Search Results for transparencytag:searchlightcrusade.net,2024:/mt//feed/transparency2024-05-05T02:42:03ZMovable Type 4.21-en48148Buying and Selling Properties with Unpermitted Additionstag:www.searchlightcrusade.net,2009://3.48472024-03-04T15:00:00Z2024-03-04T16:11:01ZDan Melsonhttp://www.searchlightcrusade.net/
Unpermitted additions are popular in California because of property tax implications. You see, due to Proposition 13 back in 1978, taxable assessments are based upon purchase price plus no more than 2% per year since acquisition (although if you...
The Future of Real Estate Agency is Expert Consultants, Not Controlling Market Accesstag:www.searchlightcrusade.net,2009://3.48412024-01-01T15:00:00Z2024-01-01T17:01:17ZDan Melsonhttp://www.searchlightcrusade.net/
Expertise and attitude, not control of an informational chokepoint, is the way that things are going. Let's analyze this from both sides of the problem. The current owner looking to sell really needs a marketer. For better or worse, most...
Mortgage Loan Rate Lockstag:gockel.hmdnsgroup.com,2006:/~searchli//3.24522023-10-30T14:00:00Z2023-10-30T12:59:50ZDan Melsonhttp://www.searchlightcrusade.net/
One of the most true sayings in the mortgage business is, "If you can't lock it right now, it's not real." But many mortgage providers will play a game of wait and hope. They tell you they have a certain...
How to Avoid A Repeat of the Housing Market Messtag:www.searchlightcrusade.net,2009://3.48052023-01-31T15:00:00Z2023-01-31T16:41:28ZDan Melsonhttp://www.searchlightcrusade.net/
Scapegoating mortgage brokers or anyone else is not the answer, nor is prohibiting yield spread. We've been here before (in the early 1990s), congress did something remarkably similar except a little bit more sane. It didn't work then. Why would...
Buyers: Stretching Your Budget Means Compromisetag:www.searchlightcrusade.net,2010://3.50082021-09-08T14:00:00Z2021-09-08T14:47:47ZDan Melsonhttp://www.searchlightcrusade.net/
As a good buyer's agent, I love a challenge. When someone comes to me trying to make a budget stretch just a little bit further than it would usually go, that's the kind of client I love to have....
Finding Bargain Real Estate: Work With the Buyer's Agent Who Actually Finds The Bargain!tag:www.searchlightcrusade.net,2009://3.48742020-09-27T14:00:00Z2020-09-27T13:30:48ZDan Melsonhttp://www.searchlightcrusade.net/
Several times a month I get calls and emails. Sometimes, it's even people stopping in. "I've heard you're good at finding bargains." Well, yes I am. "Please tell me the addresses of some bargains so I can drive by."...
Changes In The Mortgage Market And Transparency Since 2005tag:www.searchlightcrusade.net,2011://3.50482020-09-24T14:00:00Z2020-09-24T13:37:28ZDan Melsonhttp://www.searchlightcrusade.net/
The overview is simple: The government has made it take slightly more effort to lie to consumers, while adding layers of delays that add an absolute minimum of a week - an average of three weeks - to the...
Real Estate Liquidation Auctionstag:www.searchlightcrusade.net,2009://3.48612020-09-10T14:00:00Z2020-09-10T15:02:13ZDan Melsonhttp://www.searchlightcrusade.net/
Liquidation auctions were a big thing for a while there. They were just advertising one on all the stations around here. The other agents in my office asked if I was going, and I told them, "There will be...
Changes In The Mortgage Market And Transparency Since 2005tag:www.searchlightcrusade.net,2009://3.48722009-10-28T14:00:00Z2011-04-22T14:05:38ZDan Melsonhttp://www.searchlightcrusade.net/
The overview is simple: The government has made it take slightly more effort to lie to consumers, while adding layers of delays that add a minimum of a week - probably two weeks or more - to the time...
Links and Minifeatures 2009 04 08 Wednesdaytag:www.searchlightcrusade.net,2009://3.46492009-04-08T21:15:00Z2009-04-08T21:15:08ZDan Melsonhttp://www.searchlightcrusade.net/
A Message to the Rich So let me now send a personal message to The Rich in America... As an American and a patriot, I implore you - I go to my knees and beg you - LEAVE NOW....
