The Associated General Contractors of America reports California ranked 18th in year over year economic improvement. According to LPS, Option ARM foreclosures currently represent 18.8% of foreclosure inventory. The Congressional Oversight Panel estimates HAMP will avert only 800,000 foreclosures. Statistics from S&P shows home prices decreased 3.1% year over year.

In The News:

Sign On San Diego – “California construction jobs up in February” (3-29-11)

“California added 15,500 construction jobs from January to February, far outpacing all other states. But it still ranks 18th in year-over-year improvement, according to the Associated General Contractors of America.”

CNN - “Home prices near a double dip” (3-29-11)

“January home prices fell for the sixth month in a row, edging closer to a double dip. The S&P/Case-Shiller home price index covering 20 major markets fell 3.1% year-over-year, hovering near the market’s bottom set in April 2009.”

Housing Wire – “House Democrats give Geithner plan to revamp HAMP” (3-29-11)

“the Congressional Oversight Panel estimates HAMP will avert only 800,000 foreclosures before the program ends, far short of the 3 million to 4 million originally estimated.”

Mercury News – “As gas, food prices rise, consumer confidence falls” (3-29-11)

“The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index fell more than expected to 63.4 from a revised 72.0 in February. Economists expected a decline to 65.4, according to FactSet. A reading of 90 indicates a healthy economy.”

Housing Wire – “Foreclosure inventory volume outpacing actual foreclosure sales: LPS” (3-29-11)

“Another significant shift occurred in February with data showing a 23% hike in Option ARM foreclosures in the past six months. Option ARM foreclosures now make up 18.8% of the foreclosure inventory, outpacing subprime foreclosures.”

Bloomberg - “U.S. Treasury to Publicly Grade Mortgage Servicers Over Loan Modifications” (3-29-11)

“The U.S. Treasury Department plans to publicly grade mortgage servicers on how well they respond to homeowners seeking reductions in payments as the government encourages loan modifications to stem foreclosures.”

Housing Wire – “Average national mortgage rate rose in February: FHFA” (3-29-11)

“The average national contract mortgage rate for the purchase of previously occupied homes by combined lenders hit 4.79% in February, up 0.8% from the previous month, the Federal Housing Finance Agency said Tuesday.”

Housing Wire – “Regulators vote for 20% down on QRM” (3-29-11)

“Federal regulators voted in favor of the initial mortgage risk-retention proposal Tuesday. Qualified residential mortgages exempt from the rule will require a 20% down payment.”

DSNews - “House Republicans Introduce Eight Bills to Speed Wind-Down of GSEs” (3-29-11)

“The eight proposals include measures to raise guarantee fees the GSEs will charge for mortgage-backed securities they insure and to prevent the GSEs from offering any new products while they are under conservatorship or receivership.”

Looking Back:

One year ago, a study from USC showed that immigrants were more attracted to mid-size cities. Goodman claimed HAMP was bound to fail because of its failure to address negative equity. According to Realpoint, the delinquency rate among commercial mortgage-backed securities reached 6 percent within a month. First American CoreLogic estimated the average home experiencing negative equity would not obtain positive equity until late 2015.

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.

Sources:
Underwater mortgages rise as home prices fall
Foreclosure activity slows sharply in February
FHA Powers What’s Left of the Home Market
U.S. Budget Deficit Expanded to Monthly Record $222.5 Billion in February
NAHB Study: New Homes in 2015 will be Smaller, Greener and More Casual
Bank regulators push for principal write-downs
Proposed Servicer Settlement Met With Resistance
Obama threatens to veto bills killing foreclosure programs
House votes to end FHA Short Refi

Today’s News Synopsis:

The U.S. House voted 242-177 to cancel the Emergency Homeowner Loan Program. A new law will allow you to get your entire deduction in one year. Inman composed a list of ten real estate markets they believe will outperform others. Ginnie Mae guaranteed over $26.2 billion in mortgage-backed securities during February.

In The News:

Bloomberg - “U.S. House Votes to Cancel Emergency Homeowner Loan Program for Unemployed” (3-11-11)

“The U.S. House voted 242-177 to cancel a loan program for homeowners who have lost their jobs as Republicans move to eliminate funding for President Barack Obama’s anti-foreclosure efforts.”

