Interest Rates are the Lowest in History

Posted on October 23, 2012 by marlenebertrand
Percent Symbols - Best Percentage Growth or In...

Percent Symbols – Best Percentage Growth or Interest Rate (Photo credit: s_falkow)

When I hear people complain about interest rates being so high I wonder how low people expect interest rates to go before they realize they are seeing the lowest interest rates in history.

I remember when I looked at purchasing my first house, interest rates were 17%. I didn’t think it was outrageous. That’s what interest rates were in the late 1970’s. Now, interest rates are at an all time low, hovering around 4.5% on a fixed rate loan. I never dreamed interest rates would get so low and stay that way for years on end.

To put it all in perspective, take a look at the chart released by the California Association of REALTORS® from a Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey. If you are thinking about refinancing your current mortgage or buying a house or property, now is as good a time as any. I, for one, can not imagine interest rates being any lower. And, think about it – even if they were to go lower, even at 4.5%, you still get a good rate. We can’t have everything, but I’d take a 4.5% interest rate loan any day. And, if some day the interest rates should go lower, well I got mine, and I’m happy for the lucky person who is able to get a rate so low.

History of Interest RatesChart used by permission of the California Association of REALTORS.

 

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How to Improve Your Credit Score to Get a Better Loan

Posted on August 22, 2012 by marlenebertrand

Credit ScoreGetting a home loan is not easy in the current state of lenders tightening up on their approval process. Nowadays, like never before, lenders rely on the credit history report and credit scores to help make critical loan approvals to buyers wishing to obtain loans.

A credit report is a snapshot of who you are at that moment in time. So, when it comes to credit scores, it is important to be on top of your credit history report. It is wise to know what information shows on your credit history report and take active steps to get erroneous information corrected.

Your credit history is important, not only for buying a house, but also for other things such as buying a car, renting a home, or getting a job.

I have written the following articles to help you learn more about credit scores and what you can do to maintain a credit rating that is reflective of the real you. Each article has a link to the other articles for seamless continuation of reading.

How Do I Improve My Credit Score to Buy a House?

The Range Lenders Use to Determine Low High and Good Credit Scores

What Score Do I Need to Get a Home Loan?

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These Tips May Help You Make Money Buying a Vacation-Rental Home

Posted on July 28, 2012 by marlenebertrand
Flipping Out

Flipping Out (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Buy low, sell high! That is the smart investor‘s creed. With the economy being in a down mode, the price of homes have declined significantly. Investors who are fortunate enough to get a loan or have cash to purchase real estate as an investment in today’s real estate market can expect to do well.

Long gone are the days of “flipping” property. Flipping property is when investors purchase a property and then sell the property almost immediately. Investors receive a considerable return on their investment because the value of the property has increased significantly from the time the investor purchased the property to the time they sold (or flipped) the property. In 2012, flipping property will lead an investor down the road to poverty. The key to successful investment in real estate is to invest with the idea of holding onto the property for a period of time; perhaps five to seven years or more. While holding onto the property, investors rent out the property to earn income that could offset the mortgage.

This afternoon I ran across an article titled How to Make Money – Buying a Vacation/Rental Home written by Song-Bird. In this article, Song-Bird lists key strategies to owning and renting a Vacation/Rental Home. There is also a video with television news personality and real estate expert Vera Gibbons. Gibbons talks about bargains in real estate and mentions the best states to purchase property at below market prices. Four of the states mentioned are California, Nevada, Arizona, and Florida, among others. I have to tell you, I did not think I would ever see the day when California would be listed as a distressed property state. But, right now, if you are thinking of purchasing a home for basement prices, California is one of the states to consider.

Song-Bird is a fellow writer who writes articles on a variety of topics.

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My Real Estate Domain Names Are For Sale

Posted on May 4, 2012 by marlenebertrand
Domain Name Extensions

Domain Name Extensions (Photo credit: The Booklight)

Fellow REALTORS® and Friends

I have fully journeyed into another era of my life as a retired REALTOR®. Life is good. I am still a REALTOR, and I will be a REALTOR forever, referring my treasured clients to local and reliable REALTORS I have met in my 23 years as a REALTOR. However, I am enjoying retirement life and so I am selling off the tools that would be better serving someone else. Some of the domain names that have given me outstanding results in my real estate practice are up for sale.

As some of you may already know, other domain names that I have sold went quickly. This statement is not a sales tactic; it is the truth. I aim not to spend a lot of time with back and forth negotiations. I just want to sell the domain names and continue on with retirement life.

The real estate domain names that have served me well are up for sale. You can find more information about the domain names and place your offer on the GoDaddy Auction page and follow the prompts to find the domain name you are interested in purchasing.

So, I hope you will make me an offer. It would make my day. It would certainly give you an opportunity to own a domain name that will work as well for you as it did for me.

Real Estate Domain Names For Sale

Domain Name Asking Price Minimum Bid Price
SuperFSBO.com $150 $50
SuperHomeBuyer.com $1500 $750
HomeBuyerFAQs.com $1200 $450
HomeSellerFAQs.com $1200 $450
MyTransactionPage.com $500 $150

Thank you for your consideration. I hope to hear from any of you soon.

Marlene Bertrand, REALTORSpecial Note: Potential buyers, please do not contact me to tell me that you think the price is too high and whatnot. That irks me to no end. If you think the price is too high, then please – don’t make an offer. Step aside and let someone else make an offer to have a domain name that will give them an excellent return on their investment. I’m sorry, but, I just had to say that because some buyers think that if they put me down or harass me that I will cave in. No. It actually produces the opposite effect, because, I know that what I have to offer is good and I know that each of these domain names will quickly do for you what they did for me. They are excellent domain names with excellent potential when used and promoted. Many people are already familiar with these domain names, and that is a plus. So, unless you have something good to say, please don’t say anything at all. Whew! Thank you for letting me get that off my mind. It had to be said.

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Down Payment Gift a Leg Up to Home Ownership, But Know Tax Rules

Posted on March 27, 2012 by marlenebertrand

Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.

Copyright 2012 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

Posted in Real Estate, Real Estate Investment, Taxes | Tagged , | Leave a comment