Anna Ruotolo's (aruotolo) Blog

It's true, negative credit items can remain on your credit report for up to 7 years (up to 10 years for public records, such as a bankruptcy, tax lien or judgment). But this doesn't mean that you have to wait 7 to 10 years to begin reestablishing a good credit rating. Because credit scoring model...

If you are looking to improve your credit score quickly, now is the time to get started. Give us a call. We'll review your credit and find out exactly where you stand and where you need to get to. In the meantime, here are some great strategies you can utilize right away to give your score a litt...

If you saw some recent media announcements or if you happened to have read a Spokane Washington news article written by Paul Guppy, President, Washington Research Center (state of WA, not D.C.) you may be of the impression that a new 3.8% tax will be applied to the profits on the sale of every h...

After a close brush with the deadline, Congress has passed an extension of the Homebuyer Tax Credit closing deadline, the Homebuyer Assistance and Improvement Act (H.R. 5623) . The extension applies only to transactions that have ratified contracts in place as of April 30, 2010 that have not yet ...

Important Changes to Mortgage Underwriting Could Affect Many Buyers By Jim Dinkel and Ken Trepeta The real estate industry and especially the mortgage industry have been overwhelmed with changes, regulations and consolidations recently. In the last couple of months, many transactions nationally h...

The information below is a highlight of the reports due out this week. •Housing news will start the week, with reports on Existing Home Sales on Tuesday and New Home Sales on Wednesday. These reports come after last week’s worse-than-expected reports on Housing Starts and Building Permits in May...

California Passes Large Tax Credit for Homebuyers California has initiated its own homebuyer tax credit. The bill - AB183 - was signed last week by Governor Schwarzenegger. The credit is for 5% of the purchase price, with a maximum credit of $10,000. That's a dollar-for-dollar reduction against ...

The Art of Active Listening Listening carefully to those closest to you will bring you much success and power. Sound like a fortune cookie? Maybe, but this token of wisdom is what separates good sales people from the great. Mastering the art of active listening will help you nurture your custome...

101 Selling SecretsFrom a Top Producer   What does it take to turn lemons into lemonade? Ask top-producing real estate agent and author of "101 Real Estate Success Secrets" Phil Hoover, who had his best year ever in 2009. While most agents experienced a down market, Phil saw an opportunity to cl...

Did you know: The world's first St. Patrick's Day parade occurred on March 17, 1762, in New York City, featuring Irish soldiers serving in the English military. This parade became an annual event, with President Truman attending in 1948. According to the latest data, 36.3 million U.S. residents ...