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1.After 8 years, the real estate market is finally looking normal again
“The beginning of the last decade saw an unprecedented spike in real estate prices, which culminated in the bursting of the real estate bubble in 2006 and a financial crisis to boot. Then came the crash, and prices fell precipitously, with the Case-Shiller Housing Index losing 33% from its 2006 peak to the 2012 trough”

2.Stocks: S&P500 hits all-time high
“The S&P 500, which gained 1.5% in the first three months of the year, has just passed its all-time high of 1,883.97 by going to 1,884.64 shortly after 10am. The Dow Jones industrial average and the Nasdaq were also higher in early trading Tuesday. “

3.MBA Releases 2013 Commercial/Multifamily Mortgage Origination Volume Rankings
“According to a set of commercial/multifamily real estate finance league tables prepared by the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), Wells Fargo; J.P. Morgan Chase & Company; Bank of America Merrill Lynch; Eastdil Secured; KeyBank; PNC Real Estate; HFF, L.P.; Meridian Capital Group, LLC; CBRE Capital Markets; and Prudential Mortgage Capital Company were the top commercial/multifamily mortgage originators in 2013. “

4.U.S. Stocks Rise on Economy Optimism on Factory Report
“U.S. stocks rose, with the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rising to an intraday record, as consumer and technology shares rallied and an increase in a manufacturing index boosted optimism the economy withstood severe winter weather. “

5.US Home Prices Rose in Feb. Despite Weaker Sales
“U.S. home prices rose in February from a year earlier at a solid pace, suggesting that a tight supply of available homes is boosting prices despite slowing sales.”

6.Commercial property transaction volume could hit 10-year high by 2016
“Commercial property transaction volume will reach $430 billion by 2016, exceeding the volume of 2006, according to a new U.S. real estate forecast based on a survey of 39 of the industry’s leading economists and analysts.”

7.Ten hidden costs of commercial real estate — part 1
“Although all known circumstances of a property need to be disclosed to a buyer by the seller as stated in a purchase agreement, issues creep up over the years of ownership. Laws change, improvements are made to the property, tenant’s needs change and some issues may not had been fully researched at the time of the purchase.”

8.10 hidden costs of commercial real estate — part 2
“In my previous article I discussed the first three hidden costs of commercial real estate: city business license fee, sewer fees and environmental cleanup fees. In this second article of a three-part series I’m highlighting other costs: capital expenditures, commissions and readying the space, vacancies, prepayment penalties and building code upgrades.”

9.Home Prices Rise in February Despite Weaker Sales
“WASHINGTON — U.S. home prices rose in February from a year earlier at a solid pace, suggesting that a tight supply of available homes is boosting prices despite slowing sales.”

10.Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac: Were They Ever Broken?
“The government has collected more than $20 billion in the past year from lenders who sold allegedly-subpar mortgages and related securities to Fannie  Mae and Freddie Mac, with more settlements likely to come.”

11.When It Comes To Real Estate, Whose Target Are You?
“Targets” are specific groups of consumers with key common characteristics which lead to common, and often predictable, spending potential and buying habits. “Targeting” is the main push in marketing, advertising, and promotion. Businesses, entrepreneurs, and professionals are intent on spending their dollars to gain the attention of consumers who are the best match for specific products and services, and real estate is no different.”

12.Home Prices Will Keep Rising, but Level-Off Soon
“Home prices continue to increase by double digit percentages on a year-over-year basis CoreLogic said today.  The company’s Home Price Index (HPI) for February, an index that includes distressed sales, was up 12.2 percent compared to February 2013.”

TonyAlvarez.com

1.Stocks soar on last day of choppy quarter
“The Dow rose more than 120 points, while the S&P 500 is now within spitting distance of its all-time high. The Nasdaq jumped 1%. “

2.Stocks rise sharply as quarter ends
“Stocks rose broadly in late-morning trading Monday as the market headed for its fifth straight quarterly gain. Dow member Johnson & Johnson rose on news that it was selling a diagnostics business. “

3.4 reasons the Fed won’t raise interest rates anytime soon
“Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said early Monday that the economy and the job market are still ailing and that they will need “extraordinary” assistance from the central bank in the form of low interest rates “for some time.”

