Ira Freireich's (bestbroker) Blog

  Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) latest report on 06/17/2010 shows the number of suspicious activity reports (SARs) from financial institutions related to foreclosure scams dramatically increased last year. The report also noted that the type of foreclosure scams also evolved durin...

  "Of all of the foreclosures in the RealtyTrac online database, less than 50% have mortgages worth less than what is owed, said Rick Sharga, senior vice president at RealtyTrac, during a session at REO Expo, which concludes in Dallas  on Wednesday. The RealtyTrac database covers foreclosure fil...

Staging a home allow buyers to understand how to best use the space in a particular room. It de-clutters a home and makes it look streamlined. A drawer that is overstuffed leaves an uneasy feeling for many buyers. When a home is staged right it conveys a non-verbal message of accomplishment, suc...

A Home Buyer Tip from Ira Freireich, an Exclusive Buyer Agent serving the Queens and Long Island , New York , home buyer: After you have located “the home of your dreams”, spend some time on the internet finding out as much as you can about the address of the home. Below is an article about a “s...

Re-posted from NAEBA  The end of winter signals the beginning of the busy real estate season and the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (NAEBA) is renewing an effort to educate buyers about the various choices for agent representation in the home buying process. While most states in ...

On April 5, a new government-sponsored program designed to facilitate "short sales" will go into effect.   The Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives (HAFA) is intended to assist struggling homeowners who have not been approved for the Help for America's Homeowners loan modification (HAMP) prog...

Most everyone is thinking about their financial goals for the new year. The big question on a lot of people's minds is, what should you do in this shakey economy? Spend more, or save for that rainy day? While it’s always good to have a decent savings account in case someone loses a job, the key i...

According to analysis of recent Zillow Real Estate Market Reports, U.S. homes lost $489 billion in value during the first 11 months of 2009, significantly less than the $3.6 trillion lost during 2008. Furthermore, 48 of the 154 markets tracked by Zillow, or nearly one in three, showed gains in ho...

Everyone knows by now that Congress and the President passed an extension to the first time home buyer tax credits that were due to expire at the end of November. Now the questions are rolling in as to how to best take advantage of the new credits. The measure continues giving an $8,000 tax credi...

According to analysis of recent Zillow Real Estate Market Reports, U.S. homes lost $489 billion in value during the first 11 months of 2009, significantly less than the $3.6 trillion lost during 2008. Furthermore, 48 of the 154 markets tracked by Zillow, or nearly one in three, showed gains in ho...