Miami: el mercado más atractivo para la compra de una vivienda

Existe alguna ventaja en tener una enorme tasa de ejecuciones hipotecarias, un desempleo de dobles dígitos y un mercado de crédito muy limitado. De acuerdo con una respetada firma inmobiliaria, estos elementos ayudan a hacer de Miami el principal mercado en la nación para comprar una casa en vez de rentarla.

Miami ha subido dos lugaress desde el año pasado para convertirse en el mercado más atractivo de la nación para hacerse propietario, en vez de rentar, encontró un nuevo informe de la firma inmobiliaria Trulia. El estudio, dado a conocer el lunes, comparó los precios de las casas y las tasas de rentas en las mayores 50 ciudades del país para determinar dónde el ser propietario tiene un mayor sentido financiero.

Los compradores potenciales comienzan a darse cuenta de la dinámica cambiante de la Florida en compra vs. renta. Arden Shank, director de Servicios de Viviendas de Vecindarios del Sur de la Florida, dijo que los compradores por primera vez de los condados de Broward y Miami-Dade inundan su oficina.

``Tenemos más familias que vienen al proceso de preparación de compradores de viviendas que los que nunca hemos tenido'', destacó Shank. ``Muchas personas que fueron sacadas antes del mercado debido a los precios, pueden ahora disponer del dinero para comprar una casa''.


Read more: http://www.elnuevoherald.com/2011/01/25/874698/miami-el-mercado-mas-atractivo.html#ixzz1C399Xv5E

Para consejos de como comprar una casa en Miami, visite RealEstateLatino.com

Church Foreclosures Surge, Seen as 'Next Wave' in Crisis

ROSEVILLE, Calif.—Residential and commercial real-estate owners aren't the only ones losing their properties to foreclosure. The past few years have seen a rapid acceleration in the number of churches losing their sanctuaries because they can't pay the mortgage.

Just as homeowners borrowed too much or built too big during boom times, many churches did the same and now are struggling as their congregations shrink and collections fall owing to rising unemployment and a weak economy.

Since 2008, nearly 200 religious facilities have been foreclosed on by banks, up from eight during the previous two years and virtually none in the decade before that, according to real-estate services firm CoStar Group, Inc. Analysts and bankers say hundreds of additional churches face financial struggles so severe they could face foreclosure or bankruptcy in the near future.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/01/25/churches-end-nigh/#ixzz1C32S27HI

Looking for a better way to target the Latino market? Visit, RealEstateLatino.net

Nextage Realty International, LLC to Convert Casa Latino Real Estate Offices

JOHNS CREEK, Ga., Jan. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Nextage Realty International, LLC, one of the fastest growing franchises in the US, has announced that it will be converting the majority share of offices of the well-know and highly respected Casa Latino franchise to its Nextage Realty brand. Casa Latino was created in 2005 based upon the premise that Hispanic home buyers and sellers have unique needs due to cultural differences and lifestyles. Casa Latino currently has offices in 13 states. Details as to which offices will convert to the Nextage brand are still in discussion.

Robb Heering, founder of Casa Latino Franchise Corporation states, "Although we will still be serving our specialized and targeted Hispanic market, the Nextage Realty system allows for broader opportunity for our franchisees as well as allowing us to continue providing superior service to our multicultural clients. Nextage and Casa Latino have much in common in our business strategy and priorities, our consumer-centric focus and our vision for the future. It's a logical next step for us to combine efforts. This is by no means the dissolution of our brand, but rather the evolution to our future."

Heering will join Nextage Realty International, LLC as Vice President of Diverse Markets, initially focusing on the Casa Latino office conversions, agent training and coaching. "The future of real estate is about the power of 'We' and I am confident that we will share much success and satisfaction working together and building our new brand across the nation and, eventually, internationally."

Franchisee Thomas Mestas, with offices in Albuquerque and Rio Rancho, New Mexico and one of the very first Casa Latino franchise owners, is looking forward to the transition. "We are very excited about joining the Nextage Realty family and about being able to provide all of our agents the same opportunity that we have as owners. With the Nextage model, we anticipate systematic growth of our business in terms of locations, agents and transaction sides throughout the next several years. We have just begun the process of presenting the opportunity to agents in the community and the response has been tremendous."

The office conversions will begin in January 2011. Currently, Nextage Realty International has almost 60 offices across the nation. Nextage Realty debuted their brand at the National Association of Realtors Convention in New Orleans in November and has achieved remarkable success, taking the industry by storm in the two years it has been in operation. Co-Founders, Frank Cluck and Dave Wild, industry veterans and visionaries, are behind the evolutionary business model that has gained wide-spread attention and respect in the industry.

For more information, visit: http://www.NextageAdvantage.com.

