Monday, May 14, 2012
Los Angeles Times
The pace of new home sales in March was up 7.5 percent from a year earlier, the Census Bureau and the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development reported this week.
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http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-new-home-sales-20120424,0,1201517.story?track=rss
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Asking prices on for-sale homes rose 0.5 percent in April compared with March on seasonally adjusted basis, according to the latest report by Trulia’s Price Monitor. Together with increases in March and February, asking prices in April rose nationally 1.9 percent quarter over quarter, seasonally adjusted.
Within the largest metro areas, asking prices rose year on year in some neighborhoods, but fell in others. Rents, however, rose in nearly all parts of these major metropolitan areas.
In Los Angeles, asking prices increased only in the downtown area. Prices fell elsewhere throughout the region, most of all in Long Beach, where rents also fell.
In the San Francisco Bay Area, prices rose most in San Francisco and fell furthest in Alameda County.
http://www2.realtoractioncenter.com/site/R?i=F10BM-OoTom4wqVohXwzHA
Monday, April 30, 2012
Los Angeles Times
A year ago, 1 out of 10 REALTORS® surveyed said houses were receiving low-ball offers. In the latest survey, there were hardly any. Instead, the focus ha shifted to declining inventory levels.
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http://www.latimes.com/business/realestate/la-fi-harney-20120422,0,7259627.story
Monday, April 16, 2012
The Los Angeles Times
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is considering tough rules for home loan servicers, including more easily understood statements and warnings before interest rate changes.
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http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-bank-rules-20120410,0,7307695.story
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Last week, C.A.R. leadership met with federal housing regulators and California’s Congressional Delegation in Washington, D.C., to discuss the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s (FHFA) bulk sale REO pilot program.
Leadership expressed C.A.R.’s strong opposition to the pilot program given the low inventory of homes for sale across California. According to C.A.R. statistics and discussions with California REALTORS®, the state is facing a shortage of available housing, and the lack of inventory has forced many buyers to face multiple offers across the state.
Although the pilot program calls for Los Angeles and Riverside counties to be included, federal regulators have stated they do not believe that properties that would sell for a higher price through the current REO broker network should be included in the bulk sales program.
Because many REO listings are selling for near or above listing price with multiple bids, C.A.R. hopes the FHFA will refrain from implementing the pilot program in California.
