What is adverse possession? We touched on it more than a year ago when it happened on Washington. To read the article click here.Home Sales Outlook Housing Starts President Obama Hope for home owners
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Adverse possession: Man claims ownership of $300,000 foreclosed home in Texas, pays just $16 (Video)
What is adverse possession? We touched on it more than a year ago when it happened on Washington. To read the article click here.
Seattle's Most Expensive Listing Heads to Auction
The Mercer Island, Washington home of David Sandwith will come up for auction after being listed $28.8 million, the most expensive listing in the Seattle area. Candace Jackson has details on The News Hub.
Keep weeds out of your garden
Get weeds before they get your garden by following these basic tips.
Source: http://realestate.msn.com/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=30256929
Freddie Mac Mortgage Crisis Real Estate Agents Housing Market
ANC Youth League Supporters Protest Violently in Johannesburg
Stun grenades, water cannons used to break up supporters of youth league's controversial leader
White House Internship: Being a Part of Something Bigger than Myself
A White House Internship is an opportunity to serve your country, learn valuable skills to make a difference in your community, and be part of something bigger than yourself. After all, President Obama once said, “…it’s only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential.”
During my internship I witnessed the passage of the Affordable Care Act. This historic piece of legislation made a difference in the lives of everyday Americans to make health care more affordable and available. As an uninsured 22 year-old, the Affordable Care Act impacted me directly. Now I and other young people can be covered under our parent’s health insurance.
President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and senior staff, react in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, as the House passes the health care reform bill,
Source: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/08/25/white-house-internship-being-part-something-bigger-myself
A Sprawling Estate in the Hamptons
This roughly 10,000-square-foot house in Bridgehampton, N.Y., incorporates the footprint of an old barn. The eight-bedroom home, including a square pool and views of a wildlife preserve, is listed for $8.5 million. Short Sale Waterfront Homes Real Estate Agent Foreclosure Homes
Metros with largest yearly drop in July unemployment rate
Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report
Libyans Mark Holiday by Touring Gadhafi's Former Compound
Libyans tour Bab al-Aziziya, a 6-kilometer square compound that was the secretive heart of Gadhafi's regime
Small Business Summit in South Carolina
Over 400 small and minority business entrepreneurs participated in a Department of Energy small business procurement summit in Orangeburg, South Carolina on Tuesday, August 23, 2011. I had the pleasure of speaking at the event together with DOE Secretary Steven Chu, U.S. Congressman James Clyburn, and SBA Deputy Administrator Marie Johns. This was part of a series of high-level events that the White House asked all Federal agencies to conduct. Since March, over 20 Cabinet and Senate-confirmed officials and 7,000 small business owners have participated in 19 small business matchmaking events around the country.
Source: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/08/31/small-business-summit-south-carolina
Rent vs. Buy: Homeownership Beats Renting in 3 out of 4 U.S. Cities
Once again, Trulia has examined the cost of renting versus buying in America’s 50 largest cities. Making an apples-to-apples comparison between the renting and buying a two-bedroom apartment, condo or townhouse, we found that buying is more affordable in 72% of major cities.
To find out what’s better where you live, you can check out [...]
To find out what’s better where you live, you can check out [...]
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Indonesians Face Confusion Over Eid Start
Celebrations kick off late Tuesday after official delay based on moon position
Source: http://www.voanews.com/english/news/asia/Indonesians-Face-Confusion-Over-Eid-Start-128775503.html
Celebrity Foreclosures Most Expensive Homes Luxury Home Prices Mortgage Rescue Scams
Old low-flow toilet doesn't save water
Check water level in tank before purchasing a newer model
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/inmannews/~3/yZFdOMGalJ0/old-low-flow-toilet-doesnt-save-water
Economy Interest Rates Celebrity Foreclosures Most Expensive Homes
Lights, Camera?.Luxe Living
Here at Trulia, we’re obsessed with beautiful homes and we believe that a life of luxury is best when lived. And it’s no surprise that some of the most beautiful homes on the planet are owned (and subsequently sold) by A-List celebrities. The homes are often so spectacular, you can’t help but gawk. If you’re [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TruliaBlog/~3/fw6403fk1ac/
Housing Starts President Obama Hope for home owners Fannie Mae
John Smoltz?s vacant land in Wyoming headed for foreclosure
Retired Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher John Smoltz has an outstanding $1.6 million balance on a vacant piece of property in the Snake River Sporting Club, which is located in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. If the former eight-time All Star and one-time Cy Young Award-winner doesn’t reconcile the debt with his lender the property will be [...]Source: http://blog.foreclosure.com/2011/08/john-smoltzs-vacant-land-in-wyoming-headed-for-foreclosure/
Economy Interest Rates Celebrity Foreclosures Most Expensive Homes
Trulia Launches Crime Maps
Location, Location, Location ? it?s all about Location. But sometimes the best location might not be the safest. Now, your house or rental search for the perfect place with the safest neighborhood just got a whole lot easier with Trulia?s brand new Crime Maps!
