Investment Property Consumer Focus:
FCIC - Consumer Focus -- SITE SEARCH: Books Resources 1-888-8 PUEBLO (1-888-878-3256) Home Consumer Focus Archive Owning a Second Home or Investment Property Consumer Focus: Owning a Second Home or Investment Property Owning a Second Home or Investment Property For various reasons, the idea of owning a second home or investing in property is on many people's minds nowadays. Some dream of having a second home in a more moderate climate. Others, wishing to diversify their investments, are considering real estate because of continued record low mortgage interest rates. If you're interested in the idea, but not sure how to get started, we've assembled some helpful information. Second Home or Investment Property? Criteria Looking Around The Transaction Additional Responsibilities Financing Other Resources E-mail this Information to A Friend Other Topics in the Consumer Focus Archive Top Second Home or Investment Property? The process will be simpler and smoother if you can make some decisions about your lifestyle, needs, and plans for the property at the beginning. Generally, if you're looking for a place to spend the winters for several months at a time or to take frequent weekend getaways, then you're most likely considering the purchase of a second home. However, if you're looking to generate income or diversify your investments, then you're looking to purchase investment property. Check our web site later this month for more information regarding investment property and how to be a landlord. The information below pertains primarily to buying a second home. In either case, you're entitled to different types of tax deductions depending on how you treat the property. Criteria The criteria defining a second home are fairly loose. A second home doesn't necessarily mean a "house." It could be a condominium, a recreational vehicle , or even a boat. Basically, for your second property to be considered a second home by the IRS, it needs to have sleeping accommodations and cooking and toilet facilities. A second home qualifies for the home mortgage interest deduction, just like your primary residence, because you're using the home for personal purposes during the year. Many folks have second homes that are part rental. The catch is that your personal use needs to exceed 14 days or 10 percent of the time it was rented, whichever time length is greater. In addition, if you rent your home for fewer than 15 days a year, and personally use it for more than 15 days a year, you do not need to declare any rental income. Everyone's circumstances are unique. Consult a tax professional regarding deductibility. Top Looking Around Do you want to buy a second home in your favorite vacation area , or a weekend spot not more than a few hours' drive away, but don't know what the market's like? You might want to do some research on the web using Realtor.com or visiting the web sites of the individual real estate companies in the area where you wish to purchase a property. Some real estate-related web sites allow you to tailor your search you select such as price, number of bedrooms/baths, type of home, or location sorted by zip code. If you're considering this home to be your future retirement home, then you also should consider additional factors such as the annual climate. Weather.com allows you to view monthly climatic averages for cities around the country. You also might look for information and articles discussing cost of living or " best places to live for retirees" from groups such as the AARP. The Transaction You'll probably want to work with a local realtor to help with the transaction, especially if you're considering an out-of-state purchase. A knowledgeable realtor should be aware of important factors that could affect your decision. For instance, if the locale you're considering has development restrictions, like those involved with historic districts where strict design, remodeling, or building codes may be enforced. In addition, the agent will do much of the legwork for you and ensure that all the bases are covered during the transaction. Just as you did when you purchased your primary residence, you should still have the property inspected. Take the effort to know your rights . Top Additional Responsibilities Remember, owning a second home is just that-with all the associated responsibilities and expenses that it brings. Check individual state web sites for property taxes. How much maintenance are you willing to take on? If you're not willing to take on a lot of extra maintenance and yard work, consider buying a condo and hiring a property management company. Of course you'll need