Zillow launches BlackBerry app
April 2, 2011 by Sofia Camfield · Leave a Comment
Seattle-based real estate information company Zillow launched a BlackBerry App Thursday.
The company already had iPhone, iPad, and Android apps, meaning they now cover more than 90 percent of smartphones.
“We’re excited today to expand the Zillow mobile experience to the millions of Americans who are passionate BlackBerry users,” Zillow Chief Executive Officer Spencer Rascoff said in a news release. “Many of our fans – including significant numbers of real estate professionals – have asked us to bring our transformative mobile experience to the BlackBerry platform, and were thrilled to give them this option today.”
The free app shows users home valuations, homes for sale, homes for rent, Rent Zestimates, Make Me Move listings and recently sold data on the homes around them, allowing people to filter searches and see results on a map, satellite and street view.
Zillow is used on a mobile device more than 6.5 million times each month, with 23 million visits to home detail pages, the company said. Here are more
Time for a Financial Health Check
April 2, 2011 by Jesse Spivakovsky · Leave a Comment
There is never a better time than today to review your finances. When evaluating your finances, consider things such as your home loan repayments and credit card spending, which can help to reduce the strain on the family’s finances.
Generally speaking, you should aim to pay off the most expensive debt, such as credit cards, as soon as possible.
If you are not ahead of required repayments on your home loan then using your home loan to pay off the most expensive debt may not be an option. You may wish to consider applying for a low rate personal loan to consolidate your debts with one regular monthly repayment. However if you take this approach you should avoid the temptation of using your credit cards again until you have paid off the personal loan. Continue reading…
March Madness Mortgage Rates
March 27, 2011 by Isabelle Bolliger · Leave a Comment
It’s been two weeks since my last “scheduled” rate post so the arrows you see below are reflective of the change in interest rates since Monday, March 14. Next Monday’s rate post should be interesting as it’s after April Fools. Why does this matter? Unless the pending lawsuits are successful in stalling the Fed’s rule on loan originator compensation, I will not be able to personally price rates…in fact, I won’t even be allowed to use any of my compensation to help pay for closing costs for my clients. It’s another classic case of the government meddling too late in the mortgage biz (where were they DURING the subprime crisis?) and doing too much without having a CLUE of the consequences (think of the appraisal issues caused by HVCC and HUD’s confusing and too restrictive Good Faith Estimate). Rant over…now it’s time for this week’s rates.
Here are some of what’s scheduled for release this week that may impact rates:
Monday, March 28: Personal Consumption Expenditures and Core PCE and Pending Home Sales
Tuesday, March 29: Consumer Confidence
Wednesday, March 30: ADP National Employment Report
Thursday, March 31: Initial Jobless Claims and Chicago PMI
Friday, April 1: THE JOBS REPORT
Rates posted below are as of 12:00 p.m. on March 28, 20
First-time buyers: Shared equity scheme to help 10,000 buy homes
March 22, 2011 by Isabelle Bolliger · Leave a Comment
First-time buyers received a small boost with a new shared equity scheme, but industry experts question whether it will have a significant impact. The FirstBuy scheme will be available for a year to 10,000 first-time buyers looking for a new-build property, which could inject £250m into the sector.
Critics pointed out that George Osborne was in fact revising a measure similar to one which he scrapped after last year’s general election, which had been introduced by Labour.
First-time buyers have struggled to get on the property ladder since banks started to demand bigger deposits. Most in the industry gave a cautious thumbs-up, but its impact is likely to be limited.
What Is A Short Sale
March 21, 2011 by Jesse Spivakovsky · Leave a Comment
A short sale is the sale of real estate for less than the owner owes on the mortgage. It is an alternative to foreclosure and is usually a better option for both the lender and the property owner, though it’s not an ideal situation for either. This k ind of sale allows the owner to pay back at least a portion of the debt, with the lender sometimes agreeing to work with the debtor to settle the mortgage.
This type of transaction usually allows both parties to cut their losses and can be a good alternative to foreclosure. In some cases, short sales can benefit the buyer, seller and lender. Here are some things each party should consider. Continue reading…