4.Home Sales in U.S. Poised to Surge With Spring: Mortgages
“Donna Cicerone and her husband Paul want to put their three-bedroom home in Milton, Massachusetts, on the market. First, they have to find a house to buy. “

5.10 things your real-estate agent won’t tell you; What buyers and sellers should know about that 6% commission
“U.S. home prices have rebounded to mid-2004 levels, according to the latest S&P/Case-Shiller home price survey, and though monthly gains are slowing, this spring — traditionally the prime home-buying season — looks to be a sellers’ market. “

6.Real estate’s red-hot category: Apartments
“A lull in the single-family housing recovery this winter made for a surprise comeback in a sector thought to be overbuilt and overblown: multifamily real estate investment trusts (REITs). “

7.In California buying is about timing and speculation: Since 2000 the California housing market has experienced more dramatic booms and busts courtesy of speculation, investors, and new financial products.
“California’s housing market is a boom and bust machine tuned to attract the masses.  Timing matters in a state where speculation is rampant.  Since 2005 California home owners have received over 2,000,000+ foreclosure notices.  Of course this goes into the graveyard of foreclosure information that we seem to forget each time the market booms. “

8.Housing Prices: Up Or Down? How To Understand Today’s Case-Shiller Data
“Today S&P/Case-Shiller released its monthly housing data report, the leading measure of home prices across the nation. Immediately, reporters posted dozens of stories about January’s numbers–with oddly contradictory headlines.”

9.Is American Real Estate Out Of The Woods?
“For some time virtually all markers have pointed to an improving US real estate picture and yet there remains an undercurrent of unease. So are we out of the financial woods?”

10.The Five Biggest Turn-offs For Homebuyers
“A lot of sellers don’t listen to their real estate agents, so we’ll tell you what your agent wants to say, but can’t say to you and this is it – your agent can’t get you the price you want unless your home is in pristine move-in condition.”

TonyAlvarez.com

1.TGIF as stocks up ahead of weekend
“TGIF seems to be in full swing on Wall Street. Investors looked as if they had found some inspiration heading into the weekend, a positive sign for stocks as the end of the first quarter draws near.”

2.Institutional investors cool on housing market, Could this be an opportunity for individual home buyers?
“In February, 5.9% of all U.S. property sales were purchased by institutional investors (defined as an individuals or groups that have purchased at least 10 properties in a calendar year) down from 7.2% of sales the year before, according to data from real-estate data firm RealtyTrac.”

3.Real Estate Stock Investors Shouldn’t Ignore The Smaller Neighborhoods
“After a spectacular five-year run, global real estate stocks look headed for a period of more normal returns. We think winning in this space will require a more  discriminating eye—and venturing into the often neglected nooks and crannies of the smaller-cap real estate world.”

4.Commercial Real Estate Forecast 2014-2015
“Non-residential real estate values should rise at a modest-to-moderate pace in the coming two years, with stronger operating earnings partially offset by rising interest rates.”

5.U.S. stocks rise; Dow sees triple digit gain Consumer spending, income rise in February
“Consumer spending rose in February at the fastest rate since November as Americans spent more on health care and utilities, but in a negative sign, purchases of big-ticket items fell for the third straight month. Personal income also ticked up in February.”

6.US consumer spending up modest 0.3 percent
” Americans barely increased their spending in February following a weak January performance, strong evidence that the severe winter will hold back the economy in the first quarter.”

7.Real Estate Marketing Strategies: How to Double or Triple Your Income in 2014
“What would be the benefits to you of doubling or tripling your income in 2014?”

8.10 Home Projects that Can Increase Value
“Spring means different things to different people: outdoor activities, gardening, spring break. But for homeowners, it often means it’s time to start checking items off your home projects to-do list. From trimming trees to cleaning gutters to washing windows, spring is the time to do a tune-up on your home and clean up after Old Man Winter.”

TonyAlvarez.com

1.February Pending Home Sales Continue Slide
“Pending home sales declined for the eighth straight month in February, according to the National Association of Realtors®. Modest increases in the Midwest and West were offset by declines in the Northeast and South; all regions are below a year ago.”

