AFI Portfolio Real Estate

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More on interest rates, the economy, and why to buy

Here’s a couple of articles you might find interesting. For more info please contact my colleague Tom. I think you’ll find that now’s a great time to buy. From Active Rain: “The bigger problem that continues to persist is the expectancy of rates to drop. Last week after the meeting that is all you heard […]

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FYI – freeway closure for TV pilot – March 28 – April 1st

Courtesy sfgov.org. MEDIA ALERT — I-280 N/B KING STREET EXIT TO BE CLOSED SATURDAY MARCH 28 – WEDNESDAY APRIL 1ST (WEEKDAY MORNING COMMUTE HOURS EXCEPTED) and I-280 S/B KING STREET ENTRANCE TO BE CLOSED SUNDAY MARCH 29 from 1 PM – 4 PM FOR FILMING OF TV PILOT IN SAN FRANCISCO NORTHBOUND TRAFFIC ON I-280 […]

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Geopolitical Diary: In the U.S., the Recession Turns A Corner?

From Stratfor After experiencing the worst repeated month-on-month declines since the 1982 recession, U.S. housing starts jumped dramatically in February — up 22 percent at an annualized rate to 583,000 units, according to U.S. Commerce Department data released Tuesday. The current recession is a truly global phenomenon that has enervated economies the world over. It […]

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Under 5%, Mortgages May Be Near The Bottom

By JAMES R. HAGERTY, Wall Street Journal The Federal Reserve is going to extraordinary lengths to push down long-term interest rates, including home-mortgage rates. But those hoping mortgage rates will fall sharply from current levels, already historically low, may be disappointed. Mortgage firms Thursday were quoting rates averaging 4.75% on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages, according to […]

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Five Reasons to Buy

By Tom Balk – tom@afirealestate.com 1 – Currently the FHA and Fannie Mae conforming limits are BEING RAISED BACK UP TO $729,750 in most Bay Area Counties. This is a temporary increase for 2009 only. 2 – Federal Tax Credit up to $8,000 (or 10% of the sales price, if lower) is available to all […]

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The Fed will buy another $750 billion of mortgage-backed securities in order to keep interest rates low!

For bond traders, expectations were running high that the Fed would offer new programs or expand existing bond buy-back programs. And the Fed delivered on both counts in a huge way. In a new move, the Fed said they would spend up to $300 billion during the next six months to buy long-term Treasury bonds. […]

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The Markets: Charting the Recession

This is a long term chart showing the last recession low in 2002. Once the 2002 low (7200) was broken, the Dow quickly sank to 6594 today. From what I’ve read, the market is becoming very oversold. In the next few days we could get a large move down (capitulation), and then a quick move […]

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Real Estate News Briefs

via SF Realtor Advantage Online S.F. Real Estate Rebounding—A Channel 5 News Story The lead story yesterday on the six o’clock news on Channel 5 (the local CBS affiliate station) was a report by Emmy Award-winning political editor Hank Plante on the rebound in real estate sales that has been noticed recently in San Francisco. […]

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Housing Affordability Reaches Its Best Levels in Several Generations!

via John Burns Real Estate Consulting Since we began tracking the data for the major MSAs in 1981, there has never been a better time to buy a home. The median income household needs only 27% of their income (an all-time low) to qualify for the median-priced home, and that household is also only paying […]

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It Can Pay to Buy a New Home Now

Via the Contra Costa Times By Eve Mitchell STAFF WRITER Posted: 03/02/2009 04:09:56 PM PST Thinking about buying new home in today’s beaten-down real estate market? You could end up with as much as $18,000 in government tax credits stemming from proposals to jump-start the economy.A state tax credit worth up to $10,000 started Sunday as […]

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Stimulus for Mortgages. Housing Rescue Plan: (effective Wednesday, March 4th)

Housing Rescue Plan: (effective Wednesday, March 4th) Refinance affects approximately 8 million homeowners with loans owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac and those who have little or no equity to refinance into a new fixed rate loan at a reduced interest rate.  To be eligible, homeowners’ must be current on their payments and cannot […]

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The Chinese are coming, to buy bargain US homes

Via the Associated Press By CHI-CHI ZHANG – Feb 12, 2009 BEIJING (AP) — Beijing lawyer Ying Guohua is heading to the United States on a shopping trip, looking not for designer clothes or jewelry, but for a $1 million home in New York City or Los Angeles. He expects to get a bargain. Ying […]

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State offers tax break for new-home buyers

Via the San Francisco Chronicle (02-26) 19:20 PST — California is offering a big carrot to people who buy brand-new homes in coming weeks: a $10,000 state tax credit for new-home buyers who close escrow starting Sunday. With the housing sector in near-collapse and construction starts at record lows, home builders hope the credit helps […]

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Just Listed: 2818 Balboa Street. Gorgeous Central Richmond Contemporary Condo.

Gorgeous Central Richmond Condo boasting nearly 2200 sq.ft. of living space with four bedrooms and three full bathrooms. Highlights include a large master suite with a walk-in closet and a master bath with an extra-large marble tub. The large contemporary kitchen with breakfast nook has stainless steel appliances, granite counter tops, generous cabinet space and […]

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The Home Buying Process Flowchart

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