Foreclosures continue to rise across America. According to the latest annual report of http://Foreclosures.com, the number of foreclosures filed nationwide in 2006 had increased by 51 percent from the previous year, with foreclosure filings nearly topping one million. When compared to 641,000 foreclosure filings made in 2005 nationwide, almost 971,000 foreclosure filings were reported last year.

Among the States, California reported the highest number of foreclosure filings in 2006 with 157,417 foreclosures filed, which is an increase by 94 percent from the year before. California is followed by Florida with 120,989 foreclosure filings. Nevada struggled with the largest percentage increase in foreclosures in 2006 of 175 percent.

The Northeast region reported 96,101 foreclosures in 2006, an increase of 64.6 percent from 58,394 foreclosures filed in 2005. Still, a few states in the region, such as Maryland and Delaware, saw a decrease in foreclosure filings.

Foreclosure filings in the Midwest region of the nation went up beyond 70 percent with many states including Illinois, Michigan, Missouri and Nebraska facing increases of 80 to 96 percent. Industrial layoffs and a tough economy have spurted the number of foreclosure filings in this region, with foreclosure figures in states such as Iowa and Kansas increasing beyond 100 percent.

The Southwest region was the most affected with one out of every 2.2 foreclosures in the country taking place there. The region closed the books for 2006 with an increase of 37 percent from 162,259 foreclosures in 2005 to 220,189 foreclosures. Foreclosure filings in Colorado increased by 55.4 percent, while foreclosures in Texas increased by 35.2 percent. Although the region struggled with the high foreclosure rates, the figures are not all bleak for the region with a few states showing a decrease in foreclosure filings. Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Oregon reported fewer foreclosure filings in 2006 when compared to 2005. These states have particularly reported a drop in foreclosure filings in the last quarter of 2006.

Although the foreclosure reports are not very cheerful, Alexis McGee, president of http://Foreclosures.com anticipates the housing market to improve soon. Overextended homeowners, who have been struggling to keep up with heavy debt loads, rising interest rates and property taxes, can soon look forward to some relief as home inventories come down and the market start looking up again. McGee also adds that the current housing market may be the best opportunity for home buyers in the next six years.

Despite what you may have heard, it’s still very possible to sell your townhouse quickly without dropping the price. All you need to do is focus on how to boost your flat’s perceived value to buyers. There are a number of ways to do this, but this article focuses on some of the lesser known tactics:

- Smarter use of limited space.

- Sexing up the bathroom for maximum appeal.

- Making windows and fittings more attractive.

Airy & Open

One point about townhouses that will generally detract from the value is the common “closed in” feeling. If your flat is full of furniture, consider moving a lot of it out to give a more open vibe. It’s better to go for a minimal approach to interior design rather than trying to fit in as much as possible.

The Money Is In The Bathroom

Bathrooms sell. People in the 21st century are big on privacy and relaxation, so think about how you can perfect your bathroom. Installing mood lights will help boost the appeal of your property, as will adding bathroom items like soap collections and a waterproof music player. Of course, you can take all these things with you once your townhouse sells!

Windows Mean Wealth

Many old townhouses are still fitted with old-school fittings. Think about installing new ones, or even just giving them a fresh coat of paint to make them look more modern. Also look at what curtains you’ve got up, and if you might need to buy new ones. Again, you can take them with you when you sell.

If you’re desperate to sell your townhouse as fast as possible, check out this Sold In 21 Days website now for a proven sales method that will have your place sold in only 21 days!

Alternatively, check out this article: How To Sell Your Townhouse In A Bad Market

When people call me, typically one of the first requests they make is for a house in a “nice” neighborhood. And this makes sense to want a neighborhood that is safe and enjoyable. But there are some benefits to buying real estate in the rough part of town or on the wrong side of the tracks. This article highlights some of them.

- There is less worry of your neighborhood going downhill because it is already downhill. Good neighborhoods can get bad and bad neighborhoods can get better. Since the price usually reflects the current condition, buying in a neighborhood that has room for improvement might be a good idea.

- If you are buying a rental, you usually get better cash flow in rough neighborhoods. If you are renting your property, there are more renters and they are more long term. It’s difficult to rent in good neighborhoods because fewer people are looking to rent and those who do are generally there short term while they look for a house to buy.

- You can look better in comparison to other landlords. Landlords in rough areas frequently don’t maintain their properties as well as people in nice areas. Therefore, if you maintain your properties, you can blow away your competition, and charge more for it.

- If you are in a rough neighborhood, you can propose that your property change will improve the neighborhood and you have a better chance of getting a different zoning. Conversely, if you are in a good neighborhood, it’s hard to make the same argument.

- You can buy more property. If you want to spend 500k, you can either buy one house in an upscale neighborhood or six or seven houses in a rougher neighborhood.

- They’re more recession proof. When the economy goes south, real estate in rough neighborhoods is less affected.

In summary, I am not saying you have to buy in a bad neighborhood. But simply that if you are looking for long term investments sometimes its a good idea to wander over the tracks and look around a bit.