2.WRAPUP 2-U.S. economy shows some muscle, housing still lagging
“The U.S. economy grew a bit faster than previously estimated in the fourth quarter and new claims for jobless aid dropped to a near four-month low last week, suggesting the economy has plenty of momentum to break out of its winter chill.”

3.U.S. economy shows some muscle, housing still lagging
“The U.S. economy grew a bit faster than previously estimated in the fourth quarter and new claims for jobless aid dropped to a near four-month low last week, suggesting the economy has plenty of momentum to break out of its winter chill.”

4.Pending U.S. home sales drop in February, marking 8th straight decline
“In the latest sign of a continuing slowdown in the housing market, a key predictor of home-sale volume fell for the eighth straight month in February, though the outlook was brighter in the West.”

5.Why did residential sales decline for fourth month straight?
“Residential properties sold at an estimated annual pace of 5,083,241 in February, a 0.2% decline from January but up 7% from February 2013, according to the latest report from RealtyTrac.”

6.Pending home sales down 10.5% from February 2013
“Pending home sales fell for the eighth straight month, down 0.8% from the downwardly revised January report and down 10.5% from February 2013, according to the index from the National Association of Realtors.”

7.U.S. Stocks Decline as Bank, Technology Shares Lead Drop
“Banks and technology companies led U.S. stocks lower for the fourth time in five days, as a midmorning recovery fizzled and investors resumed a rotation out of the bull market’s biggest winners. “

8.Average US 30-Year Mortgage Rate Rises to 4.40 Pct
“Average U.S. rates on fixed mortgages rose this week in the wake of comments by Federal Reserve Chairman Janet Yellen suggesting that the Fed could start raising short-term interest rates by mid-2015.”

9.Contracts to Buy US Homes Fell in February
“The number of Americans who signed contracts to buy homes fell for the eighth straight month in February, a sign that real estate sales will likely slow over the next few months.”

10.Real Estate Stock Investors Shouldn’t Ignore The Smaller Neighborhoods
“After a spectacular five-year run, global real estate stocks look headed for a period of more normal returns. We think winning in this space will require a more  discriminating eye—and venturing into the often neglected nooks and crannies of the smaller-cap real estate world.”

11.Real Estate Crowdfunding Startup Realty Mogul Raises $9M
“Realty Mogul, a site that allows accredited investors to collectively back real estate projects, is announcing that it has raised a $9 million Series A led by Canaan Partners.”

12.U.S. pending home sales fall to lowest level since October 2011
“The number of contracts to buy previously-owned U.S. homes fell in February to the lowest level in more than two years, a sign the housing sector has yet to shake off the impact of higher interest rates and a harsh winter.”

13.U.S. residential-property sales drop 0.2% in Feb
“U.S. residential-property sales slid 0.2% in February from the prior month, the fourth consecutive month sales activity eased sequentially, according to market researcher RealtyTrac. “

14.How the sharing economy is changing home affordability
“As implied by the name, the sharing economy works when some people who own things are happy for others to make use of them –  for a fee”

15.Pending Home Sales Weaker Again, but May be Stabilizing
“The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI) for February added more confirmation of a slowing home housing market.  The PHSI, released this morning, showed an eighth straight month of declining contract signings. “

TonyAlvarez.com

1.7 Markets Where Median List Prices Are Soaring
“Some housing markets are seeing jumps of 20 percent or more in median list prices. Realtor.com® recently highlighted some of the hottest markets to buy, based on the largest year-over-year median list price gains from February 2013-14. These are the cities that top the list”

2.O.C., L.A. and Inland Empire homes are overpriced, Trulia says
“Southern California is home to some of the most overpriced housing markets in the country. And that’s taking the wind out of the recovery.”

3.ECONOMY: Wages still stagnating, and low in Inland area
“It’s gotten a lot easier to find a job in Inland Southern California in the last six months, but workers are probably not getting significantly wealthier in the process, according to a federal report released last week.”

