Old School Mentality Meets New School Banking
A news story about ING Direct was shown on
ABC's Nightline last night. They interview the CEO of ING Direct, Arkadi Kuhlmann, who is known for his straight forward way of doing business and keeping things simple. To read the story or view the video clip,
CLICK HERE. If you don't have time to read it, here are some amazing statistics about ING Direct.
1) Roughly 100,000 new members sign up with them each month.
2) 93% of their employees enjoy working there.
3) They have sold about 70,000 mortgages and only
6 have foreclosed!
If you think you can easily convince ING Direct to provide you with a mortgage, you will have your work cut out for you. This is the main reason why they have such an incredible foreclosure percentage. They simply do not deal with risky borrowers. Times have most definitely changed in the past year and it seems that more and more banks will begin to follow this simple and effective strategy.
I do not find it surprising that the CEO of an internet savings bank is telling people they should save more money, but it will be interesting to see how people's mentality over credit will change in the future.
Labels: foreclosure, ING Direct, mortgage crisis, Nightline
posted by ronnierealestate @ 5:27 AM

Home Search with Street Address Display
We're excited to announce the addition of the
new property address feature to the FARSRealtyGroup.com
MLS search. This has been in the making for a while and we're proud to announce it is now fully functional!
To further empower our customers and make home searches easier, our registered users are now able to view the exact street address of properties while searching for homes for sale in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Just look for the Map & Address button on the listings pages.

The street addresses are displayed on the detailed listing pages and the property map. The address displays will work for all available MLS listings including :
»
NH Homes, Condos, Multi-families, Land for sale (currently on MLS)
»
MA Homes, Condos, Multi-families, Land for sale (currently on MLS)
In addition, our
MLS map platform allows users to scroll around on our integrated New Hampshire and Massachusetts Google maps to
geographically view properties. The Google maps feature lets users zoom in or out, view satellite images, or a hybrid map that blends aerial images with a digital overlay of streets. Users can also click on properties to view detailed information and photos.
The custom map and IDX coding was carried out by Real Estate Webmasters.
Labels: google maps, massachusetts real estate, new hampshire real estate
posted by B. Samii @ 9:59 AM

Tom Brady's Boston Condos For Sale
Tom Brady is putting two of his Beacon Street condos up for sale. According to the Boston Globe, he purchased the brownstone building in 2006 for $6.2M which has gone through extensive renovation and includes private decks, doorman, and garage parking.
Brady's Boston Condo #1 : 2 Bedrooms/2.5 Baths, 2340 Square Feet, $3.99M
Brady's Boston Condo #2: 3 Bedrooms/3.5 Baths, 2987 Square Feet, $4.59M

The properties are listed by Campion and Company Fine Homes Real Estate.Labels: boston condos, tom brady
posted by B. Samii @ 5:07 PM

Super Luxury in Hopkinton, MA
Currently the most expensive home for sale in the Metrowest Region, this 9,700 square foot monster is truely one of a kind. The front entrance says it all with its large columns and massive double door entry. When the word "mansion" comes to mind, this is what I picture. 6 bedrooms, 9 bathrooms, 7 fireplaces to create the right atmosphere and incredible detail throughout. Steps from the
Whitehall State Park and Resevior and minutes to Route 495. Could you be the first lucky owner of this property?


This home is listed by RE/MAX First Realty, Inc.
Labels: hopkinton ma, luxury home, metrowest, whitehall state park
posted by ronnierealestate @ 2:24 AM