Inman - “Don’t wait to deduct real estate equipment cost” (3-11-11)

“Section 179 doesn’t increase the total amount you can deduct, but it allows you to get your entire deduction in one year, rather than taking it a little at a time over the term of an asset’s useful life.”

Housing Wire – “S&P: CMBS loans originated in 2007 pose high potenial for losses” (3-11-11)

“The rating agency concluded the “loss risk level” for CMBS loans originated in 2011 will fall close to 2002 levels because of tighter underwriting conditions at the time of origination. The report estimates cumulative losses of about 2.5% for the 2002 vintage class of CMBS.”

Housing Wire – “Fed’s Dudley sees no reason to turn against QE2″ (3-11-11)

“William Dudley, CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, believes there’s no reason to back down on expansionary monetary policies already implemented by the Fed. He also told a crowd attending a Queens Chamber of Commerce event Friday that the economy is recovering even as housing sector remains a weak spot.”

Inman - “A futile search for economic answers” (3-11-11)

“The 10-year Treasury note has traded under 3.4 percent resistance, and mortgages are sliding toward 4.75 percent, both tied with four-month lows.”

Inman - “SUMMARY: 10 Real Estate Markets to Watch in 2011″ (3-11-11)

“Inman News examined housing, economic and demographic data for metropolitan areas nationwide in compiling a list of 10 housing markets that are showing signs of strength and may outperform other housing markets in 2011 in several key metrics.”

Housing Wire – “Ginnie Mae guarantees top $26 billion in February” (3-11-11)

“Ginnie Mae guaranteed more than $26.2 billion in mortgage-backed securities in February.”

Housing Wire – “HUD calls ending foreclosure programs ‘irresponsible’” (3-11-11)

“The Emergency Homeowners Loan Program will provide relief to tens of thousands of families who are still struggling to make ends meet after the deepest economic recession and housing crisis in a generation”

Looking Back:

According to the MBA, the delinquency rate for CMBS increased by 1.63 percent during the last half of 2009. Statistics from RealtyTrac show that 2 percent fewer homes entered the foreclosure process in February. Nineteen percent of home listings experienced a price reduction since March 1st.

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.

A Survey from Harris Interactive shows 70% of Americans aspire to homeownership. According to S&P/Case-Shiller, national home prices fell 4.1% in the 4th quarter of 2010. FNC Residential seems to confirm this saying home prices fell 2.2% in December. CB Richard Ellis Group expects office rents to increase this year.

In The News:

Ventura County Star – “Apartments can be good investment as more people rent” (2-19-11)

“While construction in Ventura County has taken a significant hit since the downturn began, shedding about 7,700 jobs from June 2007 to June 2010, the pain has been uneven. Single-family homes have been hit hard and condominiums even harder, said Dawn Dyer, president of Dyer Sheehan Group, a Ventura real estate consulting firm.”

Los Angeles Times – “Homeownership loses its luster” (2-19-11)

“Two-thirds of Americans still see a home purchase as a safe investment, but that’s down from 83% in 2003, according to a study by Fannie Mae. Homeownership has fallen to 66.5% of the adult population, down from 69.2% in 2004. A Harris Interactive polls says 70% of Americans aspire to homeownership, down from 77% a year ago.”

San Francisco Chronicle – “Consumer Confidence Index hits 3-year high” (2-22-11)

“The Conference Board says its Consumer Confidence Index climbed to 70.4 this month, up from a revised 64.8 in January, hitting its highest level since February 2008. It was the index’s fifth consecutive monthly increase. The figure topped economists’ expectations of a reading of 65, according to FactSet.”

CNN - “Home prices near 2009 lows — and may fall more” (2-22-11)

“National home prices fell 4.1% during the last three months of 2010, compared with 12 months earlier, according to the latest report from the S&P/Case-Shiller home price index, a closely watched indicator of market trends. They were down 1.9% compared with three months earlier.”

Housing Wire – “Fitch Solutions subprime credit default swap prices highest since October 2008″ (2-22-11)

“Analysts said the firm’s index for subprime swaps rose 5.2% in January on top of increases the prior two months, including a 7.2% gain in December. Fitch said the 2004 and 2007 vintages performed well last month with returns of more than 7% although constant default rates average 20% higher for the swaps from 2007.”

Housing Wire – “Moody’s finds commercial real estate eluding recovery” (2-22-11)

“After three consecutive months of increases, commercial real estate prices fell 0.9% in December, according to Moody’s Investors Service.”

