For Consumers

HARRISBURG PA – The Big Switch starts next Saturday (June 13, 2009) for real estate licensees in Pennsylvania. That’s when a new Consumer Notice, required by the Pennsylvania State Real Estate Commission to be distributed by agents and brokers to their clients and potential clients, goes into effect. After that date, experts say, distributing any […]

HARRISBURG PA – Pennsylvania’s Department of Banking is taking a tougher line against mortgage brokers that either refuse to comply with regulations or are not licensed to practice in the state. Last week it took enforcement against seven different companies. On Friday (May 22, 2009) it issued a cease-and-desist order against U.S. Mortgage Group Inc., […]

WASHINGTON DC – One of the biggest drawbacks in years past of being an independently contracted real estate agent was a perceived lack of perks that sometime accompany other jobs. The National Assocition of Realtors® (NAR®) has been building its membership benefits package to overcome that hurdle, and last week (May 13, 2009; Wednesday) officially […]

MOUNTAIN VIEW CA – Could home owners save money, and help create a greener planet, if they knew more about the energy they use? Website search behemoth Google Inc. thinks so, and is partnering with electric utility companies to experiment with new software it calls the Google PowerMeter. PowerMeter works with new smart meter devices […]

CALGARY, CANADA – Some homes are literally going to pot. Canadian real estate agents in two different cities recently were warned to guard their clients’ interests if they consider buying property where police arrested previous occupants for growing marijuana indoors. One police chief claimed such home-grow operations could turn homes into “toxic chemical wastelands.” A […]