Brodie Stephens- Broker/ Owner www.BrodieStephens.com (916) 878-8981
Monthly Archives: December 2012
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Steve Visano, Wilton Manors, 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. Steve is a 47 yr.old “out” gay man who has worked with his Gay & Lesbian community in Chicago, Key West & Wilton Manors/Fort Lauderdale for 10 years. He… Read more »
Philadelphia Home Sales Reach Three Year High
It’s a city that’s chock full of history — specifically, it’s where the Declaration of Independence was signed back in 1776. It’s a city where people have a lot of passion — for their city, their sports teams, and for their fellow Philadelphians. After all, they don’t call it the “City of Brotherly Love” for… Read more »
Buying Real Estate in Costa Rica
The country of Costa Rica – located in Central America and only a few degrees from the equator – offers an incredible selection of properties for sale including some fantastic bargains on lavish homes and condominiums. Through the years the country has seen its housing market rise and fall with the effects of global and… Read more »
France: Real Estate Values Down Across Country
Property prices in rural France have fallen considerably over the last four years, according to the latest figures published by Notaires. In the four years to the end of June 2012 prices have fallen nationally by just 3% but this headline figure hides some notably falls in rural areas. The worst hit areas is Creuse… Read more »
Most Canadian Markets Saw Home Price Drop in November
A widely followed index of Canadian housing prices shows home prices fell in November over the month before, in 10 of 11 major markets tracked. The Teranet-National Bank House Price Index found that prices in its 11-city composite dropped 0.4 per cent from October’s level. “It was the fourth November monthly decline in 13 years… Read more »
2013 Likely to Be Good for Saskatchewan Real Estate Market
The Executive Officer of the Saskatoon Region Association of Realtors expects Saskatchewan’s major cities to continue doing extremely well next year. Jason Yochim says nationally, the realty marketplace is looking at a slight decrease this year, driven by the larger centres like Toronto and Vancouver, but Saskatoon and Regina will continue to be in the… Read more »
Alberta’s Real Estate Market Leads the Country in 2012
Alberta will lead the country this year and in 2013 in the pace of growth in the resale housing market, according to a new forecast by the Canadian Real Estate Association. The national association of realtors said Monday that Alberta MLS sales this year will finish up 13.1 per cent from last year to 60,800… Read more »
Toronto Home Sales Drop, Prices Inch Up
The latest data for Toronto’s housing market isn’t pretty, but it’s still not bad enough to call a hard landing just yet. Home sales in Canada’s biggest city plummeted by more than 19% in the first two weeks of December, compared to the previous month, according to the Toronto Real Estate Board. Sales were down… Read more »
Drop in Vancouver Real Estate Brings Down National Numbers
The slowdown in Vancouver’s real estate market is one factor leading the Canadian Real Estate Association to cut its sales forecast for this year and next on Monday. Vancouver’s sales numbers dropped 27.6 per cent — the second biggest drop in the country behind Halifax — in November 2012, compared to the same month last… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Cindi A. Comchoc, Dayton, Ohio
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. I enjoy working in real estate and am gratified to be able to serve the LGBT community. My specialties are working with buyers and real estate investors. I have… Read more »
New Home Prices Jumped in Winnipeg in October
The cost of buying a newly built home in Winnipeg rose at one of the fastest paces in the country in October, Statistics Canada said today. The agency said the new housing price index for the Winnipeg Census Metropolitan Area was up 0.5 per cent from September to October. That was the second-biggest monthly increase… Read more »
Atlanta Home Prices Up in Third Quarter After Early 2012 Crash
I find myself a bit more upbeat about the prospects for Georgia’s economy in 2013 than some of the forecasts released so far. My main reason for that cautious optimism is the solid rebound in housing. Over the last year here in Savannah, we’ve seen more home sales, significantly lower inventories, more building permits, and… Read more »
Birmingham, Alabama Home Sales Up 6% in November
Rising prices and shrinking supply continued to push metro Birmingham home sales up in November, according to a report. The number of homes sold rose 6 percent to 825 in November from 775 in the same month a year ago, the Birmingham Association of Realtors reported today. That put home sales so far this year… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Nicholas Yale, Phoenix, 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. Nicholas is a Realtor with Realty Executives Realty in Phoenix, Arizona. He has worked in the Phoenix real estate market since 1998, and is one of the East Valley’s… Read more »
