Choosing a neighborhood is almost as important as choosing the home itself, and should have a lot of thought put into it. Even the most wonderful dream house won’t work out if it’s in the wrong area. While looking for Lawton real estate, keep in mind the area you’d like to live in and what amenities you’d like to have in that area.

The first thing you’ll want to think of, especially if you have children, is the quality of the schools in the area. This means ding some important legwork as far as finding out how the schools are. First, look online to see if the school has a website and learn about it that way.

It’s also a good idea to talk to parents in the area, to ask them about their current likes and dislikes of the schools in the area. You can also speak to a trusted real estate professional to see what he or she knows about the prospective schools. Make sure you gather facts like student to teacher ratio, and extracurricular activities offered.

Crime rate is another aspect you’ll want to consider when purchasing Lawton real estate. Again, your real estate professional can give you statistics on the neighborhood crime rate, but it’s also important to do your own research concerning such a serious topic.

You’ll want to consider not only crimes like theft and vandalism, but more serious ones like sex offenders in the area. The United States government requires sex offenders to register their homes, and with a quick online search you can see if there are any living in the area you’ve chosen.

You’ll also want to make yourself aware of the property values and condition of homes in the area. Even if your prospective home is in pristine condition, its value will be dragged down by any less than perfect homes in the area.

Consider the state of repair of the homes surrounding the one you are hoping to buy. If they are in good repair, you can be sure that the neighborhood’s value will stay steady and therefore so will the value of your new home. If you notice homes around you have much lower property values, you may want to steer clear of the neighborhood.

RE/MAX of Oklahoma (http://www.remax-oklahoma.com/lawton-real-estate.aspx) is a real estate brokerage that specializes in Lawton real estate. Art Gib is a freelance writer.

[tags]Lawton real estate[/tags]

Founded in 1871 just after the end of the Civil War, Birmingham became known as “The Magic City” because of its extraordinarily fast growth. It was founded to be an industrial town, and its main industries were steel and iron production.

Now it is the largest city in the state of Alabama, boasting a population of over 1.6 million. It is the largest banking center in the Southeast, and its industrial and business base has greatly diversified since the early days. Its downtown boasts high end stores and first rate restaurants, but its suburban lifestyle hearkens back to gentler and simpler times.

The suburbs offer just about any kind of living situation a family could wish for. There are sprawling estates, lovely historic homes both large and small, old trees and fresh air. Reports have named Birmingham as having the 8th most affordable housing market in the nation and one of the top 25 cities where homeowners fare best. Flanked by the ends of the Appalachian Mountains, and flowing with rivers, the area is forested and boasts some beautiful scenery.

Of course, if your housing tastes run more toward urban living, chic areas of the city offer convenient lofts and apartments. You can walk to work, and enjoy the great shopping downtown offers.

Educationally-minded families with children will enjoy living in the Birmingham area! Its school system is renowned as being one of the best in the whole country. In fact, one of its suburban high schools was named #1 in America in 2005, and has consistently ranked in the top 5 ever since. A branch of the University of Alabama is located here, along with 18 other institutions of higher learning.

The proximity of Oak Mountain State Park as well as various bodies of water makes this area an outdoorsman’s paradise. The climate boasts four distinct seasons, yet its overall temperatures are generally mild, allowing for year round fun.

Of course, a city the size of Birmingham has a variety of arts and cultural activities to enjoy. It has its own symphony, ballet, zoo, and a plethora of other wonderful experiences for the whole family.

Take the time to get to know “The Magic City:” you too may find it magical indeed!

For more information about living in Birmingham, and for professional Alabama real estate advice and service, contact the best: RE/MAX of Alabama (http://www.remax-alabama.com). Art Gib is a freelance writer.

[tags]Alabama real estate[/tags]

Interest rates went down during the price decline in the early 90s. That softened the impact and made the decline take somewhat longer. When interest rates are declining, bubbles take longer to deflate, and the bottom is at a somewhat higher price point. When interest rates are increasing, bubbles deflate faster, and the bottom is at a lower price point. Mortgage Interest rates during the housing bubble were at historic lows so a repeat of the steady decline in rates witnessed during the 90s is not very likely. Higher interest rates translate into diminished borrowing, lower prices and a lower bottom.

