new home. //-- New

The California Endowment - Home Grant Finder | Contact Us The start of the New Year marks a new beginning for The California Endowment as we move our Woodland Hills administrative office and the Los Angeles Regional Program Office to a new facility in downtown Los Angeles. The new campus will also feature the Center for Healthy Communities , designed to mobilize leaders from the public, private and nonprofit sectors to collaborate in order to improve the health of California's underserved communities. The Center will open to the public on April 6, 2006. Beginning December 22, 2005, our new main mailing address is: 1000 North Alameda Street Los Angeles, CA 90012 Our phone number remains the same: 800.449.4149. Best wishes for the holiday season, and we look forward to welcoming you to our new home. //-- New Annual Report Breaking Ground Now Online The California Endowment's 2004-05 Annual Report, Breaking Ground, reflects a year in which the foundation launched new statewide initiatives while it literally broke ground on construction of a new multipurpose facility – to house administrative offices and its Center for Healthy Communities – in downtown Los Angeles. The report also presents information concerning The Endowment’s governance, grant making and resource management for the past fiscal year in an online format. View 2004-05 annual report View 2004-05 grants list Getting California's Kids Covered There is a growing movement among California counties to get all of the state’s children enrolled in public and private health coverage programs. These Children’s Health Initiatives (CHIs) serve as a single point of entry to enrolling kids in Medi-Cal; the state-run children's health insurance program Healthy Families; and Healthy Kids , a low-cost vision, dental and health insurance product. Healthy Kids covers children who don’t qualify for publicly-funded programs and whose family income does not exceed 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (about $56,000 for a family of four). The California Endowment today announced $7.5 million in premium subsidy support for 17 CHIs across the state. This funding will provide health coverage for about 8,000 uninsured California kids. Learn more about The Endowment’s funding to the counties of: Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside Bay Area counties of San Francisco, Alameda, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Napa and Sonoma Central Valley counties of Fresno, Tulare, San Joaquin, Yolo and Solano California’s coastal counties of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Santa Cruz Learn more about the movement to get all of California’s kids covered. New Report Dignity Denied: The Price of Imprisoning Older Women in California "Dignity Denied: The Price for Imprisoning Older Women in California," a report funded in part by The California Endowment, examines the conditions of confinement for older women imprisoned in California, their health and safety concerns as well as strategies to improve their health and well-being. View press release View report New Grant Application Guide Available The California Endowment is pleased to offer a new Grant Application Guide for prospective applicants. We have made several changes in application procedures to better focus our resources to make lasting improvements in the health of Californians. In conjunction with the launch, The Endowment is also hosting a series of information sessions throughout the state. View Guide Welcome to The Center for Healthy Communities A letter from Board Chair Cynthia Ann Telles, Ph.D., and President and CEO Robert K. Ross, M.D., announces The California Endowment's exciting development in Downtown Los Angeles – a multipurpose facility that will house the foundation's Los Angeles Program Office, administrative offices and the Center for Healthy Communities. Learn More Two reports, funded by The California Endowment, show that increasing health premiums are eroding dependent coverage nationwide. While job-based dependent coverage is falling for all income levels, the sharpest drops are in low and moderate-income families. View the press release Read 'Kids at Risk' Read 'Current Strategies to Expand Dependent Health Coverage' -- Currently, there are 800,000 kids in California without health insurance. Peter Long, a senior program officer for The California Endowment, was a recent guest on KNX 1070's Michael Jackson radio show in Los Angeles and discussed ways to cover all kids in the state. Listen to Part One Listen to Part Two //-- Print this page | Send to a friend | Sign Up for E-mail Updates | Create Your Profile Privacy | Terms of Use | Site Map | Help | Home | About the Foundation | Program Area | Grant Application Guide | Public Policy & Advocacy | | News & Information Bureau | Evaluation | Reference Library | Regional Offices | Careers | If you are having technical difficulties, please contact us at: webmaster@calendow.org .

