Fannie Mae and ENERGY STAR have both announced that they will be introducing new mortgage products and/or incentives for buyers that want to purchase an energy efficient home or make upgrades to a purchase. These will be new products from the current Energy Efficient Mortgage (EEM) and Energy Improvement Mortgage (EIM) that are now available. The Appraisal Institute also reported that it is training it's members to better understand the energy efficient home and the added value it provides. You can read more details in the New York Time story about the new products. Find an energy efficient home in the Pittsburgh area! Call Christa Ross from RE/MAX Select Realty, at 724-933-6300 x214 (office) or 724-779-1437 (direct) or visit my website at www.greenhomespgh.com. 02/07/2010

  Green Living and Energy-Efficient home options in Pittsburgh range from contemporary to traditional, high-end to affordable and City living to Suburban selections.     As a specialist in green and energy-efficient real estate I can help you find a home that is better for your health, family, wallet and planet. If you are looking to buy or sell real estate in the Pittsburgh, PA area give me a call. Christa Ross, RE/MAX Select Realty 724-933-6300 x214 or direct at 724-779-1437 or email me at christa@greenhomespgh.com. www.greenhomespgh.com 01/28/2010

Price: $159,995 FIZBER.com ID 14008264 Condo/Townhome/Co-op with 3 bed, 1.5 bath, in 709 Ledlie St Pittsburgh, PA, 15219 http://www.fizber.com/14008264/ 709 Ledlie St - For Sale By Owner Property Details: Type: Condo/Townhome/Co-op Address: 709 Ledlie St, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219 Sq footage: 1408.0 Floors: n/a Bathrooms: 1.5 Bedrooms: 3 Year built: 1995 View full property details and seller's contacts. View more Pennsylvania homes for sale. Homes for Sale by Owner. Description: See more at 709Ledlie dot come. Townhome for sale in Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Get it before it goes!! Nail down this exclusive, prime location, and call it your new home, before someone else does!! This townhouse - the middle unit of five (5) - is highly desired because of it's peaceful, parklike setting, incredible v... 01/24/2010

You Can Support The Humane Society When You Buy Or Sell A Home In Pittsburgh!       The www.SearchPittsburghHomes.com Team At Keller Williams Real Estate Professionals Supports The Efforts Of The Western PA Humane Society.     We Love Our Furry Friends And Wish To Support The WPA Humane Society In Their Efforts.   A 10% Commission Referral Fee Will Be Donated For Every Closed Transaction When Pittsburgh Real Estate Buyers Or Sellers Utilize Our Professional Services For Your Real Estate Needs.  Call Us Today And Mention This Program!   Keller Williams Has Rapidly Become The 4th Largest In The Country For Good Reason!     Please Contact Us And Mention The Program         We are Very Motivated to Earn Your Business! Eric Nichols and Kathy Haggerty - www.SearchPittsburghHomes.com Where Mo... 01/21/2010

Kathy and I would like to say Hello to all the Active Rainers!  We are the Team Leaders of the SearchPittsburghHomes.com team at Keller Williams Real Estate Professionals offering high tech home search solutions and personalized service.    Here are some of the advantages we offer our home buyers:    Individual password protected home search websites with advanced hybrid mapping technology and favorite home status change notification. Custom multi list search with email alert for fresh listings. Knowledge of neighborhoods, commute times, property taxes, wage taxes, public improvement projects and other area information. Network of proven professionals in: property settlement, mortgage, appraisal, home inspection and home repair / improvement. Mobile listing information technology - to l... 01/21/2010

Disclaimer: If you like what you see, subscribe to my blog... there's more to come! How to get new clients and keep past clients You want a “cookie-cutter” recipe for generating leads and making sales happen? Here’s how you start: 1. Pick up the phone and call somebody. Create a database on a spreadsheet program with everyone you know on it. Once it’s compiled, pick up the phone and start calling everyone on the list. Make 10 calls a day at first or pick a bigger number if you’re feeling gutsy. Let everyone on that list know that you have a real estate license. Ask how they’ve been doing. Chat for a while, play catch up… but make sure you do one thing before hanging up; ask them if they know anyone who has been talking about selling or buying a home. If the answer is yes, ask them if th... 01/14/2010

