real estate broker too

Feds probe real estate agents - Apr. 22, 2005 Web CNN/Money Buying & Selling Investment Property Home Improvement Million $ Life Financing Best Places SAVE | EMAIL | PRINT | SUBSCRIBE TO MONEY | Feds probe real estate agents Money magazine investigation shows Justice Dept. looking into anticompetitive practices. April 22, 2005: 5:27 PM EDT By Jon Birger, Money Magazine NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Did you pay your real estate broker too much? The U.S. Department of Justice may be set to turn Tulsa, Okla. into a test-case for ending the stranglehold 6 percent commissions have over the real estate brokerage business. MONEY has learned that Justice's Antitrust Division is gathering information on the bully tactics that full-commission brokers in Tulsa allegedly use against their discount rivals to discourage commission-cutting. The probe follows other recent efforts to spur competition in the real estate industry. According to a copy of a Justice Department subpoena obtained by MONEY, federal investigators are seeking information on "possible anticompetitive conduct in the provision of real estate services in the Tulsa area" as well as "documents related to refusal to cooperate on real estate transactions." An Antitrust Division spokeswoman confirmed the existence of the investigation but declined to provide additional details. Al Unser, executive director of the Greater Tulsa Association of Realtors said: "We received a CID [civil investigative demand] from the Justice Dept. and we have responded." Economists who study real estate, such as the University of Cincinnati's Norm Miller, believe anti-competitive behavior is the primary explanation for the persistence of the 6 percent commission. J.D. Smith and Bob Meyer are two Tulsa discount real estate agents who say they were interviewed by federal investigators. They say the investigators wanted information on full-commission agents' alleged refusal to show home-buying clients properties listed by discount brokers -- a tactic known as boycotting. Boycotting exploits the one major weakness of the multiple listing service. The MLS's upside is that it centralizes all homes for sale in a single electronic marketplace that can be accessed by all agents -- and these days by Web-savvy consumers as well. The downside is that brokers must depend on one another to help sell their homes, and that discourages them from undercutting each other's commissions. While boycotting the listings of discounters is generally considered an antitrust violation -- if undisclosed, it's also a breach of fiduciary duty to clients -- industry insiders are well aware that boycotting goes on, even if they claim not to condone it. For Smith, the Feds' investigation comes a year or so too late. His realty business on the brink of ruin, Smith recently abandoned discount brokerage and went back to charging 6 percent. "In one week," Smith said, "I've had more showings and more offers from other realtors than I had in the previous two months." The Tulsa investigation is part of an ongoing Antitrust Division foray into the sharp-elbowed realty world. In March, the Antitrust Division sued the Kentucky Real Estate Commission over a state law that prohibits real estate brokers from offering commission rebates to consumers. More recently, Assistant Attorney General R. Hewitt Pate sent letters to lawmakers and regulators in Oklahoma and Texas, urging them to reject proposals that would effectively prohibit brokers from engaging in limited-service or fee-for-service realty -- such as listing a home for sale on the multiple listing service for a flat fee of $500. Bruce Hahn, chairman of the American Homeowners Grassroots Alliance, argues that state prohibitions on rebates and fee-for-service discourage competition and inflate commissions paid by consumers. "We've talked to Justice, and we think what they're doing is tremendous," he said. E-mail Jon Birger at jbirger@moneymail.com. The Hot List Most profitable renovations How risky is your 401(k)? Big new tax credits for hybrid cars More Real Estate How to buy and build on rural land Most overvalued housing markets When booms go bust... contact us | magazine customer service | site map | glossary | RSS | press room OTHER NEWS: CNN | SI | Fortune | Business2.0 = Money subscribers = Premium content -- * - Time reflects local markets trading time. † - Intraday data is at least 15-minutes delayed. Disclaimer © 2005 Cable News Network LP, LLLP. A Time Warner Company ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Terms under which this service is provided to you. privacy policy Reprints of site stories are available. Top Stories Most overvalued housing markets Risks to the economy in 2006 Which was the worst ad of all in 2005? After the ride, a rest Hilton brands reunite after 40 years YOUR E-MAIL ALERTS Real Estate Antitrust Division Corporate Governance Oklahoma or Create your own Manage alerts | What is this?

