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 Indiana Realtors and Real Estate Professionals Indianapolis is my hometown. I love showing it off! Whether you are relocating, returning, or just searching for another home or… Read more »
Monthly Archives: August 2011
WV: Home Prices Increased 14% in July
National monthly home prices increased by a modest 0.8 percent for the second consecutive month in July according to CoreLogic’s July Home Price Index (HPI), but prices were still 5.2 percent lower than a year ago. July marks the fourth consecutive month in which monthly home prices have seen an increase. Although year-over-year price comparisons… Read more »
RI: Home Prices Fell Almost 5% in July
Prices for single-family homes in Rhode Island fell 4.7 percent in July compared with the same month last year, CoreLogic said Wednesday. However, when distressed sales – foreclosures and short sales – were removed, prices fell three-tenths of 1 percent, the real estate tracking firm said. Nationally, CoreLogic said its Home Price Index declined 5.2… Read more »
Re/Max Drops Ads on Show With Lesbian Characters
There are lesbians everywhere. . .any woman who dares to have a spine is a lesbian…any woman who is independent is a lesbian…any woman who dares not have a man is a lesbian…that appears to be the thinking behind the Florida Family Association and their attacks on the ABC Family show Pretty Little Liars. Perhaps… Read more »
MS: Six Years After Katrina, Beachfront Property Still Popular
The scars left by Hurricane Katrina six years ago today are as apparent here as they are along most other stretches of Mississippi beaches. Drive along Washington Avenue just north of Beach Boulevard and there are several large holes where one can look through the palmettos and pre-storm live oaks and see the sparkling waters… Read more »
Mexico a Lot Safer Than People Think
Quick – which national capital has the higher murder rate: Mexico City or Washington, D.C.? If you answered Mexico City, you’d be in good company – after all, Mexico is a war zone, isn’t it? But you would be wrong, on both counts. Based on FBI crime statistics for 2010 and Mexican government data released… Read more »
Is Bisbee Arizona’s Gayest City?
So what’s the friendliest place in Arizona for gay couples? If figures from the Census Bureau are to be believed, it’s Bisbee. An analysis of the annual count by researchers at The Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law found that, on a proportional basis, that tiny city in southeast Arizona had more gay… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Rob Boccolucci, Rancho Cucamonga, CA
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 Inland Empire Realtors and Real Estate Professionals I have worked in sales for over fifteen years and have been a professional Realtor for the past two years…. Read more »
New Tighter Lending Standards Could Hurt Real Estate Sales
Future home buyers would have to put 20 percent down to get the best home loans. Eligible borrowers could owe only a minimum amount of other debt. And anyone with a 60-day delinquency in his credit history need not apply. New proposed rules to avoid another mortgage meltdown could radically change the way people buy… Read more »
ME: Home Sales Up 23% in July Over 2010
Maine home sales jumped 23.17 percent in July compared to the same period in 2010, Maine Real Estate Information System Inc. said Friday. According to the group’s numbers, 994 single-family, existing homes were sold last month, compared to 807 in July 2010. The median sales price also edged up year-over-year, from $172,500 last year to… Read more »
MN: Twin Cities’ “Parade of Homes” Shrinks
The parade just keeps getting shorter. In a sign of the times for the homebuilding market, one of the top local marketing events for new homes throughout the metro area will have to make do with fewer entries this fall. The Builders Association of the Twin Cities’ Fall Parade of Homes, scheduled for Sept. 10… Read more »
MT: State Doing Better Than Most in Foreclosures
The newest data on home foreclosures says there’s an increase in the Pacific Northwest, but Montana’s doing better than the majority of the United States. Foreclosure-response.org says Montana, as a whole, has fewer foreclosures than most U.S. states, but it’s a different story when you look at individual cities. In some, foreclosures are on the… Read more »
MI: Detroit’s Changing Face
Detroit is gaining traction. Real estate investors, civic leaders and other Detroit supporters are talking about a palpable difference in the city’s economic development progress, especially in core areas like Midtown and downtown. Properties are changing hands. New owners are setting up shop with hubs for innovation and retail. Residential spaces are getting spiffed up… Read more »
New Study: Gay Couples, Single Mothers Face Rental Discrimination
A surprising new study by the University of British Columbia has discovered that gay male couples and single parents face significant discrimination in Vancouver’s rental housing market, compared to straight couples. The research, published in the August issue of the journal Social Problems, is the largest investigation of housing discrimination against single parents. Overall, the… Read more »
OH: Foreclosure Sales in Toledo Hurt Home Prices
Foreclosure sales are down nationally, but sales in metro Toledo come at nearly half the price of houses not in foreclosure, a report shows. One of every four home sales in metro Toledo was foreclosure related in the April-through-June period, compared with one out of three nationwide, according to figures released Wednesday by RealtyTrac Inc.,… Read more »
AZ: State Has Second Highest Underwater Mortgage Rate in Country