Indiana Home Sales Up Across The State in November
From various sources: Northwestern: According to the latest housing data compiled by RE/MAX of Indiana, Northwest Indiana’s real estate market recorded strong year-over-year growth during the month of November. The 12-county area experienced a 28 percent increase in homes sold in November with 676 homes, compared to the same time last year with 528 homes…. Read more »
Florida Home Sales Up 25% in November Over 2011
Florida’s housing market continued to rebound in November, with existing home sales and median prices making double-digit increases over last year. Existing home sales closed during the month were 24.4 percent higher than a year ago. Pending sales, those signed but not closed, were even stronger. Sales expected to close within 90 days catapulted 45.8… Read more »
Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky Home Sales Up, Foreclosures Down in November
Good news all around on the local housing front today, as two new reports showed that sales keep climbing and foreclosures keep dropping. First up, CoreLogic reported that foreclosures in the three-state Cincinnati metro area accounted for 2.74 percent of outstanding mortgages in October, a drop from 2.88 percent in September and a decrease of… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Steve Buchanan III, Birmingham, Alabama
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 became a Realtor after completing his B.S. in Human Environmental Sciences from the University of Alabama, in Tuscaloosa. After selling real estate for 3 years, Steve and his… Read more »
Tampa Home Prices at Highest Level in 2 Years
Home prices here climbed to their highest point in two years, extending hopes of a broad housing recovery in Tampa Bay and beyond, according to new Standard & Poor’s Case-Shiller home price indexes released Wednesday. Home prices in October, the most recent month for data, rose nearly 6 percent from last year in Tampa Bay,… Read more »
Orlando Area Home Sales Up 20% in November Over 2011
New numbers show the local housing market is bouncing back a bit. Home sales in the Orlando area were 20 percent higher last month than they were in November 2011. Stephen Baker is the chairman of the Orlando Regional Realtor Association, which released the latest numbers. He said the most encouraging sign is a 50-percent… Read more »
The US Housing Market in Review: What to Watch for in 2013
The US housing market has experienced a dramatic impact over the past three years. Recent economic collapses have changed the market forever. For planners and developers, the reality is just now sinking in. From the buyer’s perspective, a home generally represents a family’s biggest expenditure, but for homeowners it also represents a significant source of… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Sherri Griffin, Raleigh, North Carolina
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. Sherri will work hard for you in Raleigh’s real estate market – she knows residential home construction inside and out, and has a civil engineering degree. She has also… Read more »
Home Prices Rise in Greater DC Area
Home sales and average prices across the District of Columbia and its inner suburbs were up in November, with significantly lower inventory apparently spurring fence-sitters into the market before the arrival of winter. A total of 3,556 homes sold last month across the inner D.C. core, up 21.5 percent from the 2,926 transactions that occurred… Read more »
Columbia, South Carolina Home Sales Up in November
Columbia’s home sales rebound continued in November, putting the area on track to match 2009 numbers, when sales were propped up by a federal tax credit for home buyers. But prices also have dropped back to where they were three years ago, a new report from the S.C. Realtors trade group showed Friday. “We are… Read more »
Seattle Home Prices Jumped 5.5% in November Over 2012
Home values in the Seattle metropolitan area in November posted their largest monthly gain since 2007, according to a report from Seattle-based online real estate listing service Zillow. Zillow’s Home Value Index tracks the median valuation of all single-family houses, condominiums and cooperatives in a given area, regardless of whether the properties have sold within… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Lauren Bianco, Hawley, Pennsylvania
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. My love for the Lake Wallenpaupack real estate market started in 2003, when I was on vacation in a small lake-cabin here. With each visit, I felt peaceful in… Read more »
Las Vegas Home Prices Up Again in November