Real Estate Broker Requirements

TREC - Broker Application Information -- Licensee Info Search Quick Links -- To Popular Pages -- Licensee Info Search R. E. Contract Forms Renew or Apply Online Salesperson Application Real Estate License Forms Education Providers Core R.E. Course List Freq. Asked Questions Real Estate License Act TREC Rules Data File Downloads License Information Licensing Main Page MCE Requirements FAQs Timeshare Registration Residential Service Company Program Licensed Residential Service Companies Fee Schedule Applications, Requirements Applications & Other License Forms Real Estate Salesperson Requirements Real Estate Broker Requirements R.E. Broker (Corporation & LLC) Requirements Candidate Info. Brochure Reciprocity Information Inspector Applications Renew Your License Renewing a Salesperson License Renewing a Broker License Online Renewal (Brokers, 2yr Salespersons) Duplicate of License Renewal Notice Inspector Renewals KEY To Symbols =Page is in area (folder tab) of this color = Adobe PDF file format = Web site external to TREC Applying to Become a Real Estate Broker (Please Read All Information Carefully) To be eligible to apply for a real estate Broker License, an individual must be a citizen of the United States or a lawfully admitted alien, eighteen (18) years of age or older and a legal resident of Texas. If the applicant is a resident of another state, the applicant must be licensed by that state as a real estate broker. To be eligible to apply for a real estate Broker License, an individual must furnish the Commission satisfactory evidence of successfully completing the following: Not less than two (2) years active experience in Texas as a licensed real estate salesperson or broker during the 96 month period immediately preceding the filing of the application; or If licensed as a broker in another state, not less than two (2) years active experience as a licensed real estate salesperson or broker during the 36 month period immediately preceding the filing of the application. 270 classroom hours of core real estate courses . An additional 630 classroom hours in related courses acceptable to the Commission. Evidence of successful course completion shall be presented via credit transcript or certificate accompanying an application. DO NOT submit original transcripts and/or course completion certificates. Keep the originals for your personal files and send photocopies to the Commission. To be eligible to apply for a real estate Broker License you must first obtain a letter from the Commission attesting to satisfaction of all education requirements. THE EVALUATION OF EDUCATION DOCUMENTS MUST BE PERFORMED BEFORE THE APPLICATION CAN BE FILED. To obtain an evaluation of your education documents submit the form, Request for Evaluation of Education Documents . A fee of $20 is required for the evaluation of education documents for the purpose of determining if education requirements have been satisfied. This fee is good for one year. Please submit copies of your transcripts or course certificates with your request for evaluation. DO NOT submit original documents. The following required fees must be submitted at the time of filing an application. AN APPLICATION RECEIVED WITHOUT THE APPROPRIATE FEES WILL BE REJECTED AND RETURNED. The following fees should be submitted in ONE CHECK OR MONEY ORDER payable to the Texas Real Estate Commission. ALL FEES LISTED BELOW ARE NONREFUNDABLE. Fees Required with Real Estate Broker License Application Fee Amount Comment Original Application $300 Required for all applicants Recovery Trust Account (formerly Recovery Fund) $10 Required for all applicants unlesspreviously paid License examinations are administered by PSI, a testing service company. Once your application has been received, processed and accepted, you will receive notification that you may obtain a copy of the Candidate Information Brochure (CIB) to register for the exam. The CIB will provide instructions on how to make reservations to take the examination and contains study material and instructions about licensing. A copy of the CIB can be downloaded from the PSI web site at http://www.psiexams.com . Please DO NOT attempt to register for the exam without first receiving notification from our office. The filing of an application authorizes an investigation of the applicant's background. Information revealed in an investigation may be cause for disapproval of an application even though other requirements for a license are met. If an investigation is necessary, it may not be conducted until the applicant has passed the examination. State law prohibits issuing more than one license after a licensee has defaulted on astudent loan guaranteed by the Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation (TGSLC) unless the licensee has entered into a repayment agreement with TGSLC. YOU SHOULD CONTACT TGSLC BEFORE FILING THIS APPLICATION if you have defaulted on a student loan. An application or renewal may be rejected if this agency has received information from TGSLC that the applicant has defaulted on a student loan. The Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation can be contacted at: Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation P.O. Box 15996 Austin, Texas 78761-5996 Telephone: 1-800-222-6297 The time involved in processing an application depends on work volume. Inquiry as to the status of an application delays processing work. Inquiry should not be made unless there isreason to believe that information submitted to the Commission has not been received. An incomplete application will not be returned for completion. A letter will be mailed requesting the incomplete information. The examination must be passed within six months from the date the application is filed with the commission office. You are not authorized to perform any act for which a real estate license is required until an ACTIVE Texas Real Estate Commission license is in your possession. Submit Documents And Applications On Plain Paper. Do Not Send "Thermal" Type Paper. Page last modified: 11/21/2005 Site Map Privacy & Security Policy Open Records Accessibility Texas Online Statewide Search TX Homeland Security

Real Estate Prices

DQNews - San Diego Union Tribune Zip Code Chart -- December 29, 2005 DQNews Home | DataQuick | Forums | -- Release | Custom Reports Search -- i Updated: December 16, 2005 -- -- -- Real Estate News -- . -- DQNEWS HOME -- RECENT RELEASES Monthly for SoCal Monthly for Bay Area New! -- CA Monthly City Chart ZIP CODE CHARTS Updated Monthly: LA Times Zip Chart SD Union Tribune Chart OC Register Chart SF Chronicle Chart Sacramento Bee Chart Annual Charts: CA 2004 City Chart LA Times 2004 Chart OC Register 2004 Chart SD Tribune 2004 Chart SF Chronicle 2004 Chart Sac Bee 2004 Chart Updated Weekly: SJ Mercury News Chart California SoCal Area Bay Area -- REGIONAL CHARTS Phoenix 3Q05 Honolulu 3Q05 Las Vegas 3Q05 Portland 3Q05 Seattle 3Q05 Nashville 3Q05 Miami/Palm Bch 3Q05 Jacksonville, FL 3Q05 Denver 3Q05 Chicago 3Q05 CURRENT HEADLINES Home Sale Trends Mortgage Trends -- Foreclosures Million Dollar Homes Building Activity Other Feature Articles NATIONAL NEWS -- WEB SITE EXTRAS ARCHIVED ARTICLES -- Customized News Services -- -- Custom Reports Archived Zip Code Charts Archived Articles -- Enter your email address to receive DQNews Headlines by email: -- Who We Are -- -- -- Find Out More About DQNews San Diego Union Tribune Zip Code Chart for Home Sales Recorded in November 2005 Back Issues are available through Custom Reports Resale New Single-Family Condominiums All Combined New Place Zip Sales Median % Chg Sales Median % Chg Sales Median % Chg Central San Diego 477 $539,000 5.7% 384 $430,000 4.4% 323 $444,500 -15.3% Allied Gardens, Del Cerro 92120 16 $589,000 7.1% 8 $367,000 -12.2% 5 $320,000 n/a City Heights 92105 28 $418,500 5.3% 17 $250,000 -5.1% 3 $224,000 -42.3% Clairemont 92117 32 $578,250 6.1% 5 $316,000 -3.5% n/a n/a n/a College 92115 29 $468,000 5.2% 16 $311,000 -11.1% 14 $234,000 -20.7% Coronado 