Home values were up 7.6 percent nationally from the third quarter of 2011 to the same period of 2012, according to data from the National Association of Realtors. See the five best markets where prices went up fastest. 1. Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, Ariz. 2012 Q3 median home price: $153,400  Up: 34.9 percent 2. Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Fla. 2012 Q3 median home price: $127,000  Up: 27.6 percent 3. Akron, Ohio 2012 Q3 median home price: $118,800  Up: 26.9 percent 4. Boise City-Nampa, Idaho 2012 Q3 median home price: $146,000  Up: 21.9 percent 5. Lansing-East Lansing, Mich. 2012 Q3 median home price: $95,700  Up: 19.5 percent Thanks to BankRate for this article, read more here

A big part of my job is helping our clients project the most likely scenarios for the housing market.  Now that we know who will be President, my job just got easier because we have 4 years of experience with Obama and a divided Congress, so we know what we are getting.  However, there is never a dull moment.  Here is what keeps me up at night: Mortgage Rates Dictated by Leadership : Geithner and Bernanke have worked closely together to implement very accommodative housing policies.  Geithner has already announced he is leaving and Bernanke is rumored not to want another term beginning January 2014.  Who will the replacement(s) be?   Who will slow down the housing market when it heats up again - something I believe Bernanke is trying to engineer ASAP? Mortgage Rates Dictated by China : While Bernanke has a lot of power, the bond markets are more powerful.  International bond buyers, particularly in China, can wreak a lo...

What's missing from your current home? Storage space? Decent parking? Privacy? There's no such thing as too much storage No one ever walked out of an open house thinking, "Nice place, but too many closets."  Visually strip away the furniture in a for-sale home and place your furniture and belongings. Or simply measure -- both the rooms and the closets -- and compare it to what you have now.  Ditto for kitchen cupboards, pantries and counter space. Those counter tops may look spacious until you get out all of your kitchen toys and discover there's not enough room, he says. Really look at a kitchen in terms of what you need when you cook to make sure the home offers the counter space you need. Test the commute BEFORE you commit You're only 15 miles from work. How long is that in traffic time?  Try the commute a few times, driving both ways, before you buy, at the times you would be normally commuting.  How well will you "fit in" with the ne...

Winning clients is about establishing yourself as an expert by playing part business manager and part counselor. No matter what role you’re in, you need to offer the real estate information that matters most.  That means understanding their worries and woes and being ready to give the answers that motivate them to purchase a home and use you as their expert guide for the process. Here are the 5 top questions that plague buyers today and ways you can answer them to win more transaction-ready clients: 1.  How do I boost my credit rating? 2. How much home can I afford? 3. What neighborhoods are best for me? 4.  Is now really the best time to buy? 5.  Which agent should I use? To read the answers to these question, CLICK HERE !  What worries would you add to the list? What’s the biggest worry of buyers and buyer prospects in your area?

Do you know there is a SW FL blog to all things pertaining to the real estate industry? Finance, Legal, Title Insurance, Real Estate, and Inspections. We’re “in the know” and it’s our job to make sure that you are as well.  There are many licensed individuals in this industry, but you can count on this group of professionals to truly communicate to buyers and sellers with utmost integrity. Our commitment is to guide you and keep you up to date! So come be a part of this group of the expert contributors that blog every day on a certain topic. Have questions...Ask?  We are all here to make the process of buying/selling/renting/investing real estate go just a little bit smoother!! You can also   LIKE US  on Facebook 

Completed foreclosures continued their progressive decline, and foreclosure inventory fell to its lowest level since April 2010,  CoreLogic   reported Thursday. In August 2012, 57,000 homes were lost to foreclosure, down from 58,000 in July and 75,000 a year ago, according to the report. The yearly decrease represents a 24 percent decline. “August marks the fourth month in a row there were fewer completed foreclosures, which is more evidence that the housing industry is finding its footing,” said Mark Fleming, chief economist for CoreLogic. Since the financial crisis began in September 2008, 3.8 million homes have been lost to foreclosure. Fewer homes with a mortgage were also in the foreclosure process in August, with foreclosure inventory numbering about 1.3 million homes, or 3.2 percent of all homes with a mortgage, down from last year’s 1.4 million homes, CoreLogic reported. Foreclosure inventory remained unchanged on a monthly basis. Anand Nallathambi, presid...