Home

Tweet all about it: Inman Twitter contest

By Inman News, Wednesday, July 1, 2009.

Inman News has launched a contest on Twitter.

The rules are simple:

Post a message (a "tweet") on Twitter that includes a link to this Web page: "http://www.inman.com/events/real-estate-connect-san-francisco-2009" and also include the hashtag "#icsf" so that we can track the tweets.  more...

Home Affordable refi program expanded Premium Content

By Inman News, Wednesday, July 1, 2009.

Homeowners who are up to 125 percent underwater will be allowed to refinance under the Obama administration's Home Affordable Refinance Program if they are current on their payments and their loan is owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.

The federal regulator overseeing Fannie and Freddie has boosted the program's loan-to-value (LTV) ceiling from 105 percent to 125 percent to allow more homeowners to take advantage of lower mortgage rates.  more...

Pending home sales inch up in May

By Inman News, Wednesday, July 1, 2009.

An index tracking pending sales of existing homes inched up a barely perceptible 0.1 percent from April to May, but it marked the first time the index has posted four consecutive monthly gains since October, 2004, the National Association of Realtors said.

At 90.7, the Pending Home Sales Index was up 6.7 percent from a year ago. An index of 100 is equal to the average level of contract activity during 2001, the year NAR launched the index and the first of five consecutive record years of existing-home sales.  more...

Refi applications plunge 30%

By Inman News, Wednesday, July 1, 2009.

Applications for mortgage refinancings fell 30 percent last week to their lowest level since November, the Mortgage Bankers Association said.

The MBA's Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending June 26 also showed a seasonally adjusted drop of 4.5 percent from the previous week.  more...

Real estate and social media marketing

By Inman News, Wednesday, July 1, 2009.

Real estate is an inherently social enterprise -- agent-client relationships stemming from real estate deals can mature as personal friendships, and personal friendships can become business relationships.

As a real estate professional, the more people you know, the more prospective buyers and sellers you know.

Online social media can bring friends closer and make it easier for people to get to know strangers, too.  more...

Sawbuck Realty expands to Los Angeles

By Inman News, Wednesday, July 1, 2009.

Sawbuck Realty today announced an expansion to the Los Angeles area, including Los Angeles and Orange counties and the Inland Empire.

The company has rolled out new features on its redesigned Web site and also announced that it has closed on $2 million in a first round of financing, which will be used to drive further expansion and improve the company's Web site. A.H. Belo Corp led the financing round.  more...