Housing Wire - “Foreclosure sales weigh down home prices in 23 markets” (2-22-11)

“Home prices in 23 U.S. metropolitan areas fell 2.2% in December, the largest one-month drop for fiscal 2010, and a sign that foreclosed properties continue to weigh down home values across the nation, the FNC Residential Price Index revealed Monday.”

Bloomberg – “U.S. Office Rent Growth to Be ‘Modest’ in 2011, CB Richard Says” (2-22-11)

“U.S. office rents will increase for the first time in three years in 2011, with growth ‘modest and limited to key markets’ before a recovery accelerates in 2012, according to CB Richard Ellis Group Inc.”

Looking Back:

One year ago, Moody’s reported that commercial property prices increased by 4.1 percent in December. A survey showed that 87 percent of homebuilders expected to lose money due to the new FHA guidelines. Short sales accounted for 15.9% of home purchases in January 2010. Janet Yellen predicted the U.S. economy would perform below potential throughout this year and the next.

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.

Housing Wire – “Principal Real Estate Investors optimistic for economic recovery in 2011″ (12-29-10)

“Principal Real Estate Investors expects the Republican gains in Congress, stabilizing commercial real estate values, stronger corporate earnings, higher personal savings rates and the dynamics related to quantitative easing by the Federal Reserve will fuel economic growth in 2011.”

Housing Wire – “Foreclosures jump 31% in third quarter: OCC” (12-29-10)

“Large banks and thrifts foreclosed on 382,000 homes in the third quarter, a 31.2% spike from the previous quarter, according to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Foreclosures increased 3.7% from a year ago, and more are coming. There are 1.2 million homes in the foreclosure process as of the end of the third quarter, up 4.5% from the previous quarter and an increase of 10.1% from a year ago.”

Housing Wire – “Jobless claims fall by 34,000 to lowest point since July 2008″ (12-29-10)

“The Labor Department said the seasonally adjusted figure of actual initial claims for the week ended Dec. 25 fell by 34,000 from the previous week’s 422,000 that was revised upward by a few thousand.”

Housing Wire – “2010 average rate for 30-year mortgage lowest since 1955: Freddie Mac” (12-30-10)

“the average rate for a 30-year, fixed mortgage rose to 4.86% for the week ending Thursday, up from 4.81% a week earlier. A year ago, the average rate was 5.14%.”

Housing Wire – “OTS pins some higher REO volume on mortgage servicers” (12-30-10)

“The Office of Thrift Supervision updated its guidelines alerting examiners to the possibility that a higher level of repossessed homes could stem from poor servicer performance as much as lax underwriting standards.”

Housing Wire – “S&P revises shadow inventory timeline upward, again” (12-30-10)

“In the last three months, an estimated liquidation timeline covering the nation’s backlog of distressed real estate actually increased, according to Standard & Poor’s. The ratings agency now estimates it will take 44 months — up 10% percent from an estimate made just three months ago and 25% annualized — to clear the so-called shadow inventory of homes in distress or foreclosure, but not yet on the resale market.”

Housing Wire – “Senate removes extended tax exemptions for REIT investments” (12-28-10)

“Lawmakers removed larger exemptions for real estate investment trust stock purchases in a bill signed by President Obama Tuesday. The House of Representatives version of the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act would have extended the tax exemption for REIT stock sold from 5% to 10% ownership interest.”

Housing Wire – “Freddie Mac delinquency rate up slightly in November, Fannie rate drops” (12-28-10)

“Freddie Mac said the rate of single-family home loans more than 90-days delinquent inched up to 3.85% last month from 3.82% in October. The government-sponsored enterprise said the multifamily delinquency rate for November fell to 0.39% from 0.44% a month earlier.”

Housing Wire - “LPS: Nearly 2.2 million mortgages are more than 90 days delinquent” (12-28-10)

“Nearly 2.2 million loans are 90 days or more delinquent but not yet in foreclosure, according to LPS, a Jacksonville, Fla.-based mortgage technology and analytics firm.”

Housing Wire - “Lenders initiate 500,000 short sales through Equator in one year” (12-28-10)

“Lenders initiated more than 500,000 short sales on Equator’s automated platform in one year of operation, the technology provider said Tuesday.”

