Posts Tagged ‘mls’

The Re-Bailout Nobody Knows About

December 31st, 2009

If you are waiting on the housing market to show some improvement the final quarter of 2009, after Fannie and Freddie asked for a 400 billion maximum in credit, you can think again.

With this increase in available credit for the federal corporations, the Obama administration simply avoids the embarrassment and humiliation of addressing the failures of these institutions in public media, after all they already received more bailout money than any other corporation due to their close ties with government officials.

There is no better example of what happens when the government tries to manage a market than what has happened to these 2 government corporation and the corresponding performance of the housing market. With home defaults continuing to increase, each federal corporation divulged information regarding the governments insistence they help out the housing market will cost Americans.

Thus, increasing their lines of available credit is the best, and most secretive way, the administration and legislators can bail them out without attracting a lot more public scrutiny.

And, since Fannie and Freddie are outside of the Pay Czars control, given that they received their bailout money before the executive compensation restrictions were ever in place, their executives will receive even higher bonuses than before, comprised completely of tax payer money, of course.

Unlike Citigroup, Bank of America, AIG, Chrysler, and GM, Congress deemed that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac had not received “exceptional assistance” and therefore did not have to have their pay decisions scrutinized by the pay czar.

With their $6 million bonuses being backed by the government, the executives for Fanny and Freddie have no incentive to perform better.

In 2009 the credit lines for each of them were already increased from $100 billion to over $200 billion, and now they are requesting to have that amount doubled again to total more than $800 billion, which is backed only by our governments willingness to pay the interest, with taxpayer dollars. Fannie so far has received $60 billion, Freddie $51 billion from taxpayers.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac finance mortgages by buying them from lenders and selling them to investors. By guaranteeing or owning nearly half of all American home loans, Fannie and Freddie are positioned right in the middle of the housing market failure. Not to mention that their balance sheets still conceal 100’s of billion of dollars of securitizations that are not yet counted.

Under the Treasury’s new flexible financing formula, Fannie and Freddie get more taxpayer support based on a formula that takes into account how much each company loses in a quarter. Even after the companies were forced into conservatorship, the Obama administration has continued to use them as tools to promote the administration’s efforts to keep some air in the rapidly deflating housing bubble.

As a taxpayer, you are left to wonder why all of your money is being spent on a secret bailout for federal corporations whose portfolios only continue to decline in value, by our President whose plans to stop or slow foreclosure have been an abject failure.

The author enjoys writing articles about boise real estate & boise idaho homes for sale. To learn more about these topics click on the links above!

Smaller Homes Setting Real Estate Trends All Over The U.S.!

December 23rd, 2009

The recent trend toward little homes is a result of the economic recession, but has many benefits to both homeowners and our nation. The American Institute of Architects has reported a 59% change in the number of home builders in the U.S. featuring little houses and those trends are only reflecting the market tendency of buyers preferring little homes.

As the recession started to wreak havoc on the real estate market back in 2007 the size of houses being built started to decrease along with every one’s’ 401ks. The average size of new home construction plummeted over 9% as home buyers and builders lined up their home needs with their pockets books.

Expenses are often being reduced on these little residences by using part from other homes or outbuildings again in their construction. Old barns and homes that are being torn down have supplied many materials that can be used again for the builders who are constructing little homes.

The comparatively low price of 40-90 thousand dollars for a smaller home illustrates their true value, especially when viewed in the light of homeowners still receiving luxuries like modern homes.

The small houses one California builder makes can be put on a foundation or on wheels. The retail costs for his plans are around one thousand dollars and they are constructed for the mid thirties. Relating having a small home built to having a fine suit tailored to you, he says many buyers prefer the small custom homes he builds. Each plan has the homeowner in mind and is adapted to fit any specific desire or need they may express. The traditional construction that many small houses have to utilize are space savers like build in cupboards and storage space.

Even big companies like Lowe’s home improvement stores sell a model of a kit home that is designed for owner construction to save you money.

Since so many of the smaller scale homes seem crowded already, their owners tend to have a reduced desire to accumulate extra material possessions the way larger home do. Many homeowners are taking those exact thoughts to heart and exchanging their energy “McMansions” for little, if not more humble homes.

Do not be fooled into thinking that these smaller scale residences are lacking in luxuries or the modern creature comforts of larger houses. The appliances in the smaller residences do not have to scaled down due to the incorporation of double door refrigerators and claw foot tubs. With economy in mind and luxury featured, these home are drawing a higher degree of green buyers too.

Since the little houses have a lower energy bill and a reduced mortgage payment, it is not hard to tell you why the trends are what they are. homes that have conventional ceiling heights of about 8 feet have a record of reduced energy costs. With fewer square feet in the floor-plan, smaller houses require less energy to either heat or cool them off so you can save on your energy costs in a big way with them.

Finally, have a smaller scale home erected will not only keep your cost of living down, but it can also increase the recreational value of your home. With more room on your lot due to the fact that you home now takes up less space on your lot, you can use your lot to put up solar panels, solar water heaters or grow your own veggies. Maybe you can put that shop in the back you have always dreamed of!

The author enjoys writing articles about christian realtor in boise idaho & boise idaho reos. Click on the above links to learn more about these topics!

How To Use The Multiple Listing Service To Your Advantage!

December 22nd, 2009

The entry of housing into the Meridian MLS database, which is a central pool of housing information available on the market at any particular time, is a great tool for buyers. This is why the MLS is extremely useful and important for real estate agents and brokers. Brokers who have paid for membership are allowed to input properties they are marketing into the database.

Now many home buyers are starting to gain access through Realtors websites, to look for their homes directly. With the Meridian MLS you are able to easily browse through specific types of property and homes that are stored into the system. The fees for this service are rolled into the brokerage fees and typically cost nothing up front. The MLS is a free service that is sponsored by the Realtors who are advertising their current available properties.

When using the MLS a buyer is not limited to choosing among a few available properties. Any home that matches your search criteria will be presented for your approval. Given that prior to the modern online MLS system, buyers were limited to black and white print copies for their description of homes. In those days buyers absolutely had to have a Realtor to access the rest of the information regarding that particular home.

Today, the online Meridian MLS offers all the information a home buyer typically desires to know about a home, plus the occasional photo tour. There are even more advanced implementations that have surveying tools which are quite helpful when deciding which property you would like to invest in. The search criteria in the MLS today include; price, size, bedrooms, bathroom and even lot size.

Contacting Realtors has even become easier with today’s Meridian MLS. Buyers can always learn more by contacting the listing agent directly so they get the inside scoop on their target property.

The author enjoys writing articles about boise idaho real estate broker & reo agent in boise idaho. Click on the above links to learn more about these topics!