Tara Steele

Mozilo actually says he has no regrets and Countrywide did no wrong

(Mortgage) Despite his role in the most colossal mortgage company failures in history, the mysteriously orange Mozilo claims the world wants to...

4.1K

Entire town of Swett, South Dakota for sale for only $400k

(Housing News) Swett, South Dakota is a tiny town that you can own for the low price of $400k, but what all...

7.7K

Are we about to have another housing bubble?

After the housing market completely crashed, many of us remain braced for the next shoe to fall, but should we be freaked...

4.6K

Business Finance

Considering renting retail or office space? Which is the best bet for 2014?

(Financial News) New data out could help your business pick the winner between office and retail space, as both are posting gains,...

6.0K

Pending home sales picking up, still down from 2013

(Housing News) According to the National Association of Realtors, pending home sales have improved, calling the gain inevitable.

5.9K

ActiveRain, Trulia merging into one URL, making the marriage official

(Business News) Trulia welcomes ActiveRain into their fold in an official way, which they say will offer agents even more exposure.

14.9K

Top 10 most rapidly recovering housing markets in U.S.

(Housing News) Housing is recovering in America at an uneven pace, with these 10 large and 10 small cities recovering at a...

4.4K

Investment purchases fell 8.5%, vacation home purchases rose 29.7%

(Housing News) Real estate investment purchases declined last year, nearly half of which were distressed. Vacation home purchases dipped 29.7% in the...

7.8K

Real estate couple gets jail time for massive $50M fraud scheme

(Business News) When a well known Realtor and his loan officer wife get rich off of $50 million in falsified loans and...

2.8K

Business Finance

BofA exec to pay $10M penalty, is barred from being an executive for 3 years

(Business Finance) Bank of America has seen the fallout from bad choices leading up to the economic crash, and one executive is...

7.9K

Zillow launches Mortgage Pre-Approval tool: a win for the entire industry

(Housing News) Zillow has launched a new pre-approval tool which claims to be the first of its kind. How does this benefit...

4.7K

Where are the 10 best downtowns right now?

(Business News) The best downtowns in the world have a certain je ne sais quoi, an energy, a vibe. Livability.com has compiled...

2.2K

NAR stats: home buyer, seller habits depend on generation

(Housing News) NAR has released new data that reveals a great deal about the generational differences in home buyers and sellers.

2.1K

Minority home buyers tend to be younger, and other new housing stats

(Housing News) According to the NAHB, home buyer preferences vary according to their ethnicity; builders and agents can better serve clients by...

14.3K

Most popular features in new homes in 2014

(Housing News) New home builders are likely to feature high ceilings and granite countertops, but media rooms are getting the axe.

2.0K

Average size of new homes purchased jumps 13.4%

(Housing News) As qualifying for a mortgage remains difficult, new homes being purchased are increasingly large, with many more 4+ bedroom homes...

3.4K

Home prices stagnate, but is housing in any trouble?

(Housing News) Home prices fall again very slightly, but does this spell a rough winter or a long term problem? Two economists...

5.5K

Pace of commercial real estate improvement is slowing

(Commercial Real Estate) The commercial real estate sector has improved substantially since the economy crashed, but is now showing signs of slowing,...

4.3K

Existing home sales take a dive, world does not end

(Housing News) Existing home sales dipped in January, and prices continue to climb, bringing a mixed bag of news. But what is...

Housing affordability showing signs of stabilizing

(Housing News) Housing affordability improved very slightly in the fourth quarter, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

3.4K

Tech News

MoveMent updates could seriously change the real estate game

(Tech News) MoveMent app has added some impressive new features and is now the only way for agents to directly syndicate to...

Dwellory: like evolving LinkedIn profiles for houses

(Real Estate Tech) Dwellory has launched for homeowners, giving every house a public timeline just like a LinkedIn profile does for professionals.

Foreclosure activity sharply increased in January

(Housing News) Foreclosure activity shot up in January, driven in part by a sharp increase in post-holiday foreclosure starts.

3.3K

Completed foreclosures fell 24 percent in the last year

(Housing News) Foreclosures have been a sore spot for the housing market, but 2013 was a turnaround year, with levels dipping dramatically.

3.6K

CFPB shores up mortgage protections for military servicemembers

(Housing News) The CFPB has improved the rules to level the playing field for all mortgage borrowers, but there are rules that...

Home prices up 11.8 percent in the last 12 months

(Housing News) Although not improving at a dramatic pace, home prices are inching up, rising 11.8 percent in November compared to the...

6.2K

Aerial drone research sites announced to establish new laws

(Business News) After a ten-month period, the FAA has announced the six cities that will be home to years of research it...