The lowering of the FED funds rate to 1% during the bubble prompted the lowering of mortgage interest rates to 5.8% by driving down the yield on the 10-year treasury bill. The difference between the 10-year treasury bill and mortgage interest rates is due primarily to the risk premium which was near historic lows during the great housing bubble. As lenders and investors in Mortgage Backed Securities (MBS) lost money during the decline, they demanded higher risk premiums. This increased the spread between the 10-year treasury bill yield and mortgage interest rates. The spreads for jumbo and subprime both became larger, and the funding for many exotic loan programs dried up.

As the FED lowered interest rates, the increased risk premiums demanded by lenders and MBS buyers drove up mortgage interest rates along with the heightened inflation expectation the lower FED funds rate caused during the cycle. Unless the FED wants to start paying people to borrow by lowering rates below 0%, base rates cannot go much lower. If all three parameters that make up mortgage interest rates were at historic lows during the bubble rally, there was little or no hope of mortgage interest rates falling below 5.8% in the bubble’s aftermath. The combination of a higher FED rate, higher inflation expectations and larger risk premiums could easily push interest rates back up to near the 8% historic norm or even much higher. An increase in interest rates from 6% to 8% would reduce buying power 18%, and an increase to 10% would reduce buying power 32%. This would be disastrous for housing prices.

Mortgage interest rates have been on a slow but steady decline since the early 1980s. Interest rates were at historical highs in the early 80s to curb inflation, and the decline from these peaks to the 7% to 9% range was to be expected. This initial decline in interest rates coupled with low inflation caused house prices to begin rising again in the late 80s culminating in the bubble that burst in 1990 leading to six consecutive years of declining prices.

During the early 90s while prices were declining, interest rates were also declining from 10.6% in 1989 to 7.2% in 1996. These 30% declines in interest rates made housing more affordable and helped limit the price declines in the early 90s. If interest rates had not declined, house prices certainly would have dropped further than they did. It is not very likely that interest rates will decline 30% from the 5.8% they were during the bubble down to an unprecedented 4.1% to match the debt relief of the early 90s. The FED policy of quantitative easing is designed to reduce long-term interest rates, and they may drive home mortgage rates down to 4.5%. However, the actions of the FED could not and did not keep house prices from falling. The best they can do is to control the implosion.

At some point, interest rates will have to go up. The only questions are when interest rates will rise, how quickly they will go up, and how high they will go. These answers will depend on inflation and the FEDs response to it. The housing bubble had an enormous impact on the broader economy.

Lawrence Roberts is the author of The Great Housing Bubble: Why Did House Prices Fall?
Learn more and get FREE eBooks at: http://www.thegreathousingbubble.com/
Read the author’s daily dispatches at The Irvine Housing Blog: http://www.irvinehousingblog.com/

[tags]housing, real estate, buying real estate, housing bubble, real estate bubble, house for sale[/tags]

Since the peak in real estate prices and home sales in summer of 2005 many home owners have been loosing equity in their home. It seems each month is another indicator that real estate prices are not increasing and foreclosures continue to increase. But with each month that goes by, we are one step closer to hitting the bottom of the real estate market.

Many factors point to the bottom of the real estate market, on a national level hitting bottom in 2009. There are a few major developments that bring light to a dark alley when thinking about the over all real estate market in 2009.

One of the largest indicators that home values will start to increase this next year is the inventory of homes on the market. Last month new construction for homes was at 730,000 its lowest point since 1975. In almost all the major metro areas across the nation home inventories are starting to decrease which will increase home prices. See your local area inventories at housing tracker.

Recent decrease in foreclosure fillings due to the government help will also play a large role in real estate prices hitting bottom this next year. which the new president Obama stepping into office at the end of January a new light and vision for real estate and america will start to take place. President Obama has shown interest in solving the housing market issues because he is aware that housing is vital to the Unites States economy.

So if you have a home that you are living in and are waiting for real estate to recover, cross your fingers that 2009 will bring a new year and recovering home prices. I am optimistic that we are near a bottom of the market and things will stabilize in the summer or second quarter of this next year.

Always remember that real estate is a local market and each area of the nation is different. Some parts of the nation are actually seeing increases in home prices this year. Just another reminder that you need to seek professional advice when buying or selling real estate. You need to get accurate new data, especially in a changing market like we have today.

