Cheaper to Buy than Rent???

According to Trulia's Winter 2012 Rent vs Buy Index, it's now now cheaper to buy than to rent in 98 of the 100 top metros. Copy and paste the link below for the whole scoop!
http://pro.truliablog.com/news/report-rent-vs-buy-winter-2012-update-on-the-debate/?ecampaign=tnews&eurl=pro.truliablog.com%2Fnews%2Freport-rent-vs-buy-winter-2012-update-on-the-debate

Income Tax and Donald Duck

Income tax time is fast approaching and there’s a good story behind it, a story of 2 wars, a dying Supreme Court justice and Donald Duck!

During the Civil War, Congress decided to try an income tax and they made it public. Prior to that, money was collected from tariffs. Each neighbor could see what the other was paying. Abraham Lincoln paid $1296 in 1864.

By the late 1800’s, income tax was almost only paid by the rich and they had some talented lawyers. In 1895, the case went all the way to the Supreme Court. One justice was on his death bed, and the remaining eight split evenly. The dying justice came back and by a vote of 5-4, the court found income tax unconstitutional.
In 1913, Congress and the State brought it back by amending the Constitution. Again, the tax was only being paid by the rich people.

When World War II came along, the government needed more money and middle class were being asked to pay, too. Legislators thought ordinary Americans just wouldn’t do it. They wanted someone credible and easy to understand, so they got Donald Duck. He marched around his house listening to the radio telling him that his patriotic duty was to pay taxes. He filled out his tax form--Occupation: actor. Dependents: Huey, Dewey and Louis.

It worked. Donald Duck got ordinary Americans to pay their income tax. And here we are now.

Cut and paste this link to u tube:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2012/03/22/149058446/from-abe-lincoln-to-donald-duck-history-of-the-income-tax

Here’s the full story from Planet Money:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2012/03/22/149058446/from-abe-lincoln-to-donald-duck-history-of-the-income-tax

Pizzazz at the Entryway

A home’s entryway creates the first impression. As you, the Realtor, bring a potential buyer to the property, that bold color makes a strong statement. The color should complement the style and design of home, but can be more intense. Here are some good entry colors that you can suggest to your clients to spice up the entry and add some excitement and pizzazz!

A word of caution. If there is a homeowner’s association, make sure you check the HOA rules before advising your client to paint!

Peacock Blue—Works well with wood finishes and artwork framed in gold, silver, black or white. Peacock blue goes with walls that are neutral.

Black—Few people are brave enough to paint interior walls black, but it has a dramatic effect in the entry, especially when it has a gloss to reflect light.

Coral—This is a mix of pink and orange. It is a warm color, flatters most skin tones, and works well with warm woods, silver, chrome and mirrors.

Chartreuse—This eye-popping mix of yellow and green looks good with warm woods, shades of gray and metallic

Red—This is a classic and complements almost every decorating style.

For the full article and color chart, go to:
http://homeguides.sfgate.com/paint-colors-entryway-8811.html

Housing Crisis to End in 2012 as Banks Loosen Credit Standards

01/24/2012 by Krista Franks Brock

Capital Economics expects the housing crisis to end this year, according to a report released Tuesday. One of the reasons: loosening credit.

The analytics firm notes the average credit score required to attain a mortgage loan is 700. While this is higher than scores required prior to the crisis, it is constant with requirements one year ago. Additionally, a Fed Senior Loan Officer Survey found credit requirements in the fourth quarter were consistent with the past three quarters. However, other market indicators point not just to a stabilization of mortgage lending standards, but also a loosening of credit availability.

Banks are now lending amounts up to 3.5 times borrower earnings. This is up from a low during the crisis of 3.2 times borrower earnings. Banks are also loosening loan-to-value ratios (LTV), which Capital Economics denotes “the clearest sign yet of an improvement in mortgage credit conditions.” In contrast to a low of 74 percent reached in mid-2010, banks are now lending at 82 percent LTV.