insurance. In some areas, you may be surprised by the rates you'll need to pay for homeowners insurance . Coastal areas usually have higher premiums due to hurricane risk, and you may need to buy a separate flood insurance policy as well. Financing Just as you did when you bought your primary residence, be sure to have your financial affairs in order before you even begin looking. Get a copy of your credit report and be sure there are no errors, which could delay or hurt your financing options. Also, be prepared to meet some stricter criteria to get the loan. This is because your finances will be stretched more thinly once you take on that second mortgage. Top Other Resources This is just a brief overview. For more information check out these resources: Read these publications online or order them from FCIC: FairCredit Reporting How toBuy a Home With a Low Down Payment How toBuy a Manufactured (Mobile) Home HUDHome Buying Guide Looking for the Best Mortgage-Shop, Compare, Negotiate Twelve Waysto Lower Your Homeowners Insurance Costs Publications available for orderingfrom the Housing Page Publications available for orderingfrom the Money Page Websites*: Department of Housing and UrbanDevelopment Federal Trade Commission Federal Reserve Board FirstGov.gov Public Broadcasting Service AARP Bankrate.com Insurance Information Institute Money.CNN.com NewRVer.com Prudential Realtor.com SmartMoney.com Tax Foundation Weather.com * Names of resources and organizations included in this online article are provided as examples only, and their inclusion does not mean that they are endorsed by the Federal Citizen Information Center or any other Government agency. Also, if a particular resource or organization is not mentioned, this does not mean or imply that it is unsatisfactory. *If you click on these links, you are leaving FCIC's website. Please bookmark us before you leave so you can return easily. FCIC is not responsible for the content of these websites. Top Enjoy this month's Focus? Share this information with a friendand spread the word! Enterrecipient's e-mail address: We will not retain or use this information for any other purpose. For more information on other popular consumer issues check out FCIC's Consumer Focus Archive . Top Import Notices - Site Map - Text Version This service isprovided by the Federal Citizen Information Center of the U.S. General Services Administration . If youhave a comment or question, e-mail us .
Florida Real Estate Pensacola
Pensacola Real Estate, Pensacola Florida, Real Estate, Destin, Gulf Breeze, Perdido Key, Navarre Beach, Milton, Florida Real Estate Pensacola Real Estate, Pensacola Florida, Real Estate, Destin, Gulf Breeze, Perdido Key, Navarre Beach, Milton, Florida Real Estate Pensacola Real Estate Specialist for Pensacola Florida waterfront property, Pensacola Beach Real Estate, Gulf Breeze, Perdido Key, Navarre Beach. We Pensacola real estate realtors provide all types of real estate information. Including, waterfront property, land, for sale in Gulf Breeze, Destin, Perdido Key, Navarre Beach, Pensacola Beach, Milton the Emerald Coast, Escambia County Fla, condos, luxury homes for sale. Dan Berube welcomes you to this dynamic and vibrant waterfront community that is also a premier retirement community. On our website you'll find Pensacola Florida Real Estate information for, waterfront houses and homes, Pensacola beach homes for sale, on Perdido Key, Pensacola beach real estate, Gulf Breeze Oceanfront real estate, Emerald Coast ocean front property and Northwest FL water front property. Also find your Pensacola Florida homes or property here in the Pensacola Realtor MLS system. We are now licensed in Alabama and are able to help you with all your real estate needs for Alabama real estate The Best Way To Buy A Home? Best Buys In Pensacola Today Average is over $105 per sq ft, these homes are less than $90 Search by price click HERE! Contact Us Risk Awareness for the Informed Consumer Click Her e Please read if your going to buy a home anytime in the future!! Click here to see a few Hurricane damaged homes for sale For your information, Pensacola has been chosen by "Fortune magazine" as one of the three best places in the country to invest in real estate ... SO WHY NOT RETIRE OR BUY YOUR NEXT HOME HERE! click here to read the article That makes us the #1 waterfront community in the country Wow!! MAP & DIRECTIONS TO OUR OFFICE Static Map of Pensacola Interactive Map of Pensacola Finance Center Calculate your own loan amounts Welcome to beautiful Pensacola Florida, Gulf Breeze, Perdido Key, Fort Walton Beach, Navarre, Destin and all of Northwest FL. Pensacola Florida real