Real Estate Loan

Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage - Real Estate, Mortgage, Insurance, Relocation Services Property Search Find An Office Find A Sales Associate Open Houses Previews New Construction The Buying Process FAQs Recent Sales Search Find An Office Find A Sales Associate Previews New Construction The Selling Process FAQs Mortgage Services Mortgage Pre-Approval Find A Mortgage Consultant Refinancing Loan Programs The Mortgage Process Privacy Policy FAQs Insurance Services Privacy Policy FAQs Get A Moving Quote Moving Services The Moving Process Checklist FAQs Our Town Videos Corporate Services The Relocation Process International Services Employee Benefits FAQs LOGIN / REGISTER ABOUT US CAREERS CBRB CARES CONTACT US MA ME NH RI CT Min Price $0 $75,000 $100,000 $125,000 $150,000 $200,000 $250,000 $300,000 $350,000 $400,000 $500,000 $600,000 $700,000 $800,000 $900,000 $1,000,000 $1,250,000 $1,500,000 $1,750,000 $2,000,000 $2,500,000 $3,000,000 Property Type Single Family Multi-Family Condo Land Max Price $75,000 $100,000 $125,000 $150,000 $200,000 $250,000 $300,000 $350,000 $400,000 $500,000 $600,000 $700,000 $800,000 $900,000 $1,000,000 $1,250,000 $1,500,000 $1,750,000 $2,000,000 $2,500,000 $3,000,000 $3,000,000+ Search by MLS# • Previews Luxury Properties • Open Houses • New Construction • Recent Sales Receive fast personal assistance from one of our Home Resource Center Professionals. • Mortgage Pre-Approval • Your Home's Value • Get A Moving Quote • Help Selecting a Sales Associate • Over 55 Housing • Rental Services • Commercial Services May We Help You? Contact Customer Service Email Address Password Remember Me Need your password hint ? Not a member yet? Register Now to access these benefits and more: » Access all available MLS listings. » Save your search criteria. » Save individual listings. » Watch your favorite streets for new listings. » Receive daily Email Alerts. • View a sample HomeMovie • View a sample PhotoGallery • Search for an office by town. • Search for a sales associate by name. • Let us help you select a sales associate. 2005 Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage All rights reserved. Owned and Operated by NRT, Inc. Equal Housing Opportunity, Equal Housing Lender. Unauthorized duplication, use, or linkage is prohibited. Site Map | Terms of Use | Privacy Promise

Sell House

Boston.com / Real estate Buying Renting Recent sales Place an ad Luxury Living Community data Financing Commercial Moving Guides SELLING YOUR HOUSE CLEAR THE CLUTTER • Recognize that many buyers resist purchasing a jam-packed home. CLUTTER EPIDEMIC Are you another victim of the "national clutter epidemic?" These six suggestions could help you slim down. Crowded rooms seem smaller than they are. Home buyers rarely determine the size of rooms with a measuring tape. Most do it mentally. • Purge your place of personal elements. House hunters are almost universally put off by any home so crowded with personal belongings that they can't picture themselves having enough space to live there. • Visualize yourself about to move out. You are about to sell your home, so start packing those things. Don't just put them in a drawer. • Eliminate bad odors. Buyers want fresh aromas. Bad smells can ruin the best-laid sale strategies. • Realize that any sort of large collection can crowd your home. • Don't seek to conceal anything weird. Remove it. THE POWER OF FIRST IMPRESSIONS • Gather intelligence before you put your house up for sale. Step back and play stranger. Take a trip along your street to see whether other properties look more fetching and why. • Recognize the increasing importance of an attractive frontal view. Many real estate specialist now urge sellers to concentrate more of their potential presale spending on outdoor improvements, including painting and landscaping. Part of this has to do with the ever-more-common practice among buyers of sizing up a home on the outside before going in. • Don't hide the merchandise. Remove any overgrown greenery that may shroud your house from view. • Remember that a color picture is worth more than 1,000 words. Your home may seem stately and grand without the benefit of any colorful floral touches. Yet for a modest sum, you can add flower beds that will beckon prospects to your property whether they see it on the Internet or while driving by. SPENDING A LITTLE CAN PAY OFF BIG • Small improvements can help you to sell your home faster. They can even command a higher selling price, and also help reduce the tax you'll have to pay on the profit from the sale of your home. • Disabuse yourself of the view that most buyers have cash to spare. Most buyers don't have the money to move in and do upgrades right away. "If people can go into a property and think that they don't have to do anything to it to move in, they are willing to spend more money," said Maio. "But where they go in and think they will have to paint, or sand the floors, or do any kind of major cleanup, that means extra money they have to spend." • Remember that condition can be nearly as important as location. Compiled from the Boston Globe archives. References include: 'Fixing up to sell often inexpensive', by Jerry Ackerman, 8/29/1993; 'Tips on preparing your home to fetch the best price', by Jennifer Babson, 1/3/1999; 'Investing in your home to ease sale', 2/27/2000; 'Devising a plan for springtime home sale', by Ellen James Martin, 2/13/2000. feedback | help | site map | advertising | globe archives | rss © 2006 The New York Times Company Real Estate Guide - Massachusetts Home Builder - New Home Construction

