Home Loan

Home Equity Scams: Borrowers Beware! Home Equity Loans : Borrowers Beware! D o you own your home? If so, it's likely to be your greatest single asset. Unfortunately, if you agree to a loan that's based on the equity you have in your home, you may be putting your most valuable asset at risk. Homeowners-particularly elderly, minority and those with low incomes or poor credit-should be careful when borrowing money based on their home equity. Why? Certain abusive or exploitative lenders target these borrowers, who unwittingly may be putting their home on the line. Abusive lending practices range from equity stripping and loan flipping to hiding loan terms and packing a loan with extra charges. The Federal Trade Commission urges you to be aware of these loan practices to avoid losing your home. The Practices Equity Stripping You need money. You don't have much income coming in each month. You have built up equity in your home. A lender tells you that you could get a loan, even though you know your income is just not enough to keep up with the monthly payments. The lender encourages you to "pad" your income on your application form to help get the loan approved. This lender may be out to steal the equity you have built up in your home. The lender doesn't care if you can't keep up with the monthly payments. As soon as you don't, the lender will foreclose-taking your home and stripping you of the equity you have spent years building. If you take out a loan but don't have enough income to make the monthly payments, you are being set up. You probably will lose your home. Hidden Loan Terms: The Balloon Payment You've fallen behind in your mortgage payments and may face foreclosure. Another lender offers to save you from foreclosure by refinancing your mortgage and lowering your monthly payments. Look carefully at the loan terms. The payments may be lower because the lender is offering a loan on which you repay only the interest each month. At the end of the loan term, the principal-that is, the entire amount that you borrowed-is due in one lump sum called a balloon payment. If you can't make the balloon payment or refinance, you face foreclosure and the loss of your home. Loan Flipping Suppose you've had your mortgage for years. The interest rate is low and the monthly payments fit nicely into your budget, but you could use some extra money. A lender calls to talk about refinancing, and using the availability of extra cash as bait, claims it's time the equity in your home started "working" for you. You agree to refinance your loan. After you've made a few payments on the loan, the lender calls to offer you a bigger loan for, say, a vacation. If you accept the offer, the lender refinances your original loan and then lends you additional money. In this practice-often called "flipping"-the lender charges you high points and fees each time you refinance, and may increase your interest rate as well. If the loan has a prepayment penalty, you will have to pay that penalty each time you take out a new loan. You now have some extra money and a lot more debt, stretched out over a longer time. The extra cash you receive may be less than the additional costs and fees you were charged for the refinancing. And what's worse, you are now paying interest on those extra fees charged in each refinancing. Long story short? With each refinancing, you've increased your debt and probably are paying a very high price for some extra cash. After a while, if you get in over your head and can't pay, you could lose your home. The "Home Improvement" Loan A contractor calls or knocks on your door and offers to install a new roof or remodel your kitchen at a price that sounds reasonable. You tell him you're interested, but can't afford it. He tells you it's no problem-he can arrange financing through a lender he knows. You agree to the project, and the contractor begins work. At some point after the contractor begins, you are asked to sign a lot of papers. The papers may be blank or the lender may rush you to sign before you have time to read what you've been given. The contractor threatens to leave the work on your house unfinished if you don't sign. You sign the papers. Only later, you realize that the papers you signed are a home equity loan. The interest rate, points and fees seem very high. To make matters worse, the work on your home isn't done right or hasn't been completed, and the contractor, who may have been paid by the lender, has little interest in completing the work to your satisfaction. Credit Insurance Packing You've just agreed to a mortgage on terms you think you can afford. At closing, the lender gives you papers to sign that include charges for credit insurance or other "benefits" that you did not ask for and do not want. The lender hopes you don't notice this, and that you just sign the loan papers where you are asked to sign. The