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By Robert Fishel, on February 29th, 2012
Acting FHA Commissioner Carol Galante recently announced a new premium structure for FHA-insured single family mortgage loans. FHA will increase its annual mortgage insurance premium (MIP) by 0.10 percent . Upfront premiums (UFMIP) will also increase by 0.75 percent. [...]
By Dennis Norman, on February 28th, 2012
This morning, the S&P/Case-Shiller Index report for December was released showing all three of the home price composites ended the year at new index lows. The national composite fell by 3.8 percent during the fourth quarter of 2011 and was down 4.0 percent from the year before. Both the 10-city and 20-city composites fell by 1.1 percent in December from the month before and the home price indexes were down 3.9 percent and 4.0 percent respectively from the year before. All three composites are at their lowest levels sine the housing crisis began in mid-2006. [...]
By Dennis Norman, on February 27th, 2012
The National Association of REALTORS released it’s Pending Home Sales Index for January today showing an increase of 2.0 percent in the index from the month before (seasonally adjusted), and an 8.0 percent increase from a year ago. This marks the highest level the pending home sales index has been at since April 2010 when it hit 111.3 as a result of buyers racing to buy before the homebuyer tax credit expired. [...]
By News Desk, on February 24th, 2012 SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A real estate investor pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Sacramento to conspiring to rig bids and commit mail fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions held in San Joaquin County, Calif., Sharis A. Pozen, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division, and Benjamin B. Wagner, [...]
By Dennis Norman, on February 24th, 2012
Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and U.S. Census Bureau released new home sales data for January 2012 showing a decrease of 0.9 percent from the month before, and an increase of 3.5 percent from a year ago. The seasonally-adjusted new home sales rate for January was 321,000 homes, down from an adjusted rate of 324,000 homes the month before. This is the first month new home sales have declined after four consecutive months of increases. [...]
By News Desk, on February 24th, 2012
According to the National Association of Realtors® quarterly commercial real estate forecast, all of the major commercial real estate sectors are seeing improved fundamentals, but multifamily housing is becoming a landlord’s market commanding bigger rent increases. These trends also are confirmed in NAR’s recent quarterly Commercial Real Estate Market Survey. [...]
By News Desk, on February 23rd, 2012
Two financial investors who purchased municipal tax liens at auctions in New Jersey pleaded guilty today for conspiring to rig bids for the sale of tax liens auctioned by municipalities throughout the state, the Department of Justice announced. [...]
By Dennis Norman, on February 22nd, 2012
Today’s existing home sales report from the National Association of REALTORS® shows existing home sales in January were at at a seasonally adjusted-annual rate of 4.57 million units which is an increase of 4.3 percent from the month before and an increase of 0.7 percent from a year ago. The actual number of homes sold in January was 257,000 which is 26.4 percent less than the month before and 4.0 percent more than a year ago when there were 246,000 homes sold. [...]
By Dennis Norman, on February 21st, 2012
Two things are driving home buyers into the real estate market; babies and jobs, according to a survey just released by Coldwell Banker. According to the survey, 70% of real estate professionals surveyed say the “most common” reason buyers are searching for a new home today is a result of a new baby or growing family, followed closely by a relocation for a job. Other things driving buyers into the market include marriage, divorce and retirement. [...]
By News Desk, on February 17th, 2012
REGINALD R. HARPER, age 58, a resident of Hammond, Louisiana, and TROY A. FOUQUET, age 43, a resident of Covington, Louisiana, were charged today in a one count bill of information for conspiracy to commit bank fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Jim Letten. [...]
By Dennis Norman, on February 16th, 2012
The U.S. Census Bureau and US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued their report on New Residential Construction for January 2012 showing an increase in single-family home building permits from the month before of 0.9 percent and a 1.0 percent decrease in new home starts compared to the month before. [...]
By Robert Fishel, on February 15th, 2012
In a presentation given at the International Builders Show, Jill Waage, Editorial Director for Home Content for Better Homes and Gardens revealed survey results about consumer attitudes towards home ownership, upkeep and renovations, design and personalization, and more. A primary point revealed in the presentation shows that, despite continuing economic uncertainty, consumer thoughts toward home ownership remain strong with 8 in 10 saying home ownership is still a good investment and an important part of the American Dream. [...]
By Dennis Norman, on February 13th, 2012
Today, Moe Veissi, President of the National Association of REALTORS, issued the following statement in response to President Obama’s budget proposal: “As the leading advocate for housing and homeownership, NAR is strongly opposed to elements of President Obama’s budget proposal that would limit itemized deductions, including the mortgage interest deduction, for thousands of families.” [...]
By News Desk, on February 10th, 2012
Three Northern California real estate investors have agreed to plead guilty today for their roles in conspiracies to rig bids and commit mail fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions in Northern California, the Department of Justice announced. To date, as a result of the ongoing investigation, 20 individuals have agreed to plead guilty. [...]
By Robert Fishel, on February 10th, 2012
“Ballparking” mortgage rates just is not the same anymore. Home buyers who obtain online quotes from popular websites and “shopping” mortgage rates on the phone are receiving nothing more than a starting point for what their final mortgage rate will be. This is due to a government-led pricing scheme called loan-level pricing adjustments or [...]
By Dennis Norman, on February 9th, 2012
According to a report just released by CoreLogic, there were 830,000 foreclosures completed during the year in 2011, a 24 percent decrease from 2010 when there were 1.1 million. For the month of December, there were 55,000 foreclosures, down 3.5 percent from November when there were 57,000 and down 17.9 percent from December 2010 when there were 67,000 foreclosures completed. [...]
By Dennis Norman, on February 7th, 2012
Where will the “Hot” real estate markets be in 2012? What would be the best cities to buy real estate in? Boy, wouldn’t we all love to know the answers to those questions! Considering this is, by far, the worst, and longest lasting, downturn in the real estate market I have seen in my 33 years in the biz, and, last week, Lawrence Yun, chief economist of the National Association of REALTORS, called this a “very strange” market since the market was not reacting to low interest rates and high affordability, I think it is tough for anyone to predict what is going to happen. Having said that, Inman News came out with a list of 10 markets to watch in 2012 that they feel are showing “signs of strength” in areas including price-appreciation, jobs and a high rate of sales to population. Below you will find the list and, beneath that, you will find some charts on some of those markets I put together to show what the markets are like as well as some charts for some cities I think are worth watching that are not on Inman’s top 10 list. [...]
By News Desk, on February 2nd, 2012 WASHINGTON – A real estate agent and a mortgage broker, both of Las Vegas, were found guilty today for their participation in a mortgage fraud scheme that netted nearly $2.5 million in fraudulent mortgage loans, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden of the [...]
By Dennis Norman, on February 2nd, 2012
Today Freddie Mac released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey, showing average mortgage rates have dropped to new all-time record lows! [...]
By Dennis Norman, on February 2nd, 2012
Well, I guess my wife and kids aren’t the only people that want to move to Florida! According to a report released by Trulia, house hunters from all over the country are searching for homes in Florida. In fact, of the top 10 metro areas where demand among online house hunters is strongest, seven are located in Florida! Florida also, according to the report, leads the list of states existing residents don’t want to leave as well with many times more people from outside of Florida searching for homes in Florida than searches outside the state by people living in Florida. The metro in the number 1 slot is Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, Florida with 8.8 times more “inbound” property searches than “outbound” property searches. Wow! [...]
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