Weekly Real Estate Roundup – 1/19/12
Headlines that caught our eye this week: “Those ’50s ranch homes are finally getting som...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Warren Buffett Predicts Housing Starts Will Jump-Start Employment
The Oracle of Omaha has finally made it to the cover of Time magazine. It’s a first, which se...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Sell Your Home with Color on the Walls
Even though many of the staging and home selling television shows clearly demonstrate and showcase t...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
NFL Stars Score With Super-Size Homes
The NFL regular season is in the books. The AFC and NFC title games are done. Now it’s up to t...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
New Fiancée, New Home for Steven Tyler
Steven Tyler and his fiancée Erin Brady snagged a piece of Kihei real estate for $4.8 million. ...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Rapper Drake Selling Miami Digs
By Krisanne Alcantara Buy this newly-listed apartment, and it may just be the best you ever had. Dra...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Joe Montana, Empty Nester, Makes Rare Drop: “Villa Montana” Price Cut of $14 Million
Even football immortals experience the normal ebb and flow of the human condition. Which leads us to...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Zillow Forecasts 3.2% Yearly Decline in Case-Shiller Index
Next Tuesday, the November 10- and 20-City Composite Case Shiller Home Price Indices will be release...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Mitt Romney’s 6 Homes
After a barrage of pressure to release his tax forms, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney repo...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rate Rises After Falling to All-Time Low Last Week
Mortgage rates for 30-year fixed mortgages rose this week, with the current rate borrowers were quot...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Costly Real Estate Turnovers for Soon-To-Be-Single Kobe Bryant
Turns out that the $4 million diamond ring Kobe Bryant gave his wife after his extramarital affairs ...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
“Scary Spice” Melanie B. Lists Tarzana Home for Sale
Just like that famous Spice Girls song says: If you really “Wannabe” the owner of this T...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Z Speaker Series: Senator Maria Cantwell
Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) was the latest guest to appear in the Zillow Speaker Series and her ti...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Rumor Has It: Jennifer Aniston Buys Bel-Air Home
The latest celebrity real estate rumor is that Jennifer Aniston bought a home in Bel-Air. ...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Fed Announces Low Interest Rates Through 2014
The Federal Reserve announced today that they will keep interest rates low until at least late 2014 ...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Who Needs Super Bowl Tix When You’ve Got a Man Cave?
Whether you're rooting for the Giants or the Patriots this weekend, we've rounded up a group of amaz...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
State of the Union and Obama’s Plan for Housing
Last night, President Barack Obama took to the podium to deliver his annual State of the Union addre...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Desert Home of President & Betty Ford Listed in Rancho Mirage
The modestly presidential desert home of Gerald and Betty Ford has hit the Rancho Mirage real estate...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
A San Francisco Treat, Storied “House-On-Hill” Listed at $29 Million
At a list price of $29 million, it might be a stretch to call this fabled San Francisco-area proper...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
How Does a Court-Confirmed Probate Sale Work in Real Estate?
Properties sold in probate court can be a good deal, as they’re often priced lower than other home...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Chef Gordon Ramsay Bites on $6.75 Million Bel-Air Home
Gordon Ramsay is officially crossing the pond, having just snagged a $6.75 million luxury mansion in...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
How to Prevent Your Outside Faucets from Freezing
Most homeowners who live in cold climates know it’s important to “winterize” the outsi...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Will a Vacation Home Work as a Retirement Home Later?
With any investment, especially real estate, there are significant risks to be weighed....
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
House of the Week: Maine Lighthouse Built for Living
This home was not converted from a previous working lighthouse, but was built as a private, unusual ...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Weekly Real Estate Roundup — 01/29/12
Headlines that caught our eye this week: “Hazard Insurance With Its Own Perils” — ...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Homes Where Grammy Winners Can Stash Their Awards
The hottest acts in the music business earn their appeal by hitting the recording studio and their r...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Songwriting Socialite Denise Rich Tops NYC Market With $65M Listing
Talk about hitting the high note. That’s exactly what one of the most successful songwriters h...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Carole King’s “Music” House for Sale in Hollywood Hills
Carole King’s former house in the Hollywood Hills real estate market in Los Angeles has been l...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Kennedy Compound Home “Gifted” to Edward M. Kennedy Institute
In keeping with the wishes made by the late Sen. Edward (“Teddy”) Kennedy, the famed Ken...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Florida Primary Voters Want Housing Crisis Solutions
Update: Results of Florida Primary: Mitt Romney wins Florida; Gingrich takes second, Santorum third,...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
The Importance of Strategic Distribution
Editor’s Note: This post originally appeared on Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff’s ActiveRain ...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Renting? Tips on Choosing Your Roommates Wisely
When it comes to renting a place to live, tenants often find it easy to team up with a friend or roo...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Tennessee Home Where Johnny Cash Lived His Final Days for Sale
One of the most famous homes in country music — or any musical genre, given the reach of Johnn...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rate Drops 10 Basis Points
Mortgage rates for 30-year fixed mortgages fell this week, with the current rate borrowers were quot...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Tae Bo Guru Billy Blanks Sells Hidden Hills Home for $7.3 million
Billy Blanks recently sold his enormous Hidden Hills estate, pocketing close to $5.8 million in prof...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
What to Expect When Working with a Stager
This is a question that I hear frequently from those considering selling their home: “What hap...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Heartbreak Home: Divorced Celebs and Their Former Love Nests
A peek at the homes of heartbroken celebrities....
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
How to Compare Bids for Remodeling
Choosing the right contractors is one of the most important decisions you'll make in the home improv...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Obama Expands Refinancing Plan to Help More Homeowners
During last week’s State of the Union address, President Barack Obama blueprinted his plan to ...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Three Tips for Emotionally Detaching from Your Home
Like many people, you probably have a deep emotional connection to your home. Your kids grew up in y...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
From Farmhouse to Ferryboat: MacKenzie-Childs’ Don’t Settle for Boring
Calling it “rustic” would be too kind. Perhaps dilapidated or tear-down would be a bette...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Tracy Morgan in Foreclosure Fracas Over Mom’s Mortgage
By AOL Real Estate Editors Tracy Morgan is no stranger to controversy, but it’s not often that...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Want Your Home Featured on Zillow’s Facebook as “Home of the Week”?
At Zillow, we absolutely love our Facebook community! We have a blast engaging about home features t...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Famous Homes Where American Music History Was Made
With their musical achievements crafted in attics, basements, bungalows, Victorians, Jersey cottages...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
The Homes That Inspire Fashion Week
In honor of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, we're looking beyond the glitz and glam of the runway to the...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
How Zillow Works With Listing Agents
(Click image to make larger) There’s always lots of talk in the industry on how Zillow (and simila...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
TODAY Show Offers Tips to Marketing Your Home Online
Marketing your home online? Real estate expert Barbara Corcoran appeared on the TODAY show recentl...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Should Your Listings be on the Most-Searched Sites?
The following piece is reprinted with the permission of its author, Bryan Tobiason (photo, left), a ...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Romney Gets Endorsement from Fellow High-End Real Estate Owner: Trump
Mitt Romney will not be fired by Donald Trump. In fact, the real estate developer and reality TV kin...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Weekly Real Estate Roundup — 02/04/12
Headlines that caught our eye this week: “Is Freddie Mac Betting Against Homeowners?” &#...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
How Do I Find Out If Land Would Be Valuable To A Quarry?
Q: I have a friend who owns land that may be of value to a local quarry company, but we are not [......
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Where Should I Live In Los Angeles?
Q:My friend and I are wanting to move to Los Angeles, CA together and start fresh. We have never bee...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
What Options Do I Have For Selling My Underwater House?
Q: As I was nearing retirement in 2007, I built a smaller second home and had planned to sell my lar...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
REALTOR.com’s Top Ten Turnaround Towns: Booming In Boise (DATA)
All week Realtor.com has been announcing the cities included on its Top 10 Turnaround Town Report. T...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Vincent Gallo Lists Los Angeles Loft (PHOTOS)
Actor, director and former Calvin Klein model Vincent Gallo has listed his multi-story loft in downt...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Is It A Bad Time To Become A Realtor?
Q: I am looking into a career change. At the moment with zero experience, I would like to get my lic...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
My House Was Foreclosed On When I Was Out Of The Country, Can I Buy Again?
Q: Hello my husband and I got a home around 2004. About three years ago I had an emergency in Mexico...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Will I Be Able To Rent A Home If My Credit Is Bad?
Q: I am looking to rent not buy right now. My credit isn’t good at all. I don’t know my ...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Open House Round-Up, Week of 02/03/2012
You can check out this three-bedroom Craftsman-style home in the Mission Hills area of San Diego, Ca...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
The Owner Of The Home I’m Renting Wants To Sell it, What Are My Rights?
Q: I have a one year lease, so I know they can’t kick us out until then. Are they allowed to s...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
A smarter start for real estate rookies
Business management, cash flow training should be required for newbie agentsread more...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate expands in the South
Franchise network adds brokerages in Texas, Georgia and South Carolinaread more...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Bracing for the ‘Big One’
Tips to secure structural panels in seismic zonesread more...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Second-home market on the rise in Sayulita, Mexico
Region rides the wave after discovery as south-of-the-border surf destination read more...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Obama administration details refinance plan for underwater borrowers
Borrowers would need minimum credit score of 580read more...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Presidential hopefuls’ housing plans compared
Varied approaches to Fannie and Freddie, MID, foreclosuresread more...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Historic real estate offers glimpse into the past
Take a trip back in time on Realtor.comread more...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Regional MLS adds augmented reality to iPhone, iPad apps
HomeSpotter overlays property information via mobile device's live camera feedread more...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Inside the short-sale machine
Realtor Notebookread more...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Don’t expect rent refund for ‘illegal’ lease
Rent it Rightread more...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
4 steps to buying a house in 2012
REThink Real Estateread more...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Top 10 U.S. real estate hotspots for international house hunters
Florida is top state, Las Vegas the No. 1 cityread more...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Secrets to working with foreign homebuyers
Tapping the international buying poolread more...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Listing syndication debate heats up
Philadelphia-based broker defends Trulia, Zillow, Realtor.comread more...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Mortgage rates probe new lows
Eight out of 10 loan applications are for refisread more...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Tips for replacing air ducts in slab foundation home
Multiple broken joints may require rerouting system overheadread more...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Mortgage help for homeowners with hospitalized child
Bankers group to support charity in 3 new US locationsread more...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
IRS crackdown on identity theft
Real Estate Tax Talkread more...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Should leads go to buyer’s agents or listing agents?
