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Price index rises for 2nd straight quarter

By Inman News, Tuesday, November 24, 2009.

A U.S. home-price index posted its second consecutive quarterly increase, rising 3.1 percent in the third quarter, according to a report released today.

The U.S. National Home Price Index, which covers all nine U.S. Census divisions and is a part of the Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices was down 8.9 percent, though, on a year-over-year basis.

This year-over-year decline in the third quarter is markedly lower than the 14.7 percent decline reported in the second quarter and smaller still than the 19 percent year-over-year drop in the first quarter, according to the report.  more...

Home construction sinks in California

By Inman News, Tuesday, November 24, 2009.

Single-family home construction in California, as measured by building permits issued, have fallen about 30.4 percent during the first 10 months of the year compared to the same period last year, the California Building Industry Association reported today.

The builders' trade group reported 20,645 single-family permits issued from January to October this year, compared to 29,671 for the same period last year.  more...

Estate planning lessons from the stars

By Tara-Nicholle Nelson, Tuesday, November 24, 2009.
Book image courtesy TrialandHeirs.com.

Everyone loves a good mashup. Whether the two worlds colliding are Jay-Z with the Beatles, books with video or Wi-Fi café/bookstores (genius!), Charles Darwin himself would be proud of these rapidly multiplying examples of interbreeding of diverse "species" spawning ever more robust progeny.

In that vein, "Trial and Heirs: Famous Fortune Fights" ... and what you can learn from celebrity errors -- from married estate planning and probate attorney team Andrew and Danielle Mayoras -- is the ultimate mashup of voyeurism into celebrity financial scandals and simple, sound estate planning advice.  more...

When banks won't lend: seller financing

By Bernice Ross, Tuesday, November 24, 2009.

DEAR BERNICE: I live in Colorado. I was talking to one of my friends who lives in California. He has been hearing about "private" sales out there, especially in the higher price ranges where financing is hard to obtain. What is a "private" sale and are these legal? --Bill A.  more...

The rules of repair for home inspectors

By Barry Stone, Tuesday, November 24, 2009.

DEAR BARRY: As a Realtor, I have wondered about the differing business practices of home inspectors and termite inspectors. Home inspectors, as a rule, never do repairs on the properties they inspect.

Termite inspectors, on the other hand, routinely repair the defects listed in their reports. They even include bids for repairs at the end of every report. Home inspectors view repair work as a conflict of interest. Termite inspectors view repairs as an essential part of their business. Can you explain this inconsistency? --Kay

DEAR KAY: Many people have wondered why home inspectors avoid repair work on homes they inspect, while termite inspectors perform repairs as a daily routine. The answer lies in the origins of these not-so-similar professions.  more...

Steps to a better Web site Premium Content

By Gahlord Dewald, Tuesday, November 24, 2009.

Real estate detail-view pages all look pretty much the same, don't they? A few photos, the details about the house ... maybe a map. Maybe the whole thing is well designed or just framed in without any design, straight from the feed provider (you know, those gray-background detail-view pages that look like they were designed by an accountant).  more...

Canada's gov't pushes for MLS changes

By Matt Carter, Tuesday, November 24, 2009.

Canadian Realtors are restricting consumer choice and limiting the scope of alternative business models, the Competition Bureau of Canada has reportedly concluded after wrapping up a two-year investigation and issuing proposed remedies to a trade association.

The Bureau wants the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) -- Canada's version of the National Association of Realtors -- to drop a rule that prevents Realtors from placing for-sale listings in the national Multiple Listing Service (MLS) system without providing other services, CREA President Dale Ripplinger said in an Oct. 29 letter to members.

Ripplinger said Canadian regulators also want CREA to drop a rule that prohibits listing the seller's name and contact information in the public remarks section of the MLS or on Realtor.ca, the Canadian equivalent of Realtor.com.  more...