As the old saying goes, “if it seems too good to be true, then it probably is.” And this adage is very applicable when it comes to the real estate market. Especially in this economy when bargains and deals are certainly more plentiful now than in the past, as it is a buyer’s market.
But if you are in the market for a new home, and you find a deal that seems almost too good, be sure to do your research first.
Lee Dworshak blogs about being careful when you find a deal on a Continue Reading
If your living space is feeling a bit cramped or cluttered, and you have been thinking about expanding the size of your property, there are many questions to consider.
Before you break down those walls or list your condo, Lorraine Kuschmierz recommends simply re-thinking your space. There may be far less extensive and expensive ways to work with your space-deprived home.
Lorraine Kuschmierz blogs about some expert tips that just may give you the look and feel of that extra space you’ve bee Continue Reading
If you are putting your house on the market, you will probably start thinking of everything you can do to make your home as appealing as possible to potential buyers. Does it need a fresh coat of paint? Have you cleaned all the clutter?
How does it smell? That’s right. Blunt as it may seem, a scent is one of the most powerful senses that just may sway a potential buyer one way or another. Even if they don’t consciously realize it. You want your home to have a warm, inviting scent. S Continue Reading
Is the Mortgage Bankers Association embarrassed by the way it resolved its own mortgage mess? In any case, officials of the trade group are refusing to provide details on that question.
Surely, many Americans could sympathize with the MBA’s plight. Like them, it made a bad bet on real estate at the peak of the bubble and then watched the value of that property fall far below the loan balance, a predicament known as being “under water.” Unlike most of those other distressed borrowers, howev Continue Reading
Toy magnate Alfred R. Kahn has bought Bernard Madoff’s Manhattan penthouse, according to a person familiar with the deal.
Mr. Kahn is the chairman and chief executive of 4Kids Entertainment, the New York company behind such hits as Cabbage Patch Kids and Pokemon. Pending board approval, he would own the 4,000-square-foot penthouse cooperative unit.
The duplex apartment was originally listed for $9.9 million; the price was later cut by $1 million. The apartment is one of three Madoff properties Continue Reading
Most have heard the terms: short sales, foreclosures, and REO, which are no doubt the buzz words of the real estate industry these days. They are the processes you hope you don’t have to go through as a homeowner. However, these are also the factors that are, in part, making this a buyer’s market.
What exactly are the differences between each situation? Each process is complicated and complex, and as always, your best bet is to get yourself situated with a trusted and experienced Continue Reading
Does the previous owner of a short sale have any rights to the home after closing? My husband heard they have up to a year to reclaim. We are moving to Brevard County, FL.
-Kathy
The simple answer is “no.” Short Sale is a final sale that must have the bank’s approval in order to sell, i.e. the seller owes more than the home will sell for and does not have the money to pay the difference.
Hence, the bank must approve in order to make up the difference by either waiving Continue Reading
If you are in the market for your first home, you can team up with a very experienced and knowledgeable real estate professional who will help guide you through the complex and often complicated buying process.
When a buying a home- most likely the biggest purchase you are ever likely to make- you want to be as prepared and educated as you can be, so you will know exactly what is going on while your agent is working to get the best deal for you.
Harry Khayalian spells out the basics you need to Continue Reading
A Manhattan hedge funder is fighting to hang on to what has to be the best rent in the city: $380/month for a Park Avenue duplex, The New York Post reports.
(Yes, $380.)
In papers filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, Ross Haberman, who manages the Haberman Fund, says the board of 737 Park Ave. voted to raise his rent closer to market value–that’d be in the thousands, people. While we presume the hedge funder could certainly afford it, the suit says the building can’t raise his ren Continue Reading
Gansevoort Hotel Group
The hotel’s rooftop pool
Miami vice, indeed. The strife at the trendy Gansevoort South Hotel on Miami’s South Beach continues.
Former owner Gansevoort Hotel Group, a company controlled by New York father-and-son developers William and Michael Achenbaum, on Friday sued lender Column Financial Inc. in Florida state court. The Achenbaums allege Column is unlawfully trying to break their 20-year pact to manage the 334-room hotel.
The suit is just the latest nast Continue Reading