FHA extended HARP until June 30, 2012. The Supreme Court of  New York ruled in favor of MERS, confirming it’s ability to foreclose on a mortgage and assign it. An attorney general accused Meredian Financial of tricking homeowners into believing it was their current mortgage company and took fees for refinancing services that never transpired. California home values decreased 4.25% for the year ended January, according to MDA DataQuick.

In The News:

Mercury News – “Peninsula keeps adding housing, but few moving in” (3-12-11)

“The 2010 U.S. Census report released last week shows that San Mateo County added just 10,453 housing units in the past decade, and two-thirds of the extra homes are empty”

Housing Wire – “BarCap expects minimal secondary market impact from HARP extension” (3-14-11)

“The Federal Housing Finance Agency extended HARP for one year. The program launched in March 2009, allowing borrowers to refinance their Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgage out of negative equity and into a lower-rate mortgage. The program is now set to expire June 30, 2012.”

Wall Street Journal – “Fannie, Freddie Probe Focuses on Disclosure” (3-14-11)

“A Wells notice indicates that the SEC staff is preparing to recommend civil enforcement actions and gives individuals the opportunity to persuade regulators against such an action. Similar notifications have been sent to at least two other officials who worked with Mr. Mudd at Fannie, according to people familiar with the matter.”

Housing Wire – “New York Supreme Court upholds MERS ability to foreclose” (3-14-11)

“The Supreme Court of the State of New York ruled in favor of Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems last week, validating the company’s ability to foreclose on a mortgage and assign it.”

Housing Wire – “Internet whistle-blower e-mails show loose link to Bank of America” (3-14-11)

“An activist internet group called Anonymous dumped a string of confidential, internal Balboa Insurance Group e-mails online Monday morning. The group is claiming the correspondence reveals improprieties in how the firm handled mortgages — even possibly hiding foreclosure tracking information — while Balboa was still under the Bank of America umbrella.”

Orange County Register - “Minn. prosecutor sues Costa Mesa mortgage firm” (3-14-11)

“The Minnesota Attorney General’s office is suing a Costa Mesa mortgage firm, saying that the company, Meredian Financial Corp., duped homeowners into believing it was their current mortgage company, then took fees for refinancing services that never transpired.”

Housing Wire – “Some government backing beneficial to multifamily REITs: Moody’s” (3-14-11)

“A Treasury Department reform plan that creates a fee-based emergency fund to support the mortgage market in times of crisis is the best plan for multifamily real estate investment trusts, according to Moody’s Investors Service (MCO: 31.96 -1.24%). The plan is one of three possible mortgage market reforms outlined by the Treasury in February.”

Orange County Register – “Calif. home prices’ biggest fall in 14 months” (3-14-11)

“Statewide values were down 4.25 percent for the year ended January vs. a 2.6 percent year-to-year drop in the previous month. The last time California prices were falling at a faster rate was 14 months earlier — November 2009, when year-to-year depreciation ran 4.78 percent.”

For more information about The Norris Group’s California hard money loans or our California Trust Deed investments, visit the website or call our office at 951-780-5856 for more information. For upcoming California real estate investor training and events, visit The Norris Group website and our California investor calendar. You’ll also find our award-winning real estate radio show on KTIE 590am at 6pm on Saturdays or you can listen to over 170 podcasts in our free investor radio archive.

The MBA reports $110 billion in commercial and multifamily mortgages were originated in 2010. 36,500 mortgages were modified through government and proprietary programs in December, according to Fitch Ratings. Altos Research announced plans to release a new, forward valuation model for real estate. S&P claims 80% of the loan modifications that took place over the last 3 years defaulted again within 2 years.

In The News:

Mortgage Bankers Association – “MBA: Strong Fourth Quarter Drives 2010 Commercial/Multifamily Mortgage Bankers Originations 36 Percent Above 2009 Levels” (2-7-11)

“Mortgage bankers originated $110 billion of commercial and multifamily mortgages during 2010 – an increase of 36 percent from 2009″

Mortgage Bankers Association – “MBA: Only 11 Percent of $1.4 trillion of Non-Bank Commercial/Multifamily Mortgage Debt Set to Mature in 2011″ (2-7-11)

“Of the $1.4 trillion balance of outstanding commercial/multifamily mortgages held by non-bank investors, only 11 percent of the total ($155 billion) will mature in 2011, and 9 percent ($125 billion) in 2012″

Press Enterprise – “Surveys project Gen Y’s impact on for-sale and rental housing” (2-7-11)

“Gen Y forms a large consumer group–even a bit larger than the Baby Boomers, according to a report published by Meyers LLC, an Orange County based real estate research company. Meyers cites a report by the Marcus and Millichap commercial brokerage that 20-to-34 year olds constituted a 65 percent share of job gains in 2010.”

Washington Post – “Republicans call for swift action to weaken Fannie and Freddie” (2-7-11)

“Republicans unveiled a four-point outline of how they want to overhaul the nation’s troubled mortgage system, including shrinking the number of mortgages owned by the troubled companies.”

Housing Wire - “Mortgage modifications drop 57% from 2009 peak: Fitch” (2-7-11)

“Servicers modified 36,500 mortgages through government and proprietary programs in December 2010, down 57% from the peak of 86,500 in April 2009, according to Fitch Ratings.”

Housing Wire – “Altos unveils forward-looking valuation model” (2-7-11)

“The AltosEvaluate forward valuation modeling forecasts changes in a property’s sale price three, six, or 12 months into the future based on the strength or weakness of any local real estate market.”

Housing Wire - “BarCap reveals a new mess in mortgage servicing: Remittance reports” (2-7-11)

“For modified loans, remittance reports are not specifying the exact amount of forgiveness, forbearance and the recapitalization of principal. But they are added to the cash flows, confusing investors who can only see a hole of information between the beginning and ending loan balance.”

Housing Wire – “Fannie Mae multifamily funding drops 14% in 2010″ (2-7-11)

“Fannie Mae financing for multifamily properties in 2010 dropped 14% compared to 2009, with substantial decreases in funding to manufactured housing communities and senior housing.”

Housing Wire – “S&P: Loan mods fail to keep distressed borrowers afloat” (2-7-11)

“The New York-based rating agency said 80% of the loans cured by a modification in the time period stretching from 2007 to 2010 defaulted again within 24 months.”

Housing Wire – “FDIC will base insurance charges to banks on risk, not deposits” (2-7-11)

“Banks that take more risk with their investments will be forced to pay more in insurance costs to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., according to rules finalized on Monday.”

Bloomberg - “REITs Seek to Lure Pension-Fund Money From Private Equity” (2-7-11)

“The National Association of REITs found that a portfolio 30 percent invested in commercial property shares delivered a higher return relative to one more heavily tilted toward private-equity funds, based on a study to be published today on the group’s website.”

Housing Wire - “U.S. Homeowners in Foreclosure Process Were 507 Days Late Paying” (2-7-11)

“U.S. homeowners in the foreclosure process were an average of 507 days late on payments at the end of last year as lenders handled a record rate of mortgage delinquencies, Lender Processing Services Inc. said today.”

For more information about The Norris Group’s California hard money loans or our California Trust Deed investments, visit the website or call our office at 951-780-5856 for more information. For upcoming California real estate investor training and events, visit The Norris Group website and our California investor calendar. You’ll also find our award-winning real estate radio show on KTIE 590am at 6pm on Saturdays or you can listen to over 170 podcasts in our free investor radio archive.

22.5% of all mortgages were underwater in the 3rd quarter, according to CoreLogic. The FHA extended deadlines for condo projects seeking to renew their mortgage insurance. Altera Real Estate reports demand for O.C. homes decreased by 12%.

In The News:

Associated Press – “Fewer homeowners underwater in the third quarter” (12-13-10)

“About 10.8 million households, or 22.5 percent of all mortgaged homes, were underwater in the July-September quarter, housing data firm CoreLogic said Monday. That’s down from 23 percent, or 11 million households, in the second quarter.”

ZipRealty - “Prices cut on nearly half of for-sale homes” (12-13-10)

“The share of homes for sale that had experienced at least one price reduction in November jumped 24.1 percent compared to the same month last year, according to a monthly review of multiple listing service listings in 26 major markets conducted by national brokerage ZipRealty.”

Housing Wire – “BarCap: Private sector to boost MBS purchases in 2011″ (12-13-10)

“Private investors could buy as much as $365 billion in agency mortgage-backed securities in 2011, taking over the government’s role in the secondary market, according to the analysts at Barclays Capital.”

Housing Wire – “FHA extends deadlines for condos to recertify mortgage insurance” (12-13-10)

“The Federal Housing Administration extended deadlines for condominium projects seeking to renew their mortgage insurance with the federal agency. New guidelines established by the FHA in 2009 require that condo projects be recertified and approved every two years.”

Housing Wire – “Fed expands TILA scope to loans up to $50,000″ (12-13-10)

“Loans or leases written to consumers for up to $50,000 will be subject to protections under the Truth in Lending Act, up from $25,000, according to a new rule announced by the Federal Reserve Monday. The raised exemption threshold will go into effect July 21, the same day the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is set to launch. Under the Dodd-Frank Act, the Fed was required to set a new threshold for exempt loans in order expand the protections of TILA.”

Housing Wire – “Amherst Securities: Number of modified, reissued Ginnie Mae loans remains high” (12-13-10)

“The level of Ginnie Mae loans modified and reissued in mortgage-backed securities remains high but probably won’t increase in 2011 from this year, according to one MBS broker-dealer.”

Housing Wire – “Monday Morning Cup of Coffee” (12-13-10)

“In a November letter to regulators, Wells said only mortgages with a more than 30% downpayment should be exempt from the risk-retention rule under Dodd-Frank. Under the reform, federal regulators must determine which mortgages an originator should still be on the hook for after being packaged and sold in the secondary market.”

Orange County Register – “Demand for O.C. homes falls 12%” (12-13-10)

“After remaining the same for the better part of a month, demand dropped by 12% (in the past two weeks), or 311 homes, to 2,382 homes. Last year at this time, demand was at 2,646 pending sales, 264 additional homes compared to today. For the remainder of the year and the first few weeks of the New Year, demand will continue to drop. This is cyclically the slowest time of the year for Orange County real estate.”

For more information about The Norris Group’s California hard money loans or our California Trust Deed investments, visit the website or call our office at 951-780-5856 for more information. For upcoming California real estate investor training and events, visit The Norris Group website and our California investor event calendar. You’ll also find our award-winning real estate radio show on KTIE 590am at 6pm on Saturdays or you can listen to over 200 podcasts in our free investor radio archive.

The MBA’s weekly survey shows mortgage application volume increased 3.2% this week. Mortgage bankers estimate the housing market will not recover until 2012 at least. HUD reports only 24,000 houses sold last month.

In The News:

Mortgage Bankers Association - “Mortgage Applications Increase in Latest MBA Weekly Survey” (10-27-10)

“The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today released its Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending October 22, 2010.  The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 3.2 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier.  On an unadjusted basis, the Index increased 3.1 percent compared with the previous week.”

Wall Street Journal – “Mortgage Bankers Push Housing Recovery to 2012″ (10-27-10)

“Remember the 2010 housing recovery? The Oracle of Omaha said that by the end of this year things would get better. He wasn’t the only one. Fitch also promised us stability in late 2010. Well, as the foreclosure mess spirals us toward Dec. 31, the chances for a happy housing new year seem pretty remote. On Tuesday, the nation’s mortgage bankers released a report saying that they expect the housing market to continue limping along into next year. Things could pick up, they say, in 2012.”

CNN - “New home sales in slow recovery” (10-27-10)

“Sales of newly built single-family homes rose to an annual rate of 307,000 units in September from 288,000 units the month before, the Commerce Department said. The sales figure was higher that the annual rate of 299,000 expected by analysts surveyed by Briefing.com.”

Housing Wire – “BarCap: MERS foreclosure issues may be spreading to commercial real estate” (10-27-10)

“Possible foreclosure issues with loans processed through the Mortgage Electronic Recording System, or MERS, may be spreading to commercial real estate, but the effect on securitizations could be minimal, according to Barclays Capital analysts.”

Housing Wire – “September new home sales drop to yearly low along with market inventory” (10-27-10)

“According to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development Wednesday, only 24,000 houses sold last month. Year-to-date, 257,000 new homes have been sold, down 11.7% from the same period in 2009.”

Bloomberg - “Mortgage Bankers Bristle at Notion of Giving Foreclosed Debtors Free Homes” (10-27-10)

“‘Everybody wants to believe in this Robin Hood scenario, where everyone is going to get a free house,’ Seares said yesterday during a panel discussion at the mortgage group’s conference in Atlanta. ‘That’s not really plausible.’”

Orange County Register – “UCLA: O.C. home prices to surge 49%” (10-27-10)

“Orange County will have a half-million-dollar housing market again by 2012, and home sales volume will rebound by a whopping 43% over the next two years, according to the latest UCLA Anderson Forecast for the O.C. housing market.”

Looking Back:

One year ago, the Senate considered a proposal to extend and cap the tax credit at $7,290. Interthinx estimated that mortgage fraud risk increased by 11 percent from quarter 2 to quarter 3 of 2009. Goldman Sachs claimed that home price stabilization would not last, but Bank of America claimed that the outlook for home prices was more positive.

For more information about The Norris Group’s California hard money loans or our California Trust Deed investments, visit the website or call our office at 951-780-5856 for more information. For upcoming California real estate investor training and events, visit The Norris Group website and our California investor event calendar. You’ll also find our award-winning real estate radio show on KTIE 590am at 6pm on Saturdays or you can listen to over 170 podcasts in our free investor radio archive.

Today’s News Synopsis:

Fitch Ratings reports delinquencies on commercial real estate CDOs increased to 12.1% last month. Statistics from BarCap show GDP slowed to an annual rate of 1.6% in the 2nd quarter. I Survived Real Estate 2010 is taking place tonight. Multiple experts from different regions of the real estate industry will be speaking at the event. You can watch it live at www.isurvived2010.com

In The News:

Housing Wire – “White House appoints Warren to set up consumer protection bureau” (9-17-10)

“President Obama appointed Elizabeth Warren advisor to Secretary of the Treasury, and she will be in charge of setting up the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Warren was the chair of the Congressional Oversight Panel, which oversees the Treasury’s implementation of the Troubled Asset Relief Program”

Housing Wire – “CRE CDO delinquencies up slightly in August, near record-high” (9-17-10)

“Delinquencies on commercial real estate loan collateralized debt obligations rose slightly in August, up to 12.1%, according to Fitch Ratings. The agency’s CREL CDO index in July was 12% and 7.5% a year earlier. The record reached a record high of 13% in January.”

Housing Wire – “BarCap anticipates stronger GDP growth in 3Q, double dip risk receding” (9-17-10)

“In the second quarter of 2010, GDP slowed to an annual rate of 1.6%, slightly better than what analysts projected. According to BarCap, a narrowed trade deficit in July, stronger-than-expected business inventories, and moderating growth in manufacturing activity suggest more GDP growth in the third quarter.”

Bloomberg - “Consumers Resist Smart Meters After $3.4 Billion Stimulus Push” (9-17-10)

“G&E Corp., Cisco Systems Inc. and General Electric Co. are all betting that energy-monitoring devices will catch on in homes. Convincing consumers that they’re a good thing is turning out to be a tough sell. Power companies have traditionally relied on workers walking house to house to monitor electricity use. Smart meters are designed to give utilities a real-time picture of electricity consumption, eventually allowing them to create pricing plans that will encourage conservation during peak hours. About 43 percent of U.S. homes will have the new meters by 2014, up from 14 percent at the end of last year, according to Dallas-based market researcher Parks Associates.”

Bloomberg - “Small Business Can’t Get Loans From Bailed-Out Banks in U.S.” (9-17-10)

“Chip Besse figured he could hire a dozen people once he got a $1.1 million small-business loan. Wells Fargo & Co. turned him down. U.S. taxpayers helped the San Francisco-based bank weather the 2008 financial crisis with a $25 billion loan and $9.5 billion of debt guarantees. By July 2009, when Besse wanted to buy and expand a Colorado snowmobile-rental business, Wells Fargo wasn’t sharing the wealth, he said.”

Orange County Register – “Real estate job placements improving” (9-17-10)

“The UC Irvine Center for Real Estate reports that it’s having an easier time finding jobs for its students, a possible sign of improvement in the real estate jobs market. Both large banks, like Wells Fargo and Bank of America, and emerging businesses are hiring, center officials said. There’s also increased interest on the part of full-time employers, summer employers, people interested in interns and people interested in mentorships.”

Orange County Register – “Irvine woman sues over loan mod ‘hoax’” (9-17-10)

“An Irvine homeowner is suing a large national mortgage servicing company, saying they perpetrated a ‘loan modification hoax’ and committed fraud by promising but never granting her a permanent home loan modification.”

For more information about The Norris Group’s California hard money loans or our California Trust Deed investments, visit the website or call our office at 951-780-5856 for more information. For upcoming California real estate investor training and events, visit The Norris Group website and our California investor event calendar. You’ll also find our award-winning real estate radio show on KTIE 590am at 6pm on Saturdays or you can listen to over 170 podcasts in our free investor radio archive.

According to MDA DataQuick, 6,698 houses and condos closed escrow in the Bay Area last month. Also, 34,239 houses and condos were sold statewide. BarCap expects that of all the subprime mortgages still current and originated in 2005, 70% will default.

In The News:

CBIA - “An Updated, Upgraded Deck Made Easy With Composites” (9-16-10)

“According to a recent study by the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University, remodeling spending is expected to increase on an annual basis by the end of the year with growth accelerating to the double-digits in the first quarter of 2011. Fueled by increased confidence in the economy, more homeowners are investing in their homes again.”

MDA DataQuick – “California August Home Sales” (9-16-10)

“An estimated 34,239 new and resale houses and condos were sold statewide last month. That was down 2.7 percent from 35,202 in July, and down 14.0 percent from 39,811 for August 2009. California sales for the month of July have varied from a low of 29,764 in 1992 to a peak of 73,285 in 2005, while the average is 48,805. MDA DataQuick’s statistics go back to 1988.”

MDA DataQuick – “Bay Area Home Sales Drop to 1992 Level; Median Price Slips Again” (9-16-10)

“A total of 6,698 new and resale houses and condos closed escrow in the nine-county Bay Area last month, down 1.1 percent from 6,773 in July and down 10.9 percent from 7,518 in August 2009, according to MDA DataQuick of San Diego.”

MBA - “MBA Report: Give FHA More Resources and Authority to Strengthen Program” (9-16-10)

“The Federal Housing Authority (FHA) commissioner should be granted the resources to better manage the agency through the current housing market crisis and to allow the agency to continue to thrive when the market recovers, according to new report from the Mortgage Bankers Association. Increasing resources for staffing and technology are among the 12 recommendations to improve the FHA and the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae) by the MBA’s Council on the Future of FHA and Ginnie Mae. Convened in November 2009, the council consists of senior executives from 27 companies, representing both large national lenders and small independent mortgage bankers.”

CNN - “Foreclosure rates hold steady” (9-16-10)

“The number of homeowners falling enough behind on their loans to attract initial notices of default was down 30% in August, RealtyTrac said Thursday. Eventually, that should translate into fewer people losing their homes.”

San Diego Union Tribune – “Most oppose walking away from mortgage” (9-16-10)

“A majority of Americans believe it is ‘unacceptable’ for homeowners to stop paying mortgage payments and walk away from their homes, says a Pew Research Center survey. Of the 2,967 adults surveyed during the second half of May, 59 percent said they believed it was wrong for a homeowner to stop making mortgage payments and surrender their home to a lender. Still, 19 percent said it was OK to walk away while another 17 percent said it depended on the homeowner’s circumstances.”

Housing Wire – “CoreLogic sees distressed housing sales rising in coming months” (9-16-10)

“CoreLogic (CLGX: 18.29 -0.76%) said tax credit-induced sales helped push distressed sales to a seven-month low in June, but the share of distressed sales is expected to bounce back in coming months, according to the firm’s inaugural U.S. Housing and Mortgage Trends report. The bi-monthly report will track housing sales, valuation, negative equity and foreclosure activity. In June, the distressed sale share fell to 24% of overall sales, down from a peak of 35% in early 2009, according to CoreLogic.”

Housing Wire – “Mission Capital principal: Banks stoke the economy with distressed sales” (9-16-10)

“Activity has dramatically picked up since the fourth quarter of 2008. This is in large part due to speculation on the part of funds and high net worth individuals in loan assets, as well as in the stock and debt of the underlying financial institutions. As banks have become more healthy and their financial projections more visible, they have stoked the economy by simultaneously lending and selling distressed loans at a discount. This creates a virtuous cycle of investment activity in that investors are investing in credit-impaired assets, rehabilitating them and then refinancing right-sized debt.”

Housing Wire – “BarCap estimates more subprime defaults from troubled vintages” (9-16-10)

“BarCap analysts are predicting high default rates on still-current subprime mortgages originated between 2005 and 2007. Of those subprime mortgages still current and originated in 2005, 70% are expected to default. In 2006, the expected default rate for current subprime is 89%, and 84% of current subprime from the 2007 vintage.”

For more information about The Norris Group’s California hard money loans or our California Trust Deed investments, visit the website or call our office at 951-780-5856 for more information. For upcoming California real estate investor training and events, visit The Norris Group website and our California investor event calendar. You’ll also find our award-winning real estate radio show on KTIE 590am at 6pm on Saturdays or you can listen to over 170 podcasts in our free investor radio archive.

According to the MBA, the level of commercial/multifamily mortgage debt outstanding decreased to $3.31 trillion in the first quarter. The NAR reports existing home sales decreased by 2.2 percent last month. California home sales increased 1.2 percent last month. An amendment to the Wall Street Reform Bill being debated today in Congress would eliminate the hotly contested Home Valuation Code of Conduct.

In The News:

Mortgage Bankers Association – “MBA Analysis: Commercial and Multifamily Mortgage Debt Outstanding Declined 0.9 Percent in First Quarter 2010″ (6-22-10)

“The level of commercial/multifamily mortgage debt outstanding decreased in the first quarter, to $3.31 trillion, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) analysis of the Federal Reserve Board Flow of Funds data. Declines were driven by drops in commercial and multifamily mortgages held in CMBS and construction loans held by banks and thrifts. The $3.31 trillion in commercial/multifamily mortgage debt outstanding recorded by the Federal Reserve was a decrease of $31 billion or 0.9 percent from the fourth quarter of 2009. Multifamily mortgage debt outstanding rose to $852 billion, an increase of $3 billion or 0.4 percent from the fourth quarter of 2009.”

NAR - “May Shows a Continued Strong Pace for Existing-Home Sales” (6-22-10)

“Existing-home sales1, which are completed transactions that include single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.66 million units in May, down 2.2 percent from an upwardly revised surge of 5.79 million units in April. May closings are 19.2 percent above the 4.75 million-unit level in May 2009; April sales were revised to show an 8.0 percent monthly gain.”

California Builder – “Market Your Way Out of Tough Times” (6-22-10)

“Many businesses think ‘keeping your name in front of the public’ is a valid advertising strategy. It’s questionable at best, but it’s way too risky and low-yield in tough times. Instead, make sure your advertising is only in publications that reach your best prospects, and – this is the most important part – make a specific offer and call to action to get readers of the ad to call you.”

CAR - “May sales and price report” (6-22-10)

“Home sales increased 1.2 percent in May in California compared with the same period a year ago, while the median price of an existing home rose 23.2 percent, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) reported today.”

Sacramento Bee – “California personal income grows in quarter” (6-22-10)

“Personal income in California grew $14 billion to $1.57 trillion in the first quarter compared with the last quarter of 2009, according to statistics released Friday by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. The 0.9 percent gain matched personal income growth for the United States, but California ranked 27th among all states.”

Inman - “Social networking sites gobble more traffic” (6-22-10)

“Social networking sites and websites hosting forums grew their market share by nearly 62 percent during the year ending in May — the largest gain among any real estate-related category, according to a new quarterly report from online metrics firm Hitwise. Visits to websites in the real estate category during May were down 24.3 percent from a year ago — the 12th consecutive month of year-over-year traffic declines dating to June 2009, the report said.”

Inman - “California may restrict lender claims over refis” (6-22-10)

“SB 1178, which passed the state Senate in a 30-4 vote on June 3, would extend protection from deficiency judgments to homeowners who have refinanced, but only up to the amount of their original loan. In other words, if the original mortgage was $300,000, and the homeowner refinanced and defaulted on a $350,000 loan, they would not be liable to repay the first $300,000.”

Housing Wire – “House Members Look to Eliminate HVCC, Change Appraisal Process” (6-22-10)

“An amendment to the Wall Street Reform Bill being debated today in Congress would eliminate the hotly contested Home Valuation Code of Conduct (HVCC), which has changed much of the home appraisal process since its introduction last year. The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) implemented HVCC in May 2009 in an attempt to improve the independence of appraisers by prohibiting lenders and third parties from influencing appraisals. It also limits the interactions between the appraisers and those originating the loan.”

Housing Wire – “Fannie and Freddie Servicers Refinance 53% More Loans in Q110: FHFA” (6-22-10)

“Mortgage servicers refinanced 53% more Fannie Mae Mae and Freddie Mac loans under the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) in Q110 than in the previous quarter, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). Delinquencies are improving as well in the Fannie and Freddie portfolios. According to the FHFA, the amount of loans behind by 60 or more days declined for the first time in two years, dropping by more than 23,000 to roughly 1.7m in Q110.”

Housing Wire – “Real Estate Owned Inventory to Peak in Summer 2011: BarCap” (6-22-10)

“The amount of REO inventory held by lenders is expected to peak in August 2011 at 545,000 properties, according to analysts at Barclays Capital. In April, REO remained relatively flat, increasing 0.8% from March to 526,000. The influx was primarily due to an increase in REO from the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs), according to BarCap.”

Looking Back:

One year ago, Fannie Mae said it would no longer guarantee mortgages on condos in buildings where fewer than 70% of the units have been sold. The Mortgage Bankers Association lowered its forecast of mortgage originations for 2009 to $2.03 trillion. Many lawmakers and businesses were calling for an extension of the $8,000 tax credit.\

For more information about The Norris Group’s California hard money loans or our California Trust Deed investments, visit the website or call our office at 951-780-5856 for more information. For upcoming California real estate investor training and events, visit The Norris Group website and our California investor calendar. You’ll also find our award-winning real estate radio show on KTIE 590am at 6pm on Saturdays or you can listen to over 170 podcasts in our free investor radio archive.

CBIA reports that 36,209 building permits were issued in California last year. The 30-year mortgage rate decreased by 0.4 percent in December. DBRS expects loan servicers to allow more principal reductions as more attempted modifications fail. According to RealFacts, the average  Orange County apartment rent fell 6.7% during the 4th quarter of 2009.

In The News:

CBIA - “It’s Official: California Housing Production Reached New Low in 2009″ (1-26-10)

“California homebuilders put up the lowest number of homes for a single year in 2009, beating the previous low that was set in 2008, the California Building Industry Association announced today.  CBIA said just 36,209 permits were issued statewide last year for new homes, apartments, condominiums and townhomes, down 44 percent from 2008 and down a whopping 83 percent – 176,751 units – compared to 2004, the peak of the latest cycle.”

Housing Wire – “Mortgage Insurer MGIC Loses $1.3bn in 2009″ (1-26-10)

“The Wisconsin-based mortgage insurer posted a total $1.3bn net loss in all of 2009, more than double the $525.4m net loss in all of 2008.”

Housing Wire – “Mortgage Rates Dip in December, Stay Above 5 Percent” (1-26-10)

“The average interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) of $417,000 or less was 5.05% in December, down from 5.09% in November. The average interest rate on 15-year, FRM of $417,000 or less was 4.54%, down from 4.63% in November.”

Housing Wire – “Going Forward, BarCap Expects Mixed Results from REITs” (1-26-10)

“Analysts at Barclays Capital (BarCap) project mixed results from the real estate investment trust (REIT) sector, as the companies begin releasing their Q409 and year-end earnings reports. On average, the analysts expect fourth quarter funds from operations per share (FFOPS) for the REIT sector to increase 6.1% year-over-year, but decline 28.1% on an operating basis, which they define as excluding non-recurring items.”

Housing Wire – “Home Prices Continue to Improve in November” (1-26-10)

“Annual home price declines were in the single digits in November 2009, as the Standard & Poor’s (S&P)/Case-Shiller home price indices continue a 10-month run of improved results. The monthly indices track existing home prices every month on a year-over-year basis in 20 markets, broken down in 10-city and 20-city composites. The 10-city composite declined 4.5% and the 20-city composite declined 5.3% in November 2009 compared to November 2008.”

Housing Wire – “DBRS Expects Re-Defaults to Drive Principal Forgiveness” (1-26-10)

“With more than half of all modified loans expected to re-default in 2010, servicers are likely to increase the use of principal forgiveness, as an option to bring these continually distressed mortgages current, rating agency DBRS said in commentary yesterday.”

Bloomberg - “Fed Weighs Interest on Reserves as New Policy Rate“ (1-26-10)

“Federal Reserve policy makers are considering adopting a new benchmark interest rate to replace the one they’ve used for the last two decades. The central bank has been unable to control the federal funds rate since the September 2008 bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc., when it began flooding financial markets with $1 trillion to prevent the economy from collapsing. Officials, who began a two-day meeting at 2 p.m. today in Washington, have said they may replace or supplement the fed funds rate with interest paid on excess bank reserves.”

Orange County Register – “Lake Forest has biggest O.C. rent cuts” (1-26-10)

“The average rent in that city was $1,347 a month during the fourth quarter vs. $1,520 in the fourth quarter of 2008. That compares to an average decrease of $105 countywide, according to RealFacts. The average  Orange County apartment rent fell 6.7% to $1,473 during the final three months of last year.”

Orange County Register – “4 O.C. cities top CA. home price gains” (1-26-10)

“The overall median price in December  was $496,070, down 0.6% from November, but up 12.1% from the prior year. Sales were up 4.5% from November and up 17.9% from December 2008.”

Looking Back:

One year ago, the NAR reported that existing home sales had increased by 6.5 percent within one month. Statistics from First American Corelogic showed that home prices fell in 38 U.S. states. Banks disposed of over $1 billion in loan and construction debt within one quarter. Distressed home sales represented 50 percent of the Southern California housing market.

MDA DataQuick reports that 7,828 new and resale houses and condos were sold in the Bay Area during December. According to OCC, seriously delinquent loans of 60 or more days increased to 6.2 percent of the servicing portfolio. Radar Logic’s study of 25 metropolitan markets shows that home sales increased by 46.7%. Freddie Mac’s weekly survey shows that mortgage rates on 30-year U.S. loans fall to 4.99%.

In The News:

DQNews - “Bay Area December home sales strongest in three years” (1-21-10)

“A total of 7,828 new and resale houses and condos were sold in the nine-county region last month. That was up 13.8 percent from 6,878 in November, and up 13.6 percent from 6,889 for December 2008, according to MDA DataQuick of San Diego.”

OCC - “OCC and OTS Mortgage Metrics Report” (1-21-10)

“Overall, mortgage performance continued to decline as a result of continuing adverse economic conditions including rising unemployment and loss in home values. The percentage of current and performing mortgages fell to 87.2 percent of the servicing portfolio. Seriously delinquent mortgages— loans 60 or more days past due and loans to delinquent bankrupt borrowers—rose to 6.2 percent of the servicing portfolio. Foreclosures in process increased to 3.2 percent, while new foreclosure actions remained steady for the third consecutive quarter at 369,209. Of particular note, delinquencies among prime mortgages, the largest category of mortgages, continued to climb. The percentage of prime mortgages that were seriously delinquent in the third quarter was 3.6 percent, up 19.6 percent from the second quarter and more than double the percentage of a year ago.”

Housing Wire – “BarCap Expects ‘Little Bite’ from FHA Underwriting Changes” (1-21-10)

“Recently-announced underwriting changes to the Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) mortgage insurance program might be ‘all bark, little bite’ according to commentary Thursday by Barclays Capital (BarCap) researchers. The FHA changes include increases in the mortgage insurance premium, increased downpayment for low FICO borrowers, reduced ability to roll closing costs into the loan and increased lender recourse to FHA lenders.”

Housing Wire – “Radar Logic Says Housing Market is Poised for Recovery” (1-21-10)

“Residential real estate showed some signs of life in November, according to Radar Logic’s monthly Residential Property Index (RPX). November home sales volume increased year-over-year in all of the 25 metropolitan markets the RPX report covers. Sales volume increased 46.7% year-over-year and 1.5% month-over-month.”

Housing Wire – “PNC Posts $2.4bn Gain, 61 Permanent HAMP Mods in 2009″ (1-21-10)

“The PNC Financial Services Group (PNC: 55.70 -5.26%) reported a Q409 net income of $1.1bn, or $2.17 per diluted common share, an increase from the $559m gain in Q309. The company’s net income for the year reached $2.4bn, or $4.36 per diluted common share, compared to $914m, or $2.44 per share, in 2008.”

Housing Wire – “Investors Ask Fed for $1.4bn of TALF Loans to Buy Legacy CMBS” (1-21-10)

“The Federal Reserve Bank of New York on Wednesday received requests for $1.45bn of government loans to buy securities backed by commercial mortgages.”

Bloomberg - “BlackRock Proposes New Consumer Bankruptcy Option” (1-21-10)

“Consumers need a new type of bankruptcy that would better aid homeowners and be fairer for mortgage-bond investors than the existing U.S. loan-modification program, BlackRock Inc. Vice Chairman Barbara Novick said. BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, proposes creating a bankruptcy option under which terms of a consumer’s mortgage can be eased, though only after other debts are eliminated, Novick said in a telephone interview. Judges would need to follow a formulaic approach, she said.”

Bloomberg - “Homebuilders Turn to Private Equity for Financing” (1-21-10)

“More than 40 U.S. homebuilders have teamed up with private equity firms to acquire and complete unfinished subdivisions as banks cut construction lending. The investments will pay off for the builders and their investors if the prices are low enough and the locations are in areas where demand is recovering, said Megan McGrath, a home building industry analyst at Barclays Capital Inc. in New York.”

Bloomberg - “Bank Failures Should Destroy CEOs, Buffett Tells Fox” (1-21-10)

“President Barack Obama’s proposal to regulate banks should include a requirement that chief executive officers and their spouses forfeit their assets when companies fail, billionaire Warren Buffett said on Fox Business Network.”

Bloomberg - “Mortgage Rates on 30-Year U.S. Loans Fall to 4.99%” (1-21-10)

“Mortgage rates in the U.S. dropped for a third week, lowering borrowing costs for consumers and supporting government efforts to boost the housing market. The rate for 30-year fixed U.S. home loans fell to 4.99 percent for the week ended today from 5.06 percent, mortgage finance company Freddie Mac said in a statement today. The average 15-year rate declined to 4.4 percent from 4.45 percent, according to the McLean, Virginia-based company.”

Bloomberg - “U.S. Life Insurers May Face More Real Estate Losses” (1-21-10)

“U.S. life insurers, a group led by MetLife Inc. and Prudential Financial Inc., may face $15 billion in additional commercial real estate losses, most of which will be recognized in the next two years, Fitch Ratings said.”

Looking Back:

One year ago, the NAHB reported that builder confidence had decreased to a record low. Dataquick reported that foreclosures represented more than half of all sales.  Research from the Construction Industry Research Board showed that Orange County governments issued 3,156 building permits to homebuilders in 2008.

The MBA reports that delinquency rates increased during the third quarter for most mortgage investor groups. Bernanke claims that the recovery should continue for at least a year, but the U.S. still has some trouble to overcome. Six more banks were shut down Friday, which will cost the FDIC a total of $2.384billion.

In The News:

Mortgage Bankers Association – “MBA Report Shows Third Quarter 2009 Commercial and Multifamily Mortgage Performance Falls in Weakened Economy” (12-7-09)

“Delinquency rates continued to increase in the third quarter for most commercial/multifamily mortgage investor groups, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Commercial/Multifamily Delinquency Report.”

MSNBC - “Bernanke: Too soon to tell if recovery will last” (12-7-09)

“The Fed chief repeated his belief that the recovery will continue at least into next year. But he cautioned that the economy is confronting some ‘formidable headwinds’ — including a weak job market, cautious consumers and still-tight credit.”

Housing Wire – “TARP Costs Narrow as Treasury Sheds Capital One Investment” (12-7-09)

“Initial projections put the cost of the financial stabilization efforts at more than $500bn, which factored into the President’s budget in February. Of that projection, $300bn was expected directly from TARP, and another $250bn was included in the budget to cover needed resources beyond TARP’s $700bn.”

Housing Wire – “Fannie Prepays Plunge ‘Unexpected’ 6%: BarCap” (12-7-09)

“The prepayment rate among Fannie Mae (FNM: 0.91 -1.09%) 30-year notes slipped 6% ‘unexpectedly’ after the government-sponsored entity (GSE) suspended buyouts related to the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP), according to monthly commentary by Barclays Capital. The buyout delay in this month’s reporting period for Fannie indicates a spike in buyouts — and the prepayment speed — next month as mortgages are modified and withdrawn from mortgage-backed security (MBS) pools, according to researchers.”

Housing Wire – “Monday Morning Cup of Coffee” (12-7-09)

“Regulators shut down six banks Friday, bringing to total number of failed institutions to 130 this year. The total estimated cost to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.’s (FDIC) deposit insurance fund is $2.384bn.”

Housing Wire – “Mortgage Insurers Deny 20-25% of Claims: Moody’s” (12-7-09)

“Mortgage insurance rescission rates jumped to 20-25% in recent quarters, relative to historical 7% averages. Moody’s said mortgage insurers rescinded about $6bn of claims since January 2008 and could rescind another $2bn to $4bn of claims during the next few years.”

Orange County Register – “O.C. mechanics liens drop 23%” (12-7-09)

“The Real Estate Research Council of Southern California reports that in the third quarter the number of Orange County mechanics liens filed were 730 – that’s -23.4% vs. a year ago. Mechanics liens are typically filed when contractors working on a real estate property — home or commercial, new or old — go unpaid for their services.”

Orange County Register - “Hear why O.C. property tax collections jumped” (12-6-09)

“Considering the wave of the ugly economic news out there, we were surprised to learn that early Orange County property tax collections were up $54 million as the Dec. 10 deadline for first installment payments neared.”

Looking Back:

One year ago, the delinquency rate for one-to-four-unit residential properties stood at 6.99 percent. 500,000 jobs were cut within one month’s time. The U.S. Treasury offered a multi-billion dollar proposal to lower the interest rate on 30-year mortgages to 4.5 percent.