Take The Scary Out Of Buying Real Estate Anyone who has ever purchased a home before can tell you that it’s not always an easy process. From dealing with closing fees and inspections to stubborn delays and last-minute seller disputes, it can be tricky business. Read these tips below to find out how to simplify… Read more »
Monthly Archives: June 2014
Terry’s Blog: Tips For Selling Your Home And Keeping Your Pride
Tips For Selling Your Home And Keeping Your Pride Selling real estate could be a venture that you never thought you could be part of, but you could find that learning more can give you a great set of skills. You can really be successful, but you have to start with knowledge and education that… Read more »
Brown Elephant Closes in Chicago Gayborhood
Today is the last day to shop and donate at the Brown Elephant location on North Halsted. The Boystown Brown Elephant will close for its final time at 6 p.m. on Wednesday and reopen July 1 on Lincoln Avenue. “As Howard Brown commemorates 40 years of service to the community, we are proud to strengthen… Read more »
Is Real Estate your Best Long Term Investment?
At least 20% of all age groups believe real estate is the best long term investment. Younger generations were found to be more skeptic about the viability of real estate as a long term investment while the older age groups were more agreeable with this fact. Do you agree with your age group? Don’t hesitate… Read more »
Terry’s Blog: Home Mortgages Advice Straight From The Experts
Home Mortgages Advice Straight From The Experts When you are looking for a home it can be very stressful to everyone involved. More stress is added to the process when you are trying to get approved for a home mortgage in order to purchase your dream home. Don’t worry, the following article has many great… Read more »
Millennials Are About to Impact the US Housing Market – But How?
Dina ElBoghdady and I wrote this morning about how Millennials, the largest and most diverse generation in U.S. history, are poised to impact the housing market — if, that is, they’d all finally move out of their parents’ homes. There are a number of reasons to suspect that Millennials may behave differently in the coming… Read more »
Terry’s Blog: How To Make An Offer On A Real Estate
How To Make An Offer On A Real Estate You are looking for a house to buy. Whether this is your first house, a larger house for a growing family, or your retirement home, your excitement is tempered by a bit of anxiety. So much depends on this decision. The following tips are presented to… Read more »
Palm Springs Gay Senior Housing Opening This Summer
A new residential complex designed to cater to the needs and issues of LGBT seniors is expected to open this summer in Palm Springs. Named Stonewall Gardens, the 24-unit assisted-living property will offer resort-style accommodations, a full-time licensed nurse, and a 24-hour professional care staff. With an emphasis on marketing to LGBT residents, but not… Read more »
Why The Housing Recovery is Off Track (And It’s Not Why You Think)
Lawrence Yun, the Realtor group’s chief economist, said the biggest factor working against the recovery is the lack of homes for sale. The housing inventory is where it should be in a healthy market. If sales were to continue at the current pace, there would be a 5.6 month supply, the group said. But potential… Read more »
Terry’s Blog: Selling Real Estate Made Easy With These Tips!
Selling Real Estate Made Easy With These Tips! If you own a house, there will come a time when you may have to sell. Selling your house is a complex transaction. However, it is not a difficult process, if you are prepared for what is involved. Here are some things that you should keep in… Read more »
Terry’s Blog: Essential Real Estate Advice And Tips For Sellers
Essential Real Estate Advice And Tips For Sellers Selling real estate is a profession. There is a reason that not just anyone can be a real estate agent. There is lots of information you have to know. For this reason, being the non-agent person in a real estate sale can be scary and overwhelming. This… Read more »
Celebrate National Homeownership Month: Reasons to Own
There are many reasons to own a home but one of our favorite reasons is that you get to choose what family pets can stay inside the home. In honor of National Homeownership Month, let us all remember our childhood pets and how close they are to our hearts. Owning a home means that there… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Brad Hinckley, Seattle, Washington
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. Based in Seattle’s Capitol Hill area, I’m an experienced, professional, friendly real estate agent with CPA license and 2 Stanford degrees. See Brad’s Expanded Listing on Gay Realty Network… Read more »
New Gay Bar Opens in Boystown, the Chicago Gayborhood
The Chicago gayborhood’s latest new bar and restaurant is officially slated to open Thursday, just before the launch of Chicago Pride Fest and not long after its predecessor Spin Nightclub announced its closure. Opening at 3206 N. Halsted St., Whiskey Trust will sit comfortably on the corner of Belmont and Halsted, with a new nightclub… Read more »
Castro Gayborhood Sidewalk Project Reaches Halfway Mark
The project to expand sidewalks in the city’s Castro gayborhood reached the halfway mark this week, and San Francisco planners remain hopeful the work will be completed by early October. Officials had built in a self-imposed deadline of June 17 for construction to wrap on the first phase of the streetscape improvements so as not… Read more »
Terry’s Blog: Learn The Secrets Professionals Use When Buying A House
Learn The Secrets Professionals Use When Buying A House Buying a house is one of the most important and chaotic decisions in an adult’s life. There’s so much to consider when buying a house, many people don’t even know where to begin! If you’re one of these people, then look no further. This article will… Read more »
Is The Next Housing Bubble Canada?
