Posted by Annalisa Burgos | October 30, 2009
For those of you who’ll be house hunting as well as trick-or-treating this Halloween weekend, your friends at FrontDoor.com have come up with some tips for foreclosure buyers. We call them:
And check out these other Halloween-themed homebuying and selling tips on FrontDoor.com:
Posted by Annalisa Burgos | August 6, 2009
I hear so many real estate agent horror stories from homebuyers and sellers (and have experienced my own nightmare situations) that you’d think “agent bashing” is some sort of national pastime.
While there are some bad apples out there (as there are in any profession), that shouldn’t reflect poorly on the industry as a whole. In fact, I know many people who rave about their real estate agents and consider them part of the family.
Finding an agent is easy. In any given area, hundreds of professionals are vying for your business. Finding the right agent for you is the hard part.
You’re trusting someone to help through one of the biggest purchases in your life, so it’s important to do your research.
Check out FrontDoor’s Top 10 Strategies for Choosing the Right Real Estate Agent.
Posted by Annalisa Burgos | July 1, 2009
With the flood of first-time buyers and bargain hunters in today’s real estate market, your friends at FrontDoor.com want to remind ALL homebuyers out there to do your due diligence.
Don’t get so caught up with finding a steal that you forget the basics!
In this month’s Top 10, we break down the 10 most costly mistakes buyers commonly make and offer some valuable tips.
Check it out:
Top 10 Home Buying Mistakes That Can Cost You
www.frontdoor.com/top10
Buying a home is a big deal, but it should also be a fun experience. By making smart decisions, your buyer’s thrill won’t become buyer’s remorse.
Happy house hunting!
Posted by Annalisa Burgos | June 16, 2009
Despite its name, a short sale is by no means a “short” process. But unlike what you may have heard, getting a short sale approved by your lender is not as hard as you may think — if your real estate agent knows what they’re doing.
In order to orchestrate a successful short sale, you need a master negotiator, says Troy Huerta, short sale division leader at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in San Diego. “Many agents forgot how to negotiate. There was no negotiating in the past. You would list a home at a ridiculous price and someone would pay it.”
Those days are long gone. Home values are falling. Unemployment is at 9.4 percent. And according to RealtyTrac, there were more than 321,000 foreclosure filings in May, 18 percent higher than a year earlier. That’s expected to get worse.
But there’s a way to help ease this flood of foreclosures, Huerta says. Do more short sales.
In the past, lenders have been reluctant to do short sales. And why would they? They stand to lose a LOT of money. But the reality today is that if a lender doesn’t do a short sale, it may get stuck with a property that is harder to sell or will sell for less than it could have gotten. (A buyer is more willing to buy a short sale in good condition than a bank-owned foreclosure that needs a lot of work.) Not to mention the cost of pursuing the foreclosure process.
Even Fannie Mae felt short sales could help reduce foreclosures. It launched a pilot program pre-approving short sales for homeowners in Phoenix and Orlando.
Now, lenders should be more motivated than ever to get these deals done — as part of President Obama’s economic stimulus plan, the federal government will pay lenders up to $1,000 for each completed short sale or accepted deed-in-lieu of foreclosure.
READ HUERTA’S TIPS FOR BUYING AND SELLING A SHORT SALE…
Posted by Annalisa Burgos | June 8, 2009
HGTV has always been about enhancing your home and home life. So it makes sense that FrontDoor.com, the real estate site powered by HGTV, is about enhancing your search for the place you call home. That means bringing you valuable tips and advice to help you make smart decisions. So in addition to our blog and large library of articles and videos, we’ve created a vlog.
Real estate topics can be dry and boring, and most of the real estate news videos I’ve seen out there are just that. As the host, I want this to be informative and fun. And as a journalist, I want this to be relevant, since today’s buyers and homeowners don’t have time to sift through all the information that’s out there.
The vlog is not meant to be fancy or flashy. It’s our way of connecting with you as that smart friend “in the know.” Future episodes will feature different topics and occasionally a special guest. If there’s something you’d like to know or have an idea or pitch for the vlog, we want to hear it. Post a comment here and we could feature it in our next episode!
Posted by Annalisa Burgos | May 18, 2009
I’d say I moved a lot in the past 10 years (LA to Dallas and back, LA to NYC, NYC to Knoxville and back). Lucky for me, I haven’t had any major moving nightmares, though I’ve heard many a story from friends and family. Lost belongings. Shipped cars arriving months later. Movers breaking things. It’s safe to say that moving comes with risks.
But with proper planning, moving to a new city can be more exciting than stressful. And in the spirit of that thrill of beginning a new stage in your life, we unveil FrontDoor.com’s new “Major Move” series!
Each video is packed with helpful tips for every stage of your move, from planning to purging to packing. Plus, get worksheets and pointers to help you save time and money.
And don’t forget to check out FrontDoor’s Moving section for more inspiration!
Posted by Annalisa Burgos | May 7, 2009
During the height of the real estate boom, pricing a home was more like a technicality in the selling process, a suggestion to buyers. More often than not, the home would sell for more than what it was listed for, especially in hot markets. Back in the good ‘ol days, selling a home for at least your asking price was a sure thing.
