According to a recent article in the Tulsa World, "Buying on the Cheap", Tulsa area foreclosed properties during the third quarter of 2010 were shown to have sold for 32% less than regular properties (Realtytrac). Nationwide, foreclosed properties sell for 36% less. Even though Tulsa's foreclosure sales prices are a little higher than the nationwide or even Oklahoma average, 32% is still not a good figure. Doug Emve, Oklahoma Association of Realtors president said that the figure is still too high.
Although there is still a high number of foreclosures in the Tulsa market, many sellers are turning to short sales. Sherri Sanders with McGraw Realtors, says that she is seeing more short sales in this market. Despite all of this news, Sanders thinks that "people think the situation is worse than it is" and is "optimistic that clearing out the excess inventory of foreclosed homes will strengthen the local housing market."
Read more from this Tulsa World article at www.tulsaworld.com.
Want to buy a Tulsa foreclosed property? Want to stop your Tulsa foreclosure? Contact Darryl Baskin, McGraw Realtors at 918-258-2600 or www.stopmytulsaforeclosure.com.
Need Tulsa foreclosure legal advice? Contact Chuck Richardson of Richardson, Richardson, Boudreaux at 918-663-5070 or www.rrblawok.com.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Preventing Identity Theft!
While checking out some blogs recently, I ran across a great blog, "How to Prevent Identity Theft This Holiday Season" by Paul Quinn. Thankfully, many of us have never experienced identity theft. For those that have, though, they will tell you that it is a long road! Read on for information Paul shares on methods thieves use to steal your identity and ways to prevent identity theft.
The FTC estimates that as many as 9 million Americans have their identities stolen each year. As you look for in-store and online deals this holiday season, it is crucial more than ever to be mindful of identity theft.
The following facts and tips are extracted from the FTC’s website and Kiplinger’s article “10 Oline-Shopping Traps That Catch Even Smart Shoppers.” Enjoy this holiday season but at the same time, be smart.
Identity theft is generally defined as someone using your personal information (such as your name and Social Security number, credit card numbers, or other financial account information) in a fraudulent manner.
Know that skilled identity thieves may use the following methods to get hold of your information:
- Dumpster Diving -They rummage through trash looking for bills or other paper with your personal information on it.
- Skimming - They steal credit/debit card numbers by using a special storage device when processing your card.
- Phishing – They pretend to be financial institutions or companies and send spam or pop-up messages to get you to reveal your personal information.
- Changing Your Address - They divert your billing statements to another location by completing a change of address form.
- Old-Fashioned Stealing – They steal wallets and purses; mail, including bank and credit card statements; pre-approved credit offers; and new checks or tax information. They steal personnel records or bribe employees who have access.
- Pretexting - They use false pretenses to obtain your personal information from financial institutions, telephone companies and other sources
The best way to deter identity theft is shredding financial documents when discarding them, keeping your social security card in a safe place, not giving out your personal information to suspicious callers, mailings or internet sites and closely monitoring your bank and credit card statements.
The Kiplinger’s article gives 10 online shopping traps that made lead to fraud. They are:
- Blindly clicking into unfamiliar sites – Don’t rely on search engines for comparisons, go to well-known comparison sites.
- Assuming You Have the Same Protections with Debit as Credit – If a hacker steals your debit-card information and raids your bank account, you must report any misuse within two days to get the same $50 limited liability as you would with a credit card. Miss that deadline but report your loss within 60 days and you could be liable for up to $500.
- Not Monitoring Your Accounts – If you do a lot of shopping online, review your credit card statements regularly to make sure there aren’t any unauthorized purchases. Compare receipts to credit card statements or use just one credit card for online purchases.
- Shopping From a Public Wi-Fi Connection – Hackers can tap into Wi-Fi connections at hotspots, such as coffee shops, airports and hotels, to capture your personal information. That’s why you should never shop online using a public Wi-Fi connection. Also, never use a public computer to shop or check accounts online.
- Billing Directly to Your Smart Phone – Use a credit card instead of having purchases billed through your mobile carrier because the card provides more security.
- Wiring Money to Pay for an Item – If you purchase an item from an online auction site, such as eBay, and the seller asks you to wire your payment, don’t do it. Pay with a credit card so you can dispute the charges if you don’t get what you paid for.
- Falling For Too-Good-to-Be-True Deals – If a website or individual is offering a deal better than anyone else, won’t accept credit cards and demands a direct transfer of funds, it’s probably a scam. A common one: Someone claims he’s selling a vehicle at a low price because he needs the money fast (he lost a job or is a soldier going overseas, for example).
- Clicking a Link in an Unsolicited E-Mail – Don’t ever click on a link in an unsolicited e-mail to go shopping, even if the e-mail looks as if it came from a legitimate retailer, It’s safer going directly to a retailer’s site to see whether it’s having a sale rather than clicking on a link that could take you to a fraudulent site.
- Clicking URLs on Social-Networking Sites – Using Twitter can be a smart way to stay on top of deals, but you have to make sure the deals are legit. The URLs on Twitter (and sometimes Facebook) are often shortened, so you don’t know whether you’re going to land on a legitimate retailer’s site by clicking the link. Use Twitter as a tip, then find sales on your own.
- Assuming an Escrow Service Is Always Safe – If the seller is pushing you to use a particular escrow company to handle a transaction, be suspicious because it might be part of a scam. You can verify a company’s legitimacy by checking with state regulators, or ask to use an escrow company of your choosing,
The FTC says that filing a police report, checking your credit reports, notifying creditors, and disputing any unauthorized transactions are steps you must take immediately if you are a victim of identity theft.
To view the original blog post click here!
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
South Tulsa Homes For Sale...
Charming Old World Home in Jenks, OK!6338 East 111th Place
Woodfield Village in Tulsa, OK.
$325,000
3 Bedrooms
2 Full 1 Half Bathrooms
2 Car Garage
____________________________________________________________
New Construction in Bixby, OK!14558 South Urbana Court
The Auberge in Bixby, OK.
$214,900
2 Bedrooms
2 Full 1 Half Bathrooms
2 Car Garage
______________________________
1724 East 151 Street
in Bixby, OK.
$2,675,000
5 Bedrooms
6.5 Bathrooms
4 Car Garage
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Gorgeous Luxury Estate on Over 1/2 Acre in Bixby, OK.11707 South Fulton Avenue
Forest Hills Estates in Bixby, OK.
$725,000
4 Bedrooms
3 Full 2 Half Bathrooms
3 Car Garage
For more information on these Tulsa, OK area homes for sale or to buy or sell your Tulsa, OK area home contact Kelly Howard of McGraw Realtors at 918-230-6341 or www.kellyhowardhomes.com.
Homeowners Hope for Easier and More Streamlined Modification Rules
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Monday, December 6, 2010
Tulsa, OK. Area Homes for Sale
602 Cross Timbers Blvd.
The Lakes at Cross Timbers
$339,000
3 Bedrooms
2 Full 1 Half Bathrooms
3 Car Garage
Broken Arrow, OK. Home for Sale1705 S. Juniper Ave.
Village Park
$165,000
3 Bedrooms
2 Bathrooms
2 Car Garage
11425 S. Louisville Pl.
The Estates of Waterstone
$2,850,000
6 Bedrooms
6 Full 2 Half Bathrooms
7 Car Garage
For more information on these Tulsa, OK Area Homes for Sale or to buy or sell Tulsa, OK real estate, contact Kelly Howard of McGraw Realtors at 918-230-6341 or www.kellyhowardhomes.com
The Estates of Waterstone
$2,850,000
6 Bedrooms
6 Full 2 Half Bathrooms
7 Car Garage
For more information on these Tulsa, OK Area Homes for Sale or to buy or sell Tulsa, OK real estate, contact Kelly Howard of McGraw Realtors at 918-230-6341 or www.kellyhowardhomes.com
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Ways to Go Green in Your Tulsa, OK Home This Christmas!
With Christmas fast approaching, there are many tasks that you might find yourself rushing to complete in your Tulsa, OK home. For some, it is decorating, for others it is completing last minute projects and touch-ups that have gone undone. Whatever you find yourself trying to complete before you Christmas guests arrive, read this great article on ways that you can go green this Christmas season!
To buy or sell Tulsa, OK area real estate, contact Kelly Howard, McGraw Realtors, 918-230-6341 or www.kellyhoward.com.
RISMEDIA, December 4, 2010—(MCT)—Now that the holidays are in full swing, the thought of guests descending on your home may have you in an all out redecorating rush. Do your part this holiday season and go green while you paint, clean, and even accessorize.We all know that paint can completely and inexpensively change the look of any space. But did you know that it’s one of the biggest sources of indoor air pollution? That’s because conventional paints contain volatile organic compounds—or VOCs—which are known to cause everything from headaches to certain cancers.
Now, it’s easier than ever to get your hands on low or no VOC paint from nearly any paint manufacturer. The cost of low or no VOC paints are comparable to conventional paints and they last just as long. Just look on the can’s label to make sure you are choosing the healthiest option for your home.
Another source of those dangerous VOCs is household cleaners. If you’re like me, you may take cleaning to a whole other level when company comes to town. Before you spend a lot of money on store-bought cleaners, take a look at the non-toxic options you may already have in your pantry.
Items like baking soda, vinegar, and borax are effective cleaners for every room in your home. They do everything from disinfecting surfaces to killing mold. If you want to go the store-bought route, look for cleaners that are plant-based and biodegradable.
Now for the fun part of buying things for your home. If you’ll be picking out a new piece of furniture before your friends and family arrive, pick ones that don’t emit dangerous chemicals into the air. Some affordable pieces made from medium density fiberboard—or MDF—actually contain a formaldehyde-based resin.
Gas from the formaldehyde is known to slowly release into the air and can irritate eyes and cause breathing problems. Formaldehyde is also used in many furniture adhesives. When shopping, find out what the furniture is made of and if any formaldehyde adhesives are used in the manufacturing process to ensure you aren’t bringing toxic pieces into your home.
There may also be some smaller items on your shopping list this year. If you’ll be getting new towels or sheets for your guests, opt for organic cotton items. These pieces are produced from cotton that is grown without using harmful pesticides or insecticides. Not only that, you’ll also find organic cotton items are generally softer. Major retailers now offer organic options in every price range. You can also find decorative bed pillows made with organic cotton at many home goods stores.
There are plenty of ways to get in the green spirit this holiday season and it won’t cost you any more money or time. So do your part when guests come to visit to make sure your home is the healthiest it can be.
(c) 2010, The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, N.C.).
Click here to view this article, "Around the Home: Green Your Home for the Holidays"
To buy or sell Tulsa, OK area real estate, contact Kelly Howard, McGraw Realtors, 918-230-6341 or www.kellyhoward.com.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
From Our Top 5 Team: Top 5 Ways to Spend Less this Holiday Season
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Top 5 Ways to Spend Less This Holiday Season
While the holidays should be a joyous time for all, unfortunately, financial pressures can make this time of the year stressful and depressing for many. There are countless ways, however, to stop holiday spending from spiraling out of control in order to get back to the true meaning of the season.
As a Member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®, I -- along with my team -- often play the role of financial advisor to many clients. After all, owning a home is most likely the biggest investment you'll make, so being prudent regarding spending is a must ... especially in today's economy.
There are many great organizations out there that offer wonderful advice on managing your finances, such as The Homeownership Preservation Foundation (HPF), a nonprofit entity dedicated to helping distressed homeowners navigate financial challenges (www.995hope.org). HPF offers the following great tips for curbing holiday spending:
- The number-one rule of financial management is creating a budget and the holidays are no exception. Instead of just random spending, create a detailed budget for gifts, travel, entertaining, cards, decorating, etc. Create a budget for each person on your shopping list and don’t go over it.
- Stick to this budget by only taking cash, not credit cards, with you when you shop. This will help you avoid impulse purchases.
- Avoid the expense of the office grab bag or Yankee swap by suggesting your employer make a donation to a local charity instead; ask employees to contribute gently used clothing, canned goods, winter coats, etc. This will not only save everyone money but emphasizes the true spirit of the season.
- If this is your first year in a new home, don't feel pressured to invest in a full set of ornaments for your tree. Collect those gradually over the years and, in the meantime, decorate with paper snowflakes, popcorn and cranberry garlands, spraypainted pine cones, and other homemade ornaments. The effect will be charming and memorable for years to come.
- Streamline the preparations and costs of your holiday get-togethers by sticking to appetizers only. Ask everyone to bring an hors d'oeuvre and serve beer and wine only.
Not only will the above tips help you spend less, but they will help eliminate many of the common stresses that accompany the holiday so that you can truly enjoy the season with family and friends. Feel free to e-mail our team for more cost-saving ideas and please forward this information to others ... after all, we could all benefit from spending less this year!
Sincerely,
Darryl Baskin
McGraw Realtors
Office: 918-258-2600
Mobile: 918-740-0077
Darryl@DarrylBaskin.com
http://www.DarrylBaskin.com
This email was sent by RISMedia, Inc. on behalf of Darryl Baskin.
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