Home
Join Inman News!
  • Sign In
  • Shopping Cart
  • Home
  • Video
  • Blog
  • Community
  • Columnists
  • Events
  • Store
  • About Us

News

  • Free Daily Headlines
  • RSS Feeds
  • Syndication
Home
Date
  • All
  • 2004
  • 2005
  • 2006
  • 2007
  • 2008
  • 2009
  • All
  • Jan
  • Feb
  • Mar
  • Apr
  • May
  • Jun
  • Jul
  • Aug
  • Sep
  • Oct
  • Nov
  • Dec
Type
  • All
  • Columnist Article
  • News Story

Safety, status big selling points in luxury market

By Bernice Ross, Friday, December 29, 2006.

(This is Part 1 of a three-part series. Read Part 2 and Part 3.)

What does it take to market a $20 million property? How would you market a $135 million listing?  more...

The great aluminum window retrofit

By Paul Bianchina, Friday, December 29, 2006.

Q: What is the optimal way to replace old windows? My house has outdated aluminum windows that I want to replace with new vinyl ones. Some installers want to remove the nailing fins from the new windows and install them by attaching through the sides of the windows into the studs. That way they won't disturb my vinyl siding. Others want to cut back siding and install the new window with flashing. Is this overkill? --Mark E.  more...

Befriend agents, walk new neighborhoods: '07 resolutions

By Alison Rogers, Friday, December 29, 2006.

So it's time to make New Year's resolutions again. Gosh, after 2005 (when my New Year's resolution was "Get married and start a new career") and 2006 (when my New Year's resolution was "Stay married and don't starve to death") it seems tough to go back to the old standby of "Lose 10 pounds and go to the dentist twice."  more...

Allure of the postwar ranch house

By Katherine Salant, Friday, December 29, 2006.

If asked what is America's most important contribution to residential architecture, most people would probably suggest the log cabin of Abraham Lincoln, a Southern plantation mansion like Scarlet O'Hara's Tara (even though it was only a movie set), or George Washington's Mount Vernon.

The correct answer? The ranch house.  more...

5 home-sale negotiation tricks to anticipate

By Robert Bruss, Friday, December 29, 2006.

Whether you are a home buyer, seller or real estate agent, you can never learn too much about negotiation tactics. Sooner or later, some or all of these key tricks will be used by your negotiation opponent. Even the best negotiators admit there is always more to learn.

Having been involved in real estate sales, purchases and brokerage more than 40 years, I admit to having been the victim of too many shrewd negotiators. However, I always learned from the experiences and vowed never again to let someone get the best of me in a negotiation.  more...

Iraq and housing's impact on economy

By Lou Barnes, Thursday, December 28, 2006.

We're a day early because of a little local weather problem, but there's nothing in a second 3-foot snowstorm in one week to compare with the trouble brewing in the bond market.

The 10-year T-note blew above 4.7 percent this morning on generally healthy economic data -- that's up from the 4.43 percent low three weeks ago, and will shortly put mortgages at 6.25 percent and at risk for a sustained move upward.  more...

Ex-mortgage loan officer to do heavy time for fraud

By Inman News, Thursday, December 28, 2006.

A federal judge has sentenced a former mortgage loan officer convicted of organizing a Washington, D.C., house-flipping scheme involving mortgage fraud to more than 24 years in prison.

In sentencing Charles E. Hall Sr. to serve 293 months in prison and to pay restitution of $5.04 million, Judge Sterling Johnson called the former loan officer "a predator" whom the community must be protected from.  more...

D.C.-area bank to close mortgage banking subsidiary

By Inman News, Thursday, December 28, 2006.

Alliance Bankshares Corp. says it is closing its mortgage banking subsidiary, Alliance Home Funding LLC, which employed 43.

Chantilly, Va.-based Alliance Bankshares will bring 10 Alliance Home Funding employees into an in-house mortgage banking division, which will offer home loans in the Washington, D.C., metro area, the company said.

Closing Alliance Home Funding will put an after-tax dent in the bank's fourth-quarter earnings of between $350,000 and $450,000, including employee severance pay, systems charges and subleasing costs.  more...

Can two homes be traded for one?

By Robert Bruss, Thursday, December 28, 2006.

DEAR BOB: What would be the process to trade two homes for one? The two homes are valued at $1.5 million total. The home for sale is valued at $1.2 million. The seller will trade. What is the first step to take? --Phyllis S.

DEAR PHYLLIS: If I understand your question correctly, you want to trade two rental houses worth a total of $1.5 million for one rental house worth $1.2 million. That would be a partially taxable trade down because the two rental houses are worth $300,000 more than the one rental house being acquired.  more...

Mack-Cali sells S.F. holdings, exits western markets

By Inman News, Thursday, December 28, 2006.

Mack-Cali Realty Corp. announced that it has completed the sale of its remaining two office properties in San Francisco, marking its exit from all western markets.

Mack-Cali sold 760 Market St. (an 11-story, 267,446-square-foot class A building) and 795 Folsom St. (a six-story, 183,445-square-foot class A building) to a partnership of Westcore Properties LLC; Angelo, Gordon & Co.; and City Center Retail LLC for an aggregate price of $126 million.

Both buildings were approximately 78 percent leased at the time of sale.  more...

Realtors report drop in existing-home sales, prices

By Inman News, Thursday, December 28, 2006.

Existing-home sales and prices dropped in November compared to the same month last year, the National Association of Realtors reported today.

The median price of existing homes dropped for the fourth consecutive month to $218,000, down 3.1 percent compared to November 2005.  more...

For sale: the home that housed a president

By Glenn Roberts Jr., Thursday, December 28, 2006.

The White House was not yet ready for Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. and his family when he became president following Richard Nixon's resignation in 1974.

So Ford spent the first 10 days of his presidency at the family home in Alexandria, Va. Ford and his family spent about 20 years in the colonial-style brick and wood-siding home on Crown View Drive in Alexandria. The Fords were the first owners of the home, which was built in 1953 and is now up for sale.  more...

Real estate rates sink overnight

By Inman News, Thursday, December 28, 2006.

Long-term mortgage interest rates came down Wednesday, and the benchmark 10-year Treasury bond yield rose to 4.65 percent.

The 30-year fixed-rate average dipped to 5.68 percent, and the 15-year fixed rate declined to 5.44 percent. The 1-year adjustable held steady at 5.31 percent.

The 30-year Treasury bond yield increased to 4.78 percent.

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

Harbourton Mortgage Investment Corp. goes under

By Inman News, Thursday, December 28, 2006.

The parent company of Harbourton Mortgage Investment Corp. says the Virginia-based lender has closed its doors.

HMIC was forced to stop funding new loans and "initiate a process to wind down its operations" on Dec. 20, after investors who had purchased loans from the company demanded the lender buy them back, according to a statement issued by parent company Harbourton Capital Group Inc.  more...

Selling home in '07 requires new approach

By Ilyce Glink, Thursday, December 28, 2006.

Well, the housing market finally slowed down in 2006, and some sellers began to experience the pangs normally associated with a buyer's market -- longer listing times, higher commissions, and low-ball offers.

Did the much-discussed housing bubble pop? I don't think it was so much of a pop. That hissing sound you hear is a little bit of air coming out of that balloon. Only the buyers are really having any fun.  more...

123456789…next ›last »

 

 
  • ©2009 Inman News
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Syndication
  • Membership
  • Contact Us
  • Press Release Submission
  • Submit a Tip
  • Privacy
  • Legal