tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19081353520209940722011-11-27T19:09:50.434-06:00Informative articles on real estate for investors in commercial real estate and home buyersW Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.comBlogger361100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-30810180403033659162008-04-18T05:56:00.001-05:002008-04-18T05:56:13.505-05:00

Washington seems to agree it's time to change the Federal Housing Administration to help lenders get out of bum loans. Now three proposals are bouncing around the Hill to make it happen. Which one will pass? Bet on Bush's plan.read more | digg story

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-77927169704001503972008-04-03T08:17:00.001-05:002008-04-03T08:17:38.803-05:00

The citizens of Colorado, unlike any other state in the country, might have a chance to get low-interest loans to install renewable energy systems and make conservation efforts in their domiciles - all backed by the bonding authority of the state and local governments. Why isn't Congress following this model?read more | digg story

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-70138632678098391462008-03-31T15:08:00.001-05:002008-03-31T15:08:44.394-05:00

According to the FBI, con artists have started a new form of game - stealing houses. Even the most immovable object most people own can be stolen right out from under their noses, even if the are still living in them. read more | digg story

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-16603398092067634152008-03-28T06:23:00.001-05:002008-03-28T06:23:51.477-05:00

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced today that it has charged Crow-Billingsley Air Park, Ltd., Airpark GP, L.L.C., and Air Park–Dallas Zoning Committee, owners of Air Park Estates, with violating the Fair Housing Act.read more | digg story

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-70040552309975027862008-03-27T08:53:00.001-05:002008-03-27T08:53:59.959-05:00

On Monday, February 25, 2008, The National Association of Realtors announced existing home-sales had dropped 0.4 percent in January, 2008 from the December, 2007 level. This slippage reflects a 23.4 percent reduction from January, 2007.read more | digg story

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-26098953556993657142008-03-26T05:50:00.001-05:002008-03-26T05:50:01.054-05:00

You can't blame America's homeowners for feeling hopelessly confused. From suburban porches and city terraces, they're gawking at a housing world gone mad. Just 18 months ago, folks on a tony Linden Lane or a leafy Boxwood Court were astounded to see the colonial their neighbors bought for $600,000 in 2000 sell for $1.5 million after multiple bids.read more | digg story

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-60983383315973499162008-03-25T10:32:00.001-05:002008-03-25T10:32:00.940-05:00

Many experts have speculated that greed is the cause of the current mortgage crisis. For the past 15 years I worked in that industry. It is my opinion there are many causes for the current problems but greed was definitely a factor.read more | digg story

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-25934834498801323902008-03-24T10:28:00.001-05:002008-03-24T10:28:05.070-05:00

Besides being unhealthy, nicotine also causes damage to the home of a smoker. It gets into the furniture, the carpet, the curtains, and the walls. A home of a smoker will eventually show unsightly yellow stains of various sizes on the walls, nicotine stains. Such stains are difficult to remove, especially from the walls and ceiling. read more | digg story

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-1288066841006322462008-03-13T11:09:00.001-05:002008-03-13T11:09:25.614-05:00

There are many perfectly honest, hard working people caught in the trap set for them by predatory lenders who should be protected by the government. But there are also those who were rolling the dice, much as those lenders were, who knew they were taking a gamble much like the stock market or Vegas who should take their lumps.read more | digg story

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-48714029160792222042008-03-12T20:20:00.001-05:002008-03-12T20:20:14.611-05:00

October foreclosure sales increased by 40 percent from September with a total of 12,336 properties – with a loan value of $5 billion -- sold at auction statewide, according to figures compiled by ForeclosureRadar.read more | digg story

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-90762147151388635552008-03-12T08:25:00.001-05:002008-03-12T08:25:54.947-05:00

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced today that it has charged Cesar A. Lopez, a Chicago landlord with housing discrimination for posting an on-line ad that discriminates against men and families with children.read more | digg story

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-3105875595715695272008-03-12T07:18:00.001-05:002008-03-12T07:18:19.737-05:00

Shopping for an apartment? Still having trouble making up your mind on which apartment to take? There are several warning signs to watch out for while you're looking for a place to rent that indicate you could be taking over an apartment with a rotten landlord. Here are five warning indicators that the landlord might be more trouble.read more | digg story

