S&P | Indices | Equity | Americas

S&P | Indices | Equity | Americas: "Latest Press Release
Home Prices Edge Closer to 2009 Lows According to the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices(PDF)
26-Apr-2011 09"

Home building trends: Housing expert John McIlwain talks about what a building revival would look like - latimes.com

Home building trends: Housing expert John McIlwain talks about what a building revival would look like - latimes.com: "The numbers report for the home-building industry couldn't have been more grim in February: New-home construction in the U.S. fell to a pace that would translate to about 250,000 homes for all of 2011, which would be the fewest built since the Commerce Department began keeping track in 1963.

If home building isn't dead, there's certainly time to think about what it would look like when it revives, perhaps from 2013 to 2015. That's according to John McIlwain, a senior fellow at the Urban Land Institute in Washington, which studies trends in housing and development."

U.S. home sales rise - DailyBulletin.com

U.S. home sales rise - DailyBulletin.com: "Investors lifted U.S. home sales last month, plunking down cash to grab cheap homes at risk of foreclosure. But purchases made by first-time homebuyers fell, a troubling sign for the weak housing market.
Sales of previously occupied homes rose in March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.1 million, the National Association of Realtors said Wednesday. That's a 3.7 percent increase from the February pace, but far below the 6 million homes a year that economists say represents a healthy market."

NCMSDC: Northern California Minority Supplier Development Council

NCMSDC: Northern California Minority Supplier Development Council: "MBE Certification Application Instructions
Please read the detailed instructions CAREFULLY before you proceed:

Step 1: Fill out the online Minority Business Certification Application.  Do not use all caps or all lower case when filling out the application.  Do not use symbols or punctuation when entering in numbers or percentages (ex. $, %, commas).  Simply enter in the digits only, otherwise the system will not save your application."

Media: News Releases > Fannie Mae Announces 3.5 Percent Buyer Assistance on

Media: News Releases > Fannie Mae Announces 3.5 Percent Buyer Assistance on: "Washington, DC — Fannie Mae announced today that people purchasing a Fannie Mae-owned HomePath property will receive up to 3.5 percent in closing cost assistance. The initial offer must be submitted on or after April 11, 2011; and the sale must close on or before June 30, 2011 to be eligible for the incentive. Additionally, buyers must reside in the home as their primary residence (sales to investors are excluded)."

For Good or For Bad: Further Foreclosure Delays Likely to be Caused by California Senate Bill 729 | ForeclosureTruth

For Good or For Bad: Further Foreclosure Delays Likely to be Caused by California Senate Bill 729 | ForeclosureTruth: "California Senate Bill 729 would require that lenders evaluate a timely loan modification request and provide the homeowner with a clear denial before beginning the foreclosure process with the Notice of Default. This is intended to stop the lender from double tracking the loan modification process with the foreclosure process, which has been said to sometimes result in a premature foreclosure on an otherwise qualified loan modification candidate. Stopping a premature foreclosure sale is good thing, but let’s not forget that there may be times when a denied loan modification is also a good thing."

Homepath Financing on FNMA REO's

Homepath Financing on FNMA REO's: "Investment Properties
The HomePath program is perhaps the only program that allows for the purchase of investment properties with as little as 10% down (only singles and 2-units; 3-4 require 25%). This really opens a door that has been closed for a while as there appears to be many interested in acquiring real estate as an investment but the down payment is a hurdle. Under this program the current limit of not more than 4 properties financed by same borrower with Fannie Mae is expanded to the “old” 10 unit rule. Note that after 4 properties the down payment required goes to 25%. The adjustment for the property being investment is 2.5 points vs. normal 3 points but with less than 20% down the buyer would also have to pay for the no PMI option and that is an additional 1.75 points for a total of 4.25 points. No special treatment for seller credits on investments, standard rules apply."

Housing market: 11.4% of all U.S. homes are vacant - Mar. 28, 2011

Housing market: 11.4% of all U.S. homes are vacant - Mar. 28, 2011: "The national vacancy rate at 11.4% according to a release Tuesday from the Census Bureau.

'Vacant homes equal more downward pressure on home prices,' said Brad Hunter, chief economist for Metrostudy, a real estate information provider."