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Monthly Archives: November 2007

Foreclosure Activity Up 30% in Third Quarter

RealtyTrac(R) released its Q3 2007 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report, which shows a total of 635,159 foreclosure filings — default notices, auction sale notices and bank repossessions — were reported on 446,726 properties nationwide during the third quarter, a 30% increase from the previous quarter and an increase of nearly 100% from the third quarter of 2006.

NAR Finds For-Sale-By-Owner Transactions Remain at Record Lows

LAS VEGAS, November 13, 2007 - The level of for-sale-by-owner transactions remains at a record low, according to the National Association of Realtors® 2007 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. The survey was released today at the 2007 REALTORS® Conference & Expo, here through November 16.

Successful Long-Term Homeownership Begins with Consumer Education

Phoenix, AZ, November 13, 2007 – Homeownership counseling and education are more important now than ever given the recent rise in mortgage delinquencies and foreclosures. Freddie Mac (NYSE: FRE), one of the nation's largest investors in residential mortgages, and the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the nation's largest Hispanic advocacy organization, are continuing their tradition of working together by educating Latinos in the Phoenix area on all aspects of homeownership, from maintenance to financial management and foreclosure prevention

America’s Undervalued Real Estate Markets

When a market goes through uncertain times, investor caution reigns. And whether you're talking about the housing market or the financial services sector, there's been so much bad news lately that it makes sense for buyers and investors to remain wary.

Think in Reverse to Succeed in Auctions

Real estate professionals who want to work in property auctions need to adopt a new way of thinking, says Ted Cucuro, a senior broker associate with Sheldon Good & Co., Chicago. “We do everything in reverse,” Cucuro told attendees of an educational session at the 2007 REALTORS® Conference & Expo in Las Vegas.

Bayh Presses Forward with Property Tax Relief Plan

Washington, Nov. 8, 2007 — U.S. Senator Evan Bayh has enlisted the support of 15 Senate colleagues to join his call to provide property tax relief to 32 million homeowners across the country who do not itemize their federal tax returns by allowing them to deduct their state and local property taxes.

Most Affordable Places To Live Well

Triple-digit monthly parking fees, $12 movie tickets, clogged intersections and weekly grocery bills that rival some mortgage payments. Welcome to life in the Big Apple. And Los Angeles. And Chicago.

Top Ten Things to Know if You’re Interested in a Reverse Mortgage

Reverse Mortgages are becoming popular in America. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) created one of the first. HUD's Reverse Mortgage is a federally-insured private loan, and it's a safe plan that can give older Americans greater financial security. Many seniors use it to supplement social security, meet unexpected medical expenses, make home improvements, and more.

Sound Fundamentals Promise Improved Housing

Market It was a mystery that only the crack investigators at RSI — the REALTOR® Scene Investigation — could uncover.

Realtors(R) Convene in Record Numbers, Aim to Improve Market Confidence

LAS VEGAS, Nov. 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pat V. Combs, president of the National Association of Realtors, today urged Realtors to help restore confidence in the real estate market by educating the public about the value of housing as a good long-term investment. With the market's positive economic fundamentals, 2007 is turning out to be one of strongest years on record, she said.

Industry Survey Reports on New Challenges Facing Home Buyers

National
ARLINGTON, Va., Nov. 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Recently media attention has been heavily focused on the difficulties home sellers face with the current glut of inventory and the tightening of the sub-prime mortgage market. However, according to a Fall member survey and report from the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents, home buyers are also facing new challenges.

Ten Rising-In-Value Real Estate Markets

Home prices nationwide posted their biggest drop in 16 years last month, according to the National Association of Realtors.

Financial Service Committee Approves Comprehensive Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Legislation

Washington, DC – The House Committee on Financial Services today approved historic bipartisan mortgage reform legislation and anti-predatory lending practices by a vote of 45 to 19. H.R. 3915, the “The Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act of 2007” will create a licensing system for residential mortgage loan originators, establish a minimum standard requiring that borrowers have a reasonable ability to repay a loan, and will attach a limited liability to secondary market securitizers.

Ginnie Mae Guarantees First Home Equity Conversion Mortgage Mortgage-Backed Security

Washington, DC, November 9, 2007 - Today, the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae) announced the first issuance of its new Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) Mortgage-Backed Security (HMBS). The $116 million issuance is the first-ever government-guaranteed mortgage-backed security collateralized by Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insured reverse mortgages (HECM).

Mortgage reset bill vote likely next week

WASHINGTON, Nov. 8, 2007 — The House Judiciary Committee has decided to resume consideration next week of a bill that seeks to revise sections of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and give judges power to modify certain terms in existing mortgages.

Senate Banking Chairman Dodd Introduces Bills To Help Lower Costs For Homeowners And Businesses...

Washington, D.C., November 9, 2007 -- Recognizing that immediate assistance is needed for those living near coastal areas who are grappling with skyrocketing property insurance premiums, Senator Chris Dodd, D-Conn., Chairman of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, today introduced two bills to help American homeowners and businesses lessen the financial strain experienced as a result of natural disasters

Best Cities to Live Well and Affordably

One of the best ways to live well is to choose a hometown that has access to arts, leisure, and entertainment offerings – plus a low cost of housing.

House Approves Disaster Insurance Legislation

The House of Representatives on Thursday approved a bill that would help protect insurance markets in disaster-prone states from suffering devastating losses in the event of a catastrophic natural disaster.

House Passes Klein-Mahoney Homeowners Insurance Bill

Innovative and Common-Sense Legislation Eliminates Federal Bailouts and Provide Property Owners Relief by Increasing Acess and Lowering Insurance Rates

Home Prices Decline, Foreclosures Rise, But Houses Keep Coming

COLLEGE STATION, TX, – Nov. 8, 2007 – With new homes springing up across the country, it is easy to forget that the housing market has fallen on hard times. But economist Dr. Mark Dotzour says the continued construction is simply a matter of survival for home builders.

Business Real Estate Press Releases

Support Ukrainian Refugees

GFP Real Estate and Its Tenants Raise More Than $200,000 to...

GFP Real Estate is pleased to announce that its "Support Ukraine in Crisis" campaign raised more than $200,000 to support humanitarian relief efforts on the ground in Ukraine.

Recent Gov & Nonprofit Real Estate Press Releases