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California Real Estate Headline Roundup

Posts Tagged ‘home sales’

The Norris Group Real Estate News Roundup 1/27/12

Friday, January 27th, 2012

Sources:
Foreclosure Properties Fall to 20% of Home Buys
Loan Modifications Are on the Decline: Moody’s
First-time unemployment claims climb
American economy not healthy yet, but it’s healing
Pending Home Sales Decline Monthly, Rise Annually
Contracts to Purchase Existing U.S. Homes Hold Near 19-Month High: Economy
FHFA home prices fall 1.8% in November
Sales of U.S. New Homes Unexpectedly Decline in December
30-Year Mortgage Rates Rise From Record Low
Fed: Benchmark Rate Will Stay Low Until ’14
California Home Foreclosure Notices Decline 12% as Lenders Change Policies
First Three Bank Failures of 2012 to Cost FDIC $244M
Illinois AG Sues S&P
Eric Schneiderman promises aggressive financial fraud probe
Two banks signal they may join mortgage deal
Senate clears $1.2 trillion debt ceiling raise
Obama Announces New Refi Program in State of the Union Address
Wells Fargo launches pilot programs to clear LA, Atlanta housing inventory
FHFA: Principal reduction would cost Fannie, Freddie $100 billion
Programmers Size Up Bank Borrowers With Algorithms Rather Than FICO Scores

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 news of the week.  The Commerce Department said the growth rate for the gross domestic product was averaged to be 2.8% in the last quarter of 2011.  LPS reported a 30 year-over-year decrease in new loan originations in November.  At the same time, loan delinquencies also decreased 25% last month.  In other news, Freddie Mac reported an increase in the average mortgage rate.

In The News:

Bloomberg - “D.R. Horton Reports First-Quarter Profit as Homebuilding Revenue Increases” (1-27-12)

“D.R. Horton Inc. (DHI), the largest U.S. homebuilder by volume, reported first-quarter profit that beat analyst estimates after a year-earlier loss as revenue from home sales rose.”

Housing Wire - “New originations drop 30%, loan delinquencies decline” (1-27-12)

“Low interest rates are spurring some activity in the mortgage market, but opportunities for borrowers with low credit scores are limited, according to the latest Mortgage Monitor Report from LPS Applied Analytics.  New loan originations, overall, fell 30% year-over-year in November, with LPS reporting 537,720 originations in November, compared to 724,364 in December 2010. The report did not include new origination amounts for December 2011.”

CNN Money - “SEC to step up scrutiny of private equity firms” (1-27-12)

“The private equity world is struggling to stay in the shadows.  It’s harder to do so with Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney getting criticized for his private equity roots. If that weren’t enough, the Securities and Exchange Commission says it plans to step up scrutiny of the industry as well.”

Realty Times - “Mortgage Rates Reverse Course on Positive Housing Data” (1-27-12)

“In Freddie Mac’s results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® the average mortgage rates climbed as the housing market ended 2011 on a high note.”

San Francisco Chronicle – “Unexpected dip in U.S. new home sales in December” (1-27-12)

“Sales of new U.S. homes unexpectedly declined in December for the first time in four months, capping the slowest year on record for builders.”

DS News - “Michigan, Ohio Lawmakers Propose Large-Scale Demolition” (1-27-12)

“With vacant and deteriorating properties taking a toll on communities throughout Ohio and Michigan, lawmakers from the two states are proposing large-scale demolition as a means of easing the burden of these problematic properties.”

Housing Wire – “GDP growth rate of 2.8% for 4Q” (1-27-12)

“Higher readings on private inventory investment, consumer spending and and residential investment led the Commerce Department to estimate the gross domestic product growth rate at 2.8% for the final three months of 2011.”

DS News - “Administration Revamps HAMP to Reach More Borrowers” (1-27-12)

“The Obama administration has announced changes to its flagship foreclosure prevention initiative – the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) – which officials say will expand its reach to more distressed homeowners.”

Housing Wire – “January consumer sentiment posts 11-month high” (1-27-12)

“Consumer sentiment climbed to an index level of 75 in January, the best reading of the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan survey in nearly a year.”

CNN Money - “Mortgage probe unveiled as foreclosure talks loom” (1-27-12)

“President Obama’s latest probe into the mortgage meltdown will have more power than past efforts, and federal officials say it won’t derail a possible $20 billion settlement for underwater and foreclosed homeowners.”

