no… Read more »
Win a House in Gay Friendly Palm Springs
Santiago Communities, owner and operator of numerous manufactured home communities, has announced their Great Home Giveaway. Participants have the opportunity to win prizes including a new home, new cars and cash when they refer their friends to purchase Santiago homes. The grand prize winner of the Great Home Giveaway can have their new home located… Read more »
CT: Foreclosures Plummet in February 67%, Also Down Nationwide
A total of 225,101 additional homes went into foreclosure in the U.S. in February, bringing the year-to-date total to 486,434, according to the latest RealtyTrac figures. That’s one of every 577 American homes, but down 13.86 percent, RealtyTrac says. Connecticut currently has 6,794 properties in foreclosure status, RealtyTrac says. The 747 in February is 67… Read more »
Does it Make Sense to Buy Real Estate Now?
Several months ago Karl Case of the Case-Shiller Report said, “If you have a realistic version of the American dream, buying a house now can make a lot of sense.” Case is considered the guru on real estate pricing. If you don’t believe him, how about the Gallup Poll in January that says 67% of… Read more »
Hernando County, Florida Draws Cash Buyers With Rock-Bottom Real Estate Prices
After years of snow boots, frozen windshields and furry paws caked with Maine’s ice and mud, Dottie Brown and her husband, Ralph Kent, recently decided to take their modest retirement savings and their two dogs and head for the sun. Surfing the Internet, they found a shingle-roofed, stucco-coated fixer-upper on Killinger Avenue with a grapefruit… Read more »
NH: Real Estate Sales Improve, But Young Couples Flee
Although the Seacoast Board of Realtors had some good news to report at their State of Seacoast news conference in New Hampshire yesterday, there were some disturbing trends covered as well. In January and February of 2011, single-family home sales had their best start since 2008. Furthermore, residential sales volume in the entire state is… Read more »
FL: Downtown Miami Real Estate Market Reviving
More folks are choosing to call downtown Miami and the surrounding area home, halting fears of condo buildings closing and fueling some new and novel businesses. The latest real estate numbers show 85 percent of downtown Miami condos are now occupied — up more than 20 percent from two years ago, when that number was… Read more »
NJ: Condo Market Starting to Thaw?
LAST month a few strong blips indicated a quickening pulse on the New Jersey condominium market. Or maybe just a pulse. There were 15 sales in four weeks at one building in Jersey City, 6 at another, 5 at a Hoboken building where sales had been lagging — even a premarketing sale at a town… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Don Munro, Honolulu
Periodically we’ll feature one of our real estate professionals here to let our readers know about some great Realtors, Mortgage Brokers, and Other Real Estate Professionals. Gay Friendly Oahu, Hawaii Realtors and Real Estate Professionals Don was born and raised in the highlands of Scotland, and served in a Scottish infantry regiment. He has lived… Read more »
DC: Pending Real Estate Sales Soaring
A real estate information company says pending home sales in the Washington, D.C., market has showed the largest year-over-year increase in 10 years. RealEstate Business Intelligence says the number of contracts signed in February was up 33 percent from the same time last year, the biggest increase in more than a decade. The company added,… Read more »
WI: Milwaukee Real Estate Market Slowed in February
The Metropolitan Milwaukee real estate market slowed down in February, with sales falling 5.7% compared to a year ago, after starting the New Year on a strong note in January when sales increased 17.9%, according to housing statistics released today by Metro MLS, Inc. Brokers are not overly concerned about the decrease in sales in… Read more »
TN: Memphis Area Foreclosures on the Rise
“Some of them lost jobs and they could just not afford it at all,” said listing broker Jim Abell. Abell works as a real estate agent and broker hired by Fannie Mae to fix up the foreclosures and get it back on the market. He says Germantown and Collierville have become foreclosure hot spots. “I… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Denis Fuster, Hilo, Big Island, Hawaii
Periodically we’ll feature one of our real estate professionals here to let our readers know about some great Realtors, Mortgage Brokers, and Other Real Estate Professionals. Gay Friendly Big island of Hawaii Realtors and Real Estate Professionals Denis is full time international Realtor. A Hawaii resident since 2001 and investor himself on the island, Denis… Read more »
The Advocate’s Gayest City in America: Minneapolis, MN
Over the past decade, Minneapolis has become the gay magnet city of the Midwest. It makes sense: People here are no-nonsense, practical, and don’t deal well with hypocrites. This is where the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America took a historic leap forward and voted to accept gay and lesbian pastors, including the Reverend Mary Albing,… Read more »
The Advocate’s 2nd Gayest City in America: Santa Fe
At an elevation of 7,000 feet, Santa Fe is the nation’s oldest state capital — and the highest. This is where seasoned gays come to center themselves, but not in a boring way: LGBT retirement community RainbowVision has raucous drag shows at the Silver Starlight Lounge (500 Rodeo Road, nominated a Top 60 bar in… Read more »
The Advocate’s 3rd Gayest City in America: Las Vegas
Dozens of flashy shows every night! Home of Siegfried and Roy! The setting of the campiest film ever made (Showgirls)! According to a survey by Community Marketing Inc., Sin City is the top destination for American lesbians as well as the number 2 destination for American gay men and gay seniors (after New York City)…. Read more »
Southern Oregon Real Estate Prices Down, But Sales Up
Jackson County real estate sales for the three-month period ending Feb. 28, gained steam with 401 units sold compared to 378 for a corresponding period a year earlier, according to Southern Oregon Multiple Listing Service. That’s considered a good sign, considering the federal tax incentives that spurred activity a year ago have expired. Most of… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Rudy Molinet, Key West
Periodically we’ll feature one of our real estate professionals here to let our readers know about some great Realtors, Mortgage Brokers, and Other Real Estate Professionals. Gay Key West Location Realtors and Real Estate Professionals Rudy Molinet is one of the leading gay Key West realtors. Rudy is a top producing Key West realtor who… Read more »
Why is it So Hard to Get a Home Equity Loan?
