A question from Bay City, MI, asked by chummydog in Zillow Advice is:
What does “house in redemption” mean?
Do you know?
P.S. Real estate agent Mike Emery received the “Best Answer” vote.
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We’re still feeling some Oscar® fever, so allow us to indulge with yet another home owned by an Academy Award nominee — Glenn Close. Yes, we still have vivid memories of her role as deranged stalker Alex Forrest in Fatal Attraction and were curious to read about the sale of her Manhattan “aerie” from none other than Real Estalker.
Close’s Upper East Side condo is on the market for $11,800,000 and her apartment, 19-D, is described as being one of Central Park West’s most glamorous since it’s part of the “… coveted “D” line east over Central Park, south over the Planetarium and all the way down the Park to the Manhattan skyline.” A spacious 19
There are a lot of exciting things coming out in the next few weeks – here are my top 3:
1. Like it? Hate it? The iPad which drew a ton of rumors and speculation is ready to make it’s debut. The 1st commercial aired during the Academy Awards (which explains why Steve Jobs was on the red carpet) and is officially going mainstream. The iPad will be on sale on April 3, 2010 and pre-orders begin March 12, 2010.
Here’s the commercial in case you missed it:
2. Better than the iPhone?! The Google Nexus One phone – the phone that had a lot of buzz when it first came out, is a phone that critics are still wondering if it can compete with the iPhone and other touch-pad type smartphones. Google has never made it a secret that they plan to release it to multiple carriers – just WHEN is the question. This phone is rumored to be coming to Verizon on March 23, 2010.
3. Wonder if I could sneak into this? 
f8 – The Facebook Developer Conference is slated for April 21-22, 2010.
According to the Facebook blog,
“f8 has always been about empowering a community of developers to hack, to build and to delight users. We’re looking forward to continuing this tradition at our third f8 in San Francisco on April 21-22, 2010. Please save the date!”
BONUS: One more thing to add to your calendar this month. Planning on coming to Real Estate Connect SF (#icsf) – Early Bird Registration ends in 11 days! Sign up by 3/19/10 and save over $300!
Would love your comments – please leave feedback below!
Written by: Katie Lance, Marketing Manager, Inman News
Ad: Win more business! Showcase your company with a custom video ad from Turnhere. Save 50% off your first video!.
Attention Seattle-area real estate professionals: We’re hosting two Zillow education events this week, one on Thursday in Bellevue and one on Friday in Seattle.
Thursday, March 11, 8:30 am – 10 am, Hyatt Regency Bellevue.
Friday, March 12, 8:30 am – 10 am, Seattle Public Library.
Come and learn how to get the most out of Zillow. I’ll be talking about the Zestimate home value, Zillow widgets, Zillow Advice, Zillow Mortgage Marketplace, and Zillow advertising opportunities.
The events free. Hope to see you there.
Mortgage rates for 30-year fixed mortgages declined this week, with the current rate borrowers were quoted on Zillow Mortgage Marketplace at 4.76%, down from 4.80% at this time last week. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate fluctuated between 4.76 and 4.82 during the past week.
Additionally, 15-year fixed borrowers were quoted on average, 4.24% and for 5/1 ARMs, 3.47%.
What are the rates right now? Check Zillow Mortgage Marketplace for up-to-the-minute mortgage rates for your state.
Here is the original:
Rate for 30-year Fixed Mortgage Fell This Week to 4.76%
Consistent with trends that materialized in December, home value appreciation continued to weaken in many markets around the country during January. Nationally, while the annualized appreciation rate continued to improve -– increasing from -5.5% in December to -4.8% in January –- home values declined 0.33% from the prior month (a slightly larger monthly depreciation than the 0.27% recorded in December). See Figure 1 for the national performance in historical context.
Of the markets I focus on in the table below, four stayed in positive or flat territory in terms of month-over-month appreciation: Los Angeles (0.2%), Philadelphia (0.2%), San Diego (0.0%) and San Francisco (0.3%). Five markets stayed in positive territory in terms of year-over-year appreciation: Boston (1.7%), Denver (0.4%), Los Angeles (0.9%), San Diego (0.2%) and San Francisco (0.9%). It was just four months ago that sixteen of the twenty-four markets shown in the accompanying table had recorded four or more months of positive monthly appreciation in home values.