About Nextage® Realty International, LLC

Nextage Realty International, LLC is a consumer-centric company that helps brokers and agents overcome today's major, marketplace challenges by creating a unique team environment where everyone works toward one common goal. It's about BUILDING a business, not just DOING business™ while providing the absolute highest level of client service. With an evolutionary business model and the most innovative compensation plan in the industry, Nextage Realty is setting the new standard and leading the industry into its "Next Age".
SOURCE Nextage Realty International, LLC

Looking for a better way to target the Latino market? Visit, RealEstateLatino.net

Mexico Real Estate Coalition Announces "Live Mexico" Campaign

Houston, TX (PRWEB) January 6, 2011

For the first time, a nationwide array of companies are joining forces to promote living and real estate investment in Mexico. Individuals from some of the most respected companies including Grupo Questro, Capella Pedregal, Punta Mita, Querencia, RCI International, BBVA/Compass Group and Stewart Title Latin America have compiled a stellar group of talent to combat the negative media, security concerns and perception challenges that have faced Mexico the past year. www.livemexico.org

The Mexico Real Estate Coalition (MREC) has a very clear and simple goal: to promote the many benefits Mexico offers to those seeking a place to retire or own a second home. The second home/retirement home sector is a multi-billion dollar industry in Mexico, spread over several major markets and many smaller ones. Until now, there has never been a national association to advocate this specific segment. As a national industry-wide Coalition, the MREC has the combined power to ensure that Mexico continues to attract people from United States and Canada and educate them on the main benefits of living in the country.


Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2011/01/06/prweb4945844.DTL#ixzz1B38aGwxZ

Banks repossess 1 million homes in 2010

NEW YORK – The bleakest year in foreclosure crisis has only just begun.
Lenders are poised to take back more homes this year than any other since the U.S. housing meltdown began in 2006. About 5 million borrowers are at least two months behind on their mortgages and more will miss payments as they struggle with job losses and loans worth more than their home's value, industry analysts forecast.
"2011 is going to be the peak," said Rick Sharga, a senior vice president at foreclosure tracker RealtyTrac Inc.
The outlook comes after banks repossessed more than 1 million homes in 2010, RealtyTrac said Thursday. That marked the highest annual tally of....


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In Jacksonville’s older rentals, EPA checks warnings on lead paint risks

In Jacksonville's older neighborhoods, an old worry - lead paint - is drawing attention from the federal government.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency fined the operators of four Jacksonville apartment complexes and a house-management company last year after concluding they violated a law that says property owners must tell tenants about any evidence of lead paint.

The last case was finalized in December.

EPA doesn't know whether tenants at any of those buildings were ever exposed to decaying paints. But it will send inspectors to as many as 175 rental offices around the Southeast each year to audit lease records for disclosure forms that are supposed to be signed by tenants at any property built before 1978.

"Understand that this is a public health issue," said Anthony Toney, chief of the lead and children's health section at EPA's regional office in Atlanta.

Lead poisoning can hurt a child's brain development and cause neurological problems that can persist as the child grows up. Adults are less vulnerable but can also be harmed by chronic overexposure at high levels. Read Article Here

Judges berating bank lawyers over foreclosure

t's not been a good year so far for plaintiffs seeking to foreclose. Last week, a the highest court in Massachusetts ruled against U.S. Bancorp and Wells Fargo & Co. in affirming a lower court judge's ruling invalidating two mortgage foreclosure sales because the banks did not prove that they actually owned the mortgages at the time of foreclosure.

As Jacksonville attorney James Kowalksi said, "Wells Fargo had every opportunity to walk the judge through all the complicated steps to show ownership. And they couldn't do it."

Monday, the New York Times looked at how judges in that state are becoming more critical and vocal toward the attorneys representing banks in foreclosures.

"In numerous opinions," the Times wrote, "judges have accused lawyers of processing shoddy or even fabricated paperwork in foreclosure actions when representing the banks."

A judge on the state supreme court called one filing, "incredible, outrageous, ludicrous and disingenuous."

You can read the story here.

Vista Realtor Sent to Prison for Foreclosure Fraud

SAN DIEGO - A Vista real estate agent and businessman who engaged in several fraudulent schemes in which his mostly Latino clientele paid him $4.5 million in fees over several years was sentenced Friday to four years in state prison.

Miguel Angel Romero, 40, pleaded guilty last September to eight felony counts, including grand theft and deceitful practices by a mortgage foreclosure consultant.

Prosecutors said Romero told his mostly Hispanic clients that they could get rich by withdrawing equity from their homes and investing the money in other properties.

Romero also pressured clients to buy homes they couldn't afford, most of which ended up in foreclosure, prosecutors said.

"This is a tragedy of unspeakable dimensions," Judge Charles Rogers told the victims jammed into his courtroom.

According to a probation report, Romero was involved in several fraudulent schemes from 2005 until last year. Prosecutors said at least 400 people were victimized.

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