¿Cuánto dinero debe solicitar en préstamo? Aunque pueda ser tentador solicitar el préstamo por todo el dinero que la entidad crediticia esté dispuesta a otorgarle, es importante pensar cuidadosamente acerca de cuanto dinero usted realmente necesita solicitar para poder comprar una casa nueva. Tanto desde el pago inicial, los impuestos, hasta los seguros y tasas de interés, existen muchos factores a considerar en el momento de tomar esta importante decisión que le cambiará la vida. Contrariamente a la opinión popular, no existe una fórmula estándar para calcular exactamente la cantidad específica de dólares que usted debe solicitar en préstamo a la hora de comprar una casa nueva. Muchos sitios web ofrecen calculadoras especiales de préstamos que aseguran que toman en cuenta variables im... 11/05/2007

 Lista de Clientes Potenciales: Proteja sus datos personales ¿Sabía Usted que las principales oficinas de crédito venden su información personal? ¡Es verdad! Se conocen con el nombre "Lista de Clientes Potenciales": los archivos de los prestatarios que solicitan un préstamo para la vivienda son inmediatamente marcados, empaquetados, y vendidos por las agencias crediticias a los mejores postores. Aproximadamente por un valor entre $25 y $100 o más, su nombre y ciertos detalles acerca de su informe de crédito, incluyendo su dirección, número de teléfono, historial hipotecario, e incluso su rango de puntaje FICO, se venden a compañías hipotecarias inescrupulosas, las cuales posteriormente realizarán ofertas no solicitadas para conseguir su negocio. Esto trae como consecuencia numerosas lla... 11/05/2007

Did you know a 1% change on a $100,000 loan can change your monthly payment by $72? Imagine how much difference a dramatic change in rates can make in what your monthly payments would be. If you'd like a clear picture of where you stand with today's rates and how much house you can now afford, please call me. I am happy to answer any questions you might have.  Enjoy these free tips; 1. Mortgage pre-approval. A no-cost, no-obligation pre-approval before you start house hunting can save you big time. The seller knows you're a "cash buyer" and may favor your purchase offer over another. Find a lender who offers pre-approval. That's not the same as "instant approval," which is often an approval loaded with qualifications. Nor is it a how-much-can-I-afford "pre-qualification" estimate, which... 11/04/2007

Greetings! Keller Williams North Raleigh is having its first Red Charity Ball on November 17, 2007 at the Velvet Cloak Inn in Raleigh, NC. Our goal is to raise $30,000 for the following charitable organizations...And you can help!Please visit the Red Charity Ball Website to see how you can sponsor or attend this event. It promises to be a wonderful evening! Other plans that evening and can't attend? No problem! You can still help make a difference in our community. Contact me, and I'll let you know how!  The Healing Place The Healing Place of Wake County is a non-profit rescue, recovery and rehabilitation facility for the homeless in Wake County, North Carolina, who have alcohol and drug addictions. The organization's ultimate goal is to enable clients to return to productive lives. One... 11/02/2007

Recent home sales in Wake county have definitely slowed. Sales of detached homes in Sept '07 were down over 18% from Sept '06. This slow down can be traced back to June/July when the number of showings reported by Centralized Showing Service started to trend downwards. This decrease in showings was probably a result of the sub prime mortgage meltdown that made it more difficult, if not impossible, for some Buyers to get financing. This drop in showings, combined with about a 20% increase in inventory levels, pretty well guaranteed that sales would be down. On the bright side showings in Sept '07 actually increased about 8% over Sept '06. Hopefully, this is a sign that Buyers are coming back into the market and that financing is getting easier. Let's keep our fingers crossed! 10/30/2007

I was reading an article about Countrywide it goes a little like this. Next Enron?OK this sparked my interest. So, I read the article and it is saying that Countrywide wants to help those out so they do not go into foreclosure. YEA right? They are going to restructure $16 billion dollars in loans. Sounds good right? Not so fast! They need to restructure over eighty-seven billion. Now that does not sound so good to me. Another four billion will help those who cannot refinance but will do into foreclosure. This sounds good to me. The real question here is; Is this enough. Is this soon enough. When will this happen? Look I know it will help, especially those who are in need.They are saying this will help 88,000 but what about those who do not get help. I hear that number is more like 400,0... 10/26/2007