The number of homeowners losing their homes to foreclosure across the country remained unchanged from December, but was still pegged at the highest level seen in Zillow’s data, which began in 1996. In January, more than one in every thousand homes in the U.S. reached the final stage of foreclosure.
Foreclosure re-sales as a percentage of all transactions notched up in January to 22.28%, largely as a function of the decreasing volume of non-foreclosure sales in the winter months relative to the steady stream of foreclosure re-sales.
It seems that the home buyer tax credits are keeping some additional incremental demand in the marketplace during the winter, but they are not having the same powerful impact on home sales seen in the late summer and fall of 2009. This suggests that most of the incremental buyers who could be coaxed off the fence and into the marketplace were already persuaded to purchase before the extension of the tax credit last November. Undoubtedly, there will be another mini-frenzy of home buying around the expiration of these tax credits in June but we expect this spike to be a very muted version of the November spike. In line with our smaller expectations for a spike in sales before expiration, we also think that the payback in diminished sales post-expiration will be more muted.
Read the rest here:
A Month That Makes Us Miss Last Summer – January Real Estate Performance
The Florida home of former professional tennis sensation Jennifer Capriati is on the market for $2.1 million; it was first listed in 2008 for $2.35 million.
Located in Wesley Chapel, about 40 minutes outside of Tampa, Capriati’s home is part of the Saddlebrook Resort community, which is known as a haven for developing tennis and golf talent.
Capriati’s two-story, custom-built contemporary is on one acre and has a pool, plus hot tub. Views include a lake, plus one of Saddlebrook’s two championship golf courses. It has four bedrooms and five bathrooms, a personal theater, where first-run movies can be shown and a unique drive-through garage. See more photos of Capriati’s house.
Saddlebrook residents have access to 500 acres of recreation, including two championship golf courses, 48 tennis courts, a European spa, fitness center, three restaurants and three swimming pools.
Capriati turned pro just weeks before her 14th birthday in 1990 and became the youngest player to ever reach a tour final that same year. After taking two years off due to personal issues, she executed one of sports greatest comebacks by winning three Grand Slam titles — the Australian Open (twice) and French Open.
> See more Wesley Chapel real estate
> See Wesley Chapel home values
“I have nothing to say.”
I have heard this over and over again, not just by real estate agents – but by many people who are trepidacious about getting involved in Twitter.
To many, Twitter has become more useful as a way to tap into what’s “going on today,“ than to broadcast their own messages. And once you get acclimated to Twitter, you might just find you have something to say after all.
Biz Stone, Twitter’s co-founder says,
“Naysayers should simply log onto their Twitter’s home page and search for a topic they are interested in, whether it’s their favorite sports team, the name of their company or a topic in the news.” Within a minute, they understand the appeal, he said.
Here are 3 ways to make Twitter work for you:
1. Create a custom feed. Find people to follow by searching Twitter directories. My two favorites are WeFollow or Just Tweet It. Remember, to get followers at first, you must follow others!
2. Create lists.
Lists are fantastic – and a GREAT way to organize people you follow. You could make lists for news sources, fellow Realtors, geographic areas, etc. This way you can click on that list to see what those specific people are talking about. I just created the Inman Team list – as a place for people to contact the right person at Inman News (i.e. editorial, marketing, advertising, etc.) If you don’t know who the best users are on a favorite topic, look for lists on sites like Listorious or by checking profiles.
3. Check out the most discussed topics in your area. We hear it over and over again, but real estate is truly a ‘local business.’ Find out who is around you locally and what they are chatting about. Some Twitter apps, like Tweetie and TwitterLocal, let you search posts near you. Check the Web site Happn.in to see the most discussed topics in your area.
BONUS: Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Once you’ve gotten your feet wet, use Twitter to ask questions such as the best place to grab a bite to eat in a new city, marketing tips, or anything else you need an answer to!