Hard Money Loan Closed

Riverside, California hard money loan closed by The Norris Group private lending. Real estate investor received loan for $85,000 on a 3 bedroom, 1 bathroom home appraised for $135,000.

California Real Estate Investor Events:

Bruce Norris of The Norris Group will be at the Advanced Investing Skills and Strategies 2.5 on February 4, 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.

Looking Back:

The NAR claimed pending home sales increased 2% in December 2010. Statistics from Freddie Mac showed mortgage rates increased to 4.8% the week of January 22, 2011. According to the Labor Department, initial jobless claims climbed nearly 12.7% the previous week. The MLS reported sales of existing houses and condos totaled $15.5 billion 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 11/4/11

Friday, November 4th, 2011

Sources:

Freddie Mac Seeks $6 Billion From U.S. Treasury as Quarterly Loss Widens
Weekly jobless claims drop below 400,000
Homeownership Near 13-Year Low as Mortgage Rules Crimp Sales
Mortgage Applications Increase in Latest MBA Weekly Survey
Foreclosure reviews of largest servicers begin
Pending Home Sales Decline
Construction spending and manufacturing–slightly
US files $834 million lawsuit against Allied Home Mortgage
Real Estate Outlook: Changes to HARP
CoreLogic expects HARP 2.0 to help hardest-hit housing markets
Home prices heading for triple-dip

Today’s News Synopsis:

This week’s video is a slideshow of the news of the week in the world of real estate and other big events. The San Francisco Chronicle reported the number of impoverished neighborhoods increased 33% in the last ten years, with the suburb areas being hit harder than the cities.  According to Bloomberg, in October the jobless rate decreased after employers hired less workers than was originally predicted.

In The News:

DS News – “Hudson & Marshall to Auction Over 100 HUD REOs This Saturday” (11-04-11)

“Hudson & Marshall has once again been selected to partner with HUD to auction over 100 foreclosed homes located in Nevada and Arizona. The auction will take place this Saturday, November 5th at the JW Marriott in Las Vegas.“

Bloomberg – “U.S. Jobs Gains Show ‘Frustratingly Slow’ Growth” (11-04-11)

“The U.S. jobless rate unexpectedly fell in October while employers added fewer workers than forecast, illustrating the “frustratingly slow” progress cited by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke this week.”

Realty Times - “30-Year Fixed-Rate Mortgage Averages 4.00 Percent” (11-04-11)

“Freddie Mac today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), showing average mortgage rates declining sharply as investors rushed to U.S. Treasury bonds amid concerns over the European debt market.  The 30-year fixed at 4.00 percent marks the second lowest reading since it hit a record 3.94 percent in the October 6, 2011 PMMS, the lowest in history.”

Housing Wire – “First-time defaults in private-label MBS edge up in October” (11-04-11)

“First-time defaults on private mortgages edged up to a rate of 0.89% in October, a slight increase from this segment’s default rate of 0.86% in September, a new report from Amherst Securities Group said Friday.”

Wall Street Journal – “How Appraisals Are Derailing Home Sales” (11-04-11)

“In the past, appraisals rarely disrupted a home sale.  But realtors and housing experts say new requirements and a difficult housing market are doing just that.  Year-to-date through September, one third of realtors have said appraisals resulted in buyers and sellers delaying or cancelling contracts or renegotiating to a lower sales price, according to the National Association of Realtors.”

San Francisco Chronicle – “Neighborhood poverty surges in past decade, up 33%” (11-04-11)

“The number of Americans living in neighborhoods beset by extreme poverty surged in the past decade, erasing the progress of the 1990s, with the poorest areas growing more than twice as fast in suburbs as in cities.”

DS News – “Home Price Growth Has Dissipated With the Summer Heat: Clear Capital” (11-04-11)

“Temperatures are falling, and so are home prices in most local markets. Clear Capital says it’s expecting another long winter as the housing industry tries to cope with the downward forces of weak demand, record-low consumer confidence, and distressed inventory.”

Housing Wire – “BofA to raise up to $3 billion in stock issuance, reduce debt” (11-04-11)

“Bank of America (BAC: 6.49 -6.08%) intends to explore the issuance of common stock and senior notes in exchange for shares of preferred stock.”