Builder confidence in the new home sector improves in December

(Housing News) Builder confidence in sales, traffic, and future expectation rose in December to 58, meaning over half of the industry's insiders...

3.6K

Mel Watt confirmed as new FHFA head despite controversies

(Housing News) Once thought an impossibility, the controversial Mel Watt has been confirmed as the next head of the FHFA, which some...

3.1K

Foreclosures decrease 30 percent in the last year

(Housing News) Foreclosures continue to decrease as the long road to housing recovery is under way, which is promising news for homeowners...

9.8K

5

6 Housing trends to watch for in 2014: is this the year of recovery?

The top housing trends of 2013 foreshadow select trends in 2014, but will this be the year we hit pre-recession norms?

8.0K

Century21 ‘Landing Pads’ for Amazon drone delivery

Century 21 has launched an ad touting their new "Landing Pads" to tell delivery drones where to go, but is this actually...

7.4K

The top 10 hottest housing markets in 2014

The top ten hottest housing markets for 2014 have a few surprises on the list, and aren't concentrated just on the coasts.

3.1K

Ultra high-end property foreclosures skyrocketed 61% in 2013

While foreclosures have been improving in America, the ultra high end sector has seen a dramatic spike in defaults, reiterating that housing...

1.9K

Arkansas court dismisses class action case against MERS

In another in a series of cases against MERS, an Arkansas judge has dismissed a class action case,again affirming MERS' role in...

Bank of America, Freddie Mac reach $404M mortgage settlement

Bank of America will shell out $404 million to settle their final claim between the big bank and Freddie Mac and Fannie...

2.7K

Construction spending rises in October, good sign for housing

Construction spending for both the public and private sector improved this fall, and while this is good for housing, what does this...

15.1K

Class action lawsuit alleges Zillow violated agents’ phone rights

A new class action suit out of Florida alleges that Zillow has violated multiple laws protecting consumers' rights against telemarketing abuses.

7.6K

Should you buy or lease office space? 5 questions to consider

When considering whether you should lease your office space or buy, an industry expert outlines the questions you should ask yourself.

7.0K

Commercial real estate improving modestly, little change to come

As commercial real estate improves across all sectors, the gains have been modest and NAR predicts they will continue to inch forward.

8.4K

How the CFPB’s new HUD-1 closing disclosure forms fall short

CFPB was created by the Obama administration in 2011 to protect consumers, and immediately sought out ways to "bubble-proof" America, starting with...

Mortgage application volume falls as housing struggles to recover

Accounting for the Veteran's Day holiday, mortgage applications actually fell for the week, but there is a silver lining when it comes...

Seniors moving in with their adult children, but not due to recession

More and more seniors are moving in with their adult children because of a demographic shift in America, not necessarily because of...

Builder confidence held back by appraisals, building costs

Builder confidence has improved this year, but recent housing hiccups are holding the new home construction sector back.

Housing affordability dips as “perfect storm” hits

Housing affordability is on the decline, according to the National Association of Home Builders who points to two major factors holding back...

Small business optimism slumps in October

Small business optimism declined in October in light of persistent political and economic uncertainty, reducing the likelihood of hiring and expansion plans.

2.8K

What are the top challenges affecting real estate?

The real estate sector has been on a wild roller coaster ride in the last decade with the highest of highs and...

How new FAA rules will impact aerial photography

Aerial photography and other commercial and personal uses for drones is being analyzed and accounted for by the FAA, but regulations will...

Federal court affirms MERS’ role in chain of title

In yet another court, the role of MERS in the chain of title has been affirmed, and despite heated criticism, they're racking...

Business Marketing

Retention Factory: startup helps you earn more repeat customers

Retention Factory has just opened their doors to simply and automatically nurture customer relationships and help you to keep existing customers coming...

Business Marketing

ReachFactor adds online business listings management for agents

ReachFactor has added a layer to their offering to help agents rank better in search engines, an increasingly important component of any...

2.8K

Real estate executives are cautiously optimistic about housing

Housing has been a complicated sector in recent years with home prices and sales on the rise, yet lending remains tight and...

7.0K

Lovely, Experian partner to launch one application for all rentals

Apply with Lovely launches today in partnership with Experian, making this in the top two largest common rental application moves in the...

5.6K

2013 home buyer and home seller trends report

Hundreds of facts on home buyers, home sellers, and restrictive lending conditions that linger - how many buyers used a Realtor? How...

4.8K

Five ways to have more productive team meetings

Productive team meetings isn't an urban legends, no, they actually exist. If you want to have meetings that follow Steve Jobs' method,...