lender doesn't explain exactly how much extra money this will cost you each month on your loan. If you do notice, you're afraid that if you ask questions or object, you might not get the loan. The lender may tell you that this insurance comes with the loan, making you think that it comes at no additional cost. Or, if you object, the lender may even tell you that if you want the loan without the insurance, the loan papers will have to be rewritten, that it could take several days, and that the manager may reconsider the loan altogether. If you agree to buy the insurance, you really are paying extra for the loan by buying a product you may not want or need. Mortgage Servicing Abuses After you get a mortgage, you receive a letter from your lender saying that your monthly payments will be higher than you expected. The lender says that your payments include escrow for taxes and insurance even though you arranged to pay those items yourself with the lender's okay. Later, a message from the lender says you are being charged late fees. But you know your payments were on time. Or, you may receive a message saying that you failed to maintain required property insurance and the lender is buying more costly insurance at your expense. Other charges that you don't understand-like legal fees-are added to the amount you owe, increasing your monthly payments or the amount you owe at the end of the loan term. The lender doesn't provide you with an accurate or complete account of these charges. You ask for a payoff statement to refinance with another lender and receive a statement that's inaccurate or incomplete. The lender's actions make it almost impossible to determine how much you've paid or how much you owe. You may pay more than you owe. Signing Over Your Deed If you are having trouble paying your mortgage and the lender has threatened to foreclose and take your home, you may feel desperate. Another "lender" may contact you with an offer to help you find new financing. Before he can help you, he asks you to deed your property to him, claiming that it's a temporary measure to prevent foreclosure. The promised refinancing that would let you save your home never comes through. Once the lender has the deed to your property, he starts to treat it as his own. He may borrow against it (for his benefit, not yours) or even sell it to someone else. Because you don't own the home any more, you won't get any money when the property is sold. The lender will treat you as a tenant and your mortgage payments as rent. If your "rent" payments are late, you can be evicted from your home. Protecting Yourself You can protect yourself against losing your home to inappropriate lending practices. Here's how: Don't: Agree to a home equity loan if you don't have enough income to make the monthly payments. Sign any document you haven't read or any document that has blank spaces to be filled in after you sign. Let anyone pressure you into signing any document. Agree to a loan that includes credit insurance or extra products you don't want. Let the promise of extra cash or lower monthly payments get in the way of your good judgment about whether the cost you will pay for the loan is really worth it. Deed your property to anyone. First consult an attorney, a knowledgeable family member, or someone else you trust. Do: Ask specifically if credit insurance is required as a condition of the loan. If it isn't, and a charge is included in your loan and you don't want the insurance, ask that the charge be removed from the loan documents. If you want the added security of credit insurance, shop around for the best rates. Keep careful records of what you've paid, including billing statements and canceled checks. Challenge any charge you think is inaccurate. Check contractors' references when it is time to have work done in your home. Get more than one estimate. Read all items carefully. If you need an explanation of any terms or conditions, talk to someone you can trust, such as a knowledgeable family member or an attorney. Consider all the costs of financing before you agree to a loan. For More Information The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues , visit www.ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel , a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION FOR THE CONSUMER 1-877-FTC-HELP www.ftc.gov April 1998

Property Search How Fannie

