Home

Real estate broker's dilemma Premium Content

By Marc Davison, Monday, September 17, 2007.

Brokers, pull up a chair. Let me buy you a cup of coffee.

I suspect you find yourself in survival mode. I've spoken with many of you and I know it's rough out there. The receding tide of volume has exposed some pretty nasty stuff. Lopsided splits. Crazy costs. A Frankenstein's Monster of timeworn technologies. A stable of yearlings still in need of training.

You've been here before. Remember '91? '81?  more...

Sep

17
2007

Realius gets in the real estate game

By Glenn Roberts, Jr., Monday, September 17, 2007.
The events of the past year in the real estate world are no laughing matter -- as an already slumping market has been hammered by a rising tide of foreclosures and liquidity problems in the mortgage sector -- but the...  more...

Feel better fast...

By Matt Carter, Monday, September 17, 2007.
Some still worry about inflation. Others have warned about the "moral hazard" of rescuing investors who made risky bets. But members of the Federal Reserve's Open Market Committee are expected to lower the target for the federal funds overnight rate...  more...

ARM loan cost-benefit analysis

By Matt Carter, Monday, September 17, 2007.
Boston real estate broker and InmanBlog reader John Keith comments that Countrywide Financial CEO Angelo Mozilo may be right when he says the media has put too much emphasis on resetting ARMs and subprime loans as the cause of troubles...  more...

Younan Properties adds two Houston properties

By Inman News, Monday, September 17, 2007.

Younan Properties Inc., a privately held real estate investment firm, has added two office buildings to its expanding Houston portfolio, the company said today.

Younan has acquired 1700 West Loop South in the Galleria submarket and Shepherd Place, just south of River Oaks in Houston.  more...

STAG Capital lands two industrial buildings

By Inman News, Monday, September 17, 2007.

STAG Capital Partners, a real estate firm that acquires and manages single tenant, net-leased properties throughout the United States, announced today that it has purchased two industrial buildings totaling 91,000 square feet in Fairfield and Lexington, Virginia.

The value of the transactions was not disclosed.

The subject properties located at 6051 North Lee Highway in Fairfield and 2311 North Lee Highway in Lexington, range in size from 16,000 to 75,000 square feet and are located eight miles from one another along Interstate-81.

Both properties are fully leased to Ba  more...

Sloan Capital buys Beverly Hills luxury retail center

By Inman News, Monday, September 17, 2007.

Sloan Capital has acquired a luxury retail property in Beverly Hills, Calif., in a deal valued at $275 million.

The company purchased Two Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills from Rodeo Owner Corp.

Located at the corner of Rodeo Drive and Wilshire Boulevard, the property is a world-renowned luxury shopping, dining and lifestyle destination featuring 129,000 square feet of prime retail space. Tenants include Tiffany & Co., Versace, Jimmy Choo, Rene Caovilla, Damiani, Cole Haan, Jose Eber and other world-renowned fashion brands, as well as high-end restaurants and salon services.  more...

Realius: Let the real estate games begin Premium Content

By Glenn Roberts Jr., Monday, September 17, 2007.

Chuck Teller bought a home in the San Francisco Bay Area community of Berkeley during the days when the list price was more like a low starting bid at an auction.

He knew that the home would sell for far more than its posted price, and his real estate agent offered this guidance: "You've just got to look deep inside and tell me what you want (to offer)," he said.  more...

First Franklin drags on past, present owners

By Inman News, Monday, September 17, 2007.

Merrill Lynch & Co. said it will lay off an unspecified number of workers at its subprime lending subsidiary, First Franklin Financial, which it purchased from National City Corp. earlier this year for $1.3 billion.

First Franklin's previous owner, National City Corp., has increased its estimates of third-quarter losses from mortgage banking to between $130 million and $160 million, in part because of rising losses on loans originated by First Franklin.

Although National City Corp.  more...

Home builders to present at New York conference Premium Content

By Inman News, Monday, September 17, 2007.

Several large home building companies, among them Beazer Homes USA Inc. and D.R.  more...

Real estate rates stall overnight

By Inman News, Monday, September 17, 2007.

Long-term mortgage interest rates were flat Friday, and the benchmark 10-year Treasury bond yield dipped to 4.46 percent.

The 30-year fixed-rate average held at 5.98 percent, and the 15-year fixed rate stayed at 5.64 percent. The 1-year adjustable, however, rose slightly to 5.64 percent.

The 30-year Treasury bond yield was down at 4.72 percent.

Rates and bonds 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...

Real estate wiki focuses on MLS future

By Glenn Roberts Jr., Monday, September 17, 2007.

An opening post at a new real estate wiki site borrows heavily from the U.S.  more...

It's not a gift, it's an investment

By Jack Guttentag, Monday, September 17, 2007.

Gifts of equity within the family are common. Parents often provide the down payment on their child's first home purchase. Many parents, however, can't afford a sizeable gift -- among other things, they may be concerned about the adequacy of their assets for retirement. Yet they might welcome an opportunity to help their children if it took the form of a reasonably safe investment yielding an adequate rate of return.  more...

Should I postpone selling my home?

By Dian Hymer, Monday, September 17, 2007.

According to the media, now is one of the worst times to consider selling a home. However, although the national statistics don't paint a rosy picture, some sellers are finding success in this market. It all depends on what you have to sell -- house or condo, where it's located, what kind of condition it's in, and how well it's priced for the market.  more...

Home rebuilt after fire could be worth more

By Robert Bruss, Monday, September 17, 2007.

DEAR BOB: We just had a major house fire with approximately $165,000 paid by our homeowners insurance company for repairs. Before the fire, the house was worth about $250,000. The house was completely redone with new wiring, plumbing, heat, air conditioning, drywall, carpeting and a new kitchen. It was basically gutted inside and out. What effect will this insurance claim have on my resale value? If I were a buyer, I wouldn't be interested in this home. However, as the owner I know the house is actually like new.  more...