Sell My House Fastto a local home buyer?

[tags]when will real estate recover, sell my house fast, we buy houses, sell home[/tags]

Villages have existed at the central Alabama location since 1580, and the native tribes of the area were the Choctaws and the Creeks. In 1836, President Andrew Jackson made the monumental decision to move all of the Native Americans out of the area, a move famously known as the “Trail of Tears.”

Tuscaloosa was a busy port on the Black Warrior River, and the University of Alabama was established here in a1831. Nearly all of the buildings at the school were destroyed during the Civil War, but of course, it came back stronger than ever.

Today, Tuscaloosa is a thriving city of 88, 722. Its schools boast one of the lowest students to teacher ratios at 13:1. Unemployment is also low, and a majority of residents own their own homes. Winter temperatures are mild, and it never snows!

The University of Alabama is the city’s largest employer, but it is not the only center of higher education. Stillman College and Shelton State Community college are also located in Tuscaloosa, and so education is big business here. Health care employs a sizeable percentage of the population as well: there are two DHC hospitals, a VA facility, and the Partlow Developmental Center which provides services for mentally challenged individuals.

A large variety of industrial manufacturers also provide employment in the following fields: electronics, automotive, steel, wood products, plastics, chemicals, and food.

The bottom line is that employment opportunities in Tuscaloosa are varied!

The Tuscaloosa area has beautiful rolling hills, shining lakes, and lovely neighborhoods.
Older historic homes have been restored, and tree-lined streets with a peaceful living style are the norm. There are also newer planned residential communities located on golf courses and even on the waterfronts.

In addition to the Crimson Tide’s exciting sports offerings, there are plenty of other ways to find high quality entertainment in the city. Tuscaloosa boasts its own symphony orchestra, and there are opportunities to enjoy the ballet, theater, and other performing arts. The area is dotted with an abundance of different kinds of museums and a variety of outdoor festivals delight residents and visitors all year long.

Tuscaloosa is a lovely part of Alabama’s rich southern heritage and a great place to live, work, and play.

For more information about Tuscaloosa, and to find out more about the Alabama real estate market, contact the professionals at RE/MAX of Alabama (http://www.remax-alabama.com). Art Gib is a freelance writer.

[tags]Alabama real estate[/tags]

It’s an absolute guarantee that prospective buyers will open every cabinet and every closet in your home! And although that thought may feel like an invasion of privacy at first blush, it really isn’t. A person who is seriously interested in buying a house wants to know exactly what he or she is getting and whether there is enough storage space for their things.

– Take a good hard look at your bedroom closets and imagine how they must look to an outsider. Bedroom closets should be kept looking absolutely tidy, absolutely clean, and absolutely uncrowded. Nothing will turn off a buyer like having sweaters or boxes falling off high shelves when a closet door is open.

Take this opportunity to box up or get rid of clothing that is out of season or that you seldom wear, keeping only the bare minimum hanging. Organize what’s left: put dresses together and shirts together, hanging in the same direction on matching hangers.

Shoes (even children’s) should be kept lined up neatly on the floor or, even better, invest in specially designed shoe shelves and get them off the floor altogether.

– Do you have favorite curtains that you want to keep or an expensive light fixture you’d like to take with you? Make sure they are stored away out of sight in a storage unit or some other place away from the site before your house begins to be shown. If a buyer really falls in love with those fancy dining room drapes, they will assume they are included in the price of the house. Trying to negotiate that misunderstanding later is not only awkward, it could turn off a buyer altogether.

– Invest in the services of a good all-purpose handyman. You will want to repair leaky plumbing and other obvious issues, of course, but some are more subtle. For instance, are your main stairway’s railing and posts unsteady? Do the edges and jambs of your doorways show evidence of paint chipping and scratches due to normal wear and tear?

Buyers will notice every detail like this that you may not even see anymore because you live there every day! Even the smallest cosmetic issues may lead a buyer to question the fundamental soundness of your house. A handyman with experience in staging homes will have an outsider’s eye and be able to counsel you on what should be repaired.