92118 6 $1,235,000 -2.9% 17 $825,000 -37.4% n/a n/a n/a Downtown 92101 n/a n/a n/a 48 $539,250 -20.4% 147 $530,000 1.0% Encanto 92114 48 $450,000 9.5% n/a n/a n/a 4 $260,000 -45.8% Golden Hill 92102 19 $440,000 4.1% 4 $237,500 -18.1% n/a n/a n/a Hillcrest, Mission Hills 92103 12 $1,085,000 52.8% 24 $495,000 2.7% 10 $564,500 -9.7% Kensington, Normal Hts 92116 24 $504,500 -14.9% 7 $425,000 21.4% 14 $282,500 15.3% La Jolla 92037 18 $2,025,000 37.3% 35 $595,000 1.7% 22 $462,000 -13.6% Linda Vista 92111 17 $534,000 4.2% 9 $314,000 -18.1% 1 $296,000 n/a Logan Hts 92113 18 $368,500 -0.8% 1 $300,000 26.6% n/a n/a n/a Mira Mesa 92126 52 $520,000 4.0% 23 $400,000 12.7% 3 $359,500 1.3% Mission Bch, Pacific Bch 92109 13 $940,000 19.0% 25 $600,000 5.3% 10 $422,000 -22.6% Mission Valley 92108 n/a n/a n/a 25 $356,000 0.3% 1 $804,500 57.4% Morena 92110 8 $649,500 17.6% 12 $430,000 9.6% n/a n/a n/a North Park 92104 13 $575,000 13.1% 14 $318,000 1.9% 1 $360,000 n/a Ocean Beach 92107 10 $772,000 -8.0% 9 $410,000 -1.2% 4 $431,750 12.1% Paradise Hills 92139 18 $482,500 8.7% 8 $367,500 4.6% 7 $314,500 n/a Point Loma 92106 16 $870,000 15.2% 3 $605,000 24.7% n/a n/a n/a San Carlos 92119 15 $539,000 -2.0% 4 $317,000 0.3% 1 $1,350,000 n/a Scripps Rch 92131 21 $705,000 0.7% 20 $442,500 0.1% 18 $995,000 7.7% Serra Mesa 92123 15 $515,000 7.3% 12 $327,250 -27.7% 8 $517,250 2.1% Sorrento Val. 92121 4 $735,000 -7.3% 6 $422,250 -3.8% n/a n/a n/a Tierrasanta 92124 13 $675,000 -3.6% 15 $425,000 -0.6% n/a n/a n/a University Cty 92122 12 $720,000 6.4% 17 $465,000 -8.8% 50 $344,000 -28.0% East County 317 $490,000 6.5% 82 $325,000 1.7% 63 $446,000 -5.9% Alpine 91901 17 $679,000 8.6% 1 $245,000 -6.1% 5 $699,000 -17.5% Boulevard 91905 2 $353,750 114.4% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Campo 91906 4 $386,000 42.3% n/a n/a n/a 20 $395,500 n/a Descanso 91916 2 $442,500 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a El Cajon 92019 34 $545,500 4.4% 9 $356,000 1.7% 3 $275,000 -59.6% El Cajon 92020 30 $480,000 -4.0% 4 $280,000 -9.4% 2 $294,250 -25.5% El Cajon 92021 34 $466,000 -0.2% 15 $310,000 -4.6% 7 $955,500 106.1% Jacumba 91934 1 $92,000 -23.3% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Jamul 91935 10 $792,500 -2.5% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a La Mesa, Mt. Helix 91941 37 $524,000 17.2% 4 $321,500 7.3% 8 $873,000 -5.4% La Mesa, Grossmont 91942 8 $515,000 1.9% 5 $428,500 30.8% n/a n/a n/a Lakeside 92040 23 $540,000 11.8% 6 $301,000 36.8% n/a n/a n/a Lemon Grove 91945 17 $435,000 3.0% 1 $315,000 0.2% 3 $312,000 n/a Pine Valley 91962 3 $495,000 43.5% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Rancho San Diego 91978 4 $514,000 13.2% 1 $355,000 15.6% n/a n/a n/a Santee 92071 36 $470,000 8.5% 21 $350,000 11.5% 14 $474,500 1.7% Spring Valley 91977 55 $475,000 8.1% 15 $327,000 -7.2% 1 $660,000 19.3% North County Inland 547 $580,000 12.6% 134 $365,000 6.0% 218 $668,500 6.9% Bonsall 92003 6 $837,000 29.0% 3 $324,500 -20.9% n/a n/a n/a Borrego Spr. 92004 3 $125,000 -60.9% 1 $240,000 81.8% n/a n/a n/a Escondido S 92025 29 $490,000 4.8% 12 $317,500 0.8% 1 $575,000 -40.8% Escondido N 92026 41 $500,000 5.3% 6 $334,500 33.3% 12 $781,500 4.9% Escondido E 92027 46 $479,000 11.5% 2 $260,000 -3.3% 1 $948,500 50.6% Escondido W 92029 16 $664,500 6.3% n/a n/a n/a 1 $940,000 n/a Fallbrook 92028 48 $605,000 21.2% 2 $214,823 -40.3% 8 $797,250 26.6% Julian 92036 2 $271,000 48.5% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Palomar Mtn 92060 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Pauma Valley 92061 1 $220,000 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Penasquitos 92129 41 $686,000 5.9% 17 $340,000 -2.9% 13 $917,000 73.0% Poway 92064 42 $588,000 7.1% 5 $420,000 -0.9% 1 $255,000 -88.5% Ramona 92065 36 $575,000 17.1% 5 $302,500 -11.9% 1 $659,000 -9.4% Rancho Bernardo W 92127 20 $1,050,000 70.7% 13 $395,000 18.6% 69 $457,500 -17.9% Rancho Bernardo E 92128 41 $675,000 16.4% 28 $420,000 -2.3% 6 $322,500 11.2% Rancho Santa Fe 92067 4 $2,512,500 11.7% n/a n/a n/a 1 $1,320,500 109.6% Rancho Santa Fe post office 92091 2 $2,800,000 93.1% 1 $865,000 -3.4% n/a n/a n/a San Marcos N 92069 35 $526,000 5.2% 6 $385,000 20.9% 10 $363,500 -39.9% San Marcos S 92078 37 $650,000 13.5% 13 $378,500 -7.2% 73 $702,000 21.5% Santa Ysabel 92070 1 $206,500 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Valley Center 92082 13 $660,000 -2.6% n/a n/a n/a 12 $840,500 5.6% Vista S 92081 20 $555,000 4.7% 5 $420,000 28.4% 1 $543,000 -41.4% Vista W 92083 25 $460,000 5.7% 9 $360,000 15.0% 5 $690,000 4.5% Vista E 92084 37 $580,000 19.6% 6 $367,000 11.4% 1 $889,000 175.2% Warner Spr 92086 1 $611,000 35.0% n/a n/a n/a 2 $53,750 n/a North County Coast 319 $645,000 9.5% 145 $455,000 5.1% 179 $807,000 19.6% Cardiff 92007 12 $677,500 -26.6% 4 $482,500 -10.6% 2 $1,232,000 n/a Carlsbad N 92008 12 $712,500 4.8% 6 $482,500 15.6% 2 $477,500 -48.9% Carlsbad S 92009 32 $770,000 10.0% 16 $447,000 6.4% 77 $890,000 -7.3% Carlsbad I 92010 11 $600,000 -8.3% 6 $410,000 -4.7% 4 $497,750 -29.4% Carlsbad II 92011 16 $865,000 10.9% 13 $645,000 -0.2% 3 $173,500 -77.4% Carmel Valley 92130 26 $970,250 7.4% 23 $645,000 20.6% 48 $791,500 -7.3% Del Mar 92014 13 $2,000,000 40.8% 4 $578,500 -20.8% 1 $2,400,000 108.7% Encinitas 92024 37 $815,000 7.2% 19 $512,500 -5.5% n/a n/a n/a Oceanside S 92054 41 $527,000 16.7% 19 $367,000 0.5% 7 $577,500 7.8% Oceanside E 92056 59 $506,000 6.8% 11 $349,000 -1.7% 11 $278,500 -55.0% Oceanside N 92057 52 $535,500 9.8% 18 $317,500 0.0% 23 $739,000 37.4% Solana Beach 92075 8 $1,047,500 -25.2% 6 $817,500 10.4% 1 $1,200,000 n/a South County 245 $602,500 13.7% 95 $385,000 6.6% 184 $506,500 -12.8% Bonita 91902 16 $703,000 0.4% 2 $385,750 -7.8% n/a n/a n/a Chula Vista N 91910 44 $611,000 15.6% 17 $385,000 2.7% 2 $737,500 n/a Chula Vista S 91911 34 $530,000 12.8% 25 $360,000 3.4% n/a n/a n/a Chula Vista - E. Lake - Otay Ran ch 91913 46 $677,500 15.4% 16 $414,000 -4.2% 21 $408,500 -37.3% Chula Vista NE 91914 14 $713,250 8.1% 5 $440,000 8.1% 37 $478,000 -45.4% Chula Vista SE 91915 23 $612,000 0.3% 8 $483,500 9.9% 87 $582,000 24.4% Imperial Beach 91932 7 $530,000 9.5% 3 $505,000 -3.8% n/a n/a n/a National City 91950 13 $444,000 9.6% 4 $312,500 0.2% 20 $495,750 n/a Nestor 92154 39 $585,000 23.2% 8 $367,500 5.8% 17 $662,000 26.5% San Ysidro 92173 9 $507,000 11.1% 7 $295,000 0.9% n/a n/a n/a ©DataQuick Information Systems This information may not be republished in any form. -- View the DQNews News editorial policy. -- Contact us at info@DQNews.com | DQNews Home | DataQuick Homepage

Selling home on your

Alaska Journal of Commerce: Selling home on your own can prove costly 04/22/02 [an error occurred while processing this directive] [an error occurred while processing this directive] Home Focus In this Issue Calendar Bulletin Board Movers & Shakers Business History Archive Around the World Legals Viewpoint Profile Cartoons Contact Us Advertise with us Subscribe About Us Classified ADs Oil & Gas Special Sections Wealthbuilders Fish Factor Travel Insight Property Wise Tech Watch Law Page Philanthropy Health Book of Lists -5° 17° 9° 8° 27° 33° 35° 41° 44° 39° 35° Choose City Anchorage Barrow Bethel Cordova Deadhorse Denali Park Dillingham Dutch Harbor Fairbanks Galena Haines Homer Juneau Kenai Ketchikan Kodiak Kotzebue McGrath Nenana Paxson Petersburg Pribilof Islands Sitka Skagway Soldotna Talkeetna Valdez Wrangell Yakutat Email Newsletter Palm Pilot Delivery Letter to the editor Comments Locate a copy [an error occurred while processing this directive] [an error occurred while processing this directive] 042202 prop_wise 2 Alaska Journal of Commerce Late night television and local radio programming is rife with infomercials and advertisements touting how easy it is to buy and sell your houses, buildings and businesses all by yourself and save staggering amounts of money to boot. -- Web posted Monday, April 22, 2002 Selling home on your own can prove costly By Ken Jelinek For the Journal Late night television and local radio programming is rife