1.Why Conforming Loan Limits Should Be Part of Housing-Finance Reform — But Aren’t
“The current system of conforming loan limits falls far short of reflecting the actual differences in local home prices and ends up favoring borrowers in lower-cost markets. More than 30% of homes for sale in many California and Northeastern markets are above the conforming loan limit, versus less than 10% in much of the rest of the country. “
2.Real Estate Sees Return of ‘Boomerang Buyers’
“Boomerang buyers, homeowners once in a state of mortgage distress who are buying again, may be just what the economist ordered.”
3.Home prices cool in February
“Home prices cooled off in February, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller home price index.”
4.Pending Home Sales Increase in March
“After months of stagnant activity, pending home sales rose in March, marking the first gain in the past nine months, according to the National Association of Realtors®.”
5.Homeownership rate slips to 19-year low while rental market tightens
“The nation’s homeownership rate slipped to its lowest level in 19 years in the first quarter as more households rented and home sales remained low.”
6.U.S. Homeownership Rate Falls to the Lowest Since 1995
“The homeownership rate in the U.S. declined to the lowest in almost 19 years as rising property prices and mortgage rates held back demand.”
7.Real-estate investing without the headaches
“From the time he was young, he started buying old houses to rent. He had a good feel for what would be a good buy and what he should pay considering the future rents. By the time he was about 60, he had a total of over 50 houses in his stable. “
8.Inside a bankruptcy — Part 1
“I recently sold a well-known commercial property in Napa as part of a bankruptcy. After more than a year and a half of working with the property owner, two lenders, the bankruptcy attorney, trustee, the trustee’s attorney and the two brokers who represented the buyer, we were able to get some relief to the owners.”
9.Home prices kept cooling as cold winter progressed
“U.S. home price gains cooled in February from the previous year for the third month in a row, as harsh winter weather and high buying costs have slowed sales. “
10.US home price gains slow for third straight month
“U.S. home price gains cooled in February from the previous year for the third month in a row, as harsh winter weather and high buying costs have slowed sales.”
11.Case-Shiller: Home Prices Gain Ground in February
“U.S. home price gains cooled in February from the previous year for the third month in a row, as harsh winter weather and high buying costs have slowed sales”
12.The Real Reason New Home Sales Are Down
“The real estate industry has been trying to explain lagging new home sales in the best way it can, but are such interpretations correct? If you’re a real estate investor or home buyer there’s an alternative you may want to consider. “
13.Real Trends rankings reveal which real estate brokerages grew the fastest in 2013
“Most of the U.S.’s largest brokerages grew their businesses in 2013 at a pace exceeding the growth of the market as a whole, according to an annual analysis by Real Trends that also reveals which companies grew the fastest.”
14.The Critical First Two Weeks of Marketing Your Home For Sale
“Brokers share their listings with other brokers in the multiple listing service (MLS) under certain rules of cooperation and compensation. One of the rules of cooperation is that each broker and agent make a new listings available to other MLS members within 24 or 48 hours of signing the listing agreement with the seller.”