Check out the local and national real estate trends and headlines that made the news this week.
The real estate headlines from the Washington Post, RealEstateJournal.com, CNN Money, and Bankrate.com dove into the following topics: appraisal trends, benefits of homeownership, property tax assesments, pending home sales, discounts on brand-new homes, sea-based living, $510 Million Trailer Park, and agent interview questions.
Washington Post
Appraisers Under Pressure to Inflate Values discusses the increasing trend of pressuring appraisers to over value properties in order for real estate deals to go through.
Tax Rules Vary in Sale of Rental Property is the last article in Benny Kass’ six-part series on the tax advantages of homeownership.
Dread on Arrival points out that property tax assesments are not always bad news. Many Washingtonians will open their property tax assessment notice to find they will owe less on property taxes as a result of the market correction.
RealEstateJournal.com
Pending Home Sales Jump 4.9% in December credits the largst gain in over three years to one of the warmest Decembers on record in the midwest and northeast and favorable interest rates.
A Web Surfer’s Guide to Finding Discounts on Brand-New Homes outlines three ways to get the best deal on a new construction home:
- Start with builder websites like Ryan Homes, Centex, and. Toll Brothers
- Use new-home listing aggregators like Real Living and New Home Guide
- Browse by keyword like “new home discounts”
CNN Money
Ocean Real Estate: The Next Big Boom? discusses the possibility of sea-based living in the future.
A $510 Million Trailer Park Cashes Out explains how residents of a Florida trailer are now millionaires on paper.
Bankrate
8 Questions to Ask Home Listing Agents provides sellers with interview questons for propspective agents:
- Are you full-time or part-time?
- How long have you been practicing?
- What percentage of the homes have sold?
- How will you find me buyers?
- How accesible are you?
- What awards have you won?
- What geographical areas do you cover?
- What’s your average market time?
To view more real estate news making local and national headlines, visit the Real Estate News page of the DC Real Estate Guide.