estate and Pensacola FL Homes and the lifestyle here has been rated #2 in the nation in quality of life, experts place us amongst the best retirement communities in the country. Pictures of Pensacola Florida . Dan a Pensacola Florida Realtor & Shorty a Pensacola Florida Realtor would like to be the first to welcome you to this Waterfront community where Pensacola waterfront real estate is cheaper than any where in the USA. We hope you will come to feel that this website is your one stop source for a new home or Pensacola real estate in or local Florida MLS or your Pensacola Home, but also to provide you with the benefit of years of new home and building experience and with valuable information on Pensicola Florida real estate, realtor, new homes, beachfront homes Pensacola Florida waterfront property, Florida oceanfront, retirement and any community information (about Pensacola Florida, Gulf Breeze, Milton, Navarre, Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Perdido Key, Pensacola Florida Beach and other surrounding areas, including schools (See Below) By the way having us help you find your place in the Florida Water Front sun click here will cost you nothing. We specialize in relocation for all you Pensacola real estate needs to Pensacola using tools that our Realtor affiliate the Pensacola News Journal has, for example the Newcomers guide and best of all below are links displaying virtually all of the homes you can find in the Pensacola Fl newspaper Homes / Best Buys / Pool Homes / Luxury Homes / Water Front / Historical / New Homes / Investment / Land / acreage homes Our affiliate the Pensacola News Journal provides you with ways to find employment. Click Here to sign up What's in the news for Pensacola this weekend Click Here e Pensacola Florida and the surrounding areas are known for beautiful white beaches (#1 beach in the continental USA) with emerald colored water and the best buys for waterfront property and real estate in all of Florida. With Northwest Florida growing daily this makes a great place to plan your future. Don Tristan de Luna spotted Pensacola Florida in 1559 . The large, deep, sheltered bays made a great port that would make a perfect place for a new settlement. Don Tristan did discover a beautiful paradise. Today Pensicola Florida remains largely unspoiled with many attractions such as beautiful beaches, golfing, scuba diving, tennis, sailing, many historic areas, Perdido Key and a great place for business. Visit the Chamber of Commerce's web site for more information. Site Map What is a site map? It is a listing and link to every page in a website. 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Real Estate prices in
Google Answers: Real Estate prices in San Francisco Bay Area - Los Altos, Cupertino, Saratoga .. Log in | Google Answers Home View Question Ask a Question Q: Real Estate prices in San Francisco Bay Area - Los Altos, Cupertino, Saratoga .. ( Answered , 4 Comments ) Question Subject: Real Estate prices in San Francisco Bay Area - Los Altos, Cupertino, Saratoga .. Category: Business and Money > Economics Asked by: realestatedoom-ga List Price: $10.00 Posted: 06 May 2002 14:46 PDT Expires: 05 Jun 2002 14:46 PDT Question ID: 13448 With everything in the economy setting new lows, the SF bay area realestate is growing up surprisingly. During the hey days of internetboom, the real estate hike was justified with the stock prices. Nowmost of those internet companies are bankrupted or trading at theirlows of a few pennies. Yet, the bay area real estate is HOT, sizzlingand I heard that the home prices are indeed going up. This has left meclueless as it defies all the gravity. I would like to know thereasons. Also, if the reasons indicate that there is a manipualtion ofthis market by vested parties, I would like some pointers as well. Andabove all, when does one see the real estate crash in this area andwhat could trigger the same. Thanks. Answer Subject: Re: Real Estate prices in San Francisco Bay Area - Los Altos, Cupertino, Saratoga .. Answered By: easterangel-ga on 19 May 2002 03:53 PDT Rated: Hi! Thanks for the question. I have collected the following assessments on why the Bay Area realestate market is being overpriced right now.According to these two articles by Broderick Perkins of the RealtyTimes he mentioned two underlying factors: (a and b).a. The area's housing market is further influenced by the contractionof household wealth, largely due to the bust in the area'stechnology-based economy.When the market crashed, housing prices declined, and many newhomeowners, who found themselves with a mortgage they could no longerafford, put their homes on the