Outbreak at Possum Creek is this year's Raleigh Jaycees Haunted House located at 111 Seaboard Avenue in Downtown Raleigh (right next to Peace College right off of Capital Blvd) Starting Friday the haunted house will run from 7pm until Midnight every night through Halloween.  All of the proceeds from the event benefit local charities.   It sounds pretty scary to me - click here for the latest review of the Haunted House by buried.com. The Raleigh Jaycees Haunted House is consistently voted the Best in the Triangle every year.   Scare on the Square at the North Carolina State Capital in Downtown Raleigh Saturday October 27th from 5pm until 10pm.   Bring the whole family out for a 30 minute guided tour of the capital.  There have been rumors that the 167 year old capital is "Spooked" and ... 10/24/2007

Each fall the Regional Regional Association of Realtors puts on a Market Trends Seminar hosted by several area gurus that keep track of the overall real estate market.  I spent my morning at this seminar in Cary making sure that what I'm seeing in the market is the same thing that is being seen in the rest of the Triangle area.  In speaking with Bob Stewart, of Activerain, earlier this week we discussed the importance of reporting the numbers.  However, even more important, is providing interpretation of the numbers for anyone trying to decipher what is going on in the market.  From a seller's perspective Raleigh NC real estate market slowed down quite a bit in the August timeframe.  The Raleigh NC real estate market continues to see strong see strong employment gains and a desire for f... 10/24/2007

Local Raleigh North Carolina Mortgage Broker Your source for all of your Mortgage Needs. YES !!! We Write FHA Mortgage Loans The New FHASECURE Initiative First Time Homebuyer Programs Click Here Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) Click Here USDA Rural Development Program Click Here USDA Single Close Construction Loan Click Here 100% Mortgage Program Click Here FHA Streamline Refinance Click Here Want to Refinance Your Current Mortgage Click Here Need a Reverse Mortgage in South Carolina Click Here Refinancing a Subprime Mortgage - check out our Subprime Product of the month Click Here Need to Repair your Credit before applying Click Here Commercial Loan Access (24 States) Click Here NEW: Subdivision Construction Loans Click Here Customers firstIf you are looking for a mortgage loan in t... 10/21/2007

Frequently  I am asked "what is the difference between interest rate and APR?"For Example; A Consumer may call three different lenders and received three Good Faith Estimates (GFE) that eacH contain three different loan amounts, terms, closings costs and interest rates. a GFE discloses to the borrower the costs and interest rate associated with a particular mortgage transaction where a TIL reveals the actual COST of the borrowers credit as the formula below reveals. In other words, the TIL will accurately translate the different loans to reveal the true of the loan. For example, a loan with a higher closing costs, yet significantly lower interest rate, and vice versa.  How then could any reasonable person make an informed decision? YOU CAN'T! At least not with out the Form (REQUIRED BY ... 10/20/2007

Last week I confessed that I'm not the best cook in the world and love to dine at local area restaurants.  I wrote a blog called My favorite Triangle Restaurants - Bon Appétit.   I've lived in the area since 1991(heck, I'm almost a native) and, until recently, there haven't been a large breadth and depth of restaurants  in town.  There were the tried and tested but rarely would we see emerging restaurants that had staying power.   With the influx of so many northerners in the area that have discerning taste buds the demand for upscale restaurants is increasing in the area.  In fact, this month's issue (11/07) Bon Appétit recognizes the Triangle area as poised to become American's next hot food destination.  Let me repeat - Bon Appétit has just recognized the Triangle as America's next h... 10/19/2007

Consumers are often baffled by the home appraisal process. They may feel their home is worth a certain dollar amount, and therefore, the appraised value doesn't make sense to them. It is important to know that appraisal guidelines are dictated by the lenders. In many states, the lenders must disclose the purpose of the appraisal, as each situation carries its own set of rules. In essence, lender guidelines force appraisers to put a fair market value on a home based upon comparable sales in the area where the home is located, as the home must be bracketed according to size and value. For example, there is no set amount associated with a great view, pool, spa, bathroom upgrades, etc. If a homeowner installs a custom pool that cost them $30,000, and the l... 10/17/2007

Are you looking for the perfect gift for Christmas for that relative that has everything?  Do you have a few hours to get out with the girls?  If so, grab your girlfriends and head straight to the RBC Center in Raleigh for the Annual Jr. League Shopping Spree.   This year's event opened today and will continue through Sunday at the RBC Center.  In addition to the shopping at the RBC Center the Junior League also has a few special items that are available via Auction online.  Don't miss out!! I try to go every year because it's just plain fun!!  Don't forget - all proceeds go to one of the many charities supported by the Jr. League of Raleigh.  For more information and hours of operation click here.   10/17/2007

