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The rise of media mashups Premium Content

By Erik Pisor, Monday, May 11, 2009.

With mainstream media in the midst of a major transformation, mashups that blend user-generated content with more traditional news sources are cropping up across the Web.

These hybrid, aggregated news sites can blur the boundaries of social media and journalism, serving as a catch-all for all types of timely online content.

Joseph Ferrara, a New York real estate attorney and publisher of the often offbeat and sometimes irreverent Sellsius real estate blog, and partner Anthony Barba are seeking to define these blurry lines with the launch of TheClozing.com.  more...

Why many REOs aren't selling

By Tara-Nicholle Nelson, Monday, May 11, 2009.
Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/icanchangethisright/3444212567/" target=blank>bradleygee</a>.

I'm a real estate broker and attorney. I put myself through grad school, in part, as a probation officer. So, guess which career made me start carrying a vat of hand sanitizer in my car? It sure wasn't working with criminals!

As the numbers of REOs on the market has steadily increased, so has the amount of sheer filth my clients and I encounter on a daily basis. In fact, most of my clients have developed a bizarre (but sensible) Pavlovian response: When my thumb presses the little doors that slide open the middle console in my car, they hold up their open palms to receive their ration of alcohol gel.  more...

Hurricane strips owners of rental rights

By Benny Kass, Monday, May 11, 2009.

DEAR BENNY: I purchased a condo in Florida in 1990. I lived there for 17 years, and then moved with the assumption that I would be able to rent it, as was the case all the time. After Hurricane Charlie, the board said that the insurance company was going to charge too much of a premium if we had rental units. Only if your unit was rented at the time of this ruling could you rent it, and when the leases ran out, it could be rented for only four months in a calendar year. Is this allowed for original owners?  more...

Three sites break into Hitwise top 20 Premium Content

By Inman News, Monday, May 11, 2009.

MyNewPlace, mlsfinder.com and VisualTour.com climbed into the ranks of the 20 most visited real estate Web sites during April, according to an analysis of Internet traffic by metrics company Hitwise.  more...

'If the experts say it's so ...' Premium Content

By Bernice Ross, Monday, May 11, 2009.

The markets still may be frosty, but there are plenty of signs that the deep freeze in the real estate market may be beginning to thaw.

If the experts say it's so …
Is the real estate market slowly moving towards recovery? A number of experts seem to think so.

After reviewing the latest data on home sales, construction and consumer spending, Ben Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Reserve, observed that the economy is improving.  more...

Agent teams pose challenges for brokers Premium Content

By Erik Pisor, Monday, May 11, 2009.

Editor's note: View additional Inman News coverage of agent teams and related issues here.

While agent teams can create their support network by pooling resources and sharing expenses, they also pose challenges for brokers and brokerage companies.

There is the matter of office space to accommodate teams, as well as marketing costs and technical support.  more...

Loan mod: Go it alone?

By Jack Guttentag, Monday, May 11, 2009.

Last week, I went over the steps involved in getting a loan modified. This article examines which, if any of these steps, may require a borrower to seek help.

The bottom line is that many, perhaps most, borrowers can handle it all themselves, but some may need an assist here or there. And some may want to delegate the entire responsibility.  more...

Appraisals killing deals in many markets

By Dian Hymer, Monday, May 11, 2009.

Finding the right house to buy is never easy; selling a home today is also challenge. It's best to prepare yourself for obstacles that could cross your path so that you're prepared should they arise.

In some markets, one in three transactions doesn't close. This is a high ratio compared to the fallout ratio in previous years when the housing market was stronger and financing options were plentiful. In past years, most transactions fell apart over inspection issues. The biggest hitch today is financing, which is not to say that property defects don't come into play.  more...