Letter to the Editorread more...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Housing is economy’s elephant in the room
Commentary: President's real estate proposals 'will be without effect'read more...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Summary Box: Home prices down for 3rd month (AP)
AP - PRICES FALL: U.S. home prices fell for a third straight month in November in 19 of the 20 major...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Women abandon Gingrich, drive Romney victory in FL (AP)
AP - Women abandoned Newt Gingrich in droves Tuesday and helped fuel former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt ...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Mortgage applications dipped last week: MBA (Reuters)
Reuters - Applications for U.S. home mortgages slipped last week, even as interest rates also eased,...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
U.S. regulator kicks off foreclosure sales plan (Reuters)
Reuters - The regulator for housing finance firms Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac said on Wednesday inves...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Ex-Credit Suisse employee surrenders: FBI (Reuters)
Reuters - A former Credit Suisse employee surrendered to the FBI on Wednesday on criminal charges, a...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
BofA selling three buildings in New York, Charlotte (Reuters)
Reuters - Bank of America Corp plans to sell and lease back three buildings it owns in New York and ...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Exclusive: Mortgage deal would give states enforcement clout (Reuters)
Reuters - A proposed settlement to resolve mortgage abuses by top U.S. banks will give states broad ...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Obama presses Congress to step up aid for homeowners (Reuters)
Reuters - President Barack Obama on Wednesday proposed a multi-billion-dollar package to help U.S. h...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Obama plan to lower mortgage payments could help, but how much? (The Christian Science Monitor)
The Christian Science Monitor - President Obama fleshed out a new mortgage-relief plan Wednesday, sa...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Credit Suisse exec charged in NY mortgage probe (AP)
AP - The desire to fatten year-end bonuses motivated a Credit Suisse executive and two of his employ...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Mortgage rates for the past 52 weeks, at a glance (AP)
AP - Mortgage rates for the past 52 weeks, at a glance...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Illinois accuses mortgage firm of robosigning (Reuters)
Reuters - The attorney general in Illinois on Thursday sued a mortgage document firm and said it fil...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Woman who stole mortgage money and gambled it away, gets prison (Reuters)
Reuters - A former foreclosure counselor who gambled away more than $300,000 she stole from her upst...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Rate on 30-year mortgage falls to record 3.87 pct. (AP)
AP - The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage fell this week to a record low, the ninth time t...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Homebuilders see stable housing market ahead (AP)
AP - The CEOs of some of the nation's biggest homebuilding companies said Thursday that they feel th...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Analysis: Obstacles high for more mortgage prosecutions (Reuters)
Reuters - Despite the determination of President Obama to take Wall Street to court for the financia...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Goldman to face mortgage debt class-action lawsuit (Reuters)
Reuters - Goldman Sachs Group Inc was ordered by a federal judge to face a securities class-action l...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
NY’s Schneiderman sues banks in foreclosure effort (AP)
AP - New York's attorney general on Friday accused some of the nation's largest banks of deceit and ...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
New York sues banks over electronic mortgage system (Reuters)
Reuters - New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman on Friday sued three major U.S. banks, a...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Romney focuses on Obama, Gingrich on Romney in NV (AP)
AP - A confident Mitt Romney accused President Barack Obama of failing to do enough to create jobs a...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Home Shortage in London to Worsen
London looks likely to experience a drought of new housing over the next few years, as construction ...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Two Office REITs Post Higher Earnings
Boston Properties Inc. and SL Green Realty Corp. reported stronger-than-expected quarterly earnings,...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Plots & Ploys: Touchdown Before Kickoff
Regardless of whether the New York Giants or the New England Patriots win Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday,...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Checking Out Continuing Care Communities
Though convenient, continuing care retirement communities are costly. Here's how to cut the risk....
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Resort Living in Chiang Mai
This tribal-themed residence in northern Thailand is on a property surrounded by mountains and rice ...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
A Space for Kidding Around
This full-floor loft in the Flatiron area is the epitome of 'kid friendly' with a large playroom tha...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Elegant English House
This partially moated seven-bedroom home in eastern England probably dates back originally to the 15...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Cost of Trade Center Tower Rises
The price tag for One World Trade Center, the signature skyscraper under construction at Ground Zero...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Up and Down Brownstone
Architect Bill Peterson designed his condo in an East Village brownstone to include a folding facade...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Blackstone Spies Retail Recovery
Blackstone Group's $11 billion bet on retail property is showing signs of paying off....
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Goldman to Fight Over Hancock
A Goldman Sachs Group Inc. real-estate fund that has walked away from a number of struggling investm...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Navigating a Tight Rental Market
Demand and rents are up as the housing crisis and tighter lending standards have left many people un...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
A Clear Merger of Equals
With twin entrances, the home of two Massachusetts doctors celebrates its historical origins as two ...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Lehman to Block Zell’s Archstone Deal
The estate of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. is planning this week to use $1.33 billion in cash to bu...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Lehman’s Estate Gets Montana Resort
The estate of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. is now the owner of a Montana ski and golf resort, after...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Economists See Ways to Aid Housing Market
What more can be done to help the housing market? Economists have some ideas for hastening a recover...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Deal Gets Closer On Foreclosures
State and federal officials hope to announce early next month a deal with five large banks valued at...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Club Med Looks West For Fresh Powder
To cap a companywide renovation that started eight years ago, Club Med has chosen an unlikely destin...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Fight Awaits New Mortgage-Fraud Unit
The Justice Department's plan to create a mortgage-crime unit with state authorities is likely to fa...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
D.R. Horton Swings to Profit
D.R. Horton swung to the black in its fiscal first quarter on a double-digit jump in home-building r...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Hope Is Rising for Mortgage Accord
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said he is confident his main concern with a pending set...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
A Waterfront Home in Rhode Island
A Jamestown, R.I., home of about 6,500 square feet, with six bedrooms, seven bathrooms and two half-...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Tim Headington Asks $25 Million in South Beach
Tim Headington asks $25 million in South Beach, Phil Mickelson relists in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., a...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
A Contractor Spills His Secrets
A builder of luxury homes reveals how he created his weekend retreat on a budget....
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
St. Joe Pares Back Florida Vision
St. Joe signaled that it is again scaling back its development plans in Florida, an indication that ...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Tiny Homes Carve a Niche
It may be one of the most intriguing trends in homebuilding: do-it-yourself tiny homes. Amid a growi...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Australia House Prices Down
Australian monthly house prices declined once again in December, adding to concerns among banks and ...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Housing’s Firmer Foundation
Right now, the connection between what the S&P/Case-Shiller index says and what is actually goin...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Home Prices Tumble
The beleaguered housing market continued to struggle as U.S. home prices posted declines in November...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
China’s Housing Market Cools
The average housing price in 100 major Chinese cities fell for a fifth consecutive month in January....
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
When the Home Bank Closes
The housing bust means many small businesses can no longer use home-equity loans for funding. ...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Mortgage Plan Draws GOP Opposition
Obama is betting his latest proposal to aid the housing market will fare better than earlier efforts...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Ally Financial Swings to Loss
Ally Financial, the U.S. government-owned auto lender, swung to a $250 million net loss in the fourt...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Mountain Retreat
This four-bedroom mountain retreat, with natural stone from Montana and oak ceilings, is in Truckee,...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Romney’s Stance Hits Home
Romney stands by his position that the government should stay out of the national housing mess and l...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
A Modest Home for Palm Beach
This 2,286-square-foot house, built around 1925, has no garage but does boast original details like ...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Anna Kournikova Sells in Miami
Anna Kournikova sells in Miami, Nobu Matsuhisa Buys in Los Angeles and a Kauai beachfront home asks ...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
The House a Storm Built
When violent winds knocked down trees and damaged their home, a Minnesota couple seized the opportun...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Oregon Joins Servicer Settlement
Posted To: MND NewsWireThe Attorney General of Oregon announced today that he will join in the so-ca...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
The State of the Mortgage Industry According to MBA
Posted To: MND NewsWireThe Mortgage Bankers Association ( MBA ) provided its annual assessment of Th...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Solemn Remembrance of Those Lost Aboard Shuttle Columbia
Posted To: Voice of HousingLike countless persons across the world, I watched in quiet disbelief as ...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
White House Details Housing Plans
Posted To: MND NewsWireSaying that the housing crisis struck right at the heart of what it means to ...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
MBS RECAP: 2/1/2012
Posted To: MBS CommentaryMBS Live : MBS RECAP Open MBS Live Dashboard FNMA 3.5 103-30 : +0-02 FNMA 4...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
The Day Ahead: Markets Ready To Discount Data As NFP Looms
Posted To: MBS CommentaryDomestic economic data is in slightly shorter supply on Thursday after two ...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
SEC Names Ex-Credit Suisse Employees in Subprime Fraud Scheme
Posted To: MND NewsWireFour former investment bankers and traders from the Credit Suisse Group were ...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Citi Exits Broker Biz; Fed Addresses Sticky Second Mortgage Situation
Posted To: Pipeline PressYesterday, as I was standing in line at Franklin's BBQ in Austin, Texas, my...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Housing Assistance 2012: Another Herculean Task for the FHA
Posted To: Voice of HousingBeginning the 37th month of his presidency, the Obama Administration toda...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
MBS MID-DAY: 2/2/2012
Posted To: MBS CommentaryMBS Live : MBS MID-DAY Open MBS Live Dashboard FNMA 3.5 104-03 : +0-05 FNMA...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
MBS Rallying At All-Time Highs, Time To Look At FNMA 3.0 Coupons?
Posted To: MBS CommentaryWe've posed this question almost a month ago ( read more... ) and the answe...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Mortgage Rates Maintain Record Lows Ahead of Friday’s Jobs Report
Posted To: Mortgage Rate WatchFor the second day in a row, Mortgages Rates are just slightly better ...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Homeowners Continue Shift Away from Cash-Out Refinancing
Posted To: MND NewsWireHomeowners who refinanced their homes during the fourth quarter of 2011 eithe...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
MBS RECAP: 2/2/2012
Posted To: MBS CommentaryMBS Live : MBS RECAP Open MBS Live Dashboard FNMA 3.5 104-03 : +0-05 FNMA 4...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Reports Continue to Show Home Price Declines
Posted To: MND NewsWireCoreLogic and Lender Processing Services (LPS) have each released their most ...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Day Ahead: All Eyes On Employment Situation Report
Posted To: MBS CommentaryFirst Friday of the month and time, once again, for The Employment Situatio...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Calculating Current Coupon in a Record Low Rate Environment
Posted To: Secondary MarketsThe recent drop in rates has created some
interesting situations in the...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
PHH Restructuring; MBA Classes; Servicing Comp Change Bearing Away; Harsher Fraud Penalties Coming?