Statistics indicating that nearly half of Arizona mortgages are under water brought no surprises to many homeowners who have had trouble selling a home or are fighting foreclosure. Arizona homeowners with reduced equity in their homes face many financial challenges, and the plummeting real estate market in Phoenix has been a major factor. A recent… Read more »
NH: Year-Over-Year Home Sales Jumped 30% in July
Home sales in New Hampshire jumped nearly 30 percent last month when compared to July 2010, but the state Realtors association is warning people not to get too excited. The New Hampshire Association of Realtors reports Friday that 1,048 homes were sold in July, up from 811 sales in the year-ago month. But sales in… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Terry Hudson Home Inspections, Denver
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 Colorado Realtors and Real Estate Professionals A home is more than just the combination of brick, hardwood floors and plumbing that will take care of physical needs… Read more »
CO: Denver The Fastest Moving Real Estate Market in July
The summer of 2011 has seen positive developments for Colorado’s housing market, with the latest indicator coming from the National Association of Realtors. Denver topped NAR’s recently released list of July’s fastest-moving real estate markets. The median age of property on the Denver market in July was 32 days, a decrease of 38.5 percent from… Read more »
Washington DC: Where Are the New Gay Neighborhoods?
When David Lippe and his partner, Valentine Garcia, moved into their house on Seaton Street in Northwest D.C. 17 years ago, they were one of the few gay couples in the District’s Bloomingdale neighborhood. Today, at least on their block, they’re in the majority. The past 10 years have brought a wave of gentrification as… Read more »
MA: Provincetown, The Gayest City in the US
As the release of U.S. Census data for 2010 nears an end, so far the city with the highest proportion of same-sex couples is — surprise, surprise — Provincetown, Mass. Provincetown (pictured) has 163 same-sex couples per 1,000 households, topping Wilton Manors, Fla., a Fort Lauderdale suburb that has 140 per 1,000, according to an… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Gael W. Hammer, Connecticut
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 Connecticut State Realtors and Real Estate Professionals I’ve been a Washington resident and Washington realtor for more than twenty years. I’ve broken sales records for Litchfield County… Read more »
US Home Sales About the Same in July
Sales of newly built, single-family homes held virtually unchanged in July with a 0.7 percent dip from the previous month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 298,000 units, according to newly released data from the U.S. Commerce Department.”The fact that new-home sales fell by less than one percent in July is an indication of… Read more »
Housing Starts Drop in Canada’s Atlantic Coast
According to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC’s) latest outlook, the economic and housing market performance in Atlantic Canada in 2011 is currently being impacted by slower employment growth and weaker retail spending activity. “Low interest rates, previously the foundation for better performance in the housing sector, are not expected to offset the weaker economic… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Sally Kilburg, Penticton, British Columbia
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 British Coliumbia Realtors and Real Estate Professionals Sally comes to real estate sales after a 25 year legal career in California. She understands the art of negotiation,… Read more »
Canadian Real Estate Sales Stronger Than Expected in 2nd Quarter
The Canadian Real Estate Association has revised its forecast for residential property sales as transaction activity and prices were stronger than expected in the second quarter of the year. Sales momentum was also better than expected heading into the third quarter. As a result, the 2011 national forecasts for sales activity and average price have… Read more »
New Orleans: Foreclosures a Growing Part of the Real Estate Market
When banks send real estate agent Dana Bonnette to figure out what to do with the homes that they’ve won at foreclosure auction, sometimes she finds homes that were never gutted after they flooded in Hurricane Katrina. Other times, the homeowner appears to have run out of rebuilding money, as evidenced by a palette of… Read more »
Costa Rica Real Estate Draws Baby Boomers
Costa Rica is fast becoming one of the most favored destinations for a growing number of American ‘baby boomer’ retirees who are looking to live out there days in the sun, shows a recent report by Fox Business. According to Christopher Howard, a published author who has written several books on the topic of Central… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Doug Jacobs, Austin
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 Doug is a Real Estate Broker with Jacobs & Mikeska Realtors in Austin, Texas. Jacobs & Mikeska has worked in the… Read more »
WI: Home Prices Drop For Third Year
Led by business and forestland prices, property values in Wisconsin fell for the third straight year in 2010, though the drop was just over half of what it was the previous year. A report by the state Department of Revenue shows that the value of homes, businesses and other property in the state fell by… Read more »
Alberta Real Estate Market Likely Strongest in Canada
Alberta is poised to post the largest annual gains in housing sales this year and next, according to the Canadian Real Estate Association. In its forecast released Tuesday, CREA said sales this year will increase by 7.3 per cent from 2010, to 53,350 units, and another 6.8 per cent in 2012, to 57,000 sales. The… Read more »
TX: Is Houston’s Montrose District Still a Gayborhood?
