Websites for the Up-To-Date Real Estate Practitioner
A Presentation for the 25th Annual Real Estate Symposium July 21, 2007
Larry Smith American Bar Association Director, Law Practice Management smithl@staff.abanet.org And Reba J. Nance Colorado Bar Association Director, Law Practice Management reban@cobar.org
Real Estate Blogs Real Estate Blogs www.real-estate-blogs.com/blogs/ Comprehensive directory of real estate blogs and blog sites of industries affiliated with and serving the real estate industry Home Inspection Blogs http://www.real-estate-blogs.com/blogs/CAT/Home-InspectionBlogs_56_1.html Mortgage Blogs http://www.real-estate-blogs.com/blogs/CAT/MortgageBlogs_57_1.html Property Appraisal Blogs http://www.real-estate-blogs.com/blogs/CAT/Property-AppraisalBlogs_64_1.html Associations National Association of Realtors – Field Guide to Directory of Real Estate Research Centers http://www.realtor.org/libweb.nsf/pages/fg005 National Association of Realtors – Law and Policy (Note “Legal Resources” on right-hand) http://www.realtor.org/law_and_policy/index.html National Association of Realtors – Housing Statistics http://www.realtor.org/research.nsf/pages/ehspage National Association of Realtors – Housing and Economic Statistics (Housing Affordability Index on right) http://www.realtor.org/Research.nsf/Pages/reportsstatistics?OpenDoc ument
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Colorado Association of Realtors http://coloradorealtors.com/ American Bar Association – Section of Real Property, Probate and Trust Law www.abanet.org/rppt/home.html Sign up for RPPT Updates American Bar Association – RPPT Real Estate FAQs http://www.abanet.org/rppt/public/rehome.html ABA Forum on Affordable Housing and Community Development Law http://www.abanet.org/forums/affordable/ ABA Forum on the Construction Industry http://www.abanet.org/forums/construction/home.html Includes Video Podcast of forum history ABA Discussion Boards and E-mail Lists http://www.abanet.org/discussions/home.html General Virtual Gumshoe https://www.virtualgumshoe.com/ Free public records Virtual Gumshoe – Tenant Screening https://www.virtualgumshoe.com/resources/index.asp?CATEGORY_I D=91 Scorecard – Pollution Information Site www.scorecard.org/community Locate polluted sites in your community Cornell University Law School – Property and Natural Resources materials http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/index.php/Category:Property_%26_ Natural_Resources
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Includes links to Federal Judicial Decisions re property; Federal Constitution and Statutes re property; State Property Statutes, etc. HSH Associates – HSH Associates Financial Publishers www.hsh.com Daily and weekly mortgage rates; market trends and forecasts; auto loan rates, and much, much more Findlaw – Property Law & Real Estate http://www.findlaw.com/01topics/33property/index.html Free real estate industry agreements; briefs; documents, consultants, witnesses, etc. Heiros Gamos – Property and Real Estate Law http://www.hg.org/realest.html Interest.com www.interest.com State-by-state guide; Find best rates in your area Ired.com – International Real Estate Digest www.ired.com Claims 50,000 + links to real estate related web sites around the world Frascona, Joiner, Goodman and Greenstein PC http://www.frascona.com/resource/index1.htm Resource Center – Real Estate Great resources Cornell – “Law About” Articles http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/index.php/Category:Overview Cornell – Topical Index of State Statutes on the Internet http://www.law.cornell.edu/topics/state_statutes.html#prope%20rty Americans with Disabilities Act Document Center (JAN) – Job Accommodation Network www.jan.wvu.edu/links/adalinks.htm All things related to ADA, including sample policies. Many resources related to architecture and construction
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AllRegs www.allregs.com Sells databases of current residential mortgage lending guidelines and forms - Includes free registration for e-mail alerts for announcements from Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, etc. Preserve/Net www.preservenet.cornell.edu Compilation of preservation information, including special section related to Legislation/Codes/Codes Construction Law Review – By Pepper Hamilton LLP http://www.constructlaw.com/ Free “Construction Law Review” e-newsletter Planners Web – Planning Commissioners Journal http://www.plannersweb.com/ Regional & City Planning Resources Colorado-Specific Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) http://www.dora.state.co.us/ Colorado Division of Real Estate – Note Live Help (24X7 – Except Holidays) http://www.dora.state.co.us/real-estate/index.htm Colorado Real Estate Manual http://www.dora.state.co.us/real-estate/manual/manual.htm Colorado Real Estate Commission-Approved Contracts and Forms http://www.dora.state.co.us/real-estate/contracts/contracts.htm Colorado Board of Real Estate Appraisers http://www.dora.state.co.us/real-estate/about/board/Board.htm Nonresident Real Estate Transactions - Required Withholding http://www.revenue.state.co.us/fyi/pdf/income06.pdf
