Jody Bruns' Niche Marketing

It's great getting new clients - whether selling a new home or closing a new loan. Sometimes we don't realize how our hand in a transaction plays into other facets of our client's circumstances.  Take Marital Property vs. Separate Property for instance. Generally, there are three basic questions ...

I received quite a few inquiries to further elaborate on my Price-to-Rent Ratio post, so here goes: Even though we can do a quick calculation of the Price-to-Rent Ratio: what does that number really mean? Boiled down – just remember that if the number is lower than 20% it is in the best interest ...

Breaking Down the Price-to-Rent Ratio in Your MarketThe price-to-rent ratio is a measure of the relative affordability of renting and buying in a given housing market. It is calculated as the ratio of home prices to annual rental rates. So, for example, in a real estate market where, on average a...

Income vs. Qualifying Income Jody Bruns   Often times in a divorce and mortgage situation there are various types of  income to consider: Employment Income; Alimony/Maintenance Income;  Unallocated Maintenance Income; Child Support Income; Property  Settlement Note Income; and more. Although all ...

A common question I am often asked is, "How long do I need to wait to purchase a new home after I had to short sale my house; let my home go into foreclosure; filed bankruptcy; etc.?" The answer is more grey than black and white for some borrowers now that there are "Extenuating Circumstances." T...

Did you know your sellers might not be totally out of luck with regards to their Capital Gains Exclusion if they sell within 2 years of purchase? We all know you have to live in your home for 2 of the previous 5 in order to use your full exclusion of $250,000 single or $500,000 married on the Cap...

Do you have any real estate clients who could benefit from a Buy Down on their interest rate? Of course you do - but do you understand how a Buy Down can help them? A Temporary Buydown is a mortgage loan option that reduces the borrower's interest rate for a specific amount of time. The main bene...

 Have you ever had a client downsize and plan to move into an investment property they own? You might want to pass on some valuable information and refer them to a tax accountant! It’s important to know and inform your clients that there is a new IRS tax rule on capital gains when making a previo...

The Denver market is putting a strain on local appraisers! We are all experiencing the painful delays with appraisals in the Denver market. I thought I would give you some information that might help you and your current listings and or purchase contracts. New American Funding has just added a 3r...

Working with divorcing clients requires patience and knowledge! Having been introduced to the opportunities in the Divorce Real Estate niche in part 1 of my post, let's look at some of the required knowledge a real estate professional should have in order to be successful working with divorcing c...