market.These statements are particularly trying to point out that a selectivefew are trying to squeeze the real estate market especially forhigh-end homes. http://realtytimes.com/rtnews/rtcpages/20020205_bayarea.htm b.) The spotty-market syndrome A record high "luxury" home price index that doesn't fully jibe withreports of lagging sales activity is a red flag indicating aspotty-market that warrants close scrutiny by both buyers and sellers.Spotty-Market syndrome or reporting is using data that does notadequately represent the targeted population in this case the sellersand buyers of homes in the Bay Area. Home shoppers may buy into bidding wars that don't exist and pay toomuch in a flat or depreciating market in a given neighborhood
couldbe trickling down to mid-priced homes which aren't appreciating asfast as even cheaper condos and townhomes. http://realtytimes.com/rtnews/rtcpages/20010223_bayprices.htm Do these two statements subscribe to your suspicion as regards tosomeone or somebody trying to control the market? I think they do.c.) Supply and demand. There is such a demand for land/housing in theBay Area, and this drives the price of homes up. However, there areaffordable housing options. This was taken from Advantage Homeswebsite. This can be located at the lower part of the web page. http://216.239.33.100/search?q=cache:2eSmmIcxiNcC:www.bayarea.com/mld/bayarea/business/personal_finance/debt_management/mortgages/ask_expert_front.htm+%2BWhy+Bay+Area+homes+expensive&hl=en d.) The region's economy is so much more diverse than a decade ago.This reason is specifically a factor for the Sacramento area accordingto this article. http://www.sacbee.com/static/archive/home/realestate/2001/0520.html Some housing bargains in the Bay Area are mentioned this article.Housing Bargains: http://beta.kpix.com/news/5reports/Housing_Bargains.shtml As to your question as to when it would end? The second article ofBroderick Perkins which I cited said this near the end."Buyers and sellers are cautioned to keep tabs on sales and prices ofall homes. As spring approaches with its seasonally more activemarket, a clearer picture of the spotty market should emerge -- forbetter or for worse."The article continued that small changes in the Bay Area economy willchange the balance of supply and demand bringing pressure for high-endhome prices to go down. http://realtytimes.com/rtnews/rtcpages/20010223_bayprices.htm I pray that right now this is the case. Search Terms Used:+Why Bay Area homes expensivespotty marketI hope this would be of help. Thanks for being a part of GoogleAnswers.Regards,Easterangel-ga realestatedoom-ga rated this answer: provides good insight. of course, i am still puzzled on who and howpeople can so easily afford 1+ million homes in the bay area assumingnot much money is flowing from stock options?. i am also a littlepuzzled that the "demand" has not waned out significantly due to fallout of "tech" economy here!. in any case, thanks for the answer. Comments Log in to add a comment Subject: Re: Real Estate prices in San Francisco Bay Area - Los Altos, Cupertino, Saratoga .. From: delphina-ga on 06 May 2002 15:33 PDT prices are indeed going up. houses are still selling quickly withmultiple bids. why? not everyone was wiped out in the dot-com crash.those that made it, made it, and those that didn't are already gone. basically, it won't crash unless there is an earthquake.everything you need to know is in carol lloyd's Surreal Estate columnin the San Francisco Chronicle.see here: http://www.sfgate.com/columnists/lloyd/archive/ Subject: Re: Real Estate prices in San Francisco Bay Area - Los Altos, Cupertino, Saratoga .. From: realestatedoom-ga on 06 May 2002 16:43 PDT so, how does an earthquake impact the prices given that this region iseqrthquake prone. why is the buying herd not factoring this?. readingthrough lloyd's article, there is a sense of desperation amongstbuyers (so there are still buyers at this price left:), wonder whythey don't choose other greener pastures where they do not have tosacrifice their entire life paying huge mortgages in an uncertain andimploding tech and job market!.) to own the realty in the bay area. isthat desperation out of a need to be in this area or pyramid formationwhere you buy and get out of this in a few years selling the home fora huge profit. a.k.a like buying internet stocks at hyped up priceswith an idea of selling them to a bigger fool at higher prices. aslong as the pyramid continues, it all looks great. didn't we seeenough of that with internet stock bubble?. if so, when does the realestate bubble/pyramid come crashing? Subject: Re: Real Estate prices in San Francisco Bay