Most seniors believe homes OK for aging in place

The majority of seniors in the U.S. believe their homes are appropriate for "aging in place," or growing old at home, instead of moving to a nursing home, a study said.

According to the 2005 Senior Sentiment Survey, a study by reverse mortgage lender Freedom Financial, 81 percent believe their homes are appropriate for aging in place, the company said Thursday.

Of the seniors who say their homes are appropriate for aging in place, 84 percent said they intend to stay in their homes indefinitely, according to the study.  more...

Overnight real estate rates slip

Long-term mortgage interest rates were down Thursday, and the benchmark 10-year Treasury bond yield rose to 4.3 percent.

The 30-year fixed-rate average dipped to 5.39 percent, and the 15-year fixed-rate sank to 4.96 percent. The 1-year adjustable was down at 4.02 percent.

The 30-year Treasury bond yield increased to 4.55 percent.

Rates are current as of 7:15 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.  more...

Home-buying plans sink to 10-year low

Consumer confidence and home-buying plans fell to their lowest levels in more than a decade, according to the University of Michigan's Survey of Consumers.

Consumer confidence plunged in September to its lowest level in more than 12 years, while consumer home-buying plans also fell to 10-year lows, according to the survey. The decline in home-buying plans was due to an increasingly negative reaction to high home prices, as consumers expressed in September the least favorable assessment in nearly a quarter century.  more...

East Coast real estate sales improve

Home sales and prices in Virginia and Massachusetts during August posted modest growth from a year ago, according to Realtor associations in those states.

In Virginia, home sales for August increased approximately 4 percent from a year ago, according to the Virginia Association of Realtors.  more...

California real estate construction falls

Despite a large decline in housing starts during August, due in part to a fee increase in Riverside County, housing construction is expected to remain bullish for the remainder of 2005 and into 2006, the California Building Industry Association reported.

CBIA Chief Executive Officer Robert Rivinius said that was good news for the economy but the numbers still portend bad news for prospective home buyers because it means the supply of new homes and apartments will continue to fall short of the demand.

A total of 16,522 building  more...

New click-to-talk system enters real estate realm

PrivateTel, a privacy-oriented telecommunications company, today announced the launch of Click-and-Connect, a customer relationship management technology for real estate firms that enables home buyers to connect by telephone with real estate agents with the click of a mouse.  more...

Stewart Title of Calif. breaks into property and casualty insurance

Stewart Title of California is set to enter the property and casualty insurance industry with the launch of Stewart of California Insurance and Financial Services. The company represents a portfolio of insurance carriers, including Allied Insurance, The Hartford and Travelors.

Stewart of California Insurance and Financial Services, SIFS, is an independent agency, working with more than 45 A-rated insurance companies nationwide, said Mark McCormick, executive vice president and chief financial officer.  more...

Court awards sanction against MLS

A superior court judge in Whatcom County, Wash., has ordered the Bellingham-Whatcom County Multiple Listing Service to pay $50,000 in sanctions related to an earlier lawsuit against the Northwest MLS of Kirkland, Wash., according to an announcement Thursday by the Northwest MLS.

Officials at the Bellingham-Whatcom group had no comment.

The Bellingham-Whatcom County MLS, which has about 900 members in 70 offices, alleged in a  more...