Real Estate news

1. Genius Scan
What it does: Puts a document scanner in your pocket. Enables you to use your phone’s camera to take a picture of a document, then email it to anyone in PDF or JPEG format.

Why it’s useful: Many real estate agents now use digital document signature software which allow you to sign with a click and, more importantly, without faxing documents back and forth. But some don’t – and some mortgage lenders will simply not accept anything but a copy or scan of your ‘wet ink’ signature.

Throughout your transaction, you might find yourself needing to scan and email your contract documents with your original signature, a copy of your deposit check, new payroll check stubs as you receive them, your driver’s license, a gift letter from your Auntie Grace or any of a number of other documents you’ll need to get to your agent or mortgage pro across town – or across the country. Having the ability to scan documents and checks and email them right from your phone can save you a lot of time and hassle – not to mention gas and cash.

Works with: iOS
Price: Free
Android Alternative: Document Scanner (Free 7-day trial/$3.98 for full version.)

2. Dictionary of Real Estate Terms
What it does: Translates the vast universe of real estate jargon and acronyms into plain English, putting a decoder at your fingertips for easy reference any time you need it during your house hunt or transaction. The Dictionary includes over 3,000 real estate terms, charts and graphs. You can save your searches and email terms to others. Your phone does not have to be connected to the Internet to use the Dictionary, which can be useful if you need to look up a term on an inspection or appraisal report while you’re in a home or office where you don’t have a great connection.

Why it’s useful:  I can guarantee few things in life, but one thing I do feel comfortable assuring you is that home buying will expose you to terms you have never heard before. You need to know what the terms used in your inspection, disclosure, contract and loan documents mean, and sometimes looking them up is the best way to do that.

Works with: iOS and Android
Price: $1.99 (iOS) and 99 cents (Android)

3. House Hunter
What it does: Helps you organize your house-hunting notes and priorities so you can more easily remember and compare the homes you’ve seen. The app also helps you evaluate the homes you’ve seen by providing a scorecard that weighs features against what you’ve identified as requirements and priorities. It includes a mortgage calculator, photo storage, and a feature that allows you to share your notes with your agent, among other bells and whistles.

Why it’s useful: After you see about five houses, they can all blend together. This app helps you keep it all straight, while also keeping you mindful of what your original priorities were and how the homes you see measure up against them.

Works with: iOS
Price: $3.99

4. SpringPad
What it does: Helps you keep track of any and every thing you want to remember in a digital notebook you can access from anywhere, on any device. You can:

• scan barcodes of home furnishings, appliances and other items you want to buy after you move;
• save ideas, property addresses, online clippings from design and news sites, photos from decor mags and to do lists from your mortgage broker;
• categorize all these things – and more – by house hunt, mortgage and escrow, moving, and decorating; and
• set reminders, share your notes with your agent or even get an email alert when the duvet you want goes on sale.

All without a single scrap of paper!

Why it’s useful: Empowers you to organize the hundreds of elements of your home buying adventure into a single spot and access it wherever you are – without carrying a bulky, messy binder or folder around.

Works with: iOS and Android
Price: Free

Sales of existing homes rose for the third straight month, increasing 5% in December, according to the National Association of Realtors.

The trade group said the sale of single-family homes, townhomes, condos and co-ops increased to a seasonally adjusted rate of 4.61 million in December from a downwardly revised 4.39 million in November.

For all of 2011, existing-home sales rose 1.7% to 4.26 million from 4.19 million in 2010.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said these are early signs of what may be a sustained recovery.

“The pattern of home sales in recent months demonstrates a market in recovery,” he said. “Record low mortgage interest rates, job growth and bargain home prices are giving more consumers the confidence they need to enter the market.”

The national median existing-home price for all housing types fell 2.5% to $164,500 in December from the same month a year earlier. Distressed homes accounted for 32% of sales in December (19% were foreclosures and 13% were short sales), down from 36% in December 2010, but up from 29% in November.

Potential homeowners also have access to the lowest mortgage interest rates in 40 years. The national average commitment rate for a 30-year, conventional, fixed-rate mortgage fell to another record low of 3.96% in December from 3.99% in November, according to Freddie Mac. The rate was 4.71% in December 2010.

Total housing inventory in December dropped 9.2% to 2.38 million existing homes available for sale, representing a 6.2-month supply at the current sales pace, down from a 7.2-month supply in November. Available inventory trended down since setting a record of 4.04 million in July 2007 and is at the lowest level since March 2005 when 2.30 million homes sat on the market.

NAR President Moe Veissi said more buyers are expected to take advantage of market conditions this year.

“We have a large pent-up demand, and household formation is likely to return to normal as the job market steadily improves,” he said. “More buyers coming into the market mean additional benefits for the overall economy. When people buy homes, they stimulate a lot of related goods and services.”

More questions we can help you, at County Properties, 25 years of brokerage experience, trust and a Member of the local Better Business Bureau! Want to know what your home is worth?

If you have equity in your home, we will sell your home and get top dollar in this challenging market with our  Internet Marketing and Sales Program. If you do not have enough equity, and you must sell your property as a short sale we have the expertise to do so also, go to www.ShortSaleRealtors4U.com

New Pro-Property Search. We will setup a customized search for you by our professional REALTOR® Team. Sit back relax and shop at home! We will make changes to your Pro-Property Search any time you like, just let us know. Have fun!

The Hollywood power couple is looking for a renter for their Beverly Hills home. A spectacular Mediterranean manse, Beatty and Bening’s 6 bed, 8 bath home boasts French doors and windows overlooking beautiful lawns, a pool, and head-on city light views. With grandly scaled rooms, high ceilings, and a great flow, this place was made for large-scale entertaining. Perfect for the privacy-craving celeb set, the estate is nestled at the end of a long, gated driveway. We think the kids would definitely be alright here.  Just reduced the monthly rental price to $2500 per month.

San Diego County                                                            For Riverside County, Click Here