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-74418086404885041842008-03-08T05:58:00.001-06:002008-03-08T05:59:42.830-06:00

Shopping for an apartment? Still having trouble making up your mind on which apartment to take? There are several warning signs to watch out for while you’re looking for a place to rent that indicate you could be taking over an apartment with a rotten landlord. Here are five warning indicators that the landlord for the apartment might be more trouble than the apartment is worth. The “I Don’t

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-90117301584610456372008-02-27T10:05:00.001-06:002008-02-27T10:05:40.293-06:00

The difference between owning a condominium and a cooperative apartment are night and day. Condos and coops might seem the same on the surface, but one key factor separates the two and should impact your decision on which to own.read more | digg story

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-61406046391097663742008-02-27T09:45:00.001-06:002008-02-27T09:45:16.630-06:00

Several of the critical questions to ask, and issues to ponder, while searching for a retirement community for yourself or a loved one. Are you looking for short term - or a final home after you retire? How do you choose a retirement home with the right package for you?read more | digg story

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-24160861553363981312008-02-21T17:57:00.001-06:002008-02-21T17:57:30.548-06:00

Currently, many economists are arguing over what causes the home-building market to suffer. Some speculate that the supply is not meeting the current demands, since there are still many homeless families. Everyone in the home-building field is feeling the crunch, due to the market's unrest. read more | digg story

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-92047211265779300702008-02-21T11:33:00.001-06:002008-02-21T11:33:31.378-06:00

Helpful tips for choosing the right property - and kind of property - for that first time real estate investment. read more | digg story

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-53670201589244137202008-02-21T11:27:00.001-06:002008-02-21T11:27:14.276-06:00

A great article with tips for commercial construction to go green and conserve energy.read more | digg story

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-12416635399872246372008-02-20T16:18:00.001-06:002008-02-20T16:18:51.455-06:00

A look at the true environmental impact that 40,000,000 electric bikes are having in China. Are they helping China's cities become even more congested, without any real improvement to overall air quality?read more | digg story

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-7920920207392676412008-01-30T11:58:00.001-06:002008-01-30T11:58:56.312-06:00

A look at the actions being taken by the Federal Reserve which only helps the wealthyread more | digg story

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-7884446456480431732008-01-30T09:20:00.001-06:002008-01-30T09:20:15.196-06:00

The Federal Reserve, and the entire federal government, is leaving 15 million people to go homeless through inactionread more | digg story

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-13610915063354419362008-01-27T11:11:00.001-06:002008-01-27T11:11:04.316-06:00

Stocks fell sharply worldwide Monday following declines on Wall Street last week amid investor pessimism over the U.S. government's stimulus plan to prevent a recession.read more | digg story

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-6487303747906016082008-01-27T10:42:00.001-06:002008-01-27T10:42:34.747-06:00

A look at a recent ruling by HUD, in which the landlord was forced to make their management bilingualread more | digg story

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-24482253808648637832008-01-27T08:30:00.000-06:002008-01-27T08:34:09.148-06:00

Have you decided to buy your first home? Avoid the five most common pitfalls that lie in wait, and could turn your dream of home ownership into a nightmare. 1) You need to get the house inspected. Ever since the boom in the home inspection industry started in the 1980s, many states require that home inspectors at least be licensed, and many require they receive special training to get

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-38349328294398625172007-12-21T08:21:00.000-06:002007-12-21T08:25:58.369-06:00

The Department of Housing and Urban Development slapped a whopping $170,000 penalty on an apartment complex manager in St. Louis. The money is being split $83,000 to the residents allegedly being discriminated against, $15,000 for a trust fund for possible other claimants, and $72,000 to set up an on-site daycare center. The violation: Requiring the parents to supervise their minor children if

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-43054599383464296972007-12-19T11:03:00.000-06:002007-12-19T11:05:24.568-06:00

This article gives you some excellent hints and tips for how to approach how much your down payment should be. Succinctly - Do not go for the "no money down" lending schemes that led to the real estate bubble and avalanche of foreclosures.