They’re the six most dangerous words in the English language, but here they are anyway: maybe this time really is different. Every bubble begins as a boom, but not every boom becomes a bubble–only the ones that go bust do. The trick is figuring out which booms have gotten so vertiginous that a bust is… Read more »
Terry’s Blog: Confused About Taking Out A Mortgage? These Tips Can Help!
Confused About Taking Out A Mortgage? These Tips Can Help! If you want to buy and own a home, you must understand the ins and outs of home mortgages. If you are well educated on this subject, you can save a lot of money. This information will help you get the best mortgage possible. Keep… Read more »
Terry’s Blog: Things You Must Know Before Buying A House
Things You Must Know Before Buying A House If you thought selling real estate was difficult, just try buying it. You can go broke in a hurry if you don’t know what you’re doing. This article will explain some great tips for those of you who are in the market and looking to purchase real… Read more »
Gayborhood Pizzerias Close, Open
A common theme in today’s stories. First off, a venerated pizza shop in Boystown in Chicago is closing. GoPride reports: Pie Hole’s Boystown location at 3477 N. Broadway will close on June 29, following the Chicago Pride Parade, a month of Pride festivities and more than ten years in the neighborhood. “Like so many small… Read more »
Terry’s Blog: Solid Tips For Selling Your Real Estate
Solid Tips For Selling Your Real Estate In almost every area there will be multiple homes for sale at the same time. You have to make sure to take some steps to have your home stand out from the rest of the pack. If you do not do that you can look forward to your… Read more »
Why you shouldn’t be Waiting to Sell your Home
Waiting to sell your home may not be the best choice! While many experts thought interest rates would be in the 5s by now, we are still seeing our clients lock in in the high 3s and low 4s. This is great news for buyers who have continued to search and just haven’t found the… Read more »
New Condo Towers Going Up Across the USA
For the first time since the U.S. housing crash, new condominium towers are sprouting in downtown Boston, Seattle and Los Angeles as developers bet on the return of the riskiest type of residential real estate. Buyers are signing deals to reserve units in two new high-end projects in Boston. A 41-story tower rising in Seattle… Read more »
Terry’s Blog: Home Mortgages: Top Tips To Get You The Best Deal
Home Mortgages: Top Tips To Get You The Best Deal Buying a home is a great time in anyone’s life, but getting to that point for most people requires a home mortgage. This is where things can get complicated and delay the process of you actually purchasing your dream home. Don’t wait until it is… Read more »
Terry’s Blog: Simple Home Selling Tips That Really Work
Simple Home Selling Tips That Really Work Despite what you might be hearing in some circles, there are plenty of homebuyers out there today. They’re simply not interested in spending too much money for too little property. In this article, find out some great tips about how you can cater to homebuyers and give them… Read more »
Getting a Mortgage: Too Much Paperwork?
Getting a Mortgage requires more compared to ten years ago. We are often asked why there is so much paperwork mandated by the bank for a mortgage loan application when buying a home today. It seems that the bank needs to know everything about us and requires three separate sources to validate each and every… Read more »
3 Tips to sell your home fast
Selling your home is for top market value requires skill and art. Here are 3 quick tips for any seller who is ready to take the next step. Step 1 – Hire a Home Inspector The first of the 3 tips to sell your home fast is to hire a home inspector. During escrow, the… Read more »
Terry’s Blog: Real Estate – Benefit From These Buying Tips!