Completed foreclosures down 39% from last year

(AGENT/GENIUS) - Completed foreclosures have fallen dramatically in the last year, with 2.3% of all homes with a mortgage now in foreclosure...

HomeAway taps into luxury market with dedicated site

HomeAway has tapped into the burgeoning luxury market with a new site of hand-selected luxury vacation rental listings.

Home prices continue rising: good or bad news?

(AGENT/GENIUS) Home prices continue to rise - welcome news for homeowners, but a direct impact on affordability for buyers. Watch sales to...

Why pending home sales continue to decline

(AGENT/GENIUS) - The National Association of Realtors data reveals that pending home sales have fallen not only for the month, but for...

2.0K

How can mortgage fraud increase, decrease at the same time?

According to CoreLogic, the improving market plays a major role in mortgage fraud, as it improves and declines simultaneously.

Bank of America found liable for Countrywide’s $850M in fraud

When Bank of America acquired Countrywide in 2008, they also acquired their problems. And fraud.

6.4K

Starbucks to open first Teavana Tea Bar

Teavana Tea Bars may be coming to a neighborhood near you - will it become your new meeting spot?

Mortgage application volume falls slightly

Although the average contract interest rate fell for many types of loans, mortgage application volume fell - the MBA points out that...

Social Entrepreneurship and other free college courses from iversity

German startup, iversity has launched to offer free college courses that allow you to brush up on skills or learn new ones.

990

Home sales’ slight, but expected hiccup

Existing home sales fell slightly for the month but remain higher than last year and various housing stats are improving despite the...

Bank of America employee accused of taking $1M in bribes to rig short sales

One Bank of America employee has been charged with a scheme that put over $1 million in his pocket.

National housing market cooling down, could benefit overheated markets

As the housing market cools down, Zillow notes that some markets are on the brink of a bubble and could benefit from...

Home flipping takes a nosedive, yet profits skyrocket

Although political uncertainty continues to impact housing in various ways, home flipping is on the decline, despite profits being higher nationally.

957

Mortgage application volume and the government shutdown

As the government has been shut down, mortgage application fell and uncertainty continues.

928

Mortgage applications rise despite government shutdown

Mortgage applications are up this week, but continued economic uncertainty is making many nervous about the housing recovery.

Mortgage delinquency rates improve dramatically

As part of a broader economic recovery, mortgage delinquency rates have fallen substantially, according to a new report.

2.9K

Trulia Data Connect to tackle their real estate data accuracy

Trulia has launched a new program to benefit brokers, but more importantly to improve the accuracy of the listing data offered on...

916

Housing recovery slowdown apparent in asking prices, rents

Housing is still struggling to recover, but a slowdown in gains is grabbing the attention of analysts who are watching the hiccups...

4.7K

Electric vehicle charging stations required in new homes in one city

In a move some call innovative while others refer to it as wishful thinking, one city has made it illegal to sell...

Rentenna launches Green Score for every NYC apartment

Already scoring apartments for dozens of metrics, Rentenna has added a Green Score for every apartment, so renters know how close they...

Pending home sales down for the month, up for the year

Pending home sales (contracts signed) may have slipped this month, but in most regions, there are really healthy improvements over last year's...

Housing recovery 67% back to normal, Trulia retires index

The housing recovery metric that gives a broad picture as to the health of the sector is being retired, today marking a...

Home prices continue improving but at a slower pace

Home prices have been improving this year, giving many hope that the sector is in recovery mode. The pace is slowing, but...

City nears seizure of underwater mortgages, invoking eminent domain

The City of Richmond gets a small victory on the path to making real the plan to seize underwater homes under eminent...

Couple fined for refusing to rent to African Americans

For refusing to rent to African-Americans, HUD has found a New Jersey couple guilty and has fined them $21,000 for their various...

Could rising mortgage rates hamper a housing recovery?

Sensitive from the aftermath of a housing crash, the industry is looking for positive and negative signs regarding the recovery. How will...

1.6K

2.5 million homes returned to positive equity in Q2

According to CoreLogic, there is positive news in housing as millions of homeowners regain equity in their home, putting them back in...

1.9K

52% of homeowners plan a home improvement this fall

With over half of all homeowners planning to make changes to their home this year, what is trending and why?

Shortage of buildable lots: holding back housing recovery?

As the nation begins the slow march toward a housing recovery, all obstacles are put under a microscope - land availability for...

735

As predicted, pending home sales take a hit in July

Pending home sales fell in July, but according to the nation's largest trade group, pending sales have stayed above year-ago levels for...