Montrose’s “gayborhood” status is officially over. Or it’s just like it has been for the past five to ten years. It depends on who you ask. Hair Balls recently spoke with various movers and shakers of the neighborhood’s GLBT community about Montrose, which was (and maybe still is?) one of the top gay and lesbian… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Walt Welch, Atlanta
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 Georgia Realtors and Real Estate Professionals Hi, I’m Walt Welch. I am a Georgia Realtor(R) who also has a Georgia Real Estate Broker license. I have more… Read more »
NJ: Hopes Dashed for Real Estate Market Recovery
In the last three months, the housing market in New Jersey was slowly starting to stabilize — at least, in the sense things had stopped getting worse. After tumultuous years that included a double-dip in home prices nationwide, median sale prices for the second quarter this year ranged from rising 5.6 percent in the Atlantic… Read more »
AZ: Flagstaff Home Prices Fell Sharply in July
July is usually one of the peak months for home sales in the greater Flagstaff area. But not this year. The median sales price for a detached, single family home hit the $245,000 mark in July, according to information compiled by the Northern Arizona Association of Realtors Multiple Listing Service. Last year, the median home… Read more »
San Francisco: Is Bayview the New Castro?
Bayview and the rest of District 10 – Hunters Point, Potrero Hill and Visitacion Valley – is in the process of transforming into a safer, more accessible and stylish community, according to a number of local activists, residents, and real estate agents. And part of that transformation includes the LGBT community. Last month the San… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Kirk Dahle, 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 Location Realtors and Real Estate Professionals in the San Francisco Bay Area Kirk works hard for his clients, and uses his intuitive nature to provide fantastic customer… Read more »
San Francisco Bay Area Home Prices and Sales Dropped in July from 2010
Bay Area homes saw median sale prices fall in July compared with a year ago, as economic jitters kept potential buyers, especially at the high end, out of the market, according to a real estate report released Tuesday. Throughout the nine counties, the median paid for an existing single-family house in July was $400,000, down… Read more »
TN: Central State Home Sales Improved in July
Mt. Juliet real estate agent Judy Rockensock is on track to sell more homes at higher prices this year than she did last year. Her sales reflect a recent report that shows Middle Tennessee home sales could be on the rebound. Last week, a long-awaited glimmer of hope surfaced on the local housing scene with… Read more »
How The Debt Crisis Affects Gay and Lesbian Homeowners
Despite the downgrading of America’s credit rating, there is cause for gay and lesbian home buyers to feel somewhat optimistic. That’s because LGBT buyers now have an even better chance of securing an extremely cheap mortgage to buy a home at price levels that are highly affordable. They also have the unprecedented advantage of knowing… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Charles SantAngelo, Phoenix
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 Phoenix Realtors and Real Estate Professionals Charles SantAngelo specializes in working with the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender community in buying and selling homes in the Metro… Read more »
Canada: Saskatchewan Has Plan to Help Home Buyers
The Saskatchewan government has outlined an eight-year housing strategy to help potential buyers being pushed out of the market by skyrocketing prices. The report outlines five steps that include increasing the housing and rental supply and improving affordability. The average resale price of a home in Saskatchewan has risen more than 83 per cent since… Read more »
British Columbia Home Sales Dipped in July
