Includes GPS-enabled listings along with home values from eppraisal.com, Zillow, and Cyberhomes

Although I am not currently in the market for a new home, I tend to window shop the “for sale” market just for fun.  ZipRealty just made it even more fun with their iphone app, which allows you to find homes for sale, as well as recently sold homes, based on your current location.

All fun aside, this is a really useful app for prospective home buyers.  Geo-targeted searches can be filtered based on property characteristics — such as property type, price range, and number of bedrooms/bathrooms — making it easy to identify potential homes while out house hunting.  Once listings are identified, there’s no more jumping out of the car and running through the lawn to retrieve property flyers. Each listing includes home details and photos, along with aggregated home valuations from eppraisal.com, Zillow, and Cyberhomes.

The app is free and can be found by searching the easily by searching the App Store for ZipRealty.

There are many ways of giving your home a makeover and many reasons to do so, but one of the best reasons is to make your living space more comfortable, more cozy, and more like home. One often neglected area during renovations is the bedroom – we all think of redoing our kitchens, our bathrooms and even the living rooms. But when it comes to our bedrooms, we don’t seem to want to change anything about it. Perhaps it is the fact that not many people see your bedroom; perhaps it is because you don’t think renovating your bedroom adds to the value of your home; whatever the reason, it’s time to put it to bed and use these five simple and easy ways to redo your bedroom:

• Revamp the curtains: If your bedroom windows are large, use curtains to good effect to dress up your room. Instead of going in for the readymade stuff available in stores, buy suitable material and get them stitched to match the size and tone of your windows. When you color code your curtains and the walls in your room, you provide a first and lasting effect to people who walk in.
• Invest in new bed sheets and covers: Do up your bed in bright colors and bold textures, suitably in colors that match your wall and curtains. And make sure you have more than just one pillow on the bed. Put a few on the cover just for effect, and make sure your bed is neat at all times, except when you’re in it off course.
• Use a carpet to good effect: A small carpet that fits in by the side of your bed or under your table in the bedroom makes a good addition to any bedroom. Make sure the carpet is soft to step on because it’s what you’re going to be stepping in every morning when you wake up.
• Throw in some personal effects: No bedroom is perfect without a few personal effects, so put up some pictures in vantage positions. Bring in a lamp for your table and keep a vase of fresh flowers on your window sill or on the bedside table. If you like to read, bring in a book case as well, one that goes with the décor of your room.
• Do up your lighting: The best way to provide your bedroom with both comfort and good looks is through the lighting – get help from a professional as to where to position your lights so that they are bright enough without being obtrusive. When your bedroom is well lit, yet not too bright, it shows all your other accessories in good light, literally.

This guest article was written by Elizabeth Johnson, who regularly writes on the topic of online construction management degrees.

Let’s face it, the housing market will struggle as long as potential home buyers are concerned over job stability and the state of the economy. Mortgage rates may be low, and incentives like the first-time home buyer tax credit seem good on the surface, but the fact remains that until the economy gets on its feet, many are not willing to get into what they may consider a risky investment.

That’s where energy efficiency comes in. That’s right — green homes, sustainable energy, home improvements and renovations that are good for the environment — these things can actually improve the housing market (not to mention climate change). How so you ask? For starters, today’s buyer’s are more interested in homes that are energy efficient. A home with a lower utility bill is important when faced with uncertainty. Not to mention, buyers may be inclined to invest knowing there are tax breaks if they engage in green improvements in their new home. More indirectly, and perhaps more positively, energy efficiency creates green jobs, and that is just plain good for local economies.

The U.S. Conference of Mayors commissioned the “Green Jobs in U.S. Metro Areas” report, which documented the impact green jobs have had and can have on major U.S. cities. It only stands to reason that these same effects would be seen in smaller metro areas as well.

Some of the benefits to the economy cited in this study are:

• Improved tax rolls and sales as people gain stable employment in good green jobs.
• Carbon reductions that benefit city governments, homes and businesses in communities that concentrate on carbon reduction.
• Improvements to the balance of trade as we stop importing so much fossil fuel and start to export new energy efficient technologies.
• Improvement in the air and water quality surrounding communities that choose to reduce emissions and the impact that these savings have cumulatively on the earth by reducing the rate of climate change.

Some green home improvements include:

• Install solar powered water heaters and energy-efficient appliances
• Replace older heating and air conditioning units with high efficiency systems
• Use sustainable materials in new construction
• Replace insulation and tighten air ducts
• Seal windows, doors, fireplaces, and cracks in the exterior of the home

Learn more about creating a green home at The Green Home Guide.

In the August 2009 eppraisal.com National Real Estate Market Analysis report, released today, 76 percent of the markets tracked saw an increase in the median home value, which was up from 50 percent in the prior report (July). In the current report, the trend continues with 80 percent of the markets tracked by eppraisal.com showing positive gains in home values. Even larger markets that have taken substantial hits in the past are showing continued recovery. For example, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego markets all saw over a 5 percent increase in the median home value with 17.8 percent, 6.7 percent, and 7.7 percent increases.