HUD charges lender for denying disabled couple’s loan

HUD has filed charges against an Ohio-based lender and mortgage broker for denying a loan after a couple with disabilities refused to...

City of Fort Worth demolishes another wrong address

This summer, it was discovered that the City of Fort Worth had demolished the wrong address, and it appears that within 24...

Kansas City skyline complete with cranes, photo by Maureen Didde.

6.7K

Commercial real estate markets steadily improving

Commercial real estate markets are improving, and the nation's largest trade group projects that modest gains will continue.

Multi-family property managers offering free wi-fi

Will Pangea Properties' free wi-fi program catch on? What should residents and property managers know before rolling this out as an amenity?

1.0K

Home sales improve in July as prices, interest rates rise

Home sales continue to improve despite the challenges of increasing prices and interest rate jumps. Fewer distressed sales account for some of...

5.1K

Calm down, you’re not getting a $1 home in Gary, Indiana

Gary, Indiana is now known as the home of the $1.00 houses through a special government program, but calm down, you are...

840

DOJ revises web transcript of 2012 Eric Holder speech

When it was discovered that Eric Holder misstated facts about the Mortgage Fraud Task Force, the DOJ initially issued a press release...

1.0K

JPMorgan staff that allegedly hid $6B in losses to be jailed

Two arrests are finally set to be made in JPMorgan's "London Whale" case wherein the bank allegedly covered up $6B in losses...

2.6K

5

Economic News

Eric Holder misled Americans about mortgage fraud

Eric Holder has overstated facts about the mortgage fraud task force formed to seek out and punish wrongdoing, raising additional questions about...

1.6K

Home prices see strongest gain in over seven years

Continuing to strengthen, home prices saw tremendous annual gains in the second quarter, according to the National Association of Realtors.

627

Mortgage applications rise slightly after weeks of falling

Mortgage applications improved this week, but not enough to have gained any lost ground. There is a silver lining, however...

JCPenney hopes Kraft Foods exec can revitalize brand

As the latest page turns in the JCPenney saga, many believe the brand is taking steps in the right direction, especially with...

Critics warn against city’s plan to use eminent domain on underwater mortgages

The mayor of Richmond, California announced a plan to invoke eminent domain in an effort to stave off foreclosures, but critics are...

Mortgage applications continue to slide, sales will follow

For the seventh consecutive week, mortgage application volume fell, indicating sales may stutter in coming months.

1.6K

Home prices rise 12.2%, homeownership hits 18 year low

Homeownership levels and home prices are changing as the housing sector begins the slow road to recovery, but great uncertainty remains due...

Court rules MERS foreclosures legal, many courts agree

MERS gets a big win as the Rhode Island Superior Court affirms their authority, calling the issue "conclusively resolved," citing the Supreme...

Pending home sales slip, NAR blames interest rates

NAR reports that while pending home sales have fallen slightly for the month, annual gains continue to improve. Mortgage interest rates and...

New home sales surge to a five-year high

New home sales surged dramatically in June and saw the highest annual improvement since 1992 - welcome news for one of the...

937

Mortgage application volume falls for sixth week in a row

The volume of people applying for any type of mortgage continues to fall as interest rates increase and other market changes take...

Home sales and prices see healthy gains, challenges remain

As the volume of distressed sales slides, prices are improving more rapidly, and while sales slid for the month, they are up...

NAR, NABH urge Congress to modify PATH Act draft

The Protecting American Taxpayers and Homeowners (PATH) Act is currently being considered by a Congressional committee, drawing fire from housing trade groups.

Q1 rental application volume fell, quality of applicants rose

Rental application volume slid in the first quarter, but CoreLogic reports that people applying are slightly less risky compared to applicants at...

Tech News

Zillow Digs color search launches, user content up 236%

Zillow Digs is a home improvement app that has grown substantially in its short existence, now ramping up their efforts by adding...

843

Mortgage application volume continues to fall

Mortgage application volume falls as mortgage interest rates continue to increase, according to the Mortgage Banker's Association.

807

Builder confidence in the market spikes in July

In another sign pointing to housing beginning its slow road to recovery, builder confidence improves for the third consecutive month.

905

Couple charged for refusing to rent to African Americans

HUD announced today charges against a New Jersey couple who actively discouraged African Americans from renting units in any of their buildings....

4.0K

How single women buy homes differently than single men

Single women have very different home buying patterns than single men, and are more often homeowners than single men, according to reports.

Mortgage rates hit highest point in two years

According to Freddie Mac, mortgage rates hit a two year high, and mortgage application volume is declining in reaction to the rates.