with infomercials and advertisements touting how easy it is to buy and sell your houses, buildings and businesses all by yourself and save staggering amounts of money to boot. They can be rather insulting to those of us in the real estate industry because they attempt to make us sound unnecessary, unethical and expensive. But the fact is, you really can do it yourself successfully. Cynically speaking, however, you can also fix your own car, generate your own electricity, defend yourself in court, trade your own stocks and never visit a doctor. You could probably do your neighbor's job too. One day, when everything is perfectly computerized and digital, you probably won't need a real estate agent. But for now, for the rest of us, we need the help, and that help is going to cost us. So, before you go spiraling off in your declaration of independence, ask yourself, "If it's really so easy, then why aren't all real estate transactions conducted without an agent?" You might also ask yourself if you would want to eliminate the real estate agent and take on all of his or her responsibilities when you are already bogged down with your own life in general, and especially if you haven't done it enough to do it right or do it well? Then, listen closely to your answers because we professionals in the industry are often patching up real estate transactions gone sour behind the well-meaning do-it-yourselfers. Keep in mind that I'm referring to all professionals in the industry including agents, attorneys, loan originators, title officers, processors, surveyors, tax assessors, appraisers and inspectors. But I'm referring specifically to the agent because he or she is the center in this wheel. Nationally, only three to five of every 100 home sales consists of successful "For Sale by Owner" transactions. The vast majority of those that attempt it end up hiring an agent within the first 30 days after they have realized the true cost, time and demands required for marketing and showing a home. Locally, the statistics indicate 15-17 percent of FSBOs are successful. While there are a lot of reasons for this, one of the main ones is that we have a robust seller's market with relatively low inventory. This can be quite tempting for sellers to strike out on their own because it looks easier than it is. But even the owners that sell their own homes usually sell to a buyer who has an agent paid for by the seller. The truth is that the vast majority of all real estate transactions are completed with agents involved on at least one side of the sale, and for this reason, most transactions go very smoothly. But sometimes they don't. One recent seller took the advice of a local FSBO program on pricing his home. Several programs will give you limited service for a set fee. He put an ad in the paper and sold it within three days. When the appraisal report came back he learned that he priced his home too low but was still committed to that price. Sure, he might have saved 6 or 7 percent in brokerage fees but he lost a lot more than that to the happy buyer because his FSBO consultant didn't know the market well enough. In a similar incident, a very excited couple heard of a perfect home on the market For Sale By Owner in their neighborhood. The sellers told them that they didn't want to pay any brokerage fees and proceeded to negotiate down the asking price by $9,000, which made the buyers feel special. A market analysis revealed that the starting price was already about $10,000 too high. And yet, it's going to be sold at the same market price to the buyers whether or not they have an agent paid by the seller. Recently a buyer made an offer on a duplex that was accepted with a counteroffer to increase the earnest money. Both buyer and seller agreed verbally and the only thing lacking was the buyer's signature on that change. In the meantime, the seller sold the duplex to a second buyer to get a higher price and quicker closing. He now has two accepted offers on the same property at the same time. Which