Disclaimer: If you're interested in tips on how to keep the leads rolling in and how to pick up new clients on a daily basis, then stay tuned and subscribe to my blog! Don’t Just Spend Money, Invest It! Attention Newbies: Congratulations, you have just received your real estate license! Now you’ve become prey for the many vulture companies out there that will guarantee you 5 “qualified” leads a month for merely $300 a month! Guess what? If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. As a real estate agent, you should be able to grow your business for the cost of your cell phone bill. As a matter of fact, you can claim 5 listing appointments (or more) a day for free if you so choose to apply yourself and pick up the phone. Also, remember rule number 1 in my guide for new agent marketin... 01/14/2010

If you are looking for a great value on a home in the city, consider a URA-sponsored house. If you are not familiar with the URA (Urban Redevelopment Authority), it is the City of Pittsburgh's economic development agency. Its goals are to create jobs, increase the city's tax base, and improve the vitality of businesses, neighborhoods, and the City's livability as a whole. One of their more popular programs is the Neighborhood Housing Program, which sponsors the construction or rehabilitation of single family homes and then supplies interest-free, deferred, second mortgage financing to qualified buyers. The homes are built in neighborhoods all around the city including the Northside, East Liberty, Lawrenceville and others. Many of these homes also offer 3-year or 10-year tax abatements f... 01/12/2010

In an otherwise glum story from Fortune Magazine on the 2010 Housing Outlook there is this amazing quote... "Then there's Pittsburgh, which didn't have much of a housing bubble to begin with and is the only market projected to grow next year, up 0.41%" Did you read that! We are the ONLY market projected to grow next year! I love this city! No Kidding! Now is a great time to buy a home in Pittsburgh! Call Christa Ross from RE/MAX Select Realty, at 724-933-6300 x214 (office) or 724-779-1437 (direct) or visit my website at www.greenhomespgh.com. 01/07/2010

If you have been dreaming of a fireplace but not the hassle of plumbing for gas logs or needing to vent it to the outside, then you should look at the EcoSmart Fireplace. The EcoSmart Fireplace is an environmentally friendly open fireplace that does not require any installation or utility connection, so you can put it anywhere - even an apartment or hanging on a wall. It uses Denatured Ethanol, a renewable energy which burns clean and is almost maintenance free. Even better, EcoSmart Fires qualify for Federal Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency. So you can get up to 30% or $1,500 in tax credits when you buy one. Did I also mention they are just really cool looking? If you want to find one in Pittsburgh you'll need to go see Elana at Material Witness Showroom on the Northside. I am also ha... 01/07/2010

Disclosure: I am, in no way, trying to promote my company exclusively with this post. I believe that every Real Estate company out there has its own strengths and weaknesses and that there is no one perfect company for everyone. I do suggest that all agents evaluate numerous companies before making a decision on any one. Find the Right Company to Work For Many brokers will offer a commission split of 50% to new agents. Some are willing to start you out at over 60%. You should think of this commission split as an investment in resources. How does what your broker is offering measure up to what another has available? What’s the difference in commission? Does one broker offer more than another at the same commission split? What training resources does your company offer? Will your broker p... 01/03/2010

Ready,… Set,… Spend! As the saying goes; “it takes money to make money”. The Real Estate business is no different than any other business when it comes to this concept. However when it comes to start-up costs, real estate is one of the few businesses an individual can start and run successfully for only a couple grand. Back in the day, when you could sell real estate without a license, it was possible to start out in the industry without spending a dime. That’s not the case anymore. Because a real estate license is required to sell real estate in the United States any individual looking to become an agent must spend some cash in order to get started. Your first expense will be your real estate classes and your license exams. Once you have become licensed you will then be responsible for... 01/03/2010

Disclosure: This is a rough draft that I have decided to post in sections as I write this guide. If you are interested in what I have to say please feel free to Subscribe to My Blog, or re-post and re-use as you see fit. All that I ask is that you please include the footer so everyone knows where it came from. Please direct any comments, suggestions or feedback to me via comments or private messaging. Thanks. Enjoy, Dustin Nulf Keller Williams Realty A bit about me and why I've decided to write a guide for new agents When I started out in the real estate business two years ago (almost exactly to this date), I was completely confused as to what my job really was and how I was to pick up clients and close transactions. The fact that I was starting out in real estate during the worst econo... 01/03/2010