Some questions Realtors could start asking via Twitter are: “What’s the best marketing tool that is working for you?” or, “What is the most effective thing Realtors are doing to convert leads to sales?” These questions open the door to conversation and networking!
What are you doing to make Twitter work for you? Would love your feedback – please leave me a comment below!
Written by: Katie Lance, Marketing Manager, Inman News
Ad: Win more business! Showcase your company with a custom video ad from Turnhere. Save 50% off your first video!.
See the rest here:
Tip Tuesday: 3 Tips to Get the Most Out of Twitter
Lots of real estate news lately, surrounding some “Real Housewives,” including Tamra Barney who appears to have sold her home in a short sale and now, Jeana Keough, who avoided foreclosure and got a loan mod.
We reported last June that Keough admittedly had a notice of default on her Coto de Caza home and was trying to do a loan modification. Her lender initially denied her request, but it looks like she succeeded after an all-out assault that included speeches, e-mail campaigns, letters to her Congress people, communiques with a friend at HUD, and contact with the governor’s office. After Keough made enough noise, her lender stopped foreclosure and she has a loan mod.
Although Keough’s home is still listed on Zillow for $3.9 million, she tells Lansner on Real Estate that the house is off the market, but she might sell later when she’s not under so much pressure. See more photos of Keough’s home.
> See more Coto de Caza real estate
> See Coto de Caza home values
Since President Obama took office last year, housing has been one of his administration’s top priorities. Programs have aimed to stem foreclosures by encouraging loan modifications and stimulate demand for housing with tax credits.
Now, the administration is taking a slightly different tack. The New York Times yesterday reported on a new program that will pay both homeowners and banks in an attempt to stimulate short sales.
Underwater homeowners who are delinquent on their mortgages appear to be the program’s target. They would receive $1,500 in “relocation assistance,” presumably when their home is sold. The bank that services their mortgage would receive $1,000 for the first mortgage, and another $1,000 if there is a second mortgage.
The Times reports the program will begin April 5.
This program seems to be the “Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP)” that was announced late last year, according to HousingWire. Whether the name and details will remain is yet to be seen — the Treasury Department, which will run the program, doesn’t seem to have any information up on their Web site yet.
So far, the program is generating some controversy. Sources quoted in the Times were skeptical about whether it would be effective, and Daniel Indiviglio from The Atlantic wrote about his concerns today.
We’ll keep looking for more details, but in the meantime, any thoughts?
See more here:
New Program to Offer Short Sale Incentives to Homeowners and Lenders
Yes — you read that right — a price hike of $15 million. According to Curbed Hamptons, a modern Montauk Zen masterpiece was listed for $35 million, but just got a price hike of $15 million.
Located oceanfront at 42 Old Montauk Highway, Montauk, NY, it is for sale for $50 million, which has to be one of the priciest pieces of real estate in the Hamptons these days (OK, well, there is this equestrian center for $75 million).
This 7,000 sq ft modern construction sits on 35 acres, high on the bluff and is accessed by a half-mile private drive. According to the description, the home was engineered with steel to withstand 150 mph winds. Civilized touches include marble floors warmed by radiant heat and a home theater.
> See more Montauk real estate
> See Montauk home values
Source:
Modern Montauk Beauty Gets Price BUMP of $15 Million
One of the best social media strategies for real estate agents is to become your network’s trusted advisor. And of course one of the best places to put that strategy into play is, without a doubt, on Facebook. So you create a profile and import your sphere list, now what?!
Well, as a real estate professional you can easily showcase your expertise and knowledge about your market area and industry trends. One of the ways I suggest doing this is by posting status updates that offer relevant info and/or tips your network would find helpful. Now some of you are already REALLY GOOD at sharing this type of info…and you might be so good at it that you decide to create a Fan Page to focus more intently on business.
Fan Pages are becoming more popular among real estate professionals for several reasons. Most importantly, it is more widely accepted (and preferred by Facebook) to utilize a Fan Page for promoting your business and sharing comprehensive listing data. NOTE: There are some people that truly ROCK the essence of Facebook and have mastered the art of the 3 P’s (personality, passion, profession) from their profile and don’t need to maintain the separation of church and state….or personal and professional. However, for many the draw of a Fan Page breaks down to the ability of sharing listing data, as well as relevant market data in a more appropriate fashion…with an opt-in network of interested folks.
