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Zillow, MyNewPlace climb Web rankings

By Inman News, Monday, August 18, 2008.
<a href="http://cache.inman.com/files/stories/Hitwise_July_2008.jpg">Click here to view full-size chart</a>.

Real estate site Zillow.com climbed from sixth place in June to third place in July and apartment search site MyNewPlace.com rose from 19th place to 16th in the latest monthly ranking of real estate Web sites released by Web metrics company Hitwise.

Brokerage company ZipRealty's Web site slid from third in June to fifth in July in the rankings, which are based on total visits to real estate category Web sites.  more...

Why won't my mobile home sell?

By Barry Stone, Monday, August 18, 2008.

DEAR BARRY: We moved out of our mobile home and are having trouble selling it. The park management has a requirement that they must approve all prospective buyers. So far, we've sent three buyers to their office. In each case, the manager sold a park-owned mobile home to our buyers. The park got the sale, while we continue to pay monthly rent for our park space. This seems very underhanded. Is there anything we can do about it? --Thomas  more...

AP: Monitoring of appraisers ineffective

By Inman News, Monday, August 18, 2008.

A nationwide system set up to monitor appraisers in the wake of the savings and loan crisis did little to prevent appraisers, real estate agents and mortgage brokers from colluding to inflate home prices during the housing boom, the Associated Press said in reporting the results of a six-month investigation.  more...

Real estate company makes the news Premium Content

By Matt Carter, Monday, August 18, 2008.
Prudential Georgia Realty CEO Dan Forsman discusses real estate.

In the fall of 2006 -- when housing sales had cooled, but before "credit crunch" became a household term -- Alex Perriello had some advice for Realtors gathered in New Orleans for their annual convention.

Don't leave it to the news media to tell the story of what's happening in your local market, the president and CEO of Realogy Real Estate Franchise Group said, because news outlets emphasize the bad news.  more...

Sales rise, prices tumble in Southern California

By Inman News, Monday, August 18, 2008.

Sales rise, prices drop in Southern California  more...

Buyers flock to FHA, government-backed loans

By Inman News, Monday, August 18, 2008.

Borrowers are flocking to government-insured loans, particularly those offered by the Federal Housing Administration, as they seek to refinance out of costly adjustable-rate mortgages or take out purchase loans with low down payments.

The Mortgage Bankers Association says application for government-insured loans was up 133.9 percent in July from a year ago, while applications for conventional loans like those purchased and guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac fell 50.2 percent.  more...

First American: Inflation hurts home prices

By Inman News, Monday, August 18, 2008.

Year-over-year declines in national home prices have stabilized in the 10 percent to 11 percent range, but price declines are accelerating when inflation is taken into account, according to a new analysis by First American CoreLogic.  more...

Stepping into the nest at Roost Premium Content

By Lai Saetern, Monday, August 18, 2008.
<a href="http://www.inman.com/video/inman-tv/2008/08/15/roost-factory-tour" target=blank>Click here to play video</a>.
Related Podcast/Video: 
Roost Factory Tour

SAN FRANCISCO -- On the first floor of the six-story Regus building, nestled in San Francisco's tech-savvy Folsom Street district, a hallway lined by an assortment of contemporary furniture in vivid hues of bright green, yellow and orange leads to double silver doors.

Chatter and laughter fill the air as small groups of workers congregate around computers and a table full of food. It's "Breakfast Thursday" -- the day when a chosen employee brings food for the entire staff of about 17 at Roost, a company that offers a real estate search engine for consumers powered by multiple listing service data that is shared by participating real estate brokers.  more...