– Keep it spotless and shiny at all times! This is hard to do while there is still living going on in your home, but it’s absolutely essential. Most realtors give plenty of advance notice before a showing to allow you to get it clean and hang fresh new towels.

It’s essential in today’s crowded real estate marketplace to do everything possible to help in selling your wonderful home. It’s hard work, but well worth the effort!

If you are a resident of or plan to move to Arkansas, and want more information on beautiful Hot Springs Village real estate, visit the professionals at RE/MAX of Arkansas (http://www.remax-arkansas.com/hot-springs-village-real-estate.aspx). Art Gib is a freelance writer.

[tags]Hot Springs Village real estate[/tags]

Mount Laurel is has a long history with the earliest known history of the area beginning with the Lenni-Lenape Indians who lived here from around 1400 until the 1700s. They lived and farmed along the banks of the Rancocas River. The “Great Road” of pioneer days began as an Indian trail with many Indian hand tools being found along the way when the great road was laid out in 1765. Today many who own homes in the area still claim to dig up Indian artifacts on their properties.

A prominent family in the the region since 1682, the Evans family still has homes in the Mount Laurel Township today. The Evans family is known for generosity because in 1698, William Evans gave an acre of land to the Society of Friends and the Friends Meeting House was built with the help of American Indians on that acre. It is the oldest Meeting House in the Country and is still used even today.

Buying a home here puts you in a township with about 40,000 residents as of the last census in 2000. The township has many communities within its borders including Ramblewood, Rancocas, and Larchmont, which are the largest communities. There are seven elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school in the Mount Laurel area.

When looking around for your perfect house to call your own, be sure to employ a real estate agent who knows the area well. They will be able to help you know which Mount Laurel homes have interesting histories attached to them that will make living in them even that much more fun.

Agents are sure to save you a lot of time and energy as well since they know what is on the market and what is bound to be on the market soon. Allow them to do the “heavy lifting” for you so that you can relax and enjoy your sight-seeing trip while you are in the Mount Laurel area.

While Mount Laurel homes can be classic, historical homes, there is also plenty of new construction available for you to move into. Get ready to move right in!

RE/MAX of Cherry Hill (http://www.localguy.com/mountlaurel.aspx) is a real estate brokerage that specializes in Mount Laurel homes. Art Gib is a freelance writer.

[tags]Mount Laurel homes[/tags]

If you want to make a change for the better consider this - mailing letters is one of the easiest ways to increase your business; to get more leads and make more sales. Still, some real estate agents don’t write or mail enough of them - leaving the business and money to be made from it for others to scoop up.

But people still enjoy receiving mail, even though they’re bombarded with junk mail and sometimes longingly wish for the day they can spam proof their mailbox like they can their inbox. And if you’re not taking advantage of their interest somebody else is.

Here are a few more reasons why you should be marketing with real estate letters. With letters you can -

1. Decrease your workload - once you’ve written one you can use it over and over for a lot of different purposes. They’re a compellingly example of how you can do the work once, but reap the results time and again.

2. Systematize your marketing efforts - letters are a great way to keep in contact with past, current and future customers. You have to have regular contact with your readers in order to establish a meaningful presence in their minds. Letters will help you do that.

3. Take advantage of a convenient form of marketing - you can write and mail them at your convenience, regardless of the time of day. My favorite time to compose letters is early morning -I’m most creative during that time.

However, you’ll get the best results if your mailing list is geared towards a targeted audience, which is a form of niche marketing. For example, I’ve had a good deal of success marketing to teachers.

I’ve spent most of my adult yeas being around teachers and know from first hand experience that they are one of many under-marketed niche populations. Their salaries can be quite good and they have the income capacity to pay for homes that they’d like to buy, but haven’t gotten around to it yet. They need guidance, encouragement and a little help. Do you Know anybody who can provide it?

In closing, there’s a lot to be said for using real estate letters to boost your business; mostly that somebody else is getting the business using them if you aren’t.

Discover how Pre-written Real Estate Letters can help you generate more leads, listings and sales.

