Posted May 11th, 2012
by Piper Lowes
As a real estate agent, using social media to market and grow your business can seem daunting. However, in today’s online driven world, developing a working strategy to build your social media presence is imperative.
To the real estate professional willing to commit long-term, social media provides substantial benefits including expanded influence and a boost in credibility. In order to identify and connect with your target audience, you first need to understand:
Once you answer those two questions, you must work to establish a powerful online presence. K
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Tags: Social Media, Strategy
Posted May 10th, 2012
by Jonathan Trollope
Applications for mortgage refinancing have seen a sharp increase since new, relaxed guidelines for the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) were unveiled last fall, the White House announced last week.
Nationwide, refinancing applications have increased by 50 percent since last fall, with much of it driven by demand for HARP refinances, according to White House figures. Approximately one-third of all current mortgage refinance applications are for HARP loans, according to administration figures, up from one in 10 a year ago. Mortgage servicers are handling nearly half a million refinance applications, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan told the Senate Banking Committee last week, with a potential average annual savings of $2,500 per homeowner. Continue post reading…
Tags: Harp, Jumps Harp
Posted May 10th, 2012
by Dakota Oppen
How do you know when a project or idea is doomed from the start?
Whats more important — a great idea or perseverance? Or both?
And, is there science to creating something viral?
These are some of the questions angel investor and startup advisor Hadi Partovi answered as he stopped by Zillows Seattle headquarters last week as the latest guest in the Zillow Speaker Series.
Prior to entering the entrepreneurial space, Partovi was Group Program Manager at Microsoft for Internet Explorer and General Manager of MSN.com. H
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Posted May 6th, 2012
by Piper Lowes
An unassuming drywall hanger from Greenacres has banks warning of a “widespread financial crisis” if the Florida Supreme Court favors him in a landmark foreclosure case justices will hear this week.
Plucked out of the 4th District Court of Appeal, Roman Pino v. the Bank of New York is the first significant foreclosure complaint to be heard by the high court since the state’s legendary housing collapse.
It’s particularly unusual because the 41-year-old Pino had already settled the case when the Supreme Court decided in December to take up a legal question it said could affect the mortgage foreclosure crisis statewide.
At issue is whether a bank can escape punishment for filing flawed or fraudulent documents in a case by voluntarily dismissing it.
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Tags: Florida Supreme, Florida Supreme Court, Greenacres, Supreme Court
Posted May 4th, 2012
by Jonathan Trollope
Maryalene LaPonsie is a columnist for MoneyRates.com. Her views do not necessarily represent those of Quicken Loans.
Since the first payment was made in January 1937, Social Security has provided a safety net and source of reliable income for retired workers, their spouses and dependents. But getting the most from your Social Security benefits is not always a simple matter of filing as soon as youre eligible.
While you can begin collecting Social Security as young as age 62, your benefits will be smaller than if you had waited to full retirement age (66) or later.
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Tags: Security, Social Security
Posted May 3rd, 2012
by Dakota Oppen
In The Pipeline is a column on significant acquisitions of commercial land for sale, and other transactions and trends affecting office, industrial, flex, multifamily, mixed-use, hotel and public works developers. Send us news leads about your new commercial real estate project — to receive future In the Pipeline columns by e-mail.
Amazon To Add New Distribution Centers In CA
Amazon.com, already accounting for a significant share of all new warehouse construction in the U.S., will occupy new fulfillment centers in San Bernardino and Patterson, CA totaling 2 million square feet. Continue post reading…
Tags: Pipeline, Pipeline Costar