Welcome to 2009. Pricing is no longer just a technicality. It means the difference between getting multiple showings or none. A home’s price can make or break a deal and affect whether your home will sell quickly or languish on the market for months.
FrontDoor’s new Pricing Guide (www.frontdoor.com/pricing) breaks down the various pricing strategies and factors you should consider to determine what your home is worth and get it sold.
One of the most common pricing faux-pas sellers make is getting emotionally involved. Sure, you may have invested a lot of time, sweat and money into your home, but if you’re selling in this market, forget about getting any love back. Pricing it below your competition will help you get it sold quickly. Learn how to avoid six common pricing mistakes and get solutions to four pricing dilemmas.
Also, special thanks to Nancy Spearrin, a seller from Solon, Maine, who shared her selling nightmare. Read her story in “My House is Worth What?” And if you’ve got a story to share, let us know by posting a comment.
Posted by Annalisa Burgos | May 4, 2009
Moving sucks. I’m actually moving from Jersey City to Manhattan this week and I’m NOT looking forward to it. My husband and I are doing it on the cheap so no movers, just us. Luckily, we’ve been in a “transition” period since December so we have no furniture (just our bed) and don’t have much stuff anyway.
On the other hand, most people have rooms and rooms of stuff and trying to get all that from point A to point B can be overwhelming. Allow your friends at FrontDoor to help.
This month’s top 10 kicks off Moving Month on FrontDoor.com. Get our Top 10 time-saving tips for your move. From drawing a furniture floor plan to creating a moving checklist, planning ahead can save you time, money and energy.
Even non-type-A personalities can move with ease, thanks to FrontDoor’s Moving Guide. We break down everything you need to know to get it together, including how to choose movers, move greener and hold a garage sale so you don’t end up bringing your “sure-it’ll-fit-again” prom dress or that florescent lava lamp you got at the swap meet.
And coming soon, our new “Major Move” video series! Watch as our no-nonsense moving expert helps one family shape up and ship out!
Posted by Annalisa Burgos | April 28, 2009
I’m trying to buy a condo in Manhattan and you know that’s nothing but drama. Running around the city via subway and cabs. Dealing with sellers who haven’t accepted the reality of the market. Trying to get financing with loan terms I want. And hello! Did you know New York City has the highest closing costs in the country, averaging $4,016, according to a survey by Bankrate?! DRAMA!
Well, now there’s a guide for anyone tired of the stress of buying, selling or financing a home. (drum roll please)
Introducing the new “Drama-Free Real Estate” series on HGTV’s FrontDoor.com. FrontDoor Freak-Out Prevention Specialist and real estate expert Tara-Nicholle Nelson offers more than 100 timely stories and tips to help you take the drama out of your homebuying, selling and financing experience. Check it out at: http://www.frontdoor.com/dramafree
Tara’s breaks down the “Top 10” action steps, strategies and insider secrets you must know; offers “Don’t Freak Out” tips to tackle the main sources of frustration; and shares her experiences and lessons learned with real-life clients in “Been There, Done That.”
If you’ve got drama you can’t handle, consult Tara’s guide and leave a comment here. We want to hear about it!
Posted by Annalisa Burgos | April 15, 2009
Judging by the lines at my post office this morning, a lot of people are waiting til the last minute to mail those tax returns. Kudos to those of you who have already received your tax refunds — April 15 is just another arbitrary date. If you’re a procrastinator like me, you’ve filed an extension so you can put it off for another day.
For homeowners, tax issues are always at the forefront of their minds, regardless of the date. Tax breaks are often touted as the biggest perk of owning a home, since you can deduct mortgage interest, property taxes and mortgage points for the year you buy. This year, an $8,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers is enticing more newbie buyers to come out of the woodwork.
Any real estate transaction has an effect on your tax situation. Whether you’re selling a home or transferring a home to a family member, research the tax implications first.
Perhaps the most contentious tax issue for homeowners is property taxes. Local governments rely heavily on real estate tax revenue to balance their budgets. Today, as home values plunge in many markets, homeowners are asking that their properties be reassessed and their taxes lowered to reflect that sharp loss in value. If you want to appeal your property tax, contact your county assessor or the local government entity that handles real estate taxes in your area. Be wary of companies that claim they can get your property tax lowered if you pay them a fee. Oftentimes, you can start the appeal process yourself.
But don’t be too hopeful. It’s a recession and many cities are coming up short on their budgets. So even if you do appeal, they may simply increase the tax levy in order to get the same amount from you.
If you’re buying a home, do yourself a favor and estimate your property taxes yourself. Real estate listings show what the current homeowner pays, but oftentimes, the property is reassessed when a new owner takes over. Do the research so you aren’t unpleasantly surprised.
For more helpful tax tips, go to http://www.frontdoor.com/home-finance/FrontDoors-Top-10-Tax-Tips/54900. And remember to always consult your tax professional before taking any action.
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