4.What to do if your home-equity line is about to end, Worried about your monthly bill shooting higher? You have options.
“If you’re worried that you won’t be able to make the higher payments, then don’t sit idly by. Talk to your bank and see if there’s anything they can do to change the terms of your home-equity line. “

5.3 reasons real estate agents are worth their 6% cut
“Even in this age of the Internet, real estate agents are still a “very integral” part of buying and selling homes, Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Wednesday. “

6.Gold slides back to $1,300 as US data lifts dollar
“Gold fell nearly 1 percent to a five-week low on Wednesday as the dollar firmed, equity markets strengthened and the U.S. economy showed signs of recovery, while support from physical buying also was lacking. “

7.US stocks decline after durable goods; technology shares hit
“U.S. stocks fell on Wednesday, with benchmark indexes struggling to extend gains into a second day, after data showed orders for longer-lasting products gained more than expected even as corporate spending on equipment declined.”

8.What happened to the traditional home buyer? California has the highest percentage of young adults living at home with parents. Existing home sales collapse.
“Existing home sales continue to operate in an anemic range.  The latest existing home sales figures show that sales volume is back to where it was in July of 2012.”

9.U.S. Sales of New Homes Up in January
” U.S. sales of new homes rebounded in January to the fastest pace in more than five years, offering hopes that housing could be regaining momentum after a slowdown last year caused by rising interest rates.”

10.Why The Mortgage Marketplace Is Never Normal
“The Urban Institute has come out with a new study which suggests that as many as 1.2 million people per year are not getting mortgages because of tight lending standards. It’s an interesting and provocative report, one which is getting much attention, but is it true?  Are tight lending standards responsible for 1.2 million missing loans?”

11.10 Ways to Not Get Screwed By Your Contractor
“You’ve saved your pennies, you’ve pinned all the things you love to Pinterest and now it’s finally time to fix up your kitchen or redo your bathroom or build that deck. Now comes the easy part: finding an excellent contractor and getting started. Right?”

12.5 Things You Can Do to Control Your Market
“Like all financial markets, the real estate market has a history of going up and down, and up and down. It’s always been that way, and it’s always going to be that way, isn’t it?”

13.U.S. Single-Family Home Investors Form Trade Group
“The largest landlords of single-family homes, including Blackstone Group LP (BX), have formed an industry trade group at a time their impact on housing and finance faces scrutiny. “

14.Can You Still Buy a Home With No Down Payment?
“Are you considering buying a home this year? Most would have you believe that you need at least a 3.5% down payment to get a mortgage. But there are actually a few ways you can get a home with 100% financing.”

TonyAlvarez.com

1.Bubble Watch: Local Worries, National Calm
“Although national home prices rose significantly in the past two years, they’re still 5% undervalued compared with long-term fundamentals. Home prices today look overvalued in 19 of the 100 largest metros, including 8 of the 11 large California metros.”

2.More Americans are renting: why the cost is so high (+video)
“For most Americans, there seem to be two types of rental housing in the US these days: pricey and unaffordable.”

3.Rahm Emanuel: Given a choice, Americans want cities over burbs
“The suburbs are losing out to cities when it comes to where people want to live, according to Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.”

4.U.S. home sales fall, but consumer confidence hits six-year high
“Sales of new U.S. single-family homes hit a five-month low in February, but a surge in consumer confidence to a six-year high in March suggested the economy was regaining momentum after being held back by severe weather.”

5.New-home sales fell across most of U.S. in February
“Sales of recently built homes fell back in February, as harsh weather and high costs held back buyers.”

6.The Pro’s and Con’s Of Borrowing From Your 401(K) To Finance a Home Purchase
“According to the National Association of REALTORS® 2013 Profile of Home Buyer and Sellers, 8% of first-time buyers borrowed from their 401(k) retirement accounts as a source of downpayment money. It’s a good bet that a significant number of potential first-time buyers, as well as others, are not acquainted with how this works. It’s also a good bet that, among those with the ability to use 401(k) funds, many are not familiar with the pros and cons of doing so. “

7.MBS MID-DAY: Economic Data Fails to Inspire Much Market Movement
“A good thing to keep in mind about any data-based conclusion in financial markets is that details matter.  This is true both in terms of the reference to market movement in the headline as well as several of the day’s economic releases.”

