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Boomerang Buyers Expected to Boost Recovery in the New Year

Housing foreclosure authorities LoanSafe.org and YouWalkAway.com have created a new website to help people re-enter the housing market after having been through a previous foreclosure. The website is called AfterForeclosure.com and helps those most affected by the housing crisis take charge of their financial future and own their own home again.

Based on a poll of their combined members, LoanSafe.org and AfterForeclosure.com are confident that these potential buyers will make 2014 the year of the “boomerang” buyer.

Changes in lending guidelines and population shifts make these buyers essential to the recovery of the housing market. Jon Maddux, co-founder of AfterForeclosure.com says: “Alienating this large and growing pool of potential buyers does not bode well for the market in an environment where natural housing advancement has been largely disrupted.”

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Home Prices in 20 U.S. Cities Climb by Most in Seven Years

Graph - up

Home prices in 20 U.S. cities rose in October from a year ago by the most in more than seven years, signaling the real-estate rebound will keep bolstering household wealth in 2014.

The S&P/Case-Shiller index of property prices in 20 cities climbed 13.6 percent from October 2012, the biggest 12-month gain since February 2006, after a 13.3 percent increase in the year ended in September, a report from the group showed today in New York. The median projection of 22 economists surveyed by Bloomberg called for a 13.5 percent advance.

A dwindling inventory of foreclosed properties has helped restrict the supply of homes for sale, pushing up prices even as higher mortgage rates cool demand. The real-estate market will probably get its next boost from gains in employment that are lifting consumer confidence in the economic expansion.

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New Mortgage Rules Won’t Knock Out Many Borrowers

For Sale and Sold

Are you in the market for a house and worrying about whether it will be harder to get a mortgage after Jan. 10, when new federal rules kick in? Don’t fret. For most people the rules won’t make much difference. If the new rules do prevent you from landing a mortgage loan, it could be a sign that you aren’t financially ready for homeownership.

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5 Reasons It’s Better to Own Than Rent

Checklist

There are plenty of valid reasons to own instead of rent, especially in the current low rate environment. Let’s take a look at why homeownership simply makes more sense than renting, especially over a long-term basis.

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Real Estate E-Newsletters

A real estate e-newsletter is a great way to stay in touch with past clients and real estate leads, remain “top of mind,” and build loyalty. This article shares four key elements that make up a successful e-newsletter so you can start sending one to those in your real estate contact management system right away.

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4 Home Buying Ducks to Get in a Row for 2014

Home Tour

When it comes to putting your ducks in a row for buying a home, a few things are key. First, start early. Whenever you think you should get started doing the actual prep steps, work backwards about 3 or 6 months before that on the calendar and start then.

Secondly, be bold. Many buyers-to-be hesitate to get into the not-so-adorable territory of credit and savings, out of a fear that they’ll learn something that will kill their dreams. The bolder you are about going into scary territory, the faster you’ll learn the truth of what work lies ahead of you – and the more time you’ll have to do what it’ll take to overcome any challenges. Also, just the knowing will make anything scary less so. Here are four ducks you’ll want to start getting lined up and comfortable with now if you hope to buy a home in 2014.

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Home Design and Remodeling Trends For 2014

The end of the year brings many things. Special time spent with family and loved ones. Presents from Santa. The promise of a fresh start. And, if you’re like us, an insatiable desire to change up your environment by updating it with the latest trends.

If you are feeling the pull toward renovating, redecorating, or revising your home for 2014, here are some exciting trends you may want to incorporate.

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Don’t Lose a Listing Over Pricing Objections

“Winning Listing Presentations (For Life)” is a must-read for any agent who wants to improve his or her listing presentation, with one major caveat: Michonski’s approach trains you to focus on how to present yourself and your skills to a seller. The book and scripts are packed with “I” language, which places the focus on the agent rather than using “you” language, which focuses on the seller.

Read the article that includes additional tips…

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Think Color in 2014

Designers

Gray is the new black; reclaimed wood and porcelain floors are made for walkin’; and wireless is controlling sound, window shades, TV, and more.

Whether it’s based on fashion, the economy, new technologies, or the overall mood of the country, home design trends come and go — sometimes slowly and sometimes lickety-split. But as with apparel, some trends become classics and remain strong — a Barcelona chair, for instance — while others go out the window (think avocado and harvest gold kitchen appliances).

Here are 10 trends that are coming on big in 2014…