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Mortgage rates spin out of control Premium Content

By Lou Barnes, Thursday, April 15, 2004.

The rapid rise in long-term interest rates that began two weeks ago today was spinning out of control Wednesday morning, pushed by news of inflation and a double-the-forecast report of March retail sales.  more...

Maquina Realty buys three shopping centers

By Inman News, Thursday, April 15, 2004.

Maquina Realty Corp., an Indianapolis-based real estate development company, has purchased Castleton Square Marketplace and Castleton Square Pavilion in Indiana, and Champaign Marketview Center in Illinois.

 

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Office building sold on Wood Hollow Road

By Inman News, Thursday, April 15, 2004.

Mack-Cali Realty Corp. has acquired 5 Wood Hollow Road, a three-story, 317,040 square-foot class A office property in Parsippany, N.J.  more...

Outsourcing not going away

By Inman News, Thursday, April 15, 2004.

More than 75 percent of executives at large North American and European companies that currently outsource one or more major human resources functions said they would do so again, according to a recent survey released by The Conference Board.

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March housing starts up 15 percent

By Inman News, Thursday, April 15, 2004.

Privately owned housing starts in March were up 15.2 percent above the March 2003 rate, the U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced today. Regionally, new privately-owned housing starts were up about 19 percent in the West and 16.1 percent in the South from March 2003 to March 2004.  more...

Web searchers like two-word phrases

By Inman News, Thursday, April 15, 2004.

OneStat.com, an Amsterdam-based provider of intelligence Web analytics, has reported that most people use two-word phrases in search engines.  more...

Start worrying about housing market

By Inman News, Thursday, April 15, 2004.

Yesterday, April 15, 2004, was the unofficial last day of the national housing market boom.

The full effects of this week's turning point won't be felt until the home-buying season comes to a close in August. And maybe April 15 wasn't the exact date on which the turn occurred. But put a black X on your calendar anyway because it will prove close enough.

Economic factors reported this week strongly suggest the economy has begun to make a solid comeback. Employment has picked up.  more...

Surge in mortgage-sector mergers Premium Content

By Samantha Peterson, Thursday, April 15, 2004.

The mortgage industry has consolidated over the years and more consolidation is ahead as rising interest rates trigger a shrinking refinance business that forces out some companies, especially those that aren't diversified. Even so, the industry will still be fairly fragmented.

The reason for the consolidation is simple: More companies will decide it's time to sell after the refinancing business drops off, said Vicki Wagner, credit analyst at Standard and Poors.  more...

Real estate: The week ahead

By Inman News, Thursday, April 15, 2004.

Home improvement spending slows

By Inman News, Thursday, April 15, 2004.

Research by Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies showed sluggish gains in the amount of money homeowners are spending on home improvements and repairs.  more...

Superheated markets burn buyers, agents alike Premium Content

By Bernice Ross, Thursday, April 15, 2004.

(Second of two parts. See part 1.)

Last week I looked at how builders are aggressively competing to increase market share during down markets, usually at the expense of the resale market. This week focuses on the other end of the spectrum–the superheated sellers' market–, which burns both agents and buyers alike.  more...

How to know what's included or excluded from home sale

By Robert Bruss, Thursday, April 15, 2004.

This time of the year is "prime time" for house and condo sales. More residences are sold between April and July than at any other time of the year. Thanks to the current low mortgage interest rates, 2004 promises to be a near-record year for home sales.

Whether you are a home buyer or seller, it pays to know what is included or excluded from your sale. Can the seller remove the dining room chandelier? Should the buyer presume the living room drapes are included in the sales price? What about the rose bushes in the garden?  more...

Bedroom closet design gets revamped

By Paul Bianchina, Thursday, April 15, 2004.

The typical home bedroom closet began its life with a simple shelf and pole arrangement, and there it remained mired, seemingly forever. In the 1970s came the concept of adding a second shelf, and the

How do we recognize a building worth saving?

By Arrol Gellner, Thursday, April 15, 2004.

(Last of a three-part series. See parts 1 and 2.)  more...