8.New Home Sales Turn Negative Year-Over-Year, First Time Since 2011
“After rising by a revised 3.2 percent January, New Home Sales fell 3.3 percent in February according to data released today by The Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.  The annualized sales pace of 440k homes is the lowest since September 2013.”

TonyAlvarez.com

1.Wealthy Chinese home buyers boost suburban L.A. housing markets
“The overflow from China’s economic high tide is transforming the housing markets of suburban Los Angeles”

2.Carrington ups ante on Wells Fargo by lowering FICO standard
“Carrington Mortgage Services lowered its minimum FICO score to 550 and expanded its guidelines on a number of FHA, VA and USDA loan programs in order to better focus on underserved borrowers, typically those in the sub-640 FICO score range.”

3.Monday Morning Cup of Coffee: Foreclosures down 500K from last year
“Monday Morning Cup of Coffee takes a look at news crossing HousingWire’s weekend desk, with more coverage to come on bigger issues.”

4.Warren Buffett Reveals His Secrets for Investing in Real Estate
“There is no lack of information available about the institutional investment strategies of the world’s billionaires — how they move money in their capacity as the heads of large public companies and investment funds — but how often do you get the chance to look inside the personal investments of those billionaires? And how often does a billionaire offer you insights that you can use in your investing?”

5.Do you have what it takes to be a real estate rainmaker, or will you remain a buyer’s agent? 4 clues
“In real estate, nothing happens until you generate a lead. Whether you want to be a top-producing salesperson or the head of a successful agent team, successful “rainmakers” differ from lower-producing agents in a variety of ways”

6.Life After Fannie and Freddie
“The Senate Banking Committee has released a draft of a new plan to replace government-sponsored entities Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The new Federal Mortgage Insurance Corporation (FMIC) would guarantee conforming loans and provide regulation for turning government-guaranteed loans into mortgage-backed securities. “

7. Seven bold commercial real estate predictions
“Conjuring the future of commercial real estate begins by conjuring our future. How will we work, live, shop or do business? Perhaps no other investment sector is so closely tied to people’s most fundamental needs and behaviors; its evolution, to a large extent, follows ours. “

TonyAlvarez.com

1.5 Biggest Bang for Your Buck Home Improvements
“Almost immediately after buying and moving into our current house in 2007, we began renovating it. We knew, as devout DIYers, that home renovations would be our constant companion, because we chose to buy a house that was built in 1961 and never updated. That meant harvest gold in the kitchen, a blue tub and blue sinks in the master bath, and wallpaper throughout.”

2.Stocks pull back from record highs
“Brace yourself, it’s going to be a bumpy ride. Stocks soared right out of the gate Friday, but the momentum is already starting to fade.”

3.Subprime mortgages making a comeback
“Borrowers with bad credit were shut out of the mortgage market after the housing bubble burst, but now a handful of small lenders are starting to offer subprime loans again.”

4.S&P 500 Climbs to Record on Economy While Dollar Weakens
“U.S. stocks rose, with the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index touching a record, amid optimism in the strength of the world’s largest economy. Emerging-market equities rose, led by the biggest gain in five weeks for Hong Kong-listed Chinese shares, and the dollar weakened. “

5.The Mortgage Professor: Questions, answers on reducing loan balance
“Homeowners with a mortgage usually want to reduce their interest cost by paying down the loan balance as fast as possible. This column is about what borrowers can and cannot do on their own. Next week, I look at various schemes that claim to make the task easier.”

6.US stock market heads for a solid weekly gain
“NEW YORK — The stock market looked ready to finish off a turbulent week with solid gains Friday. Investors brushed aside concerns about higher interest rates and trouble with Russia. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index was on track to close at an all-time high.”

7.The Trillion-Dollar Battle For Higher Mortgage Rates
“If you’re a mortgage borrower your great goal in life is to get a lower rate. While 2012 saw the lowest mortgage rates in 65 years, 2013 and early 2014 have not been far off the mark.”