Housing Wire – “Backlog on failed HAMP trials grows 22% since July” (12-28-10)

“The largest servicers participating in the Home Affordable Modification Program have not taken action on 266,136 delinquent mortgages that have either been canceled out of loan modification trials or never qualified for one as of October. This backlog has increased 22% since the 218,246 reported in July.”

Housing Wire – “Consumer advocates claim new Fed rule encourages reverse mortgage predators” (12-28-10)

“The Fed filed the rule with the Federal Register on Sept. 24. The rule was designed to actually give consumers more disclosures on reverse mortgage paperwork, using simple language to highlight the basic features and risks. But the organizations, which include the Center for Responsible Lending, and the National Consumer Law Center, among others, say that the rule goes beyond the Fed’s authority and undermines the still-forming Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.”

Housing Wire – “Housing price declines increase strategic default risk” (12-28-10)

“Home prices are expected to drop another 20% before hitting bottom, according to economists at A. Gary Shilling & Co., raising the risk that 40% of borrowers will walk away from their home in a strategic default.”

NAR - “Pending Home Sales Continue Recovery, Gradual Improvement Seen in 2011″ (12-28-10)

“The Pending Home Sales Index,* a forward-looking indicator, rose 3.5 percent to 92.2 based on contracts signed in November from a downwardly revised 89.1 in October. The index is 5.0 percent below a reading of 97.0 in November 2009. The data reflects contracts and not closings, which normally occur with a lag time of one or two months”

Orange County Register – “O.C. home sales taking 58% longer” (12-28-10)

“It would take 4.64 months for buyers to gobble up all homes for sale at the current pace vs. 2.93 months a year ago — that’s a 58% increase in theoretical selling time in 2010. Homes listed for under a million bucks have a market time of 4.14 months vs. 2.37 months a year ago — that’s a 74% increase in selling time.”

According to Case-Schiller index, property values increased 0.6% year over year.  On the other hand, Freddie Mac reports that home prices decreased 3.1% from the 3rd quarter of 2009. Zillow claims interest rates increased to 4.3% last week.

In The News:

Bloomberg - “Home Prices in U.S. Cities Rose Less Than Forecast” (11-30-10)

“The S&P/Case-Shiller index of property values climbed 0.6 percent from September 2009, the smallest gain since January, the last time prices declined year over year, the group said today in New York. The increase was smaller than the 1 percent median forecast in a Bloomberg News survey of economists.”

San Francisco Chronicle – “Consumer confidence in Nov. hits 5-month high” (11-30-10)

“A monthly survey shows Americans’ confidence in the economy rose in November to the highest level in five months amid more hopeful signs.”

Housing Wire – “Zillow: 30-year mortgage rates trend upward to 4.3%” (11-30-10)

“Reversing last week’s trend, the 30-year, fixed-mortgage rate increased for the week ending Tuesday to 4.3%, according to the Zillow Mortgage Marketplace weekly update. The rate rose from 4.27% the week prior.”

Housing Wire – “MGIC changes underwriting guidelines in response to market conditions” (11-30-10)

“Starting Dec. 1, MGIC will insure mortgages with a debt-to-income ratio up to 45% if the borrower has a credit score equal to or greater then 740. The loan must also be either a fixed-rate product or minimum 5-year adjustable-rate.”

Housing Wire – “Freddie Mac: Home values down 3.1% in 3Q” (11-30-10)

“U.S. home values fell 3.1% in the third quarter from last year, according to the Freddie Mac conventional mortgage home price index.”

Bloomberg - “Banks in U.S. Resisting Calls to Repurchase Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Loans” (11-30-10)

“The two government-owned mortgage companies are enforcing contracts that require lenders to buy back loans that didn’t meet underwriting standards. At the end of September, the companies reported, banks hadn’t responded to $13 billion in buyback requests. A third of those were at least four months old and Freddie Mac has begun to assess penalties for the delays. ”

Orange County Register – “Late pay on O.C. mortgages stabilizes” (11-30-10)

“According to CoreLogic’s latest late-mortgage report, 7.29% of Orange County home-loan borrowers as of September are 90 days-plus late with their house payments.”

Looking Back:

One year ago, Edward Pinto expected 20 percent of FHA’s mortgage loans to default. The Federal Reserve bought $16 billion worth of mortgage-backed securities in one week. According to Michael Barr, Over 650,000 mortgage modifications were being processed, and over 375,000 borrowers would receive permanent modifications by the end of 2009. A survey from Barclay’s showed that as a U.S. citizen’s net worth increases so does the proportion of their wealth invested in 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 reports 3rd quarter commercial and multifamily mortgage loan originations increased 15% from the 2nd quarter. Jobless claims rose 4.5% last week. JPMorgan’s CEO claimed recent affidavit problems affected approximately 127,000 mortgage loans. Bruce Mosler of Cushman & Wakefield Inc. believes commercial real estate rents will rise in 2011.

