Real estate agents free to cross state lines

Realtors in Pennsylvania soon may be able to cross state lines for a home sale after a new law permitting license reciprocity agreements takes effect Feb. 28.  more...

Cut-rate commission sells big-ticket houses

Editor's note: A recent Inman News industry survey found 61 percent of those surveyed thought discount real estate companies would grow in the coming years. This story is the first in an occasional series on how discounters operate and how they find their niche.

Higher commissions aren't what drive Heather Sittig and neither is a tough, competitive workplace.

Sittig founded Maison Nouveau Realty in March 2003 to put the customer first, and the agents and broker second. She believes her gamble is paying off.  more...

Pop! will benefit residential rental real estate

Editor's note: The Washington, D.C.-based Center for Economic and Policy Research is sponsoring an essay contest on "Why there is no housing bubble." The winner will win $1,000. Send a copy of your entry to contest@inman.com for possible publication on Inman News.  more...

U.S., world economies poised for boom

The U.S. and major world economies are on the threshold of a genuine economic boom and will likely record their best years since 1984, according to The Conference Board's latest economic forecast released Monday.

The Conference Board said U.S. growth will reach 5.9 percent this year, while global growth will hit about 5 percent. Most parts of the world are growing at 6 percent or better, although Europe and Japan are lagging in the 3 percent range. This number still reflects healthy growth for both of these regions.  more...

New Realtor ads to air on TV, radio

The National Association of Realtors public awareness campaign will return to the airwaves this month for the seventh year with two new television and three new radio advertisements featuring home buyers and sellers recounting real-life marketplace experiences.

The new ads, which break on network radio the week of Feb. 9 and on network television the week of March 8, conclude with a call to action: "Ask if your agent is a Realtor, a member of the National Association of Realtors."  more...

Vacancies increase for rental real estate

National vacancy rates for rental units in the fourth quarter increased from a year earlier, while homeowner vacancies remained virtually the same, the Department of Commerce's Census Bureau announced today.

Rental housing vacancy rates were 10.2 percent in the fourth quarter, up from 2002's fourth-quarter revised rate of 9.3 percent, and slightly higher than the third quarter's 9.9 percent rate.  more...

Homestore gets Cohesion

Homestore has selected Cendura Corp., a pioneer of Intelligent Blueprint application management systems, to audit and monitor its multifaceted real estate Web environment, according to a Cendura statement.

The technology that will be used is Cendura's Cohesion 2.0 Application Management Suite.  more...

Mortgage interest rates flat

Long-term mortgage interest rates were virtually unchanged Monday, and the benchmark 10-year Treasury bond yield increased to 4.15 percent.

The 30-year fixed-rate average slipped to 5.39 percent, and the 15-year fixed-rate remained at 4.7 percent. The 1-year adjustable was up slightly at 3.31 percent.

The 30-year Treasury bond yield increased to 4.98 percent.

Rates are current as of 7:15 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.  more...