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-35080313440237730082007-12-17T10:48:00.000-06:002007-12-17T10:51:37.173-06:00

Screening tenants is an art, not a science. However, in order to make good decisions, you need to gather information about the prospective tenant in a manner both legal and ethical, and which will maintain the dignity of the person. One of the biggest mistakes a new landlord makes is not screening potential tenants. Yes, John’s check for the security deposit cleared the bank – but what will

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-559580359791109462007-12-16T06:55:00.000-06:002007-12-16T06:57:08.734-06:00

Should you rent or buy a home? That is a question people all over the free world ask themselves every day. There are numerous factors to consider on whether your temperament is suitable for home ownership, or continuing to rent. Deciding whether to rent or buy a home is as much an emotional decision as a financial one. Let the financial aspect rule the final decision, but do not ignore your

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-31793446362972224542007-12-14T05:51:00.001-06:002007-12-14T05:52:37.273-06:00

As if the looming avalanche of foreclosures in the United States isn’t bad enough, the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) announced on Wednesday that they have filed charges against an Ohio man, alleging that he was involved in a scheme that defrauded unsuspecting homeowners of hundreds of thousands of dollars with a false promise of saving them from foreclosure. James A. Warsing of

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-72404374437349717392007-12-01T11:59:00.000-06:002007-12-01T12:02:08.523-06:00

After a delay of nearly thirty years, a program passed in 1978 during the Carter administration is finally being implemented by the Department of Energy (DOE). The DOE released on Friday guidelines for improving energy efficiency in hot water heaters, furnaces, and boilers, but the new standards will not take effect until 2015 and take 24 years to put in place. The “fast tracking” of the new

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-60808574167260459392007-11-17T08:54:00.000-06:002007-11-17T08:55:22.535-06:00

You have been shopping for that perfect home, and you noticed that some of the business cards you have been collecting say Realtor while some do not. So, what is a Realtor? A Realtor is a member of the National Association of Realtors or one of its sub-organizations. The National Association of Realtors is a professional organization made up of people in the various sub-specialties of real

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-35240571451175834092007-11-15T07:57:00.000-06:002007-11-15T07:59:05.137-06:00

One of the most critical elements for preparing any effective real estate marketing effort is pictures. Home buyers want to ‘shop around’ using the pictures they’ve seen, even if they have seen the actual house; and many buyers won’t even consider looking at a house if there are not any ‘pre-view’ pictures available. Attractive pictures will help get a “SOLD” sign on the home quicker, make the

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-61281033552478167712007-11-12T06:51:00.000-06:002007-11-12T06:53:52.403-06:00

Your home search has started, but you are uncertain how much of a down payment you will need. The answer to the question of how much your down payment should be lies in your wallet and your emotions, and there is no pat answer to the question of what a basic down payment will be. Most home buyers today get pre-qualified for a loan, based on how much of a down payment they are willing and able

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-66975460674453881112007-11-02T18:45:00.001-05:002007-11-02T18:45:37.263-05:00

Many real estate agents come to the industry without any preparation on how to create flyers, pamphlets or brochures. While it is not rocket science, making attractive and effective brochures to help sell a home does take some practice and an investment in a set of tools to create flyers and other marketing materials that the buyer will hang onto, and call back on. Below are five of the tools

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-42054989326012716712007-10-31T11:28:00.000-05:002007-10-31T11:31:42.090-05:00

Using the internet as a marketing tool is essential for landlords today in finding tenants for their rental properties, whether they be residential or commercial. By using the internet as an advertising vehicle, you will see great rewards in finding your next tenants. For the purposes of this article, I will focus on residential real estate, rental homes and apartments. Most residential

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908135352020994072.post-69675752139701422222007-10-31T11:24:00.000-05:002007-10-31T11:27:46.204-05:00

You’re reaching for the dream, and have decided to buy that first home. Be sure to avoid the five pitfalls that lie in wait, and could turn that dream into a nightmare. Watch out that you do not make the same mistakes that other first-time home buyers make. 1) Get the house inspected. Ever since the boom in this industry started in the 1980s, many states now require that home inspectors

W Thomas Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04968909177096689200noreply@blogger.com0