A large percentage of the towns in Connecticut are considered commuting communities. Some of these towns, such as Cheshire, are within driving distance of the state’s major cities, such as Hartford, Waterbury, or New Haven. When considering the real estate in such a community, research options for commuting. Is there public transportation, such as trains or buses? How close are state routes and highways?

One reason Fairfield County is considered desirable, real estate-wise, is commuting to New York City. Running from New Haven all the way to Grand Central Station in New York, the Metro North Line allows residents to easily commute into Manhattan for work. As a result, nearly 60,000 commute daily from various towns in Fairfield or New Haven Counties into Manhattan, but railroad stations along the New Haven line have roughly only 20,000 parking spots total. Residents wanting to park their vehicles at the station need to purchase a permit and face extensive, years-long waiting lists to obtain one.

As detailed in the Wall Street Journal, the Fairfield Parking Authority has a list of more than 4,200 individuals for permits, resulting in a six-year wait. Getting a permit is an ordeal, with those waiting in line for several hours and those with them holding onto them for many years. At the same time, the proximity to a train station isn’t the only benefit of a permit; compared to prices for parking garages, a permit for a station spot runs about $340 per year.

But what about other alternatives? The station in Fairfield, unfortunately, only has minimal room for bike lockers. Eugene Colonese, the transportation department’s rail administrator, is looking for a solution. He told the press the task force is, “looking for the best way to get commuters to stations, a balance we think will be between building more transit-oriented development, looking at shuttles and other public transportation, as well as parking improvements.”

Commercial properties may or may not be the catalyst to the real estate market’s overall recovery, but San Francisco has become the paradigm of how economic growth spurs it. According to a recent piece in the San Francisco Chronicle, restaurants in the city have enhanced local retail real estate.

The relationship between retail real estate and the economy, both jobs and tourism in the city’s case, is symbiotic. An increase in technology firms has created more jobs in the region, and thus the overall purchasing power. Over the past two years, 300 eating, drinking, and other food-related establishments have sprung up in different sections of the city, and the purchasing power and tourism bring in customers. The proliferation and success of restaurants, as well, has created a greater demand for street-level real estate in the city, according to Cushman & Wakefield.

The types of restaurants, additionally, tend to be more toward the upscale end. About the types of restaurants San Francisco is seeing, senior managing director Vikki Johnson at Colliers International told the press:

“People are giddy about seeing the new concepts being developed by chefs and restaurateurs who already have a huge fan base. These aren’t sandwich shops. They’re very competitive businesses with extraordinary expectations.”

While the technology industry has been reinvigorating San Francisco’s economy, tourism brought in an additional $8.3 billion in 2010, according to the San Francisco Travel Association. Although retail real estate has the lowest vacancy in the United States already, it is expected to see more of a drop in San Francisco, with rents increasing with the demand for business.

Real estate markets, both commercial and residential, continue to suffer across the nation, and the lack of jobs holds them and consumers back. Although San Francisco, even with the success, is still in a state of recovery, the relationship of more and better jobs and the demand for retail real estate should be used of an example of effective economic recovery.

The snowbird lifestyle of the retired may soon disappear, if results from a survey conducted by Knowledge Network of Palo Alto, Calif., are any indication. In previous decades and generations, moving to a smaller home or purchasing a second residence in a warmer climate, such as Florida, was considered common, if not the norm. Instead, likely as a result of the real estate market’s crash, baby boomers facing retirement appear to be considering a more frugal lifestyle.

The LifeGoesStrong.com poll, conducted on 1,410 adults, shows that, in general, only three in 10 midlifers are somewhat likely to purchase a new home in retirement, and a large percentage of the age group are also more likely to leave the family home with less money than they predicted a decade ago.

More specifically, however, few retirees plan to leave their home state, with 67 percent unlikely to move and 48 percent extremely unlikely to move. Those in rural communities appear to be the least likely to move from their existing locations. Similarly, many homeowners in this age group are already tired of maintaining their sole, existing property, and because of this aspect, they do not plan to purchase a second home.

But, for those that do plan to purchase a new home, what types of features are commonly needed? Those looking to move want a smaller, ideally single-floor, home; aside from a single story, a new home should have a guest room for visitors. A more affordable property is also preferred. Additionally, those looking to move may want a different climate. Many who want to move also want to be closer to their families or to a medical facility, rather than moving farther away or living in a community with peers.

Another possible factor in a lesser likelihood of the boomer generation moving is home modification. Rather than feeling that a move to a multistory home is necessary for safety reasons, their existing property can be modified with stair lifts, dumbwaiters, or home elevators for increased mobility and full accessibility.

A large aspect of the fallout from the crash of the real estate market in 2007 has been the greater abundance of foreclosures and the resulting significantly lower home prices – some even 50-percent lower. Another is revealed real estate schemes that began any point over the past 10 years, from selling property, forging documents, or refinancing. For the latter of these two, those part of the scheme behind Summit Mortgage Services in Fresno County, Calif., were recently charged with real estate fraud.

The six involved in the scheme, including the two owners of Summit Mortgage Services and two posing as an agent and notary, have been accused of making illegal real estate deals in Fresno, Riverside, and Madera counties that brought in more than $11 million since 2004. Against them are charges of grand theft, recording of false documents, false notarizing, identity theft, and welfare fraud.

According to the Fresno Bee, in one instance of fraud, a neighbor of one of the six had given $67,000 in 2007 to invest in a Shaver Lake project, and his investment had been secured by the deed of a trust on a Clovis house that was supposedly owned by one of the six, but the property was, in fact, in default. The defendant had then said he had a contact who could create false documents and tax forms needed for a loan.

Aside from these charges, two of the defendants – Justin and Kelly Linders – pleaded not guilty in October 2010 to a 133-felony complaint.

Homeowners in financial trouble can fall prey to real estate schemes, and The Huffington Post provides some details on the most common. But while those related to property purchasing have died down, schemes regarding foreclosures and loan modifications have gone up. If you own property of some kind, be on the lookout for any of these schemes, and research and investigate into any real estate agent selling foreclosures or any company offering loan modification or refinancing services.