Home prices end 2011 at lowest level since 2002 | HousingWire

Prices dropped 3.8% in the fourth quarter to levels last seen in 2002.Both the closely watched 20-city composite index and 10-city index declined 1.1% in December from a month earlier. The larger, benchmark index fell 3.9% and the 10-city index for December was 4% from a year earlier.
Of the top 20 largest metropolitan areas, just Miami at 0.2% and Phoenix at 0.8% experienced price appreciation in December from the prior month. Home prices in Atlanta fell 12.8% from a year earlier and Detroit was the only area to post a positive annual return, inching 0.5% higher than December 2010. **** READ MORE:  Home prices end 2011 at lowest level since 2002 HousingWire

FHA to review new condo restrictions

The Federal Housing Administration may revise recent regulations some say are hurting purchases and refinances for condominiums   read more  FHA to review new condo restrictions: 

Parenting 101: How to Teach Your Children Financial Skills

According to CNN Money, the earlier you teach kids about money, the better, as kids often as young as 4 and 5 often start asking questions about where money comes from.

Read more: How to Teach Kids Financial Skills | eHow.com

Property values fall as distressed properties take their toll: FNC | HousingWire

Seven markets showed positive month-to-month gains in prices, including Baltimore, Charlotte, Detroit, Cincinnati, Houston, Miami and Tampa **** READ MORE: Property values fall as distressed properties take their toll: FNC HousingWire

Nightmare continues for Florida foreclosure system

Florida courts continue to struggle with a backlog of more than 368,000 pending cases, according to one foreclosure attorney. It's a nightmare, and one with no end in sight **** READ MORE: Nightmare continues for Florida foreclosure system:

Freddie to adopt new way of valuing foreclosed properties | HousingWire

If the BPO comes in too low when compared to the model, Freddie will order an automated valuation or even a full-scale appraisal of the property until it is more in line with what the home should be worth, Mooney said.  ****READ MORE: Freddie to adopt new way of valuing foreclosed properties HousingWire

A look on the bright side of home values

While many housing markets remain weak, some bright spots are popping up especially in areas where inventory is low in lower-priced segments ****READ MORE: A look on the bright side of home values:

Home prices at lowest point in 10 years

Home prices fell to their lowest point in more than a decade in January, but that helped to lift the pace of home sales, according to a report from an industry trade group. **** READ MORE: Home prices at lowest point in 10 years:

Million-dollar foreclosures rise as rich walk away

Five years after the housing bubble burst, America's wealthiest families are now losing their homes to foreclosure at a faster rate than the rest of the country -- and many of them are doing so voluntarily **** READ MORE: Million-dollar foreclosures rise as rich walk away: 

Senate bill requires response to short sale requests within 75 days

A new Senate bill aims to speed up the short-sale process by requiring mortgage lenders or servicers to respond within a mandated timeline or face potential fines ****READ MORE: Senate bill requires response to short sale requests within 75 days:

Bill to speed up Florida foreclosures pauses

Legislation to accelerate the foreclosure process in Florida met protests last week but was not put on a committee agenda ****READ MORE: Bill to speed up Florida foreclosures pauses:

Your questions about foreclosure settlement answered

Good Q&A for the Foreclosure Settlements
It will not be extended to local financial institutions, such as credit unions or community banks. By Seattle Times staff No comments have been posted to this article. Washington state is one of the eight states ****READ MORE: Your questions about

Big Deal: Big Deal - Brazil Booms, and Brokers Smile

Well-off Brazilians are flocking to New York, where they are snapping up expensive apartments. And in Miami, they are propping up a moribund market ****READ MORE: Big Deal: Big Deal - Brazil Booms, and Brokers Smile: 

RealtyTrac reports foreclosure filings rise 3% in January

U.S. foreclosure filings edged up 3% in January as judicial foreclosure states began to see a thawing in delayed foreclosure activity, RealtyTrac said. **** READ MORE: RealtyTrac reports foreclosure filings rise 3% in January:

Housing starts up to 699,000 in January

Housing starts rose 1.5% in January to 699,000, the highest level since October 2008. **** READ MORE: Housing starts up to 699,000 in January:

Mortgage applications down 1% last week

Mortgage applications declined 1% the past week on fewer home purchases, the Mortgage Bankers Asso *****READ MORE: Mortgage applications down 1% last week:

How To Kick Adversity In The Butt

This is a guest post by Brixton Key, author of the novel, "Charlie Six." If you live long enough, chances are there will be a time in your life when no matter how hard you strive, you worry about going under. Many people feel that way in today's tough economic times because of job loss **** Read More: How To Kick Adversity In The Butt:

The Body Language of Love

There are many ways to say the words “I love you,” but the way that counts is said without words. The body language of love begins, of course, with flirting: fleeting eye contact, longer eye contact, smiling, grooming, drawing nearer to each other, accidental touching, and finally close one-to-one communion that shuts out the rest of the world.

Once two people are acknowledged lovers, something quite wonderful happens. Watch their body language in a restaurant, or strolling down the street, or at a party, and you’ll see something the non-verbal experts call synchronicity. That’s a mouthful that simply means that the two move together, gesture together, and react together, anticipating each other’s thoughts, intents, and desires. To experience that kind of harmony with another human being is the cure for loneliness, the antidote for despair, and the hope of the planet. We humans are hard-wired for empathy, and love is its culmination. On Valentine’s Day I wish you the happiness of another human being to dance with in perfect harmony, beyond words, and as close as the beating of your own heart. *** by Nick Morgan

Want a date? Buy a home

When it comes to dating, homeownership can be the ultimate aphrodisiac.Want a date? Buy a home:

Mortgage Plan Gives Billions to Homeowners, But With Some Exceptions

Under the settlement, nearly two million Americans could benefit from mortgage relief from the nation’s biggest banks. **** Read More;  Mortgage Plan Gives Billions to Homeowners, But With Some Exceptions: 

Lack of lending to creditworthy borrowers restricting housing: Bernanke

Mortgage originators who are reluctant to extend credit to potential borrowers who meet underwriting standards set by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are hindering the nation's economic turnaround. **** Read More; Lack of lending to creditworthy borrowers restricting housing: Bernanke:

Residential RE investment to more than double GDP growth in 2012

Investment in residential property will grow more than double the rate of gross domestic product in 2012, according to analysts at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. **** Read More; Residential RE investment to more than double GDP growth in 2012:

Wells Fargo to start $5.3 billion foreclosure settlement relief in March

Wells Fargo will begin implementing the mortgage refinancing requirements under the state and federal foreclosure settlement in March. **** Read More; Wells Fargo to start $5.3 billion foreclosure settlement relief in March:

Nice Girls Brag: Here’s How

Women are told that it’s not ladylike to brag. But done right, it can be one of the most effective ways to grow your business and your influence. **** Read More; Nice Girls Brag: Here’s How:

Become More Optimistic: 6 Smart Tricks

To acquire a more positive attitude, all you really need is a more powerful vocabulary. Try these linguistic shifts *** Become More Optimistic: 6 Smart Tricks:

What Realestate Agents Say?

A good laugh!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17Z3SDSBBBc&feature=player_embedded

Mortgage deal means more foreclosures

Even as the $26 billion mortgage settlement helps hundreds of thousands of troubled homeowners, it will bring a wave of new forclosures. **** Read More: Mortgage deal means more foreclosures:

What the foreclosure settlement means for you

What the foreclosure settlement means for you: The nation's five largest banks have finally struck a deal with 49 states to settle charges of abusive and negligent foreclosure practices dating back to 2008.

Banks paying delinquent borrowers to sell their homes

In an effort to cut their losses, banks are paying some struggling homeowners as much as $35,000 to sell their homes before they end up in foreclosure. **** Read More: Banks paying delinquent borrowers to sell their homes:

CoreLogic: Foreclosures drop 24% in 2011

Foreclosure activity dipped nationwide in 2011 as completed foreclosures fell 24% to 830,000 from 1.1 million a year earlier, according to a report from CoreLogic  **** CoreLogic: Foreclosures drop 24% in 2011:

More than 40 states to sign foreclosure settlement

More than 40 states will sign a settlement with the top five mortgage servicers over alleged foreclosure abuses that arose more than one year ago, a spokesman for Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller said. **** More than 40 states to sign foreclosure settlement:

Fannie Mae taking online offers for REO

Real estate agents can submit offers on behalf of their clients to buy Fannie Mae REO online. **** Read More; Fannie Mae taking online offers for REO:

Unpaid Interns Enter the World of Real Estate

Meet the real estate broker’s interns: an ambitious group willing to do anything, earn nothing.  