Posted To: Pipeline PressThe e-mail wires here in Miami have been burning up with...e-mails. PHH cli...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
MBS MID-DAY: Mostly Sideways After NFP-Inspired Losses
Posted To: MBS CommentaryMBS Live : MBS MID-DAY Open MBS Live Dashboard FNMA 3.5 103-23 : -0-11 FNMA...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
MBS Down, But Not Out Following Strong Jobs Report
Posted To: MBS CommentaryThere is plenty of play-by-play on the post-NFP sell-off in the MBS Recap ....
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
HOPE NOW Conference Focused on Military Families, Mediation
Posted To: MND NewsWireHOPE NOW, the voluntary private sector alliance of mortgage industry stakehol...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Geithner Outlines Accomplishments, Future of Financial Reform
Posted To: MND NewsWireTreasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told the Financial Stability Oversight Co...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Mortgage Rates Higher Following Employment Report
Posted To: Mortgage Rate WatchThe monthly Employment Situation Report was released at 8:30am this mo...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
MERS, Banks Sued by New York State; MERSCORP Responds
Posted To: MND NewsWireThree major banks and Virginia-based MERSCORP, Inc. and its subsidiary Mortga...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
MBS RECAP: 2/3/2012
Posted To: MBS CommentaryMBS Live : MBS RECAP Open MBS Live Dashboard FNMA 3.5 103-24 : -0-10 FNMA 4...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Family Matters: My Grandma’s Reverse Mortgage
During my time reporting for Reverse Mortgage Daily, I’ve talked to countless brokers, lenders, co...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Reverse Mortgage Lenders Are Hiring for Growth, Targeting Market Share
With reverse mortgage lenders picking up market share as they continue into 2012, many top-10 produc...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Genworth, Security One Post Double-Digit January Gains
Two reverse mortgage lenders saw their best months ever for production in January, with other top re...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Oregonians Make Case for Tax Deferrals and Reverse Mortgages
Reverse mortgage borrowers in Oregon who were recently cut from the state’s senior tax deferra...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Chart of the Day: CFPB Staff Outnumber Reverse Mortgage Lenders
Two years ago, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) did not formally exist. One year ago,...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Puerto Rico Reverse Mortgage Heavyweight Moving Stateside, Plans to Make Acquisition
One of Puerto Rico’s largest reverse mortgage lenders is expanding into the United States and ...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Friday Round-Up: Money House Makes U.S. Moves, Financial Assessment Must-Haves
In case you missed it… here’s what happened in reverse mortgage news this week. Puerto R...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Genworth Financial Sees $107 Million Fourth Quarter Profit, Strong Insurance Results
Genworth Financial (NYSE: GNW) reported strong fourth quarter earnings of $107 million, up from a $1...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Illinois AG sues Nationwide Title Clearing over alleged robo-signing
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan filed suit against mortgage document prep firm Nationwide Tit...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Mortgage rates increase prepayment rates, weaken RMBS
Declining mortgage rates weakened most residential mortgage-backed securities in the fourth quarter ...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Multifamily lending spikes at Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac boosted multifamily lending business in 2011 to a total of $44.7 billion,...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Vegas default notices down substantially following tough lender law
Notices of default were down 82% year-over-year for December in Clark County following a Nevada law ...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Genworth returns to 4Q profit, driven by improved mortgage unit
Genworth Financial reported net income of $107 million, or 22 cents a share, compared with a net los...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
4Q marks positive 2011 for Camden Property Trust
Camden Property Trust saw its funds from operations rise to $64.3 million in the fourth quarter from...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Ex-Credit Suisse bond players plead guilty to MBS fraud
Mired in legal trouble, two former Credit Suisse executives pleaded guilty to charges of inflating p...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Hope Now expands efforts to help military members facing foreclosure
Hope Now, an alliance of mortgage servicers, investors, mortgage insurers and nonprofits, just compl...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Unemployment rate falls to 8.3%
The economy added 243,000 jobs in January and the unemployment rate fell to 8.3%, the lowest level s...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Assured Guaranty sues UBS alleging RMBS misrepresentation
Bond insurer Assured Guaranty is suing UBS over three residential mortgage-backed securities deals t...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Obama mortgage refinance plan accelerates equity rebuild
One option under the most recent refinancing plan from the Obama administration would allow borrower...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Senate adds Fannie, Freddie bonus ban to Stock Act
The Senate agreed to a resolution that would stop executive bonuses at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, a...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
FDIC seeks comment on stress test proposal
The FDIC is seeking comments on a proposed rule under the Dodd-Frank Act that would require covered ...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Housing adds little to employment growth
The January employment gains, the strongest since April, are partly due to healthy payroll additions...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
NY AG sues big banks, MERS for mishandling foreclosure documents
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman filed a lawsuit Friday against three of the nation's big...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Suit against Goldman Sachs over RMBS obtains class-action status
A pension fund suing Goldman Sachs for selling investors $698 million in high-risk, mortga...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Slow going for covered bond legislation
The latest legislation looking to establish a regulatory framework for a U.S. covered bond system to...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
NY loans weigh down multifamily CMBS performance
Multifamily loans backing commercial mortgage-backed securities are performing better than expected,...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Illinois to use another $55 million to rehab vacant homes
The state of Illinois will launch a $55 million pilot program to finance the rehabilitation of previ...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
New FHA standards will increase Ginnie Mae prepayment risk
The Federal Housing Administration's recently announced plans to tighten its standards for approving...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
39 Republican senators challenge Cordray CFPB recess appointment
A group of 39 republican senators filed an amicus brief to join a court challenge of the Consumer Fi...
read more
February 4, 2012 No Comments
Colorful Homes
Shelter Island Pavillion- Long Island, New York
The Heidelberg Project- Detroit, Michigan...
read more
February 1, 2012 No Comments
Washington State Considers Borrower Short Sale Protections
Banks could soon be barred from pursuing deficiency judgments against Washington state borrowers aft...
read more
February 1, 2012 No Comments
Twitter Updates for 2012-02-01
Check out my weekly blog post in National Mortgage News, this week its on the next horizon in valu...
read more
February 1, 2012 No Comments
Twitter Updates for 2012-01-31
Taking a tour of the http://t.co/kYkhQjiW Headquarters today. Want to see the #1 culture company i...
read more
January 31, 2012 No Comments
Twitter Updates for 2012-01-30
Anyone have a "Introduction to Mortgages" power point presentation for basic training, a...
read more
January 30, 2012 No Comments
The Cement Factory
Discovered in 1973, Ricardo Bofill bought and transformed this abandoned cement factor...
read more
January 25, 2012 No Comments
The Fish House in Singapore
This environmentally friendly home in Singapore, known as The Fish House, was designed by Guz Ar...
read more
January 25, 2012 No Comments
1,000 Appraisals a Year: Realities of Appraiser Liability
At American Home Appraisals, we provide extensive expert witness work for a variety of law firms all...
read more
January 25, 2012 5 Comments
Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-01-22
If you haven't registered already please register for me and @Veros, @Housingwire webinar on ...
read more
January 22, 2012 No Comments
Twitter Updates for 2012-01-21
Coester Team VA Beach!! http://t.co/HtIwm2l9 #
Powered by Twitter Tools...
read more
January 21, 2012 No Comments
Twitter Updates for 2012-01-18
If you haven't registered already please register for me and @Veros, @Housingwire webinar on ...
read more
January 18, 2012 No Comments
Citigroup Sees Big Jump in Buybacks, But Fundings Increase
Citigroup repurchased 6,800 residential loans in 2011, an 80% jump from 2010 with Fannie Mae and Fre...
read more
January 17, 2012 No Comments
FBR Capital Expects Political Winds to Become More Bank Friendly
FBR Capital said JPMorgan Chase (JPM: 34.99 -2.59%) stands to benefit from strong capital levels...
read more
January 17, 2012 No Comments
The Zombie-Proof House
via All That Is Interesting
The new Zombie Apocalypse craze has surpassed television and fi...
read more
January 17, 2012 No Comments
Modern Architectural Style Home in La Finca, Spain
via Abduzeedo
This modern home, designed by architectural design team A-cero, is located in L...
read more
January 17, 2012 No Comments
Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-01-15
Looks like thing are turning around http://t.co/hcsJS44w http://t.co/1BvSIXLh #
Check out Castle ...
read more
January 15, 2012 No Comments
Twitter Updates for 2012-01-14
Check out Castle & Cooke Client rocking the Coester Shirt!! http://t.co/U2DLy2vZ #
Register f...
read more
January 14, 2012 No Comments
A 19th-Century Victorian, With a View
via The Wall Street Journal
According to the owners, this San Francisco Bay Area home was bui...
read more
January 12, 2012 No Comments
Fed: N.C., Region’s Economy Flattened in Late 2011
The Federal Reserve’s latest report on the country’s economic conditions paints a picture of an...
read more
January 12, 2012 No Comments
People Are Buying Homes…AND Getting Mortgages
Many believe that very few houses are selling and that almost no one can get a mortgage. We want to ...
read more
January 12, 2012 2 Comments
Twitter Updates for 2012-01-12
Looks like thing are turning around http://t.co/hcsJS44w http://t.co/1BvSIXLh #
Powered by Twitte...
read more
January 12, 2012 No Comments
Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-01-08
@MortgageRack hello #
Powered by Twitter Tools...
read more
January 8, 2012 No Comments
Twitter Updates for 2012-01-06
@MortgageRack hello #
Powered by Twitter Tools...
read more
January 6, 2012 No Comments
GSA Opts for Web Based Mortgage Mediation Technology
The federal government is putting in place mortgage technology allowing for its workers to track dis...
read more
December 20, 2011 No Comments
House Panel Passes Garrett Proposal on Future Mortgage Securitizations
Jon Prior via Housing Wire A House subcommittee passed a proposal from Rep. Scott Garrett, R-N.J., ...
