RealEstateRama
Senate mortgage reform bill out
Dec. 14, 2007 - A Senate counterpart to the House-passed H.R. 3915 was introduced late Wednesday by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., on behalf of Senate Banking Chairman Chris Dodd, D-Conn., and a dozen more panel members.
7 Tips for Selling a Home Faster and for More
Online real estate firm Redfin offers seven recommendations for selling a home faster and for more money.
FHA Legislative Will Help Homeowners, Economy, Says NAR
WASHINGTON, December 14, 2007 - The FHA Modernization Act of 2007, passed today by the U.S. Senate, would help protect the interest of America’s current and future homeowners by giving borrowers a safer alternative to riskier mortgage products while also helping many homeowners who may be facing foreclosure, according to the National Association of Realtors
Hitwise Ranks REALTOR.com as Top Real Estate Search Term
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Hitwise, a leading online competitive intelligence service, ranked REALTOR.com as the number one search term used in the real estate industry category during the month of November (1). REALTOR.com accounted for 1.56% of all searches on the Internet in the real estate category, far exceeding the next closest ranking term that captured .91% of all searches in November.
Best Blue-Chip Real Estate Investments
While gambles on up-and-coming neighborhoods and new developments paid off for many real estate investors during the boom, housing markets across the country are now awash with unsold condos and suffering from sluggish sales.
Fed Pumps Up Banking System to Treat Credit Crunch
The Federal Reserve announced an agreement Wednesday with four foreign central banks to inject billions of dollars into the world’s financial system to make more money available for big banks to lend to smaller ones.
Wachovia Ranks Highest In Primary Mortgage Loan Originations According To J.D. Power And Associates...
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - December 13, 2007 - Wachovia Bank is ranked highest in customer satisfaction for primary mortgage loan originations in 2007, according to the 2007 Primary Mortgage Origination Study.
Behringer Harvard Completes Acquisition of IPC US REIT Subsidiaries
ALLAS, Dec. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Behringer Harvard announced today that it has closed on the previously announced acquisition of publicly traded IPC US REIT and its portfolio of 34 U.S. office properties. The transaction, valued at approximately $1.4 billion, includes all of Toronto-based IPC US REIT's subsidiaries at a purchase price of $9.75 per unit, of which approximately $600 million is equity and $800 million is outstanding debt.
U.S. Businesses Invest Trillions in the Future
Annual capital spending by all U.S. nonfarm businesses on structures and equipment varied cyclically, but went from about $1.05 trillion in 1999 to about $1.15 trillion in 2005, according to the Census Bureau’s
Senator Gregg Offers Mortgage Forgiveness Amendment to Farm Bill
Washington, DC - December 12, 2007 - Senator Judd Gregg, ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, has offered an amendment to the 2007 Farm Bill that will help millions of American homeowners hurt by the downturn in the housing market. Senator Gregg had filed the amendment in mid-November.
Construction Cost Increases Are Easing After Period of Rapid Growth
New York, N.Y. - December 11, 2007 - Turner Construction Company, the nation’s leading general builder, today announced that construction costs increase in the Fourth Quarter. According to the Turner Building Cost Index, the Fourth Quarter 2007 Index value is 876 which represents a 1.51 percent increase in construction costs over the Third Quarter 2007 and a 7.09 percent increase over the Fourth Quarter 2006 index.
NAR: Another Monthly Gain for Pending Home Sales
The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed, increased 0.6 percent in October, marking the second consecutive monthly gain, according to the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS
Existing-Home Sales to Trend Up in 2008
WASHINGTON - December 10, 2007 - Existing-home sales are projected to trend up in 2008, with pending home sales showing a slight near-term rise, according to the latest forecast by the National Association of Realtors®. However, a recovery for new-home sales is unlikely before 2009.
Google Checkout: One Username and Password for Your Real Estate Needs
Real Estate website Fizber.com has launched Google Checkout payments service on their website to speed Real Estate transactions.
NAR Supports Adminstration Efforts On Rate Freeze As Important Step In Protecting Homeowners
WASHINGTON, December 06, 2007 - The National Association of Realtors® today expressed support of President George W. Bush’s efforts to curb the increase in foreclosures due to irresponsible lending practices and complicated mortgage products by allowing modification of certain loans or freezing the interest rates for up to five years
Comptroller Dugan Commends Plan to Assist Subprime Borrowers
WASHINGTON - December 6, 2007 - Comptroller of the Currency John C. Dugan issued the following statement today at the Department of the Treasury press conference announcing a plan to assist a key segment of subprime borrowers to modify their mortgages and avoid foreclosures
Call for Papers for Greenbuild 2008 Now Open
Washington, DC - December 6, 2007 - The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has opened the call for papers for educational sessions at the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, which will be held November 19-21, 2008 in Boston, Massachusetts. The theme of the seventh annual conference will be Revolutionary Green: Innovations for Global Stability. All session proposals must reinforce the conference theme.
Online Giants Sign New Agreement Move, Inc. Exclusive Provider of Real Estate Listings On...
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Move, Inc., the leader in online real estate search, has signed a new exclusive three-year content distribution agreement with online leader MSN. As a result, the more than 94.8 million(1) monthly MSN visitors will continue to have instant access to the largest online collection of resale homes, new homes, and rentals at Move.com and Move-operated REALTOR.com(R)
NuWire Investor Ranks Top 10 Places to Invest for 2007
NuWire Investor recently published its 2007 list of the top 10 places to invest based on an analysis of nearly one hundred U.S. cities
Selling Your Home? Tips for Selecting a Real Estate Professional
If you’re thinking about selling your home, you may be considering using the services of a real estate broker or agent. But before you sign a listing agreement, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the agency that works for a competitive marketplace, wants you to be informed about your choices.