British Columbia suffered a major dip in home sales during July, but the situation could get better if interest rates drop, according to a new report by the British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA). Sales were up 12.9% in July compared to a year ago, while average prices were up 10% over the same period…. Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Scott Rhinehart, Laguna Beach
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 Laguna Beach Realtors and Real Estate Professionals Scott provides his clients with a combined 20 years experience in real estate, marketing, negotiating and sales. Scott is dedicated… Read more »
QC: Montreal Condo Sales Jumped 23% in July
Condo sales, which now account for half the residential real estate transactions on Montreal Island, soared 23 per cent last month, compared with July 2010, Multiple Listing Service data show. Median prices for condos on Montreal Island, which accounted for 77 per cent of all condos sold in Quebec last month, rose five per cent,… Read more »
NY: Manhattan Real Estate Recovering Faster Than Rest of US
The gulf between New York City’s real estate market and the rest of the country has always been wide. But that disconnect appears to be growing. “Manhattan seems to be one of the lucky ones,” said Jonathan Miller, president and CEO of Miller Samuel, who called the Big Apple one of “the best housing markets… Read more »
US: Foreclosure Slowdown May Extend Time Before Recovery
The numbers of properties in some stage of the foreclosure process has dropped 35% year over year, according to RealtyTrac. But the firm that specializes in the market for foreclosed real estate said this merely represents a further slowdown in processing the numbers of properties owned by people who cannot afford them. “July foreclosure activity… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Mover: Bill Coatsworth, Tucson, Arizona
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 Tucson Realtors and Real Estate Professionals Bill has been in the moving business in both Arizona and California for more than 30 years, and has made a… Read more »
The Yukon Home Prices Soaring
Once a playground for 19th century gold speculators, the Yukon is again experiencing a boom as commodities surge and gold prices reach new heights, good news for an incumbent government pushing for its third term. … “Yukoners aren’t really worried about the economy and they haven’t been worried for quite some time,” said Donna Larsen… Read more »
GA: Atlanta Home Prices Dropped 6.8% in June Year-Over-Year
Home prices in metro Atlanta continued to take a beating in early summer, traditionally one of the better times to sell a house. Metro Atlanta home prices fell 6.8 percent year-over-year in June, CoreLogic reported Wednesday. Georgia’s home prices also were down 6.8 percent in the period. That was even with the national home price… Read more »
AZ: Phoenix Home Prices Projected to Fall 9% By 2012
Phoenix home prices are projected to fall 8.7 percent by the first quarter of 2012, according to the latest Fiserv Case-Shiller Home Price Index. The projections find Phoenix home prices will lose 8.7 percent of their value between early 2011 and early 2012. Another drop of 6.9 percent is expected between early 2012 and early… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: David Dorman, Orlando
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 Orlando Realtors and Real Estate Professionals David makes a great first impression, from his friendly smile to his ability to make his clients instantly comfortable. He takes… Read more »
AK: Is Wasilla Becoming the San Francisco of Alaska?
Moose Bites, a catering outfit that specializes in Cajun dishes such as chicken and sausage gumbo, was named Business of the Week at a recent Chamber of Commerce luncheon in Wasilla, Alaska. The exclusive event, which takes place every Tuesday at the Grand View Inn & Suites, just off East Parks Highway, draws the most… Read more »
North/South Dakota Farm Land Values Increasing
The value of farm real estate in the Dakotas has increased over the past year. The Agriculture Department says North Dakota’s average value is $980 per acre, up more than 15 percent, and South Dakota’s is $1,100 per acre, up more than 13 percent. Farm real estate includes land and buildings. In North Dakota, the… Read more »
WA: What’s the Gayest Part of Seattle’s Capitol Hill?