New Hampshire Ranked #1 Most Livable State
New Hampshire named Most Livable State two years in a row (
2006 & 2007) according to the Morgan Quitno Press. The report is based on
44 factors used to rank each state.
The rankings in alphabetical order:
2007 RANK | STATE | LIVABILITY RATING | 2006 RANK | CHANGE |
| 2007 RANK | STATE | LIVABILITY RATING | 2006 RANK | CHANGE |
| 42 | Alabama | 20.86 | 39 | -3 |
| 1 | New Hampshire | 34.66 | 1 | 0 |
| 24 | Alaska | 25.75 | 23 | -1 |
| 2 | Minnesota | 33.32 | 2 | 0 |
| 32 | Arizona | 24.16 | 29 | -3 |
| 3 | Wyoming | 32.86 | 6 | 3 |
| 48 | Arkansas | 18.59 | 48 | 0 |
| 4 | Utah | 32.05 | 11 | 7 |
| 30 | California | 24.61 | 34 | 4 |
| 5 | New Jersey | 31.16 | 5 | 0 |
| 18 | Colorado | 27.36 | 20 | 2 |
| 6 | Iowa | 30.84 | 3 | -3 |
| 10 | Connecticut | 29.86 | 10 | 0 |
| 7 | Vermont | 30.41 | 4 | -3 |
| 21 | Delaware | 25.98 | 18 | -3 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | 30.30 | 7 | -1 |
| 27 | Florida | 25.27 | 31 | 4 |
| 9 | South Dakota | 29.95 | 13 | 4 |
| 41 | Georgia | 21.09 | 38 | -3 |
| 10 | Connecticut | 29.86 | 10 | 0 |
| 19 | Hawaii | 26.73 | 22 | 3 |
| 11 | Nebraska | 29.84 | 9 | -2 |
| 14 | Idaho | 28.89 | 18 | 4 |
| 12 | Virginia | 29.68 | 8 | -4 |
| 26 | Illinois | 25.36 | 28 | 2 |
| 13 | North Dakota | 29.32 | 12 | -1 |
| 35 | Indiana | 22.91 | 36 | 1 |
| 14 | Idaho | 28.89 | 18 | 4 |
| 6 | Iowa | 30.84 | 3 | -3 |
| 15 | Maryland | 28.82 | 16 | 1 |
| 17 | Kansas | 28.00 | 15 | -2 |
| 16 | Maine | 28.27 | 17 | 1 |
| 47 | Kentucky | 18.66 | 47 | 0 |
| 17 | Kansas | 28.00 | 15 | -2 |
| 49 | Louisiana | 18.39 | 50 | 1 |
| 18 | Colorado | 27.36 | 20 | 2 |
| 16 | Maine | 28.27 | 17 | 1 |
| 19 | Hawaii | 26.73 | 22 | 3 |
| 15 | Maryland | 28.82 | 16 | 1 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | 26.09 | 14 | -6 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | 30.30 | 7 | -1 |
| 21 | Delaware | 25.98 | 18 | -3 |
| 38 | Michigan | 22.00 | 35 | -3 |
| 22 | Montana | 25.82 | 21 | -1 |
| 2 | Minnesota | 33.32 | 2 | 0 |
| 23 | Oregon | 25.77 | 33 | 10 |
| 50 | Mississippi | 15.86 | 49 | -1 |
| 24 | Alaska | 25.75 | 23 | -1 |
| 34 | Missouri | 23.18 | 27 | -7 |
| 25 | Nevada | 25.70 | 24 | -1 |
| 22 | Montana | 25.82 | 21 | -1 |
| 26 | Illinois | 25.36 | 28 | 2 |
| 11 | Nebraska | 29.84 | 9 | -2 |
| 27 | Florida | 25.27 | 31 | 4 |
| 25 | Nevada | 25.70 | 24 | -1 |
| 28 | Rhode Island | 25.05 | 26 | -2 |
| 1 | New Hampshire | 34.66 | 1 | 0 |
| 29 | New York | 25.02 | 32 | 3 |
| 5 | New Jersey | 31.16 | 5 | 0 |
| 30 | California | 24.61 | 34 | 4 |
| 37 | New Mexico | 22.02 | 41 | 4 |
| 31 | Washington | 24.34 | 25 | -6 |
| 29 | New York | 25.02 | 32 | 3 |
| 32 | Arizona | 24.16 | 29 | -3 |
| 42 | North Carolina | 20.86 | 40 | -2 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | 23.70 | 30 | -3 |
| 13 | North Dakota | 29.32 | 12 | -1 |
| 34 | Missouri | 23.18 | 27 | -7 |
| 36 | Ohio | 22.30 | 37 | 1 |
| 35 | Indiana | 22.91 | 36 | 1 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | 21.30 | 43 | 3 |
| 36 | Ohio | 22.30 | 37 | 1 |
| 23 | Oregon | 25.77 | 33 | 10 |
| 37 | New Mexico | 22.02 | 41 | 4 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | 23.70 | 30 | -3 |
| 38 | Michigan | 22.00 | 35 | -3 |
| 28 | Rhode Island | 25.05 | 26 | -2 |
| 39 | Texas | 21.55 | 41 | 2 |
| 46 | South Carolina | 18.84 | 46 | 0 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | 21.30 | 43 | 3 |
| 9 | South Dakota | 29.95 | 13 | 4 |
| 41 | Georgia | 21.09 | 38 | -3 |
| 44 | Tennessee | 20.11 | 45 | 1 |
| 42 | Alabama | 20.86 | 39 | -3 |
| 39 | Texas | 21.55 | 41 | 2 |
| 42 | North Carolina | 20.86 | 40 | -2 |
| 4 | Utah | 32.05 | 11 | 7 |
| 44 | Tennessee | 20.11 | 45 | 1 |
| 7 | Vermont | 30.41 | 4 | -3 |
| 45 | West Virginia | 18.93 | 44 | -1 |
| 12 | Virginia | 29.68 | 8 | -4 |
| 46 | South Carolina | 18.84 | 46 | 0 |
| 31 | Washington | 24.34 | 25 | -6 |
| 47 | Kentucky | 18.66 | 47 | 0 |
| 45 | West Virginia | 18.93 | 44 | -1 |
| 48 | Arkansas | 18.59 | 48 | 0 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | 26.09 | 14 | -6 |
| 49 | Louisiana | 18.39 | 50 | 1 |
| 3 | Wyoming | 32.86 | 6 | 3 |
| 50 | Mississippi | 15.86 | 49 | -1 |
View all 50 state rankings on a
Google map.
Labels: new hampshire, nh real estate
posted by B. Samii @ 4:10 AM