8.Stress Test Shows 29 of 30 Banks Meet or Top Capital Target
“The Federal Reserve (FDTR)’s annual stress tests found 29 of the 30 largest U.S. banks could withstand a deep recession and still pay dividends, fueling speculation about which firms will win approval next week to raise payouts. “

9.A Cost VS Value Opinion
“Before you invest in remodeling, it’s wise to think about upgrades that get you back the most back money when you resell.”

10. 2013 vs 2014 Real Estate FACTS. No Smoke. Just FACTS.
“I can go on for days describing the past year’s real estate market. Tell you my thoughts, opinions…then, my opinions again. Then, maybe again. But, I know that there is nothing more convincing than pure, raw FACTS. Just ask a dinosaur. “

 

TonyAlvarez.com

1.Zillow launches mortgage pre-approval tool
“In light of the market heading into the spring buying season, Seattle-based Zillow (Z) launched its new mortgage pre-approval tool that allows home shoppers to get pre-approved for a mortgage quickly and easily.”

2.U.S. Stocks Gain After Data Offset Rate-Rise Concerns
“U.S. stocks rose after better-than-forecast data on leading indicators and regional manufacturing fueled optimism in the economy, offsetting comments that interest rates may rise in the middle of next year. “

3.Sales of US Existing Homes Slip to 19-Month Low
“Sales of U.S. existing homes slipped in February to their lowest level since July 2012 as severe winter weather, rising prices and a tight supply of homes discouraged buyers.”

4.Fastest, slowest moving housing markets
“As the home buying and selling season kicks off, many people will have an eye on inventory levels — especially in the country’s tightest markets”

5.US home resales drop 0.4% to 19-month low
“U.S. home resales dropped slightly in February to a 19 month-low as cold weather and a shortage of homes for sale continued to sideline potential buyers. A separate survey showed factory activity in the U.S. mid-Atlantic region expanded far more than expected in March. “

6.3 reasons THIS spring could save chilled housing
“The housing recovery has been suffering from a winter cold that’s created a “low inventory problem,” but that could change now that spring has finally arrived, Realogy’s Richard Smith told CNBC on Thursday.”

7.Existing-home sales slowest since July 2012
“WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — Hurt by rising mortgage rate and prices, the sales pace of existing homes ticked down last month, hitting the slowest rate since July 2012, according to data released Thursday. “

8.Tom Reddin: Where are mortgage rates headed in 2014?
“Around this time last year, I forecast that mortgage rates would increase in 2013. Back then, rates on a 30-year fixed mortgage were hovering around 3.5 percent. I predicted that we would see a gradual rise in 2013 to 4 percent or so.”

9.Budding Economic Growth Expected in Spring and Summer As Harsh Winter Fades
“WASHINGTON, DC – Despite a deterioration in economic activity at the end of 2013 that has continued through the first quarter of this year, growth is expected to pick up in the second quarter and build throughout the summer, firming to approximately 2.7 percent for all of 2014, according to Fannie Mae’s (FNMA/OTC) Economic & Strategic Research Group. The near-term outlook remains somewhat clouded due in part to an unsustainable build-up in inventory in the second half of last year and as downside effects from the winter have yet to fully materialize. However, the return of weather to seasonal norms should help boost growth in the second quarter, supported by consumer spending, business investment, and housing starts.”

10.Get your Zillow profile and listings firing on all cylinders and leads flowing directly into your CRM
“Get your Zillow profile and listings firing on all cylinders and leads flowing directly into your CRM Insights from Zillow’s Greg Schwartz”

11.Treat everyone like they’re your only real estate client, not ‘leads’
“Being a real estate agent doesn’t have to be about capturing thousands of leads on the Internet so that we can convert a small percentage of them into customers.”

12.Real Estate Marketing Strategies: 3 Essential Steps to Working Smarter, Not Harder
“Can you understand now why you might sabotage your success? Why would anyone every want to suffer like that?”

13.Existing Home Sales Lowest Since July 2012
“Existing Home Sales, which are completed transactions for single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, continued trending lower in February, falling to their lowest level since July 2012 according the the National Association of Realtors (NAR).  Compared to last month’s reading of a 4.62 mln annual pace in January, today’s 4.60 mln is essentially unchanged. “

TonyAlvarez.com