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Builders and Consumers Perceive Green Homes as Affordable to Live in but Expensive to Build

RISMEDIA, November 20, 2010—Green homes offer a wide variety of benefits from reducing carbon footprints to saving money on utility bills to even improving the health of children. However, a recent Whirlpool Corporation and Habitat for Humanity survey conducted by the NAHB Research Center, polled home builders, as well as consumers, and found

Live Real Estate Town Hall Meeting Attracts Market Experts to Discuss Real Estate Crisis/Solutions

RISMEDIA, November 18, 2010—Southern Californians who feel trapped or simply lack confidence in today’s real estate market can get some relief from regional business and real estate experts who will gather on Wednesday, Dec. 1 from 7-9 pm at the Hotel Del Coronado, 1500 Orange Avenue,

Tips On How Buyers Can Sift through Housing Inventory Effectively and Efficiently

RISMEDIA, November 17, 2010—Five years ago, a serious buyer who was pre-approved for a mortgage loan typically spent three to four weeks looking for a home and usually visited 15-20 homes. Now the search can take much longer with the amount of inventory on the market. Five years ago, a serious buyer who was pre-approved for a mortgage loan typically spent three to four weeks looking for a home and usually visited 15-20 homes, according to metro Chicago real estate agent Sarah Ritter of RE/MAX Properties in Western Springs, Ill. Now, says Ritter, “people tend to look much longer. They have a hard time saying ‘yes.’ “One couple I’m working with has looked at 42 or 43 houses and still hasn’t made an offer. But that isn’t unusual in today’s market.”

NAR Pulse: This Week’s Top Stories from the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS

RISMEDIA, November 17, 2010—This week’s headlines from the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® include: a no cost field guide to real estate transfer taxes from NAR’s Right Tools, Right Now initiative; an exclusive offer for REALTORS® on an advanced identity protection

Home-Seizure Process Can Heal or Hobble Housing Market

RISMEDIA, November 16, 2010—(MCT)—California and Florida had a lot in common during the housing industry's last boom-and-bust cycle. Both were overrun by buyers hooked on high-risk mortgages, speculators who helped push prices to historic peaks and builders who didn't know when to stop. When the bubble burst, the two states became leaders in mortgage defaults, price declines and tracts of unsold new homes. But in the past year or so, California's housing market has begun recovering, while Florida's remains on the critical list.

Third Quarter Metro Area Home Prices Hold during Post-Credit Sales Decline

RISMEDIA, November 15, 2010—Fully half of the metropolitan areas tracked in the third quarter of 2010 continued to show modest home price increases from a year ago, despite a sharp decline in home sales after the deadline for the home buyer tax credit, according to the latest survey by the National Association of Realtors. In the third quarter, 77 out of 155 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) had higher median existing single-family home prices in comparison with the third quarter of 2009, including 11 with double-digit increases; two were unchanged and 76 metros showed price declines. In the third quarter of 2009, only 30 MSAs experienced annual price gains.

Foreclosure Activity Decreases 4 Percent in October 2010, According to RealtyTrac

RISMEDIA, November 11, 2010—RealtyTrac, a leading online marketplace for foreclosure properties released its U.S. Foreclosure Market Report for October 2010, which shows foreclosure filings—default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions—were reported on 332,172

San Francisco Bay Area Market Report: Median Home Price Rises Slightly Despite Post-Tax Credit Sales Slowdown

RISMEDIA, November 10, 2010—Slower home sales following the expiration of federal tax incentives for home buyers, a tighter inventory of bank-owned and entry-level properties, and increased activity in several higher-priced markets fueled a slight increase in the median price of a home sold across the greater San Francisco Bay Area during the third quarter, according to an analysis of MLS data issued by the research division of Better Homes and Gardens Mason-McDuffie Real Estate, a member of RISMedia’s Real Estate Information Network® (RREIN).

HUD and NAR Unveil Three How-To Videos to Help Consumers Navigate the Home Buying Process

RISMEDIA, November 8, 2010—Especially in today’s housing market, the prospect of buying a home can seem overwhelming for many Americans who may not be aware of how to begin the process of shopping for a home or even a mortgage. To help consumers navigate this process, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the National Association of Realtors (NAR) unveiled three how-to videos to help prospective homeowners find a home they can afford, shop for a mortgage they can sustain, and what to expect when they go to closing.

Fed Plans 600 Billion Dollar Bond Purchase to Spark Economy

RISMEDIA, November 5, 2010—(MCT)—In the wake of congressional elections that weakened President Barack Obama and slammed the door on any new economic stimulus, the Federal Reserve unveiled a controversial new plan to spur the faltering U.S. economy by pumping $600 billion

Renovations Halted by Recession Leave Homes in Limbo

RISMEDIA, November 4, 2010—(MCT)—Ralph and Gloria Dickerson began a $150,000 expansion of their Englewood, N.J., house in 2004. But the work dwindled to a halt several years ago, and foreclosure proceedings were started on the house last year. The property now sits empty, with exposed insulation wrap outside, peeling paint inside and signs on the lawn announcing: "For sale by owner." When home renovations stall, properties like this turn into white elephants. If they go on the market, their unkempt state scares off many potential buyers. And in the meantime, neighbors fume at the eyesore in their midst.

Fed to Take Unusual Stab at Boosting Economy through Quantitative Easing

RISMEDIA, November 3, 2010—(MCT)—The Federal Reserve began a two-day meeting that's expected to conclude with the announcement of an unorthodox plan to spark life into the U.S. economy. The Fed has signaled since August that it'll begin purchasing government bonds in an attempt to drive down the bonds' yield, or their return to investors. It hopes that by flattening the return that investors can get from the safest investments, they'll take more risks and lift the economy out of its doldrums.

New GDP Numbers Show Economy Growing Slowly

RISMEDIA, November 2, 2010—(MCT)—The economy grew at a tepid 2% annual rate from July through September 2010, the government reported recently, slightly better than before, but not strong enough to reduce unemployment. The 2% annual rate in the third quarter was

How to Determine Whether the Vacation Rental Lifestyle is Right for You

RISMEDIA, October 30, 2010—More and more people are investing in vacation homes today. And no wonder: between unbelievable real estate prices, low interest rates, and a rapidly growing base of potential customers, vacationers who'd rather stay in a charming beach cottage or woodsy cabin rather than a hotel room—there's never been a better time to buy. But here are the real questions to consider before you purchase a vacation home: Is the lifestyle that comes with owning and managing a vacation rental home right for you? Do you have the right personality for the job?

New-Home Sales Climb 6.6 Percent in September 2010

RISMEDIA, October 29, 2010—(MCT)—Sales of new homes climbed 6.6% in September 2010, figures released by the federal government showed, representing the second straight month of gains, but still well below the pace when a tax credit existed. Sales of new single-family homes rose 6.6% to a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 307,000, which is stronger than the 300,000 that economists expected in a MarketWatch-compiled poll.

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