Short Sales
The Long and Short of "Short Sales"
Over the past 6 months, there has been a substantial increase in the number of "short sale" properties on the market. As an increasing number of homeowners in Massachusetts have become unable to pay their mortgages, "short sales" have provided a desirable alternative to foreclosure. In a short sale transaction, a lender agrees to accept less for a property than the current remaining balance on the mortgage, allowing a seller to accept a lower offer for their home than they would otherwise be able to. In a tight market where home prices continue to drop and properties are sitting on the market for months, having the flexibility to accept a lower price can be crucial in expediting the sale of a property. Though lenders do take a loss on short sale transactions, it is a better alternative than the foreclosure process, which can often take up to a year and cost a bank an average of $50,000.
Short Sales are advantageous to all parties in involved:
- Sellers are able to avoid foreclosure and preserve their credit.
- Lenders are able to reduce their losses and avoid the foreclosure process.
- Buyers are able to take advantage of reduced pricing and get a great deal on a property.
However, the short sale transaction generally does not run as smoothly as the traditional real estate transaction and requires patience from all parties involved, particularly the buyer. Generally, short sale transactions take an additional 30-60 days to close, leaving the buyer in limbo for a couple of months after their anticipated closing date. For some buyers, this requires finding temporary housing, storing belongings, and pushing off new home purchases and improvements indefinitely. Short sales are a great way for buyers to get into properties that they otherwise could not afford. However, short sales are not for everyone. They can take a long time to close and be very frustrating - but in the end, if the deal is that good, it's worth the wait.
Short Sales in MA.
Labels: