Bank of America Purchasing Countrywide

This is the big news of the day and beyond.  Bank of America is buying Countrywide for $4 billion in stock averting a bankruptcy disaster.  We’ll be hearing plenty more about this for a long time.

The Red Flags in Real Estate

There are some big red flags in the world of real estate currently and REALonomics does a great job of pointing out a few of the most obvious ones.  Basically, in many ways the industry has skipped over common sense and plowed deep into troubled water.  Thankfully, it’s a bit more transparent these days than it might have been just a few years ago.

Bargain Buyers Better Beware

Lots of truth here… We’re getting close in many regional markets of being at that teetering point between a rock bottom price deal and the upturn as more buyers begin to buy again.  Sure, there’s still plenty of time left to snag a great deal, but I think the point is it won’t last forever.

Why a Brokerage Website Needs To Be Modern

Some good observations here in Pat Kitano’s musings about what a new brokerage web site should be all about these days.  Here’s a hint – it’s not the boring real estate site of the past.  Instead, smart brokerages will emulate at least the best features from the last wave of web 2.0 real estate sites.

What’s With Secret Rooms?

Actually, the real question is, what would you do if you found this hidden room in your new home?  The moral of the story is to do absolutely thorough inspections of the home, including mold inspections, before the purchase.  Don’t settle for just a simple run-thru or you could be in for major troubles too!