In The News:

Mortgage Bankers Association – “MBA: Commercial Mortgage Originations Continue to Rise in Third Quarter” (11-4-10)

“Third quarter 2010 commercial and multifamily mortgage loan originations were 32 percent higher than during the same period last year and 15 percent higher than during the second quarter, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Quarterly Survey of Commercial/Multifamily Mortgage Bankers Originations.”

Mercury News – “Mortgage rates: 30-year fixed loans rise to 4.24 percent, near record low” (11-4-10)

“The average rate for 30-year fixed loans rose from 4.23 percent the previous week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. It was the third weekly increase in a row.”

Sacramento Bee – “State commercial loan delinquencies steady” (11-4-10)

The statewide commercial loan delinquency rate held steady at 1.28 percent in this year’s third quarter, the Sacramento-based California Mortgage Bankers Association said. The association said that was an increase of only 0.02 percent from the second quarter.”

Housing Wire – “Weekly jobless claims rose 4.5% to 457,000″ (11-4-10)

“Initial jobless claims rose 4.5% last week to 457,000, which is well above analysts’ estimates and at the highest rate since the end of last year.”

Housing Wire – “Bank of America first mortgage originations down 24% in 3Q” (11-4-10)

“Bank of America (BAC: 12.155 +5.51%) originated $73 billion in first mortgages in the third quarter, down 24.7% from a year ago, according to a report the bank put out Thursday.”

Housing Wire – “S&P: Repurchase obligations could weigh on banks’ earnings” (11-4-10)

“Repurchase obligations could prove both contentious and costly to banks’ earnings, with an estimated price tag of $43 billion total, according to a report published Thursday by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services.”

Housing Wire – “JPMorgan Chase to refile foreclosure affidavits in coming weeks” (11-4-10)

“JPMorgan Chase (JPM: 39.38 +4.40%) expects to begin refiling corrected foreclosure affidavits in 40 states and the District of Columbia within a couple of weeks. Charlie Scharf, the bank’s CEO of retail financial services spoke told investors Thursday at the Bancanalysts Association of Boston Conference that recent affidavit problems affected roughly 127,000 mortgage loans.”

Bloomberg - “U.S. Commercial Real Estate Rents to Rise in 2011, Cushman’s Mosler Says” (11-4-10)

“Commercial real estate rents are poised to rise in 2011 after reaching a low this year, according to Bruce Mosler, co-chairman of Cushman & Wakefield Inc., the largest closely held property services company.”

Bloomberg - “U.S. Commercial Property `Substantially’ Off Bottom, Vornado’s Roth Says” (11-4-10)

“U.S. commercial property prices are recovering and ‘substantially’ off the bottom after more than a year of decline, said Steven Roth, chairman of real estate investment firm Vornado Realty Trust.”

Looking Back:

One year ago, the MBA’s weekly mortgage survey showed that loan application volume increased by 8.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted bases, from the previous week. The FHA expected 24 percent of all loans insured in 2007 to default. The Federal Reserve’s FOMC announced that it would not buy the full $200 billion debt amount that it had previously planned to take. BarCap reported that the 30-plus day delinquency rate increased to 5.5 percent in October 2009.

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.

California government agencies got rid of 37,300 jobs in September. NAR reports existing home sales increased 10% last month. 47.5% of sales performed by agents last month were from distressed homes. U.S. home prices decreased 1.5% from a year ago, according to CoreLogic.

In The News:

Los Angeles Times – “Government job cuts ravage California” (10-23-10)

“Weighed down by a struggling economy, government agencies in California shed 37,300 workers last month — more jobs than were lost in the private sector — as cities and counties made their biggest payroll cutbacks since at least 1990.”

CBIA - “California Housing Starts Post Decline in September, CBIA Announces” (10-25-10)

“According to statistics compiled by the Construction Industry Research Board (CIRB), permits were pulled for 2,562 total housing units in September, down 16 percent from the same month a year ago and down 31 percent from August. Permits for single-family homes totaled 1,604, down 30 percent from September 2009 and down 14 percent from the previous month, while multifamily permits totaled 958, up 27 percent from a year ago but down 48 percent from August.”

