National News
By Ian McKendry Real estate agents around the country are finding more and more utility from computer tablets that are incredibly mobile and have large displays, making them easy on the eyes. To date, Apple’s line of iPads has dominated
The National Association of Home Builders/First American Improving Markets Index (IMI) expanded yet again last month, with the NAHB adding 11 more metros to the index, which now totals 84. A measure of improving economic conditions, the IMI now
It was seven years ago that ICANN, the nonprofit that oversees top-level domain names, announced it would allow new domain names in addition to .com, .net and .org, and this summer, it was revealed that the National Association of
After a few months of relative silence, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) made considerable waves on Monday with its released of a 1,099-page rule detailing its new standards for mortgage disclosure forms. Intended to simplify the process for
By Peter Ricci Short sales have become increasingly common in the post-bubble economy, and indeed, the list of agents who have successfully adapted their businesses to short sales is long and varied. Though some have found quite a bit
By Peter Ricci Maybe it’s the patriotic Fourth of July fervor, but two new government reports on housing are quite optimistic, with both President Obama’s Housing Scorecard and Fannie Mae’s latest National Housing Survey finding quite a bit to
Chief Economist for Fannie Mae Doug Duncan released a statement today that said housing market activity is on a steady incline toward improvement, “well ahead of last year’s pace.” Duncan’s statement coincides with Fannie Mae’s recent findings in their
Is the 305 passing the 312? New construction data from McGraw-Hill Dodge on high-rises in the U.S. contained an interesting nugget of information – from 2000 to 2011, there were more projects for buildings of 20 or more stories
Real estate data firm Reis, Inc. is reporting that average rent costs have reached a record increase in 74 out of 82 markets that it is tracking in the second quarter, including cities like Chicago, Miami, Seattle, San Diego
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has selected the winner bidders for its pilot initiative, putting the agency one step closer to closing out what many have anticipated as its most helpful program yet for the U.S. housing market.
ActiveRain, the popular online real estate network, has an intriguing question for agents – what would you buy if you were on a marketing budget of $500 per month? That question is at the heart of a new competition
Home prices in CoreLogic’s May home price index rose for the third consecutive month, posting both monthly and yearly gains. From April to May, national home prices were up 1.8 percent, CoreLogic reported, and price rose year-over-year by 2
Construction spending continued its strong performance in May, rising 7.0 percent from last year and 0.9 percent from April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $830.0 billion. For the first five months of 2012, spending is $310.5 billion,
Housing inventories have been on a roll lately, but not the kind many of us had expected – it just keeps going, and going, and going down! In May, the most recent month we have data for, Realtor.com’s for-sale
Lessening underwriting standards are the great white whale in housing’s recovery, and the 2012 Survey of Credit Underwriting Practices from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) is making some suggestions that the tide may be turning for home
Robert J. Shiller is more than just a highly-respected professor of economist at Yale – he’s the co-creator of the Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, one of the most influential readings available on the U.S. housing market. Therefore, it makes
