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News Analysis: Housing bill explained in 'Special English'

By Matt Carter, Friday, August 1, 2008.

I'm always surprised if I'm speaking to someone who works in real estate and they say something that reveals they don't understand how mortgages are funded today and the crucial role Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac play in the process.  more...

Mortgage markets with most potential?

By Inman News, Friday, August 1, 2008.

iEmergent sees 18.3% decline in '08 lending
An estimated 5.57 million mortgage purchase loans totaling $947 billion will be made this year, an 18.3 percent decline in dollars from 2007 and down 34 percent from 2006, according to projections from Des Moines, Iowa-based market forecaster iEmergent.

In its 2008 Mid-Year Mortgage Volume Forecasts, iEmergent projects refinance volume will range from a low of 5.4 million loans totaling $997 billion to up to 6.3 million loans valued at $1.16 billion.  more...

Radar Logic reports more home-price declines

By Inman News, Friday, August 1, 2008.

Milwaukee, Sacramento at opposite ends of price-per-square-foot index
Twenty-three of 25 metro market areas tracked in a May home-price report saw declines in price per square foot compared to a year ago, real estate data and analytics company Radar Logic reported today.  more...

First American is lone title insurer bearing good news Premium Content

By Matt Carter, Friday, August 1, 2008.

It's looking lonely at the top for First American Corp., as the nation's leading title insurer is the only company in the industry to report good news during the second quarter.

First American said Thursday that it racked up $42 million in profits during the quarter ending in June, as cost-cutting measures outstripped a 20 percent year-over-year decline in revenue, which fell to $1.72 billion. The results beat analysts' expectations and represented a turnaround from the same quarter a year ago, when First American lost $66 million.  more...