BOCA RATON, Fla., Aug. 6 — Foreclosure.com today announced a partnership with SmartZip, Inc. to provide homebuyers and investors with independent investment analysis for nearly two million distressed real estate listings nationwide.

Under the agreement, SmartZip.com users can rate and analyze foreclosure properties for their investment potential, and then seamlessly go to co-branded pages on Foreclosure.com to view detailed property information.

Likewise, while searching the nation’s most comprehensive database of distressed properties on Foreclosure.com, buyers/investors will be able to instantly see the SmartZip Score(TM) investment rating on every property, then link directly to SmartZip.com for more details on the rating and to analyze the property for its cash flow and return on investment potential.

“Potential homebuyers and real estate investors can now use Foreclosure.com and SmartZip.com to search, analyze and purchase homes that are not just great deals but also sound investments,” said Foreclosure.com Founder, President and CEO, Brad Geisen. “We share a common audience and jointly, we now provide invaluable resources that smart homebuyers can use daily to make better informed real estate purchase decisions. It’s a natural fit for both companies.”

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… at Trulia headquarters was a great experience — chatted with several great industry contacts in the networking sessions and sat in some information-packed presentations.

Here are two quick pictures I snapped with my iPhone today:

Next up is the Inman Bloggers Connect workshop and then the “Real Estate Connect San Francisco 2009″ tradeshow from Aug. 5 through Aug. 7.

Feel free to stop by our booth (#128) to talk shop or just to say “hi.” We look forward to seeing more great people this week!

It’s a real estate adage that is truer now than it ever was:

Location, Location, Location.

When you’re looking to get into the home of your dreams, location is going to be one of your key buying points. For example, is it in an appealing neighborhood? Is it conveniently located close to work and other oft-traveled destinations? Is it zoned for the top schools in the area?

Those same concerns also hold true for investors who are eager to purchase, renovate and flip homes for profit. Location is a major selling point — if you don’t have great location, you can be sure it will be a major strike against you in the minds of prospective buyers.

The July 2009 edition of Foreclosure.com’s free educational newsletter, “Investment Exchange,” is now available, which details how you can find a great home in an ideal location at a price you can afford.

The excitement of an opportunity-laden market like we are enjoying right now can sometimes cause you and other buyers to think that it’s impossible to lose; however, the reality is just the opposite — Yes, the market is ripe for the picking, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few bad apples in the bunch.

We’re here to help you make the right choice. The smart choice. To check out Location, Location, Location today be sure to click here.

Remember that “Investment Exchange” is a FREE resource that Foreclosure.com provides its site visitors. Sign up to receive the educational real estate newsletter each month at no cost right here.

Without our prior knowledge, a team of three real estate professionals who represent Inman News — the leading source of independent real estate news, information, advice, research, opinion and commentary for industry professionals and consumers alike — today issued a detailed review of the Foreclosure.com experience.

The investigation focused on three major areas: Ease, value and power. We’re thrilled to pass along news that Foreclosure.com excelled in these areas, scoring an 86 or better in all three categories.

Here is the top-level summary of the findings:

“On a rating scale of zero to 100, the site scored 86 or higher in all of the three rating categories … with the highest rating (90) for ease of use — based on an average of the three reviewers’ ratings.”

There are numerous positive remarks contained in report that we can hang our hat on; however, there is one from review team member Janet Gorman Krauss, associate broker at Keller Williams Real Estate in Philadelphia, Pa., that really stands out.

Here is her take on our “ease:”

“As an agent (who) has used another foreclosure site for the past several years, I did have a baseline to compare with in my evaluation of Foreclosure.com. The site was easy to use and well organized. The content was exactly what it should have been, detailed and concise. I was surprised to find the telephone numbers of the attorneys, trustees and Realtors listed with the properties, which is a very nice feature.”

What’s so special about this quote? It’s pretty simple: Foreclosure.com prides itself on providing the most accurate and detailed distressed real estate listings available anywhere.

We have an entire research and technology department that is charged with combing through each of our nearly two million nationwide listings, ensuring that they are accurate and contain the most up-to-date contact information as possible.

So when industry professionals put us to the test, and we pass with flying colors, it’s confirmation once again that all of our hardwork and dedication is making a big difference.

Of course, there were other highlights from the review, including praise for our Community Expert Program and Affiliate Program, among others. Check out the entire survey right here (subscription may be required).

And to search the best (and most accurate) foreclosure site on the Web right now click here.

Foreclosure.com Founder, President and CEO, Brad Geisen, recently shared some expert thoughts on the hot-button issue with the New York Times Freakonomics blog:

“When property values are cheap enough that they equal rental values. What I mean by that is when you can buy a property with very little money down and finance it at a good rate, and then rent it out for just enough to cover the mortgage, insurance, and taxes, then you’ve hit what I call ‘economic value.’ That’s when the property value is the same as its economic value. That’s pretty close to bottom. Now, when you have a pendulum swinging, and values are still dropping a bit, it may swing a little past that. If the property was already 30 percent less than market value, and property values are still dropping, and it gets down to economic value, then that’s when the pendulum will begin to stop and begin to swing the other way.”

To check out the entire high-profile question and answer session click here. It’s a must-read “power session.”