Overseas Chinese Web Guide

The Fed’s second interest rate cut in just over a week really confused me. Instead of being merely aggressive, it appeared a bit desperate. Perhaps, the national economy is faring much worse than I had believed. The problem for home owners and real estate investors is that our perspective is often local. [...]

[Read more →]

Would you believe that you can find a place in Palo Alto for under $100,000? Yes, it’s true. Under the Below Market Rate Program, a buyer purchased a 2 bedroom 1-1/2 bath residence for $98,800 back in April 2007. However, to be a qualified buyer, you must meet the Palo Alto Housing [...]

[Read more →]

The problem with living in a desirable location is that everyone else wants to live there as well. Of course, when you visit open houses on the weekend, everything looks great because you never see the grinding traffic that slows down all surrounding commute lanes during the weekday. So, if you are thinking [...]

[Read more →]

If you are thinking about immigrating to the United States or moving within the United States, you are probably aware that housing prices vary from region to region. Fortunately, Coldwell Banker offers a Home Price Comparison Index, which allows you to see what an equivalent house in 4 different regions will cost. First, set [...]

[Read more →]

The Los Angeles Times ran an interesting article today on pay option loans. Essentially, these home loans work just like credit cards in that each month the lender only requires a minimum amount due. This minimum amount though does not even cover the interest due, leading to negative amortization. In other words, [...]

[Read more →]

After the Internet bubble collapsed, many investors pulled out what money remained in their stock portfolios and tried their hands in real estate investment. The theory goes that unlike stocks, real estate is a real asset — a piece of land or a ranch-style house in the suburbs — which can been seen [...]

[Read more →]

One of the basic concepts of economics is scarcity. And, one of the scarcest assets is land, especially in the coastal communities of California. Through outsourcing and international trade, we are now able to tap into an international distribution network of manufactured goods. A factory in China can produce more clothes, more [...]

[Read more →]

Megan’s Law is named after Megan Kanka, a 7-year-old child who was raped and murdered by a convicted child molester who lived in her neighborhood. At the time, law enforcement officials were prohibited from disclosing the presence of this child molester in the neighborhood. After this incident, the federal and state governments enacted versions [...]

[Read more →]

A home is more than just a place to live. Purchased wisely, a new home offers its owners a path to financial security. For those wise - or fortunate - enough to own some real estate that has appreciated significantly in value, the benefits of homeownership are self-evident. However, if you’re still hunting for your [...]

[Read more →]