Looking Back:

The MBA reported 3rd quarter commercial and multifamily mortgage loan originations increased 15% from the 2nd quarter of 2010. Jobless claims rose 4.5% the previous week. JPMorgan’s CEO claimed recent affidavit problems affected approximately 127,000 mortgage loans. Bruce Mosler of Cushman & Wakefield Inc. believed commercial real estate rents would rise in 2011.

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 9/23/10

Thursday, September 23rd, 2010

Today’s News Synopsis:

Existing home sales increased 7.6% last month, according to the NAR. The MBA reports commercial and multifamily mortgage debt decreased to $3.24 trillion in the second quarter. The CAR’s monthly analysis shows  California home sales rose 1.8 percent from July. Freddie Mac said mortgage rates did not change this week, despite Zillow’s claim they decreased.

In The News:

NAR - “Existing-Home Sales Move Up in August” (9-23-10)

“Existing-home sales1, which are completed transactions that include single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, increased 7.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.13 million in August from an upwardly revised 3.84 million in July, but remain 19.0 percent below the 5.10 million-unit pace in August 2009.”

Mortgage Bankers Association – “MBA Analysis: Commercial and Multifamily Mortgage Debt Outstanding Declined $52 Billion or 1.6 Percent in 2Q 2010″ (9-23-10)

“The level of commercial/multifamily mortgage debt outstanding decreased in the second quarter, to $3.24 trillion, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) analysis of the Federal Reserve Board Flow of Funds data.”

CAR - “August sales and price report” (9-23-10)

“California home sales edged up 1.8 percent from July, but were down 14.9 percent from August 2009, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) reported today. The statewide median home price also increased 1.2 percent from July and was up 8.6 percent from a year ago.”

Housing Wire – “Fannie Mae adds broker bonuses, downpayment aid to move REO” (9-23-10)

“Fannie Mae will give REO agents and brokers who sell a previously foreclosed property to an owner-occupant a $1,500 bonus per sale. The government-sponsored enterprise will also give qualified homebuyers 3.5% of the final sales price that can be used toward the closing cost, including home warranty. Eligible offers must be submitted on or after Sept. 23 and must close by Dec. 31, 2010. Fannie said the sale must close within 60 days of the accepted offer.”

Housing Wire – “MacroMarkets survey shows 2.2% drop in housing prices for 2H10″ (9-23-10)

“While many market participants provided a somewhat rosier outlook for home prices in a new survey, the average of the respondents still projects a 2.2% decline in the second half of the year. MacroMarkets said data from its September home price expectations survey show market analysts expect a 0.8% drop in home prices the full year with no improvement next year. Previous surveys showed steeper declines.”

Housing Wire – “Weekly jobless claims up 2.6%, first increase in a month” (9-23-10)

“Initial jobless claims rose for the first time in a month last week with a 2.6% increase to 465,000, which is higher than consensus analysts’ estimates. The Labor Department said the unadjusted figure of actual initial claims for the week ended Sept. 18 increased by 12,000 from the previous week’s revised figure of 453,000.”

Housing Wire – “Mortgage surveys vary slightly, but weekly rates still at or near record lows” (9-23-10)

“Freddie Mac said mortgage rates were unchanged this week, while another rate survey set new record lows. The Freddie Mac weekly survey put the average for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage at 4.37% with an average 0.7 point for the week ending Sept. 23, stable from last week’s slight increase. A year ago, the average rate was 5.04%.”

Housing Wire – “FHA’s Stevens to Senate: Capital ratio timeline would have ‘unintended impacts’” (9-23-10)

“Congress mandates that the FHA’s secondary reserves meet 2% of the total amount of its insurance guaranteed. Currently, it is at 0.53%. Last year, the FHA forecast it would be three to four years before that 2% ratio would be reached, and that he remains committed to that timeline.”

Housing Wire – “NY Fed researchers expect wages to decline” (9-23-10)

“Researchers from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said new data show the uncertainty of inflation expectations has abated since the middle of 2008 and there is a continuing expectation that real wages will decline.”

Bloomberg - “GMAC Drew `False Testimony’ Sanction Years Before Eviction Halt” (9-23-10)

“Ally Financial Inc.’s GMAC Mortgage unit, which suspended evictions in 23 states last week after finding employees didn’t verify foreclosure documents, was sanctioned in 2006 for similar practices, court records show. GMAC gave ‘false testimony’ when it justified foreclosures by submitting sworn affidavits signed by a mortgage executive who later said in a deposition she didn’t actually review the loan documents or sign in the presence of a notary, according to a 2006 court order filed in Duval County, Florida.”

Bloomberg - “Credit Union Regulator in U.S. Seeks Bids on $800 Million in Property Debt” (9-23-10)

“The federal agency that regulates credit unions and insures more than 90 million U.S. accounts sought bids on about $800 million in bonds backed by commercial mortgage debt, according to a spokesman for the group.”

Looking Back:

One year ago, a study from the NAR showed that realtors were seeing a 13.6 percent decline in their median income. According to the MBA’s weekly survey, the mortgage loan application volume increased 12.8 percent from the previous season. Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke was expected to announce the end of the recession, and planned to keep rates at the record low. A report showed that state foreclosure prevention programs were failing to keep borrowers from losing their 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 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 9/15/10

Wednesday, September 15th, 2010

Today’s News Synopsis:

Mortgage applications decreased 8.9% this week, according to the MBA. Fannie Mae predicts 2010 sales will total 7.4% less than sales in 2009. UCLA economists predict the unemployment rate will remain above 10% until the end of 2012. GSEs have lost $226 billion since the end of 2007.

In The News:

Mortgage Bankers Association - “Mortgage Applications Decrease in Latest MBA Weekly Survey” (9-15-10)

“The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today released its Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending September 10, 2010.  The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, decreased 8.9 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier.  This week’s results include an adjustment to account for the Labor Day holiday. On an unadjusted basis, the Index decreased 27.4 percent compared with the previous week.”

Reuters - “Fannie Mae now sees US home sales drop, not rise” (9-15-10)

“The company is predicting total U.S. sales of new and existing homes in 2010 will drop 7.4 percent from 2009, compared with expectations for a 0.8 percent rise in its forecast last month. It means sales would fall to about 5.12 million homes from 5.53 million units in 2009.”

The Press Enterprise – “UCLA economists say growth will be hard to notice” (9-15-10)

“Now UCLA’s economists say it’s unlikely there will be enough job growth to drive the state’s unemployment level below 10 percent until the end of 2012.”

Housing Wire – “Barr: GSEs won’t exist once reform takes root” (9-15-10)

“Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac won’t exist in their current state once financial reform takes root, according to a top Treasury Department official. Prior to conservatorship two year ago, the government-sponsored entities operated under a ‘heads I win, tails you lose’ system that is unacceptable, Michael Barr said Wednesday before a subcommittee of the House Committee on Financial Services.”

Housing Wire – “FHFA estimates GSEs final cost to taxpayers could reach $400 billion” (9-15-10)

“Speaking before the House Financial Services Committee today, Edward DeMarco, acting director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency maintains that the government-sponsored enterprises could still cost the taxpayers $400 billion. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were taken into conservatorship by the FHFA in September 2008. Since the end of 2007, the GSEs have lost $226 billion with 73% of that stemming from the single-family credit guarantee business. The Treasury has recorded losses of $148 billion attributable to its bailout of Fannie and Freddie.”

Housing Wire – “New project inquiries at residential architecture firms down 24% in 2Q: AIA” (9-15-10)

“Kermit Baker, the chief economist at AIA, said business conditions at architecture firms hit an all-time low in 2008 but had been making a steady recovery to the first quarter of 2010, when these companies reported the first increase in billings in nearly three years.”

Housing Wire - “Zillow 30-year mortgage rates go up, CEO steps down” (9-15-10)

“The 30-year, fixed-mortgage rate increased last week to 4.32% from a near-record low of 4.27% the week prior, according to the Zillow Mortgage Marketplace weekly update.”

Bloomberg - “U.S. Home Prices Face 3-Year Drop as Inventory Surge Looms” (9-15-10)

“Shadow inventory — the supply of homes in default or foreclosure that may be offered for sale — is preventing prices from bottoming after a 28 percent plunge from 2006, according to analysts from Moody’s Analytics Inc., Fannie Mae, Morgan Stanley and Barclays Plc. Those properties are in addition to houses that are vacant or that may soon be put on the market by owners.”

Looking Back:

One year ago, a survey from the National Association of Home Builders showed that buyers were unwilling to pay more for a new “green” home. DQNews reported that the total sales in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, Ventura, San Bernardino and Orange Counties fell 10.8 percent from the previous month. Both Ben Bernanke and Bank of America believed the U.S. financial downturn was coming to an end. The Coopers Korpacz Real Estate Investor Survey estimated that U.S. commercial property would not recover until 2012.