Officials are reporting home prices increased in November in the Las Vegas area, continuing an upward trend. The Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors announced Monday that the median price of a home sold in southern Nevada has stayed the same or gone up in 10 of the past 11 months. Association President Kolleen Kelley… Read more »
Foreclosures Up in Texas in Third Quarter
There’s a rising trend in Texas toward buying foreclosed homes. According to a recent analysis by Irvine, Calif.-based RealtyTrac, between July and September of this year, a total of 9,781 foreclosed homes were sold in Texas — marking a 24.17 percent increase in the number of foreclosed homes purchased in Texas over the same three… Read more »
North Texas Home Inventory at 12 Year Low
A surge in November home sales has dropped the inventory of houses on the market in North Texas to the lowest level in more than a decade. Area real estate agents last month sold 5,709 pre-owned single-family homes through their multiple listing service, up 18 percent from November 2011. With the latest increase, home sales… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Irene Read, 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. Irene grew up in Brooklyn, and learned a lot about life there. She worked in marketing and customer service for a number of years in San Francisco for an… Read more »
New Mexico Home Prices Declined Slightly From September to October
CoreLogic said Dec. 4 that U.S. home prices rose 6.3 percent in October compared with a year ago — the largest yearly gain since July 2006. … In New Mexico, the month-over-month decline was 0.1 percent, from a home price gain of 3.2 percent in September to 3.1 percent in October. New Mexico had the… Read more »
Utah Commercial Real Estate Outlook Positive
Overall, Utah’s commercial real estate market had a positive 2012. Throughout the year markets statewide fluctuated with the economy and presented significant opportunities for owners, investors and users of commercial real estate. The positive momentum experienced throughout 2012 has made commercial property owners and brokers excited and optimistic for 2013. A prevailing sentiment throughout the… Read more »
The New Reality of Washington DC Real Estate
During our year-end meeting this past week, we did our annual “look back to what we learned” exercise. We are so glad that many in this market have been protected from the economic downtown that has caused so much destruction across our country. However, the most poignant lesson from 2012 is that there is now… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Michael Gallacher, Boynton Beach, 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. Michael is a Boynton Beach realtor who works in the Palm Beach County real estate market. His main focus is the residential market – single family homes, condominiums, and… Read more »
Houston Home Sales, Builder Confidence Jump
From yesterday’s National Association of Home Builders report on builder confidence in December: Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes rose for an eighth consecutive month in December to a level of 47 on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (see chart above). This marked a two-point gain… Read more »
Austin Home Sales Up Again in October
Home prices in Austin continue to improve, according to data released today by CoreLogic. Prices rose 0.5 percent from September to October. Compared with October 2011, prices rose 6.7 percent in October 2012, including distressed sales, which are homes in some stage of delinquency or foreclosure. With distressed sales removed from the equation, home prices… Read more »
Arkansas, USA: Home Sales Up 6% in October
Sales of new and previously owned homes in Arkansas rose almost 6 percent in October compared with the same month last year, the Arkansas Realtors Association said Tuesday. Home prices in the state also rose at a healthy pace in October. The average home price last month was more than $157,200, up 7.8 percent from… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Pat Shannon, Arlington, Virginia
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. Pat Shannon is an experienced, professional Arlington real estate agent – she cares about her clients on a personal level. While some Arlington real estate agents may see you… Read more »
Boise Home Sales to Continue Growth in 2013
Trey Langford talks to Boise home builders and prospective home buyers on a regular basis and continues to hear that optimism is growing. For five years builders have waited for the market to return and 2012 indicates that the demand for living in Boise is back. In 2011 nine thousand people moved to Boise but… Read more »
Albuquerque Home Sales Up in November
November was another good month for home sales in Albuquerque, but it’s not necessarily a sign that New Mexico’s economy is actually recovering from the recession. The state’s economy is still not creating many jobs, and the work force has shrunk, but more people are buying and selling houses, and that is a positive sign… Read more »