The full list of all 138 markets can be found in our market report. However, here are some of the most notable highlights.

• Santa Cruz-Watsonville, Calif., jumped 32 percent to a median value of $515,000.
• The Orlando-Kissimmee, Fla., area has stopped the decline and has increased by 1.6 percent to a median value of $152,900.
• Bend, Ore., and Sherman-Denison, Tex., were the only areas (tracked by eppraisal.com) that saw double digit declines in home values. Bend, Ore., dropped by 11.6 percent to a median value of $175,000, and Sherman-Denison, Tex., decreased by 11.2 percent to a median value of $86,568.
• Honolulu, HI, had a modest decrease of 1.6 percent to a median value of $555,000.
• Salt Lake City, UT, also had a modest decrease, with a 1.4 percent drop in value to a new median of $227,992.

The National Real Estate Market Analysis report tracks median sales price of residential homes in 138 markets across the continental U.S. compares data on homes sold in the last three months ending July 2009 with homes sold in the previous three months beginning on February 2009 and ending April 2009. This report compares data on homes sold in the last three months ending July 2009 with homes sold in the previous three months beginning on February 2009 and ending April 2009.

See the full list of national home value rankings.

Through August 2009, 47 loan service providers have offered more than 570,000 homeowners loan modifications through the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) initiated by the Obama Administration. Of these, 47 service providers have successfully converted over 360,000 modifications, a number that Assistant Secretary for Financial Institutions Michael S. Barr is optimistic about. However, in a testimony before the House Financial Services Committee, Barr said he wants to see more conversion of trial offers from loan service providers — namely 500,000 by November 1.

Let’s see which providers top the list:

While Wells Fargo & Co. and Bank of America Corp. improved the number of modifications in August over July, they still come in near the bottom at 11% and 7% respectively.

See the full Service Provider Report through August 2009

Other programs initiated by the Obama Administration to address the housing crisis include:

Assistant Secretary Barr says, “Our progress in implementing these programs to date has been substantial, but we recognize that much more has to be done to help homeowners.”

What do you think?

Moving day is stressful — you’re uprooting your family’s life and moving it to an entirely new house, and perhaps an entirely new city.

There are ways you can make the moving day itself less grueling with just a little planning. Here are a few:

1. If you’re using movers, they will go through your entire house and draw up an inventory of your things to be moved. Tag along with the driver who’s tallying this inventory and make sure everything gets on it, and then use the inventory at your new home to make sure that everything gets unloaded. The more familiar you are with the inventory, the more at ease you will be that your loading and unloading is proceeding smoothly and that you’re on track for your move.
2. Be the sole source of contact with moving companies. Having one person in charge of all the moving details will make it easier to keep track of your entire move. It will also make it easier for the moving company to know who to speak to if there are issues.
3. Before you even move, take care of things at your new home so you don’t have to worry about them on moving day. Get your utilities hooked up, and arrange to have cleaners get everything clean before you arrive. Also, when your new house is empty is the best time to do minor home improvement projects like painting, wood-floor refurbishing, and carpet cleaning.
4. If you have kids or pets, arrange to have someone take care of them during your loading and unloading. Kids, especially small kids, can get underfoot during a move and pose a danger to the folks who are moving your stuff. Also, the less you have to keep track of on moving day, the better.
5. Pack and set aside a bag that you will need during the trip to your new home. To be safe, keep this bag at a neighbor’s, or put it in the car, to ensure it doesn’t accidently get packed by your moving company.
6. After everything’s been loaded, go through the house (and possibly enlist someone to come along with you) to ensure everything was loaded onto the truck.

SOURCE: Relocation.com

Today eppraisal.com released its National Real Estate Market Analysis report for 183 markets across the continental U.S. This report, which tracks median sales price of residential homes, compares data on homes sold in the first quarter of 2009 with homes sold in the second quarter of 2009.

In this comparison of the first quarter with the second quarter, there are signs that most markets have hit bottom and are showing signs of recovery. In the last eppraisal.com report, only 50 percent of the markets tracked saw increases in median home values. In the current report, 76 percent of the markets tracked saw increases, while less than 20 percent saw a decline in median home values. Only two markets on the entire list saw a double digit decline in median home values.

Overall, the gains are spread across the U.S, but there are a few hot spots, with areas in Ohio and Michigan seeing the biggest increases. These areas have had some of the steepest declines in past reports and have the greatest potential for growth. For example, in Springfield, Ohio, the median home value jumped 36.4 percent to $75,000. Lima, Ohio, increased by 46.9 percent to a median home value of $78,000. In Michigan, the Lansing area saw a 31.6 percent increase to a median value of $75,000. The Saginaw area increased 47.2 percent to a median value of $44,000, and Battle Creek increased by 17.2 percent to a median value of $45,000.