read more
December 20, 2011 No Comments
Lenders Lost $7 Million in Mortgage Fraud Scheme: U.S. Attorney
Natalie Lopez via NBC Washington An Ashburn, Va., man has been charged by a federal grand jury with...
read more
December 20, 2011 No Comments
Zillow adds Mortgage Tools to AOL Real Estate Sites
by Greg Lamm via TechFlash The Zillow Mortgage Marketplace is up and running on AOL, as the online ...
read more
December 20, 2011 No Comments
Real Estate: Why Home Prices Won’t Bottom Out
John Wasik, via Yahoo Finance Watching the U.S. home market struggle to rebound is like listening t...
read more
December 20, 2011 2 Comments
Fannie Mae: 2012 To See Obstacles From Debt Crisis, Markets Stress
by Nathalie Tadena, Wall Street Journal While 2011 will end on a positive note due to strong fourth...
read more
December 20, 2011 No Comments
Stricter rules on mortgage lending welcomed by industry
by Victoria Weldon MORTGAGE lenders have largely welcomed a shake-up of the financial market aimed ...
read more
December 20, 2011 No Comments
Sky Garden House
Article by Tyson via ArchitectureLinked | House design by Guz Architects I think one o...
read more
December 20, 2011 No Comments
Brazilian Leaf House
via ShockBlast The spectacular Leaf House was designed by Mareines + Patalano Arquitetura and is lo...
read more
December 13, 2011 No Comments
Wikispace
photographer unknown best appraisal management companies coester appraisal grou...
read more
December 13, 2011 No Comments
US Senate Democrats Questions Regulators’ Foreclosures Probe
Alan Zibel via Dow Jones Newswires WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- U.S. Senate Democrats on Tuesday questi...
read more
December 13, 2011 No Comments
U.S. News & World: Reverse Mortgage Defaults, Explained
by Alyssa Gerace via Reverse Mortgage Daily The demographic of borrowers who are taking out...
read more
December 13, 2011 No Comments
Mortgage Rates Rise in 2012 Beyond Treasury’s Control
by Brian Collins, via American Banker Even with the housing market stabilizing and a settlement bet...
read more
December 13, 2011 No Comments
Conversations With Wall Street: The Inside Story of the Financial Armageddon [Excerpt]
by Monika Mitchell and Peter Ressler via Huffington Post Wall Street and Main Street operate on two...
read more
December 13, 2011 No Comments
The Feds’ Mortgage-Complaint Window is Now Open
Kenneth R. Harney, Seattle Times Got a beef with your mortgage lender? Is your bank unresponsive wh...
read more
December 12, 2011 1 Comment
Today’s Mortgage Process Requires More Patience
by Peter Boutell, Santa Cruz Sentinel A few weeks ago I wrote that today's mortgage guidelines were...
read more
December 12, 2011 1 Comment
Frank Sinatra Party Pad for Sale
via Forbes The mid-century home was completed in 1951 by architects Pereira & Luckman. Sinatra ...
read more
December 7, 2011 1 Comment
Mortgage Cadence Gears Up for New Reverse Mortgage Underwriting
Alyssa Gerace via Reverse Mortgage Daily Reverse mortgage software developer Mortgage Cadence, LLC ...
read more
December 6, 2011 1 Comment
The Elite Performer: How to Use the F-Word in the Mortgage Industry
Andy Harris via Mortgage Professional I have had the pleasure of working with and meeting all types...
read more
December 6, 2011 No Comments
Mortgage Group Spent $320,000 on 3Q Lobbying
via AP The Mortgage Insurance Companies of America spent $320,000 to lobby the federal government o...
read more
November 29, 2011 No Comments
Time needed to Sell All Md.’s Foreclosures: 21 Years
At the rate homes are going on the foreclosure block in Maryland these days, it would take 21 years ...
read more
November 22, 2011 No Comments
Clever Small Home Architecture Derived From Site Restrictions in Tokyo
By Amazing Architecture | Joseph Rossi The River Side House is an impressive project designed by...
read more
November 22, 2011 No Comments
Not Every Real Estate Market Is Struggling
In the Obama years, home values lagged throughout the U.S., with a few exceptions. Venessa Wong via...
read more
November 22, 2011 No Comments
Hill Bargainers Agree to Boost Size of FHA-backed Mortgages, but Not Fannie’s, Freddie’s
via Washington Post Congressional bargainers have agreed to increase the size of mortgages insured ...
read more
November 15, 2011 No Comments
Government Mortgage Insurer Continues to Lose Cash Reserves
Diana Olick via CNBC The government's mortgage insurer is coming dangerously close to holding no ex...
read more
November 15, 2011 No Comments
Mortgage Industry Added Jobs In Third Quarter
via Mortgage Orb Hiring outnumbered layoffs in the mortgage sector in the third quarter, marking th...
read more
November 15, 2011 No Comments
Mortgage Brokers Still Run Amok Three Years After Market Meltdown
by Neil Roland via The Street Mortgage brokers, many of whom originated deceptive loans that helped...
read more
November 9, 2011 1 Comment
Credit Scores to Factor in More Consumer Data
Mary Ellen Podmolik via Los Angeles Times Many consumers applying for a mortgage are going to start...
read more
November 9, 2011 No Comments
Google Enters the Mortgage Loan Business
Business News Express via Melissa O’Neill LoanSifter, Inc. (www.LoanSifter.com), provider of the ...
read more
November 8, 2011 No Comments
Coester Appraisal Group Expands Reach Through Acquisition
Elizabeth Ecker, Reverse Mortgage Daily. Reverse Mortgage appraisal management company Coester Appr...
read more
November 1, 2011 No Comments
Search: Homes for Sale New Homes Foreclosures Apartments for Rent in America’s Scariest Homes for Sale
Colleen Kane, CNBC via Yahoo. While not everyone believes in ghosts, there are still American house...
read more
November 1, 2011 1 Comment
Coester Warns On Lenders Not Being Ready for UCDP and UAD Deadlines
Brian Coester, Coester Appraisal Group The Uniform Collateral Data Portal (UCDP) and Uniform Apprai...
read more
November 1, 2011 1 Comment
Coester Warns On Lenders Not Being Ready for UCDP and UAD Deadlines
Brian Coester, Coester Appraisal Group The Uniform Collateral Data Portal (UCDP) and Uniform Apprai...
read more
November 1, 2011 No Comments
Mortgage Lenders Could Soon Take Homes’ Energy Costs Into Account
Kenneth Harney via Washington Post When you apply for a mortgage to buy a house, how often does the...
read more
November 1, 2011 1 Comment
A Realistic Fix for the Mortgage Crisis
By Elyse Cherry via Los Angeles Times President Obama recently announced that the federal governmen...
read more
November 1, 2011 No Comments
Mortgage Rates Week of October, 31, 2011
Brian McKay via Monitor Bank Rates Mortgage rates are barely changed this week over last. Today’s...
read more
November 1, 2011 No Comments
MetLife Provides $725 Million in Financing for Manhattan Office Buildings
Emily Philips via MetLife NEW YORK, Oct 31, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- MetLife, Inc. MetLife announced...
read more
November 1, 2011 2 Comments
HARP Strikes A Sour Chord
Matthew Campione via Forbes Around 11 million homeowners, about 25% of all homeowners, owe more ...
read more
November 1, 2011 No Comments
Mortgage Insurers Grapple with High Delinquency Rates
Paragon Financial Limited, via Market Watch The Paragon Report Provides Equity Research on PMI Grou...
read more
October 25, 2011 No Comments
MGIC Weathering Mortgage Storm
Paul Gores, Journal Sentinel Although the private mortgage insurance industry continues to lose mon...
read more
October 25, 2011 No Comments
Re-Stringing the Housing HARP
David Reilly, Wall Street Journal The government's latest move to bolster housing marks yet another...
read more
October 25, 2011 No Comments
Wholesale is Part of the Solution … and Ready to Grow Again
John Walsh, via Mortgage Professional The mortgage industry has dealt with sweeping changes over th...
read more
October 25, 2011 No Comments
U.S. Plan to Expand Mortgage Aid May Boost Spending, Stumpf Says
Donal Griffin, via Bloomberg U.S. regulators’ plan to expand aid to underwater mortgage borrowers...
read more
October 25, 2011 No Comments
Obama Offers Mortgage Relief on Western Trip
Obama, in first leg of three-day Western trip, offers mortgage relief in struggling Nevada. Jim Kuh...
read more
October 25, 2011 No Comments
Lake Erie “Mod Pod” Listed for $19.5M; Was Drop Ceiling Inventor’s Shangri-la
Laura Vecsey, Zillow Dobermans released every two hours to patrol the property. Underground streets...
read more
October 24, 2011 1 Comment
America’s Biggest Landowners, 2011
Daniel Fisher, Forbes.com The media business must be nerve-wracking, what with its up-and-down fort...
read more
October 24, 2011 No Comments
Salesforce and Microsoft Trade Blows at Dell World Conference
via Stuart Kennedy, The Australian MICROSOFT and Salesforce swatted each other around at the inaugu...
read more
October 24, 2011 No Comments
Strange Houses & Weird Homes
A Home Can Be So Much More Than A House via You Live Where This house sure is a doozy, or at lea...
read more
October 20, 2011 No Comments
Collateral Valuations Need A Green Hue
BY BRIAN C. COESTER REQUIRED READING: Here is the scenario: A homeowner spends $20,000 turning h...
read more
October 20, 2011 No Comments
FDIC Expects Fewer Bank Losses than Originally Estimated
Appraiser News Online The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation lowered its projections on estimate...
read more
October 20, 2011 No Comments
Trumbull Man Admits Mortgage Fraud
by Aaron Leo, Patch He and a Branford resident pleaded guilty before Senior United States District ...
read more
October 19, 2011 No Comments
Quiz: Am I Ready to Buy?
Carla Hill, Yahoo Real Estate There are lots of eager would-be buyers out there. It's no wonder why...
read more
October 18, 2011 No Comments
Persevere, Don’t Abandon Your Dream
PJ Wade, Yahoo Real Estate Are you letting global uncertainty extinguish your real estate dreams wi...
read more
October 18, 2011 No Comments
Lawsuit Claims Banks Bilked Veterans During Refinancing Transactions
Evan Nemeroff, National Mortgage News A whistleblower lawsuit filed by two mortgage brokers has bee...
read more
October 18, 2011 No Comments
Protesters Descend on MBA
Jon Prior, Housing Wire Roughly 150 protesters gathered at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago Monday afte...
read more
October 18, 2011 No Comments
Homeowner Taps ‘Occupy’ Protest to Avoid Foreclosure
Kari Huus, msnbc California woman's case may show how movement can use its muscle against banks. &...
read more
October 18, 2011 No Comments
Something Great for the Kiddies!
