Category Archives: investing

Taking a Dip

Posted on March 22, 2011 by gatearty

The “winning streak” had to come to an end at some point I suppose. Sales of existing homes fell in February after three straight monthly increases.  According to the National Association of Realtors, homes sold at an annual rate of … Continue reading →

Posted in finance, investing, mortgage, National Association of Realtors, real estate investing, real estate sales | Leave a comment

Back in the U.S.A.

Posted on March 15, 2011 by gatearty

Investors like to “hedge their bets” by diversifying their investment portfolios. For example, a certain % in each category of stocks, bonds, index funds, & real estate. Many investors even like to further diversify by looking into markets abroad in … Continue reading →

Posted in investing, multi-family, real estate investing, real estate sales | Leave a comment

Cash is King

Posted on March 10, 2011 by gatearty

A slew of new rules, regulations and policies have changed the mortgage landscape, thus making buying a new home a bit more difficult & more “expensive.” A few short years ago, first-time buyers accounted for 40% of home sales. Today, that … Continue reading →

Posted in bank, down payment, FHA, investing, mortgage, real estate investing, real estate sales | Leave a comment

Distressed Sales Dominate

Posted on February 28, 2011 by gatearty

It appears that 1 of every 4 sales last year was a distressed sale. RealtyTrac recently reported that 26% of all homes sold last year were foreclosures and short sales. People are targeting foreclosures because of the discounted values. Homes already … Continue reading →

Posted in bank, florida, foreclosure, investing, real estate investing, real estate sales | Leave a comment

A Farewell to ARMs?

Posted on February 15, 2011 by gatearty

Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARMs) used to be all the rage. They represented a whopping 70% of all mortgages issued during the real estate boom! Adjustable rate mortgages vanished during the real estate downturn, however, totaling a mere 3% of the market in 2009. Fast forward to present … Continue reading →

Posted in bank, finance, freddie mac, investing, mortgage, real estate sales | Leave a comment

What is a “FLIP” You Ask?

Posted on January 21, 2011 by gatearty

Some of you may have heard the term “flip” used before in real estate discussions. What is a flip? A classic real-estate flip involves the quick resale of a property at a significantly higher price than the purchaser paid. Typically … Continue reading →

Posted in down payment, FHA, finance, foreclosure, investing, mortgage, real estate investing | 2 Comments