Real Estate Season is Here

Yes, it has finally arrived. This is the time of year when the MLS or Multiple Listing Services go up like crazy in all most every city, town and village.

So, what does this mean for you? Well, it might mean absolutely nothing...or, it might mean a huge profitable opportunity. How so you ask? Read on...

Spring, generally as mentioned is the time for realtors. It is a great time to buy and sell or both, depending on your situation. So, the market becomes ripe for action. As an example I have been watching the market in my home town for the last month or so and it amazes me how dramatically the asking prices have dropped. One home up the street that was $119,000.00 is now $91,000.00. That is a serious drop.

My question was why? So I did some digging and it seems here locally, that homes that are higher priced are actually doing it for a very smart reason. Have a high price in "dead" season of the year...it peeks the buyers interest, and then drop it in a huge loss (or so it seems) and you have a buyer frenzy. Case in point, this home I am speaking of was appraised originally at $86,000.00 Smart move on the owners part when you think about it. To the buyer they are getting a sweet deal and for the seller if he sells it at this price or higher if there is a bidding war going on, he makes a profit of at least $5,000.00 Nice.

Now in all honesty the first time home buyer doesn't know or care about this usually, they are too busy trying to get there finances in order to obtain a mortgage. The end result being a win-win for everyone involved.

Why this Topic?

I am speaking about this today to illustrate how some strategies are used when supply and demand hits, so I have a few suggestions for you today. Here they are:

1. Get the home appraised, if possible. Could save you loads of your money.

2. Get the home inspected. This is a MUST. It costs a few hundred dollars but it's worth it for piece of mind and protects you if any ill should befall you.

3. Most importantly, go in with a much lower asking price than you can actually afford, this will give you some haggling and may very well save you a few hundred dollars if not a few thousand.

Take a look around as always, this is a very lucrative time of year for the home owner and home buyer in terms of cash flow. These posts are designed to help you along the way to owning a home and saving you time and money.

As always take a look around and keep up to date with the posts and the information you find in the pages, if something catches your eye. Write it down, explore the options as presented.

Until our next discussion.

Garret Belisle is the author of a blog designed to help you on your way to home ownership, and some helpful tricks on down payments and credit repair. You can view the site here at http://www.gbcmortgage.blogspot.com While your there make sure to sign up for the weekly updates on the bottom left corner to keep up to date with all of the latest advice.

MORE RESOURCES:

ERA Pacesetter closes real estate business - Bizjournals.com

Learn to Profit from Real Estate - Even in Tough Markets - MarketWatch

Tokyo Replaces Shanghai as Best Asian City to Buy Real Estate - Bloomberg

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/2-0fd=Rurl=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news%3Fpid%3D20601101%26sid%3DaIP5Kj6fVj6M%26refer%3Djapancid=1277107960ei=fxA3SdjSG5jI9AT-3NmnDwusg=AFQjCNEkkmbgxqyxoxMVXutC-CVS6NhXTQTokyo Replaces Shanghai as Best Asian City to Buy bReal Estate/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fBloombergnbsp;-/font nobr7 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-14 (Bloomberg) -- Tokyo overtook Shanghai as the best Asian city to buy breal estate/b as investors seek less risky investment for 2009, a survey by the Urban b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/2-1fd=Rurl=http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUST27950420081203cid=1277107960ei=fxA3SdjSG5jI9AT-3NmnDwusg=AFQjCNEs1noRTUtKaq5LiCsu-TVxh7wbNwKeen to invest in Asian breal estate/b, consider Tokyo/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrReuters/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1277107960hl=ennobrall 12 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Nokomis Real Estate Ventures LLC files bankruptcy petition - Bizjournals.com

