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Craigslist pounds newspapers

By Inman News, Monday, December 27, 2004.

Craigslist, the free community Web site that generates more than 1 billion page-views each month, has cost newspapers in the San Francisco Bay area $50 million to $65 million in employment advertising revenue, a new report shows. Craigslist, which is one-quarter owned by EBay Inc., also has cost the newspapers untold millions more in merchandise and real estate advertising, and has damaged other traditional classified advertising businesses, the report shows.  more...

Consumer challenges credit-score methodology

By Jack Guttentag, Monday, December 27, 2004.

"When I ordered my FICO score, one of the reasons given for my low score was that 'The amount owed on your accounts is too high.' Since I own marketable securities that are worth twice as much as all my debts combined, how did they come to this completely unjustified conclusion? And what can I do about it?"  more...

Buyer's vs. seller's real estate market

By Dian Hymer, Monday, December 27, 2004.

2004 has been another good year for home sales. At the beginning of 2004, interest rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages were expected to rise to 7.5 percent by the end of the year. But in early November, interest rates were still well under 6 percent. Low rates kept housing relatively affordable, even as home prices continued to rise in many areas.  more...

2004 real estate forecaster report card

By Samantha Peterson, Monday, December 27, 2004.

"Economics is the only field in which two people can get a Nobel Prize for saying the opposite thing." –well-known economist joke.

Each year, Inman News reports on what the major trade group economists are forecasting for real estate the coming year.  more...

Inman News Readers 2005 Real Estate Forecast Premium Content

By Inman News, Monday, December 27, 2004.

Editor's note: The real estate industry is heading for big change in 2005. Experts once again are predicting slower home sales and easing price appreciation due to an anticipated rise in interest rates. In this Inman News forecast series, we attempt to get a clear picture of the industry next year, including what we can expect from housing numbers, who the industry should be watching and what the best and worst-case scenarios might be for housing in 2005.  more...

'Happy' Hale heads Houston Realtors

By Inman News, Monday, December 27, 2004.

Native Texan Bob Hale is president and CEO of the Houston Association of Realtors. Hale is widely known as a visionary within the real estate industry.

Hale believes strongly in providing high-tech member services. During his tenure with HAR, the association's Web site has become the premier real estate portal for Houston, with 300 million hits per month. HAR also offers free Web sites to every member.

Hale holds a bachelor of business administration and law degree from the University of Texas.  more...