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The Norris Group Real Estate News Roundup 8/24/10

Tuesday, August 24th, 2010

Today’s News Synopsis:

Existing home sales experienced a dramatic decrease of 27.2 percent in July, according to the NAR. Housing production decreased by 10 percent in June. The CAR reports California home sales decreased 20.8 percent in July. Statistics from the California Employment Development Department show that 7,100 jobs were lost from July 2009.

In The News:

NAR - “July Existing-Home Sales Fall as Expected but Prices Rise” (8-24-10)

“Existing-home sales1, which are completed transactions that include single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, dropped 27.2 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.83 million units in July from a downwardly revised 5.26 million in June, and are 25.5 percent below the 5.14 million-unit level in July 2009.”

CBIA - “California Housing Production Increases in July, CBIA Announces” (8-24-10)

“According to statistics compiled by the Construction Industry Research Board (CIRB), permits were pulled for 4,165 total housing units in July, up 35 percent from the same month a year ago but down 10 percent from June. Permits for single-family homes totaled 1,951, down 9 percent from July 2009 and down 31 percent from the previous month, while multifamily permits totaled 2,214, up 134 percent from a year ago and up 25 percent from May.”

Mortgage Bankers Association – “Wells Fargo Tops U.S. Commercial/Multifamily Servicers in MBA Mid-Year Rankings Report” (8-24-10)

“The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today released its mid-year ranking of commercial and multifamily mortgage servicers as of the end of June 30, 2010. Topping the list of firms is Wells Fargo with $462.8 billion in U.S. master and primary servicing, followed by PNC Real Estate/Midland Loan Services with $307.9 billion, Berkadia Commercial Mortgage with $202.6 billion, Bank of America Merrill Lynch with $133.4 billion and KeyBank Real Estate Capital with $124.7 billion.”

CAR - “July sales and price report” (8-24-10)

“California home sales decreased 20.8 percent in July compared with the same period a year ago, while the median price of an existing home rose 10.4 percent from July 2009, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) reported today.”

Housing Wire – “Disappointing Homes Sales Unlikely to Reverse Course” (8-24-10)

“Predictions that home prices may drop into double digits continue to drag down sales. Bill Gross, managing director of the world’s biggest bond fund, PIMCO remarked that the idea of a rebound anytime soon is ‘ludicrous.’ In a meeting at the US Treasury last week, Gross called for combining the government-sponsored entities into one entity that insures the majority of current and future originations.”

Housing Wire – “60% of Delinquent Mortgages Not in Loss Mitigation” (8-24-10)

“According to a study from the State Foreclosure Prevention Working Group (SFPWG), 60% of borrowers with mortgages delinquent by 60 days or more are not being forwarded to the servicer’s loss mitigation department.”

Bloomberg - “Purchases of Existing Homes in U.S. Probably Slumped in July” (8-24-10)

“Sales of U.S. previously owned homes probably plunged in July to the lowest level since March 2009, evidence the market is restrained by foreclosures and limited job growth, economists said before a report today. Purchases dropped 13.4 percent from June to a 4.65 million annual rate, according to the median of 73 forecasts in a Bloomberg News survey. A decline would be the third in a row.”

Orange County Register – “Corona del Mar is O.C.’s ‘coldest’ market” (8-24-10)

“The pricier the town, the harder it is to sell a home there right now, the latest O.C. home inventory report from Steve Thomas at Altera Real Estate shows. Corona del Mar, for example, was Orange County’s ‘coldest’ market in the past 30 days. In theory, it would take 11 1/2 months to sell all the homes on the market there at the current sales pace, the highest ‘market time’ for any O.C. community in the 30 days ending on Aug. 19. Other ‘cold’ markets likewise tend to be home to some of O.C.’s most expensive housing.”

Orange County Register – “Real estate, building jobs down 5% in July” (8-24-10)

“Indeed, construction suffered the largest year-over-year decline among every employment category, the state Employment Development Department reported. Construction jobs fell by 7,100 positions from July 2009, down nearly 10%. Construction jobs totaled 65,700 in July, state figures show.”