party in this potential lawsuit would you like to be? Not all sellers innocently try to save money on real estate commissions. Some choose to "overlook" disclosing pertinent and sometimes legally required information to buyers because doing so might lower the final sales price or prohibit a sale indefinitely because they can't afford to fix a deficiency. How would you protect yourself without the watchful eye of an expert? Agents usually take on quite a bit of risk in marketing your house for sale or driving you around looking at homes to buy. They pay for everything up front and often don't get paid until the day it is recorded, which makes him or her, actually, quite a bargain. On the other hand, you could do it yourself. Ken Jelinek is an associate broker with RE/MAX Properties in Anchorage. He can be reached at 907-257-0196. [an error occurred while processing this directive] © 2004 The Alaska Journal of Commerce and Morris Communications Corp.

Home Loans Debt Consolidation

VA Loans (Veteran's Affair Loan) contact us home Useful VA Loan Information More than 29 million veterans and service personnel are eligible to receive VA loans. The federal government recently improved the VA loan program, which makes the program even more attractive to our nation's veterans. The changes enacted in Dec. 2004 have increased the loan limit to $359,650, tied the future loan limit to a fluctuating index, and reinstated VA adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs). The VA ARMs will feature interest rate adjustments on an annual basis, which will be limited to a maximum increase or decrease of 1 percentage point. In addition, the interest rate increases are limited to a maximum of 5 percentage points over the life of the loan. The increase in the VA loan guaranty amount comes at an appropriate time for the nation's veterans. While national home prices have appreciated nearly 75 percent since 1995, the VA guaranty amount has only experienced one increase of approximately 18 percent since that time. The U.S. national average purchase price for a single-family home reached $264,540 in October 2004, according to figures released by the Federal Housing Finance Board. This figure is more than 10% over the maximum that lenders were previously willing to provide for a VA loan. With the new VA loan guaranty increase, most lenders will be willing to loan a maximum of $359,650, which indicates that more veterans will now be able to afford a home at the national average purchase price. Veteran's Affair Loan Advice If you are looking to get additional advice regarding a VA Loan, or if you want to speak with someone about prequalifying or even refinancing your home with a VA Loan, you can visit the VA Mortgage Center . They specialize in Veteran's Loans and can assist you through the entire process. They can even prequalify you online. The VA mortgage Center is not associated with the Government's Veteran's program, but they do specialize in VA Loans and can help you get the best rates and advice on your loan. You can also visit the Veteran's Affair Home Page which is the official site for Veteran's Affair Programs. This site will give you additional information regarding the loan, but will not be able to actually help you obtain or get pre-approved for a loan. However, you can find some financial forms at the Veterans Affairs Administration site. Other VA sites: Veterans can more advice on VA Loans and VA Refinances from bankrate . The site can help answer any questions you may have including interest rate questions as well as advice you on whether or not a refinance is your best option. Other sites such as Military Connections.com have some information regarding various benefits and you can find a VA Benefit List that gives Veteran's a list of benefits including information about VA Loans. The VA site also has information about the GI Bill or you can get information about Canada's Veterans Programs . Mortgages VA Loans Home Loans Debt Consolidation Refinancing Apply Now!