Level Architects: House with Slide[s] via Design Boom 'house with slide' by level architect...
read more
October 18, 2011 No Comments
Go Green–with Architecture
David Lachapelle, Design Boom Natural Architecture The natural environment still manages ...
read more
October 18, 2011 No Comments
Homes of the Future!
A Look Ahead at New Homes of 2015 By Erika Riggs, Zillow If you had asked someone in the 1960s wha...
read more
October 13, 2011 No Comments
Buying Distressed Properties
By Matt Sailor, How Stuff Works After huge upheavals in the housing market throughout the 2000s, th...
read more
October 13, 2011 No Comments
Questions to Ask
75 Questions To Ask Before Renting An Apartment by Alvin, All-Swagga Locating an apartment can be ...
read more
October 6, 2011 No Comments
Coester Leads AMC Sphere
Coester Leads AMC Consolidation Charge with New Acquisition by JACOB GAFFNEY, Housing Wire Coester...
read more
October 6, 2011 3 Comments
Is Manhattan Losing its ‘Chic-ness’??
'Boring' Sales Pace Is Solace for Manhattan Apartments by JOSH BARBANEL, WSJ Despite abundant econ...
read more
October 5, 2011 No Comments
Dangerous Cities…Where do YOU Live?
America's Most Dangerous Cities, 2011 By John Giuffo, Forbes.com via YahooNews Real Estate October...
read more
October 5, 2011 No Comments
Re-furbished Real Estate
Million Dollar Home Conversions By Colleen Kane , CNBC.com via Yahoo! Real Estate News October 3, ...
read more
October 5, 2011 No Comments
FHFA warns Basel III may increase mortgage rates
-Housingwire Basel III will increase capital requirements for big banks, resulting in higher mortga...
read more
October 3, 2011 No Comments
Wall Street’s New Watcher
-The Wall Street Journal Two weeks after moving into a skyscraper near Wall Street to start assembl...
read more
October 3, 2011 No Comments
House Is Gone but Debt Lives On
-The Wall Street Journal LEHIGH ACRES, Fla.—Joseph Reilly lost his vacation home here last year w...
read more
October 3, 2011 No Comments
Engineering at its finest
-Eatliver.com Stadium seat fails around the world. appraisal services, appraisal management comp...
read more
September 28, 2011 No Comments
The World’s Most Incredible Bridges
-Yahoo! Travel Starting with simple logs from fallen trees or a few stones strategically placed acr...
read more
September 27, 2011 No Comments
Senate leaders announce bipartisan agreement to avert government shutdown
-The Washington Post Senate leaders agreed to a deal Monday evening that is almost certain to avert...
read more
September 27, 2011 No Comments
Freddie Mac Loan Deal Defective, Report Says
-The New York Times Freddie Mac used a flawed analysis when it accepted $1.35 billion from Bank of ...
read more
September 27, 2011 No Comments
Fed bond-buying decision keeps mortgage rates at record lows
-Housingwire The Federal Reserve's plan to reinvest principal payments on some bonds into mortgage-...
read more
September 26, 2011 No Comments
What New Jumbo Mortgage Rules Mean for Expensive Zip Codes
-Yahoo! Finance On Oct. 1, the size of mortgages eligible for purchase by Fannie Mae and Freddie Ma...
read more
September 26, 2011 No Comments
FHFA lacks staff to effectively monitor GSEs, report says
-Housingwire The Federal Housing Finance Agency lacks the staff to properly monitor the mortgage gi...
read more
September 26, 2011 No Comments
Global surveyors want greener appraisals
-Housingwire The issue of whether or not a property is more environmentally friendly when compared ...
read more
September 26, 2011 5 Comments
Dodd-Frank Act a Favorite Target for Republicans Laying Blame
-The New York Times On the stump, words like “Obamacare” roll off the tongue. “Swap execution...
read more
September 26, 2011 40 Comments
G.O.P. Urges No Further Fed Stimulus
-The New York Times Even though the financial markets have been counting on the Federal Reserve to ...
read more
September 26, 2011 No Comments
Fed Runs Risk of Doing Less Than Investors Expect
-The New York Times Investors have concluded that the Federal Reserve will announce new measures to...
read more
September 26, 2011 No Comments
Fannie and Freddie Could Raise Fees in 2012
-Realty Biz News Analysts believe that the government may need to charge higher fees to lenders and...
read more
September 26, 2011 1 Comment
Bank regulators to unveil "living will" plan
-Reuters U.S. regulators are set to vote next week on a final rule governing the plans large banks ...
read more
September 13, 2011 No Comments
11 credit report myths
-Bankrate.com Most people have heard about the alligators in New York's sewers and the little kid w...
read more
September 12, 2011 1 Comment
20 Ways to Add Curb Appeal
-Better Homes and Gardens If your home's curb appeal makes a great first impression, everyone -- in...
read more
September 12, 2011 No Comments
Fannie, Freddie refi market set to enter housing Twilight Zone
-Housingwire U.S. residential mortgage lending volume will struggle to reach the mid-$800 billion r...
read more
September 7, 2011 No Comments
Another Fannie servicing portfolio up for sale
-Housingwire MountainView Servicing Group will help sell a $485 million servicing portfolio of Fann...
read more
September 7, 2011 No Comments
Big banks could tighten lending following FHFA lawsuit: FBR Capital
-Housingwire The decision of the Federal Housing Finance Agency to sue major banks under representa...
read more
September 7, 2011 No Comments
US Economy Is Basically ‘Still In Recession’: Fed’s Evans
-CNBC The U.S. economic outlook has "clearly" deteriorated this year, and the continued s...
read more
September 7, 2011 No Comments
10 Major Architectural Failures
-CNBC People make mistakes, and sometimes those mistakes happen on the job. Usually, the incident i...
read more
September 7, 2011 No Comments
Ten Then & Now Photos From Around The World
-DjMick Travel Pictured here are ten locations around the world photographed years apart showing ho...
read more
September 6, 2011 No Comments
Photos: Amazing Public Pools
-Budget Travel Open to the public, these 10 pools are our top picks for staying cool this summer—...
read more
September 2, 2011 No Comments
10 Coolest Small Towns in America 2011
-Yahoo! Travel Once in a while, you discover a town that has everything—great coffee, food with c...
read more
September 2, 2011 No Comments
UAD Update
-National Association of Appraisers Below is a complete copy of an email from Bob Murphy at Fann...
read more
August 29, 2011 No Comments
Coester UCDP and UAD Implementation Slides
UCDP and UAD Appraisal Compliance Data set. Coester Ap View more presentations from Brian Coester...
read more
August 29, 2011 3 Comments
Top 7 Real houses inspired by fiction
-Buzz Buzz Home While compiling this list we learned that some people are really devoted to emulati...
read more
August 29, 2011 No Comments
Appraisal Overhaul Pushed Back to Jan 1
-Reverse Mortgage Daily The deadline for implementing new Uniform Appraisal Dataset (UAD) requireme...
read more
August 24, 2011 1 Comment
Bernanke’s big Jackson Hole speech could rattle the markets
-MSNBC Whether the Federal Reserve likes it or not, its unprecedented monetary polices over the las...
read more
August 24, 2011 No Comments
Former Ginnie Mae execs submit GSE reform plans
-Housingwire Former Ginnie Mae presidents Robert Couch and Joseph Murin said the future structure o...
read more
August 24, 2011 No Comments
FHA mortgage delinquencies resurge in second quarter
-Housingwire After a hitting a three year low earlier in 2011, the Federal Housing Administration d...
read more
August 24, 2011 No Comments
UAD/UCDP Seminar
UAD/View more presentations from Brian Coester.Coester Appraisal Group's educational slideshow regar...
read more
August 23, 2011 No Comments
Reading appraisal reports after September 1, 2011
-Appraisal Scoop Reading appraisal reports after September 1, 2011 is going to look a bit different...
read more
August 22, 2011 1 Comment
5 Super-Expensive Foreclosures For Sale
-Yahoo! Real Estate Million-dollar-and-up homes are the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. foreclo...
read more
August 19, 2011 No Comments
Fed’s Low-Rate Pledge Is ‘Inappropriate’: Plosser
-CNBC The Federal Reserve's recent promise to keep rates low for another two years was "inappr...
read more
August 17, 2011 No Comments
Boomer Dilemma: Delay Retiring Or Take On More Risk?
-CNBC The lack of income-generating investments these days may force aging Baby Boomers to either p...
read more
August 17, 2011 No Comments
With Bank Failures Mounting, Some Complain of Harsh Exams
-New York Times Financial regulators have taken a public thrashing for going easy on banks before t...
read more
August 17, 2011 1 Comment
On mortgage rates, Obama wants proposal for how government can keep big role
-Washington Post President Obama has directed a small team of advisers to develop a proposal that w...
read more
August 17, 2011 No Comments
Sample URAR With Populated UAD Fields – Courtesy T.J. McCarthy
-Appraisal Scoop Good Morning Appraisers, Here is a little something T.J. McCarthy put together t...
read more
August 16, 2011 No Comments
The top 5 home sales in the D.C. area so far this year
-Yahoo! News Now that summer is winding to a close, the real estate market is starting to slow down...
read more
August 16, 2011 No Comments
S&P lowers ratings on Fannie, Freddie
-Housingwire Standard & Poor's lowered the ratings on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Monday after d...
read more
August 12, 2011 No Comments
Rise in REO value cuts Freddie Mac holding expenses by 90%
-Housingwire Freddie Mac reported $27 million in expenses for maintaining and reselling houses repo...
read more
August 12, 2011 No Comments
Island Enclaves for Sale
-CNBC The editors at TopTenRealEstateDeals.com have just released their 2011 list of The Top Ten Is...
read more
August 11, 2011 No Comments
UCDP and UAD Compliant Appraisals
UCDP and UAD Appraisal Compliance Data set. Coester ApView more presentations from Brian Coester....
read more
August 11, 2011 No Comments
78-Square Foot Apartment
-Neatorama If you want a really roomy place, you can live in a 90-square foot apartment. But Luke C...
read more
August 11, 2011 No Comments
UCDP and UAD Lender Compliance Implementation Checklist
Is your company ready for the Uniform Collateral Data Portal?
