Home

Loan originations grow for office, apartment properties

By Inman News, Thursday, August 26, 2004.

The Mortgage Bankers Association today released its quarterly commercial and multifamily mortgage loan originations survey for the second quarter of 2004, showing continued growth in mortgage originations.

Commercial mortgage bankers originated $33.2 billion, up by 17.4 percent ($4.9 billion) from the same quarter in 2003 and up 54.1 percent ($11.6 billion) from the first quarter of 2004. The large increase from the first quarter reflects the traditional cycle of low levels of first-quarter originations followed by a pick-up in the second quarter.  more...

Massive D.C.-area apartment complex sold

By Inman News, Thursday, August 26, 2004.

Holliday Fenoglio Fowler brokered the sale of The Alexandria Apartment Homes, a 1,524-unit multifamily community in Alexandria, Va.

The value of the transaction was nearly $200 million.

Sterling Equities sold the property to Orion Residential, an apartment investment company.  more...

Salary increases cool for apartment managers

By Inman News, Thursday, August 26, 2004.

A slow recovery in the job market is enabling apartment firms to hold the line on compensation increases and employee turnover, according to the National Multi Housing Council's (NMHC) 2004 National Apartment Management Survey of Compensation and Benefits Practices.

Merit increases for all levels of property management employees are expected to fall in 2004. Executive-level salaries are projected to rise just 3 percent this year, continuing a steady decline over the past four years from a 5 percent increase in 2001.  more...

Iraq war rattles economy

By Lou Barnes, Thursday, August 26, 2004.

The oil equation broke from pattern this week: prices fell, stocks rose, but interest rates fell slightly, as evidence of a flattening economy dominated energy-price relief. Mortgages are still close to 5.75 percent, and the 10-year T-note yield is trading in cheerful economic pessimism, back down to 4.2 percent.

The bond market had waited all week for Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan's address this morning at an annual convention of central bankers in Jackson Hole, Wyo.  more...

Life of a Rookie Realtor Premium Content

By Inman News, Thursday, August 26, 2004.

Last week, I bumped into an old friend from high school whom I hadn't seen in years.  more...

All the world's a home stage

By Julie Brosterman, Thursday, August 26, 2004.

The latest trend is for home sellers to employ a "stager" or "fluffer" to make their space more appealing, sexier, dolled up. It's taken off here in Los Angeles–home of the faux–and the prices I've heard quoted from some companies are as varied as the services.

The changes from home staging can be miraculous and I'm a big fan. I even employed someone when I sold my last house just to give it a bit of a fabulous lift.  more...

Selling ugly real estate

By Bernice Ross, Thursday, August 26, 2004.

Do you have a listing you think would look best bulldozed to the ground? Don't despair! You can sell that ugly house!

You just received a "Come list my house!" lead. You are elated–that is until you drive up and realize it's the ugliest property you have seen in months. What can you do to sell that ugly house?  more...

Consumer confidence dips

By Inman News, Thursday, August 26, 2004.

Consumer confidence fell slightly in August due to greater concerns about the sluggish pace of growth in employment, according to the latest University of Michigan Survey of Consumers.

"Consumers have proved to be remarkably resilient in the face of a wide range of adverse economic developments. Despite higher gas prices, sluggish job growth and rising interest rates, consumer confidence has remained largely unchanged during the past three months," according to Richard Curtin, the director of the University of Michigan's Surveys of Consumers.  more...

Clarification

By Inman News, Thursday, August 26, 2004.

An Inman News story published Aug. 24, "Inside the Chicago MLS face-off," requires one clarification in the following sentence: Shareholders ordered a forensic audit of MLSNI in April after the late arrival of financial reports and questions regarding MLSNI's investment in REBIG, a Chicago-based venture that helps MLSs negotiate data licensing deals.  more...

New York real estate market continues strong

By Inman News, Thursday, August 26, 2004.

Sales of existing single-family homes in New York increased 4.6 percent in July from the same month a year ago, according to preliminary single-family sales data accumulated by the New York State Association of Realtors. The preliminary data showed a median selling price increase of more than 24 percent compared to the same period a year earlier.

The July 2004 sales total of 10,153 represents a 4.6 percent increase compared to the July 2003 sales total of 9,702. However, the July 2004 sales total slowed 1.4 percent from the 10,296 sales total posted in June 2004.  more...

Online real estate service rewards 'savvy' buyers

By Inman News, Thursday, August 26, 2004.

A new Web site has launched that offers rebates to home buyers who work with its network of real estate agents. SavvyHomeBuyer.com offers cash rebates at closing of up to 1 percent of the value of the purchased home.  more...

HUD gives $2.5 billion to public housing

By Inman News, Thursday, August 26, 2004.

Richard Sommer assumes reins at HomeGain

By Inman News, Thursday, August 26, 2004.

HomeGain, a provider of customized services to consumers using the Internet to buy and sell homes, today named online real estate industry and mortgage-banking veteran Richard F. Sommer as the company's chief executive officer and a member of its board of directors.

"Richard Sommer has the industry credentials and leadership qualities to take HomeGain to the next level of success," said HomeGain Founder Bradley Inman.  more...

RE/MAX Allegiance partners with First American

By Inman News, Thursday, August 26, 2004.

RE/MAX Allegiance and First American Residential Group have created a joint venture partnership, Array Title & Escrow Services, which will provide full title and settlement services.

RE/MAX Allegiance is a brokerage of RE/MAX International. It has nearly 1,200 agents and 30 offices in Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland, and was the largest RE/MAX brokerage in the world in 2003 in closed sales volume, according to a press statement.

First American Residential Group is a member of the First American Corp. family of companies.  more...

Overnight mortgage rates barely budge

By Inman News, Thursday, August 26, 2004.

Long-term mortgage interest rates were flat Thursday, and the benchmark 10-year Treasury bond yield sank to 4.22 percent.

The 30-year fixed-rate average remained at 5.45 percent, and the 15-year fixed-rate slipped to 4.85 percent. The 1-year adjustable was up slightly at 3.25 percent.

The 30-year Treasury bond yield decreased to 5.01 percent.

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

12next ›last »