Biff,

Thank you. This is exactly what I'm using. It lists all transactions, commercial and residential. The challenge again is the information is incomplete.

Posted by: formerPH at October 15, 2008 11:17 AM in response to Help with Acris

As someone who has just been declined by Chase last week I found this surprising.

Chase was willing to give the loan but we were declined by the mortgage insurance company for the pmi because the property was in 1) a disressed market 2) husband's score of 704 was too low.

The same thing happened with 2 other institutions:
Everyone is doing the bait and swith: they all say yes and decline us at the end of the process.

Posted by: formerPH at October 1, 2008 2:48 PM in response to On the Other Hand: Chase Pushing FHA Loans

Thanks everybody! Just a month ago this would have been a none issue we're told.

Two reasons they can't insure the loan:

1) credit score of 704 too low
2) area in distressed market (and just put on the list two weeks)

PS: out of desperation (we're living with my mother in her 1 bed apartment) we told the bank we would do the 20% down.
They are now having issues lending to us even with the traditional 80%.

So yes, we're doing nothing this week. In light of yesterday's developments putting all our liquid assets into a home does not seem like a good ideal. If we can make it happen with 10% -15% down great...I imagine there will be more bargains coming up.

Posted by: formerPH at September 30, 2008 10:56 AM in response to Mortgage Advice

I am assuming the broker is the listing broker. The one who accually has the exlusive right to sell the property.
In which case there is no way around it, this person will get the commission. Even is she is not, the sole fact that she was the one who brought you to the apartment, entittles her to co-broke and receive half the commission.

Complain to her boss and if she is a REBNY member, complain to REBNY. In today's climate, where transactions are halfed and number of brokers doubles, her behaviour is unacceptable.

Posted by: formerPH at September 24, 2008 9:27 AM in response to love the apartment, hate the broker

We built an entire bathroom out of a walk in closet for 6K.
It was a mixture of home depot for the tiles, ikea for vanity, mirrors, sink etc. We splurged on the shower, toilet and backslash to achieve a more high end look. I think it cam out great.
Both electricity and plummbing had to be moved.
However, we hired just one guy and worked side by side with him, doing the tiling, grouting and a lot of other work ourselves.

Posted by: formerPH at September 16, 2008 10:05 AM in response to Is it possible to renovate a 6 by 8 bathroom for $12,000?

I'm a former real estate agent and really get frustrated when I hear about people who act unprofessionally and propagate the stereotypes we hear about too often.

That said, with all the ways to research a property and its ownership history, I would send a note to the owner so that s/he is aware how the property/deal is being handled. I'd attempt to be polite and factual, with the goal of being informative. I would be very appreciative if someone informed me if I were selling a property in any time but especially in this increasingly challenging market.

Posted by: BKRed at September 24, 2008 10:28 PM in response to love the apartment, hate the broker

Pay her commission in pennies.

Posted by: Iknow at September 25, 2008 10:32 AM in response to love the apartment, hate the broker

That's terrible. The owner and the firm could be making as much as 10-20% less income on any of her sales because she doesn't return phone calls and she's rude so she gets fewer competing offers. It's breach of fiduciary responsibility for her not to return phone calls and refuse to perform her professional duties.

Posted by: traditionalmod at September 27, 2008 12:57 AM in response to love the apartment, hate the broker

Are you sure those are the only 2 reasons? Does your income qualify you for the mortgage and all other monthly liabilities? No matter how distressed the area is , that shouldnt be the reason your loan is being denied with a 704 credit. The only thing I can think of is that your debt to income ratio is too high. sunny_hong@countrywide.com

Posted by: shong1 at September 30, 2008 9:19 PM in response to Mortgage Advice

LMAO! Listen, I'll tell you something about NYKB: They're CROOKS. They ruined my apt and walked off my job and kept my money (which they DIDN'T--contrary to state LAW--place in escrow). Oh, and my bathroom? They messed up the tiling so badly that it ALL had to be ripped out and redone by another company. So I paid twice. Be thankful those SOBs treated you like a "pauper" and sneered at your budget. If they come back to you wanting your business, take it from me: Say "no way" and hang up. If you don't you'll regret it for months (or, like me, for years).

Posted by: uessue at October 1, 2008 12:12 AM in response to Is it possible to renovate a 6 by 8 bathroom for $12,000?

Ok, sorry formerPH, I was assuming you were using the old school ACRIS site. That's the only site I know.

Posted by: Biff Champion at October 15, 2008 11:25 AM in response to Help with Acris

Not sure what you mean for the prices - they're all there. $0 means it was a transaction where cash didn't change hands (duh) - family transfer, corporate reorganization, etc. The city/state require the price to be provided so they can collect recording/transfer/mortgage taxes.

As for size, the data comes from the Dep't of Finances property tax records. Since they tax buildings as a whole, they don't maintain size info for individual units. So it's useful for houses or commercial transactions, not useful for condo/co-op analysis. You should try a connection to one of the appraisal firms like Miller Samuel who maintain this info privately (proprietary, of course).

Posted by: NorthHeights at October 15, 2008 11:45 AM in response to Help with Acris

What about Property Shark?

Posted by: mopar at October 15, 2008 5:15 PM in response to Help with Acris

Former PH,
Good luck. You want square footage on co-ops, which are common shares and not real property, with reported frequently outright lies? NorthHeights is right, but he's eluding that you are way in over your head. Start with Miller Samuel or something like that or your client will be dumb money. This is not like compiling stats from the SEC Edgar website. If you don't know who the sucker is in the shell game, its you.

Posted by: invisible at October 16, 2008 12:09 AM in response to Help with Acris

No offense or anything, but doesn't it seem like "ability to use Acris" would be at the top of the job requirements for any european real estate agency that wants someone to analyze that data?

Posted by: serpentor at October 19, 2008 12:02 PM in response to Help with Acris