Many homeowners long to hear the magic words: “Your home equity loan is approved.” But for most, this type of loan, which allows a homeowner to borrow against the equity in the home, is hard to get. The typical barriers are lack of equity, impaired credit and inadequate income to support additional borrowing. Of those,… Read more »
NE Florida Real Estate Prices Dipped in 4th Quarter of 2010
Area real estate sales volumes and median prices both cooled in the fourth quarter after volumes showed signs of life in the third quarter. According to quarterly real estate sales data from data aggregator DataQuick, median sales prices in Clay, Duval, Nassau and St. Johns counties continued to decline, but sales volumes – which had… Read more »
NJ: Housing Boom Years Caused Big Drop in Year-Round Jersey Shore Residents
It was 2004 when Lorraine McCarthy, a full-time resident of this Cape May County resort, sold her duplex a block from the boardwalk and decamped to the mainland. “The choice we made to move off the barrier island was the same choice that a lot of people who wanted to make some money made,” said… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Frank Sweet, Wilton Manors
Periodically we’ll feature one of our real estate professionals here to let our readers know about some great Realtors, Mortgage Brokers, and Other Real Estate Professionals. Gay Friendly Fort Lauderdale Realtors and Real Estate Professionals Frank is the Broker/Owner of Palm Tree Real Estate, Inc. and has lived in Broward County, Florida since 1978. He… Read more »
NM: Taos Real Estate Market Grinds to Halt in Legal Dispute
On the bright side, it’s not the robo-signers this time. In Taos County, New Mexico, two “heirs” have filed warranty deeds laying claim to a combined 42,000 acres of land and calling the ownership of about 7,000 properties into question[1]. The warranty deeds were filed in an effort to show the right to inherit ownership… Read more »
NC: Raleigh Called Healthiest Home Real Estate Market for 2011
According to Builder Magazine, Raleigh, North Carolina is the place to be if you are in construction this year[1]. Building permits increased 85 percent last year, with “much of the strength on the multifamily side,” reported the magazine when explaining the accolade. The magazine ranks metro areas based on a system called the “Builder Healthy… Read more »
Distressed Home Sales Driving Chicago Real Estate Market
We’re still more than 2 weeks away from the February home sales release from the Illinois Association of Realtors but I can give you a pretty good idea of what it’s going to show for Chicago – if you read past their characteristically upbeat headlines. My preliminary numbers show Chicago home sales down about 14%… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Christopher Rocca, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Periodically we’ll feature one of our real estate professionals here to let our readers know about some great Realtors, Mortgage Brokers, and Other Real Estate Professionals. Gay Friendly Santa Fe Realtors and Real Estate Professionals For Santa Fe real estate sellers, Christopher offers innovative and comprehensive marketing programs that combine technology, (virtual property tours, wide… Read more »
Ottawa Home Sales Drop, But Prices Rise in February
Sales of resale homes fell sharply in February as the market returned to more normal winter buying patterns, according to the Ottawa Real Estate Board. The board said 936 resale homes were sold through the Multiple Listing Service during the month, down 9.1 per cent from the 1,030 that sold during February 2010. “Once again… Read more »
NY: Upper East Side Street Second Most Expensive Real Estate in US
For those who think Forbes’ annual list of the most expensive zip codes covers too much terrain, a new analysis has honed in on the priciest streets. And not surprisingly, New York’s poshest real estate is a seven-block stretch of the Upper East Side’s Gold Coast, 70th to 77th Streets between Park and Fifth Avenues…. Read more »
Tips for Preparing Your Home for Sale in a Difficult Market
Architecture or interior design that calls to mind better economic times might actually be turnoffs to homebuyers. Opulence is out. Just try selling a mini-castle in this market. Real estate broker Marian Anthony, of Anthony Realty Group in San Diego, Calif., listed such a home, knowing it would be a tough sell. “In this market,… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Michael Cornell, Seattle