Coester Appraisal Group, a nationwide...
read more
August 11, 2011 No Comments
What is Fed weighing as it mulls more easing?
-CNBC The Federal Reserve is considering renewed efforts to boost growth should the weak U.S. econo...
read more
August 10, 2011 No Comments
If Fed Is Out of Bullets, Are Tax Cuts Only Option?
-CNBC The U.S. Federal Reserve managed to spark a stock rally on Tuesday, but some economists are n...
read more
August 10, 2011 No Comments
S&P’s Hold On Markets Won’t Change Under Dodd-Frank
-Yahoo! News The papers are full of stories about how Congress and the regulators are going to take...
read more
August 10, 2011 No Comments
Why only small business can save America
-USA Today The bad news is all around us and never seems to end. If it's not Tea Party Republicans ...
read more
August 9, 2011 1 Comment
Fed’s Elusive Prescriptions for an Erratic Ailment
-The New York Times The Federal Reserve is back in the spotlight, with investors anxiously wonderin...
read more
August 9, 2011 No Comments
Should You Buy a Fixer-Upper?
-Credit Sesame Home prices may be down to where they were in 2002 and interest rates at their lowes...
read more
August 5, 2011 No Comments
Should You Buy a Fixer-Upper?
-Credit Sesame Home prices may be down to where they were in 2002 and interest rates at their lowes...
read more
August 5, 2011 No Comments
20 Percent Down For Home Purchase The New Standard, Again?
-The Real Estate Bloggers The housing market may be getting a little tighter in a couple of months....
read more
August 4, 2011 No Comments
Top Gun House Waiting for its Next Role
-Zillow Blog One Southern California community wants to make sure you don’t “lose that loving f...
read more
August 4, 2011 No Comments
GSEs suspend Republic Mortgage Insurance
-Housingwire Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae will no longer purchase for securitization most mortgages i...
read more
August 4, 2011 No Comments
Mortgage groups talk up risk retention as comment period ends
-Housingwire Mortgage industry trade groups sent a flurry of letters to federal regulators this wee...
read more
August 3, 2011 No Comments
Fannie Mae unwind slows down
-Housingwire Mortgage securitization business at Fannie Mae got a little smaller in June, accordin...
read more
August 2, 2011 No Comments
Onward with Reverse: Private reverse mortgages
-The Herald Where about 98 percent of all reverse mortgages are done through reverse mortgage speci...
read more
August 2, 2011 No Comments
Senate steps toward new mortgage servicing standard
-Housingwire The Senate Banking Committee will hold a hearing Tuesday to develop a new national mor...
read more
August 2, 2011 1 Comment
Temporary Post Used For Theme Detection (052c57e0-375e-443c-8211-901c4f719014 – 3bfe001a-32de-4114-a6b4-4005b770f6d7)
This is a temporary post that was not deleted. Please delete this manually. (927296a1-e66c-4a32-b47d...
read more
August 2, 2011 No Comments
Mortgage Bankers Reverse Course on Loan Limits
-CNBC It was barely a few months ago, albeit a few thousand degrees ago, that I moderated a panel o...
read more
July 26, 2011 No Comments
Freddie Mac ready to launch Servicing Success Program
-Housingwire Freddie Mac posted details about its new Servicing Success Program Monday as the gover...
read more
July 26, 2011 No Comments
Reverse-mortgage market carries on
-Nems360 No need to panic, financial advisers are saying in the wake of Wells Fargo and Bank of Ame...
read more
July 26, 2011 2 Comments
America’s Most Expensive Home is for Cowboys
-Yahoo! This $175 million luxury cutting horse and cattle ranch is in a valley next to the town ...
read more
July 25, 2011 2 Comments
Beware US real estate scammers
-Globes Many Israelis are now buying and selling American real estate, trying to take advantage of ...
read more
July 25, 2011 4 Comments
Fannie Mae sees light at the end of housing tunnel
-Housingwire Home sales in the second quarter of 2011 were bad, according to Fannie Mae. Home price...
read more
July 25, 2011 No Comments
Mortgage bankers push for conforming loan limit extension
-Housingwire Mortgage Bankers Association CEO David Stevens sent a letter to House leaders Thursday...
read more
July 25, 2011 No Comments
The Strangest and Most Unusual Homes You Can Buy
-Yahoo! Mushroom House, as it is known, features connected 'pods'. Photo: Rich Testa of RE/...
read more
July 25, 2011 1 Comment
See Washington’s past and present simultaneously
-Yahoo! A fascinating photo project called "Looking Into the Past" is taking place over o...
read more
July 22, 2011 No Comments
Spooky homes for sale
-MSN Real Estate What if every day was Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) at your house? Some ho...
read more
July 22, 2011 1 Comment
As housing prices drop, closing costs are rising
-MSNBC Nationwide, the average origination and title fees on a $200,000 purchase mortgage totaled $...
read more
July 22, 2011 No Comments
Only 49% of homeowners surveyed say home worth more than mortgage
-Housingwire For the second month in a row, less than half of the nation's homeowners think their h...
read more
July 22, 2011 No Comments
FHFA house prices down 6.3% from one year ago
-Housingwire House prices on the Federal Housing Finance Agency index dropped 6.3% in May from one ...
read more
July 22, 2011 No Comments
One year on, many mortgage bankers leery of Dodd-Frank
-Housingwire According to the Grant Thornton bank executive survey released Thursday, nearly half o...
read more
July 22, 2011 No Comments
Mystery Mansion Rises in the Ozarks
-Yahoo! You’ve probably heard of the 56,000-square foot Spelling Manor that just sold to billiona...
read more
July 21, 2011 No Comments
The Shameful Murder Of Dodd-Frank
-Huffington Post Happy Birthday Dodd Frank, Happy Birthday to you, You've lost all your ...
read more
July 20, 2011 No Comments
Conflicts in federal programs leave underwater homeowners adrift
-Housingwire Government programs aimed at refinancing mortgages for homeowners in negative equity a...
read more
July 20, 2011 No Comments
Europe’s pain is U.S. homeowners’ gain
-MSNBC The threat of a debt default by Greece and other European countries has created financial tu...
read more
July 20, 2011 No Comments
More Americans to exit homeownership
-Housingwire Political deadlock mixed with terrible housing market conditions will eventually turn ...
read more
July 20, 2011 No Comments
Dodd-Frank Act Forcing Banks to Slim Down, Reshape Swaps: One Year Later
-Bloomberg Jamie Dimon keeps a tally of the ways Wall Street already has been affected by the large...
read more
July 19, 2011 No Comments
Brokers Face More Disclosure to Clients Under Dodd-Frank: One Year Later
-Bloomberg Does your broker work for you? In the past, the answer to that question wasn’t quite...
read more
July 19, 2011 No Comments
Just one catch in this good Virginia deal
-Curbed DC For anyone thinking about dipping his or her toes into the real estate investment mar...
read more
July 19, 2011 No Comments
Behold a $100,000 parking space in Washington, D.C.
-Yahoo! News Washington is in the top 10 most expensive cities for parking, according to an annual ...
read more
July 18, 2011 No Comments
Mansions of Powerful CEOs
-Yahoo! In May 2011, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg bought a $7 million home in Palo Alto, Calif. He ...
read more
July 15, 2011 No Comments
Coester Appraisal Management Updated Services
CAG-Overview...
read more
July 15, 2011 No Comments
Kennedy family divided over Mass. family compound
-Yahoo! HYANNIS PORT, Mass. (AP) — For the Kennedys, the family compound has long been a place to...
read more
July 15, 2011 No Comments
Sizing Up Pocket-Sized Houses
-Yahoo! Size is not everything, especially if you ask a small, but mighty movement of people who pr...
read more
July 15, 2011 No Comments
Famous Homes Inspire Copycats
-Yahoo! Some builders have a specific vision in mind when designing a home. Whether they are recrea...
read more
July 15, 2011 No Comments
UAD and UCDP Compliance Cheat Sheet
CoesterGuideToUCDP and UAD Compliance...
read more
July 14, 2011 No Comments
Fed’s Massive Stimulus Had Little Impact: Greenspan
-CNBC The Federal Reserve's massive stimulus program had little impact on the U.S. economy besides ...
read more
July 13, 2011 No Comments
Fed’s new money policy: ‘Wait and see’
-MSNBC After pumping more than a trillion dollars into the financial system, forcing interest to ne...
read more
July 13, 2011 No Comments
Amazing Places to Experience Around the Globe
-The Cool Hunter Typically, we focus on unique and visually stunning buildings, but there are many ...
read more
July 12, 2011 1 Comment
With $600K, you can get a room in NYC – or a mansion in Des Moines
-The Daily Forget Beverly Hills or Manhattan. If you really want to live the high life, try … Des...
read more
July 12, 2011 No Comments
Why Real Estate May Be The Buying Opportunity of the Decade
-Moneyland No one knows what the economy or the stock market will do over the next six months. But ...
read more
July 12, 2011 1 Comment
Coester Appraisal Group (AMC) Announces UCDP Compliance
Uniform Collateral Data Portal and Uniform Appraisal Dataset July 11, 2011—Rockville, MD—Coest...
read more
July 11, 2011 No Comments
Think where you live is pricey? Try Tokyo or Sydney
-Life Inc. Americans may complain about the cost of living, but life is actually getting a bit chea...
read more
July 11, 2011 No Comments
Rep. Capito: I Give Dodd-Frank a ‘D-’
-CNBC Dodd-Frank, love it or hate it, will be one of they key stories this week as some significant...
read more
July 11, 2011 No Comments
World’s Strangest Buildings
-Travel and Leisure If the Eiffel Tower were done up with giant dime-store Christmas ornaments—sh...
read more
July 11, 2011 No Comments
Freddie, Fannie Delinquencies Down a Full Point
-RIS Media The percentage of seriously delinquent mortgages—those that are 90 days past due or in...
read more
July 8, 2011 No Comments
FHA gives jobless homeowners one-year break
-MSNBC The Obama administration is making it easier for out-of-work homeowners to stay in their hom...
read more
July 8, 2011 1 Comment
House of Shelves
-Yahoo! Real Estate The innovative 'Shelf-pod' house in Osaka, Japan can hold 10 tons of books. ...
read more
July 7, 2011 55 Comments
Banks Are Using Dodd-Frank to Fight Capital Requirements
-CNBC Washington lobbyists have been hard at work marshaling opposition to any attempts to impose a...
read more
July 6, 2011 No Comments
Cities Unaffected by a Bad Economy
-Yahoo! Finance The U.S. unemployment rate crept back up to 9% last week, but some cities are feeli...
read more
July 6, 2011 No Comments
Loan Limit: Will It or Won’t It Hurt Housing?
