News / Features

Second Quarter Results for Wall Street Banks Expected to be Less Optimistic

After an optimistic first quarter, Wall Street banks are expected to report a drop of almost 25 percent in core trading revenue. JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, and Morgan Stanley are all expected to report similar

Survey Indicates Decline of Home and Lot Sizes Slowing; Suggests Turnaround

The downsizing trend that has gripped most of the real estate market during the past few years appears to be turning around, according to a survey by the American Institute of Architects

Home Prices Still Declining in Most Markets, but not Drastically

As home prices fell 3.2 percent during the last six months, many began to wonder where they will go from here. According to Housing Wire, Clear Capital believes that prices will drop another 2.4 percent throughout the remaining duration

Former Mortgage Loan Officers Plead Guilty: Mortgage Fraud Scheme Believed to be Connected to Over 70 Defaulted Loans

Houston residents, Claymon “Butch” Trammell, wife Jeannettea Williams and daughter Michelle Trammell partook in a multi-million dollar mortgage fraud scheme; they have pleaded guilty of “conspiracy to commit wire fraud,” said Agent

Apartment Vacany Rates Fall in Second Quarter

A recent analysis by Reis Inc. showed that the apartment vacancy rate fell to six percent, down from 6.2 percent in quarter one and 7.8 percent in quarter two of 2010, according to Calculated

NAR Survey Highlights Importance of Owning a Home

In addition to research from NAHB showing that home ownership is still valuable, yesterday, NAR released results from the “2011 National Housing Pulse Survey” a telephone poll of 1,250 adults which found similar

Walnut Place Challenges $8.5 Billion Bank of America Settlement

Recently, news broke that Bank of America aims to settle a lawsuit with displeased investors for $20 billion; of this $20 billion, $8.5 billion is set to go to investors who were deeply impacted by the troubled mortgage-backed securities

Bank of America and Washington Mutual Settlements Set Examples

Bank of America has been criticized by many investors who held stock in the now failed home loans; the bank faces a proposed sum totaling $20 billion in order to partially reverse the damage, with the additional costs of

Radar Logic Skeptical of Increased PHSI Becoming an Ongoing Trend

Radar Logic joins the group of economists doubting nearby recovery despite the positive forecast which the Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI) displayed this May, said Housing

Prices of Studio and Five-Bedroom Rentals Rise Dramatically

In April, Trulia said that it cheaper to buy a home than it was to rent a property in 39 of the 50 largest cities in the nation; regardless, this is paralleled with consumer desire to rent in the

FDIC Remains Hopeful of Positive Changes in June

In 2006, the banking industry recorded their sixth-consecutive year of record earning, with 0.7 percent of loans filed as delinquent, and only 50 banks performing in an unsatisfactory manner, said Housing Wire. All in all, things were looking

NAR’s Chief Economist Declares Foreclosure Delays “a Nonsensical Situation”

Realtors have become increasingly fed up with the delays in the sale of foreclosed properties – an area of widespread concern for many homeowners and agents alike, said the Wall Street

Increased National PHSI in May- Houston Experiences “Rapid Turnaround”

Yesterday, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) said that there was an increase of 8.2 percent, for a “Pending Home Sales Index” (PHSI) of 88.8 in May, as anticipated by economists. Overall, all areas saw an increase from a

Buying a Home Made Easier for Newlyweds

Bridal registries are common with couples who are about to be married. Now, just as couples can register at a department store or specialty store, they can also register with a lender for the FHA Bridal Registry Program. Newlyweds

Case-Shiller Data Shows Six Metropolitan Areas Report New Index Lows in Houston

S&P Case-Shiller data released yesterday demonstrates a monthly increase in home prices through April for the 10- and 20-city composites for the first time in eight months, but they are both at lower levels than the indices have seen

Freddie Mac Chief Economist Joins Discussion of Recovery-Placing Optimistic Bets

When will the economy recover? Answers have fallen in the 2011 to 2014 range, depending who you talk to. Housing Wire spoke with Freddie Mac Chief Economist Frank Nothaft, who optimistically anticipates that a better economy is right around

Oops! We could not locate your form.