Resources: Fannie Mae-Owned Property Search Our Business Is The American Dream Search Home Fannie Mae News Media Initiatives Issues & Commentary Translated Documents About Us About Fannie Mae Corporate Governance Investor Relations Careers For Business Partners Affordable Housing & Community Development Single-Family Multifamily Tools & Resources Debt Securities Mortgage-Backed Securities For Home Buyers & Homeowners Homepath Find a Mortgage Find a Lender Search Resources Calculators Checklists, Tip Sheets & Worksheets Counselors & Agencies Fannie Mae-Owned Property Search How Fannie Mae Saves Home Buyers Money Glossary Fannie Mae-Owned Property Search To help your search, please provide the state where you want to search for a property. Or, for a more specific search, provide the state and city; the state and ZIP code; or the state, city, and ZIP code. You can also search for a specific property type by selecting either single-family, 2-4 unit, or condo/co-op from the "Property Type" drop-down menu. You can sort your results by price, type of property, or ZIP code by selecting from the "Sorted By" options. Your use of the Fannie Mae-Owned Property Search is subject to the following terms and conditions. Price Range: No Minimum $10,000 $20,000 $30,000 $40,000 $50,000 $60,000 $70,000 $80,000 $90,000 $100,000 $125,000 $150,000 $175,000 $200,000 $225,000 $250,000 $275,000 $300,000 $325,000 $350,000 $375,000 $400,000 $425,000 $450,000 $475,000 $500,000 $600,000 $700,000 $800,000 $900,000 $1,000,000 More than $1,000,000 to $0 $10,000 $20,000 $30,000 $40,000 $50,000 $60,000 $70,000 $80,000 $90,000 $100,000 $125,000 $150,000 $175,000 $200,000 $225,000 $250,000 $275,000 $300,000 $325,000 $350,000 $375,000 $400,000 $425,000 $450,000 $475,000 $500,000 $600,000 $700,000 $800,000 $900,000 $1,000,000 No Maximum City: (To include multiple cities, separate each city by a comma.) State (required) : Select a State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington, DC West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Guam Puerto Rico Virgin Islands ZIP Code: Property Type: Any Single-Family 2-4 Unit Condo/Co-op Sorted By: No Sort City Price Type Zip ©1998-2004 Fannie Mae Contact Us FAQ Site Map Advanced Search Privacy Legal

foreclosure property is a

PROPERTY TRAC FORECLOSURE, DATABASE and AUCTION SITE All Products | Support | Foreclosure Trac | Auctions | More Info/Faqs | Log In | Subscriptions | Database Demo | Discussion Boards | Sign Up | Advertise With Us | Welcome back! Registered members only. 22 Active Users Click to Navigate New York Data Advertisers Contact Info Demo Database Discussion Board Florida Data Foreclosure Home Foreclosure Order Link Info Mailing List Notes for Sale Privacy Policy Properties Questions/Answers Related Sites Return Policy Specials Subscriptions 12/29/2005 3:46:02 PM LIMITEDTIME OFFER CLICK HERE, SIGN UP TODAY & GET INSTANT ACCESS TO NEW DATA For a limited time we will be offering the following INCREDIBLE RATES: For New York Data : $98.00 for one week $189.00 for one month $450.00 for three months $799.00 for six months $1400.00 for one year LIMITED TIME ONLY which provides 24/7 online access to lis pendens and upcoming auction sale data for all 9 counties in the New York City metro area that we service including Brooklyn, Bronx, Manhattan, Nassau, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk & Westchester Counties. Our database is updated daily. More than 2,000 new listings each and every month. OUR DAILY SPECIAL For Florida Data : $50.00 per County for 1 Month whichprovides access to any of 5 counties of Lis Pendens Data in Broward, Dade, Orange, Palm Beach and Seminole Counties in Excel format. JUSTCLICK HERE NOTESFOR SALE Listingsof holders of commercial paper, mortgages, promissory notes and otherinstruments for the payment or securitization of monies or obligationsthat are being offered for assignment or sale. RELATED SITES We are in the process of collecting and organizing the largest directory of real estate and foreclosure related listings. Check out our current listings or join our directory. For more foreclosure information in addition to this site just access our companion site at: ForeclosureTrac orcall 1-877-848-8736 or 1-718-720-7676 Send comments to: sales@PropertyTrac.com WELCOME to the Property Trac Web site, striving to be the premier center for buyers, sellers and investors who want to maximize their return on real estate and properties in foreclosure. Unparalled NYC Foreclosure Data Look no further; we have it! No other provider of Foreclosure Data for the New York City area can give you all that we have. Our online database has the most comprehensive and descriptive collection of data for every property in foreclosure in the New York City area. In addition to our online database that allows you to download your data into an Excel spreadsheet we provide by email data in virtually every format that is needed. Data Demo New Classifieds Section List your house for sale in our new New York Properties Real Estate classifieds section and receive the exposure that your property deserves. You can even upload a picture to further enhance your ad. The best part of this is that for a limited time only there is no charge for the first 30 days. For purchasers it's a great way to locate valued properties and to communicate directly with Sellers by email. Classifieds Quality Foreclosure Data For more than 6 years now we have been providing foreclosure data for the New York City metro area that is unsurpassed in coverage and value. Now, with our online database and low subscription rates there is no reason to look any further. Check out our database demo by clicking here and see the type of data that you will have access to. Purchase our data now and get started with investing in foreclosures today! WHY BUY A FORECLOSURE? About Our Pre-Foreclosure Data We have the most comprehensive database of pre-foreclosure data for the New York City metro area available anywhere at the lowest subscription rates. Our data includes 9 New York contiguous counties with offerings of both Lis Pendens and Auction Sale info. We research all of our own New York data, compile it and post it within days of its filing in the respective County Clerk's offices. Our database is updated daily and completely reset each week to ensure that the most accurate and comprehensive data is available 24/7 online. We provide you with the data tools necessary to get you started in one of the most stable and rewarding areas of financial investments. Inquire about our mail merge product which allows professionals such as attorneys and mortgage brokers/bankers to direct mail solicit and manipulate our data. This is a great advertising tool that always substantially increases your client base. What Can it do for You With prices for real estate at their all time peak levels there has never been a better time or a better reason to purchase real property while it is in foreclosure or at a foreclosure auction sale. It is not unusual for properties purchased in foreclosure to be acquired for 60% - 80% of their fair market value. With average property values hovering in the $200,000 range this translates into a remarkable investment process for those that are looking to invest their monies in a "safe" arena. For those that are looking to purchase a home to reside in it can significantly impact on your quality of life as it may change dramatically the neighborhood that you can afford to live in. For a Limited Time Only With the immediate purchase of any subscription equal to or more than $99.00 we will provide you with invaluable information and our 20 years of experience in foreclosures to assist you in your endeavors to purchase properties in foreclosure. Our commitment and goal is to provide you with the information tools necessary to give you the opportunity and ability to purchase foreclosures. Highlights Get the Facts and Ask Your Questions Here The purchase of a foreclosure property is a sound financial investment as well as a rewarding experience. Savvy investors purchase foreclosures for up to 50% below market value. Click on the blue link above and ask all those pressing questions about buying foreclosures that you want answers to. If you take the time to ask the question we'll respond in kind. If you are serious about buying a foreclosure property in the New York City Metro area then this is the only place for you to be. We have the data and the expertise. More importantly, though, we will answer your questions. Critical decision making will inevitably be required. As in any investment process you should first be educated about the nuances involved. The question is: Are you just looking for bare data or do you want the knowledge that we can provide along with it? Variety and Volume Whether you are looking for a condo, brownstone, loft, mansion, warehouse, factory, vacant land or store you can find them all within our online database. Try our System Evaluate our online database of auction sale and lis pendens data for the New York City Metro area including Nassau, Rockland, Suffolk and Westchester Counties. Just click on the blue link above. We are the only ones to have the most complete listing of all the upcoming judicial foreclosure auction sales for this entire area. Sign up today and be purchasing a foreclosure property tomorrow! If you want the most current data consider signing up for one of our subscription specials Related Sites We are building one of the most comprehensive directories of foreclosure and real estate related services. Below are just a sampling. To see our entire directory simply click here . All Foreclosure Information Bates Foreclosure Report International Real Estate Directory Real Deal Publications Real Estate Investing Online The Foreclosure Experts The Complete Real Estate Software Catalog Vandema Commercial Real Estate Resources REALS - A Comprehensive Real Estate Directory Yahoo Real Estate Values The foreclosure and repossession marketplace Searchalot Foreclosure Updates Join our e-mail list! Enter your e-mail address and click GO to receive foreclosure subscription offers by e-mail. Please read our Privacy Statement . Last Revised: 1-AUGUST-05 ©2005 Data Trac,Inc. All rights reserved.

