Keller Williams adds transaction management software vendor

Keller Williams Realty has added SettlementRoom, a real estate transaction management system, to its roster of preferred vendors for its 38,000 agents across the country.

The transaction management software allows agents, brokers and multi-office companies to manage all of their real estate listings  more...

Real Living makes Super Bowl ad splash

Residential real estate firm Real Living will kick off its new 2005 advertising campaign during this year's Super Bowl XXXIX. The firm has created 10-second, live animation "walk over ads," the first of which, called Walking Lady, will debut during local programming just before and immediately following the national feed of the football game this Sunday.  more...

Social Security dollars could fuel another real estate boom

It's difficult to pick up a newspaper these days or turn on the news and not hear the talk, both pro and con, for privatization of the Social Security system – especially after Wednesday night's State of the Union address.

On the Westside of Los Angeles, where most people don't have to worry about their retirement dollars if the equity in their house continues to rise at this rate, the talk is whether or not the government will really allow people to invest the money however they want and whether real estate will be one of those benefactors.

"It could be a huge boom to  more...

Consumer confidence dips in January

Consumer confidence recorded a small decline in January, partially reversing the very strong gain in the December 2004 survey, according to a survey conducted by the University of Michigan.  more...

Companies waste $22 billion annually on spam

Spam, that ever-growing inbox menace, costs American businesses nearly $22 billion annually in wasted time spent deleting it, according to a new study from the University of Maryland.

More than three-quarters of adults surveyed by telephone said they receive spam daily.  more...

Stewart lands two real estate title companies

Further consolidating the title insurance industry, Stewart Title Co.  more...

HouseValues reports profitable year

Online real estate marketing company HouseValues on Thursday reported $14.4 million revenue for the fourth quarter, up 112 percent from the same quarter the previous year.  more...

Senate committee to examine role of Fannie, Freddie

The Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee is holding a hearing on the role of government sponsored enterprises such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in the mortgage market Feb.  more...

Flat-fee real estate co. adds 145 franchises in 2004

Assist-2-Sell, a real estate services discounter, added 145 owner-operated franchises in 2004, bringing the Jan. 1 total to 440. The company's rate of adding new offices in 2004 increased 61 percent compared to its new offices in 2003, Assist-2-Sell co-owners Mary LaMeres-Pomin and Lyle E.  more...

NRT boosts presence on Realtor.com

Realtor.com has entered into a marketing agreement with NRT Inc.  more...

New standards for predatory lending protection

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, which oversees national banks, has issued residential real estate lending standards as an additional step to protect against national banks becoming involved in predatory, abusive, unfair or deceptive residential mortgage lending practices. 

"The OCC is committed to ensuring that abusive lending practices do not gain a foothold in the national banking system," said Julie L. Williams, acting Comptroller of the Currency.   more...