Periodically we’ll feature one of our real estate professionals here to let our readers know about some great Realtors, Mortgage Brokers, and Other Real Estate Professionals. Gay Friendly Washington State Realtors and Real Estate Professionals Maura would love to help you buy or sell your Woodbridge area home, and is one of Northern Virginia’s top… Read more »
SC: Real Estate Market Improving, But Changes Needed
Nick Kremydas with the South Carolina Association of Realtors, says the state’s current tax structure is hindering growth. But the future in the real estate market still has a bright side. Kremydas, the association’s chief executive officer, spoke at the Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce’s Toast and Topics breakfast Thursday about the real estate industry… Read more »
Global Real Estate Market on the Mend
If you look beyond the housing market, there are reasons to believe the global commercial real estate market is poised to continue a strong rally, according to Jason Yablon, a real estate securities analyst at Cohen & Steers Inc., which manages $25 billion in real estate assets. “Right now is a pretty good time to… Read more »
HGTV Show “Real Estate Intervention” Encouraging Gay Couples to Apply
Believe it or not, some gay couples do not have that fabulous design gene in them. And if they are trying to move out of one house and into another, that lack of genetics will bite them in the rear. Do you fall into that category? Well, you may just have an out. Not only… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: David Ashton, Salem, Massachusetts
Periodically we’ll feature one of our real estate professionals here to let our readers know about some great Realtors, Mortgage Brokers, and Other Real Estate Professionals. Gay Friendly Massachusetts Realtors and Real Estate Professionals David Ashton is a member of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, located in Swampscott Massachusetts. David is proud to be associated with… Read more »
Baltimore Year-End Sales Down Slightly From 2009
RBI, the primary source of real estate data, analytics, and business intelligence for real estate professionals in the Mid-Atlantic region, today released its 2010 year end statistical analysis for the Baltimore metro housing market. The market area includes: Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Anne Arundel County, Carroll County, Harford County, and Howard County. “After numbers were… Read more »
The Advocate’s 4th Gayest City in America: Orlando, Florida
Everyone knows that many Disney employees are friends of Dorothy. But now Orlando itself is coming out as a hot spot for gay and lesbian life and a hotbed of progressive attitudes. Last November, when Orange County leaders voted 6-1 to add sexual orientation protections to the private-sector antidiscrimination law, not a single resident or… Read more »
Gay Vegas Nightclub For Sale
When SECRET NIGHTCLUB & CABARET owner Paul Anderson surveyed the current entertainment options being offered last spring in the entertainment capital of the world, Las Vegas, he found an incredible void in the equation. A spicy and vibrant gay/alternative nightclub that caters to every age and every lifestyle. Formerly known as the Velvet Lion Gentlemens Club,… Read more »
Vancouver Island Real Estate Market Improving
Real estate sales picked up in Greater Victoria and Vancouver Island last month compared with January but still lagged behind February of last year. Continuing low interest rates and national job growth are credited with supporting Canadian housing demand, but the market will likely soften this year and into 2012, Scotiabank Group said in a… Read more »
How Will Coming Fannie May Changes Affect Gay & Lesbian Homeowners?
As many LGBT borrowers have heard through recent media reports, the huge mortgage agency Fannie Mae might get scrapped later this year. Whether or not that will adversely affect LGBT home buyers, LGBT homeowners wanting to refinance, or LGBT sellers hoping that their buyers qualify for a mortgage is suddenly a big concern. Meanwhile Fannie… Read more »
Slow Home Movement Takes Cues From Slow Food Movement
John Brown believes a home should ease the stress in life, not contribute to it. Brown is the founder of the slow home movement, a philosophy of home design that emphasizes livability and sustainability. It’s about building a home that works for the occupants, not one that’s intended to impress. The concept was inspired by… Read more »
Big Island’s Waimea is a Buyer’s Market
This month, I’m going to start something new in my monthly analysis of Waimea real estate sales. In addition to my ongoing monthly recap of real estate sales in Waimea, I’m going to take a look at where the current inventory of available homes for sale is in relationship to the number of sales last… Read more »