Crime Maps helps people view, explore, compare, interact and comment on crime [...]
Crime Maps helps people view, explore, compare, interact and comment on crime [...]
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Home Sales Outlook Housing Starts President Obama Hope for home owners
Addressing Rental Scams
As online rentals fraud is becoming an industry-wide problem, Trulia is committed to keeping our rental listings scam-free and accurate. �While tackling this problem and keeping up with fraudsters is an ongoing task, we have taken a few initial steps to reduce fraud and protect our valued customers.
As of this week, anyone posting a rental [...]
As of this week, anyone posting a rental [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TruliaBlog/~3/bsciuUxVJV8/
An in-depth look at debt
Book Review: 'Debt: The First 5,000 Years'
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/inmannews/~3/4Fd8BXITxX8/an-in-depth-look-debt
Interest Rates Celebrity Foreclosures Most Expensive Homes Luxury Home Prices
Trulia Launches Crime Maps
Location, Location, Location ? it?s all about Location. But sometimes the best location might not be the safest. Now, your house or rental search for the perfect place with the safest neighborhood just got a whole lot easier with Trulia?s brand new Crime Maps!
Crime Maps helps people view, explore, compare, interact and comment on crime [...]
Crime Maps helps people view, explore, compare, interact and comment on crime [...]
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Gadhafi Son's House Gives No Hint Family Would Fall
Rebels briefly held eldest Gadhafi son a week ago. Neighbors say he escaped by taking advantage of opposition's good will
Foreclosures Home Sales Outlook Housing Starts President Obama
VP in Asia: Highlights from Chengdu, China
Sichuan University, located in China's rapidly developing southwestern city of Chengdu, was the site of Vice President Biden's major speech on U.S.-China relations on the morning of his 4th day in China. Speaking on a range of issues facing the two largest economies in the world, the Vice President reiterated that a "rising China" is a "positive development, not only for the people of China but for the United States and the world as a whole."
He noted that with increased cooperation between the US and China comes increased competition. "We should reject the misplaced notion of the zero-sum game in which everything one nation achieves somehow comes at the expense of the other," said Vice President Biden (you can watch the full speech, above). Vice President Biden also expressed confidence in America's ability to compete in the 21st century. "The United States is hardwired for innovation," he said. "Openness, free exchange of ideas, free enterprise and liberty are among the reasons why the United States, in my view is at this moment the wealthiest nation in the history of the world. It's why our workers are the most productive, why our inventors and entrepreneurs hold more patents than any other country in the world, why we are reinvesting in the fundamental sources of our strength -- education, infrastructure, innovation -- and why President Obama and I are so confident that America will weather the current economic storm and emerge even stronger."
Source: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/08/23/vp-asia-highlights-chengdu-china
A Look Back: Pets in the White House
Visitors to the White House love to look at the archival photos that are featured in the halls of the East Wing. The photos in this gallery are among the most popular - it's a look back at some Presidential pets.
Want to learn more about the pets who have called 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue home over the years? This gallery goes all the way back to WW II.
And this one features the current resident of the White House dog house, who joined the Obama family on April 14, 2009.
Source: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/08/23/look-back-pets-white-house
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Tropical Storm Strikes Taiwan, Heads for Chinese Coast
Nanmadol dumps heavy rain on Taiwan, flooding homes and forcing mass evacuations
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Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff on CNBC
This morning Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff was a guest on CNBC discussing the Zillow business and the housing recession. You can watch the interview here.
Source: http://www.zillow.com/blog/2011-08-30/zillow-ceo-spencer-rascoff-on-cnbc/
Foreclosures Home Sales Outlook Housing Starts President Obama
Celebrating Women?s Equality Day
As we commemorate Women’s Equality Day, the anniversary of the 19th Amendment, it is fitting to celebrate the many strides our Nation has made towards equality over the past 91 years. It is a day to remember those iron-jawed angels, who marched and stood vigil, who fasted and were imprisoned for that basic right—the right to vote. It is a time to recommit ourselves to continuing the struggle for full equality for women—for our mothers, grandmothers, daughters and for ourselves. And for me personally it is a time to reflect on how much I have benefited from this legacy of sacrifice and leadership to enjoy the great honor I have today of serving in the Obama Administration.
