Drew University last week announced that it was slashing its tuition by 20% from $48,336 this year to $38,668 next year. So what prompted this act of altruism? Economic reality. Drew, like many small private universities, has struggled to maintain enrollment while charging a higher-than-average tuition. So how can Drew increase enrollment and maximize revenue? [...]
I recently received an email request for a donation to the Appraiser Prosperity Coalition. I was not familiar with the organization, but I took some time to read up on who they are and what they are trying to accomplish. What I found was a group of well meaning residential mortgage appraisers fighting their latest [...]
It all starts innocently enough. Telephone Call Number 1 is a pleasant exchange inquiring about our services. " I am thinking about selling my building and I am interested in getting an unbiased value before I list the property," says my prospective client. The proposal goes out, is executed, and comes back. I do an [...]
It is sometimes astonishing how often human beings fail to learn from history. For example: This Monday's Wall Street Journal featured an article entitled, Dodgy Home Appraisals Are Making a Comeback. The article by Annamaria Andriotis opens, "Home appraisers are inflating the value of some properties they assess, often at the behest of loan officers [...]
Summer is here and the season wouldn't be complete without loud and strident calls to make New Jersey's beaches "free." First, let's be clear in our definitions. "Free" is not the same as, "managed by a larger, less visible entity." In this instance, the State of New Jersey. Most beaches in New Jersey are managed [...]
Hey Guys, I hope is well. Everybody had it tough during the Recession, but you guys had it tougher than most. Nobody was growing their business, so there weren't many new buyers or renters. People who needed to sell didn't want to sell at a loss. Or were just too stubborn to admit they made [...]
In a recent post I talked about my friend Big Artie and his son, Little Artie and their latest real estate venture. Here are some additional lessons we can take from this exchange: The money in real estate is made on the buy. Your basis in a deal will dictate your outcome. Don't ever count [...]
I had lunch with my pal Big Artie the other day. His son Little Artie, recently home from college, joined us. Big Artie has been investing in real estate lately and he wanted to tell me about his latest potential acquisition that he planned to do in partnership with Little Artie. "It's a two family [...]
A recent Wall Street Journal cover article headline read, Builders Fuel Home Sale Rise. Curious, I read further: New home sales jumped 28.9% in January from a year earlier [Gotta like that, been tough sledding in this market]. In the past two years, more homebuilders have offered to pay closing costs [That sounds like a solid [...]