I get a kick out of tower cranes.  The fellows who operate them have responsibility for the safety of all the folks below, and much of the work depends on the teamwork and trust in fellow workers.Multi-ton components are maneuvered above the city streets, and precisely placed.Anyway, lately, Raleigh, North Carolina has been spotted with cranes as hotels and mixed-use towers are assembled.  Today I thought I would catch a few and pass along for all to enjoy.Just imagine the view from the top of a tower crane that is used to assemble a 39 story high-rise building!  Of the view of the Raleigh skyline from a setting like Bloomsbury Estates. Bloomsbury Estates in January, 2007 Bloomsbury Estates 10/11/2007 from Mountford Street Bridge Bloomsbury Estates Condos 10/16/2007 RBC Plaza Marriott C... 10/16/2007

Earlier this summer several of us here on Activerain talked about the extreme weather conditions in the Triangle area. For more details click here. We had seven record breaking temperatures in Raleigh in August alone.  It seems the effect of all of the extra heat has taken a toll on the water levels in the Triangle. The result of all of the extra heat is a statewide drought.  First, there were water restrictions, and now there is a complete ban on exterior watering indefinitely.   Why did Raleigh have to inforce a water ban?  Falls Lake is nearly 7 1/2 feet below its normal level this time of year and, if the weather continues with no rain, there is only a 90-120 days of drinking water available for local residents.  The community needs to understand the severity of this drought. I was ... 10/16/2007

Did you make it out? Better yet, did you make it out alive?Linville was swarming with people this past weekend! I felt somewhat sorry for the actual residents there. I arrived early both days and you could just see the full-time residents filter out of the neighborhood for the day to avoid the mass of people driving through and the tour buses on route. There was one bus with 43 people that showed up in Linville.From my perspective it was a huge success! I had many people tour 11229 Conley Cove Court and they were in awe of the incredible craftsmanship, lavish pool and attention to detail that Pinnacle Construction Group is known for. Several had also visited Hasentree and said that it, too, was a zoo!If you were one of my visitors this past weekend - THANKS for stopping by! It was great... 10/15/2007

What is the future of the real estate market in the Raleigh area?  Will home values go up or down?  Will buyers be able to get a good deal?  Is buying a home in the Raleigh area a smart move?  The answers to these questions vary quite a bit, depending on where you get your information and who you believe. Usually every Monday morning here at Raleigh Real Estate Talk I give you a nice chart with the weekly stats for the local real estate market.  I’m going to skip that today and try to answer some of the questions I get in my email on a regular basis.  The buying and selling public seems to be uncertain about the future of real estate markets across the country.  In some areas uncertainty is understandable.  I don’t believe you have to live with that uncertainty here.  Inventory is risin... 10/15/2007

In the recent October municipal and county elections voters overwhelmingly approved bond issues that will add to the Raleigh parks/greenway system, new recreational buildings and the addition of a new 65,000 square foot class room building at Wake Tech's recently opened north Raleigh campus. Also, voters elected mostly slow growth candidates. Raleigh/Cary and surrounding towns have enjoyed tremendous growth over the last 20 years but many residents now want growth to slow down. With slower growth and the addition of new greenways, parks and educational facilities Wake county will continue to be one of the premier areas to work and live in America. 10/14/2007

The RBC Center was packed yesterday for the 'GET MOTIVATED' Business Seminar featuring Zig Ziglar, Colin Powell, Steve Forbes and many others. Business professionals, from all over North Carolina, made their way to the RBC Center for the all-day event. The speakers addressed issues such as: communication, management skills, customer service, team building, organization, people skills, increased productivity, time management and goal achievement. Although I gleened something of value from each of the speakers, my two favorites were Zig Ziglar (for his humility and wisdom) and Colin Powell (for his dynamic presence and engaging speaking style). Zig Ziglar, for those of you who may not know of him, is a true, Southern gentleman. Born in Alabama in 1926 and raised in Yazoo City, Mississippi... 10/12/2007

IT WAS GET MOTIVATED for the business seminar. Put on by Peter Lowe and his wife Tamara.OH what can I say about this seminar.I know someone asked me to take pictures. I did not take the camera nor did I use my cell phone for pictures. I am sorry, but I was there with a friend that did take pictures and I am waiting on those to be emailed to me.We had a blast trying to get to the seminar. The road system was backed up every where. I felt sorry for those who had a time clock to punch out in the Research Triangle with this seminar going on.Well, with the backed up road system and over 18,000 were scheduled for the seminar. I did not get to hear I couple of speakers. But, those that I did hear were very inspirational.A gentleman from India, who lives in TX. (Kris Dhuham)  commented that tho... 10/12/2007