If you got a real Christmas tree this year then be sure to complete the loop and recycle it now that it is time to take down the decorations and pack them away for another year. The City of Pittsburgh offers 2 options for recycling your tree in 2010. 1. Recycle your tree at the curb by leaving it out on your designated recycling day during the month of January. or 2. Take Your Tree to one of the City Drop-Off Locations between January 2 and January 30, 2010, Monday through Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. 2nd Division P.W. (East End) – on North Dallas Ave at Hamilton Ave: 412-665-3609/3610 3rd Division P.W. (Hazelwood) – on Melanchton Ave., off 5200 block of 2nd Ave: 412-422-6524 5th Division P.W. (West End) – at 1330 Hassler St., off of Hershel & Steuben (next to Herschel Park): 412-93... 01/03/2010

Here is to Starting the New Year Off Right! Pittsburgh is one of the 5 markets expected to fare best in 2010 according to Moodys. They predict home prices to appreciate by .89% this year, not a big jump but way better than a decrease and much better than most of the rest of the country. One factor that is cited as a reason we are doing well is that prices basically stayed in sync with household income. Another mentioned is that we have managed to maintain a stable economy through the downturn. You can read the whole story here. Now is a great time to buy a home in Pittsburgh! Call Christa Ross from RE/MAX Select Realty, at 724-933-6300 x214 (office) or 724-779-1437 (direct) or visit my website at www.greenhomespgh.com. 12/29/2009

Enjoy my wish to you. I hope everyone has a happy, healthy holiday and a joyful, peaceful and profitable new year! Here is to a great 2010!   Looking to buy or sell your home in Pittsburgh this coming year! Call Christa Ross from RE/MAX Select Realty, at 724-933-6300 x214 (office) or 724-779-1437 (direct) or visit my website at www.greenhomespgh.com. 12/26/2009

I got the opportunity to talk to a reporter from the Associated Press this week who was writing a story on Northeast home sales. She was interested in finding out what was going on in the Pittsburgh market and I was happy to oblige. As I told her, Pittsburgh has done very well compared to other areas of the country. One thing that seems to be driving our resilience is the low cost of living and low cost of homes. You can read a few of the stories, that feature a quote from me :-), at the links below. Such Good news is a Great way to start the New Year! Northeast home sales climb 55 percent in November Buyers snap up homes in Nov.   Start your New Year with a New Home in the Pittsburgh area! Call Christa Ross from RE/MAX Select Realty, at 724-933-6300 x214 (office) or 724-779-1437 (direc... 12/23/2009

Walkscore, the site that lets people see the walkability of their neighborhood has added public transit information to their website and introduced a new App website called City-Go-Round. The walkscore app helps you find location and public transit information right from your phone. Find out more information at City-Go-Round. Find a walkable neighborhood in the Pittsburgh area! Call Christa Ross from RE/MAX Select Realty, at 724-933-6300 x214 (office) or 724-779-1437 (direct) or visit my website at www.greenhomespgh.com. 12/15/2009

More good news for Pittsburgh. Forbes Magazine ranked us #22 out of the top 100 largest American cities for Best Bang-For-The-Buck. A solid housing market, relatively stable employment picture, low cost of living and quick commutes were among the factors that were considered by the magazine. Pittsburgh scored high marks for Housing Affordability (#17), Home Price Forecast (#6), Foreclosure Rank (#14) and Unemployment rank (#24). We didn't do so well in Real Estate Taxes Rank (#79) and Home Vacancy Rates (#84). You can read the entire study here. Now is a great time to buy a home in Pittsburgh! Call Christa Ross from RE/MAX Select Realty, at 724-933-6300 x214 (office) or 724-779-1437 (direct) or visit my website at www.greenhomespgh.com. 12/09/2009

Greenfield is the kind of neighborhood that Pittsburgh is known for. Close-knit, working class, bedroom communities that once were considered the “burbs” until the city expanded to meet them. The area, located just south east of the city, still holds true to its roots with a friendly atmosphere and affordable home prices. Greenfield is a prime location for a home buyer that wants a suburban atmosphere combined with the convenience of city living. Most homes are walking distance, or a bike ride, from Schenely Park, Squirrel Hill and Oakland. Just four miles from downtown, some residents even can watch the 4th of July fireworks right from their front porch. Older homes dominate the area, with Victorians, American Foursquare and post-WWII homes commonplace. The median sale price in the are... 12/08/2009