December 2011
Monthly Archive
27 Dec 2011 12:43 pm
Home prices down for 6th straight month
Housing markets, which had seemed to be slowly gathering strength earlier this year, fell for the sixth straight month in October, down 1.2% compared with September and 3.4% from 12 months earlier.
23 Dec 2011 11:44 am
The modest housing market winning streak continued as the Census Bureau reported Friday that sales of new homes rose again in November to an annualized rate of 315,000.
22 Dec 2011 07:12 pm
Actions on Housing Policy Will Make or Break Recovery
We have many reasons to be optimistic about housing. Past-due mortgages and foreclosure filings have been trending down in recent months, not to mention inventory is decreasing, interest rates are lower than ever and home prices are stabilizing. But the …
22 Dec 2011 06:58 pm
Showing Suite Productivity Software Enables Agents to Provide Top-Notch Service
Maintaining a competitive edge in today’s market takes more than positioning yourself as an educated, trusted advisor. As buyers and sellers alike continue to turn to the Internet to start their real estate search, it’s more important than ever that …
22 Dec 2011 06:33 pm
Prudential Network Realty Agent Ranked No. 1 Sales Associate in Florida
Prudential Network Realty’s Elizabeth Hudgins of the Ponte Vedra Beach office was recently recognized as the No. 1 sales associate in the Prudential Real Estate Network in Florida, which encompasses more than 10,000 agents, the company announced. In year-to-date statistics …
22 Dec 2011 06:30 pm
Survey Shows Speedy Sales in SoCal Luxury Housing Markets
High end homes in both Malibu and Pacific Palisades are selling faster, according to a Westside Estate Agency (WEA) analysis of housing data in the two luxury markets through the third quarter.
The report, which reviews overall total sales in …
22 Dec 2011 02:32 pm
Mortgage rates hit another record low
Happy holidays, homebuyers! You just got a very nice present.
21 Dec 2011 01:07 pm
SEC charges former execs of Fannie, Freddie
The Securities and Exchange Commission charged six former executives of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac with securities fraud on Friday for misrepresenting their holdings of high-risk mortgage loans.
21 Dec 2011 01:01 pm
Existing home sales during the housing bust were actually 14.3% worse than previously reported, a revision to Realtors' group numbers shows.
21 Dec 2011 11:15 am
Foreclosure sales still pummeling home prices
Nearly five years into the crisis, just how badly are foreclosures still hurting the housing market?
20 Dec 2011 12:51 pm
Fannie and Freddie must go – here’s how
Richard M. Kovacevich is the retired Chairman & CEO of Wells Fargo. William M. Isaac is Global Head of Financial Institutions at FTI Consulting and former Chairman of the FDIC. The views expressed are their own.
20 Dec 2011 11:14 am
Home building spiked up in November to the strongest level in almost two years, as record-low mortgage rates and a surge in apartment and condo construction lifted activity.
19 Dec 2011 05:49 pm
Builder Confidence Rises for the Third Consecutive Month
Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes edged up two points from a downwardly revised number to 21 on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) for December. This marks a third consecutive …
15 Dec 2011 02:44 pm
Mortgage rates fall to record lows
Mortgage rates sunk to record lows again this week.
15 Dec 2011 06:34 am
Foreclosures fall, but outlook isn’t bright
Foreclosure filings may have fallen in November but the number of homes scheduled for bank auctions grew significantly, indicating that a new wave of foreclosures are set to take place in the New Year.
14 Dec 2011 05:52 pm
Blueprint for 100 Deals Part 8: Listings – There’s No Second Place
In the world of listings, the silver medal means absolutely nothing. It pays less than nothing. And, in fact, it actually costs you, because of all those wasted hours (and gas for your car, materials for the listing presentation, etc).…
13 Dec 2011 07:51 pm
Existing home sales to be revised lower
If you thought the U.S. housing market couldn't get much worse, think again.
13 Dec 2011 06:38 am
Rent a time-share and stay for less
Vacationing with your kids? Cut your costs by renting a time-share instead of hotel rooms. You'll save money on lodging -- and spend less on meals by cooking in.
12 Dec 2011 06:00 pm
The Four Cornerstones of Superior Customer Service
The heart of any company can be found beating inside the walls of its customer service department. Providing superior customer service after the sale is a smart business decision that pays long-term dividends. All the money a company spends on …
12 Dec 2011 05:51 pm
How to Lead a Refined Real Estate Search
Purchasing a home, especially if it is your first time, can be an extremely stressful and complicated process. It is easy to get overwhelmed by your choices and the many steps it takes to get the deal closed and the …
12 Dec 2011 05:46 pm
Real Estate Marketing Summit Goes Worldwide
This week, the Real Estate Marketing Summit is returning to the exemplary location of the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, Calif., where hundreds of participants have registered to arrive on Wednesday, December 14th, 2011. Thousands, throughout the world, however, …
12 Dec 2011 05:35 pm
Mortgage Rates Stay Low Helping to Keep Housing Affordability High
Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) recently released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey(R) (PMMS(R)), showing average fixed mortgage rates largely unchanged and near their record lows helping to keep housing affordability high for those borrowers who are in …
12 Dec 2011 05:32 pm
Bankrate: Jumbo Mortgage Rates Hit New Record Low
The jumbo 30-year fixed mortgage rate fell to a new record low of 4.68 percent, according to Bankrate.com’s weekly national survey. The average jumbo 30-year fixed mortgage has an average of 0.4 discount and origination points.
To see mortgage rates…
12 Dec 2011 12:17 pm
Even if you're a decade or more away from quitting time, you may be thinking about buying a retirement home right now.
09 Dec 2011 12:35 pm
More parents helping kids buy homes
Hey, baby boomers! Pondering what gift to get your kid who's all grown up? For many of your peers, the answer is a house.
09 Dec 2011 06:28 am
One small company reinvents a $30 billion market
Sometimes one bright idea -- and a whole lot of work to implement it -- can reshape an entire industry.
08 Dec 2011 06:23 pm
With the economy in turmoil and mortgage money tight, it's not easy to buy a home these days, especially for young adults. Many are getting helping hands from their parents.
08 Dec 2011 04:23 pm
A Manhattan apartment for $165,000 — a month
This luxury residence in New York's famed Plaza Hotel once hosted foreign royalty, American presidents and some of the world's wealthiest people. Now you can live there for a mere $1.98 million a year in rent.
07 Dec 2011 06:39 pm
5 renovations that will make you money
Here are five home-improvement projects that are worth spending money on.
07 Dec 2011 05:50 pm
Extreme Online Marketing for Realtors – Real Estate Marketing Summit Just 7 Days Away
Real Estate Marketing Summit 2011 (REMS) is in the process of making the final preparations for this year’s event, being held Dec. 14-15 at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego. Highly successful in its inaugural year, REMS 2010 was…