By Peter Ricci According to a new survey jointly conducted by the Department of Psychology at the University of Central Florida (UCF) and technology firm Merge, 64 percent of agents said they update clients weekly or several times weekly. But this communications

Fifth Third Mortgage Company, a subsidiary of Fifth Third Bank, and the 13th largest originator in the country (Inside Mortgage Finance, Second Quarter 2012) continues to outpace the industry in permanent modifications in the government’s Home Affordable Modification Program

David Dubin, developer and CEO of the Chicago-based Dubin Residential, has been ordered to pay more than $15 million to his lender after defaulting on loans tied to two planned projects on the South Side. Court records show that

By Peter Ricci The Architecture Billings Index, a leading measure of growth in the commercial and multifamily sectors of real estate, grew at its fastest pace since 2010, rising from 50.2 in August to 51.6 in September. A measure

By Natalie Terchek Fannie Mae (NFMA/OTC) released a statement announcing enhancements on it’s HomePath properties, making the REO sales process easier and more efficient. Starting this week, real estate professionals may access Fannie Mae offer documents online through their

By Peter Ricci Just a day after the best new single-family home sales data in years, the National Association of Realtors is reporting another strong month for the Pending Home Sales Index, which rose 14.5 percent from September. From August to

By Peter Ricci The latest housing construction forecast from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) is looking quite sunny, with both the single-family housing market and multifamily residencies expected to post strong numbers in the coming years. With

By Peter Ricci Earlier this year, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) received some criticism for an television advertisement on positive homeownership effects that connected homeownership with stronger communities, higher self-esteem and, perhaps most controversially, better test scores in

By Peter Ricci The next generation of potential homeowners are smart, savvy individuals with a unique understanding of both how homeownership works and the sacrifices it requires, according to a homebuyers survey by Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate

By Peter Ricci New single-family home sales increased 27.1 percent year-over-year in September, according to the latest joint report from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. In addition, sales were up 5.7 percent from

By Peter Ricci For the most part, the September existing-home sales report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) was positive. Sales were up by 11 percent from last year, median time on the market is down and distressed

By Peter Ricci As Barack Obama campaigns on his accomplishments of the past four years, a new report from RealtyTrac takes its own look at the president’s first term. Titled “Election 2012 Housing Health Check,” the report analyzes five key

By Peter Ricci Housing construction, as any observer of the real estate market knows, suffered mightily in the post-boom housing economy, as scores of vacant, newly-built properties languished in new construction ghost towns. Now, however, the situation is quite

By Peter Ricci The final presidential debate is tonight, and though the specific questions of the event remain a mystery, one thing is certain – housing policy will not be among the topics discussed. The final debate, as it

With technology, one minute an app, software or platform could be deemed “the best,” and the next minute, a company has come out with something even better that vies for that

By Kerri Ann Panchuk The federal government’s grip on the nation’s housing finance will remain both a hug and a stranglehold, some predictions say, for the next term. Despite strengths in the housing recovery, a sudden withdrawal of the