Study: Few MLSs enforce data protection policies

Few multiple listing services enforce password policies protecting real estate clients' sensitive data from unauthorized access and few require strong passwords, respondents to an industry survey said, according to the data security company that conducted the survey.

"Respondents believe few MLSs enforce password policies that strongly protect MLS databases from unauthorized access," RSA Security Wednesday said of its May real estate industry survey.  more...

S.F. Bay Area real estate sales drop 25%

San Francisco Bay Area home sales sank for the 13th straight month in April as prices slowly reached a new peak, a real estate information service reported today.

A total of 8,358 new and resale houses and condos were sold in the nine-county region last month, down 25.1 percent from 11,158 for April last year. Last month's total fell 14.2 percent from 9,745 for March 2006, according to DataQuick Information Systems.

Last month was the slowest April since 2001 when 7,193 homes were sold.  more...

Real estate rates end week higher

Mortgage rates increased slightly this week as markets debated whether rising prices or cautious consumers would most significantly impact the economy, Freddie Mac reported today in its weekly survey.

Freddie Mac reported that the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage climbed to an average 6.6 percent for the week ended today, up from last week's average of 6.58 percent. The 30-year fixed has not been higher since the week ending June 20, 2002, when it averaged 6.63 percent.  more...

Economy cools in April

The U.S. leading index, a key barometer of economic conditions, fell in April, the Conference Board reported today.

The leading index decreased 0.1 percent last month and now stands at 138.9. Based on revised data, this index increased 0.4 percent in March and decreased 0.4 percent in February. During the six-month span through April, the leading index increased 1.5 percent, with eight out of 10 components advancing.

Housing permits made the largest negative contribution to the leading index in April.  more...

Asian Americans to lead future home-ownership growth

Asian Americans have seen the fastest growth in home-ownership attainment since 2000 of any population and their income and credit profile suggests that this growth will continue into the future, according to a new study that delves into the demographic trends and unique challenges within this group.

The study, released Wednesday from the Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) and the UCLA Asian American Studies Center, looked at key demographic trends such as population, home ownership and housing, income, language and immigration to gain a better understanding of the soc  more...

Survey: Mass affluent investors have most real estate risk

As analysts ponder the real estate bubble's possible collapse, new data suggest that the mass affluent -- those with investable assets between $100,000 and $1 million -- are at significant risk.

This large, mass affluent group has 37 percent of total assets tied up in real estate, with 23 percent in principal residences and 14 percent in investment real estate, according to a new report from Spectrem Group released today.  more...

CityCribs launches NYC real estate blog

CityCribs, a New York City marketplace for apartment rentals and sales, has launched CribsTown.com, a blog dedicated to renting, buying, selling and creating big city "cribs," or homes, "from the concrete up," the company said today.

"Whether users are searching for or selling a tiny studio, or idealizing a plush Park Avenue penthouse, Cribs Town is their one-stop-shop for insider tips on finding a home, fixing it up, and fitting it out with style and know-how," the company sai  more...

Turkish consumers apply for real estate loans via cell phone

Consumers in Turkey can now apply for real estate loans from the country's largest privately owned bank via their cell phones thanks to Fair Isaac technology, the company said today.

Akbank, Turkey's largest privately owned bank, is using "CepKredi" (English translation: "Speedy cell credit"), a service that allows consumers to apply via cell phone for mortgages, general purpose credit and auto loans, Fair Isaac said.

The service is powered by Fair Isaac's decision engine for account origination, which applies advanced analytics and segmentation decision rules to help Akbank  more...

Resale real estate activity slows in Canada

Resale housing activity in Canada's major markets edged down slightly in April compared to the previous month, according to statistics released by The Canadian Real Estate Association.

Seasonally adjusted home sales activity via the Multiple Listing Service in Canada's major markets numbered 27,746 units in April 2006 -- a decline of 3.2 percent compared to March.  more...

Real estate affordability flat in first quarter

Housing affordability across the United States remained virtually unchanged in the first quarter compared to fourth-quarter 2005, according to the latest National Association of Home Builders'/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index, as slightly lower home prices and higher household income helped offset rising mortgage rates.

The HOI rose marginally from its lowest level on record, 41 at year-end 2005, to 41.3 in the first quarter of 2006.

"The latest HOI shows that only 41.3 percent of new and existing homes that were sold during this year's first quarter were affordabl  more...

Survey: Almost half of senior home sellers use the Internet

Nearly half of all seniors use the Internet as part of the home-selling process and most senior home sellers relocate less than 50 miles away from their primary residence, according to a research report released Wednesday detailing home-selling behaviors of the senior market.

The "Moving Forward: 50 and Beyond" survey, conducted in February, explored the selling trends of consumers over 50 who sold a home within the last six months.  more...