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Colorado Division of Real Estate – Online License Renewals http://www.dora.state.co.us/real-estate/olrs/ Colorado Real Estate Online Services – search for a broker, appraiser or mortgage banker (shows disciplinary info, too) https://eservices.psiexams.com/index_login.jsp FEMA – Colorado Disaster History http://www.fema.gov/news/disasters_state.fema?id=8#diz Major Disaster Declarations, Emergency Declarations and Fire Management Assistance Declarations Government Resources Colorado Bureau of Investigation – Convicted Sex Offender Site http://sor.state.co.us/ Colorado County Assessors Listing – as of April 2007 http://www.dola.colorado.gov/dpt/state_and_county_contacts/docs/ass r2-2007.pdf Colorado County Assessor’s Offices Websites Alamosa, Archuleta, Conejos, Costilla, Crowley, Custer, etc. http://www.qpublic.net/co/body.html Federal HUD www.hud.gov HUD Webcasts www.hud.gov/webcasts/index.cfm HUD Online Library http://www.hud.gov/library/index.cfm HUD Legal Information http://www.hud.gov/library/bookshelf10/ Legal opinions, ALJ decisions, and info from HUD’s General Counsel HUDCLIPS – HUD’s Client Information and Policy System
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http://www.hudclips.org/cgi/index.cgi Lots of shortcuts - Federal Register Notices, Code of Federal Regulations, etc., all HUD forms (fillable – and saveable!) Fannie Mae www.fanniemae.com eFanie Mae www.efanniemae.com Business-to-business companion site. Downloadable forms, regular news updates, etc. Fannie Mae Property GeoCoder™ https://www.efanniemae.com/sf/refmaterials/geocoder/index.jsp?from =hp Fannie Mae-Owned Property Search http://www.mortgagecontent.net/reoSearchApplication/fanniemae/reo Search.jsp?p=Fannie+Mae-Owned+Property+Search http://tinyurl.com/2nwnpy Fannie Mae Checklists, Tip Sheets & Worksheets http://www.mortgagecontent.net/content/fanniemae/getting_a_mortga ge_checklist_fm.html http://tinyurl.com/2623wt Freddie Mac www.freddiemac.com FDIC – Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation www.fdic.gov FEMA – Federal Emergency Management Agency www.fema.gov Major Disaster Declarations – By State Department of Veterans Affairs, Home Loan Guaranty Services www.homeloans.va.gov Includes free online training broadcasts for industry partners and program participants
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U.S. Department of Justice – Sex Offender Public Website http://www.nsopr.gov/ Fair Housing National Fair Housing Advocate www.fairhousing.com Maintained by Tennessee Fair Housing Council. Includes legal research links. Fair Lending Guide Page www.ffhsj.com/fairlend/fair.htm Maintained by Fried Frank Fair Housing Institute http://www.fairhouse.net/ Includes downloadable forms and model policies, web-based training Calculators Fannie Mae Calculators http://www.fanniemae.com/homebuyers/calculators/index.jhtml?p=Re sources&s=Calculators http://tinyurl.com/34hgs6 How Much House Can You Afford? What Monthly Payment is Needed Based on Specific Sales Price? How Much Can You Afford with a Specific Monthly Payment? How Much is Your Monthly Payment? Is Now a Good Time to Refinance? Mortgage calulators, etc. HSH Associates – HSH Associates Financial Publishers www.hsh.com Contains lots of calculators regarding mortgages Interest.com – Rent vs. Buy Calculator http://mortgages.interest.com/content/calculators/new/rentvsbuy.asp Martindale’s – Calculators On-Line Center – Main Site
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http://www.martindalecenter.com/Calculators.html Martindale’s – Mortgages, Refinancing, Real Estate Valuation, Housing Starts, Existing Home Sales, etc. http://www.martindalecenter.com/Calculators1A_1_Mortgage.html Martindale’s – Financial Calculators – Compound Interest, Amortization http://www.martindalecenter.com/Calculators1A_1_Finance.html#FI N-BANKINT Martindale’s – Home & Commercial Construction and Repair Calculators – Home Remodeling, Design, Grading, etc. http://www.martindalecenter.com/Calculators1A_5_Const.html Texas A&M University - Erosivity Index Calculator for Construction Sites http://ei.tamu.edu/ Geotechnical and Structural Design Shallow Foundations http://www.union.edu/PUBLIC/CERDEPT/FACULTY/GHALY/FOU NDATION Water Run Off Calculator http://danpatch.ecn.purdue.edu/~sprawl/LTHIA7/ Glass Windows Wind Load Calculator http://www.pilkington.com/windcalc/WLC/WLC.htm Verifying Occupational Licenses Portico - Web Resources for Advancement Professionals http://indorgs.virginia.edu/portico/occupations.html Software – “Stitch” digital photos together Tekmate Photo Fit www.photofit4panorama.com PT Stitcher
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www.all-in-one.ee/~dersch Autostitch www.cs.ubc.ca/~mbrown/autostitch/autostitch.html PanaVue www.panavue.com/index/htm ADG Panorama Tools http://www.albatrossdesign.com/products/panorama/ Home Values House Values.Com www.housevalues.com Zillow www.zillow.com Get My Homes Value www.getmyhomesvalue.com Maps Google Earth http://earth.google.com/ Listings MLS - Multiple Listing Service Listings www.mls.com Fun Stuff Virtual Design Tools Railings – Design – Atlanta Baluster Company http://www.atlantabaluster.com/ Decks - TimberTech http://www.timbertech.com/DesignADeck/DesignADeck.aspx Decks - Lowe’s Deck Designer
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www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=pg&p=DesDeck/deckdes_s plash.html Decks - DecKorators http://www.deckorators.com/Deck-Design.htm Kitchens – HGTV online Kitchen Designer http://onlinedesigner.hgtv.com/visualizer/GettingStarted.do;jses sionid=61E0D885C8626CE33180FB9583AC6B5A Kitchens – Bob Vila’s Kitchen Designer http://bobvila.view22.com/view22/bobvila/default.jsp Patio – Bob Vila’s Patio Designer http://bobvila.view22.com/view22/bobvila/defaultH.jsp Landscaping – Bob Vila’s Garden Designer http://bobvila.view22.com/view22/bobvila/defaultG.jsp
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