Please welcome to the bottom of the food chain an ambitious group willing to do anything, earn nothing and wake up early on a Sunday to fluff the couch cushions at your open house: the real estate broker’s interns. **** Read More; The Appraisal: Unpaid Interns Enter the World of Real Estate:

Capital Economics: REO to rental 'best housing fix so far'

Capital Economics called the program to move REO properties to rentals the “best housing fix so far” and “possibly more significant” than President Obama’s refinancing proposals announced late last month. **** Read More; Capital Economics: REO to rental 'best housing fix so far':

Foreclosure deal: Closer, but not there yet

States have until the close of the business day to agree to the latest draft deal aimed at relieving homeowners struggling with mortgages bigger than their home's value.**** Read More; Foreclosure deal: Closer, but not there yet:

11 Fears That Are Holding You Back | A Successful Woman

It's been said that FEAR stands for "Forget Everything And Run." It's that uncomfortable, disconcerting feeling that causes us to take a back seat in our own life and prevents us from proactively moving forward to reach our goals and aspirations. Instead of facing a personal, business or workplace situation head on and taking control of the proverbial handlebars of life, fear causes us to turn the other way, freeze in our tracks, or poke our head in the sand. 1. Fear of Success – This is actually a fear of achieving your dreams and standing out. Fear of the attention **** Read More; 11 Fears That Are Holding You Back A Successful Woman

Mortgage rates hit another new low

Just one day after President Obama detailed a proposal to enable millions of homeowners to refinance to record-low mortgage rates, those rates notched another record.
The 30-year, fixed rate fell to an average of 3.87% and the 15-year fixed dropped to 3.14% for the week ending February 2, both the lowest rates ever recorded in the 40-year history of the Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey.  *** Read More; Mortgage rates hit another new low:

International Real Estate: Real Estate in Aruba

The financial crunch has been felt in Aruba, but not severely enough to cause large numbers of foreclosures and short sales. *** Read More At-  International Real Estate: Real Estate in Aruba:

Small-Business Guide: Hiring Contractors Without Getting Into Trouble

The government has been cracking down on companies that treat workers as contractors for wage, tax and benefit purposes, but as employees when it comes to their work duties. **** More At; Small-Business Guide: Hiring Contractors Without Getting Into Trouble: ;

Can You Placate Your Aging Parent Who Resists Moving?

Most aging parents don't want to give up living in their own homes, even if everyone else thinks it's not a good idea to stay. If Mom or Dad wants to remain at home, figure out the cost of modifying the house and providing caregiving there. The results could surprise you. **** Read More At; Can You Placate Your Aging Parent Who Resists Moving?:

Become your kid's mortgage lender

Between slumping prices and low mortgage rates, it's a good time to look for real estate bargains. But thanks to tightened lending standards, legions of young would-be homebuyers aren't exactly in a position to take advantage of the opportunity. That's where their parents come in: One in three first-time buyers received either a gift or a loan from their families to help buy a home in 2011, according to the National Association of Realtors. **** Learn How; Become your kid's mortgage lender:

What Happens When You Walk Away From Your Home? - Yahoo! Finance

It was just last summer that Charlotte Perkins made the hardest decision of her life as she and her husband Jim were caught in the vise of the housing bust.

Wanting to downsize their lives as they headed toward retirement, they bought a new house in Mesa, Arizona, before they sold the old one, also in Mesa. Their previous home had been appraised at nearly $400,000 at the height of the market, but as the housing crisis ravaged Arizona, they were told they'd be lucky to get $200,000 for it ***** Read More;  What Happens When You Walk Away From Your Home? - Yahoo! Finance