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The Norris Group Real Estate News Roundup 2/6/12

Monday, February 6th, 2012

Today’s News Synopsis:

According to the latest report from the U.S. Commerce Department, sales of pending existing homes increased while at the same time sales of new homes decreased all in the month of December.  According to Housing Wire, commercial and multifamily loan origination increased 13% in the fourth quarter of 2011.  NAHB reported the number of housing markets showing improvement has increased to 100.

In The News:

Bloomberg – “Foreclosure Deal Deadline Arrives” (2-5-12)

“U.S. states that balked at liability releases in a proposed $25 billion nationwide settlement over bank foreclosure practices must decide today whether its mortgage relief and reforms are worth legal claims they’ll lose.”

Housing Wire – “Multifamily mortgage originations jump 13%” (2-6-12)

“Originations of commercial and multifamily loans grew 13% year-over-year in the fourth quarter of 2011, while still declining 7% from the third quarter, an industry trade group said Monday.”

Realty Times – “Real Estate Outlook: New Home Sales and Prices Decline” (2-6-12)

“Pending existing-home sales may be up across the nation, but new home sales fell for the first the first time in three months in December. These latest figures come from the U.S. Commerce Department.”

Bloomberg – “Bernanke: Fed will protect U.S. economy from Europe” (2-6-12)

“The U.S. foreclosure crisis has risen to new heights.  Atlanta’s 55-story Bank of America Plaza, the tallest tower in the Southeast, is set to be sold at an open outcry auction on the steps of the Fulton County Courthouse tomorrow after landlord BentleyForbes missed mortgage payments.”

Mortgage Bankers Association – “MBA Forecasts $230 Billion of Commercial/Multifamily Mortgage Originations in 2012; $2.4 Trillion of Commercial/Multifamily Mortgage Debt Outstanding” (2-6-12)

“In its inaugural forecast of the commercial/multifamily real estate finance markets, the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) projects originations of commercial and multifamily mortgages will hit $230 billion in 2012, an increase of 17 percent from 2011 volumes, and continue to rise to $290 billion in 2015.”

NAHB – “List of Improving Housing Markets Expands to Nearly 100″ (2-6-12)

“The list of housing markets showing measurable improvement expanded by 29 metros in February to include a total of 98 entries on the National Association of Home Builders/First American Improving Markets Index (IMI), released today. Thirty-six states are now represented by at least one market on the list.”

Los Angeles Times – “Lawmakers push Fannie, Freddie to write-down mortgage principle” (2-6-12)

“Rep. Barney Frank and two other House Financial Services Committee Democrats on Monday pressed Edward DeMarco, the regulator of seized housing finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, to write-down the principal on mortgages of underwater homes.”

Housing Wire – “Capital Economics: REO to rental program possibly ‘best housing fix so far’” (2-6-12)

“In a statement released Monday, Capital Economics called the REO to rental program possibly the “best housing fix so far,” calling it “possibly more significant” than President Obama’s refinancing proposals announced late last month.”

Los Angeles Times – “Consumer Confidential: Mortgage deal, Redbox service, Clint rules” (2-6-12)

“Today’s the day for state attorneys general to decide whether they want a piece of a multibillion-dollar mortgage settlement with the nation’s largest banks.”

Inman – “Texas regulator issues cease and desist order against flat-fee FSBO site” (2-6-12)

“A Texas real estate regulator is investigating a flat-fee, for-sale-by-owner site for alleged unlicensed brokerage activities in the state and has issued a cease and desist order against the company.”

Hard Money Loan Closed

San Bernardino, California hard money loan closed by The Norris Group private lending. Real estate investor received loan for $150,000 on a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home appraised for $250,000.

California Real Estate Investor Events:

The Norris Group will be holding their monthly REO Boot Camp, February 14, 2012.

The Norris Group posted a new event. Bruce Norris of The Norris Group will be at the 2012 Kick Off Brunch on February 18, 2012.

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.

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The Norris Group Real Estate News Roundup 1/13/12

Friday, January 13th, 2012

Sources:

Loan Mods and Delinquencies Rise in November: HOPE NOW
Foreclosures fall to lowest level since 2007
Mortgage Applications Increase in Latest MBA Weekly Survey
Zillow: Home values in November back at 2003 levels
Fed governor calls for new housing regulatory regime
The fight over Bernanke REO rental plan shows political divide
FED FOCUS-Fed treads new path with US housing push
Fannie Mae CEO Williams Resigns

Today’s News Synopsis:

In this week’s video, Aaron Norris gives the news of the week in the world of real estate and other big events.  Consumer sentiment is at its highest level in 8 months, which is now at 74.  According to DS News, Michigan is really going after people who committ mortgage fraud by passing a law that makes it a felony to committ.  Mortgage rages continue to be at their lowest on record.

