Inman Video: Numbers guru identifies some bubble markets

After an amazing multiyear run of record-breaking sales figures and home-price growth, the nation's housing markets in the last few months began to show signs of change.  more...

Search increasingly important to Internet users

Real estate agents who use paid search as an advertising vehicle should be interested to learn that search engines have become increasingly important to American Internet users, according to a new study.

On an average day, nearly 60 million people use search engines, according to a study released in late November by the Pew Internet & American Life Project.

There has been a sharp increase in search activity over the last year, the study said.  more...

Congressional hearing to probe hurricane housing

A congressional committee is planning to meet tomorrow for a hearing on emergency housing assistance concerns in the region affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

The Housing and Community Opportunity Subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Robert W. Ney, R-Ohio, will meet on Thursday at 10 a.m.  more...

HouseValues plans realty agent seminars for 2006

HouseValues plans to host 120 seminars for real estate next year in the top 60 markets nationwide, the real estate marketing company said today.

The seminars enable agents to network with colleagues, share ideas and learn new methods and techniques for closing more transactions, said Ian Morris, CEO of HouseValues.

The events offer professional training and personalized coaching opportunities.  more...

NAR offers RESPA guidelines to Realtors

The National Association of Realtors has launched four new tools to help real estate professionals better understand and comply with the requirements of the federal Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), the association announced this week.

RESPA was enacted in 1974 to provide for the advance disclosure of closing costs and to prohibit kickbacks and excessive fees in the home-buying process.

"NAR takes RESPA very seriously and supports (the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department's) enforcement efforts.  more...

Real estate broker uses power of online video to market homes

Inman Stories and Northern California real estate leader Alain Pinel Realtors have launched a new private-label video magazine that showcases San Francisco Bay Area luxury homes using Internet movies produced by Inman News.

"We're excited to be working with an innovative real estate company like Alain Pinel," said John McWeeny, VP Business Development for Inman Stories.  more...

Real estate purchases rebound

Overall mortgage applications were up 5.2 percent last week on a seasonally adjusted basis from the week before, with refinancings posting the largest increase, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association's weekly survey.

The seasonally adjusted refinance index increased by 7 percent to 1,596.4 from 1,484.3 one week earlier, while the purchase index increased by 4 percent to 495.1 from 476.2 the previous week.

The refinance share of mortgage activity increased to 41 percent of total applications from 39.1 percent the previous week.  more...

Overnight real estate rates reverse gains

Long-term mortgage interest rates were down Tuesday, and the benchmark 10-year Treasury bond yield dropped to 4.48 percent.

The 30-year fixed-rate average dipped to 5.83 percent, and the 15-year fixed-rate slipped to 5.42 percent. The 1-year adjustable was unchanged at 4.49 percent.

The 30-year Treasury bond yield decreased to 4.68 percent.

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

Mortgage rate figures are according to Bankrate.com, which publishes nightly averages based on its survey of 4,000 banks in 50 states.  more...