Delaware Home Prices, Sales Up in November
Delaware’s residential real estate market is showing continued strength as the winter doldrums approach, posting solid increases in sales and prices in all three counties for the month of November. Real estate officials say market-ready homes are selling quickly, buyers are gaining some confidence, and the increasing reliability of low interest rates continues to sustain… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Clara Mitchell Enns, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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. Clara has worked in Winnipeg real estate for more than twenty years. Whether you are buying or selling Winnipeg real estate, we will use our strategic pricing techniques and… Read more »
California Home Prices Up 19% in November Over 2011
A research firm says California home prices posted a ninth straight annual increase in November. DataQuick said Thursday that the median price for new and existing houses and condominiums was $291,000 last month, up 19% from $244,000 the same period last year. The median price jumped $6,000 during the month. More than 37,000 homes sold… Read more »
Orange County Homes Hit Seven Year High in November
Orange County home sales hit their highest level for a November in seven years, soaring 25.3 percent over last year’s sales pace. Home prices, meanwhile, hit a five-year high for a November, rising 12.5 percent from 2011, housing market tracker DataQuick Information Systems reported Wednesday. The median home price, however, dipped slightly last month –… Read more »
Riverside County, California Home Sales Up 12% in November
The number of homes sold in Riverside County jumped by 10.2 percent in November, compared to the same month a year ago, while prices rose by 17.4 percent, a real estate information service announced today. A total of 3,274 homes changed hands in Riverside County last month, compared to 2,971 in November 2011, according to… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Wendy Levy, Denver, 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. I have had a wonderful time helping more than 950 people move and buy and sell Denver real estate…. relocation, 1st time buyers, clients moving up and those who… Read more »
San Francisco Home Sales and Prices Up in November
California home prices posted a ninth straight annual increase in November as buyers competed for a limited number of available properties, a research firm reported Thursday. The median price for new and existing houses and condominiums was $291,000, up 19.3 percent from $244,000 in the same period last year, DataQuick said. The median price jumped… Read more »
Palm Springs Home Sales, Prices Soaring
More move-up and first-time buyers joined investors and second-home purchasers across the Coachella Valley to stoke sales in October, even as prices rose for the eighth consecutive month, two new reports show. A total of 853 homes and condos sold valleywide last month, a nearly 16 percent year-over-year increase, San Diego-based real estate information services… Read more »
Home Sales and Prices Up in Iowa in November
A new report shows home sales and prices are up in Iowa. The Iowa Association of Realtors says more than 2,600 homes in the state were sold and closed in November. That’s about 200 sales more than the same period last year. Home prices also are up. The median sale price in November was $125,000…. Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Connie Lancaster, 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. Connie is passionate about Tampa Bay real estate. She’s been buying and selling St. Petersburg real estate for more than fifteen years, and believes real estate on Florida’s Gulf… Read more »
Wichita Home Sales Slipped in November
November home sales in the Wichita area fell compared with last month but were higher than in November 2011, according to a monthly sales report released Friday by the South Central Kansas Multiple Listing Service. The November report said both existing and new home sales were lower than October by 11 percent and 13 percent,… Read more »
Milwaukee Home Sales Up 24% in November Over 2011
Wisconsin’s largest metro area had another big increase in home sales last month. The Milwaukee area’s Multiple Listing Service reports a 24 percent increase in sales of existing houses in November, compared to a year ago. Realtors sold just over 1,200 homes last month in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Washington, and Ozaukee counties. That’s 234 more than… Read more »
San Diego Real Estate Market is Cooking
What’s that smell wafting in the air? Could it be the scent of cinnamon, cedar, cookies or pies? Or is it change that’s in the air for you? Do the holidays have you reconsidering a change in home ownership? Over the past few years consumer confidence has been down. People, in many cases, went from… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Greg Jarvis, Miami, 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 Jarvis is an award-winning top producer in Miami and Miami Beach, Florida – he has sold more than $50 million in residential real estate. If you are buying… Read more »