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to speak with community organizers, business leaders, faith leaders, and elected officials at Congressman Steny Hoyer’s 9th Annual Women’s Equality Day Luncheon in Clinton, Maryland. I was proud to highlight that the rights, freedoms, and welfare of women and girls has been a priority of the Obama Administration from day one.
From creating the White House Council on Women and Girls, to appointing a strong team of women leaders to his Cabinet and White House staff, President Obama has ushered in a new era of leadership. He nominated two women to the Supreme Court and nearly half of his confirmed nominees to the lower courts are women—far surpassing the previous high watermark of around 30 percent.
President Obama understands that supporting women translates into stronger families and a stronger economy. That is why over the past two and a half years, the Obama Administration has placed an emphasis on implementing policies that empower women to realize their full economic potential. The Administration has looked at issues from workplace flexibility to wage inequality, and expanded small business lending to women businesses owners though the Small Business Administration.
The Obama Administration has also made strides in women’s health. The landmark Affordable Care Act prevents insurers from charging women higher premiums than they charge men, and makes it illegal for insurance companies to deny coverage to women based on pre-existing conditions, such as cancer, being a victim of domestic violence, or pregnancy. For the first time, new insurance plans must cover preventive care for women, including: mammograms, STD/HIV testing and counseling, domestic violence counseling, contraception, and gestational diabetes screening with no deductibles, copayments, or coinsurance. Additionally, starting in 2014 all health plans will be required to cover the cost of a pregnancy — a monumental win for women. This Administration is also working to reduce teen pregnancy, improve medical care for women veterans, and end violence against women though increased funding and innovative programs.
Supporting our Nation’s families and working to improve their health is also a cornerstone of the First Lady’s agenda. From Let’s Move!, the initiative that aims to solve the epidemic of childhood obesity within a generation, to Joining Forces, the initiative to mobilize all sectors of society to support and honor our service members, veterans, and their families, the First Lady is committed to improving the lives of women and children.
The President and the First Lady are deeply committed to ensuring all women and girls can reach their highest potential, but each of us has a role to play in this fight for equality. So in honor of Women’s Equality Day I hope you will get involved in our efforts by:
- Learning more about Let’s Move!, and what you and your community can do battling childhood obesity.
- Finding ways to give back to our courageous service members, veterans and their families, and getting involved with Joining Forces.
- Visiting the Council on Women and Girls web site and staying connected with our efforts.
Source: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/08/26/celebrating-women-s-equality-day
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Tuesday, August 30, 2011
National Association of REALTORS 2010 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers Reveals Winning Trends.
What are the winning qualities home buyers and sellers look for in a real estate professional? �The recent release of the National Association of...
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Luxury Home Prices Mortgage Rescue Scams Real Estate Vacation Properties
US Officials Confident Al-Qaida's No. 2 Killed in Pakistan
Atiyah Abd al-Rahman, a Libyan national, communicated with al-Qaida operatives, established contacts
Commercial & Investment Homes Foreclosures Home Sales Outlook
RealtyJoin.com selects Foreclosure.com to power its foreclosure listings search
America?s number one source for the most up-to-date distressed real estate information to provide national foreclosure listings to the industry’s leading interactive social and business networking site. Foreclosure.com today announced that it will power the foreclosure channel on RealtyJoin.com, an online networking resource that helps real estate investors, service providers and other professionals find relevant [...]
Bring Word-of-Mouth Referrals Online with Trulia Social Search
We’re pleased to announce the launch of Trulia Social Search, a new social recommendation feature that allows real estate professionals to generate word-of-mouth referrals from their clients through Facebook. Real estate professionals have long since cited word-of-mouth and referrals as one of their primary sources of business, and Trulia Social Search provides them with a [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TruliaBlog/~3/niih6CNYBXw/
Lights, Camera?.Luxe Living
Here at Trulia, we’re obsessed with beautiful homes and we believe that a life of luxury is best when lived. And it’s no surprise that some of the most beautiful homes on the planet are owned (and subsequently sold) by A-List celebrities. The homes are often so spectacular, you can’t help but gawk. If you’re [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TruliaBlog/~3/fw6403fk1ac/
Real Estate Vacation Properties Loans and Mortgages Household Moving
Trulia Launches Crime Maps
Location, Location, Location ? it?s all about Location. But sometimes the best location might not be the safest. Now, your house or rental search for the perfect place with the safest neighborhood just got a whole lot easier with Trulia?s brand new Crime Maps!
Crime Maps helps people view, explore, compare, interact and comment on crime [...]
