Theme Ideas for Outdoor Living Space

One great addition to a home is an outdoor living space. There are many different styles of homes and each one can gain further ambiance through the theme of its outdoor room. Below are a few ideas for outdoor living space themes.

• Beachy, laid back theme: Equipped with relaxed lounge chairs and umbrella style shading from the sun. Shades of blue and beige can create a warm and serene environment.
• Ultra chic South Beach theme: Crisp and modern flat lounge couches and high top chairs catering to a cocktail bar area will make you think you stepped right off the white sand and into the Miami nightlife. White and silver colors will keep the modern look alive.
• Southern and sweet theme: Wicker style garden furniture and flower arrangements create a southern inspired relaxing area for tea and guests. Light blues and soft corals will add a sweet touch to this look.
• Alpine resort theme: Hard wood and a jacuzzi area will make you feel right at home in a cold climate. Deep mahogany and cherry tones will give this outdoor space a comfortablle feeling.
• Safari cruise theme: Animal skin rugs and earth tone vases full of African inspired roughage will give a space a natural vibe.

Top 5 U.S. Cities Where Home Prices Are Rising Fastest

CNN Money has released the top U.S. cities which are regaining their home prices at the quickest rates. The west coast prevails with the strongest competitor, Oregon, holding three of the top five spots.

1. Madera,CA
Median home price: $125,000
Drop since market peak: 53.1%
Forecast gain through 2013: 21.5%

2. Medford, OR
Median home price: $144,000
Drop since market peak: 37.1%
Forecast gain through 2013: 20.1%

3. Yuma, AZ
Median home price: $105,000
Drop since market peak: 37.4%
Forecast gain through 2013: 16.7%

4. Corvallis, OR
Median home price: $224,000
Drop since market peak: 11.4%
Forecast gain through 2013: 13.2%

5. Eugene, OR
Median home price: $166,00
Drop since market peak: 21.2%
Forecast gain through 2013: 12.4%

ApartmentList.com Wins Webby Award

The Webby Awards, leading international award for Internet websites, advertisements, videos and applications, just finished their 16th annual ceremony in NYC. All U.S. states and 60 other countries around the world contributed 10,000 entries for possible winners.

Among these entries was ApartmentList.com, a nationwide apartment search engine, just beginning in 2011. What makes this website different than others in the same category is the interactive features such as connectivity to landlords and other searchers through platforms like Facebook. This was a main contributing factor to enabled ApartmentList.com to take home the award for best real estate site of the year.

The Market is on a Roll

You may be noticing a trend of articles focusing on the increasing levels of the market and this is for good reason. The first quarter of 2012 brings the lowest mortgage default rate since the third quarter of 2008. Loans marked of at least 30 days late have dropped from the peak of 10 percent in 2010 to 7.4 percent in the last few months. Smaller delinquencies, anything just one day late, are at an even lower level. Foreclosures in general have also decreased, with the start of foreclosures slowing in 41 states and the rate of loans in the process of foreclosure slowing in 22 states.

All of this, along with low interest rates, is leading to increased demand and ultimately increased home sales. This may very well be the year it turns around.

Free Social Networking Ads for the RE Professional

RESocialClub.com started as a social media networking platform geared specifically for real etsate professionals by enabling agents, investors, developers and lenders to virtually meet for future projects. The site has now been revamped and is currently establishing itself as a FREE advertising site for real estate professionals to showcase properties through means of photos and videos.
RESocialClub.com is offering free advertisement functions currently as it is trying to differentiate itself from other social media sites by its focus on the real estate industry. Could this be the new Facebook for real estate professionals?

Largest U.S. Real Estate Deals

Have you ever wondered how big some of the largest real estate deals in the U.S. were? If so, here is a great list to show how high some properties have been sold for:

• Stuyvesant Town -- $5.3 billion

• GM Building -- $2.8 billion
• Rockefeller Center -- $1.85 billion
• Worldwide Plaza -- $1.74 billion

• MetLife Building -- $1.72 billion
• Travelers Complex -- $1.58 billion
• News Corp. Building -- $1.52 billion

• 1301 Avenue of the Americas -- $1.46 billion
• Five Times Square (The Ernst & Young Tower) -- $1.28 billion

Is 2012 the Year of Stabilization and End of Home Price Drops?

Recent reports and economists have suggested that the U.S. has hit its bottom when it comes to real estate price drops plaguing our country for the past 5 years. NAR's first quarter report of 2012 show that final sales prices have risen in about 50 percent of the areas it analyzes, compared to a mere 19 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011.

 David Stiff, Chief Economist of Fiserv, said “We expect that home prices, which generally lag changes in sales activity by nine to12 months, will stabilize by the end of this summer and then rise at an annualized rate of 3.9 % over the next five years,” indicating the strong prediction that 2012 will be the end of price drops.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Proposes New Rules for Mortgage Servicers

The brand new federal institution, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, will be proposing new rules this summer for mortgage servicers to adhere by in order to further protect the consumers. This should only truly hinder the mortgage servicers that, in the past, have not had the best record of keeping their consumers aware of their current mortgage standings or supplying them with enough information to make appropriate decisions. The theme of the new rules is keeping consumers out of the dark when it comes to their mortgage details. Some idea as to what the rules will contain have been released and have been recapped below:

• Easy to read monthly statements so that consumers can get a breakdown of their payments in terms of principal, interest, fees and escrows
• Advanced disclosures of rate adjustments so consumers who have Adjustable rate mortgages, or other forms of mortgages allowing for fluctuating rates, will know before the change and have alternatives for payments beyond their budgets
• Advanced notices on "forced-placed" insurance, such as fire insurance, that the servicers are able to charge the consumer if they do not purchase it by themselves. This will allow the consumer to make the decision to find it on their own in a more affordable manner before they are charged without their knowledge by the servicer.
• Further attempts to help the consumers in times of financial distress. This is in hopes to decrease the level of foreclosures and provide accurate advice to homeowners in need before it is too late.
• Crediting money back to consumers accounts promptly and without the usual five to ten day grace period
• Customer service will be increased so that any errors are looked at immediately and discussed with the consumer. This will also transition into delinquent borrowers or those close to becoming so.

Newly Developed Home Tips

Spring is here in full bloom and there is not a better season for selling homes. Newly developed homes are still on the market and can be a great alternative for a buyer looking for a new place of their own. Below are are some tips for improving a home to be and making sure you get what you want:

• If you are purchasing a brand new home in a new neighborhood, do not feel uncomfortable asking for new wall paint, molding or even flooring. Most brand new homes that are still being developed can have builder upgrades and changes adjusted within the financing/price.
• Newly developed homes sometimes offer a better chance of price negotiation over for sale by owner situations. The previously lived in homes can hold a particular value to the seller that they are not willing to budge on while a builder will be pressured by the market to sell.
• Do not let a builder force you into using their bank financing. Always look into all financing options to find out what is the best for your situation.
• Make sure that any newly developed home value that comes from added amenities, such as a pool or playground, are either finished or written in contract to be completed. Promises of these amenities commonly get put on halt once builder funds deplete.