Tag Archives: gay realtor

Investors eager to pick up rental properties should be eyeing several metros, particularly out West, where rental rates have skyrocketed over the past year. The San Francisco Bay Area has seen some of the largest rent hikes  an increase of 7.8 percent in the second quarter of this year compared to the same time period a year ago, according to Texas-based market-research firm MPF Research. Of the top 50 U.S. metros with the highest average rent growth, the following areas have seen the biggest spikes, MPF found: San Francisco: 7.8% […]

Lee has lived in the north metro his whole life and is very versed in the area. He has an unbeatable combination of knowledge and experience that you will find invaluable in your home buying or selling experience. He can guide you through every step of the journey with skill and compassion. Professional/Personal Distinctions: Member – National Association of Realtors, Member – Minnesota Association of Realtors, Member – Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors, CRS – Certified Residential Specialist, ABR – Accredited Buyer Representative, GRI – Graduate Realtor Institute, e-PRO – […]

Existing-home sales fell from May levels, but have managed to beat out year ago levels for the past two years. Home values continue to rise with the median home price seeing a double-digit year-over-year increase for the seventh consecutive month, according to the National Association of Realtors. Total existing-home sales completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops dropped 1.2% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.08 million in June, falling from a downwardly revised 5.14 million in May. However, sales are 15.2% higher than the 4.41 […]

Margin loans for short-term financing can help potential home buyers get cash fast to close a deal or win a bidding war and an increasing number of people are turning to them for a quick fix. “A person with easy access to cash may have a leg up over someone who has to have long-term financing,” explains Tucker Watkins, a private wealth adviser with wealth-management company Ameriprise Financial Inc. The product offers some pricing benefits, as there are no closing costs, no property appraisal is required, there are no prepayment […]

I have lived / owned in Chicago’s Lakeview (Boystown) for 26 years now. Before embarking on my career in real estate I owned and operated two separate businesses. As a business owner I understand the importance of good communication and understanding a client’s needs and wants. My real estate ambitions began at an early age when I bought my first property at the age of twenty-two. It sparked an interest that eventually lead me to buy and sell several different investment properties and eventually led me into a career in […]

House flippers are in a race to take advantage of the recovering housing market, but they are carefully choosing markets that haven’t posted as large of run-up in home prices. During the first half of this year, 9 percent of single-family homes purchased were resold again within six months, according to RealtyTrac data. House flipping is increasing in areas such as New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and several Florida cities—areas that haven’t seen the largest home price gains recently. Meanwhile, investors are cooling to the markets in Phoenix, Atlanta, San […]

A home inspection is a buyer’s opportunity to see if any problems lurk that may prove expensive to fix later. Home inspections nearly always uncover something in a home to watch for or minor repairs needed. But what repairs should buyers especially be alarmed about that could possibly send them back to the negotiation table? Tom Kraeutler of The Money Pit, a nationally syndicated radio show on home improvement, points out some of the following home inspection red flags: Termites and pests: The sooner termites are detected, and steps can […]

I am a native of Baton Rouge, LA. However, I have lived in NYC and Boston for most of my adult life. I attended graduate school in Boston and worked as a Medical Software Consultant focused on managing client expectations through sophisticated software implementation projects for many years. My experience managing large scale projects in the corporate world suited my transition to real estate over 9 years ago. In real estate, I have worked in the luxury markets of Boston, Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale, and most recently, I have […]

Mortgage rates recently soared to a two-year high, prompting more borrowers to take a closer look at adjustable rate mortgages. Thirty-year fixed-rate mortgages have moved from below 3.5 percent as of late April to above 4.5 percent recently, increasing monthly payments for new home buyers. Meanwhile, ARM rates have stayed relatively steady in recent weeks between 2.7 percent and 3.1 percent, according to Bankrate. Adjustable-rate mortgages are often blamed for the housing bubble, luring buyers with their low introductory rates that later rise. Some home owners were not able to […]

Existing-home sales declined in June, but have remained well above year-ago levels for the past two years. Also, the median price shows seven straight months of double-digit, year-over-year increases, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. Total existing-home sales, which are completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, dipped 1.2 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.08 million in June from a downwardly revised 5.14 million in May, but are 15.2 percent higher than the 4.41 million-unit level in June 2012. Affordability conditions remain favorable […]