Fixed rate mortgage may not be the best choice

The US may go into a deep recession because the mortgage industry let their greed overcome their good judgment.

The many bankruptcies occurring across the US due to strange and unusual mortgage practices have caused many banks to shy away from adjustable rate mortgages.

Is a fixed rate mortgage the best choice for you? Maybe not.

Read on.....

http://www.flatfeerealestateguide.com/mortgage/fixed-rate.shtml

Interest only mortgage

If you really need small payments to make your home buying possible, then you could consider an "interest only mortgage."

This works by allowing the buyer to make interest payments only for 5-10 years. No principal is paid off during that time.

Read more about this here:

www.flatfeerealestateguide.com/mortgage/interest-only.shtml

Bank or Mortgage Broker?

I took my last mortgage from our local bank.

At first my real estate agent hooked me up with a mortgage broker she knew. At the first and only meeting with him I felt we had a personality conflict. I would never let that end a business relationship but the next day I stopped by my bank to make a deposit. I saw the mortgage officer sitting in her office so I walked in and said hello.

She was very gracious and treated me more like the good customer I am, unlike the mortgage broker. She was very aggressive about wanting and getting my business. Within a week I secured my rather hefty mortgage with my banker. She is happy and I am happy.

Read more about mortgage brokers here:
http://www.flatfeerealestateguide.com/mortgage/mortgage-broker.shtml

When I think about it, I like to do business with people I like. I did not know either the broker or the banker. But I liked the banker and, frankly, I disliked the broker. I felt that my banker listened to me more carefully and she wanted my business more.


greg

Cash-back real estate sales

There is a lot of talk going on about real estate professionals offering quite large rebates if you buy a home through them.

This is a benefit for the consumer.

Read this to learn how it is done:

http://www.flatfeerealestateguide.com/articles/cash-back.shtml

greg cryns

Real estate agents and the Internet

I don't think real estate agents really understand how to make the internet work for them.

This is not surprising since agents spend almost all of the time working directly with their clients in a very personal manner. The Internet is very impersonal and not at all what a good real estate agent can learn quickly (nor anyone else for that matter).

Read The Truth About Real Estate Agents and The Internet for some valuable insights.

http://www.flatfeerealestateguide.com/articles/web-presence.shtml


Greg Cryns

California housing market keeps dropping

Experts now say that the national housing market will start to make a serious recovery at end of 2008. That is not good news if your business is tied to real estate sales.

Phoenix, Las Vegas, south florida and the Central Valley in California will fall behind in the recovery. Phoenix has 55,000 listings, the highest ever.

What I am reading tells me that there is still plenty of time to shake out good deals for houses IF you can get a mortgage.

I am also seeing many homes being taken off the market. The owners just don't want to put up with selling their homes over the Christmas season. Look for a ton of listings in Spring 08 but maybe even fewer sales compared to Spring 07.

If you don't have to move, DON'T!

Looking for house in Coastal California? Contact me and I will help you. If you want to learn more about the new trend toward real estate rebates, visit:http://www.flatfeerealestateguide.com/

Adventures in Coastal California

My wife and I moved to Paso Robles, California recently. The sticker shock for the cost of houses is still a reality despite the downturn.

We bought a beautiful home in a newer subdivision for $560,000. The house was listed last year for $660,000. I felt that the price we bought it for was a bargain even though it may still drop some in 2008.

Paso Robles is midway between San Francisco and LA. We visited relatives in LA last weekend The drive took 3 hours each way.

Looking for house in Coastal California? Contact me and I will help you. If you want to learn more about the new trend toward real estate rebates, visit:
http://www.flatfeerealestateguide.com

Real Estate rebates will dominate soon

In my mind there is not much doubt about it.

With the internet came change. BIG change. The real estate industry is not immune to evolution.

My good friend, Bill Brynelsen in Spring Grove, Illinois, was the subject of attacks from traditional real estate agents for the past two years. They would not show his listings. They made threatening phone calls.

But Bill persevered. I encouraged Bill to continue when he felt beleagured and tired. I knew that one day word-of-mouth would put him in the driver's seat.

That day has come.

Bill is so busy selling houses and paying rebates to the buyers that he needed to put on help.

How is your rebate business doing?

Add your business to my new site at no cost:
http://www.realestaterebatepros.com


greg cryns