A ProPublica–NPR news story recently suggested that a mortgage financing vehicle utilized by Freddie Mac may be preventing homeowners from refinancing. While FHFA does not typically comment on its supervisory activities, the circumstances here require some clarification, according to the …

Everyone knows that the housing market has been a little daunting for the last several years. Ups and downs, talk of good news and bad news, and a confusing amount of information about rising and falling mortgage rates has rendered …

Editor’s Note: The below article, which originally appeared in the December 2011 issue of Real Estate magazine, features updated information regarding the National Flood Insurance Program.

The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (NAR) is a leading advocate regarding federal legislative and …

The UFA Default Risk Index for the fourth quarter of 2011 edged lower to 131 from last quarter’s revised 133, which suggests that residential mortgage default and prepayment risks are continuing their return to normalcy.

According to the latest UFA …

Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) recently released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), showing average fixed mortgage rates changing little and remaining near their historic lows while adjustable-rate mortgages averaged new record lows. The 30-year fixed has averaged …

The holidays are fast approaching. Regardless of what denomination you are- the next couple of months are probably going to be more hectic than most as you prepare to conclude 2011 with friends and family. If your home is on …

If your home will be for sale this winter, it is important to master certain seasonal issues that are less significant or even non-existent at other times of the year. Here are 10 bits of sage advice from RE/MAX agents …

As temperatures dip and fall settles in with the promise of winter ahead, home owners need to pay extra attention to certain details in order to set themselves apart from the competition.

1. Maintain your landscape. Flowers aren’t exactly flourishing …

Greg Rand (@gsrand), CEO of OwnAmerica, and host of Rand on Real Estate on 770 WABC, discusses concerns over negative equity on investment properties. Would a short sale be the best way to go?

To see more …

More and more people are in over their heads when it comes to their home. In this tough economy, many have fallen behind on their mortgages and don’t know where to begin to rid themselves of the property that they …

Every home—whether it’s a resale or new—has some kind of an issue, and the reality is that there is no “perfect” house. Many homebuyers embark on their search for a home with the belief that new homes should be flawless, …

Most of us have dreamt of having a vacation home. It could be on the beach in New England, somewhere tropical, or even somewhere foreign. Many consumers don’t realize that with the proper research, their dream vacation home might actually …

Just three weeks after Congress restored $40 million in its budget for homeownership counseling, a new study by the Urban Institute reports that counseling greatly increased the ability of homeowners to stay current once they cured a serious delinquency or …

For sellers with homes on the market or for newly moved-in buyers, fixing up your home can be a worthwhile and satisfying process. Needless to say, the home improvement process can potentially be daunting when trying to keep track of …

These days, it seems that all we hear about are problems. The crisis of the day may vary a bit depending on the network you happen to be watching or newspaper you’re reading, but the theme is basically the same: …

When the Obama administration rolled out the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) in 2009, officials estimated 3 to 4 million borrowers would seek relief from their mortgages through the program amidst the worst recession and housing market collapse in decades.…

Recent home buyers are staying well within their means with notably higher incomes and modestly higher down payments than buyers in the previous year, due to the restrictive mortgage credit environment, despite historically favorable housing affordability conditions, according to a …

MRIS, the Mid-Atlantic region’s multiple listing service (MLS) marketplace that facilitates $36 billion in yearly sales, has launched a new “Lifestyle Search” feature as a major upgrade and enhancement to its consumer website HomesDatabase.com, the organization has announced.

“Typically, …

A home inspection is a crucial component of making a smart home-buying decision. According to Jay Gregg, director of marketing for Pillar To Post, not all home inspections are equal. Gregg, who has experience in home inspections, sales marketing and …

You’re about to put an offer on a home, but you’re worried that prices will sink and you won’t get the best deal. You’re putting your home on the market and you want to get the most you can for …

Has this ever happened to you? You’re talking to a client, or perhaps your boss, and you realize the conversation has gotten off on absolutely the wrong foot. You may have learned new and unexpected information from the other person …

Headlines were made when Facebook announced its plans to go public, creating a new generation of Facebook millionaires. Many have been speculating about what these fresh-faced millionaires will do with their money. Others have been asking how they will …

The sad news of Whitney Houston’s death this past Saturday sent shockwaves through the recording industry as well as her worldwide fan base, who adored the singer for her many gifts in acting, modeling and of course her unforgettable and …

Homeowners are ready to make 2012 a banner year for remodeling and the latest cost-for-value research suggests that getting the most bang for every buck is more important than ever.

The Remodeling Market Index (RMI) hit a five-year high at …

REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT—Recent reports released by the Illinois Foreclosure Listing Service, ILFLS.com, show that Chicagoland foreclosure activity rose sharply during the last two months of 2011. This increase in the number of completed foreclosures contrasts with figures from the rest of …

Howard Hanna Real Estate Services recently reported record home sales for 2011 through its 134 offices in Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York and West Virginia. This marks the 9th straight year Howard Hanna Real Estate Services has increased sales units and …

Despite a challenging real estate market, the industry’s leading residential brokerage firms continue to demonstrate resiliency and growth, and will prove this by participating in RISMedia’s 24th Annual Power Broker Report & Survey. As the industry’s preeminent report ranking the …

Obeo, a leading provider of online real estate virtual tours and real estate in North America, announced a new search engine optimization (SEO) feature to help brokers and agents win the battle for their listings.

Studies show that 96 percent …

Regional Spotlight—RE/MAX of New England recently released their 2012 Housing Market Outlook & Forecast.

According to the study, Connecticut experienced the largest declines in 2011, as single-family home transactions slid -8.4 percent and average price dipped -1.8 percent, compared to …

Agents, have you ever listed or sold a home owned by a celebrity? If so, we want to know about it! RISMedia is excited to announce that in 2012 we will be significantly expanding our coverage of celebrity homes and …

Procedure that classifies real property for a number of different uses: residential, commercial, industrial, etc. in accordance with a land-use plan.…

What an investment or property will return; the profit or income.…

Depreciation or amortization an owner takes on a commercial property.…

A deed in which the grantor guarantees that he or she is giving the grantee good title free of encumbrances. Considered to be the best deed a grantee can receive.…

Veterans Administration-backed mortgage. The VA, a federal agency, operates a loan guarantee program for honorably discharged veterans and widows of veterans who died of a service-related injury. Mortgages call for low or no down payment. Sometimes referred to as GI …