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Data through January 2013, released today by S&P Dow Jones Indices for its S&P/Case-Shiller1Home Price Indices, a leading measure of U.S. home prices, showed average home prices increased 7.3% for the 10-City Composite and 8.1% for the 20-City Composite in the 12 months ending in January 2013. All 20 cities posted year-over-year gains with Phoenix leading the way with a gain of 23.2%. Nineteen of the 20 cities showed acceleration in their year-over-year returns. Despite posting a positive double-digit annual return, Detroit was the only city to show a deceleration.

Location, location, location near public transportation may be the new real-estate mantra according to a new study released recently by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and the National Association of Realtors® (NAR). Data in the study reveals that during the last recession, residential property values performed 42 percent better on average if they were located near public transportation with high-frequency service. “When homes are located near public transportation, it is the equivalent of creating housing as desirable as beachfront property,” says APTA President and CEO Michael Melaniphy.

As the urban revival in some American cities pushes out lower-income earners to the nearby suburbs, many of those edge cities are struggling to redefine their purpose—and identity—in a new economy.

February existing-home sales and prices affirm a healthy recovery is underway in the housing sector, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. Sales have been above year-ago levels for 20 consecutive months, while prices show 12 consecutive months of year-over-year price increases. Total existing-home sales, which are completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, increased 0.8 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.98 million in February from an upwardly revised 4.94 million in January,

(MCT)—Something has gone wrong with one of your clients. One of your employees has made a mistake or maybe you were the one who messed up. Either way, you have a hopping-mad person on your hands and a sinking feeling in your stomach. How do you deal? How do you recover? Start by taking a step back from the situation. As tempting as it might be to dive headlong into the debate over who is at fault, stop and take a deep breath first. It’s important to remember that your first move in an emotionally charged situation is to manage your own feelings before attempting to manage anyone else.

There’s a new type of homebuyer on the market. They know what they want and are ready to get their hands dirty to transform a house to meet their unique needs. Stereotypical luxury and prototypical homes do not entice them; rather these consumers strive to own homes that stand apart and suit their personal lifestyle… Enter the next generation of homebuyers. Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate has released national survey findings of 18-35 year-old Americans that reveal the next generation of homeowners are rewriting the rules to homeownership and reinterpreting traditional norms to fit their values. Results indicate that the next generation of homeowners seeks essential, purposeful homes (77 percent) equipped with the technological capabilities

Purchasing a home is an important life decision, and many factors can influence the home choices buyers make. The National Association of Realtors® 2013 Profile of Buyers' Home Feature Preferences examines the features buyers prefer when it comes to purchasing a home, as well as the differences in preferences when it comes to factors such as region, demographics and household composition. The survey captures buyers who purchased a home between 2010 and 2012.

While recent economic reports suggest that home building took a pause at the beginning of 2013, leading indicators point to more growth for housing in the months ahead. Per data from the Census Bureau, housing starts were down 8.5 percent in January. However, all of the loss was in the multifamily segment, where construction fell from an unusually high annualized rate of 365,000 in December to a steadier 277,000 rate in January.

The latest FNC Residential Price Index® (RPI) indicates that U.S. property values continued to recover through January—the 11th consecutive month of rising prices. Despite the uneven pace of price gains across different geographical markets, there are clear signs that the housing recovery is increasingly widespread. A limited housing supply and declining foreclosure sales are contributing to the recovery of underlying property values.

Debra W. Still, CMB, Chairman of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), applauded H.R. 1077, the Consumer Mortgage Choice Act, introduced earlier in March

The new documentary Home exposes the decline and devastation of the foreclosure crisis in the west Phoenix neighborhood of Maryvale. Filmmaker Gail Buck, founder of the nonprofit Project Maryvale, a community activist and one of the state’s leading real estate brokers, tells the story of the suburb’s decline from an industry insider’s perspective as she shows how failed bank policies, favoritism toward cash investors and current housing remedies have, in fact, contributed to the community’s decay. The 50-minute film, which is being privately screened at Cinema Latino in Phoenix next week and by housing leaders around the country this month, characterizes the nation’s foreclosure crisis and traces the displacement of low-income families,

Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Berkeley Breathed has listed his mountainside retreat in Santa Barbara for $4.95 million. The 25-acre ocean-view estate, which includes a single-level custom home,

There’s an old business adage that says, “Hire slow and fire fast.” The new mantra seems to be “hire fast and fire fast.” I haven’t decided yet whether hiring cautiously or quickly is the right way to go—I’ve seen both work well—but I do believe that when you have a poor performer on your team, you need to move on...fast! Maintaining a business culture that focuses on and rewards the best-performing individuals is a great way to build a phenomenal business environment. Having a productive and fun workplace, where people are encouraged to innovate and create great processes, systems and marketing ideas, is often the difference between a stress-free and productive office and one filled with pressure and conflict.

Consumer attitudes toward the economy and housing continue to diverge this winter, according to Fannie Mae’s February 2013 National Housing Survey results. On the one hand, consumers continue to express strong

Tavern Island: Connecticut’s Secluded Sanctuary There is perhaps no greater space than one’s own private island retreat. Listed in October 2012 for $12.9 million by Doug Werner, William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty, Darien, Conn., Tavern Island in Rowayton, Conn., is a dream. With a total lot of 3.5 acres (not including an additional 0.46 on the mainland), the main abode is a 1902, recently renovated Tudor-style home, clocking in at 6,116 square feet, six bedrooms, four baths, three half-baths, and endless ocean views from literally every room.