40 Years Later, Realtors® Remain Vigilant to Ensure Fair Housing for All Americans

As America celebrates the 40th anniversary of the passage of the Fair Housing Act this month, Realtors® continue to be outspoken advocates for fair housing, working with home buyers and sellers to ensure they receive equal access to affordable housing and homeownership.

Realtors® build communities and play a vital role in advancing fair housing laws and improving access to affordable housing,” said NAR President Dick Gaylord, a broker with RE/MAX Real Estate Specialists in Long Beach, Calif. “NAR and its 1.3 million members pledge to continue our work educating home buyers and homeowners in our communities about fair housing laws, discrimination and predatory lending practices, making the dream of homeownership viable for all Americans.”

Read more.... http://www.realtor.org/press_room/news_releases/2008/40_years_later_realtors_remain_vigilant.html

How buyers, sellers are closing deals in today's market

"Being flexible is the name of the game"

By Dian Hymer

Negotiation is back in style, and is likely to remain a necessary part of buying or selling a home in today's beleaguered residential housing market. Other key elements to a satisfactory closing are flexibility, perseverance, creativity and diligence.

Needless to say, you need to work with the best real estate professionals you can find in your area. In most cases, it takes a team effort to put a home-sale transaction together and see it through to fruition. Read More .....http://www.hankv4979.remax-midstates.com/remaxmidstates/modules/agent/agent.asp?p=story&id=66285

Jefferson City Area Property Taxes Too High? File an appeal

It's the time of year when you always wonder why you didn't pay your property taxes along with your monthly mortgage payment. The idea of keeping the money in the bank and earning interest sounds great, but actually doing it is another matter.

That huge figure at the bottom of the assessor's coupon statement adjacent to the bold-face words "KEEP THIS PORTION" could have been chopped into 12 pieces that now sound affordable, and whisked away each month with your principal and interest, taxes and insurance payment, commonly known as "PITI."

While I was mulling over the thought of how I was going to produce my first-half tax payment, we were contacted by ........read more.....http://www.hankv4979.remax-midstates.com/remaxmidstates/modules/agent/agent.asp?p=story&id=66288