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Mar

31
2008

Calling all RESPA nerds

By Matt Carter, Monday, March 31, 2008.

After checking out the cool ways people are using the "Technology, Tools and Tidbits" group on the Community page of the new Inman site last week (see previous post), I decided it would be fun to create a new group on RESPA reform (OK, maybe not FUN -- nobody is quite that dorky -- but useful and informative, perhaps).  more...

Reports: Rise and fall of home values has a lot to do with original value

By Glenn Roberts Jr., Monday, March 31, 2008.

A March economic report by PMI Mortgage Insurance Co. includes a brief analysis: "House Price Declines Have Been Bigger for Lower Priced Homes." This item in the report cites data from the Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller house price index, which provides price data in two tiers -- upper-value homes and lower-value homes -- for 17 metro areas.  more...

Mar

28
2008

Certain forms of alternative documentation are appropriate

By Matt Carter, Friday, March 28, 2008.

Hardly news, perhaps, when everybody with a dollar left to lend is being more cautious about who they lend it to, but in case you missed today's Inman News story on private mortgage insurer Radian Guaranty Inc.'s decision to stop insuring limited documentation "alt-A" loans, it might still serve as a nice chaser for this 80-proof shot of insight into the underwriting of "liar loans."  more...

If you don't ask, you'll never know...

By Matt Carter, Friday, March 28, 2008.

Have you checked out the "Community" page of the new Inman site yet? You can join a group (or create one) and start discussions or pose questions on topics you're interested in learning more about.

Here's a good example of how it can work.

Stacey Pfeifer, posting in the "Technology, Tools and Tidbits" group, asks "Do you Twitter and how is that working for you?"  more...

Embattled HUD secretary's FHA rescue plan gets the cold shoulder

By Matt Carter, Friday, March 28, 2008.

HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson can't get a break these days. The guy floats an idea in the press that maybe FHA could create a new program to help upside-down borrowers -- by insuring 80 to 85 percent of a loan, instead of the full amount -- and the Bush administration acts like he's that embarrassing relative who gets loaded and jumps up on the bandstand at weddings.

Jackson told the Washington Times last week that he'd proposed the new loan guarantee program to the White House last week.  more...

Mar

27
2008

Outside-the-box thinking

By Glenn Roberts Jr., Thursday, March 27, 2008.

The staff directory page at the Pacific West Association of Realtors shows that even typically drab Web pages with dozens of mug shots, names and titles can be fun ... and funny.

See if you can find something out of the ordinary when you peruse the management information systems staff at this site.

RESPA reform alive again

By Jessica Swesey, Thursday, March 27, 2008.

Inman's own Matt Carter just buttoned up a three-part Special Report giving a deep look at HUD's latest RESPA reform proposal, and how it meshes with issues that stopped reform from going through six years ago.

The full PDF is available and downloadable to Inman Premium members at this link.
 more...

Mar

26
2008

Packaging is dead! Long live packaging!

By Matt Carter, Wednesday, March 26, 2008.

I've been talking to some folks in the real estate industry about HUD's new RESPA reform proposal for an upcoming special report, and what I'm hearing are concerns that while this may be "RESPA light" with a focus on improved disclosures, there are some incentives for packaging that, the more people look at them, the more they are reminded of the rule change HUD tried and failed to push through nearly six years ago.

(This post is continued in the comments section).

Your home is my dogfighting arena

By Glenn Roberts Jr., Wednesday, March 26, 2008.

A Reuters news report details how some cities are grappling with the growing problem of vacant and abandoned homes -- a blighting side effect of the housing market downturn and rise in foreclosures.  more...

Mar

25
2008

'Put this on my NAR card, please'

By Glenn Roberts Jr., Tuesday, March 25, 2008.

From a National Association of Realtors brochure: a planned Web-based Realtors Federal Credit Union will offer "a full range of products and services for its members, including: deposit and financial services, personal and business savings (including tax accumulation accounts), personal and business checking, courtesy pay (overdraft protection), direct deposit, money market accounts, health savings accounts, CDs, IRAs, loans, personal unsecured, commission advance, open lines of credit, new & used vehicle l  more...

Mar

24
2008

Zillow founder is now behind GlassDoor

By Glenn Roberts Jr., Monday, March 24, 2008.

Zillow and Expedia founder Richard Barton is the founder and chairman of the board for a new startup company that is based in the San Francisco Bay Area.

GlassDoor.com is "led by ex-Expedia and Microsoft executives (who) have a history of using new technology to rewire old industries."  more...

Reap what you sow

By Matt Carter, Monday, March 24, 2008.

With a half-whimsical, half-official sounding name -- PennyMac -- plus backing from investment management firm BlackRock and a 27-year Countrywide Financial veteran, Stanford Kurland at the helm, a new company that will buy up distressed mortgages is guaranteed to at least stir up some controversy and make headlines, if not gobs of money.  more...

A Very Creamy Carnival of Real Estate

By Joel Burslem, Monday, March 24, 2008.

Easter means different things to different people - but to me, it always meant one thing as a kid. Chocolate.

More importantly, a creamy fondant interior covered by a thick milk chocolate shell. Yes, I'm talking about that pocket-sized sugar bomb that is the Cadbury Creme Egg.  more...

Mar

21
2008

BlueRoof spins off 360 brand

By Glenn Roberts Jr., Friday, March 21, 2008.

BlueRoof, a Salt Lake City brokerage company with a slick Web site and map-based property search tool that launched in 2006, has spawned a new company that focuses on Web design, lead management, networking and consulting: BlueRoof360.  more...

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