Real Estate Information

The partnership between buyers and Realtors is always changing with buyers becoming more involved in identifying the listings that interest them. As a Buyer's Agent I find that the speed of my smartphone and the ability to retrieve information with just a few taps has increased my credibility with new clients. The great news about the real estate app market is that developers are targeting buyers and sellers as much as real estate agents. If you are overwhelmed by the variety of real estate apps available and want to know what to select here are a few recommendations from an Inman News Special Report.

1. Zillow Real Estate: Zillow is great because it provides information on every U.S. home for FREE. The Android app has voice-search feature, built in GPS technology allowing you to search why you talk, walk or drive the neighborhood. The app is available at Zillow.com. My only caution is that because every home in the U.S. is listed buyers can often be misled into believing a house is valued higher than the market will bear or that homes which are sold are still active for sale.

2. Realtor.com Real Estate Search: Ironically the most accurate Real Estate site, because it is driven by MLS data on a 72 hour delay, ranks lower than Zillow for app ranking. I personally have this app on my I-phone because I know that MLS data is monitored by local boards of Realtors and therefore the quality of the data is the most accurate online. This app also offers an area highlighter which for techies is a cool feature.

3. Trulia Real Estate Search: Trulia touts their app as being designed for "House Hunters on the Go!", however similar to Zillow it can be misleading because it includes homes for sale, rent and recent sales. Easy to use and FREE make it #3 on our list!

4. CraigsList Browser: If you are into CragsList this app is great because it has fast navigation, full browsing features and an easy interface.

5. Real Estate 114: Designed for renters this app features both apartment prices, QRcode search and Star Check to get useful information such as a compass navigation and brokerage calculation.

6. Real Estate by Smarter Agent: This app combines three powerful real estate search tools into one easy to use app. Search for Homes for Sale, in every US Market, recently sold homes within the last three years and apartments for rent.

7. Homes.com: An app I also used on my previous Android it loads quickly, allows you to create custom searches of homes for sale and rent, see detailed lists, search by map and quickly refine your search by price, property type, features and more.

8. Realestate.com.au: Calling all buyers and sellers in Australia this one is for you!

9. Hotpads: Search via map for apartments, houses for rent, real estate for sale, vacation rentals and hotels. HotPads map based housing search allows you to take your search on the road!

10. Century 21 Real Estate Mobile: As a former C21 agent I commend them on developing their own app, which every Realtor can do for a nominal fee. It doesn't require you use a C21 agent or broker.

As a real estate agent I am often asked “How’s the market?”, to which I always reply “Great”.  This depends on what market you are in, however, if you are willing to adapt to the cyclical nature of real estate the answer still applies. As most would imagine there are numerous reasons the market has shifted however you will find small towns throughout the U.S. where markets remain unaffected.  I was recently interviewed about my opinions regarding the causes of the housing crisis which I shared with a client who suggested I post them on my blog. After reading the interview I could see her point, this common question has a complex answer so I made my most eloquent attempt at answering.

1. In the past 3 years how would you say the rise in foreclosures has affected your business, good or bad?

Good. Since I specialize in the REO market, the increased inventory has also increased my market and sales.

2.  Do you personally know people who have lost their homes to foreclosure?

Yes..

3.   If you answered YES to question 2, what are the reasons people are losing their homes to foreclosure?

Many people, myself included, got caught in an adjustable rate mortgage. Because it was so easy to purchase, many people never considered an almost immediate knee jerk effect in lending practices once the real estate bubble burst.  Some markets were experiencing double digit appreciation and homes were over appraised. Overnight, programs disappeared for self employed and stated borrowers. A lot of people were stuck in homes at over inflated prices and rising interest rates; and with the tightening up of credit guidelines, they were unable to refinance into fixed rates. Most incomes don’t rise at the same rate of the adjusted mortgage and an already volatile situation becomes unmanageable. Once buyers fall behind, it is very difficult to  dig yourself out of a hole. Mortgage fraud and abuse also played a minor role in the foreclosure epidemic.

4.  In your opinion what/who is to blame for the current condition of the housing market?

Everyone. No one entity is to blame. Banks were greedy in making loans to buyers who never should have qualified for them and the buyers whose need for instant gratification and living beyond their means caused them to bite off more than they could chew.

5.  In your opinion what should be done to ensure future homebuyers don’t lose their homes to foreclosure?

I believe that we as a people are uneducated in financial literacy. We want what we want when we want it and it effects everyone. We need to stop putting band aids on bullet wounds and take responsibility for where we are as a nation. We need to stop living beyond our means, start saving, and start teaching financial literacy to our children in middle and high school so that the cycle stops repeating itself and we can again be a debt free nation. 

For a five minute pre-qualification that is smart phone enabled please go to www.hudqueen.myturboloan.com.