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Economy needs full $700 billion, and more

By Lou Barnes, Friday, November 14, 2008.
Flickr photo by <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/toestubber/2662161767/" target=blank>the_toe_stubber</a>.

The credit market thaw paused this week: LIBOR fell just a little; mortgages touched 6 percent and rebounded; short-term Treasury rates are still near zero; and corporate and consumer credit is as scarce and expensive as ever.

Massive, global intervention by central banks and national treasuries has been under way for only a month. It just seems longer when you're having fun.  more...

Realogy works to avert default on loans

By Inman News, Friday, November 14, 2008.

Global real estate brokerage and franchise company Realogy Corp. cited "credit and stock market turmoil" and a worsening economic climate in offering a debt exchange to lessen the risk of default on bank loans, according to financial filings and a Bloomberg news report.  more...

Better home search coming to New Zealand?

By Inman News, Friday, November 14, 2008.

Australian-based REA Group today announced it will close its New Zealand residential portal, allrealestate.co.nz, at the end of the month and direct its traffic to competitor realestate.co.nz in an alliance that attempts to provide a "more efficient and cost-competitive solution for the real estate industry."  more...

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My conversation with Tom Everitt at NAR 2008

By Daniel Rothamel, the Real Estate Zebra, Friday, November 14, 2008.

I spent last week at the 2008 NAR Convention and Expo in Orlando.  It was a rewarding experience, and a lot of fun, too.  One of the cool things that I got to do was meet Tom Everitt.  Tom is a REALTOR in Vancouver.  He sent me an email prior to the convention, sharing with me some of the cool video stuff he has been doing with his wife on his website, ThinkTom.com.  He asked if I would sit down for lunch with him at the convention.  I'm glad I did.   more...

As home ages, some defects unavoidable

By Paul Bianchina, Friday, November 14, 2008.

Over time, many homes develop little nonstructural problem areas that need to be dealt with, and it seems like the older the house, the more of those little problems that occur. Here's some advice on fixing a few of the more common door and trim situations you might typically encounter.

Out-of-square corners  more...

Judge sits on DOJ, NAR settlement

By Glenn Roberts Jr., Friday, November 14, 2008.

A U.S. District Court judge on Thursday put off a final judgment on the settlement of a 3-year-old legal battle between the U.S. Department of Justice and National Association of Realtors.

NAR officials had expected the judge to finalize the settlement during a court appearance on Thursday. "We're on hold for a day or two," said Lucien Salvant, a spokesman for the Realtor group.  more...

Big jump in foreclosure counseling

By Inman News, Friday, November 14, 2008.

A report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development found a 55 percent increase in the number of families receiving foreclosure prevention counseling between 2006 and 2007, with growth expected to be much higher in 2008.  more...

FSBO site channels listings to Realtor.com Premium Content

By Matt Carter, Friday, November 14, 2008.

ForSaleByOwner.com may be helping homeowners put listings on Realtor.com, but don't call them "for-sale-by-owner" listings, site operator Move Inc. says.

ForSaleByOwner.com is now offering to place clients' listings on Realtor.com for $200, claiming the proposed settlement of an antitrust suit the Department of Justice filed against the National Association of Realtors creates "new direct access" to NAR's official listings portal.  more...