Home For Sale

Green Homes For Sale Green Homes Green Home Healthy Homes For Sale Healthy Home Healthy Homes Green Real Estate Natural Homes For Sale Natural Homes Natural Home Eco Homes For Sale Eco Homes Eco Home Straw Bale Homes For Sale Straw Bale Homes Straw Bale Home StrawBale Homes For Sale StrawBale Homes Adobe Homes For Sale Adobe Homes Adobe Home Solar Homes For Sale Solar Homes Solar Home Earthship Homes for Sale Earthship Homes Earthship Home Energy Efficient Homes For Sale Energy Efficient Homes Energy Efficient Home Permacutlure Homes For Sale Permaculture Homes Permaculture Home Sustainable Homes For Sale Sustainable Homes Sustainable Home Cohousing For Sale Cohousing Sustainable Housing For Sale Rammed Earth Homes For Sale Rammed Earth Homes Eco Retreat Centers For Sale Eco Retreat Centers Healing Centers For Sale Healing Centers Green Homes For Sale Green Homes Natural Homes For Sale Natural Homes Healthy Homes For Sale Healthy Homes Eco Homes For Sale Eco Homes Straw Bale Homes For Sale Straw Bale Homes StrawBale Homes For Sale StrawBale Homes Adobe Homes For Sale Adobe Homes Solar Homes For Sale Solar Homes Earthship Homes for Sale Earthship Homes Energy Efficient Homes For Sale Energy Efficient Homes Permacutlure Homes For Sale Permaculture Homes Sustainable Homes For Sale Sustainable Homes Cohousing Homes For Sale Cohousing Sustainable Housing For Sale Rammed Earth Homes For Sale Rammed Earth Homes Eco Retreat Centers For Sale Eco Retreat Centers Healing Centers For Sale Healing Centers Home Search Homes Browse Homes Sell Your Home Newsletter FAQ Testimonials Contact Thursday, December 29, 2005 Green Home Resources View Contact Info My Properties Fees Login ---- Home List Your Home My Properties Green Home Info Unique Searches: Last Few Listings Most Viewed Least Viewed Recently Updated Old/Sold Listings Property Searches Green Homes Healthy Homes Natural Homes Solar Homes Rammed Earth Strawbale Homes Adobe Homes Off the Grid Homes Country United States (120) Canada (4) New Zealand (1) Puerto Rico (1) Trinidad & Tobago (1) States/Provinces Arizona (10) Arkansas (2) California (16) Colorado (20) Connecticut (1) Florida (5) Georgia (3) Hawaii (1) Idaho (2) Illinois (1) Indiana (1) Iowa (1) Kentucky (1) Maine (1) Maryland (1) Massachusetts (1) Michigan (1) Minnesota (2) Missouri (1) Montana (5) Nevada (1) New Hampshire (3) New Mexico (7) New York (2) North Carolina (5) North Dakota (1) Oregon (7) Pennsylvania (1) Puerto Rico (1) South Carolina (1) South Dakota (1) Tennessee (1) Texas (1) Vermont (1) Virginia (3) Washington (4) Wisconsin (5) British Columbia (3) Nova Scotia (1) Green Homes for Sale -- The marketplace for buying and selling green and healthy homes. Featured Listings: Would you like your listing featured here? Click for more information. Pearce, Arizona SUSTAINABLE COUNTRY LIFESTYLE, high desert location at the base of the Chiricahua Mountains. Strawbale home is both active and passive solar, great natural beauty! Your choice of 4 or 20 acres Portland, Oregon History, character and a healthier way of life. All that, and great accommodation, recently expanded to include 4 living areas, 4 bedrooms and 3 1/2 bathrooms, all suffused with light.Finish materials were carefully selected for environmental sensitivity. Lyons, Colorado This 2 bedroom flat is located within a cohousing community committed to environmental sustainability. Act quickly to pick the options and upgrades in this home. Crestone, Colorado Off-Grid Solar Passive solar, solar & wind electric, solar thermal DHW, natural bldg materials, energy efficient, sustainable, gardens, views, wildlife, private, sustainable minded community, many dharma and spiritual centers, mountains and rivers. Wilton, New Hampshire Oasis of Perfection and Luxury. This beautiful estate is the epitome of understated elegance, superb quality and custom craftsmanship. It is entirely built "green" from top to bottom. Owner designed the home for people with severe allergy and/or allergy concerns. San Diego, California Guarded/Gated 3.4 Acre Estate, Ultimate privacy, Main Adobe Home, Guest Home, Pool House, Greenhouse, 6 car garage, maid's quarters, golf, private country club, Jet airstrip, Priceless Landscaping. Feature your home. Click for more information. Standard Listings: Click for more information. Emeryville, California This two-bedroom, two-bath residence is one of the more open and spacious floorplans available, offering you sensational features. Seattle, Washington New "Green" Townhomes in the Rainier Vista Neighborhood of Columbia City! Hawley, Massachusetts MCS-safe house for sale in western Massachusetts. Custom built, high-quality, low maintenance, 1&1/2 story cape. Beautifully