The full list of all 183 markets can be found in our market report. However, here are some of the most notable highlights:

• Markets in Ohio accounted for half of the top 10 markets that saw the greatest increase, with Akron leading the list followed by Sandusky and Cleveland areas.
• At a median home value of $151,000, Orlando-Kissimmee, Fla., remains an affordable area with the median still less than the median a year ago when it was over $210,000. However, the decline has slowed from 8.5 percent in the previous eppraisal.com market report to 3.2 percent in the current report.
• Other notable affordable areas include: Las Vegas-Paradis, Nev., down 6.2 percent to a median value of $140,900; Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Fla., down 1 percent to a median value of $85,100; and the Tampa-St. Petersburg area up 3.3 percent to a median value of $129,000.
• The San Francisco-San Mateo areas of California had the highest median home value on the list at $673,000, which is up 18.1 percent over the first quarter.
• Detroit-Dearborn, Mich., area had the lowest median home value on the list at $14,000, which is up 12.9 percent.
• Of the 139 markets showing increases in median home values, only 24 of those markets remained under $100,000.

See a complete list of real estate market rankings from eppraisal.com

If you’re selling your home, or thinking of selling your home, you probably are facing a fierce competitor — that foreclosed home down the street.

The bank is eager to get rid of it. So the biggest challenge you’ll face is price, and price is something you’ll have to come to grips with early in the process.

However, there are ways you can set your property apart from foreclosures and give yourself an edge when sellers are comparing properties.

1. First, see if your neighborhood has foreclosed properties — if you can, you might want to wait until they are sold before listing your home.

Next, figure out a suitable price. Appraisers no longer take into account if a home next to yours is a foreclosure — a comp is a comp. Simply put, the risk factor of buying a foreclosure is no longer considered as high. Also, buyers can still do due diligence on the home — they have the time to do an inspection of the home, and they can still back out of a deal if something risky arises in the process.

2. The one factor where your home will stand out is its livability. A vacant home feels cold and sterile, while one that’s occupied has a cozier feel that’s more attractive to would-be buyers. Exercise this advantage when showing your home, and put extra effort into staging.

3. With all of the foreclosures on the market, many of these homes are being seen at their worst. Keep your home nice and clean and well-maintained. If people can see clearly that it’s a well-cared-for home — and will have fewer potential headaches for them — it will attract more positive attention.

4. Keep a vivid paper trail and photos of work, like any remodeling work, that you’ve done on your home to show potential buyers. This kind of information can be hard to track down on a foreclosure. This will increase buyers’ confidence about considering your home for purchase.

5. Finally, get real about the new market. Things are getting better, but there are still challenges for buyers, including the challenges of nailing down home loans. Be respectful of that.

And buyers themselves are very aggressive about getting a good deal. So don’t be insulted by a low offer; work with any offer to see if you can meet halfway. You know the bank will be doing the same with its foreclosure.

Source: Relocation.com

There may be nothing so controversial in the real estate industry right now as the Home Valuation Code of Conduct (HVCC). The code was established by Fannie Mae along with the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) in an attempt to regulate the appraisal industry and create more separation between appraisers and lenders.

The HVCC states that Realtors and mortgage brokers are prohibited from selecting appraisers. Lenders can select “in house” appraisers, but due to restrictions, many are hiring appraisal management companies (AMCs) to obtain their appraisals.

Since roll-out, Realtors and mortgage brokers claim low-ball appraisals are killing their deals, and some appraisers feel the real estate industry is just pointing fingers.

Here’s how some on each side of the ring weigh in:

As the accusations fly around, the only thing that’s apparent is that the system remains flawed, and the HVCC is doing nothing to help. Representatives Childers (D-MS) and Miller (R-CA) have introduced a bill calling for an 18-month moratorium on the HVCC in order to work out the kinks, though some think the this will do nothing to solve the issue.

What do you think?

In the 12 months from May 2008 to May 2009, The District of Columbia led the U.S. with the highest percentage of homes sold over $1 million at 7.14 percent. California leads the nation in overall volume of homes sold for over $1 million but is fourth behind Hawaii (6.95 percent), Connecticut (3.87 percent), and D.C. (7.14 percent) in percentage at 3.26 percent.

Furthermore, the unemployment rate for the D.C. metro region is at 6.2 percent, much lower than the 9.5 percent national average. There is a fascinating article about the muted effects the recession has had on D.C and its residents by Victoria McGrane – D.C. Plays “Rich Uncle” in Recession.

Of all the states where enough data was gathered to report on percentage, Michigan was the lowest at 0.08 percent. With the continuing decline of American automobile companies in the area, climbing unemployment, and soaring foreclosures, it would stand to make sense there are less opportunities for people to both earn and spend millions on homes in the area.

The top 20 by percentage are listed below: