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Nine Leadership Mistakes to Consider As You Rebuild Real Estate A word of advice for builders, contractors, developers and all other players interested in re-building strength back into the real estate marketplace: only strong, balanced, and experienced leadership at the executive level will pull the industry through to the next upcycle. According to Bill Ferguson, author of the new book "Keepers of the Castle: Real Estate Executives on Leadership and Management" it is time to rid the industry of the greed and egos that helped contribute to the industry's downfall and allow the "great leaders in the industry" to get real estate back on its feet. Now, says Ferguson, companies must implement another business strategy--a focus on leadership and building a leadership bench within their companies. What's My Real Estate Really Worth? How much is your real estate--your house, condominium unit, cottage, income property--worth in this market? The House Hunter's Toolkit It may not feel like Spring in your town, but for most of the United States, we've turned a corner. The sun is shining, the snow is melting, and the crocuses are poking their heads up through the ground; a brutal winter is winding down. Mortgage Rates: The Calm Before the Storm? Despite being just 3 1/2 weeks from the much anticipated end of government purchasing of mortgage-backed securities, mortgage rates remain steady. Real Estate Outlook: Federal Reserve Beige Book If you're trying to figure out where real estate is headed in the coming months, should you listen to the Federal Reserve -- or do you focus on the latest pending home sales numbers? Pre-Qualifying for a Mortgage One of the first steps to take as a potential home buyer is to get pre-qualified for a loan. This step helps both you and your lender learn just how much home you can afford. And you should begin this process before you even start looking for a home. Low Rates Help Make Home Buying More Affordable McLean, VA -- Freddie Mac (NYSE:FRE) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®) in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.97 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending March 4, 2010, down from last week when it averaged 5.05 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 5.15 percent.