While credit conditions may have loosened slightly, some potential homebuyers are still struggling with credit requirements. In fact, Capital Economics points out that in November, 8 percent of contract cancellations were the result of a potential buyer not qualifying for a loan. Capital Economics says “any improvement in credit conditions won’t be significant enough to generate actual house price gains,” and potential ramifications from the euro-zone pose a threat to future credit availability.

For more real estate news: http://www.linkedin.com/news?actionBar=&articleID=5567733516482908167&ids=dj0PdPcNdPoVd3wUejkMdjwRdiMMczcUc3wPcz4RdPsTd3gRe3kRb38NdzwPcz8NcPARdz4McjkUdjkIcj8Rdz0TcPsMe3kMc3oUd3wRdiMTdz4Uc3AOe3gScjkPcPsTdzkR&aag=true&freq=weekly&trk=eml-tod2-b-ttl-0&ut=2jzOXmOnOBIR81

Simple, yet profound…

Do you love being a Realtor? Do you know your market? Put your enthusiasm, professional knowledge and familiarity with your community to work. Raise up your antenna, get out socially, put a big smile on your face and spread your knowledge. Your enthusiasm and expertise will shine through with the people you meet and the conversations you have. It’s called “attraction-based real estate.” The idea comes from an article by Jennifer Allan from Realty Times. Here are 2 steps to success.

1. Always be mastering your market. Speak intelligently about the local real estate market stats and trends. For example, when you're out, be knowledgeable about the specific area you are in. A real estate agent who knows the market builds confidence and draws people.

2. Put your smiling face and your real estate expertise in front of as many people as you can. Open your social calendar. Accept invitations. Go to lunch with friends three times a week. Instead of an email, pick up the phone. Go into the bank instead of the drive-thru. Go to community events. March in the parade. Join the Chamber. Mingle. Donate. Be effective.

You love your work and that is the impression you will leave with everyone you come into contact with. Have fun and good business karma will follow.

For the entire article: click http://realtytimes.com/rtpages/20120220_attraction.htm

Spring Forward this Sunday, March 11...

You can thank Benjamin Franklin for Daylight Saving Time (DST)... he first conceived the idea when he was 78 years old and in Paris. His concept was to conserve energy and more fully enjoy the benefits of daylight.
At 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 11 most U.S. residents will set their clocks ahead one hour for the beginning of Daylight Saving Time. However, not all states go on DST. Arizona, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands will not.
Around the world, about 75 countries and territories have at least one location that observes Daylight Saving Time. 164 do not change time at all.
So, before you go to bed this Saturday night, set your clocks ahead one hour. But don’t worry; you can get back to normal time next November 4th.

3 More Cool Apps for YOU!

Around Me: FREE
Here’s a handy app, particularly if you are out with clients and want to give them all the local info about what’s near a home you are looking at. Pull up your About Me app. You’ll get ATM machines, banks, coffee shops, gas stations, hospital, grocery store…anything you want. If something is not on the list, just type it in. After you select what you want, you’ll get a map of where you are and where you want to go plus contact information.

Yelp: FREE
This is kind of like AroundMe, but it offers reviews and pricing. It also tells you if your friends are nearby. Realtors…become a neighborhood expert using Yelp and you can write reviews too, so your face is out there…free advertising?! You can take photos of local shops/bars/restaurants/etc. and upload them. You can add your Facebook contacts as friends in Yelp and see what they're up to. You can check in at a location, and your friends will see you there, too.

HotPads: FREE
Inquire about real estate listings while you are on the go. Easily find apartments, rental homes, homes for sale, vacation rentals, foreclosures and even hotels anywhere in the US! Map-based housing search includes
* Location based housing search (or enter a specific address).
* Results displayed on a map or in a list.
* Search over 3.5 million apartments, rental houses, foreclosures, and homes for sale.
* Detailed rental & real estate listings with photos, price comparisons, school zone information, floor plans, and more.
* Cross platform syncing, to keep track of your latest search no matter what device you use.
* Find directions to each property from your current location.