Mar 22
FHFA to States: Stop the Roadblocks, Speed Up Foreclosures. States and municipalities may be inadvertently putting in roadblocks and costing taxpayers more when they approve policies that prolong the foreclosure process, such as by extending mediation services, Alfred Pollard, general counsel for the Federal Housing Finance Agency, testified at a House panel on Monday. Many …
Mar 22
February Existing-Home Sales Slip But Up Strongly From a Year Ago. February existing-home sales declined from an upwardly revised January pace but are well above a year ago, while the median price posted a slight gain, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. Sales were up in the Midwest and South, offset by declines in …
Mar 20
First-time Buyers Become Reality Stars. Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate has launched a new online and TV reality series starring first-time home buyers on the house hunt. The series, “Home, First Home,” launched online at YouTube this week. It will also air nationally on the syndicated show, “The Better Show,” in 150 markets across …
Mar 19
Mortgage Settlement Could Lead to More Scams. The recent announcement of the $25 million mortgage settlement between five major banks and state and federal government officials was probably welcome news to many people in the real estate business. But it has at least one downside: It will probably cause a rise in scams targeting borrowers …
Mar 19
Survey: Americans Upbeat About Home Values. Seventy percent of Americans say they are confident that home values will rise within the next two years, according to the Prudential Real Estate Outlook Survey of more than 1,000 Americans in the market to buy or sell a home. What’s more, 63 percent of respondents say that despite …
Mar 16
Foreclosures: A ‘rising tide’ ahead. NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — The number of homes entering foreclosure dropped in February, but a new up-turn may soon be on its way. The reason? The $26 billion settlement between 5 major banks and state attorneys general over past foreclosure practices. The agreement clarifies how foreclosures must be handled, and …
Mar 14
Builders Off to Early Spring Selling Season. The spring selling season is already heating up for home builders, with sales activity increasing and some builders slightly increasing home prices, reports Barclays Capital. “We believe the spring selling season has arrived strongly enough to kick-start a positive feedback loop in housing for the first time since …
Mar 14
More Details Emerge in $25B Mortgage Deal. The government vows to closely monitor that the nation’s five largest banks fulfill the aid to home owners outlined in a $25 billion mortgage settlement over foreclosure allegations. More details emerged in court filings on Monday of the landmark settlement among the nation’s five largest banks and state …
Mar 07
Obama cuts refinance costs for some mortgages. NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — Borrowers with some federally insured mortgages will be able to refinance into lower interest rate loans more easily and cheaply under a plan unveiled Tuesday by the Obama administration. At a news conference, President Obama announced that the Federal Housing Administration will cut upfront …
Mar 06
Things Stagers are Tired of Seeing. Last week, we conducted an informal survey of home stagers from the US and Canada on what they are tired of seeing in homes to be staged. The responses were varied, but the issue below are the ones that bubbled to the top. Stagers often meet with homeowners who …
Mar 05
Is Your Seller Serious About Selling? When sellers aren’t realistic about the price in listing their home, they may not be all that serious about getting their home sold in the first place. “Before aggressively investing time in sellers who may never be ready to price their homes realistically for today’s buyers, get to know …
Mar 01
Home Inspections: Understanding Your Legal Protections. Home inspection reports are a summary of the health of a home on the day the inspection is made, but many buyers move through the home-buying process as if it is some type of guarantee. Home inspectors do a visual inspection of the home and will identify major defects …