Crime Maps helps people view, explore, compare, interact and comment on crime [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TruliaBlog/~3/Mqrnxnp6pYI/
Zillow Forecasts 4.3% Yearly Decline in Case-Shiller Index
The June 10- and 20-City Composite Case-Shiller Home Price Indices are set to be released tomorrow, and here at Zillow we’re forecasting that the 20-city, non-seasonally [...]
Source: http://www.zillow.com/blog/2011-08-29/zillow-forecasts-4-3-yearly-decline-in-case-shiller-index/
Interest Rates Celebrity Foreclosures Most Expensive Homes Luxury Home Prices
Housing Starts, Permits Both Drop in July
Housing starts in July fell from June figures but still came in well ahead of predictions. According to information released by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development on Tuesday, July housing starts were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 604,000, a drop of 1.5 percent from the revised June estimate of 613,000. The June numbers were also revised downward from the original estimate of 629,000 starts. Reuters had predicted that starts would drop to 600,000 while IFR Markets was expecting 590,000 starts.
Multi-family starts offset what was a larger drop in the single family market. The latter decreased 4.9 percent to 425,000 from the revised June figure of 447,000 while construction was begun in buildings with five or more units at the rate of 170,000, up from 160,000 in June.
Housing permits fell from the June estimates and failed to meet economist predictions, decreasing from an annual rate of 617,000 in June to 597,000 in July. This was a -3.2 change, but still an improvement of 3.8 percent from the 575,000 permit rate in July 2010. Economists from Reuters had predicted that permits in July would be at a rate of 605,000 and 600,000 respectively. Single family permits increased from 402,000 to 404,000 month over month while multi-family permits fell from 194,000 to 171,000, a drop of 11.9 percent.
The backlog of permits, that is permits that have been issued but construction not yet started, diminished from June to July. The inventory of unused permits dropped from 85.1 thousand to 80.9 thousand, a decrease of 4.9 percent...
...(read more)Forward this article via email: Send a copy of this story to someone you know that may want to read it.
Source: http://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/08162011_housing_starts_permits.asp
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ANC Youth League Supporters Protest Violently in Johannesburg
Stun grenades, water cannons used to break up supporters of youth league's controversial leader
Golfer David Duval Downsizing, Lists Two Colorado Mansions
Former World No. 1 golfer David Duval and his wife Susan, are reportedly downsizing, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Source: http://www.zillow.com/blog/2011-08-30/golfer-david-duval-downsizing-lists-two-colorado-mansions/
Foreclosures Home Sales Outlook Housing Starts President Obama
Irene Leaves Record Floods, Millions Without Power in US Northeast
Confirmed death toll from storm rose to at least 38 in 11 states
Short Sale Waterfront Homes Real Estate Agent Foreclosure Homes
Social Marketing for Real Estate - Do you have the time?
�An effective social media program requires a significant time investment - and a significant investment in time does not guarantee an effective...
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Interest Rates Celebrity Foreclosures Most Expensive Homes Luxury Home Prices
In Australia, Betting on Bowen Hills Property
Bowen Hills is gearing up to become one of Brisbane's major metropolitan hubs in the next decade - with infrastructure investment in the area totaling around $19 billion and new luxury apartments luring foreign investors. WSJ's Geoffrey Rogow reports. Loans and Mortgages Household Moving House Plans Home Warranties
Entrepreneur All-Stars Join the Startup America Partnership
This past January, President Obama called on both the Federal government and the private sector to dramatically increase the success of high-growth entrepreneurs, who are creating jobs and fueling innovation across the country. To help increase their success, the White House-led Startup America initiative has rolled out new policies to benefit fledgling companies (including new efforts to attract and retain immigrant entrepreneurs) in tandem with the independent Startup America Partnership, which has been hard at work mobilizing the private sector to “raise the entrepreneurial game of the United States.”
Today the Startup America Partnership announced two major new developments. First, they appointed their first slate of founding board members, who represent some of America’s most successful entrepreneurs. The board includes Fred Smith, who came up with the idea for FedEx in a college economics class; Lynn Jurich, who grew SunRun into one of the nation’s leading home solar companies in just the last four years; and Earvin “Magic” Johnson, who has built up Magic Johnson Enterprises and the Magic Johnson Foundation since retiring from the NBA. The full current roster of board members includes:
Source: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/08/23/entrepreneur-all-stars-join-startup-america-partnership
Banks push to move distressed homes
They're agreeing to more short sales and pricing properties aggressively.
Source: http://realestate.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=30263763
Short Sale Waterfront Homes Real Estate Agent Foreclosure Homes
Social Marketing for Real Estate - Do you have the time?
�An effective social media program requires a significant time investment - and a significant investment in time does not guarantee an effective...
[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
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Country Music Star John Rich Selling His First House for $579,975
Country singer John Rich is capitalizing on the fact that whoever buys the home will be in fact his neighbor.
5 Truths About Real Estate Marketing
�
1.��� Your Competitor is Talking About Your Marketing Plan. �The marketing plan is the #1 reason sellers chose an agent and the #3 reason agents...
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1.��� Your Competitor is Talking About Your Marketing Plan. �The marketing plan is the #1 reason sellers chose an agent and the #3 reason agents...
[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
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Foreclosures Home Sales Outlook Housing Starts President Obama
Suicide Bomber Kills 28 in Baghdad Mosque
Interior Ministry officials say blast took place late Sunday inside the blue-domed Um al-Qura mosque in the Iraqi capital
Top 52 fastest-growing real estate companies
Inc. magazine: Appraisal management company ranks first
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/inmannews/~3/QwCwiIkq7gw/top-52-fastest-growing-real-estate-companies
Real Estate Vacation Properties Loans and Mortgages Household Moving
Trulia Teams Up with CNNMoney Again on MONEY?s ?Best Places to Live? List
Trulia today announced that it will once again provide real estate data to support MONEY’s 2011″Best Places to Live” list that was just published today. As part of an exclusive real estate partnership, CNNMoney will incorporate Trulia’s local housing stats, trends and content into its deep reporting to help its readers find out what it’s [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TruliaBlog/~3/73s1AP0SZfc/
Waterfront Homes Real Estate Agent Foreclosure Homes Realty Market
Libya Rebel Leader Appeals Against Reprisals as Massacre Sites Found
Mahmoud Jibril appears on national TV to ask Libyans not to take revenge as sites begin appearing almost daily around Tripoli
Monday, August 29, 2011
Pirates Release Cameroonian Ship Captain
Armed pirates boarded the 'Monica' in Nigerian waters Saturday; captain unharmed
Real Estate Vacation Properties Loans and Mortgages Household Moving
Student housing ripe for investment
Private sector eyes profits as government budgets shrink
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/inmannews/~3/BmHQ7R4HoA4/student-housing-ripe-investment
Commercial & Investment Homes Foreclosures Home Sales Outlook
Libyan Rebels Will Not Extradite Lockerbie Bomber
Transitional National Council's justice minister says rebels will not hand over Libyan citizens as former leader Moammar Gadhafi did
How to maximize your visibility on Facebook- Part one
So you have read about Facebook and made a fanpage, and are ready to dig deeper. If you know some tips and tricks, it can become an invaluable marketing tool that will get you in front of a large audience. So here are a few best practices to kick your fanpage into high gear. Get [...]
Interest Rates Celebrity Foreclosures Most Expensive Homes Luxury Home Prices
Social Marketing for Real Estate - Do you have the time?
�An effective social media program requires a significant time investment - and a significant investment in time does not guarantee an effective...
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Sudden Power Outage? Here are some tips to guide you.
I live in the Midwest and we have had crazy weather in the last few weeks.� We have had wind and rain storms like I have never seen.� Power outages in my area are becoming more frequent but that does not mean we are prepared for them. Though some of you might live in areas [...]
Pirates Release Cameroonian Ship Captain
Armed pirates boarded the 'Monica' in Nigerian waters Saturday; captain unharmed
CHASE bank short sale department makes distressed homeowner ?unbelievable? offer
The national housing crisis, and the various programs that have been implemented to correct it, have been well documented in the news and elsewhere. So much so that it’s seemingly impossible to escape. Nothing is “reportedly” working. Not consistently, anyway, to stem the foreclosure tide and help distressed homeowners keep roofs over their heads. But, [...]Household Moving House Plans Home Warranties Commercial & Investment
Home Builder Confidence Mostly Unchanged in 2011
Builder confidence in the housing market remained unchanged in August according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) released Monday. While two of the three indices that make up the HMI improved, the index measuring the future prospects for new homes offset those gains.
The HMI is derived from a monthly survey of new home builders which asks them to assess both current new home sales and their expectations for sales in six months as "good," "fair," or "poor." Builders are also asked to rate the traffic of prospective buyers as "high to very high," "average" or "low to very low." Any score of 50 or more on the three components or on the composite HMI indicates that more builders view conditions as good than view them as poor.
The component gauging current sales conditions gained one point to 16 - its highest level since March of this year - and the component gauging traffic of prospect buyers rose one point to 13 following two consecutive months at 12. However, the component gauging sales expectations for the next six months declined two points to 19. This followed a six-point gain in July...
Bob Nelson, chairman of NAHB said that 41 percent of the builders responding to a special questions section of the HMI indicated they had lost sales contracts due to buyers' inability to sell their current homes. This follows a report last month from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) on existing home sales. In that report Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said that 16 percent of the associations members reported a sales contract was cancelled in June, four times the cancellation rate in May. NAR said those cancellations were the result of tight credit and appraisal problems. Perhaps we are seeing a domino effect with underwriting issues that cancel one type of sale leading to the collapse of new home sales contracts.
"The uncertain economic climate and concerns about job security are discouraging many potential buyers from exploring a home purchase at this time," said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. "While buying conditions are very favorable in terms of prices, interest rates and selection, consumers are worried about what the future will bring, and builders are echoing those sentiments in their responses to the HMI survey."
The survey results were mixed on a regional basis. While the Northeast posted a four-point gain to 19, the West registered a one-point gain to 15, the South held even at 17 and the Midwest posted a two-point decline, to 10.
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Source: http://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/08152011_nahb_builders_confidence.asp
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Student housing ripe for investment
Private sector eyes profits as government budgets shrink
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/inmannews/~3/BmHQ7R4HoA4/student-housing-ripe-investment
Short Sale Waterfront Homes Real Estate Agent Foreclosure Homes
Trulia Launches Crime Maps
Location, Location, Location ? it?s all about Location. But sometimes the best location might not be the safest. Now, your house or rental search for the perfect place with the safest neighborhood just got a whole lot easier with Trulia?s brand new Crime Maps!
Crime Maps helps people view, explore, compare, interact and comment on crime [...]
Crime Maps helps people view, explore, compare, interact and comment on crime [...]
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John Smoltz?s vacant land in Wyoming headed for foreclosure
Retired Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher John Smoltz has an outstanding $1.6 million balance on a vacant piece of property in the Snake River Sporting Club, which is located in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. If the former eight-time All Star and one-time Cy Young Award-winner doesn’t reconcile the debt with his lender the property will be [...]Source: http://blog.foreclosure.com/2011/08/john-smoltzs-vacant-land-in-wyoming-headed-for-foreclosure/
Former NBC Sports Chief Lists Telluride Estate
Dick Ebersol's Telluride home just hit the high-end Mountain Village real estate market for $13 million.
Source: http://www.zillow.com/blog/2011-08-25/former-nbc-sports-chief-lists-telluride-estate/
Vouchers and Medicare
In a few weeks House Republicans are expected to release their budget plan for the coming year. It is not 100% clear now whether it will include a comprehensive overhaul of entitlement programs like Medicare and Social Security. I am hearing that it will not.
However, Rep. Paul Ryan, the Chairman of the House Budget Committee is to be commended for his willingness to take on the issues that are central to our long-run fiscal imbalance -- Social Security and Medicare. More specifically, Medicare. Because health care spending is the biggest issue. You can read more about that in a previous blog post.
Ryan's solution to Medicare's funding problem is to transform the system into a voucher program.
Future retirees would get a voucher -- effectively a check -- to cover a portion of the cost of buying their health insurance. Those making more money would get a smaller voucher. Lower income beneficiaries would get a larger voucher. If the price of buying medical coverage rises faster than the voucher, beneficiaries would pay more out of pocket. Here is how the Congressional Budget Office described the impact in a letter to Ryan:
Beneficiaries would . . . face higher premiums in the private market for a package of benefits similar to that currently provided by Medicare. Moreover, the value of the voucher would grow significantly more slowly than CBO expects that Medicare spending per enrollee would grow under current law. Beneficiaries would therefore be likely to purchase less comprehensive health plans or plans more heavily managed than traditional Medicare, resulting in some combination of less use of health care services and less use of technologically advanced treatments than under current law. Beneficiaries would also bear the financial risk for the cost of buying insurance policies or the cost of obtaining health care services beyond what would be covered by their insurance.
This is a fundamentally different approach to Medicare, but one that holds the promise of trimming spending dramatically. If beneficiaries saw more of the true cost of their health insurance, they are likely to demand more cost savings from providers. Or they will trim spending on treatments they deem discretionary.
So why isn't Ryan likely to propose this plan next month? Because the public already doesn't want any part of it. A recent poll by the Pew Research Center found most Americans don't want Congress to cut spending on Medicare.
We're still caught in a world where the public sees the fiscal cure as being worse than the disease of living beyond our national means.
Source: http://www.pbs.org/nbr/blog/2011/03/vouchers_and_medicare.html
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US Official Warns Dangers Remain After Tropical Storm Passes
Homeland security secretary says downed power lines, flooding, and fallen trees are all potential threats once storm is gone
Seattle's Most Expensive Listing Heads to Auction
The Mercer Island, Washington home of David Sandwith will come up for auction after being listed $28.8 million, the most expensive listing in the Seattle area. Candace Jackson has details on The News Hub.Mortgage Rescue Scams Real Estate Vacation Properties Loans and Mortgages
Is your Home Weather Proof
A friend of mine bought her current home two years ago. Within a few months of moving in, incessant rain caused her entire basement to flood. Luckily, the basement had not been updated and her home owner?s insurance covered enough for her to gut and re-do everything. My mother-in-law was not so lucky. Last week, [...]
Source: http://www.homefinder.com/news/opening-doors/2011/08/18/is-your-home-weather-proof/
What?s the First Step in the Buying Process?
There are two important things to do before you choose your agent.
Source: http://www.zillow.com/blog/2011-08-25/whats-the-first-step-in-the-buying-process/
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Indian Protest Icon Breaks Hunger Strike After Anti-Graft Compromise
Elderly social activist Anna Hazare ends 13-day fast after government agrees to discuss key components for a strong anti-corruption law
Small yards think big
Get inspired by these makeovers of not-so-big spaces.
Source: http://realestate.msn.com/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=30135844
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Weekly Address: Coming Together to Remember
President Obama pays tribute to the first responders, those who have served, and those who lost their lives ten years ago in the September 11th attacks. Visit Serve.gov for ways to commemorate the solemn anniversary in your community.
Transcript | Download mp4 | Download mp3
Source: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/08/27/weekly-address-coming-together-remember
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Sunday, August 28, 2011
Tripoli Neighborhood Checkpoints Help Keep the Peace
Checkpoints help explain why Tripoli has suffered only small-scale looting since the collapse of Gadhafi government
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Are the People Wrong?
In the movie "Duck Soup," Chico Marx poses the politician's most important question: "Who you gonna believe, me or your own eyes?"
In 2010, voters looked at the President's plan to overhaul health care and rein in Medicare spending and decided, by and large, they did not like it. Newspapers and broadcasts were filled with details of the plan. Yes there was lots of misinformation, but there was lots of information out there too.
Voters decided with their own eyes on "Obamacare." And yet, many Democrats still argue, if only the law was better understood, it would be more popular. In other words, Democrats asked many voters, "Who you gonna believe, me or your own eyes?"
Now it is the Republican's turn. Prompted by concerns about the Ryan budget's cuts in Medicare, voters in a safe Republican district in New York elected a Democrat. For perspective, this is the fourth time in 150 years New York's 26th has sent a Democrat to Washington.
How are many GOP lawmakers reacting? They argue their plan is misunderstood. Voters are subject to a campaign of demagoguery. Sure, the messages on Medicare in the campaign were subject to hyperbole. But, there was lots of coverage about the Ryan plan. Rep. Ryan had many opportunities to explain why Medicare is in trouble. Voters who wanted to know what's going on had ample opportunity to study the Ryan plan and learn about it.
And, when voters in New York's 26th did that, many decided they did not like what they were seeing. Now it's the Republicans who are asking voters, "Who are you gonna believe, me or your own eyes?"
Source: http://www.pbs.org/nbr/blog/2011/05/are_the_people_wrong.html
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Tripoli Neighborhood Checkpoints Help Keep the Peace
Checkpoints help explain why Tripoli has suffered only small-scale looting since the collapse of Gadhafi government
Anti-Graft Activist Hazare Agrees to End Hunger Strike
Anna Hazare agreed to end his hunger strike on Sunday morning after Indian lawmakers accepted some of his demands for anti-graft law
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Standoff: 5 Figure Rental vs. 5 Figure Mortgage
One of the most frequent questions in today's housing market is "should I buy or should I rent?"
Source: http://www.zillow.com/blog/2011-08-26/standoff-5-figure-rental-vs-5-figure-mortgage/
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Oahu Beachfront Estate Sells for $14 Million
A retired oil executive has purchased a beachfront estate in Oahu plus an adjacent lot for $14 million. John Edwards has details on Lunch Break.Commercial & Investment Homes Foreclosures Home Sales Outlook
The Facts About Regulations
Lately, there has been a great deal of inaccurate information about the Obama Administration's record on regulations. I wanted to take the opportunity to clear up the facts, particularly in view of a letter sent by Speaker Boehner to the President today.
President Obama believes that, as our economy recovers and we work to support job creation, it is important to minimize regulatory burdens and avoid unjustified regulatory costs. The President has taken ambitious and strong steps to promote this goal.