-CNBC News A few weeks ago the National Association of Home Builders put out a report asserting tha...
read more
July 6, 2011 No Comments
Some Real Estate Agents Are In Cahoots With Fraudsters
-Huffington Post "Profiteers are able to identify vulnerable homeowners by paying real estate ...
read more
July 5, 2011 No Comments
Berkshire’s Charles Munger: Housing Bubble Caused By ‘Megalomania, Insanity, And Evil’
-Huffington Post Charles Munger, the always-quotable vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, wasn’t ...
read more
July 5, 2011 No Comments
New Partnership Provides Appraisers With Green Valuation Tools
-EcoHome As part of the Obama Administration's efforts to improve commercial building efficiency 20...
read more
July 5, 2011 No Comments
9 Items Homebuyers Desire in 2011
-Real Estate News Today's homebuyers want it all. Some items on the shopping list: a home in grea...
read more
July 5, 2011 No Comments
Reverse Mortgage Lenders Exiting: Will They Come Back?
-Zillow Blog It is no secret that America’s population isn’t getting any younger. In fact, acco...
read more
June 30, 2011 No Comments
See Homes That Will Float Your Boat
-Zillow Blog Living close to a body of water has its share of real estate perks — water views, wa...
read more
June 30, 2011 No Comments
Dome Homes Dot the Landscape
-Yahoo! Real Estate While dome homes may be odd-looking to some people, to a growing set of home bu...
read more
June 30, 2011 No Comments
Two Big Banks Exit Reverse-Mortgage Business
-The New York Times The nation’s two biggest providers of reverse mortgages are no longer offerin...
read more
June 29, 2011 No Comments
The Anatomy of An Appraisal Fee
-Appraisal Buzz As the song goes, “…Should I stay or Should I Go?” Many appraisers are thinki...
read more
June 29, 2011 3 Comments
An Anomaly Within the Housing Numbers: Washington D.C.
An Anomaly Within the Housing Numbers: Washington D.C.
By: Carrie Bay 06/13/2011
The nation’...
read more
June 29, 2011 No Comments
Big four top contenders to replace Fannie, Freddie
-Housingwire As the government-sponsored enterprises slowly wind down their massive domination of t...
read more
June 28, 2011 1 Comment
Upside Down Houses
-CrookedBrains This Upside Down House is build by Daniel Czapiewski, Polish businessman in tiny Pol...
read more
June 27, 2011 No Comments
Banks stand to benefit from higher interest rates: S&P
-Housingwire Investors may fret rising interest rates when the government tightens its monetary pol...
read more
June 27, 2011 No Comments
The Post-Foreclosure Wait
-New York Times Mortgage troubles won’t necessarily shut you out of the housing market forever. ...
read more
June 27, 2011 No Comments
Freddie Mac settles with TBW to clean up mortgage mess
-Housingwire Freddie Mac settled with bankrupt mortgage lender Taylor, Bean & Whitaker but will...
read more
June 27, 2011 No Comments
Bernanke says home price stabilization necessary to woo buyers
-Housingwire Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said home price stabilization and a faster forec...
read more
June 22, 2011 No Comments
Accountability needed
-Centredaily.com The recent release of documents showing that the Federal Reserve lent tens and pos...
read more
June 22, 2011 1 Comment
Fannie Mae lowers growth estimate as home prices continue to search for bottom
-Housingwire Fannie Mae economists predict slower economic growth for 2011 as home sales and consum...
read more
June 22, 2011 No Comments
State Watch: Regulating AMC’s
Editor’s Note: Regulation of AMCs by the states is mandated by Dodd-Frank, covering (or not coveri...
read more
June 22, 2011 3 Comments
Appraisal District Packed On Protest Deadline Day
-MSNBC Lines of people are waiting and hoping that they can fight to get their property appraisals ...
read more
June 21, 2011 No Comments
Dollar Weakens as Stocks Advance Before Federal Reserve Meeting
-Bloomberg The dollar fell against the majority of its most-traded counterparts as stocks and commo...
read more
June 21, 2011 No Comments
Fed Holds Economy Hostage
-GoldSeek The Fed is holding the US economy hostage. And it’s time for a prisoner snatch. It wa...
read more
June 21, 2011 1 Comment
Dodd-Frank Failing On Volcker Rule, Derivatives, Credit Rating Agencies
-Forbes It is no secret that it has become a nightmare for regulators to implement many aspects of ...
read more
June 21, 2011 No Comments
Dodd-Frank Swaps Rules to Create ‘Black Hole’ Because of Unresolved Issues
-Bloomberg Swaps users may face a “black hole” when Dodd-Frank Act rules take effect next month...
read more
June 21, 2011 No Comments
Looking Glass
-Luxury Insider The Lotus Villa in Bali gives new meaning to 'living in a glass house'. The propert...
read more
June 21, 2011 No Comments
Mortgage Buyback Requests Kick into High Gear
Bank of America said it will “ vigorously defend" itself against mounting pressure from federal re...
read more
June 20, 2011 No Comments
How luxury home icon lost his fortune
-The Orange County Register
If all goes as scheduled, luxury home icon John McMonigle will lose h...
read more
June 14, 2011 No Comments
Foreclosures down for 7th straight month
-CNN Money
The number of foreclosure filings issued in April plunged 34% from a year ago — the ...
read more
June 14, 2011 No Comments
Foreclosures Trapped by a Lack of Lawyers
-Wall Street Journal
Moves by banks to ditch law firms snared in the "robo-signing" mess are spre...
read more
June 14, 2011 No Comments
Regulators Set New Rules for Foreclosure Practices
-BuilderOnline.com
Banks displayed “critical weaknesses” in foreclosure processes, resulting ...
read more
June 14, 2011 No Comments
Hard-Pressed Homeowners Facing Another Financial Threat
By NGOC NGUYEN –The New York Times
Estrella Bryant was at risk of losing her San Francisco town...
read more
June 14, 2011 No Comments
Banks Get Failing Grade in Foreclosure Handling
-RealtorMag
Banks continue to receive backlash for their handling of a flood of foreclosures acro...
read more
June 14, 2011 No Comments
75 Percent of Refinancing Homeowners Maintain or Reduce Debt in First Quarter
-RISMedia
Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) released the results of its first quarter refinance analysis sh...
read more
June 14, 2011 No Comments
Freddie Mac loses $929 million
-Yahoo! News
Mortgage finance giant Freddie Mac (FMCC.OB) on Wednesday said it lost jus...
read more
June 14, 2011 No Comments
“Jumbo” Mortgages Could Change Their Rules
-ChicagoAgentMagazine.com
Beginning on Oct. 1, the government will dial back on the size of mortg...
read more
June 14, 2011 No Comments
Freddie Mac expects strong spring home buying
by CHRISTINE RICCIARDI –Housingwire
The housing market is poised for an uptick in hom...
read more
June 14, 2011 No Comments
House members look to pay Fannie, Freddie employees as gov’t workers
by JON PRIOR –Housingwire
Two members of the House Financial Services Committee are working on ...
read more
June 14, 2011 No Comments
What Fannie, Freddie execs made while in conservatorship
by JON PRIOR –Housingwire.com
The top six executives at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac made a combi...
read more
June 14, 2011 No Comments
What Fannie, Freddie execs made while in conservatorship
by JON PRIOR –Housingwire.com
The top six executives at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac made a combi...
read more
June 14, 2011 No Comments
House members look to pay Fannie, Freddie employees as gov’t workers
by JON PRIOR –Housingwire
Two members of the House Financial Services Committee are working on ...
read more
June 14, 2011 No Comments
Could Debt Worries Accelerate Fannie, Freddie Overhaul?
-The Wall Street Journal
Most Washington pundits don’t expect any major political action on mor...
read more
June 14, 2011 No Comments
Why Fannie and Freddie May Never Die
-US News
Their failures are manifest, and politicians of every stripe seem to revile them. Fannie M...
read more
June 14, 2011 No Comments
“Jumbo” Mortgages Could Change Their Rules
-ChicagoAgentMagazine.com
Beginning on Oct. 1, the government will dial back on the size of mortg...
read more
June 14, 2011 No Comments
Fannie Mae servicers to evaluate more borrowers for imminent default
-Housingwire
Fannie Mae notified its mortgage servicers this week to begin evaluating borrowers f...
read more
June 14, 2011 No Comments
Do We Need Fannie and Freddie?
-Yahoo! News
The United States doesn’t need government-sponsored enterprises such as Fannie Mae...
read more
June 14, 2011 No Comments
Fannie, Freddie may never pay back the government
-Housingwire
The Treasury Department paid $164.4 billion to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac since plac...
read more
June 14, 2011 No Comments
Cool Pictures Third Story.
There are many variations of passages of Lorem Ipsum available, but the majority have suffered alter...
read more
June 10, 2011 No Comments
Cool Pictures Second Story.
There are many variations of passages of Lorem Ipsum available, but the majority have suffered alter...
read more
June 10, 2011 No Comments
Cool Pictures First Story.
There are many variations of passages of Lorem Ipsum available, but the majority have suffered alter...
read more
June 10, 2011 No Comments
Appraisal News Third Story.
There are many variations of passages of Lorem Ipsum available, but the majority have suffered alter...
read more
June 10, 2011 No Comments
Appraisal News Second Story.
There are many variations of passages of Lorem Ipsum available, but the majority have suffered alter...
read more
June 10, 2011 No Comments
Appraisal News First Story.
