Sherry Brown's (sherrybrown) Blog

QUESTION: Is it true that FHA is changing their mortgage insurance and buyers may not be able to qualify for loans after October 4th? ANSWER: Yes, changes are coming.  One of the reasons for the adjustment is that in 2009, FHA insured over the half of the loans nationwide, compared to 2% of home ...

FORECLOSURE OR SHORTSALE? WHY ARE HOMEOWNERS AFRAID TO ASK? Over the weekend I asked our painter to stop by and give an estimate for repairs on a short sale listing. Once there, after chatting about the home, he asked if a foreclosure was like a short sale. What I haven’t mentioned is that this i...

Sometimes when the summer weather starts heating up and showing Real Estate becomes a little more challenging while trying to stay cool and hydrated, I admit that I long for a cooler climate.  But at the end of the day, I look up and this is often what I see....   Need I say more?  It's so beauti...

The big question among homeowners who can afford their mortgages but who have lost 40% or more in the value of their home is "should I walk away from my home or not?" As a Phoenix, AZ Realtor, we have more than our fair share of foreclosures and in our economy this type of walk away adds consider...

Phoenix, AZ showing faint signs of recovery I wanted to post a few brief comments about our current market in Maricopa County which is all of Phoenix, Scottsdale and surrounding areas.  We seems to be coming back ever so slightly.  For investors this might be a signal that we reached a great time...

What if I am not the only Realtor who is learning Social Media? My question is, what if I am not alone? What if there are other Realtors out there, just like me, spending hours a day to master that huge Social Media world?  Why not write about what I've learned and save you all the time.  Granted...

Phoenix AZ  Real Estate Short Sales and Questions to Other Real Estate Professionals At least once a day I comment how much I would like to go to Diane Sawyer or some other reputable news person and tell America what is really, really happening in the world of Real Estate.  Just a few of the expe...

I don't know about the rest of you, but I was a 60's sort of gal and computers, hmmmm, even calculators, weren't around then. Fast forward to 20 years in this business and I remember the old days of MLS Books that came out weekly!  We loved them and fought going Internet but finally realized its ...

Wow, the EPA has waved their magic wand to create yet another requirement to begin on April 22nd, for repairs, renovations or painting of homes that were built before 1978 with lead based paint present.  BE INFORMED  because non compliance may cost $25,000. in civil penalities.  Willful violation...

I received the gift of a great referral today! How did I happen to become the lucky recipient? Well, first of all, I answered my phone!  Apparently three other agents were called but only one returned the call later that evening.  We are all so busy and we ALL know how hard it is to keep up with ...