852

Mortgage application volume decreases yet again

According to the MBA, mortgage application volume continues to fall as mortgage interest rates slide upward. This forward-looking indicator is monitored for...

mortgage rates, mortgage bankers association

1.0K

CoreLogic: shadow inventory shows sharp decline

Driven by delinquency rates, shadow inventory levels are improving dramatically, and improving at an accelerated pace as housing begins its slow but...

3.0K

Tech News

Nestio raises $1.5 million to improve rental industry

Nestio has announced a large round of funding that the company will use to expand their offering and hire more talent.

1.9K

LessThan6Percent.com takes first steps outside of Cali

As LessThan6Percent.com picks up steam in California, the company has announced new features and expansion into Seattle, with more markets to come.

809

List of improving housing markets has temporary hiccup

Although the number of markets that are considered to be improving fell 3.0 percent for the month, NAHB data supports that the...

788

Mortgage delinquencies see biggest year-to-date drop since 2002

New loans can roll in all day, but if mortgage delinquencies accompany them, housing doesn't see gains. Fortunately, a new LPS study...

2.5K

Real estate firms struggling to attract younger agents

In an improving market, not only are brokerages struggling to find time to recruit, the top challenge according to one study is...

Rentenna tells renters where not to live in NYC

Rentenna has launched a Complaint Score in NYC and hopefully soon to other cities, indicating where renters should NOT live, a major...

Trulia: home prices still rising, what’s next?

Home prices continue to rise and while this is good news for homeowners, two questions remain - will sales follow and will...

885

Home prices are up 12.2 percent for the year

A new report has unveiled the 15th consecutive month of improving home prices, and it looks like the trend will continue this...

Construction spending hits four year high, led by housing

As construction spending improves, particularly private residential spending, the talking heads are already out crying that improvements are flat and interest rates...

Pending home sales at highest level in 7 years

Today's pending home sales data reveals several bright spots in housing as the nation begins feeling a recovery that is slowly but...

988

Mortgage interest rates rise, application volume dips

Mortgage interest rates are increasing, and overall application volume is dipping, but while refinance applications decline, new purchase applications are actually improving.

727

Home prices see positive annual gains for fourth month

According to the S&P/Case-Shiller home price index, housing is on the rebound, but Zillow's Chief Economist offers clarifying points to the data...

Hellacious landlord duo gets over four years in prison

Kip and Nicole Macy made their tenants' lives a living hell to force them out, and when they finally landed in hot...

3.3K

HUD confirms: LGBT couples face housing discrimination

It has long been assumed that the LGBT community has been discriminated against, but a new HUD study gives numbers to the...

CoreLogic: is a housing bubble imminent?

Taking a look at historic data, CoreLogic opines as to whether or not we're on the verge of a housing bubble, and...

Real Estate

Nestio Listings says it’s the first real-time rental platform

Nestio Listings has launched after testing for nearly six months in secret, aiming to solve some of the rental industries' top pain...

2.4K

Married real estate couple faces fraud, conspiracy charges

Fraud is not rare, but fraud alleging that licensed real estate agents broke real estate laws in a contract pertaining to their...

Housing starts, building permits improve slightly

Although builder confidence rose significantly this month, building permits and housing starts barely improved. The new home sector is starting to recover,...

Home builder confidence levels reach important milestone

Home builder confidence has hit a significant milestone, but not so fast, this doesn't imply housing has recovered as some are stating...

675

Mortgage application volume improves 5.0% for the week

After a recent worsening in the mortgage application volume indicator, Memorial Day week turned out to be an improvement, albeit a slight...

2.9K

Housing affordability gap is widening in America

The housing affordability gap is widening in America, which Trulia says could result in people considering relocation to more affordable markets.

819

Refinances dragging down mortgage application volume

For several weeks now, the mortgage application volume levels have been sliding, but of particular note are refinance loans which are more...

808

Pending home sales jump 10.3% in one year

Pending home sales make minor gains for the month but substantial gains for the year, marking a slow but steady pace as...

781

Mortgage application volume falls 8.8 percent in one week

Losing gains made in weeks prior, mortgage application volume fell substantially this week, led by a massive dip in refinance applications while...

Home prices surge 10%, highest annual increase in 7 years

Confirming other recent reports, home prices have jumped more than any other month since the summer of 2006, marking that the residential...

5.9K

Commercial real estate improving, but recovery is uneven

Although the fundamentals of the commercial real estate sector are improving, over half of all transactions last year fell through due to...

One in six Americans moved in the last year

One in six Americans moved in the last year, spelling good news for housing in the form of interested buyers and renters,...