When you and your partner are searching for your new home, you may also want to consider the type of neighborhood that you will move into. Although it’s 2012, there are still narrow-minded people out there. If you and your family don’t feel comfortable and safe in your new home then a great experience will… Read more »
Monthly Archives: July 2012
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Ann Leviton, Minneapolis
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. Ann earned her Minnesota real estate sales license back in in 1994, and became an ERA Dakota-Metro Realty agent shortly after. She was presented with a Customer Satisfaction award… Read more »
France Raising Taxes on Foreign Property Owners
France is one more in a long line of Eurozone countries scraping the bottom of the barrel for additional monies, and now France is looking to squeeze foreign owners of vacation homes. The French government’s new tax is part of President Francois Hollande’s plans to tax the rich, but critics note not every foreign holiday-home… Read more »
Birmingham Home Sales Up in May From 2011
The value of metro Birmingham home sales increased to $248.9 million in June, up 12 percent from May and up 13 percent from a year ago. At the same time, unit sales totaled 1,313 last month, a 3 percent improvement from May and a 4 percent rise from June 2011. The data is found in… Read more »
St. Louis Home Sales Rose in June
Sales of St. Louis homes, both new and existing, rose in June, providing more evidence that the housing market here is healing. The St. Louis Association of Realtors reported 1,651 sales of existing homes last month in St. Louis city and county, up from 1,538 a year earlier. Sales of existing homes have been increasing… Read more »
New Orleans Home Sales at Five Month Low in May
Americans bought fewer new homes in June after sales jumped to a two-year high in May. The steep decline suggests a weaker job market and slower growth could make the housing recovery uneven. The Commerce Department said Wednesday that sales of new homes fell 8.4 percent last month from May to a seasonally adjusted annual… Read more »
Gay Neighbors Raise Home Values
Gays have a positive impact on home values in liberal areas. But in conservative ones, same-sex couples drag down prices — probably because people don’t want to live near them. Time to thank your neighbors for their nice flower boxes. A new study summarized by the Harvard Business Review confirms what’s become conventional wisdom in… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Greg Rowland, Victoria, 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. Greg is an Associate Real estate Broker with Newport Realty in Victoria. He’s worked in the Victoria real estate market on Southern Vancouver Island for morfe than ten years…. Read more »
Is it Better to Buy or Rent?
The question can be difficult to answer, but it can be broken down into simpler questions to guide you through the decision making process. –How long do you intend to stay in your next home? Renting is better than buying if you anticipate moving in a short period of time. –Do you plan on keeping… Read more »
San Francisco: Armistead Maupin’s Home for Sale
Last month I mentioned that one of San Francisco’s most enduring icons will be moving to Santa Fe. On Sunday the Chronicle reported that his SF home is now on the market. “I loved being able to write on that top floor and walk out on the deck and just stare into Sutro Forest,” said… Read more »
Short Sale or Bankruptcy?
Stagnant real estate values in recent months in many areas across the country have homeowners everywhere continuing to feel anxious about homeownership, some are in a position in which they want or need to sell, while others may be in danger of losing their homes. Listen, it’s quite possible the real estate market has hit… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Cyndy Ciolino, Chicago
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. Cyndy has been working in the Chicago real estate market for the past eleven years. She mainly works with clients looking to buy or sell new or existing Chicago-area… Read more »
New Orleans Real Estate Market Showing Showing Signs of Life
After several years of declines, the metro New Orleans area real estate market appears to be stabilizing, according to new figures from the New Orleans Metropolitan Association of Realtors. The price per square foot of homes in the seven-parish metro area was essentially unchanged in the first half of 2012 compared with the same period… Read more »
Wilmington, North Carolina Real Estate Market Has Best June Since 2007
Wilmington-area home sales grew 10.6 percent last month compared with a year earlier, the best June showing since 2007, according to statistics released Thursday by the Wilmington Regional Association of Realtors. Sales in the area covered by the WRAR – roughly New Hanover, Pender and northern Brunswick counties – rose to 542 in June from… Read more »
Louisville, Kentucky Home Sales Up in June
Members of the Greater Louisville Association of Realtors sold 1,211 homes during June, a 6.5 percent increase from June 2011. The most recent represented the best monthly sales performance since June 2010, the association reported in a news release. Realtors continue to see signs that the local housing market has strengthened after years of negative… Read more »
What You Get for $480K
WHAT: A one-bedroom house with one bath HOW MUCH: $475,000 SIZE: 2,200 square feet PRICE PER SQUARE FOOT: $215.90 SETTING: This house is on 20 rolling acres of pasture bordering a large ranch and several vacant parcels of land. The fenced property has a view of the Tobacco Root Mountains in the northern Rockies, and… Read more »
Casper, Wyoming Home Prices Went Up in May
Overall home prices in Casper increased by 14.2 percent in May compared to a year ago, according to a report issued by a national provider of information, analytics and business services. The increase was higher than the 9.5 percent year-over-year increase in April, CoreLogic reported. When distressed sales are excluded, year-over-year prices increased by 7.4… Read more »
Florida’s Space Coast Showing Signs of Growth After Shuttle Shutdown
Shuttles Bar & Grill, a once-popular roadside diner a few miles south of the Kennedy Space Center, is shuttered, and a “For Rent” sign is taped to the window of a bagel shop that used to serve space center workers an early bird breakfast. But a year after the United States ended NASA’s space shuttle… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Steve J Mole, Pittsburgh
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. Steve lives in the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Shadyside and knows the Greater Pittsburgh area very well. He grew up in Monroeville, and was a student at Gateway Senior High,… Read more »
Northern Virginia Home Sales Up, Prices Flat in June
Home sales across the broader Northern Virginia market in June showed a healthy increase from a year before, but the average sales price was relatively flat, according to new figures. A total of 3,522 properties changed hands across the area last month, according to figures reported July 10 by RealEstate Business Intelligence, an arm of… Read more »
Seattle Median Real Estate Prices Up 11%, But Overall Market More Mixed
Adding to the recent stellar news regarding Seattle’s real estate market, this month’s stats show another big median price increase compared to last year, and a continuing surge of home sales. The median home price in Seattle rose 11.1 percent year-over-year in June, to $425,000. Sales, at the same time, were up 13.2 percent compared… Read more »
Ohio Existing Home Sales Jumped More Than 20% in May
Monthly sales of existing single-family homes and condos jumped by over twenty percent in Ohio during May while total sales for the year are thirteen percent ahead of last year’s pace according to the latest housing data from the Ohio Association of Realtors(R) (OAR). An estimated total of 11,018 existing single-family homes and condos were… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Mortgage Professional: Scott Young, Boulder, Colorado
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. Scott grew up in Nashville, and moved to Colorado in ’91. He holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Tennessee, had a career in the precious metals… Read more »
Charlotte, North Carolina New Home Construction Booming
Construction on new homes in Charlotte is booming. The Home Builders Association of Charlotte says it saw an 80 percent jump compared to last year. It could be a sign of bigger, better things to come. The sound of saws, hammers and drills are welcome noise to local builder Neal Forney. Things were more quiet… Read more »
What You Need to Know About Short Sales
There are many different kinds of property listings. There are bank-owned properties or foreclosures, which are the same thing. There are probate sales, trustee sales and regular type sales. But the one type of sale that is in a complete classification of its own is the short sale. We have all heard the term short… Read more »
Kamloops Home Sales Market is very steady
BCREA ECONOMICS NOW Bank of Canada Interest Rate Decision – July 17, 2012 The Bank of Canada has once again decided to keep its overnight rate at 1 per cent. The statement released this morning in support of the interest rate decision noted that global growth prospects have cooled since the Bank’s April Monetary Policy… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Dan Easton, Blairsville, Georgia
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. Dan offers his clients his professional services, and really enjoys working in the Blairsville real estate market. He will use his knowledge of the market and the real estate… Read more »
Charleston, West Virginia Home Sales Strong in June
The Charleston-area housing market is showings signs of a rebound as home sales topped 1,000 for the second straight month and prices have stabilized at a median price of $200,000. In June, 1,033 homes sold, according to figures released by the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors. In May, 1,002 homes sold. “Our market is showing… Read more »
Florida Real Estate Inventory Down, Home Sales Up in 2012
Florida home sellers, for a change, are gaining some leverage in the market. The number of homes for sale in May was down 34 percent from a year ago, while the inventory of homes on the market has dwindled to a 5.5-month supply, down sharply from a near 10-month supply in May of 2011. The… Read more »
Sacramento New Home Sales Jumped in First Six Months of 2012
Sales of new homes in the Sacramento region increased 68 percent in the first half of 2012 from the same period last year, according to the North State Building Industry Association. Meanwhile, visitor traffic to area subdivisions climbed 38.5 percent in the same period. The association tracks 80 neighborhoods that represent about two-thirds of the… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Charlotte Kornik, Salt Lake City
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. Charlotte Kornik is an eighteen-year Utah resident, who originally moved here from California – she went to school and played basketball at the University of Arizona and then at… Read more »
Las Vegas Sees Home Prices Climb for Fifth Consecutive Month
Las Vegas home prices are climbing up for the fifth straight month in the longest upward streak since 2004. Officials with the Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors said Tuesday that the median price of a single-family home sold in June was nearly $132,000. That’s up 3 percent from May and 5.9 percent from a… Read more »
New York: Sullivan County Becoming Very Gay Friendly
The most powerful elected official in Sullivan County is gay. So are the heads of its public radio station, its nationally renowned theater company and the former chief of its Democratic Party. Sullivan has become such a welcoming place for gay folks that it was named one of the country’s “cool gay getaways†by the… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Mortgage Professional: Kevin Hoover, Albuquerque
Featured Gay Friendly Mortgage Professional: Kevin Hoover, Albuquerque 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. Kevin is an Albuquerque resident who will give you the best possible service when you’re looking for a new loan or… Read more »
71% of Las Vegas Homeowners Underwater on Mortgages
Here in the underwater wasteland that is the Las Vegas desert, the ethics of walking away and plight of the typical Vegas homeowner dominated our conversation. A member of our party sells homes for living but hasn’t made a payment on her mortgage in three years, with little harassment from the mortgage holder. This realtor… Read more »
Big Island Condo Sales, Prices Up in June
Condominium sales and prices on the Big Island soared last month, but the number of single-family homes sold in June dropped 20 percent from the same month last year, according to statistics from Hawaii Information Service. There were 65 condo units sold on the Big Island in June, which was 27 percent more than the… Read more »
Kauai Home Sales, Condo Prices Up in June
Home sales on Kauai rose by double-digits last month, but median prices in June were mixed for single-family homes and condominiums on the Garden Isle, according to statistics from Hawaii Information Service. There were 31 single-family homes sold on Kauai in June, which was 11 percent more than the 28 homes sold during the same… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Jan Bristow, 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. Jan will work hard to help you buy or sell your Seattle area home. She knows the Puget Sound region inside and out, and can help you find the… Read more »
Maui Home, Condo Prices and Sales Soared in June
Home prices on Maui soared by more than 30 percent in June on a modest increase in the number of sales, while condominium prices jumped by more than 25 percent on sales that rose by 18 percent, according to statistics from the Realtors Association of Maui. The median price of a single-family home in Maui… Read more »
Oahu Home Sales and Prices Up in June, Except for Condos
Oahu home sales and prices are up in June, according to the latest analysis by the Honolulu Board of Realtors released Monday. There were 279 sales of single-family homes, up by 12.5 percent when compared to the same month last year. The median single-family home price was $620,000, climbing by 10.2 percent from June 2011…. Read more »
Alaska Real Estate Markets Slower But Steady
Prices are lower and homes stay listed longer, but the major Alaska real estate markets are still performing well compared to the rest of the nation. So far this year, 1,065 residential properties have sold in Anchorage with an average price of $281,179 and an average 72 days on the market. There have been 487… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Greg Burton, St. Petersburg, Florida
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. Greg emphasizes excellent service to all of his real estate clients. If you’re looking to buy a first or second home in the Tampa Bay area, give Greg a… Read more »
Canadian Home Sales Likely to Beat Forecasts for Year
The Canadian Real Estate Association said Friday that the national home price and sales activity this year will be higher than previously forecast, following a strong spring. It forecasts 475,800 homes will be sold in 2012, up 3.8 per cent from 2011, compared with earlier expectations of a gain of 0.3 per cent. The average… Read more »
Vermont Home Sales Up, Sales Down in May
The RE/MAX of New England May Monthly Housing Report shows strong home sales in virtually every New England state. Vermont experienced the second largest gain in home sales in New England, up 28.1 percent. Although the median sales price slipped -3.1 percent in Vermont, pending home sales increased more than 34 percent. Year-over-year, Connecticut, Maine,… Read more »
Gay Homeownership Rate Lower Than for Straight Folks
The Advocate’s Money Minute reports on why LGBT folks own homes at a lower aright than the general population, and what can be done about it. At Gay Realty Watch, we look for news to share with you about the gay real estate market – both lgbt real estate news and news specific to gay… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Debbie Golden, Albuquerque
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. Debbie’s been an Albuquerque area real estate agent since 1980, selling single family homes, vacant land, and investment properties. She’s been a multi-million dollar sales producer for a long… Read more »
Toronto, Vancouver Real Estate Markets Cooling Off
Home sales in two of Canada’s hottest housing markets, Toronto and Vancouver, are showing signs of a cooling trend in what could be the beginning of a long-awaited contraction economists have been expecting. The Greater Toronto Realtors Association said Thursday the number of pre-owned homes sold by its members last month was down 13 per… Read more »
Winnipeg Home Sales Down 2% in June
Local homebuyers took a bit of a breather last month, according to new figures released today. Winnipeg Realtors said 1,487 properties were sold last month through the local Multiple Listing Service (MLS). That’s a decline of two per cent from the 1,516 that changed hands in June, 2011. The decline in sales came in spite… Read more »
Washington DC Real Estate Market Hot This Summer
Whether it’s the heat index or the housing market, the numbers don’t lie: this July has been one of the hottest on record and it doesn’t appear to be cooling down anytime soon. Most people think the summer means tank tops, flip-flops and the summer doldrums in real estate. In fact, Dwight and I have… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Christian Cocca, Palm Springs
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. Christian has been selling Southern California real estate since 2001. As a second generation Realtor, he began his career right out of college, winning numerous awards his first three… Read more »
Florida Home Sales Up Again in May
Monthly sales of existing single-family homes and condominiums improved again in Florida with total transactions improving by over five percent from April to May and home prices for both single-family homes and condos improved on both a monthly and yearly basis according to the latest data from the Florida Realtors(R). An estimated total of 28,718… Read more »
Texas Housing Market Improving
May was packed with indicators of an improving housing market here in Texas. According to the latest Multiple Listing Service (MLS) data, existing home sales were up 20 percent over May 2011, prices were up 8 percent, and inventory was at a comfortable six months. “There’s no doubt that the market in Texas and in… Read more »
San Diego Real Estate Market Booming
There is no exact timeframe or science to real estate cycles, but this alternation has been going on internationally ever since there were landowners. Today in San Diego and in most of the world, it is a buyer’s market. It has been a buyer’s market for four to five years, as prices have continued to… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Gregory M. Brown, 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. “Your lifestyle… Your home… Leave it to me!” – gregory m. brown Greg’s top priority is to represent your Toronto real estate interests confidently with his friendly, outgoing and… Read more »
Boise Home Sales Strong in May
In May 2012, the Intermountain MLS recorded 604 home sales. While this did not represent a significant change in sales from the previous year, the average sales price was up over thirty thousand dollars. Also, due to the lack of inventory of homes, many buyers frustrated from bidding against investors, have started considering new construction…. Read more »
Home Sales Up in Columbia, Down in Other Parts of South Carolina in May
Home sales are humming along in Columbia and in most parts of the state. But some rural areas still are struggling with laggings sales, according to a report Monday. “We’re just banging it out right now. There’s just so much pent-up demand,” said David Patterson, an agent with Keller Williams Realty in Columbia. Sales jumped… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Donald Falk, Portland, Oregon
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. Whether you’re planning to buy or sell your Portland home or investment property, finding with the right Realtor can make a big differecnce in identifying the right property… Read more »
California Home Sales Up 9% in May
Monthly sales of new and existing homes in California continued to follow the traditional spring selling pattern, increasing by over nine percent from the previous month, while home prices showed solid gains for a third consecutive month according to real estate information provider DataQuick. An estimated total of 41,790 new and existing homes and condos… Read more »
Real Estate Markets Vary Widely in Connecticut
After seven years of slowing house sales in Connecticut, this year is off to a pretty appetizing start — at least when it comes to the total number of closings. House sales rose in each of the first four months of the year, compared with a year ago, capped off by a rousing, 25 percent… Read more »
New Mexico Real Estate Sales Up 14% in May
With a 13 percent gain in home sales statewide, real estate executives are asking if this is finally a sign of a turnaround. “There is optimism,” said Debbie Rogers, 2012 President of the REALTORS Association of New Mexico. “Brokers have started seeing multiple offers at list price or higher during the past few weeks. Many… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Melissa Lundgren, Nashville
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. Finding a perfect Nashville home and neighborhood to match your lifestyle and budget is my first priority. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve ever bought a home before – I’ll… Read more »
Taos Real Estate Marketing Bottoming Out?
Newspapers are often accused of going out of their way to publish depressing news. In the last three years, with a collapsed economy and people struggling to get by, those accusations have become even more common. While we like to think we don’t print “good” news or “bad” news (just important information), I understand that… Read more »
New Hampshire Home Sales Jumped in May
Home sales shot up 27.7 percent in May compared with the same month a year earlier, and the New Hampshire Association of Realtors hailed the jump as a sign of recovery in the housing market. According to the group, 1,221 homes were sold in the state last month, compared with 956 in May 2011. A… Read more »
Rhode Island Home Prices Rising Steadily
Home prices are steadily rising in the Ocean State, which is a good indicator that the housing market is seeing improvement. Prices are up in 19 out of 20 major cities, and Rhode Island looks to be moving in the right direction. “Year over year we didn’t rise, but we certainly didn’t fall short of… Read more »
Ogunquit, Maine Ranked Best Beach Town in New England
Yankee Magazine has included four York County towns on its list of the “25 Best Beach Towns” in New England. Ogunquit tops the list, followed by Kennebunkport in the seventh spot. York Beach is ranked No. 11 and Old Orchard Beach is No. 17. Writer Stephen Jermanok and magazine editors evaluated the towns in 14… Read more »
Utah Home Sales Up for Second Month
Utah home prices are up for the second month in a row as buyers are competing over a tighter inventory of houses. The Utah Association of Realtors says Thursday that the median home price in May was $181,000, up from $176,000 a year earlier. Home sales are also up compared with last year. Utah real… Read more »
Albuquerque Home Sales, Prices Up in May
Home prices rose in nearly all major U.S. cities in April from March, further evidence of a housing market that is slowly improving even while the job market continues to slump. … Case-Shiller measures no New Mexico cities, but local data show median price increases statewide and in the Albuquerque area. In the Albuquerque metro… Read more »