In The News:

Housing Wire - “Foreclosure starts drop across the West Coast” (1-13-12)

“Foreclosure starts across the West Coast plummeted in December as California, Nevada and Washington reported double-digit declines in new mortgages entering the process, according to ForeclosureRadar.”

Bloomberg - “Housing Recovery to Give U.S. Economy Modest Push in ’12, Fannie Mae Says” (1-13-12)

“Home sales and construction will improve this year, contributing “modestly” to economic expansion after acting as a drag on growth since 2006, according to a Fannie Mae (FNMA) forecast released today.”

Realty Times - “Mortgage Rates Continue Trend of Record-Breaking Lows” (1-13-12)

“In Freddie Mac’s results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey®, it showed mortgage rates easing to new all-time record lows for all products covered in the survey helping to keep homebuyer affordability high.“

San Francisco Chronicle - “Billionaire Paulson Persists With Rebounding Property:Mortgages” (1-13-12)

“Mortgage securities are drawing buyers after tumbling last year and handing  billionaire hedge fund manager John Paulson his first loss in the bond market.”

Housing Wire - “Jobs growth points to potential recovery in housing” (1-13-12)

“The housing market remains in the trenches, but underlying fundamentals show a recovery is possible as long as employment continues to tick up, Capital Economics said Friday.”

FINS - “JP Morgan to Hire in 2012″ (1-13-12)

“Despite a weak second half and continued market volatility last year, JPMorgan added 20,300 employees and intends to keep hiring in certain areas in 2012.”

San Francisco Chronicle - “RealtyTrac: Home seizures may jump 25% this year” (1-13-12)

“Banks may seize more than 1 million U.S. homes this year after legal scrutiny of  their foreclosure practices slowed actions against delinquent property owners in  2011, RealtyTrac said.”

CNN Money - “Europe braces for S&P downgrades” (1-13-12)

“European officials and investors were on alert Friday following reports that several eurozone countries were about to be downgraded by rating agency Standard & Poor’s.”

Housing Wire - “Consumer sentiment hits 8-month high” (1-13-12)

“A preliminary January reading of consumer sentiment rose to 74, the highest level of the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan index since May.”

Bloomberg - “Attorneys General Discuss Mortgage Probes as Bank Talks Drag On” (1-13-12)

“About a dozen state attorneys general met this week to discuss their mortgage investigations and how they might work together as settlement talks with banks over foreclosures drag on, three people familiar with the matter said.”

DS News - “New Michigan Laws Make Mortgage Fraud a Felony” (1-13-12)

“Michigan is taking a strong stand on mortgage fraud. New state laws that went into effect at the start of the year have redefined mortgage fraud in the eyes of the law and are defining strict consequences for perpetrators.”

Hard Money Loan Closed

Lancaster, California hard money loan closed by The Norris Group private lending. Real estate investor received loan for $67,000 on a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home appraised for $111,000.

California Real Estate Investor Events:

The Norris Group will be at the Women’s Council of Realtors on January 18, 2012.

The Norris Group will be at the Investors Workshops with Shawn Watkins on January 25, 2012.

Looking Back:

Top News Stories: Several sources reported that the number of foreclosures were expected to increase in 2011.  Bloomberg expected them to rise almost 20%.  In other news, mortgage rates declined for the second week in a row according to Freddie Mac. Corelogic reported that home prices continued to decline.  On a positive note, however, John Burns said this did not stop consumers from wanting to purchase homes.

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.

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The Norris Group Real Estate News Roundup 1/11/12

Wednesday, January 11th, 2012

Today’s News Synopsis:

In an updated news story, Michael J. Willimas, the Chief Executive for Fannie Mae, resigned yesterday and will step down as soon as a sucessor is found.  The latest report from the Lender Processing Services showed a decrease in home values of only 8%, and an overall slowdown in decreasing values.  The latest survey from the Mortgage Bankers Association showed an increase in mortgage applications.

In The News:

Housing Wire - “LPS index shows home value declines slowing down” (1-11-12)

“The latest home price index from Lender Processing Services (LPS: 15.3001 -0.52%) shows a slight 0.8% decline in home prices in October. Early data also suggest home price declines stabilized even more in November with a slight dip of 0.5% nationally.”

Mortgage Bankers Association - “Mortgage Applications Increase in Latest MBA Weekly Survey” (1-11-12)

“Mortgage applications increased 4.5 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending January 6, 2012.  The results include an adjustment to account for the New Year’s Day holiday.”

Housing Wire – “The fight over Bernanke REO rental plan shows political divide” (1-11-12)

“Chairman Ben Bernanke’s plan to fix housing is feeding an ongoing national debate about the appropriate role of the Federal Reserve in America’s housing recovery.”

Realty Times - “Mortgage Rates Remaining Low While European Troubles Persist” (1-11-12)

“It may be a New Year, but European troubles continue to persist which is helping mortgage rates to remain low. Markets remain quiet as investors await fourth quarter earnings which will begin to be released..”

Bloomberg - “Lennar Rises After Reportign New-Home Orders Climbed 20% from Year Earlier” (1-11-12)

“Lennar Corp. (LEN), the third-largest U.S. homebuilder by revenue, rose in New York trading after reporting a 20 percent jump in new orders for the fourth quarter from a year earlier.”

Housing Wire - “FHFA disputes claims of inadequate FHLB oversight” (1-11-12)

“The Office of the Inspector General released a report Wednesday contending Federal Housing Finance Agency supervision of troubled Federal Home Loan Banks is unclear and inconsistent.”

San Francisco Chronicle – “Fed Says U.S. Economic Growth Improves While Hiring Limited” (1-11-12)

“The U.S. economic expansion improved last month across most of the country while  hiring was limited and housing remained stagnant, the central bank said.”

Bloomberg - “U.S. Property Deals May Climb to $300 Billion This Year, Real Capital Says” (1-11-12)

“U.S. commercial property deals are likely to climb 50 percent to $300 billion this year as loan maturities force asset sales and the economy grows, Real Capital Analytics Inc. said in its annual list of market predictions.”

NAHB – “Voters Place High Value on Homeownership, Oppose Policies That Make It More Difficult to Own a Home” (1-11-12)

“By an overwhelming margin, American voters strongly value homeownership and would oppose efforts to weaken or eliminate the mortgage interest deduction or diminish a federal role to help qualified home buyers obtain affordable 30-year mortgages, according to a new nationwide survey gauging likely voters’ attitudes towards homeownership and housing policy issues.”

Housing Wire – “FHFA considers paycut for new Fannie, Freddie CEOs” (1-11-12)

“The Federal Housing Finance Agency is taking into consideration what government employees are paid when determining the future compensation for the CEOs at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.”

San Francisco Chronicle - “Bernanke Doubles Down on Fed Bet Defied by Recession: Mortgages” (1-11-12)

“Ben S. Bernanke is signaling his willingness to double down on a three-year bet  that’s failed to revive housing, showing the extent of the Federal Reserve  chairman’s effort to wrest a recovery from the deepest recession.”

FINS - “Fannie Mae CEO Michael Williams Out” (1-11-12)

“Fannie Mae Chief Executive Michael J. Williams resigned Tuesday, saying he will depart as soon as the mortgage-finance giant’s board names a successor.”

Hard Money Loan Closed

Hesperia, California hard money loan closed by The Norris Group private lending. Real estate investor received loan for $48,000 on a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home appraised for $80,000.

California Real Estate Investor Events:

The Norris Group posted a new event.  Bruce Norris will be speaking at the Apartment Owners Association-Discover Wealth Strategies for 2012 Los Angeles on January 12, 2012.

The Norris Group will be at the Women’s Council of Realtors on January 18, 2012.

Looking Back:

The Charles Schwab Corp. was required to pay $119 million dollars to settle claims that they were deceptive in their YieldPlus fund.  Following the release of their earnings for 2010, Goldman Sachs made several changes to the divisions in their business, according to Housing Wire.  DSNews reported that four major banks had been asked by New York City Comptroller John C. Liu to evaluate their recent mortgage and foreclosure processes following the then recent robo-signing scandal.

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.

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The Norris Group Real Estate News Roundup 1/9/12

Monday, January 9th, 2012

Today’s News Synopsis:

The prices of homes in the U.S. declines last November by 4.3% according to CoreLogic.  On a positive note, the sales of homes, both new and existing, increased for the year according to HUD.  The Mortgage Bankers Association reported a 3.7% decrease in mortgage applications.

In The News:

Housing Wire – “Home prices decline 4.3% in November: CoreLogic” (1-9-12)

“Home prices nationwide fell 4.3% year-over-year in the month of November, according to analytics firm CoreLogic (CLGX: 12.79 +1.35%) in its November Home Price Index.”

Bloomberg - “Countrywide Sued by U.K. Banks ‘Looking for Someone to Blame’ on Mortgage” (1-9-12)

“Suninder Sandha bought his luxury apartment in Coleorton Hall, a 19th century country mansion near Leicester in central England, using a 1.2 million-pound loan ($1.86 million) from Barclays Plc (BARC) in 2005.”

Realty Times - “Real Estate Outlook: Mortgage Applications Down” (1-9-12)

“Mortgage applications took their own vacation this holiday season, falling during the final two week span of the year.  They were down by 3.7 percent from the first half of the month according to the latest release from the Mortgage Bankers Association.”

Housing Wire – “Fed governor calls for new housing regulatory regime” (1-9-12)

“The number of Americans filing initial jobless claims declined last week, coming in lower than analysts’ estimates. The Labor Department said the seasonally adjusted figure of actual initial claims for the week ended Dec. 31 decreased to 372,000 from 387,000 the previous week, which was revised upward 6,000.”

NAHB - “List of Improving Housing Markets Nearly Doubles in January” (1-9-12)

“The number of housing markets showing measurable improvement nearly doubled in January with the addition of 40 new metros to the National Association of Home Builders/First American Improving Markets Index (IMI), released today.  The IMI now boasts 76 improving markets, up from 41 in December, with 31 states and the District of Columbia represented by at least one entry.”

Housing Wire - “December employment gains boost CRE demand as firms expand” (1-9-12)

“Jobs growth in 2011 increased full-time office employment by 327,000 jobs, giving the commercial real estate segment a slight boost, according to a new report from Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Services.”

DS News - “Fed: Enforcement Actions, Monetary Penalties Necessary for Servicers” (1-9-12)

“Standing before the Association of American Law Schools in Washington D.C., Sunday, Federal Reserve Governor Sarah Bloom Raskin discussed the importance of enforcement in the mortgage servicing industry and argued that monetary penalties are an important part of that enforcement.”

Bloomberg – “Fannie Rating Faces Cut as Lawmakers Siphon Funds, BofA Says” (1-9-12)

“The odds of credit rating downgrades on the bonds of Fannie Mae (FNMA) and Freddie Mac (FMCC) rose after lawmakers tapped the government-supported mortgage companies to pay for last month’s extension of a payroll tax cut, according to Bank of America Corp.”

Housing Wire – “Home sales rise as prices hit historic lows in December” (1-9-12)

“New and existing-home sales increased year-over-year in December, while home prices continued to plummet, hitting levels of affordability not experienced since 1971, the Obama Administration said Monday.”

Hard Money Loan Closed

Compton, California hard money loan closed by The Norris Group private lending. Real estate investor received loan for $110,000 on a 3 bedroom, 1 bathroom home appraised for $218,000.

California Real Estate Investor Events:

The Norris Group posted a new event. The Norris Group will be at the Real Estate Investor Rewind at CVREIA on January 10, 2011.

Bruce Norris will be speaking at the Apartment Owners Association-Discover Wealth Strategies for 2012 Los Angeles on January 12, 2012.

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.

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The Norris Group Real Estate News Roundup 10/27/11

Thursday, October 27th, 2011

Today’s News Synopsis:

In today’s news, the pending sales for existing homes fell 4.6& in the U.S., according to Bloomberg.  Mortgage rates are holding steady at their lowest recorded in almost 60 years.  Last week the number of people filing for unemployment decreased to 402,000, although the number of unemployed is still high.

In The News:

Bloomberg - “Pending Sales of U.S. Existing Homes Fall 4.6%” (10-27-11)

“The number of contracts to purchase previously owned U.S. homes unexpectedly fell in September as lower prices and borrowing costs failed to support demand.”

Housing Wire – “GDP growth 2.5% in third quarter” (10-27-11)

“Real gross domestic product grew at an annual rate of 2.5% in the third quarter when compared to the previous three months, the Commerce Department said Thursday.”

NAHB - “Remodeling Activity Remains Slow Under Current Economic Conditions” (10-27-11)

“The current state of the national economy continues to affect the remodeling industry, according to the latest National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) Remodeling Market Index (RMI). The index dropped to 41.7 in the third quarter from 43.9 in the second quarter, after having reached a four-year high of 46.5 in the first quarter. An RMI below 50 indicates that more remodelers report that market activity is declining than report that it is increasing.”

Los Angeles Times – “Weekly jobless claims dip to 402,000 but still are high” (10-27-11)

“New jobless claims dipped last week to 402,000, another somewhat encouraging sign for the still-troubled economy — though still too high to make a dent in the unemployment rate.”

Housing Wire – “Republican blueprints mortgage market without Fannie, Freddie” (10-27-11)

“Rep. Scott Garrett (R-N.J.) proposed his idea of a future mortgage market Thursday, one with new underwriting standards and transparency but without Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or the upcoming risk-retention rule.”

DS News - “Fixed Mortgage Rates Show Little Movement” (10-27-11)

“Fixed mortgage rates showed little change for the second consecutive week amid mixed consumer confidence and housing data, and remain near their 60-year lows.”

CNN Money – “Small banks still stuck in federal bailout” (10-27-11)

“Hundreds of struggling small community banks could be stuck in the federal government’s much-maligned bank bailout program, a watchdog agency warned in a report released Thursday.”

DS News - “Delaware AG Sues MERS” (10-27-11)

“Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden filed suit Thursday against MERSCORP and its subsidiary, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems (MERS). Biden charges MERSCORP with violating Delaware’s Deceptive Trade Practices Act.”

Inman - “Redfin raises $14.8M in new funding” (10-27-11)

“Technology-based real estate brokerage Redfin has raised $14.8 million in a new round of funding the company’s chief executive officer says will help it expand and weather seasonal ups and downs.”

Looking Back:

The MBA’s weekly survey showed mortgage application volume increased 3.2% the week of October 27, 2010. Mortgage bankers estimated the housing market would not recover until 2012 at least. HUD reported only 24,000 houses sold in September 2010.

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.

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The Norris Group Real Estate News Roundup 10/20/11

Thursday, October 20th, 2011

Today’s News Synopsis:

A big story in the world of real estate is the decrease in existing home sales by 3%.  Freddie Mac recently announced 30-year mortgage rates are continuing to remain steady at just a little over 4%.  The San Francisco Chronicle reported a slowdown in the commercial real estate market, as well as jobless claims declined slightly last week.

In The News:

Housing Wire - “Existing home sales fall 3% in September” (10-20-11)

“Existing home sales fell 3% in September, but remain above year ago levels, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday.”

NAHB - “Presidential Hopefuls Must Address Housing Issues” (10-20-11)

“As noted by the Wall Street Journal, MSNBC and other media outlets, the Republican presidential candidates let a great opportunity slip away during Tuesday night’s presidential debate to explain how they would address the nation’s housing problems in order to get the housing market and economy back on track, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).”

Bloomberg - “Wells Sees ‘Opportunity’ as BofA Cuts Loans” (10-20-11)

“Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC), the biggest U.S. home lender, may earn higher profits in the U.S. mortgage market as rivals flee from angry homeowners, more powerful regulators and billions of dollars in losses.”

Los Angeles Times - “Average 30-year mortgage rate remains above 4%, Freddie Mac says” (10-20-11)

“The typical rate for a 30-year mortgage has leveled off at a bit over 4%, a widely watched survey shows.  Lenders were offering the standard 30-year home loan at an average of 4.11% early this week, a statistically insignificant drop from 4.12% last week, Freddie Mac said Thursday.”

San Francisco Chronicle - “Commercial Real Estate Deals Decline in U.S. as Rebound Cools” (10-20-11)

“The U.S. commercial real estate market has slowed in the past three months as  the sputtering economy and a pullback in debt financing limited deals, cooling a  recovery from Washington to California.”

Housing Wire – “Poverty rates continue to rise, southern states hardest hit” (10-20-11)

“Poverty rates rose to 15.3% in 2010 from 14.3% 2009 as the nation’s economic malaise and housing crisis persist, according to Census Bureau data released Thursday.”

DS News - “Proposed Bill Would Offer Visas to Foreign Homebuyers in U.S.” (10-20-11)

“Foreigners may get an added bonus when they invest in residential real estate in the U.S. – a visa.  Sens. Charles Schumer (D-New York) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) are proposing a bill that would offer residence visas to foreigners when they spend at least $500,000 in the U.S. residential real estate market, according to the Wall Street Journal.”

Los Angeles Times - “New jobless claims continue modest decline” (10-20-11)

“The number of workers filing for new unemployment benefits dipped slightly last week, a sign the job market is improving, albeit very slowly.  The Labor Department said Thursday initial jobless claims filed in the week ending Oct. 15 dropped to 403,000 from an upwardly revised 409,000 in the prior week. That’s down from the summer high of more than 430,000, but still far from comforting given that employers haven’t stepped up their hiring much.”

Looking Back:

Mortgage application volume decreased 10.5% from the previous week, said the Mortgage Bankers Association. RealPoint reported CMBS delinquencies increased 1.3% in August 2010. The Federal Reserve’s Beige Book showed economic growth continued in September 2010. Fannie Mae expected total economic growth for 2010 to equal approximately 2.5%.

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.

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The Norris Group Real Estate News Roundup 8/19/11

Friday, August 19th, 2011

Sources:
July sales and price report
Mortgage Rates in U.S. Tumble to Lowest in More than 50 Years
Jobless claims up to 408,000 last week
Realtor.com, Yahoo Real Estate trading places in Web rankings
Mortgage servicers bypass foreclosure delays with more short sales
Case against MERS reaches Supreme Court
Fed to Keep Interest Rates Low until 2013
NAHB Study Finds Loan Limit Declines a Discouraging Prospect for Recovering Housing Market

Today’s News Synopsis:

In this week’s video, Aaron Norris gives the news of the week in the world of real estate and other big events. Despite home sales dropping, it was reported they are actually in better shape this year as sales are up from a year ago.  Two Multiple Listing Services in California, CRMLS and SoCalMLS, will be merging to form the largest firm in the United States.

In The News:

Housing Wire – “Delinquencies on commercial real estate loans fall again in July” (8-19-11)

“Delinquencies for securities backed by commercial real estate loans fell in July for the third consecutive month, according to Fitch Ratings.”

San Francisco Chronicle - “Inflation May Embolden Opponents of Fed’s Moves to Spur Growth” (8-19-11)

“Signs that consumer prices are rising even as the U.S. economy slows maydelay additional moves by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke to spur growth.”

DS News - “Zillow: Price-to-Income Ratios Still High in Some Markets” (8-19-11)

“While an August report from Capital Economics states that housing values overall are undervalued by 20 percent, Zillow reports that many metro price-to-income ratios are still above their historic averages.”

Rismedia - “Home Sales Down in July but Up Strongly from a Year Ago” (8-19-11)

“Existing-home sales declined in July from an upwardly revised June pace but are notably higher than a year ago, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. Monthly gains in the Northeast and Midwest were offset by declines in the West and South.”

Housing Wire - “Ocwen, Altisource extend ties to keep costs down” (8-19-11)

“Two years after the spin-off, Ocwen Financial Corp. (OCN: 12.57 -1.95%) will extend certain services to Altisource (ASPS: 32.30 -3.29%) for an additional 12 months to minimize costs, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.”

Mortgage Bankers Association - “MBA Increases Origination Forecast in 2011, Predicts Greater Drop in Origination Volume in 2012″ (8-19-11)

“The Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Economic and Mortgage Finance Forecasts released today project $1.1 trillion in residential mortgage origination volume in 2011, roughly $100 billion more than earlier forecasts, as low mortgage rates have brought in higher than expected refinance volume, while purchase volume has been less than anticipated.

Realtor Magazine - “Housing Affordability at Highest in 20 Years” (8-19-11)

“Housing affordability continued to be near record highs in the second quarter, hovering near its highest level in the 20-plus years it has been recorded, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index.”

Inman - “2 California MLSs merge to become largest in nation” (8-19-11)

“Visions of a statewide multiple listing service in California are a stepcloser to reality today, with the California Regional Multiple Listing Service Inc. (CRMLS) announcing a merger that will double its size and make it the nation’s largest, with 68,000 participants and subscribers.”

Orange County Register - “August home sales show signs of improvement” (8-19-11)

“For the 22 business days ending August 5 – DataQuick’s latest homebuying report — Orange County saw 2,663 O.C. residences sold — up 4.3% from a year-ago! If the trend continues for the full month of August, this could break O.C.’s 13-month losing streak.”

RisMedia - “Builder Confidence Unchanged in August” (8-19-11)

“Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes held unchanged at a low level of 15 on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) for August, released recently.”

Looking Back:

Energy efficiency loans hit the skids as many banks saw the risk outweighing the rewards. A White House-created commission looked at possibly increasing the age for retirement benefits with the backing of AARP. California rates were one of the country’s hottest real estate markets for price increases while a PMI Mortgage Insurance Co. report listed 7 California areas (both northern and southern) that would most likely witness price declines 2011 and 2012.

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.

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The Norris Group Real Estate News Roundup 8/4/11

Thursday, August 4th, 2011

Today’s News Synopsis:

Bloomberg reported 30-year mortgage rates are as low as 4.39%, the lowest they have been in 8 months.  Bank of America is being sued again, this time by Walnut Place and other investors who said Countrywide Financial Corp/Bank of America broke agreements regarding residential mortgages.   Mortgage Bankers Association reported a 107% increase from a year ago in commercial and multifamily mortgages.

In The News:

Bloomberg - “U.S. 30-Year Mortgage Rate Declines to Eight-Month Low of 4.39% on Economy” (8-4-11)

“U.S. mortgage rates for 30-year loans plunged to the lowest level in more than eight months as the nation’s economic recovery showed signs of faltering.”

Mortgage Bankers Association - “Second Quarter Commercial/Multifamily Mortgage Lending Up 107 Percent from Last Year; Up 52 Percent from First Quarter 2011″ (8-4-11)

“Second quarter 2011 commercial and multifamily mortgage loan originations were 107 percent higher than during the same period last year and 52 percent higher than  the revised figures for the first quarter of 2011, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Quarterly Survey of Commercial/Multifamily Mortgage Bankers Originations.”

DS News - “Foreign Investors Will Not Save U.S. Housing But May Help Some States” (8-4-11)

“The combination of declines in dollar value and home prices is making U.S. homes very affordable for some foreign buyers, according to a Capital Economics report released Thursday.  However, foreign demand is not likely to bring recovery to the American housing market in the near future, according to the report.”

Housing Wire – “Investors charge ahead with another reps and warranties case against BofA” (8-4-11)

“Bank of America (BAC: 8.83 -7.44%) is facing another lawsuit over misrepresentations Countrywide Financial Corp. allegedly made when selling residential mortgages to a Trust in which The Bank of New York Mellon (BK: 23.72 -3.77%) served as Trustee.”

Inman - “CIVIX sues Trulia for alleged patent infrigement” (8-4-11)

“A company that holds several patents on location-based Internet search techniques has sued listings portal Trulia, claiming the company infringed on two of them.”

Mortgage Bankers Association - “MBA Backs Menendez/Isakson Bill to Extend Loan Limits” (8-4-11)

“David H. Stevens, President and CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today supported the introduction of S. 1508, the Homeownership Affordability Act of 2011, a bill that will allow the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSE) and the Veterans Administration (VA) to insure home loans at their current maximum levels until December 31, 2013.”

DS News - “Mortgage Rates Drop to Lowest of the Year” (8-4-11)

“Freddie Mac released the results of its weekly rate survey Thursday, showing mortgage rates have dropped sharply over the past few days amid falling bond yields and signs of a weaker-than-expected economy.”

Housing Wire - “Mortgage insurance stocks roiled by jittery market” (8-4-11)

“The stock value of major mortgage insurers plummeted with the Dow Jones Thursday, with The PMI Group (PMI: 0.4101 -53.40%) dropping more than 50%.”

Realty Times - “‘Robo-Signing’ Moves into New Mortgages, Refinancing” (8-4-11)

“Make sure your mortgage documents are signed by qualified mortgage industry employees who’ve verified your documents and aren’t forging someone else’s signature.  Nearly a year after federal regulators imposed a moratorium on foreclosures to stop “robo-signing” and other questionable foreclosure procedures, robo-signing behavior continues to flourish.”

Inman - “Market Leader aquires SharperAgent” (8-4-11)

“Market Leader says it’s acquired Denver-based SharperAgent and that the two companies “will immediately begin working together” on an integrated software platform for franchisors and real estate brokerages providing lead generation, customer relationship management, social media and blogging integration, online and offline marketing, agent and office websites, and other tools.”

Los Angeles Times- “California attorney general subpoenas CitiGroup over mortgage practices” (8-4-11)

“California State Atty. Gen. Kamala D. Harris has subpoenaed CitiGroup Inc. and its banking subsidiary, CitiBank, ordering the two entities to answer questions regarding the selling and marketing of mortgage-backed securities in the Golden State, a person familiar with the investigation said.”

Rismedia - “Real Estate Trends for the Last Half of 2011 and Beyond” (8-4-11)

“Jason Hartman, creator of the Complete Solution for Real Estate Investors™, discusses current trends in real estate and economist forecast in his “The Investment Real Estate Forecast” report. With the first half of 2011 in the rear view, Hartman’s forecast explains in detail that current government policy is tilted in exactly the opposite direction of factors needed—as monetary expansion and skyrocketing debt continue to finance spending initiatives having little to no impact on the fundamental tenants of innovation and productivity driving long-term economic growth.”

Looking Back:

One year ago, mortgage application volume increased 1.3 percent the week of August 2, 2010, according to the MBA. Large home builders, such as PulteGroup and DR Horton, were claiming a quarterly profit. Analysts expected total payrolls to decline in official Census data which was due Friday, August 6. The American Bankruptcy Institute expressed concerns that consumer bankruptcies might total 1.6 million in 2010.

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.

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The Norris Group Real Estate News Roundup 8/1/11

Monday, August 1st, 2011

Today’s News Synopsis:

DS News reported home ownership rates are at the lowest they have been in 13 years.  NAHB Chairman Bob Nielsen released his statement today regarding an agreement on the debt ceiling.  Housing Wire reported the Senate Banking Committee will be meeting tomorrow to discuss changes to mortgage servicing standards. 

In The News:

Housing Wire – “Senate steps toward new mortgage servicing standard”  (8-1-11)

“The Senate Banking Committee will hold a hearing Tuesday to develop a new national mortgage servicing standard.  In January, federal regulators announced a new initiative to develop a set of servicing standards following weaknesses in the process that arose last year.”

NAHB - “Statement from NAHB Chairman Bob Nielsen on Debt Ceiling Agreement” (8-1-11)

“‘The National Association of Home Builders appreciates the hard work by the White House and Republican and Democratic congressional leaders to craft a bipartisan compromise to resolve the debt ceiling crisis. We urge Congress to move quickly to pass this agreement. It will help to put our nation’s fiscal house in order and provide greater certainty to the business community so they can start hiring again and get our economy on firmer footing.’“

DS News - “Survey Finds REOs and Short Sales Are Major Causes of Legal Disputes” (8-1-11)

“Short-sale disputes were designated as the most significant legal issue facing real estate professionals, according to the recent National Association of Realtors’ 2011 Legal Scan: Legal Issues Facing Real-Estate Professionals. REO-related issues also ranked high on NAR’s Scan.”

Inman - “Tight supply drives up real estate prices in Toronto area” (8-1-11)

“Greater Toronto area home prices accelerated during the second quarter as buyers grappled with a tight supply of residential properties for sale. The heightened competition between buyers has created a seller’s market, leading to multiple offers and pushing the median sales price up 10 percent, to $405,000 (about $424,000 in U.S. dollars), in June.”

Realty Times - “Real Estate Outlook: Mixed Bag” (8-1-11)

“This week’s housing news is again mixed amid reports of declining housing starts and positive monthly home price movement.”

Housing Wire - “Fannie Mae unwind slows down” (8-1-11)

“Mortgage securitization business at Fannie Mae got a little smaller in June, according to the monthly survey from the government-sponsored enterprise, but the rate at which Fannie Mae business contracts is slowing down.”

DS News - “Homeownership Rate Drops to 13-Year Low” (8-1-11)

“The nation’s housing crisis has forced unprecedented numbers of homeowners out of their homes, made for a difficult homebuying environment, and tainted many Americans’ ideal of owning a home. These factors are taking their toll on homeownership in this country.”

Realtor Magazine – “Neighbors, Agents Team Up to Boost Home Values” (8-1-11)

“In the metro Atlanta area, home values have dropped by about one-third in five years. To prevent values from dropping any further, home owners are teaming up to hold neighborhood clean-ups and working with real estate professionals to promote open houses.”

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.

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The Norris Group Real Estate News Roundup 7/25/11

Monday, July 25th, 2011

Today’s News Synopsis:

The Wall Street Journal reported that more foreclosed homes will be featured on reality television shows.  In other news, the Reality Times reported that the sale of existing homes fell last month, the Northeast being the lowest.  According to Housing Wire, some of the big banks showed improvement in the second quarter with increased loans and bigger pre-provision earnings. 

In The News:

DS News - “Home Prices May Not Have Hit Bottom Yet: Survey” (7-25-11)

“Home prices, which have been sputtering along for much of the year, are likely to dip further by the end of 2011, according to the results of a nationwide industry survey of real estate agents.”

Inman – “Real estate exec jailed on drug trafficking charge” (7-25-11)

“Robert Lord Morris, president-elect of the Realtors Association of Lake and Sumter Counties in central Florida, is in jail after claiming a package filled with crystal methamphetamine worth an estimated $30,000 hidden inside a bag of Meow Mix cat food, the Orlando Sentinel reported Thursday.”

Bloomberg - “JPMorgan Cuts Commercial -Mortgage Bound Forecast as Volatility Hurts Profit” (7-25-11)

“JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) cut its 2011 forecast for sales of bonds tied to commercial mortgages by as much as $15 billion as volatile prices curb profitability for Wall Street banks, impeding a recovery in the property market.”

Housing Wire - “Lack of financing may derail growing housing investments” (7-25-11)

“Investors are a driving force in the housing market, but their enthusiasm is constrained by limited financing options with more investors forced to pay cash for their homes as debt-driven financing remains restricted.”

Realty Times – “Real Estate Outlook: Existing-Home Sales” (7-25-11)

“Existing-home sales fell in June amidst contract cancellations, according to the National Association of Realtors.”

The Wall Street Journal - “TV Home Shows Flip Scripts” (7-25-11)

“Where are the hundreds of thousands of foreclosed homes in the U.S. ending up? On reality television.  This summer and fall, several TV networks are unveiling reality shows about buying foreclosed houses as a way to reinvent the popular “house flipping” formula, which proliferated in cable programming alongside the real-estate boom.”

Housing Wire - “Banks’ second-quarter earnings show some loan growth” (7-25-11)

“Second-quarter earnings from the nation’s big banks show the firms experiencing modest loan growth and higher pre-provision earnings during the period, FBR Capital Markets said in a new report.”

DS News – “Regulators Shut Down Florida and Colorado Lenders” (7-25-11)

“Regulators closed the doors on three lending institutions over the weekend – two in Florida and one in Colorado. This latest round of closings brings the number of names on the FDIC’s failed-bank list to 58 for the year.”

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.

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