Citigroup Said to Cut Most of Asia Real Estate Team After Slump - Bloomberg

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/finance/10493037.asp%3Fscr%3D1cid=1276857068ei=fxA3SdjSG5jI9AT-3NmnDwusg=AFQjCNEKYpCW4UVmH_S_hxTgkLpuzUaQ0Aimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=fSLLI2DXcuMJimgurl=www.hurriyet.com.tr/_np/5203/6905203.jpg width=80 height=80 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Hürriyet/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4-0fd=Rurl=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news%3Fpid%3D20601087%26sid%3DafjkpmbQDyaU%26refer%3Dhomecid=1276857068ei=fxA3SdjSG5jI9AT-3NmnDwusg=AFQjCNFLeB041-x1EwOL64kEHb70eJOKMQCitigroup Said to Cut Most of Asia bReal Estate/b Team After Slump/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fBloombergnbsp;-/font nobr18 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-13 (Bloomberg) -- Citigroup Inc. fired most employees at its breal estate/b investment banking team in Asia after slumping property prices stifled share sales b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4-1fd=Rurl=http://www.rttnews.com/Content/BreakingNews.aspx%3FNode%3DB1%26Id%3D791401%2520%26Category%3DBreaking%2520Newscid=1276857068ei=fxA3SdjSG5jI9AT-3NmnDwusg=AFQjCNH2SaIWhXMfwMmbOLZdXACBihbiawCitigroup Said To Cut Most of Asia bReal Estate/b Team, Reports b.../b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrRTT News/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4-2fd=Rurl=http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssFinancialServicesAndRealEstateNews/idUSHKG24058120081203cid=1276857068ei=fxA3SdjSG5jI9AT-3NmnDwusg=AFQjCNFgpw2CYRMYjUOOK3_FOOjrvZ0TdgChina property stock rally too much, too soon?/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrReuters/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4-3fd=Rurl=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news%3Fpid%3D20601109%26sid%3Day7HZbCLGLEA%26refer%3Dhomecid=1276857068ei=fxA3SdjSG5jI9AT-3NmnDwusg=AFQjCNHjiWwITVA5rV1KspeC1dZn5K9evwChina Property Slump Threatens Global Economy as Growth Slows/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrBloomberg/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1276857068hl=ennobrall 197 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund Inc. Announces ... - MarketWatch

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-0fd=Rurl=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Neuberger-Berman-Real-Estate-Securities/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B618BBA1C-45ED-4BC6-A6AA-A656072847FF%257Dcid=1277177500ei=fxA3SdjSG5jI9AT-3NmnDwusg=AFQjCNGx69hRWxT0YG31KZh39bkcLq3smANeuberger Berman bReal Estate/b Securities Income Fund Inc. Announces b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobr9 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1b.../b in the markets for its portfolio securities, and in particular, common and preferred stocks issued by bReal Estate/b Investment Trusts (quot;REITsquot;). b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-1fd=Rurl=http://www.privateequityrealestate.net/Article.aspx%3Farticle%3D32713%26hashID%3D8697775C1753C89C506498F68C04E826E639DD49cid=1277177500ei=fxA3SdjSG5jI9AT-3NmnDwusg=AFQjCNGuEqsLw-VGDOibAFfks6Eut6ggVgMarshall to raise $500m for Russian breal estate/b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrPrivateEquityRealEstate.com/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-2fd=Rurl=http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp%3FaId%3D81322cid=1277177500ei=fxA3SdjSG5jI9AT-3NmnDwusg=AFQjCNGJeDXqVEKTwnaAS9Gj8oUyCF-BlAMarshall Capital Partners launches new $500 million fund for b.../b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrWebWire (press release)/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1277177500hl=ennobrall 9 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

