Real Estate

Forget about flipping houses this year. With more families opting to pay for a lease rather than a mortgage, the decision to rent out properties is now the most popular real estate investing decision you can make. But before you go and buy all those foreclosures in your neighborhood, there are a few things you need to know in order to be a successful landlord.

It looks like the presidential candidates are finally paying attention to the housing crisis. In this Tuesday’s State of the Union speech, President Obama touted his settlement with big banking. The settlement would dampen the startling foreclosure rate by giving $25 billion to homeowners who are underwater on their mortgages. Immediately after the speech, White House staffers and the GOP candidates began talking about how to fix America’s housing crisis. Here’s what they had to say.

Do you know how your candidate plans to fix America’s housing problem? If you don’t, then you better start doing your homework. The race to win the Republican Party’s nomination for the 2012 presidential election has kicked into high gear, and it’s time for the nominees to explain how they intend to fix the country’s most pressing financial problem. If you’re voting in the Republican primaries and want to learn about your favorite candidate’s housing plan, here’s a brief overview.

Forget about flipping houses. If you want to make some real money on the housing market in 2012, help out the White House and start renting out foreclosures. This past Tuesday, the Obama administration announced that it’s working on a pilot program to sell off batches of Federal Housing Authority-owned foreclosures around the country – as rental properties. While there are many questions that need to be answered before the program becomes active, there’s also a lot of money to be made for real estate investors who have the cash and the work ethic to succeed.

Every year, thousands of homes across the country suffer from fire damage. While even a small fire can be devastating to homeowners’ possessions and their wallets, it doesn’t have to mean the end of the world. If you’ve been the victim of a fire, here are some steps to take to save your real estate investment:

The language of real estate can be confusing – especially all the legal jargon, like “escrow” and “liens.” If you’re going to be successful on the real estate market, though, you need to be able to speak this language fluently. Whether you’re an ambitious investor or you’re just trying to sell your house, here are four real estate terms you should be familiar with.

Just last month, Hurricane Irene caused record amounts of flood damage to Connecticut houses. While there’s nothing anyone can do about natural disasters like Irene, you can still save a flooded real estate investment if you follow the proper procedures.

Buying a home in San Diego doesn’t mean you can’t stay close to nature. America’s Finest City is surrounded by pristine California wilderness, and there are so many ways to take advantage of it. Whether you’re a hardcore surfer or a weekend walker, here are five different ways you can get outside in San Diego:

When many people think about real estate investing, they think about flipping real estate, and with shows like Flip This House dominating the airwaves, it’s no wonder. But in today’s market, is flipping real estate still the solid moneymaker it was in the past?

Real estate investing can be a tricky business with plenty of highs and lows. Smart real estate investors know that what works for one deal may not be the best option for the next. If you’re looking to change things up, here are a few options you might consider: