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Fed on mission to 'reflate' economy

By Lou Barnes, Friday, April 9, 2004.

This was a quiet week, as markets were contained by Passover and Good Friday bookends. The 10-year T-note traded near 4.2 percent all week, just below an important technical mark at 4.25 percent; mortgages finished a little better than the worst of the Monday finale to the job-data panic, and are now 5.75 percent for the low-fee packages.  more...

Diamond Bar retail property sold

By Inman News, Friday, April 9, 2004.

Kensington Diamond Bar, an affiliate of Tustin-based Kensington Real Estate Group, closed escrow on the sale of two retail buildings in Diamond Bar, Calif.

 

The buildings are at Diamon  more...

More Californians priced out of home market

By Inman News, Friday, April 9, 2004.

Home prices continue to rise faster than income in California, and 24 percent of households in the state could afford a median-priced home in February, compared with 30 percent in February 2003, the California Association of Realtors reported this week.  more...

Drug company leases space in New Jersey

By Inman News, Friday, April 9, 2004.

Reliant Pharmaceuticals has expanded its headquarters space at Bernards 78, located at 110 Allen Road in  Bernards Township, N.J. The company initially leased 52,417 square feet at the Class A office property in 2001.  more...

Cost Plus to double Virginia facility

By Inman News, Friday, April 9, 2004.

Cost Plus has decided to double the size of its distribution facility at The Shirley T. Holland Commerce Park in Isle of Wight County, Va. The company will invest $24 million to add an additional 500,000 square feet and create 190 new jobs.  more...

Buyer's market difficult for real estate agents Premium Content

By Bernice Ross, Friday, April 9, 2004.

Are you experiencing a superheated market with virtually no inventory? Are you in a stable market where inventory and demand are balanced? Or are you in a buyer's market where buyers are as rare as hen's teeth? You can prosper in either type of market provided you have the right strategy.  more...

Georgia claims half of 10 fastest-growing counties

By Inman News, Friday, April 9, 2004.

Five counties in Georgia were among the 10 fastest-growing counties in the country between April 1, 2000, and July 1, 2003, the U.S. Census Bureau reported this week.  more...

Making manufactured housing more affordable

By Inman News, Friday, April 9, 2004.

Fannie Mae has partnered with nine lenders to offer financing for manufactured homes with as little as 5 percent down payment.

Fannie Mae will work with RBC Mortgage, AgFirst Farm Credit Bank, Flagstar Bank, GMAC Manufactured Housing, Huntington Mortgage Group, Origen Financial, 21st Mortgage, Vanderbilt Mortgage and Washington Mutual to originate 30-year, 95-percent loan-to-value manufactured housing mortgages. Fannie Mae will purchase all eligible loans.  more...

Housing Rights Summit kicks off

By Inman News, Friday, April 9, 2004.

  • The Housing Rights Center will present the 5th Annual Housing Rights Summit on April 16 in Los Angeles. This event brings together civil rights and social justice advocates, property owners, real estate agents and lenders to discuss housing and civil rights issues. Sessions will cover topics such as historical perspectives of fair housing, issues in current enforcement, sexual orientation and the law, and housing as a basic human right.  more...

U.S. Justice Dept. still on Realtor antitrust case Premium Content

By Jessica Swesey, Friday, April 9, 2004.

The U.S. Justice Department's antitrust division is still investigating a National Association of Realtors' policy that dictates how brokers can display one another's home listings on the Web. A department spokesperson this week confirmed the probe, but wouldn't say how much longer it is expected to continue.

NAR has set a July 1 deadline for MLSs to comply with the virtual office Web sites policy it adopted last May.  more...

Acquisitions Gold Rush continues in Long Island

By Inman News, Friday, April 9, 2004.

 

 

New York-based Prudential Douglas Elliman strengthened its "Manhattan to Montauk" mantra with the acquisition of Goodstein Realty, a firm with more than 145 agents and $355 million in closed sales volume in 2003.  more...

16 ways to cope with a slower housing market Premium Content

By Marcie Geffner, Friday, April 9, 2004.

Interest rates are higher, home sales may slip lower and new unemployment claims last week dropped to the lowest level in three years. Will good news for the economy turn the housing market into a rotten egg? Either way, there's no harm in being prepared.  more...

Three ways to profit from foreclosures

By Robert Bruss, Friday, April 9, 2004.

Virtually all of today's home sales and mortgage refinance statistics are extremely positive, primarily due to the record-low home mortgage interest rates.  more...

How do I repair a broken ceramic tile?

By Paul Bianchina, Friday, April 9, 2004.

Ceramic tile is typically one of the most durable and maintenance-free materials that you're likely to have in your home. Occasionally, however, a tile cracks through impact or needs to be removed to repair some plumbing, and knowing the correct procedures will help allow you to make a clean, invisible repair.

REMOVING THE OLD TILE  more...

Home builders attempt to clean up the air

By Katherine Salant, Friday, April 9, 2004.

(This is the second of a two-part series on zero energy houses)

"Houses are polluters and big houses pollute more," said Department of Energy Assistant Secretary David Garman in a recent interview.  more...