NAR - “September Existing-Home Sales Show Another Strong Gain” (10-25-10)

“Existing-home sales1, which are completed transactions that include single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, jumped 10.0 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.53 million in September from a downwardly revised 4.12 million in August, but remain 19.1 percent below the 5.60 million-unit pace in September 2009 when first-time buyers were ramping up in advance of the initial deadline for the tax credit last November.”

New York Times – “Foreclosures Had Errors, Bank Finds” (10-25-10)

“Even as Bank of America begins to restart foreclosure proceedings in 23 states on Monday, the bank confirmed that it had discovered errors, including incorrect data and misspelled names, in the paperwork it has reviewed.”

Housing Wire – “Monday Morning Cup of Coffee” (10-25-10)

“In his weekly address, President Obama said the coming financial reform will defend the interests of the middle class, as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will guard against unfair practices in mortgages and foreclosures.”

Housing Wire – “Bernanke: Federal banking agencies reviewing mortgage servicing operations” (10-25-10)

“Federal banking agencies are conducting an in-depth review of practices at the nation’s largest mortgage servicing operations as a result of reported irregularities in foreclosure practices, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Monday. Preliminary results are expected next month.”

Housing Wire – “Real estate agents surveyed say distressed home sales nearly half of market” (10-25-10)

“Distressed home sales took up 47.5% of the total home purchases in September, up from 45.7% in August and 44.8% a year ago, according to a survey of more than 3,000 real estate agents. Campbell Surveys and Inside Mortgage Finance tapped a network of agents across the country to determine home sales and mortgage patterns.”

Housing Wire – “Fitch Ratings assigned triple-A to $735.9M Wells Fargo issue” (10-25-10)

“Fitch Ratings assigned its triple-A rating to most classes in a coming $735.9 million issue of commercial mortgage-backed securities by Wells Fargo.”

Housing Wire – “S&P: Defaults on CMBS loans to peak beyond 2011″ (10-25-10)

“S&P studied commercial real estate loans in CMBS it rates through June 2010. Roughly 1,200 CMBS loans defaulted in the first half of 2010 and should pass the 2,138 that occurred throughout 2009. Between January 2009 and June 2010, more than 3,300 defaulted for a cumulative default rate of 9.4% of those loans studied.”

Housing Wire – “CoreLogic home price index drops for first time in 2010″ (10-25-10)

“Home prices in the U.S. dropped 1.5% in August from a year ago, the first annual drop in prices measured in the CoreLogic (CLGX: 17.99 0.00%) Home Price Index in 2010.”

Housing Wire – “Obama housing scorecard: Market fragile with signs of stabilization” (10-25-10)

“The U.S. housing market remains fragile but is showing some signs of stabilization, according to the Obama administration’s 2010 October housing scorecard. Rates for 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages remain at all-time lows, helping 7.1 million homeowners refinance since April 2009 and resulting in $12.7 billion in homeowner savings, the scorecard noted.”

Bloomberg - “Bair Says Regulators Will Uncover More Flaws in Foreclosures” (10-25-10)

“Regulators are likely to discover more problems related to loan servicing by some of the biggest banks as they probe claims that documents were mishandled, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Chairman Sheila Bair said.”

Bloomberg - “Mortgage Lenders Say `Enough Is Enough’ as Buybacks Curb Loans” (10-25-10)

“Home lenders are making it tougher to get loans as investors step up demands for refunds on defective mortgages, damaging the housing market, executives said today at an industry conference.”

Bloomberg - “U.S. Mortgage Modifications Slow as Fewer Borrowers Qualify, Treasury Says” (10-25-10)

“An additional 27,840 delinquent borrowers qualified for permanent loan modifications through the Treasury’s Home Affordable Modification Program, bringing the total to 495,898. The 5.9 percent increase from August was the smallest gain since at least September 2009.”

Bloomberg - “Refinancing Surge Lifts Banks Amid Foreclosure Scrutiny” (10-25-10)

“Wells Fargo & Co., the biggest U.S. mortgage lender, received $194 billion of loan applications in the third quarter, the second-most in its history, Chief Financial Officer Howard Atkins said last week. About 80 percent were to refinance. Bank of America Corp. CFO Charles Noski said lending margins are up and demand should remain robust through yearend.”

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.

Property values in 20 U.S. cities increased 3.2% from last year, according to the S&P index. FHFA reports 30-year, fixed mortgage rates decreased to 4.7% in August. The House of Representatives has proposed a new bill which may allow 30 million homeowners to refinance at current interest rates.

In The News:

Mortgage Bankers Association - “Paper Examines Persistent Biases in Analyses of Mortgage Market Discrimination and Credit Risk” (9-28-10)

“False assumptions introduce systematic biases into the estimates that make the models fail in ways that are particularly troubling. Discrimination tests tend to produce false positive indications of discrimination where none exists and tests for default risk are particularly bad at detecting instances where future default rates are likely to rise significantly.”

Bloomberg - “Case Says Housing Will Grow Slowly After Free-Fall: Tom Keene” (9-28-10)

“The U.S. housing market has reached its lows and will expand slowly as the economic recovery remains subdued, said the S&P/Case-Shiller index co-creator Karl Case. The index of property values in 20 U.S. cities increased 3.2 percent in July from 12 months earlier, the smallest year- over-year gain since March.”

Inman - “Report: Don’t give up on ‘nonprime’ lending” (9-28-10)

“With so many people now saddled with poor credit, reestablishing ‘nonprime’ lending is increasingly important to the future of homeownership, researchers at Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies argue in a new report.”

Housing Wire – “FHFA: August average contract mortgage rate fell to 4.7%” (9-28-10)

“The average contract rate for 30-year, fixed mortgages in August fell 14 basis points to 4.7% from 4.84% (or 3% overall) from the month earlier, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency.”

Housing Wire – “CDS drags commercial banks, as trade revenue slips 20%: OCC” (9-28-10)

“Commercial banks reported trading revenue of $6.6 billion in the second quarter of 2010, down 20% from the first quarter, but up 28% from one year prior, according to a report released by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.”

Housing Wire – “New House bill would clear refinancing on 30 million GSE mortgages” (9-28-10)

“A new bill before the House of Representatives aims to allow up to 30 million homeowners with mortgages held or backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to refinance with rates locked in at the current historical lows.”

Housing Wire – “Business Roundtable: Big company CEOs cautious about economy” (9-28-10)

“The CEOs of the country’s largest companies plan to boost capital spending over the next six months, but have lower sales and employment expectations, according to the Business Roundtable’s third-quarter CEO index. The survey showed 49% of CEOs expect higher capital spending over the next six months, up from 43% who said they expectetd increased capital outlays in the previous quarter’s survey.”

Housing Wire – “43% of Bank of America HAMP trial cancellations pending action” (9-28-10)

“Of the 148,129 Home Affordable Modification Program trials Bank of America has canceled through August, more than 63,000, or 43%, still await additional loss mitigation action, according to Treasury Department data.”

Housing Wire – “JPMorgan finds delinquencies in prime RMBS increasing slightly” (9-28-10)

“Month-on-month, the numbers do not vary greatly with 60-day delinquencies up to 11.2% across prime indices, 30.9% across Alt-A, 42.7% for option ARM, and 41.5% for subprime.”

Bloomberg - “Ally Financial Asked to Halt Evictions in Colorado” (9-28-10)

“Ally Financial Inc., the lender that stopped evictions in 23 states amid concern that its foreclosure process may be illegal, was asked by Colorado’s attorney general to extend the freeze by its GMAC Mortgage unit to his state.”

CNN - “FDIC faces costly WaMu claim” (9-28-10)

“The FDIC, busy cleaning up after the biggest run of bank failures in 20 years, now faces a costly legal battle with perhaps the biggest beneficiary of the financial meltdown of 2008, JPMorgan Chase (JPM). The bank wants the FDIC to cover the cost of defending lawsuits facing JPMorgan following its September 2008 fire sale acquisition of Washington Mutual, the Seattle thrift whose collapse ranks as the biggest-ever U.S. bank failure.”

Looking Back:

One year ago, the Federal Reserve printed $860 billion in mortgage-backed securities. Under a U.S. Treasury Department program,  states that provided  mortgages to low-income borrowers received up to 35 billion dollars in Federal aid. According to the SoCal MLS, distressed sales accounted for 40 percent of all Orange County sales in July 2009.

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.

The S&P home price index suggests that prices increased by 1.3 percent from April to May. 91 of the top 100 homebuying zip codes are in California. The vacancy rate for rental housing has remained flat at 10.6 percent for the past year. MPF Research reports the number of occupied apartments grew by 215,000 in the 64 largest U.S. markets in the first half of 2010.

In The News:

Associated Press – “Home prices increase 1.3 pct. in May from April” (7-27-10)

“The Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller 20-city home price index released Tuesday posted a 1.3 percent increase in May from April. Nineteen of 20 cities showed price gains month over month. Minneapolis and Atlanta led the way with 2.8 percent and 2 percent increases, respectively. And San Diego posted its 13th straight monthly gain.”

Inman - “California ‘hot’ among homebuyers” (7-27-10)

“Of the report’s 100 ‘hottest’ ZIP codes nationwide, 91 were in California. This means that, on average, homes in these ZIP codes sold for the most above listing price, while homes in the ‘coldest’ ZIP codes sold for the most under listing price.”

Housing Wire – “Housing Vacancy, Homeownership Rates Remain Level in Q210″ (7-27-10)

“The 2.5% vacancy rate of owner-occupant housing units was only 10 basis points (bps) below the previous quarter and remained level with the year-ago quarter. The rental housing market’s vacancy rate of 10.6% in Q210 was level with the previous quarter and year-ago quarter. Additionally, the homeownership rate slipped to 66.9%, nearly level with 67.1% in the previous quarter”

Housing Wire – “HUD Fines CitiMortgage $700,000 for Failure to Report Delinquencies” (7-27-10)

“The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reached a $700,000 settlement with CitiMortgage, Inc. (CMI) after the company failed to report delinquent loans by the specified monthly deadline. The action was reported in a recently released notice of actions being taken against Federal Housing Administration (FHA) lenders that failed to comply with government standards for lending practices.”

Housing Wire – “FHFA Sees 30-Year Mortage Rate Dip to 5% June” (7-27-10)

“The average contract mortgage rate on conventional 30-year fixed-rate mortgages slipped to 5% in June, 12 basis points (bps) down from a month earlier, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). The rate had held at 5.12% for the past two months. The contract rate on the composite of all mortgage loans (both fixed- and adjustable-rate) fell 9 bps to 4.9%”

Bloomberg - “Apartment Rentals Surge in U.S. on Home Foreclosures, Job Gains” (7-27-10)

“The number of occupied apartments increased by 215,000 in the 64 largest U.S. markets in the first half, according to MPF Research. That’s almost double the units added in all of 2009 and the most since the firm began tracking the data in 1992. The vacancy rate declined to 6.6 percent last month from 8.2 percent in December.”

Bloomberg - “U.S. Cities, Counties Poised to Cut 500,000 Jobs, Report Finds” (7-27-10)

“U.S. local governments may cut almost 500,000 jobs through next year to cope with sliding property taxes, a decline in state and federal aid and added need for social services, according to a report released today. The report, a result of a survey by the National League of Cities, the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the National Association of Counties, showed local governments are moving to cut the equivalent of 8.6 percent of their workforces from 2009 to 2011. That suggests 481,000 employees will lose their jobs, according to the report, which said the tally may yet rise.”

Orange County Register – “Hear why next housing peak ‘2016 or beyond’” (7-27-10)

“Economist Mark Schniepp of the California Forecast tells ocregister.com in a podcast interview that local housing will endure a recovery that’s ‘painstakingly frustrating’ in its modesty with improving but not impressive sales volumes and prices. But it will take a big turnabout in the employment picture before hosuing’s rebound become significant but it will still be ‘until 2016-2017 or beyond’ before the old peaks are surpassed.”

Housing Wire – “Big 4 Banks Add $9.5bn in Nonperforming, Foreclosed Properties in One Year” (7-27-10)

“Each of the ‘big-four’ banks, Bank of America (BAC: 14.19 +0.28%), Wells Fargo (WFC: 28.39 +1.72%), JPMorgan Chase (JPM: 40.69 +0.89%) and Citigroup (C: 4.16 +0.24%) released quarterly earnings reports for Q210 in July, reporting a total increase of $9.5bn in nonperforming or foreclosed properties from the same quarter last year.”

Looking Back:

One year ago, pools increased a homes value by up to 11 percent in Southern California. Fiserv predicted that California would be the hottest home market in 2010. New home purchases climbed 11 percent in June 2009.