News / Features

Are Nonjudicial Foreclosure States Leading the Recovery?

Judicial and nonjudicial states have radically different approaches to foreclosure proceedings, and they may produce different recoveries in the appropriate states. Currently, few analysts argue that a housing recovery is not happening; debate still persists, though, on the particulars –

Shifting Demand Defines 2012 Housing Recovery

As the housing market progressively recovers in 2012, more and more analysts are noting the shift in consumer demand from single-family to multifamily units. The latest (and most detailed) example is “The Shifting Nature of U.S. Housing Demand,” a

Mortgage Interest Rates Reach Historic Lows

Freddie Mac yesterday released the latest results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey, and it found what by now has become common – that average fixed mortgage rates hit record lows last week. The 30-year FRM averaged just 3.79

Fannie Mae Research Points to Improved Housing Market

Fannie Mae bolstered its predictions for the U.S. housing market in its report from the latest Economic & Strategic Research Group. Housing, the report stated, showed considerable promise in the first quarter of 2012, growing at a rate that “substantially”

Is the FHA Fueling a New Housing Bubble?

The Federal Housing Administration has taken a big role in the tight-lending environment of the post-boom housing market, but has it been costly? That’s the argument of the Fiscal Times, which, in a piece analyzing the financing methods of

Foreclosure Activity Lowest in Five Years

Foreclosure filings, which encompass default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions, were the lowest in April in five years, according to the latest data from RealtyTrac. The 188,780 filings for April were a 5 percent decline from March and a

John Daugherty Realtors Tops Its 2012 Home Sale Goals

  After experiencing record-breaking home sales in March, John Daugherty Realtors are continuing to exceed its goals. March set the tone for the best month in a 45-year history with sales of $136.2 million this year. The month of

Housing Inventory Stats Down 21 Percent From 2011

Inventory levels in the U.S. housing market are down 21 percent from last May, according to the newest statistics from Pro Teck Valuation Services. A real estate valuation firm based in Waltham, Mass., Pro Teck said many of the

Housing Starts Data Post Huge Yearly Increases

Housing starts for privately-owned homes rose by nearly 30 percent year-over-year in April, perhaps the strongest sign yet of a recovery in residential construction. According to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing

Housing Finance Up for Debate at NAR Symposium

Housing finance was the main feature of a multi-panel discussion at the Realtors Midyear Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo in Washington yesterday. Officially titled “Housing Policy in 2013: Challenges, Opportunities and Solutions,” the symposium featured a who’s who in

Houston Agent Among NAR’s “30 Under 30”

Today’s real estate market is challenging and competitive, but this year’s Realtor Magazine “30 Under 30” honorees haven’t let that deter them. The 2012 class is following in the strong entrepreneurial tradition of real estate, creating their own pathways

Houston Home Sales Positive for 11th Straight Month

Home sales in the Houston area were positive again in April, increasing for the 11th straight month and reaching their highest level since August 2011. According to the latest data from the Houston Association of Realtors (HAR), single-family home

Heritage Texas Properties Goes Paperless with SureClose Software

The successful adoption by Heritage Texas Properties of the Electronic Transaction Solution (HAR-ETS) to go paperless was announced by PropertyInfo Corporation, a Stewart company. The paperless utility is powered by SureClose software and owned by Stewart Transaction

Builder Confidence At Highest Point Since 2007

Builder confidence hit its highest level in five years in the latest National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) from the NAHB. A measure of confidence in the newly built, single-family home market, the HMI gained five

Blaire Nunely Joins Weichert, Realtors – Wayne Murray Properties

  Weichert, Realtors – Wayne Murray Properties have announced Blaire Nunely as a realtor for The Woodlands office.  As a seven-year resident of the area, she will assist homebuyers and sellers in The Woodlands and

Realtor Income, Business Increased in 2011

After a few difficult years, the income and business of Realtors grew in 2011, according to the 2012 National Association of Realtors Member Profile. A survey of 58,823 NAR members that yielded 6,245 usable responses, the profile found the median

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