sited on 7. Burnt Ranch, California 30' diameter Pacific Yurt with second 12' diameter Yurt connected by breeze-way. Three year-round creeks. Pond. Wilton, New Hampshire Oasis of Perfection and Luxury. This beautiful estate is the epitome of understated elegance, superb quality and custom craftsmanship. It is entirely built "green" from top to bottom. Owner designed the home to be a healthy non-toxic environment. Astoria, Oregon Mountain home with spectacular views of Saddle Mountain and costal range. Lots of privacy and seclusion. Energy efficient solar powered house and farm on 69 acres. Cranbrook, British Columbia 6,255 sq. ft. two-storey(includ. walkout basement)luxury home. White pine 10" logs on main and partial upper. 6 bdms. Stunning views from every room. 2-storey natural river rock fireplace. Vesuvius, Virginia Available for immediate possession is a unique log home, custom designed and built for a canary, in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Bainbridge Island, Washington Sustainable architect designed traditional farmhouse green construction using recycled content new materials, non-toxic finishes, certified sustainable yield lumber and materials, small house plan for simple living. No petrolium products or PVC vinyls, th Siler City, North Carolina Three bedroom, 2 bath home. o EnergyStar level of energy efficiency. o Qualifies for Energy Efficient Mortgages and automatic 5% rebate on your electric bill. As featured Wall Street Journal - Real Estate Journal, New York Times - Real Estate, Treehugger.com, WorldChanging.org and the Financial Times. Green Homes for Sale Newsletter Sign-up: Email: Name: For more info - contact us. New GHFS Features: 20 pictures of your home: Sellers can upload up to 20 pictures of a home. You will also be able to choose the image that will be the headline image and rank all the other images. Edit your listings: Sellers are now be able to edit listing(s) easily and on line. With your new user name and password you will have access to the members/sellers control panel which will allow members/sellers to update email address and phone numbers and the price and any other info that is displayed in a listing. Security For Sellers: To protect the email addresses of our sellers and to be sure that potential buyers have accurate email addresses we do require a free registration for anyone wanting to contact a seller. Control Panel: Sellers and members have access to a control panel to manage listings. Personal contact information can changed whenever you wish. The control panel is the launching pad for adding properties and photos. Everything in a listing can be edited and fine tuned to your liking including the display order of your photos. My Saved Listings: Sellers and members can store listings that interest them for future review. Remembers all email sent and received: GHFS saves copies of all email members send to sellers. Sellers will have copies of all email sent to them and members will have copies of all emails sent to sellers. Links to personal home page: Sellers will be able to add links to personal home pages . Home Search Homes Browse Homes Sell Your Home Newsletter FAQ Testimonials Contact © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED www.GreenHomesForSale.com Terms of Use Privacy

Las Vegas real estate

Real estate investors cast watchful eye on Las Vegas' high stakes housing game SFGate Home Business Sports Entertainment Travel Jobs Real Estate Autos SFGate News Web by Real estate investors cast watchful eye on Las Vegas' high stakes housing game Kelly Zito, Chronicle Staff Writer Monday, March 7, 2005 now part of stylesheet -- More... Printable Version Email This Article Las Vegas' lucky number last year was 52 -- as in 52 percent. That's how much real estate prices jumped in the nation's fastest-growing city in one year, as a housing shortage set off a wave of speculation by investors from California and other states. But as any gambler knows, Lady Luck eventually turns a cold shoulder. Las Vegans wanted to cash in, too, and so many put their houses up for sale that they flooded the market. By the end of the year, some homebuilders were slashing prices. For investors from states like California where prices seem to move in only one direction -- up -- it was a stark example of a deflating bubble. "When you lose money in real estate, you really feel it,'' said Igor Doncov, a software engineer in Half Moon Bay who bought two new houses in Las Vegas early in 2004 but sold them at a loss after his builder, Pulte Homes, cut prices on its new models by $180,000. "I thought I couldn't lose," he said in a telephone interview. "But it turned into a total disaster." Housing analysts