Real Estate – Benefit From These Buying Tips! When it comes to buying real estate, a lot of people don’t know where to start. The thing about knowing when and how to buy real estate, is that you have to learn the best strategies for doing so, you just have to take it from there…. Read more »
The Market is on Cruise Control
The Orange County housing market is not changing that much. What you see is likely what we’ll get for the rest of the year. The Market is on Cruise Control. Cruise Control: The inventory is increasing, demand is flat, and foreclosures and short sales are almost nonexistent. This year’s housing market is remarkably different than… Read more »
Terry’s Blog: Get Helpful Tips About Home Mortgages That Are Simple To Understand
Get Helpful Tips About Home Mortgages That Are Simple To Understand A lot of people out there believe that they know enough about home mortgages to obtain a loan without seeking outside advice. Well, they’re usually the individuals who end up either being declined for every loan or end up having to pay mountains of… Read more »
Leaving the Baltimore Gayborhood
Baltimore’s gay nightlife can feel a bit claustrophobic. Many think our options are limited to a handful of uptight Mount Vernon clubs, which seem to cater more and more to weekend warriors who wear T-shirts emblazoned with the name of the store where they were purchased. Worse, the number of weird little gay dive bars… Read more »
Nightlife in the Wilton Manors Gayborhood
Wilton Manors is the LGBT capital of Florida. After the US Census in 2010, the city was deemed the second largest gay city in the United States. Last year over 1.3 million LGBT visitors traveled to the greater Fort Lauderdale area. During the day, the Gayborhood is a bustling LGBT business center; home to the… Read more »
Terry’s Blog: Need Help With Selling Your Home? Follow These Practical Real Estate Tips!
Need Help With Selling Your Home? Follow These Practical Real Estate Tips! Real estate will vary from state to state and even city to city. What you can sell for top dollar in a metro area, will only be worth a fraction of the price in a rural area. But no matter where you’re located,… Read more »
Is Your iPhone Not Sending Text Messages to Non- iPhone Users?
Is Your iPhone Not Sending Text Messages to Non- iPhone Users? You’re not alone. Apple recently has been under fire for a bug that is preventing users from receiving text messages when they switch from an iPhone to an Android or Windows Phone device and keep the same phone number. The problem has actually been around since iMessage… Read more »
Terry’s Blog: Do Your Homework About Home Buying Tips
Do Your Homework About Home Buying Tips Are you at the stage in your life when you want to start looking at buying a house of your own, but can’t even think of where to begin? Well look no further because this article can help you with your problems buying real estate and offers easy… Read more »
The 35 Most LGBT-Friendly U.S. Cities
This just in from Vocativ: Which U.S. city is most friendly toward LGBT residents? Which big cities don’t even make the list? What’s the gayest city in “red state” America? Which metro area has the highest percentage of out politicians? Where do same-sex Craigslist hookups happen most frequently? Vocativ (vocativ.com), the global media organization for… Read more »
Should I rent my house if I can’t sell it?
Should I rent my house if I can’t sell it? There has been a lot written about how buying a home is less expensive than renting one in most parts of the country. Rents are skyrocketing and homes are still at great prices. These two situations are also causing some sellers to consider renting their home… Read more »
Terry’s Blog: What You Should Know About Home Mortgages
What You Should Know About Home Mortgages For many homeowners, a home mortgage is a necessity. They may seem overwhelming and confusing if you aren’t knowledgeable about them, though. Have the right information on hand about home mortgages before walking into your local bank. You will be glad you did. Beware of low interest rate… Read more »
Terry’s Blog: Great Real Estate Buying Tips That Can Work For You!
Great Real Estate Buying Tips That Can Work For You! Buying a new home or other type of real estate for the first time can be scary, but it doesn’t have to be. Pour over this information, including the many tips, to help you understand the process and what to watch out for when making… Read more »
Four Reasons to Consider Buying Real Estate Today
Here are four great reasons to consider buying real estate today, instead of waiting. 1. PRICES WILL CONTINUE TO RISE The Home Price Expectation Survey polls a distinguished panel of over 100 economists, investment strategists, and housing market analysts. Their most recent report projects appreciation in home values over the next five years to be between 30.8%… Read more »
Is West Hollywood Boystown Gayborhood Business District Plan Over?
West Hollywood’s Economic Development Department is recommending the city abandon its efforts to organize a business improvement district on the south end of Santa Monica Boulevard. In a report to the City Council, the department noted that the effort to establish a BID is now in its seventh year, and that typically such projects are… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Bob Magazu, 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. Bob Magazu became a Portland Realtor because he loves homes and he enjoys working with buyers and sellers. See Bob’s Expanded Listing on Gay Realty Network Here Gay Friendly… Read more »
Where Is the New Los Angeles Gayborhood?
