Real Estate

The Housing Industry Association is looking forward to the federal budget in hopes that it will help to increase the housing and make it more affordable for consumers. Ron Silberberg – the HIA manager – stated that the $21.7 billion will help to relieve the interest rate pressures and the infrastructure skills and investments in order to reduce the constraints that many people are facing.

“Measures aimed at boosting the supply of new housing along with desperately needed urban infrastructure will assist in pegging the gap between underlying demand and current production,” Dr Siberberg said in a statement.

Los Angeles is the place that everyone wants to see, is is the “Sultan of Sprawl”, but most people would not have known this by looking at the country’s fastest growing suburbs. Not one of these falls in the L.A. metropolitan area. The people living in L.A. have decided to move to San Bernardino, 60 miles east of L.A. This is where twelve of the country’s 100 fastest growing suburbs are located. It has experienced 130% growth since 2000.

Owning your home after years of sweating to pay off the bank is sweet. But is it a good idea to stay in that home throughout your retirement? Many retirees elect to downsize, buying a smaller home or condo. Some are renting and investing the money they receive from selling their home, or avoiding homeownership altogether.

“I am a 75-year-old woman who rents a two-bedroom apartment in a four-unit apartment building,” says Emily Kimball, motivational speaker and owner of The Aging Adventurer in Richmond, Va. “I feel much more comfortable paying rent and having their handyman come and solve my maintenance problems. I have assets but they are for future health problems or more travel and adventure.”

In every community you will be most likely to find a number of realty brokerages. And because there is so much competition, local realtors must fight hard to succeed in your community in order to create reputation.

One of the best places to find a local realtor is from extensive listing of community professionals and properties. Other ways of finding them is to include open houses, local advertising, web sites, referrals from other realtors, recommendations from neighbors and suggestions from lenders, attorneys, financial planners and CPAs. The experiences and recommendations of past clients can be invaluable.

Renting is an option that many people choose when finding a home. They choose this over buying because they find it easier. As with everything there are things to keep in mind and to remember when renting. You should always be prepared to create a renter’s re’sume’ with your current and previous five addresses and landlord phone numbers, your employer and length of employment, your current salary and other income, personal references, among other information and include a copy of your credit report. Most renter’s want to look at your background to make sure that you don’t skip out on people and that you are someone they would want to rent to.