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Apr

7
2009

Put real estate technology to the test

By Inman News, Tuesday, April 7, 2009.

Inman News is launching a new feature: Real Estate Product Reviews.

Would you like to be part of a team of real estate professionals that reviews and rates new real estate technologies, tools and services?

We want to hear from you.

Join a Product Review Team

Tell us, in one paragraph, about your real estate qualifications, experience using various relevant technologies, and why you would be interested in participating as a review team member or review team leader. Include your contact information and send your response to future@inman.com.  more...

Cracks showing in high-end floors

By Barry Stone, Tuesday, April 7, 2009.

DEAR BARRY: We had travertine tiles installed in our kitchen and the adjoining bathroom about a year ago as part of a remodel. Two sections, one in the kitchen and one in the bathroom, are cracking down the middle of the tiles. Our 66-year-old house has a raised foundation, and the contractor says that the backer boards he installed are separating due to settling. Therefore, he denies responsibility. Is he correct? --Jamie

DEAR JAMIE: It is so common for contractors and tradespeople to disclaim liability for defects that it's hard to know when the excuses are valid without inspecting the specific problems. However, here are some thoughts on your situation:  more...

Indie lenders lack short-term funding

By Inman News, Tuesday, April 7, 2009.

The Mortgage Bankers Association is calling on the government to guarantee warehouse lines of credit that provide independent lenders with short-term funding to originate loans.

Warehouse lending capacity is about one-tenth what it was two years ago, having shrunk from $200 billion to between $20 billion and $25 billion, said MBA president and CEO John Courson in an editorial published by The Washington Times.  more...

'Rookie' no more: a farewell

By Alison Rogers, Tuesday, April 7, 2009.
Alison Rogers, the 'Real Estate Rookie'

When I had been a journalist for about 15 years, I got hired to launch a new Saturday section at the New York Post, one that would be entirely about real estate.

With the help of my deputy Andy Wang and a really talented team of people, we created something that was part sports section, part personal finance advice, and part dream-home catalog. The section was new and different, and sales of the Saturday paper shot up. For two years I covered real estate so closely that I lived and breathed it, and that changed my outlook.  more...

Anatomy of a 'responsible' homeowner

By Marcie Geffner, Tuesday, April 7, 2009.
Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dfoster/2809020321/">davetoaster</a>.

Are you a "responsible" homeowner?

The question may seem odd or silly, but if you meet the definition, the federal government wants to help you refinance your mortgage.

The phrase "responsible homeowner," which is already in danger of becoming hackneyed, surfaced last year and was picked up by President Obama who declared, "We must … do everything we can to help responsible homeowners stay in their homes."

But the question must be asked: Who is a "responsible" homeowner?  more...

Foreclosure wave falls flat in some states Premium Content

By Erik Pisor, Tuesday, April 7, 2009.

While the number of nationwide foreclosure filings increased nearly 30 percent from February 2008 to February 2009 -- and states such as Nevada, Arizona, California and Florida continue to post the highest foreclosure rates -- often overlooked are those states that have consistently posted the nation’s lowest foreclosure rates.

With one foreclosure filing for every 60,062 households, Nebraska had the lowest foreclosure rate in the nation in February, followed by Vermont, which posted one foreclosure filing for every 28,312 households, according to RealtyTrac, a foreclosure data company.  more...

Foreclosure-related sales double in select metros

By Inman News, Tuesday, April 7, 2009.

Motivated sales -- defined as sales to third parties at foreclosure auctions and sales of foreclosed homes by financial institutions and foreclosure service firms -- accounted for about one-third of all transactions in 25 metro areas tracked by data and analytics company Radar Logic, according to a report for January 2009 released this month.  more...