RISMEDIA, August 27, 2010—(MCT)—Everywhere you look, July was not ideal for real estate—that’s one thing on which the economists and the statistics agree. Sales figures released recently for the first month in 19, not invigorated by government tax credits, offered a poor prognosis for the housing sector. Nationally, sales of previously owned homes plunged 25.5% [...]

RISMEDIA, August 23, 2010—The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury has released the August edition of the Obama Administration’s Housing Scorecard (www.hud.gov/scorecard), a comprehensive report on the nation’s housing market. In July, housing prices remained level after 30 straight months of decline, while some price predictions [...]

Here’s a tip for marking large arcs. Instead of using a beam compass, or a nail, string, and pencil, use a thin piece of stock or rip a thin strip. I like to keep thin strips ripped from 8-foot stock because I design many projects that call for 2 1/4-inch parts. Once a 1 x [...]

Red oak is a very open-grained wood. It can leave a rather rough finished feel if you just sand, stain, and walk away. Here are some tips that have worked for me that should give you a finish that will feel great to the touch. Sand your project to 180 grit. Apply stain with a [...]

RISMEDIA, August 20, 2010—(MCT)—Facing new penalties if they lowball estimates of upfront mortgage costs, lenders and brokers appear to be coming clean about how much borrowers will pay. As a result, the so-called good-faith estimates that mortgage providers must give to prospective customers show closing costs soaring 36 percent this year, interest-rate tracker Bankrate.com said [...]

Cottonwood (Cottonwood – Cottonwood, California, US)Details Beautiful home located in Cottonwood on 3+ acres. 3 large bedrooms and 2 nice bathrooms with double vanities plus a 3 car garage. A large enclosed sunroom with ceiling fans is just off the livingroom and boosts great views of the surrounding mountains and oak covered hills. The master [...]

(Southeast Redding – Redding, California, US) Details Large home in Pacific Heights nestled on a cul-de-sac lot on 1/3 acre. Built in 2003, this home features, 4 full bedrooms + an office with a closet and 3 full baths with over 3,000 square feet. Huge kitchen and pantry, 3 car garage. 2 HVAC units make [...]

Shasta (Southwest Redding – Redding, California, US) Details Foxwood at Lower Springs Lot #10. Great views of Mt.Shasta in an upscale westside development. Electricity and phone are at the lot line! OWNER WILL CARRY!!! Offered by Shirlene Bramson of Next Generation Real Estate Services DRE License #01500303.

Shasta (Northeast Redding – Redding, California, US) Details 3 bedroom ranch home situated on a large .59 acre city lot! Home features a very usable floorplan with a converted garage for bonus recreation/family room/office. Indoor laundry room, fireplace in living room and slider to large covered patio. Central heating and air conditioning. Home is a [...]

RISMEDIA, August 19, 2010—(MCT)—As director of the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard, Nicolas Retsinas has had a front-row seat for the real estate market’s dramatic boom and bust. After 12 years at the center, Retsinas left the director’s job to teach housing finance at Harvard Business School. He spoke recently with New Jersey’s [...]