Marketing & Statistics

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 19, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Nationwide housing starts rose 5.8 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 672,000 units in April as the deadline for an important home buyer tax incentive arrived, according to figures released today by the U.S. Commerce Department.

MILWAUKEE, WI - May 18, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA®) and Red Brown Kle′ Marketing Communications (RBK) have come together, once more to promote homeownership in Wisconsin – this time with the WHEDA Advantage home loan. This new mortgage product is the only option in the state which provides a unique combination of features designed expressly for first-time home buyers such as: lower cash to close (as little as $1,000), reduced fees (no private mortgage insurance needed) and job loss mortgage protection, just to name a few.

MORRIS PLAINS, N.J. - May 18, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Much attention was paid to the now expired tax credit and the unique opportunity it presented for homebuyers, and rightfully so.

Washington, DC - May 18, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- First quarter 2010 commercial and multifamily mortgage loan originations were 12 percent higher than during the same period last year and 26 percent lower than during the fourth quarter of 2009, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Quarterly Survey of Commercial/Multifamily Mortgage Bankers Originations.

Denver, CO - May 17, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The second national survey in as many months shows RE/MAX agents and offices far outperformed all competitors, selling more homes, assisting more families, and leading all other real estate companies in every measurable category. In the 2010 REAL Trends 500 survey, RE/MAX brokerages held 122, or 24%, of the Top 500 positions, with RE/MAX agents averaging an impressive 20.65 transaction sides, 42% higher than the next closest competitor.

LOS ANGELES, CA - May 14, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The percentage of households that could afford to buy an entry-level home in California stood at 66 percent in the first quarter of 2010, compared with 69 percent for the same period a year ago

Still below year-ago levels however. SACRAMENTO, CA - May 13, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The pace of home sales at California new-home communities rose a bit in March from February but continued to be notably lower than levels seen a year ago, the California Building Industry Association reported today

McLean, VA - May 13, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- 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 4.93 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending May 13, 2010, down from last week when it averaged 5.00 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 4.86 percent. The 30-year FRM has not been lower since the week ending December 10, 2009, when it averaged 4.81 percent

Tulsa, Ok - May 13, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Tulsa World reports Oklahoma has the lowest percentage of upside-down mortgages in the country.

San Francisco, CA - May 13, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Redfin today released new data on the San Francisco Bay Area market showing that the median price of a Bay Area single-family home increased 5.5% from March to April. In Marin County, prices for single-family homes jumped 10% in one month, aided by lower interest rates for jumbo loans. Santa Clara County house prices increased 7% month over month and 33% year over year, driven by a shrinking supply of bank-owned properties. House prices in Alameda, San Francisco and San Mateo counties grew by between 1% and 2% month over month

IRVINE, CA - May 13, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- RealtyTrac® (realtytrac.com), the leading online marketplace for foreclosure properties, today released its U.S. Foreclosure Market Report™ for April 2010, which shows that foreclosure filings — default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions — were reported on 333,837 properties in April, a 9 percent decrease from the previous month and a 2 percent decrease from April 2009. One in every 387 U.S. housing units received a foreclosure filing during the month.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 12, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- (May 12, 2010) — The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today released its Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending May 7, 2010. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 3.9 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index increased 3.4 percent compared with the previous week.

ORLANDO, FL - May 12, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Sales of existing single-family homes in Florida rose 24 percent in first quarter 2010 compared to the same period a year earlier, according to the latest housing statistics from Florida Realtors®. A total of 38,846 existing homes sold statewide in 1Q 2010; during the same period the year before, a total of 31,410 existing homes sold. It marks the seventh consecutive quarter that Florida has seen higher existing year-to-year home sales, according to the state association.Statewide sales of existing condominiums in the first quarter rose 67 percent compared to the same time the previous year. This marks the sixth consecutive quarter for increased statewide sales in both the existing home and condo markets compared to year-ago levels.

Edison, NJ - May 11, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Reacting to the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®' (NAR) 2010 First Quarter Metro Home Prices/State Resales report, New Jersey Association of REALTORS® (NJAR®) Chief Executive Officer Jarrod C. Grasso, RCE, today issued the following statement:

SPRINGFIELD, IL - May 11, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Buyers were out in force in the first quarter led by low interest rates and homebuyer tax credits. According to the Illinois Association of REALTORS® (IAR) first quarter 2010 report, Illinois home sales (which include single-family homes and condominiums) totaled 21,242 in the first quarter, up 23.5 percent from 17,194 home sales in the same period a year ago. The first quarter statewide median home sale price was $144,600, off 0.3 percent from $145,000 in the first quarter of 2009. The median is a typical market price where half the homes sold for more, half sold for les

ANDOVER, MA - May 11, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) officials have heard it all when it comes to homeowners who tell them why they aren’t going to apply for a low-interest disaster loan.

WALTHAM, MA - May 11, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR) today announced that for the first time since MAR started collecting survey data in January 2008, the REALTOR® Market Index is on the positive side of the 100-point scale for April. For the third straight month REALTORS® are optimistic on price as the REALTOR® Price Index also continues to be in positive territory.

Washington, DC - May 11, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A growing number of metropolitan areas are experiencing price gains from a year ago, while most states have seen healthy gains in home sales from the first quarter of 2009, according to the latest survey by the National Association of Realtors

Washington, DC - May 6, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- With the real estate market improving, three-quarters of Realtors® are very certain they will remain active in the market for two more years, according to the 2010 National Association of Realtors® Member Profile. Only 8 percent were uncertain about their future.

McLean, VA - May 6, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- 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 5.00 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending May 6, 2010, down from last week when it averaged 5.06 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 4.84 percent.

ATLANTA, GA - May 5, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- To make the home shopping process even easier for buyers, Tina Fountain Realtors has introduced a premier property search tool in the Atlanta area for use on mobile devices. Any web-enabled cell phone can access the free mobile search feature, helping buyers locate properties based upon city, address, MLS, and other options.

CHICAGO, IL - May 4, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Jones Lang LaSalle announced today that it has been named the highest ranked commercial real estate services firm on the 2010 Global Outsourcing 100®, the annual ranking of high-quality service providers across all industries as determined by the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals® (IAOP®)

WALTHAM, MA - May 4, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR) reported today that the number of single-family homes put under agreement in April was up 25 percent over the same time last year, while condominiums were up 22 percent. April is the tenth straight month that the number of both single-family homes and condominiums put under agreement had increased over the year before.

Tampa, FL - May 3, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) today urged homeowners to integrate disaster-resistance into their remodeling plans this year.

McLean, VA - April 29, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- 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

Median Borrower Reduced Interest Rate by 16 Percent. McLean, VA - April 29, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- In the first quarter of 2010, one-half of borrowers who refinanced their conventional loan lowered their mortgage interest rate by at least 16 percent according to Freddie Mac’s quarterly Refinance Report. The new interest rate was 0.9 percentage points or more below the old rate for one-half of borrowers

April 29, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The decline in remodeling activity may be reaching an end, according to the latest National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) Remodeling Market Index (RMI). Current market conditions jumped to 47.0 from 36.4 in the fourth quarter of 2009. Future indicators of remodeling business leapt to 48.9 from 31.4 in the last quarter. A new unified measure incorporating both current and future conditions, called the RMI Index, rose to 47.9 from 33.9 in the previous quarter

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 28, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today released its Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending April 23, 2010. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume decreased 2.9 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index decreased 1.9 percent compared with the previous week

WASHINGTON, DC - April 27, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Fannie Mae (FNM/NYSE) today announced the extension of its seller assistance incentive on all Fannie Mae-owned HomePath properties. Buyers will receive 3.5 percent of the final sales price to be used toward closing cost assistance or their choice of selected appliances. The offer is available to any owner-occupant who closes on the purchase of a property listed on www.HomePath.com by June 30, 2010.

Washington, DC - April 27, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Housing Finance Agency today reported that the average interest rate on conventional 30-year, fixed-rate, mortgage loans of $417,000 or less decreased 4 basis points to 5.09 percent in March. The average interest rate on 15- year, fixed-rate loans of $417,000 decreased 8 basis points to 4.57 percent in March. These rates are calculated from the FHFA’s Monthly Interest Rate Survey (MIRS) of purchase-money mortgages. These results reflect loans closed during the March 25-31 period. Typically, the interest rate is determined 30 to 45 days before the loan is closed. Thus, the reported rates depict market conditions prevailing in mid- to late-February.