don't think Las Vegas' slowdown is a sign that prices will soften soon in other fast-appreciating regions. But they say it is a warning of what could happen in the Bay Area as interest rates go up -- particularly for people trying to "flip" houses for a quick profit. "Everyone is watching Las Vegas with its price appreciation and flipping," said John Karevoll, an analyst at DataQuick, the La Jolla real estate research firm. "If something weird happens, it'll happen there first." For years, Las Vegas real estate was cheap. Myrna Kingham, president of the Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors, remembers not-so-distant days of driving around in a pickup wearing high heels and showing clients dusty 5-acre parcels listed for $20,000. But as the population of Las Vegas and surrounding Clark County grew 81 percent in the 1990s, adding 621,160 people, housing prices caught up, matching the national median of $145,000 in 2001. Then last year, the market caught fire, boosted by healthy job gains, a growing stream of retirees, Californians drawn to lower home prices and an influx of investor money. Builders, faced with a shortage of workers, had trouble keeping up. Add rock-bottom interest rates, and the scene resembled the go-go days of the Bay Area's tech boom. Hundreds of would-be buyers descended on open houses, and home prices seemed to increase as quickly as the progressive jackpots in the slot machines on the Strip. Record appreciation In the spring of 2004, the median price for a single-family house was $269,000, 52 percent higher than the year before -- a national record for appreciation, according to the National Association of Realtors. "The market was hotter than blazes," Kingham said. "People were looking for affordability -- they wanted a nice home in an area with nice weather that they could buy for $200,000." Californians, who pay some of the highest home prices in the nation, took notice. Golden State residents have snapped up nearly 27,000 Las Vegas properties since 2000, according to DataQuick. In 2004 alone, California residents bought 11,600 homes -- 12 percent of the transactions in Clark County for the year. Bay Area residents bought nearly 7,800 Las Vegas properties over the past five years. In the second quarter of 2004 alone, the number who bought Las Vegas property doubled from the same quarter the year before, to more than 800,surpassing investment in Sacramento, the Tahoe region and Palm Springs for the seventh straight quarter. But in less time than it takes to build a single house, the market changed. Egged on by the stratospheric prices their neighbors were asking -- and getting -- homeowners in Las Vegas flooded the market with "for sale" signs. The number of existing houses posted for sale on the Multiple Listing Service ballooned from about 1,400 in February to more than 16,000 by October. Among them were never-lived-in homes offered by investors who had bought them only months before from national homebuilders -- who were selling their own brand-new houses literally across the street. In early fall one of those builders, Pulte Homes, took the extraordinary step of slashing prices by $25,000 to $180,000 on more than 20 of its Las Vegas-area developments. The move sent shock waves through the Las Vegas building industry and angered investors like Igor Doncov. Doncov, a 57-year-old engineer who was a victim of the technology flame-out, was one of thousands of investors who hoped to turn a quick profit by buying and selling Las Vegas property within a few months. Early last year he bought two new houses from Pulte Homes for $515,000 each. By the end of the summer, he said, the houses were worth well over $600,000, based on Pulte's prices for the same models. Then Pulte cut the price by about $180,000. Doncov sold the two properties in December and January for $480,000 and $490,000; after closing costs and sales fees, he estimates he lost $100,000. He is working with a lawyer to try to recoup the losses from Pulte, on the grounds Pulte misled investors by systematically raising new home prices, then abruptly lowering them. Many people in Las Vegas shrug at tales like Doncov's, saying any plan to get rich quick is fraught with risk. "There are people who come here and lose all kinds of money on the card table," said Keith Schwer, an economist at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. By December, it was clear the peak of the frenzy had passed. Residential building permits that month were 34 percent below the previous December's, as measured by the Center for Business and Economic Research, which Schwer directs. And 15 percent fewer people were moving to Las Vegas -- some undoubtedly spooked by the