While the painful real estate swoon appears likely to extend well into 2009—at least—the number of Americans using the Internet to find the home of their dreams is poised to keep on climbing. According to the 2008 National Association of Realtors Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 87 percent of home buyers used the Internet to search for homes in the past year. That’s up steadily from 84 percent in 2007, 80 percent in 2006. But despite its mounting popularity, the Internet home-buying process can present a host of pitfalls. To help make your online real estate searching more effective, here’s a look at the top five Internet home-buying blunders and what you can do to avoid them. Read the full article from US News and World Report

Opportunity for Below Market Rate (BMR) Home Ownership

Marin Housing is currently offering a two bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom attached townhome in the Redwood Village Development of San Rafael. The property is approximately 1,242 square feet of living area and is for sale through the Below Market Rate (BMR) Home Ownership Program for a purc hase price of $317,250. The Homeowners’ Association dues are $225 per month. A prospective buyer will be selected through a lottery conducted by Marin Housing.

Marin Housing will draw prospective buyers, plus alternates, from a pool of eligible applicants on Wednesday, January 21, 2009. To be eligible for this drawing, you must be a first-time homebuyer, and you must meet the income restrictions for the BMR program. The minimum household size required to be eligible for this particular property is a two-person household. Your total household income must NOT EXCEED 120% of median, which is $91,200 for a two-person household, $102,600 for a three-person household, $114,000 for a four-person household, and $123,100 for a five-person household. You must be able to qualify for financing through a BMR lender of your choice; please see the Marin Housing list of preferred lenders, or contact Marin Housing for more information. You must also have sufficient cash for closi ng costs, typically anywhere between 3% to 5% of the home purchase price.

If you are interested in applying, you can obtain an application and brochure on the Marin Housing Authority website at www.marinhousing.org , under the Housing Opportunities link. If you do not have internet access, please call Marin Housing at (415) 491-2550 or stop by their office to obtain an application and a program brochure. Make sure you mail or deliver your application and a check for the $50 Application Fee to: Marin Housing, BMR Program Application, 4020 Civic Center Drive, San Rafael, CA 94903-4173.