Investment Property Calculator Our

Investment Property Friday, 30.12.2005 Calculate Everyday Banking Ways to Bank E-Commerce Solutions Borrow International Trade Property Finance Plant, Equipment and Vehicle Finance Information Debtor Finance Apply For... Search this site Go | BNZ Home | Site Map | Terms & Conditions | Contact Us | Rates & Fees | Careers | Investment Property Calculator Our investment property finance calculator is a unique tool developed to help you as an investor test the affordability of property investments you might be considering. It can help you to find out what level of surplus or deficit your "financed" property investment may generate. To move between fields use your mouse, or the Tab button on your keyboard. For further help on using the calculator, just read our instructions . Enter the property's annual rental income: $ Enter the yield you wish to obtain: % Purchase Price: $ ~ result Enter either: loan amount as % of purchase price: Or amount of cash or equity you wish to contribute: 30% 35% 40% 45% 50% 55% 60% 65% 70% 75% $ Loan Amount: $ ~ result Loan Repayments: Interest Only Principal & Interest Interest Rate: 6.00% 6.25% 6.50% 6.75% 7.00% 7.25% 7.50% 7.75% 8.00% 8.25% 8.50% 8.75% 9.00% 9.25% 9.50% 9.75% 10.00% 10.25% 10.50% 10.75% 11.00% 11.25% 11.50% 11.75% 12.00% Repayment based on year term Annual Repayment: $ ~ result Surplus: $ ~ result Surplus return on cash contribution: % ~ result How much will be owing on my loan after years? Amount Remaining: $ ~ result How to use the calculator: Rent is the source of income from any investment property that you may be considering. Key in the rental income that your proposed investment will generate. Yield is the rate of return you expect to achieve from any property investment you may wish to make. Key in the yield that you believe is an appropriate return on your investment. The combination of the rental income together with the yield you expect will determine the amount you will need to pay for the property to satisfy your return expectations. Enter the cash (equity) you would like to contribute to the investment; or Select the loan amount as a percentage of the purchase property you are considering, to test the tolerance of your investment compared to debt levels. Which loan repayment option would you prefer? Interest only or principal and interest? Select an option. Interest rate? Select an interest rate option , or call a property finance lending manager for a quote. Term? The term of your loan will also affect the level of debt servicing that your financed investment property can sustain. Select a term over which you wish to repay your debt. What the calculator will tell you: The price you are prepared to pay for the property you are considering, based on the rental income from the property and the return (yield) you expect on your investment. The total of the annual payments to service the debt on this proposition, based on the percentage you have considered borrowing against the purchase price, the repayment option you have selected and the term you have chosen. The cashflow surplus before any overheads, depreciation, miscellaneous costs and taxation. What it won't tell you: The quality of the rent. Before you make any investment, you must independently check that the tenant(s) in the property you are considering purchasing have a sound track record, and can be relied upon (in your opinion) to pay the rent. The quality of the property. Check with a registered valuer about the quality of the investment you are about to make. Ask a property finance lending manager for some guidance on how to choose a registered valuer to help you in making a prudent decision. The quality of your investment decision. Once again, we recommend you seek guidance from a registered valuer, a solicitor and an accountant in helping you make a sound decision. Ask a property finance lending manager for some guidance on how to choose your professional advisors. DISCLAIMER The calculator is provided for general information purposes only and does not form advice given by Bank of New Zealand. Bank of New Zealand accept no liability whatsoever for the consequences of any use of the calculator which shall not constitute an offer of finance. back to top © Bank of New Zealand 2001. Use of the information contained on this page is subject to our Terms and Conditions

Home Loan | Equity

Mortgage Rates, Home Loans, Home Equity Loans, Debt Consolidation and Bad Credit Loans - HomeLoanCenter.com Mortgage Refinance Home Equity Loans Home Purchase Credit Concerns Debt Consolidation Check Loan Status Loan Calculators Rate Quote Rate Watch FAQs Find the Right Loan 5 Reasons to Refinance Home Buying Tips Mortgage Terms Glossary Get Loan Approval in Minutes. Qualifying is Quick & Easy. -- Choose Your Loan Type -- Refinance Purchase Home Equity Loan -- Choose Your State -- AK AL AR AZ CA CO CT DC DE FL GA HI IA ID IL IN KS KY LA MA MD ME MI MN MO MS MT NC ND NE NH NJ NM NV NY OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VA VT WA WI WV WY Our Mortgage Calculators will help you find the right loan. How Much Can You Afford? How Much Equity is in Your Home? How Much Could You Save? What Will Your Monthly Payment Be? Hsieh Joins Expert Panel on CNBC Anthony Hsieh appears on a special edition of CNBC Primetime with a panel of residential real estate industry experts. Anthony Hsieh, on CNN's Open House Hsieh appeared as a guest speaker on CNN's Open House to discuss good housing debt versus bad housing debt. Click below for a Personalized Payment and Rate. Option ARM 1.000% 1.106% 1 Month ARM 2.000% 2.116% 3/1 Libor ARM 5.000% 5.149% 15 Year Fixed 5.125% 5.384% 30 Year Fixed 5.625% 5.782% 30 Yr Fixed Jumbo 6.125% 6.289% Assumptions Site Map | About Us | Contact Us | Business Hours | Careers | Privacy Policy | Our Guarantees | Licensing | Legal Information Loan Payment Calculator | Mortgage Refinance | Home Equity Loan | Home Purchase | Adjustable Rate Mortgages | Second Mortgage Tools & Resources | Mortgage Interest Rates | Home Loan | Equity Loan | Debt Consolidation © 2005 Home Loan Center, Inc. All rights reserved. Loan programs are offered by Home Loan Center, Inc.