Area - Los Altos, Cupertino, Saratoga .. From: claudietta-ga on 17 Jun 2002 01:19 PDT I think there were plenty of people with high incomes waiting for thehousing market to adjust, prior to the bubble bursting. Since therecontinues to be a large portion of high income earners in SiliconValley, say >$100k/person/yr; a $200k household could easilty afford a$1m-home. These could be earned by a single CEO or two professionalswith that sort of total income. In the high-end districts, Los AltosHills, Saratoga, Woodside, this is precisely the profile of the homeowners. There are plenty CEOs and professionals (lawyers, engineers,managers) who make that amount of money.I've also heard of many who've lost their $5m-homes, and have had to'settle' for a $2m-home.The very high-end, >$2.5m is where the real housing crisis is inSilicon Valley.claudietta-ga Subject: Re: Real Estate prices in San Francisco Bay Area - Los Altos, Cupertino, Saratoga .. From: krup-ga on 30 Oct 2002 01:38 PST I am baffled that the effect of low interest rates has not yet beenmentioned- people are able to afford more, so they do. It's theAmerican way.Check out Fortune's recent cover article with a pic of an SF domicileentitled, "Is this House worth $1.2 Million?" It sums up thesituation perfectly.http://www.fortune.com/indexw.jhtml?channel=artcol.jhtml&doc_id=209840 Important Disclaimer: Answers and comments provided on Google Answers are general information, and are not intended to substitute for informed professional medical, psychiatric, psychological, tax, legal, investment, accounting, or other professional advice. Google does not endorse, and expressly disclaims liability for any product, manufacturer, distributor, service or service provider mentioned or any opinion expressed in answers or comments. Please read carefully the Google Answers Terms of Service . If you feel that you have found inappropriate content, please let us know by emailing us at answers-editors@google.com with the question ID listed above. Thank you. Search Google Answers for all questions answered questions unanswered questions Google Home - Answers Help & Tips - Answers FAQ - Terms of Service - Privacy Policy ©2005 Google
Real Estate Loan
Century 21 Real Estate: home buying, home selling, financing and property listings. español Put My Century 21 to work for you, simply register your email address and create a password. Once you're registered, you'll be able to save property descriptions store your search criteria file agent information build a custom library Find out more or register now! Already registered? Sign in . -- Welcome to Century 21 Real Estate Century 21 Real Estate is your online resource for home buying, home selling, financing and property listings. Whether it's a house, condo, or any other type of property, we can assist you with your real estate needs. Search for Properties Looking to buy a new home, condo or any other property? Search thousands of properties in our real estate listings. Search Property Listings » First Time Homebuyers Guide » View Our Buyer Service Pledge » International Century 21 Real Estate LLC is part of the largest real estate referral network in the world - with over 110,000 brokers and sales associates in over 30 countries and territories. Access our world offices today» Sell a Property Let our real estate agents create a customized marketing plan to sell your property. List your Property » View Our Seller Service Pledge » View Mortgage Rates View current mortgage rates, apply for a home equity loan, crunch numbers with home mortgage calculators and more! Apply for a Mortgage Now» Use Our Mortgage Calculators » Find an Office or Agent Find and contact a CENTURY 21 Office or Agent to handle your real estate needs. Find an Office or Agent » Quick Vote! Your vote counts! Let us Know Where do you spend the most time? Bedroom Living Room Kitchen Bathroom Dining Room ©2005 Century 21 Real Estate LLC. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each CENTURY 21 Office Is Independently Owned And Operated. All rights reserved. Information appearing on this site has been produced by or obtained primarily from Century 21 Real Estate LLC and its representatives and from CENTURY 21 franchisees. Century 21 Real Estate LLC is not responsible for the accuracy or completeness of the broker information, sales associate information, listing information or other information provided by our franchisees appearing on or through this site. Such information has been provided by independent third parties who are solely responsible for such content. Certain conditions and restrictions apply to System promotions. Terms and Conditions of Use.