Chicago has Ninth Month of Double Digit Home Sale Increases
Here is your preview of the Illinois Association of Realtors’ release in 2 weeks of November home sales for the city of Chicago: it was another stellar month with sales up by 26.6% over last year. That’s the 17th straight month of increases in home sales over the previous year – the last 9 of… Read more »
Retirement Less Scary Now for Gay Seniors
The generation of gays and lesbians that literally created the modern LGBT movement — from the heroes of the 1969 Stonewall riots to their slightly younger friends — is at, or nearing, retirement age. That used to mean the beginning of an extremely difficult time in an LGBT person’s life. But as gay baby boomers… Read more »
Buying and Financing a Rental Home
With property values rising, and the economy continuing to turn more and more people into home-renters instead of home-buyers, now is a fantastic time to purchase a rental home and become a landlord. Higher rents, added equity with each passing month and a slew of qualified renters to choose from = success. Like any business,… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Eugene Palermo, Toronto, Ontario
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. Successful real estate agents share a number of common traits – including personal integrity, knowledge of their local real estate market and community, marketing skills, good negotiating skills and… Read more »
Detroit Home Sales Rose 7.2% in November Over 2011
Real estate sales in the Detroit area posted another monthly gain in November compared to November 2011, and prices jumped even faster. The number of sales in the 10-county region for the month was 5,506 in November, up 7.2 percent from 5,134 in November 2011. And the median sale price was $87,550, up 25.1 percent… Read more »
Omaha’s Real Estate Market Booming
Experts say Omaha’s real estate boom shows signs the metro is leaving the recession. Developer Mike Moylan is overseeing the final phase of the Barker Building project in downtown Omaha, wrapping up what he calls the busy year for his company. Moylan said he has seen a substantial rise in demand for retail space. “It… Read more »
Nicaragua Real Estate – Ex-Pat Paradise?
Back home, wherever that may be, some newspaper or magazine is about to feature a story about moving to Nicaragua. I know this for a fact because for the last six years and counting friends and family have been sending them on to me thinking I would be interested. Not coincidentally, the stories tend to… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Arlene Jean, Joshua Tree, 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. Arlene (AJ) and her life partner, Kathy are entering their 20th year together and have made Joshua their home for the past 18 years. They have 3 fur kids… Read more »
Gulfport-Biloxi Area Called One of Best Real Estate Markets for Next Five Years
The Gulfport-Biloxi metro area was named one of the 15 Best Housing Markets for the Next Five Years by Business Insider, because of attractive home prices. The company used the latest home price report by Fiserv Case-Shiller to compile the list. The top 15 cities were ranked by the projected annualized change in home prices… Read more »
Tulsa Home Sales Jumped in October Over 2011
September’s negative year-over-year home sale comparison may prove to be an anomaly, as last month’s total bested that of October 2011 by a wide margin. The Greater Tulsa Association of Realtors reported Wednesday that 1,006 properties changed hands in October, up 19.8 percent from the same month last year. That was just behind October 2008,… Read more »
Hawaii’s Average Home Price Tops in Nation
A real estate company says the average four-bedroom, two-bathroom home is more expensive in Hawaii than any other state in the nation. Coldwell Banker said Wednesday says the average listing for a house that size is more than $742,000 in Hawaii. That’s well above Massachusetts, which ranked second with an average listing price just over… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Mark Cox, Pahoa, 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. In January of 2001, we vacationed on 4 islands in Hawaii, starting on Kauai, then to Maui, then to the Big Island and Oahu. In the three short days… Read more »
Portland Real Estate Market Improving Again
Portland has returned to the National Association of Home Builders list of improving markets, joining 75 other metro areas added to the list this month after Freddie Mac released new pricing data. The index includes cities that have shown six month of improving employment, new home construction and home prices. It now includes 201 metros…. Read more »
Hurricane Sandy’s Effects on New Jersey Real Estate Mixed