Links and Minifeatures 2009 03 27 Fridaytag:www.searchlightcrusade.net,2009://3.46282009-03-27T22:40:00Z2009-03-27T22:39:28ZDan Melsonhttp://www.searchlightcrusade.net/
So much for Obama's campaign promise to increase transparency. Don Surber: Open government hits women, minorities hardest: It is pathetic to watch Democrats backtrack on Barack Obama's pledge for more openness by appropriating Obama's wife. Apparently, if the first...
Buyers: Stretching Your Budget Means Compromisetag:www.searchlightcrusade.net,2009://3.44542009-03-23T14:00:00Z2010-09-22T14:02:22ZDan Melsonhttp://www.searchlightcrusade.net/
As a good buyer's agent, I love a challenge. When someone comes to me trying to make a budget stretch just a little bit further than it would usually go, that's the kind of client I love to have....
Links and Minifeatures 2009 02 18 Wednesdaytag:www.searchlightcrusade.net,2009://3.45592009-02-19T00:45:00Z2009-02-19T00:44:40ZDan Melsonhttp://www.searchlightcrusade.net/
Been a while since I posted this: In California, your property taxes are based upon your purchase price (plus no more than 2% per year, compounded). But if values fall, you can get your assessment lowered by appealing your assessment....
Links and Minifeatures 2009 02 16 Mondaytag:www.searchlightcrusade.net,2009://3.45522009-02-16T22:15:00Z2009-02-16T22:15:53ZDan Melsonhttp://www.searchlightcrusade.net/
Carnival of Real Estate ********** Projected jobs numbers don't quite add up A + B adds up to considerably more than A + B when certain politicians want it to. At least on the reports written by them and their...
Links and Minifeatures 2009 02 09 Mondaytag:www.searchlightcrusade.net,2009://3.45362009-02-09T20:30:00Z2009-02-09T20:31:02ZDan Melsonhttp://www.searchlightcrusade.net/
Carnival of Personal Finance Carnival of Real Estate ********** Barely Bipartisan But a Senate Stimulus Deal is Done votes in the Senate but several spending provisions that would not have kicked in until after 2011 drew fire from both sides...
Links and Minifeatures 2009 02 02 Mondaytag:www.searchlightcrusade.net,2009://3.45252009-02-03T04:45:00Z2009-02-03T04:38:39ZDan Melsonhttp://www.searchlightcrusade.net/
Carnival of Personal Finance Carnival of Real Estate ********** Before spending $1.2 trillion dollars on a stimulus, Maybe we should consider the effects "stimulus" packages have had in the past. Which is to say, they exacerbated the problem and...
New Good Faith Estimate and HUD 1 Form Approvedtag:www.searchlightcrusade.net,2008://3.43982008-11-13T15:00:00Z2008-11-13T14:56:57ZDan Melsonhttp://www.searchlightcrusade.net/
HUD has announced a new Federal Good Faith Estimate and HUD 1 form. The regulations have been finalized, but as I write this, they have not yet been published, at least in their final form. They appear much superior...
Saving the Real Estate Agency Profession in the Era of Free Informationtag:www.searchlightcrusade.net,2008://3.40052008-04-30T22:40:00Z2008-04-30T22:39:56ZDan Melsonhttp://www.searchlightcrusade.net/
I try not to do a lot of "business of real estate" posts. That's not what I'm about. But I figure that we (as agents) have got about a year to save the profession from the traditional brokerages that control...
Links and Minifeatures 2008 04 21 Mondaytag:www.searchlightcrusade.net,2008://3.39752008-04-21T20:00:00Z2008-04-21T22:31:46ZDan Melsonhttp://www.searchlightcrusade.net/
Carnival of Personal Finance ********** I am adamantly against a draft. But if we have to have one, according to certain people on the left who claim the underprivileged are paying an inordinately large share of the burdens of...
Zillow's New Mortgage Quote Forumtag:www.searchlightcrusade.net,2008://3.39462008-04-04T23:27:26Z2008-04-07T18:05:20ZDan Melsonhttp://www.searchlightcrusade.net/
My take on Zillow's new mortgage match service: I am going to try it. I have, on more than one occasion, made plain the problems with online quote services. Here is the first question Drew asked me for their...