Colorado Real Estate
State of Colorado-Department of Regulatory Agencies - Division of Real Estate Home Page Debbie Campagnola Director To promote a balanced and sensible approach to regulation that protects the public interest and supports economic growth. Information about Appraisers Information about Brokers Activities || Funding Sources || Trends Activities The Division of Real Estate regulates real estate appraisers, salespersons and brokers through licensure and discipline. Licensees must comply with established educational and experience requirements, and pass a test prior to licensure. Earnest money deposits and escrow and trust funds are regulated by the Division. The Division's objectives are to: Provide public protection to the citizens of the State of Colorado from incompetent and dishonest persons in the real estate and appraiser professions, and from unscrupulous or financially unsound subdivision developers. Mitigate financial loss to the public resulting from real estate fraud and theft. The objectives are met through the following activities: I. Licensing real estate brokers and appraisers and registering time share and raw land subdivision developers under the jurisdiction of the Real Estate Commission. II. Enforcing laws by investigating complaints, conducting investigative and routine financial audits, and administering disciplinary action. III. Administering a mandatory Errors and Omissions Insurance Program. IV. Communicating, to include anticipating and responding to the public need for effective information and assistance. The Division regulates time share projects sold in Colorado, and regulates developers of subdivisions consisting of 20 or more residential sites, tracts or lots that are not required to be approved by another state planning authority. A five-member Commission meets monthly to conduct rule making hearings, make policy decisions, consider licensing matters, review complaints and take disciplinary action against licensees. Commission members serve three-year terms, and members are appointed as follows: three real estate brokers, one person with expertise in subdivision development, and one public member. License verification can be found on line through the License Database. For information regarding disciplinary actions consult the online Disciplinary Documents . Persons wishing to file a complaint against a licensee should send a written complaint to the Division. See Complaint Process. The Division also regulates real estate appraisers pursuant to the requirements of the Federal Real Estate Appraisal Reform Amendments of the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989. The Board of Real Estate appraisers consists of seven members appointed by the Governor: three licensed or certified appraisers, one of whom must have expertise in eminent domain, a county assessor, an officer or employee of a commercial bank experienced in real estate lending, and two public members. Board members serve three-year terms. Funding Sources The Division of Real Estate is cash funded from fees pursuant to Colorado statute. Fees are paid for licensure or registration in the real estate and appraiser professions. Fee amounts are established annually for the purpose of covering direct and indirect costs incurred by the Division for licensing and enforcement. Fiscal Year Revenue Expenditures FY 03 (Actual) $3,825,954 $3,953,316 FY 04 (Actual) $3,258,895 $3,798,301 FY 05 (Actual) $4,733,079 $4,116,100 FY 06 (Estimate) $3,162,421 $3,812,724 The following pie chart shows the estimated source of revenue for Fiscal Year 06. . The following pie chart shows the estimated expenditures for Fiscal Year 06. Trends The real estate market in Colorado will remain strong in the coming year, although activity will slow somewhat as a reflection of higher interest rates. Licensing by the Division of Real Estate should continue to increase in the current year, reflecting the continuing strong real estate market. The sale of raw land subdivisions and condominium/loft conversions remain strong and the Division is continuing increased enforcement activity in these areas. No major state or federal legislative initiatives affecting real estate are expected in the coming year. While one-stop shopping and affiliated business arrangements remain topics of great interest in Colorado and nationally, Congress's decision to again postpone a major review of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act leaves the states and industry without clear guidance in these areas. As real estate companies continue to consolidate and expand nationwide and the Internet provides consumers with instant access to properties on a vast scale, increased regulatory scrutiny is being focused on interstate operations. In Colorado, a reciprocal licensing program has facilitated the growth of interstate commerce. Another result of increasing real estate activity on the Internet is the heightened level of sophistication on the part of the general public regarding real estate transactions and real estate procedures in general. The public is coming to expect a higher level of performance on the part of real estate brokers, which the Division must address by increasing the competency level of licensees and maintaining a close watch on the pulse of the public. As with all government agencies, the public and real estate industry will expect higher levels of customer service from the Division. This will be particularly true in the areas of e-commerce and electronic communications. Last update 9/28/05 Privacy Statement | Disclaimer Technical Assistance: E-Mail Information Technology Section Revised November 7, 2005 Federal Home Page || State Home Page || Department Home Page Top of Page E-Mail the Division of Real Estate 1900 Grant Street, Suite 600 Denver, CO 80203 (303) 894-2166 or (303) 894-2185 - Phone (303) 894-2683 - Fax Relay Colorado (TTY (English & Spanish), Voice, VCO, ASCII, STS Assistance Numbers)