Investor's Guide to Real Estate

  • Foreclosure filings, defined as a default notice, auction sale notice or bank repossessions, were an increase of nearly 4 percent from the previous month and down 29 percent from June 2010. 0.90 percent of all U.S. housing units (one in 111) had at least one foreclosure filing in the first half of the year, according to RealtyTrac's June 2011 Foreclosure Market Report.

    Here are states with the 10 highest foreclosure rates in July 2011, according to RealtyTrac's July 2011 Foreclosure Market Report.

  • foreclosure_paperwork_stamp_200.jpg

    This week state attorneys general from Virginia, Texas, Florida and South Carolina sent a letter to their colleague in Iowa, Attorney General Tom Miller. He is leading the 50 state investigation into the so-called "robo-signing" foreclosure paperwork scandal and the four AGs say they are concerned.

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    Share your opinion in today's poll.

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  • Home and Taxes

    Awareness for the First-Time Home Buyers Credit is high, but some prospective buyers still are confused as to whether they can qualify.

  • 8072 Damico Drive, El Dorado Hills, CA 95672 — this was purchased several years ago for $905 and is on the market at $395K, short sale.

    If you’re planning to put your home on the market, it’s not your manners that need polishing. Try your silver, among other improvements.  Now, more than ever, getting a signed contract in hand is all about price and quality.

  • High foreclosure and unemployment rates have made it unusually hard for people to sell their homes. That means sellers have to be patient as well as flexible. Can you say price cut? Some 26 percent of homes currently on the market have had at least one price cut, according to real estate search Web site Trulia.com. The median reduction was 10 percent. During this past summer, homeowners hacked a total of $28.5 billion from home prices. The slashed prices have left what many consider a wealth of

    The slashed prices have left what many consider a wealth of bargains across the country. Take a look at these homes that have seen about a 20 percent drop in price since being listed.

  • Mortgage application

    The best mortgage rates are not necessarily offered by the big volume players or the bank where you currently do your checking. Instead, they can often be found at smaller banks and credit unions.

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    “We are not a speculative group of people. Instead [New Englanders] tend to be very conservative and don’t get into as much speculative behavior. That’s why prices didn’t drop as much."

  • Home Sales Classified

    Those looking to benefit from the buyer’s market today must come to the table prepared, armed with a clean financial bill of health and plenty of research to ensure they get the best deal on their purchase

  • Cape Coral, FL

    Florida, perhaps more than any other state, epitomizes the dramatic rise and fall of the nation’s housing market. Though the state continues to struggle with high foreclosure rates and an excess of available homes, leading indicators suggest its residential market is on the road to recovery

  • Interest Rate

    In the past, the prospect of higher rates has typically led to a burst of mortgage activity, but in the current environment, particularly after the extenuating circumstances of the past two years, it's hard to say if that dynamic will play out again.

  • A sign points the way to a home for sale in Beaverton, Ore., Monday, May 22, 2006.  Figures for existing home sales will be released Thursday. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)

    By cutting out the middle man and selling your home yourself, you could walk away with tens of thousands of dollars more in your pocket. It just takes a little marketing know-how and a lot of entrepreneurial spirit.

  • A 4-bedroom, 2.5-bath, 2,200-square-foot home in La Jolla, Calif.

    If California is an indicator of the US real estate market, then the tide could be turning.  Discounted higher-priced homes are beginning to sell, following a frenzy of activity with foreclosed properties.

  • Dallas, Texas

    Just because a local housing market has sunk like a stone, doesn’t mean it can’t drop some more. Here's a list of cities that are overvalued, undervalued and fairly priced.

  • Roycroft House

    Thankfully, the two-year-long storm in the Mid-Atlantic housing market appears to be over. In pockets of the region, the sun is beginning to peak through, and homes are again being bought and sold. But, like the weather, the recovery is variable.

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