Los Angeles’ LGBT community has long gravitated toward the ‘gayborhoods’ of West Hollywood and Silver Lake, often due to concerns of safety and those cozy hamlets’ wide range of cultural and nightlife options. But times, they are a-changin’, and our city’s younger set of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Angelenos prefer to pop the proverbial… Read more »
Toronto Gayborhood Gets Rainbow Crosswalks
Toronto is hosting World Pride 2014 from June 20 to June 29, but the Canadian capital has already rolled out a welcome to the global LGBT community by painting crosswalks in the Gay Village with a bright rainbow. Located in the heart of the Toronto gayborhood at Church Street and Alexander and Church Street and… Read more »
A Billionaire Could Buy Your Whole City
Just how rich is Bill Gates? According to Forbes, he’s the world’s richest person and is worth $77.5 billion. But that kind of wealth is hard to wrap your head around, so let’s put it another way: Gates could buy every single home in the entire city of Boston. That’s 114,212 single-family homes, condos and… Read more »
Terry’s Blog: Advice And Tips On The Real Estate Sales Market
Advice And Tips On The Real Estate Sales Market It can seem a little tricky at times to know what approach you should be taking when you’re trying to sell real estate on the market. Before you try to sell your property, take time to read this information, and use these tips in this article…. Read more »
Terry’s Blog: Avoid Wasting Money On Your Real Estate Deals
Avoid Wasting Money On Your Real Estate Deals Before you get in to any real estate transaction, you should definitely spend some good time getting acquainted with the process. Get your goals in mind but be ready to flex. Things can be unpredictable in the market. Here you will find some great tips for making… Read more »
Critical Alert: Taxability of California Short Sales
. Critical Alert Regarding Taxability of California Short Sales!  The IRS has recently issued a clarification letter to it’s September 19, 2013 letter to Senator Barbara Boxer concerning short sales and taxation of forgiven debt. The clarification essentially reverses their statement in the 2013 which read, “We believe that a homeowner’s obligation under the anti-deficiency provision of section 580e of the… Read more »
Terry’s Blog: Are You Seeking Information About Home Mortgages? Then Check Out These Great Tips!
Are You Seeking Information About Home Mortgages? Then Check Out These Great Tips! Are you looking for information on home mortgage information? Perhaps you are unaware of the many types of mortgage loans that make home ownership more affordable. It doesn’t matter what brought you to this article, the tips here will help you out…. Read more »
Create Wealth: Move Up Now
Many experts are currently discussing a variety of topics such as real estate as an investment, the movement on mortgage interest rates and reasons to buy now instead of waiting. It is important that we realize that this does not apply solely to the first time home buyer. The opportunity that exists in real estate today… Read more »
Terry’s Blog: Hot Tips For Real Estate Buyers And Future Property Tycoons
Hot Tips For Real Estate Buyers And Future Property Tycoons Preparing to buy a piece of real estate can be an exciting decision…and a nerve-wracking one. Many Americans have made a tremendous amount of money through real estate purchases, but the opportunity for financial ruin is also possible without a thorough understanding of factors involved… Read more »
Terry’s Blog: Simple Tips To Help You Sell Your Home
Simple Tips To Help You Sell Your Home The real estate market is an extremely competitive place, especially if you’re a seller. You will run into some major troubles out there if you’re not informed about every possible detail. Read the tips contained within this article to find out what you can do to better… Read more »
Terry’s Blog: Home Mortgage Tips You Should Know About
Home Mortgage Tips You Should Know About If you’re looking into home mortgages, then you surely are excited. It’s time to buy a home! However, what you might realize is there is quite a lot of information to take in, and how do you sort all of this out to get to the mortgage company… Read more »
Chicago Gayborhood Closes, Will Re-open Soon With Two New Concepts
Boystown, the famous Chicago gayborhood, lost a gay club last week. Chicago Pride reports: After abruptly closing on Memorial Day, Spin Nightclub is set to become two new concept clubs. The 9,000 square-foot space at Belmont and Halsted in Boystown will soon become a whiskey distillery/eatery named Whiskey Trust and a nightclub named Chloe’s, according… Read more »
Featured Gay Friendly Realtor: Pam Schneider, St. Louis, Missouri
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. Pam has been serving the St. Louis LGBT community for more than 17 years. St. Louis was voted as one of the gayest cities in 2013 in the Advocate!… Read more »
Top Twenty Gay Friendly US Cities From NerdWallet.com
Support for the gay community is higher than ever before–a recent Gallup poll shows that 55 percent of Americans support same-sex marriage, compared to just 27 percent in 1996. With Pennsylvania and Oregon recently joining the growing list of states to overturn bans on gay marriage, the campaign for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT)… Read more »
Is the US Real Estate Market Stalling?
After picking up momentum over the last couple of years, there are some signs that the US housing market may be slowing. The Washington Post reports: The third installment of Freddie’s “Multi-Indicator Market Index” (or MiMi), which sizes up homebuying activity and other factors, found that only 10 states and the District of Columbia fall… Read more »
Terry’s Blog: Jumping Into The Real Estate Market? Read These Great Tips!
Jumping Into The Real Estate Market? Read These Great Tips! Seeing as how you have found yourself on this page, it seems like you could use some knowledge about buying real estate. This is why this article was written, so you can benefit from it. There’s no shame in seeking help, it is those that… Read more »