I usually have to wait a month or so to blog about another stupid underwriter request, but here I find myself writing about a stupid underwriter request only a week after I last wrote about this very topic. Read the rest of this entry »
GetLoans.com Blog
When is a 2 unit a 2 unit?
July 7th, 2010
When is a 2 unit a 2 unit? A 2 unit home, sometimes referred to as a duplex, is a home where there is a rental unit, usually in the basement. Over the years I have seen much confusion surrounding what officially defines a home as a 2 unit. I can tell you that an appraiser, banks and Fannie Mae (all the people that count when you need mortgage financing) will be looking for the following: Read the rest of this entry »
Below Grade Square Footage Gets Erased!
June 30th, 2010
If someone told you that the first level of your home was a basement, and did not count towards the livable square footage of your home, would you be upset? It would be as if someone arbitrarily erased part of your home, and made it smaller than it really was! This is a really important story Read the rest of this entry »
How Do Realtors Really Get Paid?
June 8th, 2010
Does anyone know how Realtors really get paid? I know people love to complain about Realtors and how they “get 6%” of the sales price, but that is not the whole story. It’s barely any of the story. I love to beat up on any industry with grossly overpaid and inefficient workers as much as the next person, but only if it is merited. Read the rest of this entry »
Do Internet Connections Raise Property Values?
April 23rd, 2010
Alexandria Virginia was hoping that Verizon would bring its high speed internet and video service called “Fios” to the area, and Verizon chose not to. Now Alexandria Virginia is hoping to be a test site for a new high-speed internet service being developed by Google. And anyone that owns real estate in Alexandria should hope this happens! Read the rest of this entry »
What Affects Real Estate Prices?
April 21st, 2010
What affects real estate prices? Perception. The macro-economy. The city. The neighborhood. The street. The curb appeal. The house. The square footage. The bedroom count. The view. The neighbors. The local economy. The condition of the house. Local zoning issues, if any. Access to transportation. Marketing. Government. Tax breaks. Interest rates. Rents. The weather. The landscaping. The Realtors involved. The sellers. The buyers. Emotion. Local income patterns. Local employment. Competition. Supply. Demand. Chocolate chip cookies…and more?
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Does Traffic In Washington DC Affect Real Estate?
April 16th, 2010
Does traffic affect real estate in Washington DC, of course it does! We plan our lives around traffic, we look for the best routes to get where we are going, we think about the best times to come and go, we telecommute to beat traffic, we move into the city to beat traffic, and we work late to avoid rush hour. We do anything we can to avoid traffic! Read the rest of this entry »
Washington DC Real Estate Prices Are Strong.
April 14th, 2010
I could tell you how Washington DC had an influx of population in 2009. I could tell you how strong the job market is in Washington DC. Or I could even tell you how real estate prices were up 2.9% in Washington DC last year. Instead I am going to regale you with some anecdotal stories to illustrate what is going on here in the real estate market. Read the rest of this entry »
Would A Dress Store Do A 1.5% Off Sale?
March 4th, 2010
I saw a house recently that was priced at $659,000. This house had been on the market for 60 days, with no offers, at $659,000. I noticed that they did a price reduction of $10,000 to $649,000 after they were on the market for 60 days. And this begs the question, “is a ’1.5% OFF SALE’ going to draw buyers into the store?”
I believe a $10,000 price reduction is a slap in the face to the marketplace, to potential buyers, and to logic. If the house was not worth $659,000, guess what, it ain’t worth $649,000! Read the rest of this entry »
Buying Distressed Properties
February 17th, 2010
Buying distressed properties, whether they are in foreclosure or are a short sale, can be difficult. I am going to cut and paste an email from a prior client in relation to this topic, and my reply, as an example of how difficult it can be to buy distressed properties: Read the rest of this entry »