Home

Broken washer, dryer no reason to withhold rent

By Robert Griswold, Wednesday, May 7, 2008.

Q: I live in an apartment building where the landlord has washers and dryers in the common area for the tenants to use. Unfortunately, the machines (all of them!) are routinely broken. Can I withhold my rent? Can I deduct the cost if I have the machines repaired?  more...

Lender not happy putting wife's name on title

By Benny Kass, Wednesday, May 7, 2008.

Q: My husband wants to put my name on the deed to his house. Because he obtained the mortgage a long time before our marriage, we have been told by the mortgage company that the only way my name can be added is by refinancing. Is there any other way to add my name to the title? We are prepared to pay off the mortgage if -- and only if -- I can be on the title, too.  more...

Disabled tenant wants larger unit at reduced price

By Janet Portman, Wednesday, May 7, 2008.

Q: I've lived for years in a spacious studio apartment and now find it necessary to hire a live-in aide. I'd like to move to a two-bedroom, but I can't afford it. Can I expect my landlord to offer me the two-bedroom at the same rate I'm paying now, because I'm disabled? He's refusing, and he's also saying that having two people in my studio violates his occupancy policy. Do I have any legal answers to either of these positions? --Patricia U.  more...

HUD extends RESPA reform comment period Premium Content

By Matt Carter, Wednesday, May 7, 2008.

The public will have an additional 30 days to comment on the Bush administration's proposed changes to the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, but HUD officials say they remain committed to finalizing a rule before the president leaves office.  more...

ZipRealty reports $7.3 million loss in Q1

By Inman News, Wednesday, May 7, 2008.

Real estate brokerage company ZipRealty announced net loss of $7.3 million in the first quarter, or 31 cents per share, compared with a net loss of $3.1 million in first-quarter 2007.

The company reported that it increased its agent count by 105 from the close of fourth-quarter 2007 to the end of first-quarter 2008, and its first-quarter count was up about 22 percent compared to first-quarter 2007.  more...

Not buying into the 'green' movement

By Teresa Boardman, Wednesday, May 7, 2008.

Editor's note: Inman News would like to introduce the first column in what will be a regular series from well-known real estate blogger and real estate broker Teresa Boardman.

I hate to admit it but I am old enough to remember the very first Earth Day. It was kind of a new idea, a huge grassroots movement to protest what was going on with the environment and to educate the general public on environmental issues, like air and water quality. These days, being "green" is all the rage again, but much of it doesn't make sense to me anymore.  more...

May

7
2008

A big slice of REO pie

By Glenn Roberts Jr., Wednesday, May 7, 2008.

Real estate brokerage company reported in its first-quarter earnings today that real estate transactions involving short sales, foreclosures and real estate-owned (REO) properties have grown to represent over a 40 percent share of total transactions in some market areas.

The company reported that it closed more sales in the first quarter than in the same quarter last year, though the dollar volume actually declined -- in part due to the growth in handling these types of sales.  more...

Furniture maker secures 126,000 square feet

By Inman News, Wednesday, May 7, 2008.

AMB Property Corp. on Tuesday announced it has leased approximately 126,000 square feet in a Chicago development to Ashley Furniture, a manufacturer of quality furniture products.

The value of the transaction was not disclosed.

Ashley Furniture is using the facility, named AMB Remington Lakes Distribution Center, as its new distribution center servicing the Midwest for the distribution of finished goods.  more...

HMS expands lease to 100% occupancy

By Inman News, Wednesday, May 7, 2008.

Health Market Science Inc., a supplier of healthcare provider data and analytics in the United States, has signed a long-term lease for office space in King of Prussia, Pa.

HMS, which had been subletting 25,063 square feet of space in the building since 2004, will now occupy all 45,000 square feet of the building. When the balance of the building became available for lease, HMS was able to secure the space for a much-needed expansion, according to a press statement.  more...

Garmon Corp. lands Temecula buildings

By Inman News, Wednesday, May 7, 2008.

The PRES Cos., a Newport Beach, Calif.-based real estate investment and development firm, recently announced that three industrial buildings totaling 38,500 square feet within its newly completed Temecula Corporate Center have been sold to Garmon Corp. for an undisclosed price.

The buildings are at 27461, 27497 and 27503 Via Industria, and are situated within Westside Business Center, which is located off of Winchester Road in Temecula, Calif.  more...

Bush threatens veto of sweeping housing bill

By Inman News, Wednesday, May 7, 2008.

The White House today threatened to veto a sweeping housing bill that would package measures long sought by the Bush administration together with a $300 billion expansion of FHA loan guarantee programs the administration views as a bailout.  more...

Survey finds fear and interest with foreclosures

By Inman News, Wednesday, May 7, 2008.

More than half of U.S. adults would consider purchasing a foreclosed home, though a much larger percentage believe there are negative aspects to such purchases, such as hidden costs, the potential for value declines and other risks, according to a survey released today.  more...

RealPatrol grabs property data from Web sites

By Inman News, Wednesday, May 7, 2008.

RealPatrol.com, a real estate search site, claims to be "the largest U.S. archive of real estate property listings," with information on about 3.9 million properties.

The site, which launched a year ago, uses automated data-capture programs, known as "spiders," to collect real estate photos and information from a range of Web sites, according to RealPatrol CEO Benjamin Ovadia.  more...

Falling rates fuel home-buying spree

By Inman News, Wednesday, May 7, 2008.

Lower interest rates helped fuel a rush on mortgage applications last week, sending application volume up 15.6 percent from two weeks ago, the Mortgage Bankers Association reported today.

According to the trade group, a 19.3 percent jump in the index that tracks refinance applications led the seasonally adjusted increase, followed by a 12.1 percent rise in the purchase loan index.

As a result, the refinance share of applications gained from 45.7 percent to 47.1 percent, and the adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) share increased from 5.9 percent to 6.8 percent.  more...

NAR: Median resale home price to fall 2.4% in '08

By Inman News, Wednesday, May 7, 2008.

The National Association of Realtors has lowered its expectations for resale home prices in its latest forecast, which anticipates a 2.4 percent price drop this year.

The median price of resale homes is expected to be $213,700 this year and the median new-home price is expected to fall 3.7 percent to $238,000.  more...

12next ›last »