Fixed-Rates Stable, Posting Little Change From Last Week's Figures

McLean, VA – Freddie Mac (NYSE:FRE) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 5.06 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending April 29, 2010, down slightly from last week when it averaged 5.07 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 4.78 percent.
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Source: realtytimes.com

Existing-Home Sales Rise on Home Buyer Tax Credit and Favorable Market Conditions

RISMEDIA, April 23, 2010—Buyers responding to the home buyer tax credit and favorable affordability conditions boosted existing-home sales in March 2010, marking the beginning of an expected spring surge, according to the National Association of Realtors.
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Source: rismedia.com

Housing Starts Maintain Upward Trend in March 2010

RISMEDIA, April 20, 2010—(MCT)—Fresh data on new construction of U.S. housing units revealed an upward trend in place since the beginning of the year, with an initial report of February 2010 weakness revised away.
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Source: rismedia.com

Foreclosure Activity Increases 7 Percent in First Quarter 2010 According to RealtyTrac U.S. Foreclosure Market Report

RISMEDIA, April 15, 2010—RealtyTrac, a leading online marketplace for foreclosure properties released its U.S. Foreclosure Market Report for Q1 2010, which shows that foreclosure filings—default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions—were reported on 932,234 properties in the first quarter, a 7% increase from the previous quarter and a 16% increase from the first quarter of 2009. One in every 138 U.S. housing units received a foreclosure filing during the quarter.
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Source: rismedia.com

Study: Number of U.S. Households Falls by 1.2 Million

RISMEDIA, April 9, 2010—(MCT)—The number of American households dropped by an estimated 1.2 million between 2005 and 2008, even though the population increased by 3.4 million in 80 of the largest metropolitan areas during that time, according to a new study by a professor at the University of Southern California.
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Source: rismedia.com

Real Estate Outlook: Positive Track

When home prices, mortgage applications to buy homes and consumer confidence are ALL pointing upward, even the perpetual doomsayers on Wall Street have to admit: Housing in the U.S. looks like it's on a very positive track. And that's where we are right now. The latest monthly Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller home price index came in higher last week. Prices were up in 12 of the 20 major markets that Case Shiller monitors.
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Source: realtytimes.com

A Time to Sell, a Time to Buy – Opportunities Abound for All in 2010

RISMEDIA, April 1, 2010—The real estate brokerage industry is in the process of coming out of a significant storm that has wreaked havoc on a large percentage of firms. Some have failed, some are hanging on, and yet others are reinventing themselves for the future. Regardless of your company’s situation, it’s time to assess where you want to be in the next few years and what it’s going to take to get there. Doing nothing is simply not an option.
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Source: rismedia.com