Jeff Beaulieu's (jeffbeau) Blog

RISMEDIA, August 5, 2009-Pending home sales are up for the fifth consecutive month, the first time in six years for such a streak, according to the National Association of Realtors®. The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in June, rose 3.6% to 94.6 fro...

RISMEDIA, July 21, 2009-The U.S. housing market continues to show signs of stabilization with a drop in the number of Multiple Listing Service (MLS)-listed homes for the twelfth consecutive month. The number of single family homes and condos listed for sale according to MLS data decreased in June...

The new Annenberg Community Beach House at Santa Monica State Beach is now open to the public, no membership required. The facility is open daily during the months of June through September and available for reservation during the remainder of the year. This prime piece of Santa Monica real esta...

RISMEDIA, June 30, 2009-With millions of Americans moving this summer-the busiest part of the moving season-it bears repeating: beware of unscrupulous moving companies. Relocation.com, the leading online consumer resource for moving services, identified some of the less familiar tricks to avoid a...

By Susan Tompor RISMEDIA, June 30, 2009-(MCT)-Question: How long will a foreclosure or bankruptcy show up on your credit report? Answer: A foreclosure can be reported on your credit report for seven years from the date the foreclosure was filed in the court, according to Gerri Detweiler, author o...

RISMEDIA, June 24, 2009-Historically, the value of real estate goes through cycles. Many factors affect the value of homes including the laws of “supply and demand.” From the Appraisal Institute, here’s a quick reference guide to some of the factors involved and advice on how to spot a turning po...

By Amy Hoak RISMEDIA, June 26, 2009-(MCT)-After a recent spike seen in mortgage rates, some consumers are wondering whether they’ve missed their chance to refinance into an ultra-low rate. Fear not: While the conforming 30-year fixed-rate mortgage hit a daily average of 5.81% last Thursday, it av...

Did you know that many of the parks in Santa Monica have free Wi-Fi access? It's true! So get out there and take advantage of the beautiful weather while getting some work done. Check out the following link to see a map of all the hot spots provided by the city. Santa Monica Wi-Fi Hot Spot Locati...

By Nancy Sarnoff RISMEDIA, June 22, 2009-(MCT)-Less than a week after putting his newly renovated house in Idylwood, Texas, on the market, Derrick DeCristofaro accepted a full-price offer of $242,900 on the 1940 bungalow. But the appraisal on the 1,780-square-foot home came in at just $206,000. T...

This is becoming more of a problem all over the country, even here in Santa Monica. Always make sure that there are no Notices of Default on properties before you rent them. It's probably a good idea to get permission to speak to the lender and find out if the owner is current on their payments. ...