REMI offered its observations on Reuters’ examination of the possible consequences that Hurricane Sandy could have for the real estate market in areas affected by the storm, including a rise in rentals and delayed closing on new home sales; REMI is hopeful that Sandy will have minimal effect on the housing market, as home destruction… Read more »
New England Home Sales Surged in October
Home sales in Connecticut and every other state in New England rose strongly in October compared with a year earlier, RE/MAX of New England reported this week. Connecticut unit sales rose 16.8 percent while median sale price climbed 6.4 percent. The percentage price increase was the second highest in the region, trailing only New Hampshire’s… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Martin Bengston, Denver, 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. Martin Bengston is the Employing Broker for Inspired Real Estate LLC in Greenwood, Colorado, a suburb of Denver. Martin manages the vision and direction of the company, and also… Read more »
Single Family Home Sales Jumped in Maine in October
Sales of single-family, existing homes in Maine jumped by 24 percent in October over the same month last year, according to figures provided by the Maine Association of Realtors. The median sales price also increased year-to-year by 3.3 percent in October. Agents believe the combination of several factors have led to the uptick in activity…. Read more »
Oregon: Foreclosure Sales Down, Pre-Foreclosures Up in Third Quarter Over 2011
Sales of U.S. homes facing foreclosure are on the rise and outpacing sales of bank-owned homes, a reflection of stepped up efforts this year by lenders to avoid foreclosing on homes with mortgages gone unpaid. In the third quarter, sales of homes already in the foreclosure process jumped 22 percent compared to the previous quarter… Read more »
What to Consider Before You Renovate
With a little due diligence, prospective homebuyers’ disappointment at renovation time can be avoided. Too many times, I’ve had to deliver the upsetting news to new homebuyers who are ready to renovate that the project they are considering is not feasible with the home they purchased. The situation is unpleasant for both sides, but with… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Terri Popejoy, 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. Offering my 42 years of experience to assisting Portland Oregon buyers, sellers and investors to achieve their goals, has given me great pleasure and satisfaction. I have accumulated a… Read more »
New York State Home Sales Up in October, But Sandy’s Impact Still to Come
New York realtors increased year-over-year home sales in October, but the New York State Association of Realtors (NYSAR) expects the negative impacts of Superstorm Sandy to hurt the housing market in the fourth quarter of 2012. Realtors closed 7,839 sales of existing single-family homes, condos, and co-ops this October, an increase of 4.3 percent compared… Read more »
Juneau’s Housing Among Nation’s Least Affordable
Its tough to buy a home by oneself in Juneau’s current housing market. On average it takes more than one-and-a-half incomes to purchase a home in Juneau as of 2011, according to the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development. In comparison, the state-wide average is one-and-one-third incomes to buy a home. Alaskans who live… Read more »
Fort Lauderdale LGBT Events for December 2012
The Luxury Living Fort Lauderdale group at Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate proudly presents a list  with some of the Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender (LGBT) fundraising and awareness events planned to take place in Fort Lauderdale, Florida during December 2012.  Mark your calendar and come out to support our community! Tuesday, December 4, 2012… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Joe Lilley, Santa Rosa, 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. Joe is an openly gay Realtor serving the local community for more than thirty years, including San Francisco, Marin County and of course, Santa Rosa and Sonoma County. He… Read more »
The Difficulty of Buying Real Estate in Mexico for US Citizens
Anyone who has “bought” property in Mexico near its borders or near the water is familiar with the concept of the fideicomisos. Fideicomisos are trust arrangements with Mexican banks, where the banks holds title to a property on behalf of a foreign buyer. Since foreigners can’t legally own property in these restricted zones, fideicomisos offer… Read more »
Affordable Housing Development Planned for LGBT Seniors in San Francisco
The first affordable housing project in San Francisco to be funded by the recently approved Housing Trust Fund will be a long-stalled affordable housing development for LGBT seniors. Voters adopted the trust fund on the November ballot. It will provide San Francisco with a permanent source of revenue to pay for below-market-rate housing for low-… Read more »