Up until now adding real estate specific applications to a Fan Page has been, to say it nicely, less than effective. Many of the listing applications copy Website functionality and seem to have forgotten the nature of this network. Ideally, these applications need to offer more than just listing information but a way to provide interaction….or a rich data set of relevant information.
And that is why I was very excited to hear about a new application for agents that launched this week! The Roost Social Real Estate Application is the first app of its kind to offer agents the opportunity to:
- Showcase their expertise from a Fan Page
- Provide valuable market data and information for a particular area (city) to their network
- Easily customize and install on your own Page (in 5 minutes!)
- Avoid the cost of hiring a professional to customize a local resource tab for you (this app naturally integrates local market trend info via Altos Research, active listings via Roost, mapping via Google, school info via Education.com, and neighborhood info via Walkscore).
The Roost Social Real Estate Application is clearly a value-add now…but there are more goodies to come with this app! Derek Overbey and Alex Chang of Roost took some time to share some important details about using this new app, as well as what’s in store in the future! In the coming months, Roost will add the ability to share market data for up to 5 cities! In addition the feature scope will widen to include featured properties, testimonials, and IDX compliant MLS search (inside Facebook)!!!
I have to say it’s very refreshing to witness a company like Roost incorporate Facebook functionality and real estate expertise…and deliver it to agents for FREE! Yep, this app is currently available on Facebook for FREE. You can add it to you Fan Page today, simply search “Roost Social Real Estate” once logged in to Facebook. Several agents have already taken advantage of the opportunity to add the app, check out Brad Coy’s Page, Heather Elias’ Page, and Engel Real Estate Page for great examples of customization.
To add the Roost Social Real Estate Application to your Fan Page, follow these steps:
(1) Visit the Roost Social Real Estate Application Page inside Facebook, and click on “Go to Application”.
(2) You’ll be prompted to customize the app to your selected Fan Page by selecting: “Create Profile”
(3) Next customize the application with your contact information, logo, and informational verbiage. NOTE- You can update the marketing verbiage periodically to share the latest trends and tips with your local network.
(4) Finally, you’ll need to add the app to your Page. FYI- Facebook must render some images of the app so if it doesn’t load completely at first, be patient!
Once the tab has loaded onto your Page, you can direct your clients to the info by announcing it via a status update on your Profile, and even on your Fan Page! Also, be sure to share your Facebook Page URL on all your marketing. Write a blog post letting your clients now about this new feature on your Page, or create a postcard to share with your farm.
Related Posts
- AgentPress: The Ideal Theme for Real Estate Bloggers
- Real Estate Bloggers: Increase Your RSS Subscribers with Facebook
- 7 Ways to Syndicate Your Real Estate Listing
View original post here:
Add To My Page: Roost Social Real Estate App
A couple of notable residences on the market in the Chicago area are owned by billionaire Bill Wrigley Jr., the great-grandson of chewing gum founder William Wrigley, who established the candy company in 1891. Wrigley Jr. sold Wrigley Co. to Mars Inc., in 2008 for $23 billion and he gave up his title as CEO, but he remains as executive chairman.
Wrigley’s Lake Forest home — For Sale $14.5 Million (below)
1345 Lake Rd, Lake Forest, IL 60045
> See more Lake Forest real estate
> See Lake Forest home values
Highlights: This grand Italianate mansion on Lake Michigan was built in 1912 and was originally designed by architect Howard van Doren Shaw. According to chicagomag.com, Wrigley bought it in January 2003 for $9.9 million. The home’s original owner was Donald McLennan, a Chicago insurance executive who cofounded insurance giant Marsh & McLennan. Donald and his wife, Katherine, called the house “Stornoway,” after a small Scottish town believed to be the birthplace of some of McLennan’s ancestors. See more photos of Wrigley’s Lake Forest home.