region's steep jump in home prices. Pulte officials would not comment on the price reductions. In the wake of Pulte's move, other builders also cut prices but made no formal announcements. KB Home, the region's largest home builder, didn't cut prices but did tighten its policies on sales to investors. Contracts now stipulate, that, barring the loss of a job or other major problem, those who resell their properties within a year have to give KB Home the profit. Despite the builders' moves, Schwer and other experts say the Las Vegas market remains healthy. In recent months, they say, the number of homes for sale has declined and homes are selling faster. In January, however, there were still 13,800 homes for sale. Though the median price for a new home climbed 6 percent to $307,500, the median for an existing home -- $251,000 - was up only one half of one percent from a year before, according to Schwer. Over the long term, the area's job growth -- including a new 8,000-employee casino opening in April -- warm climate, entertainment options and well-equipped airport will continue to draw buyers, Schwer said. On a Friday morning in February, Bill Jeffers, who owns Valley Furniture in Livermore, toured a $731,000 home in a subdivision called Inverness. By buying a home in Las Vegas, Jeffers, who has lived on Maui for several years, will shorten his twice-monthly commute to the store and put his grandchildren into strong school systems. "I tried to get in last year, but there were just too many other buyers," said Jeffers, a Livermore native. Some making profits And some investors who bought wisely are making profits. Stephanie Wedge, a San Jose real estate agent who also brokers property in Las Vegas, bought a house for $625,000 last May. She put the 5-year-old home on the market on Feb. 23 for $775,000, and she expected to get an offer the following week. "That's a really good turnaround," said Wedge, who also has reserved a condo in a yet-to-be built high-rise. "I think it depends on where the property is -- and this is in a gated, country club community." The continued pace of construction serves as an outward sign of the region's confidence. On a stretch of freeway south of the Strip, a sign reads "KB Home, Next 5 Exits." Adding more houses to a market already flush with them would seem to only exacerbate any stagnation in the market. But Dennis Smith, president of Las Vegas' Homebuilders Research Inc. pointed out the vast majority of new homes are presold. The market "is still in correction mode because of the high inventory in the resale segment,'' he said. "It will probably take at least six months for that to end." So, will what happened in Vegas, stay in Vegas? Schwer doubts Las Vegas' deceleration will bleed into the Golden State -- or any other state -- in part because Las Vegas growth rates were so far above the norm. Others say the arc of Las Vegas' recent experience may contain a hint of the Bay Area's future. While the nine-county region saw much lower price appreciation last year than Las Vegas -- an increase of about 17 percent -- Ed Leamer, a UCLA economist, contends that both regions are enveloped in a speculative frenzy. In Las Vegas, an oversupply of homes relative to demand may spell price declines. Back in the Bay Area, Leamer thinks rising interest rates will take some of the air out of the market as fewer people qualify to buy expensive properties -- though any correction would be far less dramatic than Las Vegas'. "Because the market has cracked in Las Vegas doesn't mean it's imminent in other areas," Leamer said. "But it gives you a sense of what may happen in these areas in the face of rising interest rates." E-mail Kelly Zito at kzito@sfchronicle.com . Page A - 1 Get up to 50% off home delivery of the Chronicle for 12 weeks! MARKETING Compelling writer? Action 36 Cable 6 (KICU-TV) MECHANIC SF tugboat co POKER Expert poker player needed REAL ESTATE Sales *FREE TRAINING! Prudential CA Realty SALES Can you sell the President? IPA SALES Benefit package AGI Publishing SALES $125K PLUS In-Home Kitchen Kitchenworks, Inc. SALES TIMESHARE Bay Area Timeshare Co SECURITY Take Your Pick of Great Jobs CONSTRUCTION Real estate development co COURT PROJECT MGR Federal court in SF Office of the Circuit Executive EDUCATION NOW HIRING Chabot-Las Positas Community College District ENGINEER Emeryville office Malcolm Pirnie ENGINEERS Estab'd co in N. Bay JM Turner Engineering GOVERNMENT Career in Public Safety. City of Belmont About Top Jobs View All Top Jobs Back To Top San Francisco Chronicle Sections Datebook Commentary Sports News Bay Area Business ©2005 San Francisco Chronicle | Privacy Policy | Feedback | RSS Feeds | FAQ | Site Index | Contact