Daily Foreclosure and Distress Homes Report
 

Receive by e-mail a free daily report on foreclosures and distress sale homes in your area. 


Save Thousands of Dollars When Buying a Home
 

This FREE no obligation easy to understand report provides simple steps that will amaze you how easy it is to save thousands of dollars when buying a home. 


BEWARE!
13 Extra Buyer Costs You Need to Know About

 

This FREE no obligation report let's you know about 13 extra buyer expenses you need to know about before you start your home search.


9-Buyer Traps to Avoid
 

This FREE no obligation easy to understand report and DVD provides simple ways to avoid 9 buyer traps that most buyers fail to navigate before they happen. 


Buy a Home With No Money Down
 

"New Program" allows buyers to buy a home with NO down payment.


FREE Special Report
"6 Things You Must Know Before You Buy"

 

Discover how to avoid these costly mistakes. 


FREE Special Report "How To Stop Paying Rent and Own Your Own Home"
 

A new FREE Special Report entitled "How To Stop Paying Rent and Own Your Own Home" has already helped dozens of local renters get out from under their landlord's finger, and move into a wonderful home they can truly call their own. You can make this move too by discovering the important steps detailed in this FREE Special Report.


Questions Real Estate Agents Hate
 

10 questions you must ask when interviewing an agent.

 

Your Realtor:
Virtual Real Estate Store
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Copyright © 2001 Realty Times
All Rights Reserved.



Questions You Should Ask About Property Taxes

     Property taxes are a major expense, one which often totals thousands of dollars per year. But property taxes are not the same for like properties or for every owner.
      Property taxes provide much of the revenue used to fund local and state governments. As property values go up, property tax collections also rise which means additional dollars are available for more public services -- and perhaps even for tax refunds. Alternatively, if property values decline, then government programs tend to be squeezed or there is pressure to raise income and sales taxes to make up for short-falls.


Mortgage Rates

U.S. daily averages as of March 30, 2001:

30 yr. fixed:   6.73%
15 yr. fixed:   6.30%
1 yr. adj:        6.24%
30 yr. jumbo:  7.17%

Source: Bank Rate Monitor


Get today's rates





How much you pay for property taxes depends on the value of your home and also local tax policies. In the usual case, a property value is established by government assessors. Once a value is



Wondering What Your Home Is Worth?

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Use, Don't Abuse Home Equity

     An increase in quick-qualifier equity loans, low- and no-down payment purchase loans and generally easier mortgage money is draining America's home equity and younger, less experienced home owners are most vulnerable.
      Experts blame a lack of education and they say marketing designed to lure those who can afford to borrow is also snaring less disciplined borrowers who should avoid over-extending themselves.
      Home owners lost an average $1,500 in home equity in the past decade, according to "While Home Ownership Rises, Home Equity Stagnates", U.S. Census Bureau data deciphered by Freddie Mac housing economist Frank E. Nothaft for the Consumer Federation of America.
      Home owners aged 35 to 54 suffered declines ranging from 7.1 percent to 13.8 percent, but older home owners, those aged 55 and older enjoyed equity jumps from 3.4 percent to 6.5 percent from 1989 to 1999, according to the study.
      Experts are concerned younger home owners are squandering their equity at the expense of their retirement needs. Earlier this year, a Federal Reserve Board survey, "Recent Changes




Mortgage Options: How Much Of A Gambler Are You?

     When it comes to choosing a mortgage, your gambling instincts (or lack thereof) may surface. Will you throw caution to the wind with a one-year adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) or play it safe with a set monthly payment over thirty years? Will you go for more points and less interest, or lower interest but higher costs up-front? No matter what tack you take, there's risk and reward, pro and con, factored into each mortgage choice..
      Safe, Yet Costly: The Johnsons have a moderate income and three young children so they want to play it safe by keeping their monthly payments low with a 30-year fixed-rate loan. They're also growing their savings, so putting only 5% down seemed the right approach.
      But safety comes at a price. Because of their low down payment, they're forced to pay private mortgage insurance (PMI) until they have approximately 20 percent equity in the home. This equates to thousands of dollars of additional expense over the life of the loan which is, unfortunately, not tax deductible. The Johnsons might improve their position by refinancing when they have more equity to get a lower the interest rate and remove the requirement for PMI.
      Risky, Yet Cost Effective: Sam and Monica Chan are financially savvy baby boomers who have a high-risk threshold and want to save money on their mortgage whenever possible. That's why



Storage Units:
When Enough Isn't Enough


     Those of us who have never used a storage facility might be tempted to dismiss them as best-suited for pack rats. After all, if you own so much "stuff" that you need to store it away and pay for the privilege, you need to learn the fine art of throwing things away, don't you?
      Actually, a significant percentage of consumers who rent storage units do so because they're in between residences, a very common scenario in our transient society. If you're faced with a temporary job transfer -- a couple of years, for example -- you may not want to take every last possession to a transitory residence. In such situations, a climate-controlled storage facility is often the wisest solution, enabling you to move to your temporary home without the burden of excess baggage.
      Another very common use for storage units arises when owners are selling their homes. If you've ever placed your home on the market and opened it to a broker and prospective buyers, you know that their first impressions are often influence whether or not you're going to make a




Daily News and Advice


Read about the events shaping the Real Estate market today, find current interest rates, or browse the extensive library of advice and how-to articles written by some of the top experts in Real Estate. Updated each weekday.



More Articles


March Round Up: Mortgage Rates Remain Low

What's Wrong With This Picture?

Packing Hard-To-Move Items

How To Avoid Home Equity Leaks
How to Find a Qualified Home Inspector
How to Get the Best Mortgage Interest Rate and Terms
Save on Homeowners Insurance
Should you List Your Home For Sale with a Friend?
Should You Use More Than One Agent to Locate a Home?

How Good Is Your Roof?

Free Online Home Valuation

 

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Your Home Didn't Sell. Do You Know Why?
 

Your home didn't sell or your listing expired. It likely wasn't your home. We can show you why with a FREE DVD and report, How to Sell a Home That Did Not Sell. 


How to Get Your Asking Price in a Buyer's Market
 

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27-Keys to Selling Your Home
 Quickly and for Top Dollar
 

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Sell Your Home For $ 27,584 More
 

Learn how you can sell your home for more money in less time with our Team


11 High Cost Inspection Traps You Should Know Weeks Before Listing Your Home For Sale
 

To help home sellers deal with this issue before their home is listed, a free report entitled "11 Things You Need to Know to Pass Your Home Inspection" has been compiled which explains the issues involved.


FREE Special Report - "The 9 Step System to Get Your Home Sold Fast and For Top Dollar"
 

This report clearly identifies potential trouble-spots, and lays out an easy-to-follow step-by-step system to help you get the most money for your home


Divorce: What to Do About the House
 

Mistakes to Avoid When Selling Your Home as a Result of a Divorce.

 

 

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Serving the northside of metro Atlanta, Georgia area

The information provided is by Alpha Team Realty, Inc. is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed and is subject to change without notice. Alpha Team Realty, Inc. and business partners are not responsible for misinformation, misprints, typographical errors, etc. herein contained. There is no implied or expressed fiduciary, agency or agent relation between Alpha Team Realty, Inc. and any user of Alpha Team Realty's.  services or any services provided through the use of this web site, unless specifically contracted in writing. Alpha Team Realty, Inc. is a Georgia licensed real estate broker license number H-37835, Qualifying Broker David Gibbard.

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