Curt Baumgarth's Blog

As recovery falters, here come the regulators Commentary: Ethical code with teeth would beat more rules By Lou BarnesInman News™ Share This Domestic data vied with the European circus for control of financial markets, for once pushing in the same direction. Down. Both stocks and rates. Greece see...

3 ways to justify your real estate commission Don't underestimate the power of expireds, 'premium service' By Bernice Ross Have you ever wondered why sellers and buyers constantly grind on you about your commission? If you want to stop the grind, today's column looks at three proven strategies to...

Wells Fargo and U.S. Mayors Form Foreclosure Prevention Alliance By: Heather Hill Cernoch 06/16/2011 The U.S. Conference of Mayors and Wells Fargo Home Mortgage have joined forces to create a national alliance focused on foreclosure prevention, property disposition, homeownership promotion, and c...

Home Refinancing Basics Before you refinance, know the pitfalls as well as the advantages Provided by .yreArticle .text h5, .yreArticle .text h4 { color: #DB5800; } .yreArticle .text ul li { margin-bottom: 2px; font-size: 12px; } .yreArticle .text td, .yreArticle .text th { padding: 0; font-size...

If you're considering selling your home, there are a number of factors you should consider regarding the resale value of your property. Some of these issues may devalue your home or scare some potential buyers away entirely, even if your home is an otherwise outstanding property! Consider these e...

The five-bedroom house sits on pastoral acreage in the rural Idaho countryside. At a price less than $180,000, it seemed a steal. But a bargain it wasn't. Ben and Amber Sessions soon realized the dream home they'd purchased for their growing family in 2009 was infested with hundreds upon hundred...

BURGLAR PROOFING * Have lights in all entrances. * Have good locks (deadbolt) on all doors and windows. * Use timers to turn lights and radios on when you are not home (noise is a great security enhancement). Stop mail and newspaper delivery when you are out of town. * Do not use your first name ...

When a seller wants to sell a home and finds a buyer who wants to buy it, you'd think they'd have a deal. What could go wrong? These days, plenty. In this tough financial climate, there are both longstanding pitfalls and a crop of new ones. At best, these can cost you time or money. Or both. At w...

New survey finds significant investor interest in buying homes, and many don't expect to pay all cash. They're not planning quick flips, either. Posted by Teresa at MSN Real Estate on Thursday, May 26, 2011 9:37 AM Who is planning to buy homes in the next two years?   Investors.   Already a sign...

This column is addressed to every home seller in America. Your obvious goal is to get the highest possible price for your home. I'd like to share a little-known process about how you can get more showings per day than all the competition on your side of town. Also, I'm offering some tips on how t...