Orange County Register – “Broker: No tsunami of repo’d homes to hit market” (8-24-10)

“This shadow inventory has to be worked through, but is not going to occur as a tsunami of distressed properties to hit the market all at once. Instead, we are going to witness slow increases and drops over the next few years. This slow absorption will not pull down values like it did at the beginning of this downturn and it will keep a lid on any substantial appreciation. Once employment improves, the pathway to an eventual healthy and stable recovery will occur.”

Looking Back:

One year ago, 45,079 new and resale houses and condos were sold statewide in one month. Home sales in the Bay Area hit a 4 year high. The Federal Reserve accepted $2.3 billion in investor requests for financing to purchase legacy commercial mortgage-backed securities.

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 8/18/10

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

Today’s News Synopsis:

HAMP’s permanent loan modifications increased 5.9% by the Bank of America, while the number of applications for mortgages increased 13%.  On the same note, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association the number fo refinancings for mortgages increased 17.1% in the previous week, while the amount of people filing for bankruptcy increased 20%.  Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac began searching for any bad loans or dishonest loan applications, while in other news Barney Frank believes Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac should no longer be allowed to operate.  However, there are no current plans for this to happen as the White House is trying to fix the problems.  Also, as the demand on homes decreases, the merging and aquisition of homebuilders may rise.  On a similar note, Veri-tax is now owned by  Blue Horizon Capital.  Finally, the Fed’s have come up with a plan to prepare for an increasing decline in the economy by using money made from securities to buy Treasuries.

In The News:

Housing Wire – “Bank of America Permanent HAMP Modifications Increase 5.9% in July” (8-18-10)

“Bank of America (BAC: 13.4305 +1.67%) pushed its total number of permanent mortgage workouts under the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) to 76,300 in July, a 5.9% increase from June.”

Bloomberg - “U.S. MBA Mortgage Applications Index Rose 13% Last Week on Refinancing” (8-18-10)

“The number of mortgage applications in the U.S. increased last week, propelled by a surge in refinancing as borrowing costs hovered near record lows.  The Mortgage Bankers Association’s index rose 13 percent in the week ended Aug. 13, the Washington-based group said today. Refinancing jumped 17 percent to reach the highest level since May 2009, while purchases fell 3.4 percent.”

DSNews -“MIT Commercial Property Price Index Posts 17% Gain in Q2″ (8-18-10)

“Transaction prices of commercial properties sold by major institutional investors surged over 17 percent in the second quarter of 2010, according to an index developed and published by the Center for Real Estate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).”

CNBC - “Phase Out Fannie & Freddie Over Time: Rep. Frank” (8-18-10)

“Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac should be abolished but this has to be done over a period of time, Rep. Barney Frank, chairman of the House Financial Services committee, told CNBC on Tuesday.  Frank agreed that phasing out the housing behemoths would help bolster private mortgage financing, but stressed that the process would take time.”

Bloomberg - “Homebuilder Mergers Loom as `Elephant in Room,’ Citigroup Says” (8-18-10)

“Homebuilder takeovers may increase as tumbling demand for new houses and a faltering U.S. economic recovery spur companies to consolidate to gain market share, according to Citigroup Inc.”

RisMedia - “The Real Estate Book Introduces New Search Tool for House Hunters on the Go, Launches App for iPhone, iTouch, iPad” (8-18-10)

“For on-the-go home buyers, The Real Estate Book / RealEstateBook.com, the leading publisher of real estate information online and in print in North America, launches a new application that provides iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad users with access to all its listings – millions of homes for sale across the U.S. and around the world.”

DSNews - “Private Investment Firm Acquires Veri-tax” (8-18-10)

“Blue Horizon Capital, a private investment firm based in Los Angeles, California, acquired Tustin, California-headquartered Veri-tax LLC late last month.  A provider of tax verification and fraud management solutions for the mortgage lending and consumer credit industry, Veri-tax clients include two of the nation’s top four banks, as well as a slew of other lenders, originators, and financial institutions.”

Wall Street Journal - “Banks Face Fight Over Mortgage-Loan Buybacks” (8-18-10)

“While mortgage delinquencies are easing, banks are facing a new round of losses from loans made just before the financial crisis, and the fight to keep them off their balance sheets is intensifying.  Leading the charge to make originators repurchase their loans are Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two government-owned finance agencies that guaranteed the mortgages. The firms are sorting through delinquent loans for signs of any violations of the representations and warranties, known as “reps and warranties.” In essence, they are looking for lies made by borrowers or lenders in loan applications.”

DSNews - ”Industry Stakeholders Descend on Washington to Debate GSE Reform” (8-18-10)

“Will Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac still be here in three years? Or will they be replaced by a new federal mortgage agency? Will the government begin a grand exodus from the housing market and leave the American Dream to the private sector?”

Orange County Register - “Realogy CEO Takes Part in U.S. Government Conference on the Future of Housing Finance” (8-18-10)

“Lenders seized fewer homes in July for a third straight month, repossessing nearly 10% fewer homes than in June.  Meanwhile, default notices filed against homeowners who have missed three or more house payments increased 9% last month from June’s levels.”

DSNews - “Rapidly Rising Inventory, Home Price Pressures in Store: Altos Research” (8-18-10)

“Real estate data provider Altos Research says its newest housing market report confirms what the company has been saying for some time: the mini “boom” of this spring was created by seasonal demand, with some extra help from the federal homebuyer tax credits.”

Housing Wire – “Falling Housing Prices Drag Down Consumer Spending for 3rd Straight Month: Deloitte” (8-18-10)

“The Deloitte Consumer Spending Index, which tracks consumer cash flow to predict future spending, declined for the third straight month in July due to weaknesses in the post-tax credit housing market.”

DSNews - “TransUnion: Mortgage Delinquencies Drop for Second Straight Quarter” (8-18-10)

“The national mortgage loan delinquency rate – measuring the ratio of borrowers 60 or more days behind on their home loan payments – fell again in the second quarter of 2010, suggesting the credit conditions in the housing sector have begun to stabilize, according to TransUnion.”

RisMedia - “Builders Shrink Homes to Fit Buyers’ Newly Modest Tastes” (8-18-10)

“Realogy Corporation, a global provider of real estate and relocation services, announced that its chief executive officer Richard A. Smith traveled to Washington, D.C., today to participate in the Conference on the Future of Housing Finance. The invitation-only event is being hosted by Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Shaun Donovan.”

“The Fed’s move to begin buying long-term Treasuries with proceeds from maturing mortgage-backed securities opens up the possibility of quantitative easing if the economy declines further, according to Deutsche Bank.”

CNBC - “Call for Careful Overhaul of US Mortgage Lending” (8-18-10)

“The US does not intend to wind down completely Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the large government-sponsored mortgage companies that are eating up billions of taxpayer dollars, given the fragile state of the housing market.”

CNBC - “White House Taking Steps to Fix Fannie and Feddie” (8-18-10)

WebCPA - Bankruptcy Filings Jump 20 Percent (8-18-10)

“Bankruptcy filings rose 20 percent in the 12-month period ending June 30, 2010, the highest number of bankruptcy filings for any period since many of the provisions of the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 took effect.”
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 8/17/10

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010

Today’s News Synopsis:

Statistics from MDA DataQuick show 18,946 new and resale homes were sold in Southern California in July. Frank Nothaft of Freddie Mac announced that refinancing activity has accounted for over 80% of conventional loan activity. National housing starts increased by 7.1 percent last month, according to the NAHB. The MBA expressed concerns that recent policy changes restricting seller concessions went too far and may damage the industry.

In The News:

DQNews - “Southern California Home Sales and Median Price Dip in July” (8-17-10)

“A total of 18,946 new and resale homes were sold in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, Ventura, San Bernardino and Orange counties in July. That was down 20.6 percent from 23,871 in June, and down 21.4 percent from 24,104 for July 2009, according to MDA DataQuick of San Diego.”

NAHB - “Housing Starts Rise 1.7 Percent in July” (8-17-10)

“Nationwide housing starts inched up 1.7 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 546,000 units in July from a downwardly revised figure in the previous month, according to U.S. Commerce Department figures released today. The gain occurred entirely on the multifamily side, with single-family housing production falling 4.2 percent to 432,000 units.”

Housing Wire – “MBA Prefers FHA Seller Concessions Lowered to 4%” (8-17-10)

“In a letter to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the MBA said its members urge the federal agency ‘to ensure policies do not reach too far and needlessly discourage home buying at a time when the housing market is still fragile.’ Last month, HUD announced possible policy changes within the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) aimed at boosting capital reserves. The changes include reducing the limit on seller concessions to 3% from 6%; using a FICO credit score of 500 as a minimum for consideration in FHA programs; and lowering the maximum loan-to-value to 90% for all borrowers with credit scores less than 580.”

Housing Wire – “Fannie Mae Sees Housing Activity Flat in 2H” (8-17-10)

“The GSE also said continued uncertainty and a slower-than-normal recovery points to overall GDP growth of 2.5% for the rest of the year. In July, analysts at Fannie Mae’s economics and mortgage market analysis group projected growth of 2.8%, which was down from a June estimate of 3.2%. The agency expects the low, 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages to boost refinance activity but not result in any sort of refinance boom. The current average rate of 4.5% is expected to remain throughout 2010.”

Housing Wire – “John Burns: GSE Renting Options Will Increase Demand and Limit Supply” (8-17-10)

“The government should create an apartment real estate investment trust (REIT) to rent out foreclosed properties — a method that would avoid flooding the housing market with foreclosed properties, a real estate consultant said as President Obama’s ‘Future of Housing Finance Conference’ kicked off Tuesday. John Burns, CEO of John Burns Real Estate Consulting, said the government-created REIT would be self-sustaining via rental fees. The government-sponsored enterprises, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, would hire outside property-management firms to manage the rental properties, Burns said.”

Housing Wire – “Refinancing Accounts for 80% of Loan Activity over Last 2 Months: Nothaft” (8-17-10)

“Over the last two months, refinancing activity has accounted for more than 80% of all conventional loan activity, said Frank Nothaft, chief economist at Freddie Mac. In a Featured Perspectives report out Monday, Nothaft said Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae have purchased 1.4m refinance loans, including nearly 200,000 loans that have gone through the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP).”

Housing Wire – “Bank of America Merrill Lynch: Bearish Sentiment Eases” (8-17-10)

“BofAML, a unit of Bank of America, said the bearish sentiment for the global economic outlook and corporate earnings has eased. The most recent data show 5% of survey respondents expect the global economy will improve in the next year. In July, 12% percent of respondents predicted the world economy would deteriorate, BofAML said. But recession fears seem to have subsided, as 78% of fund managers surveyed last week don’t expect a double-dip recession. Still, 73% continue to see ‘below-trend growth and inflation.’”

Housing Wire – “TransUnion: Housing Begins to Stabilize as Delinquent Loans Fall in Q210″ (8-17-10)

“National mortgage loan delinquency rates for loans delinquent 60 days or more fell for the second quarter in a row to 6.67%, according to TransUnion’s quarterly trend analysis released Tuesday; a sign the housing sector is beginning to stabilize. The 1.48% drop in Q210 follows an 18.52% drop in Q110 for loans delinquent 60 days or more. Delinquent loans accounted for 6.77% of the all loans in Q110. The current delinquency rate is still up 14.8% from the same quarter last year when the rate was 5.81%.”

Housing Wire – “Private Sector Modifications Increase 10% in June” (8-17-10)

“The housing industry conducted 123,000 permanent modifications through private programs in June, a 10% increase from the 112,000 done in May, according to Hope Now, a private sector alliance of mortgage servicers, investors, insurers and nonprofit counselors.”

Housing Wire – “Bankrate: Loan Closing Costs Jump 36.6% Year-Over-Year” (8-17-10)

“The average origination and third-party fees on a $200,000 mortgage increased 36.6% to $3,741 from last year’s average of $2,739, according to Bankrate’s annual mortgage fee survey. Lender origination fees increased to $1,463, or 22.8%, in 2010 from $1,192 in 2009, while the average total third-party fees rose 47.2%, to $2,277 from the year-ago average of $1,547.”

Housing Wire – “Homebuyer Demand All But a ‘Standstill’: Altos Research” (8-17-10)

“The average national house price was $474,946 in July, according to the Altos 10-city composite price index. The index fell ‘significantly’ from its high in the summer of last year, when buyers were taking advantage of the homebuyer tax credit. It has declined for the past 11 months. The tax credit expired in April.”

Bloomberg - “Home Depot Profit Tops Analysts’ Estimates as Sales Increase” (8-17-10)

“Net income increased 6.8 percent to $1.19 billion, or 72 cents a share, in the quarter ended Aug. 1, from $1.12 billion, or 66 cents, a year earlier, Atlanta-based Home Depot said today in a statement. Analysts projected 71 cents, the average of 23 estimates in a Bloomberg survey.”

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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