The Biggest Real Estate Story of 2006 was the story that wasn't, I am happy to report, the bubble never burst. Lots of people are blaming the media for creating these concerns, but in the end, fundamentals won out. Consumer confidence is starting to rebuild, and bigger market forces than the media are driving the market, Homeownership is a [...]

With more than 8.5 million existing and new homes sold, and mortgage rates still at 6.5 percent, 2006 was a pretty good year for residential real estate, after the massive appreciation of the past few years, home prices began to moderate and we are seeing a much more balanced market. So what's coming up for 2007? Interest rates should [...]

I've been getting emails from sellers anxious to sell their properties.  It usually comes down to price in situations like this, but what about the people who don't want to lower their price any further, and in some cases have already made lots of improvements to their property. What's left? You can give a cash bonus to the buyer or the [...]

Anywhere I see people, at parties, shopping or out to lunch with friends, I’m constantly barraged with questions about the real estate market. Everybody wants to know where the market is heading, whether it is a good market or a bad market. I know a lot of buyers who think this is the best market ever. And they're right. Prices are coming [...]

The Harvard University Joint Center for Housing Studies estimates that Americans will spend nearly $160 billion for home remodeling projects over the next 12 months; will they be spending that money wisely? REMODELING magazine’s 19th annual Cost vs. Value Report—the eighth prepared in cooperation with REALTOR MAGAZINE—shows that prices [...]

Housing bubble stories began cropping up as early as 2002. By 2006, housing was in a "bust," despite only losing 1.7 percent in median values nationally. The National Association of Home Builders commissioned a study to find out if bad press is fueling buyers' reluctance to buy new homes.  19 percent said that they allowed the news media to [...]

If your house is on the market this time of year, your probably feeling overloaded, and the added stress of keeping your home in show condition could break your holiday spirit. You might be tempted to take your home off the market for the holidays, but it will never sell if its off the market. You're busy, with work, shopping, your kid's [...]

This week we talked with Attorney Helene Gerstile, who is admitted in both Rhode Island and Massachusetts talking about how to avoid contractor disputes. Each year about 26 million Americans spend more than $180 billion on improvements to their homes, according to the National Association of Home Builders, and The Consumer Federation of [...]

New Orleans welcomed over 22,000 realtors and guests for the 2006 REALTOR Conference  and expo, last weekend, the largest meeting in the city since Hurricane Katrina and proof that New Orleans is open for convention business, generating over $34 million in economic impact to the area. Stephen Perry, president and CEO of the New Orleans [...]

In this market, proper pricing is crucial, and the key to proper pricing is researching the local Real Estate market, reports and newspaper articles provide useful answers, but the information is usually buried in economic jargon. What is a "median price" anyway? What does "seasonally adjusted" mean? Does anyone understand "unsold inventory [...]