Wrigley’s Gold Coast penthouse — For Sale $14 Million (below)
65 E Goethe St, Chicago IL 60610
> See more Gold Coast real estate
> See Gold Coast home values
Highlights: Just a few months before Wrigley bought the Lake Forest mansion above, he paid $10.1 million for a 13,200-square-foot Gold Coast condominium below. According to the Chicago Tribune, the “… full-floor penthouse is raw, undeveloped space, and sits on the eighth floor of the Lucien Lagrange-designed limestone building…”. The penthouse was created from three units combined into one, but as you can see from photos of Wrigley’s penthouse, it is a humongous, concrete shell. Wrigley reportedly backed out of finishing out the space twice before deciding to sell. If you’re wondering how one can justify asking $14 million for unfinished space, it includes Wrigley’s plans to finish it out, plus two 1,500-square-foot outdoor spaces on the roof, and six garage spaces — a rarity to find so much space on the Gold Coast.
Here is the original post:
Chicago Billionaire Wrigley Has Two Multi-Million Dollar Homes on Market
Since the (almost) two years since we introduced Zillow Mortgage Marketplace, lenders have been telling us how Zillow has helped them grow their business by connecting them with highly qualified borrowers. In fact, Zillow contacts convert 9x greater than the average industry leads.
I recently wrote a blog post about a review in Inman News where Kathy Whitman, president of Whitman Metropolitan, Inc was quoted as saying that Zillow Mortgage Marketplace is one of their main sources of generating customers.
Today, Zillow’s COO Spencer Rascoff shares an email he received from another ecstatic lender who says:
“Through Zillow, we have acquired new clients for million dollar loans; clients who come to us with top credit scores and great income and healthy assets. These are ideal clients for [our bank] – some have switched assets to [our in-house money management firm], and the potential is great for more investments, as well as clients for [other of our] banking products. These new clients are also great pipeline additions; I have done several refis for clients who originally did a purchase loan with me in the past 2 years, and several have referred their friends to me……..Using Zillow on the other hand did give me the opportunity to be connected with serious buyers, in great numbers.”
If you’re a lender and you want to learn more about how you can start quoting on Zillow Mortgage Marketplace call 877-661-3171 or email mortgagesales@zillow.com.
Continued here:
Lenders: Find New Customers on Zillow Mortgage Marketplace
Everyone, I have huge news: I’m retiring from Zillow. I’ve recently come into a lot of money.
About a week ago I received a Zillow email out of nowhere from this charming woman, Ms. Helen Samule Doe, daughter of the late former Oil Minister of Gambia, Marcus Doe. She saw my apartment listing on Zillow and was so impressed by my honesty that she felt she could trust me. She wants me to invest her oil fortune in American real estate. All I have to do is open up an account and wire her cash for fees so she can deposit over $9 million dollars. She’s going to split the proceeds with me.
This is the best plan ever.
. . .
If you didn’t believe a word I said, good. Occasionally, our users report weird emails being sent to them through Zillow. They range from scenarios like the above to suspicious, out-of-nowhere offers to buy listings at outrageous prices, to even weirder stuff. All sorts of users can receive these emails, too — basically, if you have a [Contact Me] button on your profile, you may be “contacted.”
Zillow is popular — really, really popular — and like other extremely popular websites such as Craigslist, we’re targeted by fraudsters for abuse. So how do you protect yourself?
Zillow’s got a great fraud resource page – check it out. And in general, don’t provide any personal or financial information. You can report scams to the authorities and our fraud research page provides links to do so. For the most part, just listen to your own common sense. If something is too good to be true, it probably is.
- If someone whom you’ve never met or heard of emails you out of the blue through Zillow with an immediate offer for your home, chances are it’s fraud. Does that ever happen in real life? Not really.
- If someone claiming to be something incredible, like the daughter of the late Oil Minister of Gambia, wants to invest with you on the basis of your attractive home photos, chances are it’s fraud. Does that ever happen in real life? Not really.
Finally, if you’re still suspicious, use Zillow Advice as a resource. People frequently ask other forumites about suspicious emails. Odds are high that other people have received similar messages. By following all these steps, you can have safe and enjoyable time on Zillow.
Style My House
