National News

Prudential: Homeownership Remains Important to Young Americans

By Peter Ricci It was just last week that we reported on a rather spectacular analysis of the U.S. rental markets, which found that rental demand would rise by 6.6 million units in the next three years. Fresh off

Back on Top: Real Estate Ranked Best Industry to Work In!

Despite a recession, economic adversity has done little to quell the passion of real estate professionals for their industry. According to the newest survey by WorkPlace Dynamics on U.S. businesses and industries, real estate was the nation’s best industry to work

Construction Spending Increased 9.2 Percent in 2012

Construction spending increased 9.2 percent in 2012, according to the latest analysis by the U.S. Census Bureau, closing out what has been the most positive year for the construction industry in the post-bubble housing

CoreLogic: Foreclosure Inventory Down Nearly 20 Percent in 2012

Foreclosure inventory fell in 2012 from 1.5 million homes to 1.2 million, a 19.5 percent decline that further demonstrates the progress the U.S. real estate made last year, according to the latest National Foreclosure Report from

Nation's Homebuilders Report Very Strong Q4 Earnings

The nation’s largest homebuilders, including D.R. Horton, Ryland Group and PulteGroup, reported a very promising fourth quarter, offering the strongest confirmation yet that the U.S. housing construction sector has turned the

FHA Announces Big Changes to Mortgage Insurance Premiums

In an effort to shore up its troubled finances, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) has announced several changes to how it manages its loans, including increasing the mortgage insurance premiums for new

Rental Demand Expected to Grow by 6.6 Million Through 2016

Another day, another hugely optimistic analysis for rental demand in the U.S. real estate market. FirstService Residential Realty, the nation’s largest residential single-family property management company according to HousingWire, is the latest to throw its hat in the ring,

Fannie & Freddie Announce New Remedy for Underwater Homeowners

Everywhere you look nowadays, the housing market is showing improvement. Home prices are increasing, home sales and housing inventory are stabilizing and even homebuilding is beginning to pick up. Yet, amidst all those signs of recovery, one sign of

"Spillover Effect" Potent As Ever As Housing Market Recovers

The housing market’s effect on the general economy – or, the “spillover effect,” as its called by some – is often the trump card among housing analysts when debating the merit of real estate, the fact that though a

How Did the Realtor Party Perform in 2012?

The Realtor Party was something new from the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Though the famously democratic group was already one of the most active lobbying groups in the U.S., the Realtor Party made the association’s political influence official,

Pending Home Sales Index Jumps 6.9 Percent in December

The Pending Home Sales Index from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), one of the best indicators in housing for future home sales, posted strong numbers in December, increasing 6.9 percent year-over-year in

CFPB Compensation Rules Shift Mortgage Broker Direction

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) topped off a week of mortgage rule rollouts by launching the agency’s guidelines for loan officer and broker compensation Friday. Among other provisions, the CFPB’s final rule keeps originators from steering borrowers into

Housing Affordability High, But Qualifying for a Mortgage Still Tough

According to the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) Housing Affordability Index, 2012 fared well compared to previous years. The trade group made an important distinction, noting that though the affordability conditions mark “a great year for buyers who could

Tighter Inventory, Underwriting Squeeze Existing-Home Sales

Existing-homes sales eased in December, while limited inventory maintained the upward momentum in home prices. Total existing-home sales declined 1.0 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.94 million in December from a downwardly revised 4.99 million in

Home Values Rose 5.9 Percent in 2012

According to the fourth quarter Zillow Home Value Index, home values rose 5.9 percent in 2012 to $157,400, and 2.5 percent from the third quarter, marking the fourth consecutive quarter of home values rising. Zillow forecasts home values will

Sellers Continue to Hang Tight in Redfin Real-Time Seller Survey

Home sellers, though increasingly confident with the real estate market, are continuing to hang tight and wait for further improvements to the real estate market before listing their properties, according to the latest Real-Time Seller Survey from

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