UPDATE 2-Sibir market value halves on real estate buy - Forbes

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/dec/03/sibir-russia-oil-property-tchigirinskicid=1277136024ei=fxA3SdjSG5jI9AT-3NmnDwusg=AFQjCNFQrUFe4uKAl0EgXGTKelW1L7KxZgimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=G0Z9onrcFO0Jimgurl=static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Business/Pix/pictures/2008/12/03/sh4.jpg width=80 height=48 alt= border=1brfont size=-2guardian.co.uk/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-0fd=Rurl=http://www.forbes.com/afxnewslimited/feeds/afx/2008/12/03/afx5771724.htmlcid=1277136024ei=fxA3SdjSG5jI9AT-3NmnDwusg=AFQjCNE2dtq-CwDnvbQw_A45Hp5id60FXQUPDATE 2-Sibir market value halves on breal estate/b buy/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fForbes,nbsp;NYnbsp;-/font nobr11 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Sibir had already outraged minority shareholders when it said in October it would buy some $157 million worth of breal estate/b from its key owner, b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-1fd=Rurl=http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssEnergyNews/idUSL364626620081203cid=1277136024ei=fxA3SdjSG5jI9AT-3NmnDwusg=AFQjCNGgR815vETcB9JdZJ-y76d0ixOL9QUPDATE 1-Sibir shares sink 30 pct on breal estate/b buy/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrReuters/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-2fd=Rurl=http://en.rian.ru/business/20081203/118667008.htmlcid=1277136024ei=fxA3SdjSG5jI9AT-3NmnDwusg=AFQjCNGA8oOoVChIhtlsHxaZ2f3KZafkYASibir Energy to buy $340mln breal estate/b assets from developer - 2/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrRIA Novosti/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-3fd=Rurl=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news%3Fpid%3D20601087%26sid%3DaS_Y7fzEKDYc%26refer%3Dhomecid=1277136024ei=fxA3SdjSG5jI9AT-3NmnDwusg=AFQjCNGml0noqKyD4RO0eimmB2l42yH_UwSibir Plunges 57% on Russian Billionaire ‘Bailout’ (Update4)/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrBloomberg/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-4fd=Rurl=http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/dec/03/sibir-russia-oil-property-tchigirinskicid=1277136024ei=fxA3SdjSG5jI9AT-3NmnDwusg=AFQjCNFQrUFe4uKAl0EgXGTKelW1L7KxZgnobrguardian.co.uk/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-5fd=Rurl=http://www.themoscowtimes.com/article/600/42/372867.htmcid=1277136024ei=fxA3SdjSG5jI9AT-3NmnDwusg=AFQjCNFtwE_UwZCgj0Nf3rRFOR1439Ks3AnobrThe Moscow Times/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1277136024hl=ennobrall 82 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Icahn Sues Real Estate Company Over Debt - New York Times

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7-0fd=Rurl=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/03/business/03realogy.html%3Fref%3Dbusinesscid=1276968847ei=fxA3SdjSG5jI9AT-3NmnDwusg=AFQjCNGYANijntuLXFmM6pUEQ6E3KQGZTgIcahn Sues bReal Estate/b Company Over Debt/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fNew York Times,nbsp;United Statesnbsp;-/font nobr22 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Mr. Icahn’s investment firm filed a lawsuit last Wednesday against a breal estate/b company controlled by Leon D. Black, a prominent Wall Street buyout b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7-1fd=Rurl=http://www.reuters.com/article/ousiv/idUSTRE4B27IQ20081203cid=1276968847ei=fxA3SdjSG5jI9AT-3NmnDwusg=AFQjCNEkVLoOV-vmSv-LVPPgswECrJQO1wIcahn sues Realogy over debt deal/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrReuters/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1276968847hl=ennobrall 21 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Whitehall Funds Lose Their Luster - Wall Street Journal

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-0fd=Rurl=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122826598899374457.html%3Fmod%3Dgooglenews_wsjcid=1277094278ei=fxA3SdjSG5jI9AT-3NmnDwusg=AFQjCNGhjoSjkwf8x5DPQ_oQlTvHNrzw7gWhitehall Funds Lose Their Luster/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fWall Street Journalnbsp;-/font nobr18 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By ANTON TROIANOVSKI and LINGLING WEI Goldman Sachs Group Inc.#39;s Whitehall family of breal-estate/b funds is struggling with weak performance and potentially b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-1fd=Rurl=http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssFinancialServicesAndRealEstateNews/idUSN0351371720081203cid=1277094278ei=fxA3SdjSG5jI9AT-3NmnDwusg=AFQjCNF74OHt6o2qQxCOu-Z-MIUht8wOmgGoldman Whitehall head warned of firm#39;s exposure/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrReuters/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-2fd=Rurl=http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSBNG24933320081203cid=1277094278ei=fxA3SdjSG5jI9AT-3NmnDwusg=AFQjCNHHVJDHYLp2xFHvEE1pTvalmEc-dwGoldman Whitehall funds hit by property slump-WSJ/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrReuters/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1277094278hl=ennobrall 12 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Freedom Interactive Launches New Real Estate Vertical - Destin Log and Walton Log

Real-Estate - Google News

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