[tags]real estate letters, real estate leads, listings, real estate, real estate marketing[/tags]

This change in buyer behavior based on the trend in house prices is apparent in the national mortgage origination ratio. This statistic kept by the Federal Reserve Board is a measure of the total national mortgage debt service as a percentage of gross income. In the coastal bubble rally of the late 80s, people took on larger debts to buy homes, and when prices began their decline, people did not stretch to buy. If people had continued to put a high percentage of their income toward housing, prices would not have fallen as far as they did. The great housing bubble witnessed a 30% increase in the average mortgage debt ratio on a national basis as people bought out of fear and greed in order not to be priced out forever and capture the capital gains of home price appreciation. If history repeats itself, this ratio will decline as house prices decline.

House prices are sensitive to small changes in debt-to-income ratios when interest rates are very low as they were during the housing bubble. For instance, a 2% increase in the debt-to-income ratio can finance a loan that is 10% larger. Each borrower deciding to put a little more of their income toward housing can bid up prices very quickly. Prior to the bubble rally, lenders would limit DTIs to 28%, but during the bubble rally the only limit to DTIs were the degree to which borrowers were willing to exaggerate their income on their stated-income loan application.

The debt-to-income ratio in Irvine, California, in 2007, was 64.4%. Even if it is assumed every buyer was putting 20% down (which they were not), the DTI ratio is 50.1%. This is gross income; as a percentage of take-home pay, the number is much higher. Most financed these sums through some combination of “liar loans” and negative amortization loan terms. Since these two “innovations” have likely been eliminated forever, bubble buyers who used these techniques are not going to be bought out by a future buyer using the same financing methods and thereby using the same debt-to-income ratio. In short, prices in these markets are going to crash very hard.

Homeowners during the housing bubble utilized debt-to-income ratios higher than ever witnessed previously. Default rates were low while prices were rising and Ponzi Scheme financing allowed homeowners to pay their mortgage with borrowed money. When prices began to drop, default rates began to rise quickly, and lenders responded by cutting off the Ponzi Scheme financing in a massive credit crunch. This caused prices to drop further and defaults to skyrocket. A downward spiral ensued. Projections are for this downward spiral to continue through 2011 when prices bottom at fundamental valuations.

Lawrence Roberts is the author of The Great Housing Bubble: Why Did House Prices Fall?
Learn more and get FREE eBooks at: http://www.thegreathousingbubble.com/
Read the author’s daily dispatches at The Irvine Housing Blog: http://www.irvinehousingblog.com/

[tags]housing, real estate, buying real estate, housing bubble, real estate bubble, house for sale[/tags]

This 25,000 strong town has a growing population and a still-affordable $425,000 median family home purchase price. The most affordable place to live in Bergen County real estate that made the top 100 is Ridgefield Park Village where house prices average at less than $385,000.

Bergen County forms part of the New York Metropolitan area, which may account for the fact that it has the highest county population in the state. You can commute to Manhattan for work or entertainment, while still living in a safe, family-friendly neighborhood.

Because it’s also one of the highest-income counties in the country, Bergen County offers a lifestyle that (while not out of reach by most) is extremely attractive. However, one of the drawbacks to living in Bergen County is that your property tax bill is likely to be one of the highest in the nation, so you may wish to take that factor into consideration when buying in the area.

There’s also a quirk about Sunday shopping in Bergen county, where the laws allow only grocery stores (and not the major chains or retail outlets) to operate — and it doesn’t look like something that will change any time soon.

If you are selling your current home in order to move, and trying to spruce it up a bit to get the best price possible, the most effective upgrades in terms of cost recovery is window or siding replacement or a minor kitchen remodel.

If you go for anything more than a minor upgrade in the kitchen, your recoup cost drops from the 85 percent range by as much as ten percent. Even worse, if you renovate an area in your home like a den or sunroom, you’ll only get a bit more than half of that investment back.

Wherever you decide to buy, do have a home inspection done (either before you make your offer or by making the offer conditional on the inspection findings). Ensure that the inspector is a NJ Licensed Home Inspector, and that his or her name (or the name of the Inspector of Record for multi-inspector company) is on the business card, together with the NJ Licensed Home Inspector Number, which starts with either the code 24 or GI, as well as a street address and telephone number.

RE/MAX of New Jersey (http://www.remax-nj.com/bergen-county-real-estate.aspx) is a real estate brokerage that specializes in Bergen County real estate. Art Gib is a freelance writer.

[tags]Bergen County real estate[/tags]