Tulsa real estate has best year ever

Although home sales in the Greater Tulsa, Okla., area cooled in December, closed transactions hit an all-time high for 2006, according to the Greater Tulsa Association of Realtors.

The 13,722 home sales reported in the seven-county region in 2006 represents a 4 percent gain from 13,200 sales recorded in 2005. December sales, however, totaled 1,008, down 2.8 percent from 1,037 in the same month a year earlier.  more...

Fidelity National Financial profits down further on restructuring

Profits were down at Fidelity National Financial in 2006 as the company completed a restructuring that separates the company's title insurance and mortgage loan processing divisions into separate companies.

The reorganization eliminated a holding company structure, with Fidelity National Title assuming the name and stock market ticker symbol (FNF) of its former parent, Fidelity National Financial. FNF's mortgage loan processing division, Fidelity National Information Services Inc., is now a separate company, trading as FIS.  more...

Overnight real estate rates fall

Long-term mortgage interest rates were lower Monday, and the benchmark 10-year Treasury bond yield sank to 4.8 percent.

The 30-year fixed-rate average dropped to 5.81 percent, and the 15-year fixed rate was down at 5.59 percent. The 1-year adjustable dipped to 5.38 percent.

The 30-year Treasury bond yield decreased to 4.91 percent.

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

Online real estate company grows globally

The REA Group, which owns Australian online real estate site RealEstate.com.au, is continuing its global expansion through the acquisition of the atHome group of real estate sites, the company said Monday.

The deal, valued at 4.5 million euro (1 euro = $1.29 US), is the third European real estate acquisition for REA in the last 14 months.  more...