There are many variations of passages of Lorem Ipsum available, but the majority have suffered alter...
read more
June 10, 2011 No Comments
Brian Coester Interviewed for Reverse Fortunes Weekly
Author of this blog and CEO of Coester Appraisal Group was chosen to be interviewed regarding topics...
read more
March 28, 2011 No Comments
Flip Your Sales Chart
...
read more
January 20, 2011 No Comments
Ally Financial to withdraw Maryland foreclosures signed by Jeffrey Stephan
By Dina ElBoghdady and Ariana Eunjung Cha
Washington Post Staff Writers
Ally Financial, one of the...
read more
January 19, 2011 No Comments
Mortgage Apps Up Again in MBA Weekly Survey
Key, Melissa -MBA NewsLink
Mortgage application activity, helped by steady mortgage rates, improv...
read more
January 19, 2011 1 Comment
Federal officials studying how to protect housing market
By Zachary A. Goldfarb
Washington Post Staff Writer
Federal officials took two steps Tuesday to ...
read more
January 19, 2011 1 Comment
FHFA, HUD Form Joint Initiative on Alternative Mortgage Servicing Comp Structure
Sorohan, Mike -MBA Newslink
The Federal Housing Finance Agency announced yesterday that it has di...
read more
January 19, 2011 No Comments
Total Mortgage Identifies Key Trends in the Mortgage Marketplace in 2011
MILFORD, CONNECTICUT - (January 11, 2011), Total Mortgage Services, LLC, a leading national mortgage...
read more
January 18, 2011 1 Comment
FHFA: Mortgage Servicing Fees Won’t Change Before Mid-2012
By Andrew Johnson and Cheyenne Hopkins -American Banker
The Federal Housing Finance Agency confir...
read more
January 18, 2011 No Comments
FDIC Refines Guidance on How Dodd-Frank Affects ABS
By Anusha Shrivastava -Dow Jones
Seeking to quell concerns that Dodd-Frank legislation could unde...
read more
January 18, 2011 1 Comment
Treasury May Offer Options, Shy Away from Specifics, in GSE Plan
By Donna Borak -American Banker
The Treasury Department's continued silence on its pending plan f...
read more
January 18, 2011 No Comments
Housing Industry Readies Mortgage Tax Break Fight
by Steve Kerch -RISMEDIA
The housing industry is girding for a fight in Congress to protect the m...
read more
January 18, 2011 1 Comment
Housing Moving to Higher Ground in 2011
-RISMEDIA
Housing will see gradual improvements in activity this year as the nation’s economy a...
read more
January 18, 2011 No Comments
Fed Labors to Get Its Message Out
By SUDEEP REDDY -Wall Street Journal
Federal Reserve officials, who meet next week to ponder mone...
read more
January 18, 2011 No Comments
Obama Launches Rule Review, Pledging to Spur Jobs, Growth
by Elizabeth Williamson -The Wall Street Journal
President Barack Obama plans a government-wide r...
read more
January 18, 2011 2 Comments
Fed Survey Sees Easing of Terms in Wholesale Credit Market
Major U.S. banks provided more favorable financing to hedge funds and other large institutional inve...
read more
January 17, 2011 No Comments
Auditors See Rising Defaults in Rural Loans
By WILLIAM NEUMAN -The New York Times
Seeking to buoy a strained rural economy in the midst of th...
read more
January 14, 2011 No Comments
Big Lenders May Lose Under Plan for Simpler Mortgage Disclosure
By Carter Dougherty -Bloomberg
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said it will soon begin w...
read more
January 14, 2011 1 Comment
Policymakers Ask: Should Government Fuel Small Biz Lending, or Get Out of the Way?
By Joe Adler -American Banker
WASHINGTON — With small-business credit still sluggish, policyma...
read more
January 14, 2011 2 Comments
Subprime Flashback Underscores Jumbo Lender’s Balancing Act
By Kate Berry -American Banker
Some mortgage brokers must have wondered for a moment if they wer...
read more
January 13, 2011 No Comments
In their fight with banks over mortgage losses, investors get on borrowers’ side
By Ariana Eunjung Cha and Dina ElBoghdady
Washington Post Staff Writers
The fight between big ...
read more
January 13, 2011 1 Comment
Concern Over Defaulting Reverse Mortgages
By Brian Collins and Brad Finkelstein -American Banker
Mortgage bankers and the National Council ...
read more
January 12, 2011 1 Comment
Fannie, Freddie Said to Weigh Servicing Fee Overhaul
By Jeff Horwitz -American Banker
For decades, mortgage servicers handling Fannie Mae and Freddie ...
read more
January 12, 2011 No Comments
Goldman Vows to Be More Open About Its Business
By BEN PROTESS and SUSANNE CRAIG -The New York Times
Brendan Mcdermid/ReutersGoldman Sachs has pl...
read more
January 12, 2011 No Comments
11 Predictions for AMC Liability Risks in 2011
By Peter Christensen We are looking forward to another challenging year in the business of ...
read more
January 11, 2011 2 Comments
PFM Data Is Getting Lost in Translation
By Jeremy Quittner American Banker
"Show me the money" is not as simple a request as it once wa...
read more
January 11, 2011 No Comments
Mortgage Assumption Turned on Its Ear as Refi, Purchase Costs Converge
By Sara Lepro American Banker
It used to be axiomatic that it was cheaper for a lender to refin...
read more
January 11, 2011 No Comments
Job Market Uncertainty in Fourth Quarter, Survey Says
Murray, Michael MBA News
Despite some optimism, employees remained pessimistic about pay raises a...
read more
January 11, 2011 No Comments
FHA Revises November Delinquency Rate
By Brian Collins American Banker
The Federal Housing Administration has revised the November ser...
read more
January 11, 2011 No Comments
Judges Berate Bank Lawyers in Foreclosures
By JOHN SCHWARTZ The New York Times
With judges looking ever more critically at home foreclosures...
read more
January 11, 2011 No Comments
Fed returned $78.4 billion to Treasury
The Washington Post
The Federal Reserve paid a record $78.4 billion in earnings to the government...
read more
January 11, 2011 No Comments
MBA Letter Voices ‘Deep Concern’ Over Proposed Combined Servicing/Risk Retention Standards
Sorohan, Mike -MBA News
The Mortgage Bankers Association yesterday sent a strongly worded letter ...
read more
January 11, 2011 No Comments
If Your Bank Is Failing, Should You Take Files to Protect Yourself?
Joe Adler -American Banker
As directors and officers of failed banks brace for Federal Deposit I...
read more
January 11, 2011 No Comments
FDIC Aims to Stay Focused as It Moves Beyond Crisis
Joe Adler -American Banker
For the past two years, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. has mainta...
read more
January 10, 2011 No Comments
Washington People: Target: Dodd-Frank
By Rob Blackwell and Donna Borak and Joe Adler -American Banker
Hard-core opponents of the Dodd-F...
read more
January 10, 2011 No Comments
Survey Reveals Americans Not Financially Fit for Retirement
by Kelly Mellott
The Sixth Annual Retirement Fitness Survey, conducted by Wells Fargo and Company...
read more
January 10, 2011 No Comments
Consumer Groups, Lawmakers Press Fed to Withdraw TILA Plan
By Donna Borak -American Banker
Consumer groups and top members of the Senate Banking Committee...
read more
January 7, 2011 No Comments
PayPal Tries Cloud Cover to Fend Off Further Attacks
By Sean Sposito -American Banker
PayPal Inc. weathered last month's Internet attacks better than ...
read more
January 7, 2011 No Comments
‘We’re Not Them’: MetLife Recruiting in Mortgages
By Kate Berry -American Banker
Brian Hale, MetLife Bank's president of mortgage banking, says he...
read more
January 7, 2011 No Comments
Top 10 Reasons Small Businesses Fail
AY GOLTZ, On Wednesday January 5, 2011, 2:05 pm EST One of the least understood aspects of entrep...
read more
January 6, 2011 No Comments
Coester Appraisal Group Offers 50% off of the Reverse Mortgage ValueSafe Program for the Entire Month of January
Discount will focus on offering a low-cost alternative to both lenders and borrowers alike
January ...
read more
January 6, 2011 No Comments
The Sum of All Eviction Fears
-John Clapp MortgageOrb.com
While scanning mortgage headlines the other morning, I was stopped in...
read more
January 5, 2011 No Comments
The Perils of Being Anti-Social
By Harvey Mackay
"Is social media a fad or is it the biggest shift since the Industrial Revolu...
read more
January 5, 2011 No Comments
Mortgage Servicing Poised to Become Front-Burner Issue for Congress
By Stacy Kaper American Banker While much of the next Congress will focus on making changes to the...
read more
January 4, 2011 1 Comment
CFPB Signs Cooperation Agreement with States
By Cheyenne Hopkins American Banker The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau signed a memorandum o...
read more
January 4, 2011 No Comments
CFPB Signs Cooperation Agreement with States
By Cheyenne Hopkins American Banker The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau signed a memorandum o...
read more
January 4, 2011 No Comments
Home Lenders Face a Smaller, Purchase-Driven Market
By Sara Lepro Mortgage servicing flaws and banks' efforts to correct them garnered much attention l...
read more
January 4, 2011 No Comments
Why Baby Boomers Are Bummed Out
By Rick Newman U.S. News The economy's finally bouncing back, and many Americans are starting to...
read more
January 4, 2011 3 Comments
Fed’s Broker Pay Rule Could Spell Bonus for Big Banks
By Kate Berry Large banks could end up pocketing higher profit margins on residential mortgages thi...
read more
January 4, 2011 1 Comment
Baby Boomers Near 65 with Retirement in Jeporady
CHICAGO - Through a combination of procrastination and bad timing, many baby boomers are facing a pe...
read more
January 3, 2011 No Comments
Agencies Issue Final Appraisal and Evaluation
The federal financial regulatory agencies issued final supervisory guidance aimed at assuring sound ...
read more
December 30, 2010 No Comments
Home appraisals under fire as owners struggle to refinance
Home appraisals, which were blamed for being too generous during the housing boom, are now being cri...
read more
December 30, 2010 No Comments
Dodd / Frank Financial Reform / Compensation Structure
Concerned about the Dodd-Frank compensation changes? Coester Appraisal Group, a nationwide apprai...
read more
December 29, 2010 No Comments
Mortgage Market Update
...
read more
December 27, 2010 No Comments
Generation Breaks Into the Top Five Reverse Mortgage Lenders
Generation Mortgage Company announced it’s now ranked among the top five retail reverse mo...
read more
December 27, 2010 1 Comment
A 2010 Holiday Business Gift: 20 Ruthless Questions
Dec 23, 2010 - For many people, and many businesses, 2010 has been a year of breakthrough. But for ...
read more
December 24, 2010 No Comments