I've been working with Google+ since it was invite only the first week, and it seems like there are new surprises every week or so. Google is serious about integrating as many Google products as possible into Google+, and they're moving quickly. However, starting into 2012, Google was really busy and in a very big way. Google+ has changed the way search results can be displayed. I'll show you here how that looks. But, there's more. I'm also going to show you a couple of other new things having to do with images and video. I'll use as an example a Google Page I created about my local area, a tourist and ski area in the mountains. It's not promoting anything, nor my real estate business, as I have another Google Business Page for that purpose. Google released "Personal Results" in Google search results pages came out in the first weeks of 2012. It created a turmoil, with Twitter crying foul and the possibility they would take it to the government for...

Getting a mortgage loan has become challenging in recent years. Don't expect that to change anytime soon. Lending standards will remain tight in 2012, but that doesn't mean you won't be able to snag a mortgage with an attractive rate. Savvy borrowers who understand the rules and prepare will improve their chances of success. These tips will help you stay on top of your game as you try to secure a mortgage in 2012. Study your credit Good credit is the key to snagging a mortgage in this tight lending environment. Get copies of your credit scores and credit history from the three main credit-reporting bureaus. Study the reports carefully to make sure there are no errors or issues to resolve before applying. Most lenders require a minimum credit score of 680 to comply with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s guidelines. Federal Housing Administration loans — which are guaranteed by the FHA — allow for lower scores, but most lenders want to stay away from scores lower than 620. Prepare...

Capital Economics expects the housing crisis to end this year, according to a report released Tuesday. One of the reasons: loosening credit. The analytics firm notes the average credit score required to attain a mortgage loan is 700. While this is higher than scores required prior to the crisis, it is constant with requirements one year ago. Additionally, a Fed Senior Loan Officer Survey found credit requirements in the fourth quarter were consistent with the past three quarters. However, other market indicators point not just to a stabilization of mortgage lending standards, but also a loosening of credit availability. Banks are now lending amounts up to 3.5 times borrower earnings. This is up from a low during the crisis of 3.2 times borrower earnings. Banks are also loosening loan-to-value ratios (LTV), which Capital Economics denotes “the clearest sign yet of an improvement in mortgage credit conditions.” In contrast to a low of 74 percent reached in mid-2010, banks are now lending...

Here's a great article I found in the Real Estate Digest that I thought you might finding interesting. More offers are coming with a contingency: The buyer wants the house but the seller has to give them more time - 30 to 60 days, possibly - to try to sell their own home before they'll make the deal final, more estate professionals are reporting. "In a strong real estate market, it's harder to get away with (a sell contingency)," Eric Tyson, co-author of Home Buying for Dummies told the Chicago Tribune, "It adds element of uncertainty to the deal." Many sellers will continue to show homes to potential buyers during the contingency period, but since the contingent offer is listed in the multiple listing service, some buyers might be less apt to take look. "Most contingency agreements contain a kick-out clause: If your dream home's seller receive a non-contingent offer during the set time period, you typically have a day or two to rescind the cont...