Thursday, we noted a Seattle Times report showing that Capitol Hill remains the area of the city with the highest percentage of same sex couples — but also that the Hill’s population of gay duos hadn’t grown as quickly as the rest of the city in the past decade. The Times has also provided a… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Marcy Mjelde, Bellingham, WA
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 Realtors and Real Estate Professionals Whether you’re planning to buy or sell a Bellingham home, you shouldn’t have to worry about your real estate agent. Marcy… Read more »
AL: Birmingham Home Prices Dropped in June Compared to Last Year
Home prices in the Birmingham metro area fell 9.1 percent in June compared to the same month in 2010, according to data from CoreLogic (NYSE: CLGX). If distressed sales are excluded, prices fell just 3.4 percent in June 2011 compared to June 2010. According to CoreLogic, national prices dropped 6.8 percent, including distressed sales, over… Read more »
NC: Charlotte Home Prices Rose Slightly in June from May
Home prices in the Charlotte market fell 5.1 percent for the year ended in May, according to the Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller Home Price Index. The good news: That’s a slight improvement from the previous month, when home prices here plunged 6.6 percent for the year ended in April. That was the lowest point for Charlotte… Read more »
IN: Southern State Home Sales Improve, But Still Down From 2010
The number of homes sold in Southern Indiana in June was down 8 percent from June a year ago, but sales appear to be rising, according to the latest figures from Re/Max of Indiana. “The number of homes sold in April, May and June of this year have all been down when compared to the… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Ross Maghami, Phoenix
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 Phoenix Realtors and Real Estate Professionals I have been living in AZ for the past 11 years and can’t think of a better place to call home…. Read more »
ND: State Leads the Way in Recovery of Rural Real Estate Market
While real estate markets in big business states like California and Arizona continue to crash and burn, it seems a few smaller states might just be leading the way in a recovery, say economists. Rural states including North Dakota, as well as its near neighbor South Dakota and others have seen some of the strongest… Read more »
FL: Home Prices Fell Year-Over-Year in June
Florida home prices continue to decline – no surprise there. But the drop in June doesn’t look so awful compared with other states that also endured the worst of the housing bust. Prices in the Sunshine State fell 7.6 percent in June from a year ago, according to the CoreLogic Home Price Index released Wednesday…. Read more »
SC: Charleston Real Estate Market Recovery Slow But Steady
It’s going to take up to three years to return to pre-recession levels of employment, the factor that drives demand for homes, research economist Joseph Von Nessen told about 400 area Realtors on Tuesday during their midyear residential market update at the Charleston Marriott. But economic indicators point to slow, steady growth in the Charleston… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Karen Huckabay, Raleigh
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 Central North Carolina Realtors and Real Estate Professionals I enthusiastically share with clients the knowledge and insight I’ve gained by remodeling, renovating, buying and selling Raleigh real… Read more »
MA: Realtors Think State Real Estate Market Improving
Realtors are feeling better about the Massachusetts real estate market than they were a year ago, the Massachusetts Association of Realtors announced today. In June, the Realtor Market Index was 29.17, up 2.8 percent from June 2010. This is the first year-over-year increase since May 2010, the association said in a news release. The Realtor… Read more »
TX: Real Estate Prices Stabilizing?
Texas is the one state to experience both a 3% annual job growth rate in June and relatively stable home prices this month. The latest Monthly Review of the Texas Economy reports Texas had “robust” job growth for the year ending in June. The state’s private sector added 251,900 jobs, with an annual growth rate… Read more »
OR: Home Prices Dropped Year Over Year
U.S. home prices dropped 6.8 percent in June compared to the prior year. CoreLogic (NYSE: CLGX), a Santa Ana, Calif.-based real estate data firm, said June results were up 0.7 percent over the prior month. It was the third consecutive monthly gain and is consistent with seasonal home trends. Home prices have retreated 31.7 percent… Read more »
LA: New Orleans’ Rent Prices Falling
New Orleans housing market is in better shape than much of the nation’s, and what renters may see as good news, real estate investors may see another way. Even though nationally rents are rising on all types of housing with some markets seeing rent jump 10-15%, here in the metro area there’s a very different… Read more »
CA: Housing Value Declines Strain County Revenues
Declining home prices are starting to slam California harder than the rest of the nation, in part due to a state law that sets a ceiling–but no floor–on property taxes. The toll is evident here in Calaveras County, a largely rural area about 100 miles east of San Francisco. Over the past three years, it… Read more »
RI: East Providence Home Sales Down
According to the Rhode Island Association of Realtors, the median price of a single family home dropped two percent in the second quarter of 2011, when compared to the same period last year. Sales were down more than 20 percent year-over-year. In East Providence, the news was mixed. Sales of single-family homes were down nearly… Read more »