Archives

WASHINGTON, DC - February 2, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- HOPE NOW, the voluntary, private sector alliance of mortgage servicers, investors, mortgage insurers and non-profit counselors, released its final 2010 loan modification data, which shows that an estimated 1.76 million homeowners received permanent, affordable loan modifications from mortgage servicers in 2010.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - February 2, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today released its Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending January 28, 2011. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 11.3 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index increased 13.2 percent compared with the previous week. The previous week did not include a holiday adjustment for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

NEW YORK, NY - February 2, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Chase announced today plans to add 25 new Chase Homeownership Centers in 19 states this year, expanding its program to provide borrowers in the hardest-hit communities with the knowledge and resources they need to explore all the ways they can stay their homes. This investment will bring the total number of Chase Homeownership Centers to 76 nationwide

DENVER, CO - February 2, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Judy Fahrenkrog, a leading real estate professional since 1981, has rejoined the top-producing team at Kentwood City Properties as a Broker Associate. Fahrenkrog has spent the past year as the on-s...

McLean, VA - February 2, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) --Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) announced today that it priced its new 0.75% $4 billion two-year USD Reference Notes® security due on March 28, 2013. The issue, CUSIP number 3137EACS6, was priced at 99.758 to yield 0.864%, or 21.5 basis points more than two-year U.S. Treasury Notes. The issue will settle on Friday, February 4, 2011

Bluffton, S.C. - February 1, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- A strong finish to the year boosted closed and pending real estate sales at Palmetto Bluff to $44.5 million, a 42 percent increase over 2009 sales of $26.3 million. The 20,000-acre environmental preserve and residential community in South Carolina’s Lowcountry had a particularly strong fourth quarter with $14.3 million in sales, more than half of its total sales in 2009.

WASHINGTON, DC - February 1, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- In a report to Congress released today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) found that “worst case housing needs” grew by nearly 1.2 million households, or more than 20 percent, from 2007 to 2009 and by 42 percent since 2001. “Worst case housing needs” are defined as low-income households who paid more than half their monthly income for rent, lived in severely substandard housing, or both.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - February 1, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- On Friday, February 4, 2011, at 10:00 a.m., the Congressional Oversight Panel will hold a hearing in room 538 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building to examine the current state of the commercial real estate market and its implications for bank stability and returns to the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

McLean, VA - January 31, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) released the results of its fourth quarter 2010 cash-out refinance analysis.

Washington, DC - January 27, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Housing Finance Agency today reported that the National Average Contract Mortgage Rate for the Purchase of Previously Occupied Homes by Combined Lenders, used as an index in some ARM contracts, was 4.58 percent based on loans closed in November. This is an increase of 0.16 percent from the previous month.

McLean, VA - January 27, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®) which shows long- and short-term rates rising this week

NEW YORK, N.Y. - January 27, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mortgage rates showed little movement again this week, with the benchmark conforming 30-year fixed mortgage rate nosing higher to 4.97 percent according to Bankrate.com's weekly national survey. The average 30-year fixed mortgage has an average of 0.44 discount and origination points.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 27, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The latest National Association of Home Builders' (NAHB) Remodeling Market Index (RMI) edged up to 41.5 in the fourth quarter of 2010, compared to 40.8 in the third quarter. An RMI below 50 indicates that more remodelers say market activity is lower compared to the prior quarter than report it is higher. The RMI has been running below 50 since the final quarter of 2005.The overall RMI combines ratings of current remodeling activity with indicators of future activity like calls for bids. In the fourth quarter, the RMI component measuring current market conditions stayed flat at 43.3 from 43.4 in the previous quarter. The RMI component measuring future indicators of remodeling business increased, to 39.7 from 38.1 in the previous quarter.

Washington, DC - January 27, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Pending home sales improved further in December, marking the fifth gain in the past six months, according to the National Association of Realtor

Los Angeles, CA - January 26, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- CB Richard Ellis Group, Inc. (CBRE) has announced that Chris Ludeman will join Brian Stoffers as co-president of the firm’s Capital Markets businesses. In his expanded role, Mr. Ludeman will provide client-facing leadership for the company’s office, industrial and retail Investment Properties efforts along with its Institutional Group, Global Property Advisors and Private Client Group activities. Mr. Stoffers will continue to lead CBRE’s Debt and Equity Finance, agency and loan servicing businesses, as well as oversee the multi-housing, hotel/lodging and investment banking practices. Mr. Ludeman will continue as President, Americas Brokerage, overseeing CBRE’s tenant rep and agency leasing business lines

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 26, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today released its Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending January 21, 2011. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, decreased 12.9 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index decreased 12.0 percent compared with the previous week. The results do not include an adjustment for the Martin Luther King holiday.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 26, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Sales of newly built, single-family homes rose 17.5 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 329,000 units in December, according to newly released figures from the U.S. Commerce Department. The big gain, though largely tied to an unexpectedly strong showing in the West, was a welcome boost at the end of a year that had the lowest total number of new-home sales on record (321,000) since the government began keeping track in 1963."After six very tough months, the housing market ended the year on an upbeat, with signs of stabilization beginning to take hold in many markets," said Bob Nielsen, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Reno, Nev. "That said, the nationwide inventory of new homes for sale is now at its thinnest level in more than 40 years. This is a sign that many builders still cannot obtain the credit they need to meet anticipated improvements in buyer demand in 2011."

WASHINGTON, DC - January 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- A new survey conducted by the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International shows that BOMA 360 designees are able to document operational savings, develop new policies and procedures, and attract new tenants because of their designation. The BOMA 360 Performance Program is a groundbreaking program designed to recognize commercial properties that demonstrate best practices in building operations and management. Since the program’s inception in Spring 2009, 180 buildings have been designated. The survey was sent to BOMA 360 designees who have had the designation for a year or more.

WASHINGTON, DC - January 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. house prices were unchanged on a seasonally adjusted basis from October to November, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s monthly House Price Index. The previously reported 0.7 percent increase in October was revised downward to a 0.2 percent increase. For the 12 months ending in November, U.S. prices fell 4.3 percent. The U.S. index is 14.9 percent below its April 2007 peak and roughly the same as the August 2004 index level.

NEW YORK, N.Y. - January 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mortgage rates showed little movement this week, with the benchmark conforming 30-year fixed mortgage rate nosing higher to 4.95 percent according to Bankrate.com's weekly national survey. The average 30-year fixed mortgage has an average of 0.4 discount and origination points.