Executive Order 13563, issued early this year, calls on all agencies to conduct a thorough retrospective review of existing rules; it also imposes a series of new requirements designed to reduce regulatory burdens and costs. Just this month, twenty-six agencies released regulatory review plans, with over 500 reform initiatives. A mere fraction of the new initiatives will save more than $10 billion over the next five years; as progress continues, we expect to be able to deliver savings far in excess of that figure. Already, we’ve finalized or formally proposed reforms to save more than $4 billion of regulatory costs over that period.
?It is important to note that there has been no significant increase in rulemaking under this Administration. On the contrary, the number of significant rules reviewed by the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) and issued in the first two years of the Obama administration is lower than the number issued in the last two years of the Bush administration. Moreover, in its last two years, the administration of George W. Bush imposed far higher regulatory costs than did the Obama administration in its first two years.
Even more importantly, the net benefits of the final, economically significant regulations reviewed by OIRA in the first two years of the Obama Administration, including not only monetary savings but also lives saved and illnesses prevented, have been over ten times the net benefits during the first two years of the Bush Administration. Smart regulations produce significant benefits in the form of savings for businesses, clean air and water, workplace safety, safe food and consumer and investor protection.
It is important to clarify that the annual regulatory agenda, sometimes cited as evidence of an increase in regulatory burden, is simply a list of potential ideas that agencies may consider pursuing. Under both Republican and Democratic Administrations, the agenda is merely a list of rules that are under general contemplation, provided to the public in order to promote transparency. Before any such rule can be issued, it must be subject to a long series of internal and external constraints, including the rulemaking requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act and the new burden-reducing, cost-saving requirements of the President's January Executive Order on regulation. In any given year, many rules on the agenda do not become final.
The President has said that our regulatory system must "protect public health, welfare, safety, and our environment while promoting economic growth, innovation, competitiveness and job creation.” We look forward to working closely with the public to achieve that goal.
Source: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/08/26/facts-about-regulations
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More than 1.6 Million Records Released
In September 2009, the President announced that – for the first time in history – White House visitor records would be made available to the public on an ongoing basis. Today, the White House releases visitor records that were generated in May 2011. Today’s release also includes several visitor records generated prior to September 16, 2009 that were requested by members of the public in July 2011 pursuant to the White House voluntary disclosure policy. This release brings the grand total of records that this White House has released to over 1.6 million records. You can view them all in our Disclosures section.
Source: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/08/26/more-16-million-records-released
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Small yards think big
Get inspired by these makeovers of not-so-big spaces.
Source: http://realestate.msn.com/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=30135844
Waterfront Homes Real Estate Agent Foreclosure Homes Realty Market
Small yards think big
Get inspired by these makeovers of not-so-big spaces.
Source: http://realestate.msn.com/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=30135844
Luxury Home Prices Mortgage Rescue Scams Real Estate Vacation Properties
New York Life: A Seventh-Floor Walk-Up
Seventh floor walk-ups are rare, but still exist in New York City. Celia Garay climbs the 94 stairs to her apartment with WSJ's Laura Kusisto, and talks about the downsides and the upsides of steps.Freddie Mac Mortgage Crisis Real Estate Agents Housing Market
Mexican Troops Conduct Raids After Deadly Casino Fire
Hundreds of security forces conduct raids on nearly a dozen casinos in Monterrey, detaining three
Freddie Mac Mortgage Crisis Real Estate Agents Housing Market
Militants Kill at Least 36 in Pakistan Attacks
Pakistani officials say hundreds of militants from Afghanistan have attacked several checkpoints on Afghan border
Source: http://www.voanews.com/english/news/Afghan-Militants-Kill-12-in-Pakistan-128520863.html
CONFESSIONS OF A REAL ESTATE JUNKIE/TOP 5 MEDIA TRENDS FOR 2011
Like many of us in this business I have been awe struck by the rate of decline in almost everything related to the housing industry over the last...
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheRealEstateBookBlog/~3/YHl6opSH5zg/
Businesses Need to be Prepared for Hurricane Irene and Other Disasters
Flooding. Drought. Tornadoes. And now, the first major hurricane of the season. Americans have been hard-hit by natural disasters this year, and small businesses are no exception.
Hurricane Irene left thousands of Puerto Rico businesses without power. Now, Irene is fast approaching the East Coast. Businesses owners from Georgia to New England should take time now – if they haven’t already – to ensure that their disaster preparedness plans are up to date.If you’re in the path of Hurricane Irene, make sure to check out the resources and updates available below.
We know that some of the busiest people in America are small business owners. Sometimes it’s hard for them to look beyond the most pressing, immediate business concerns. But an “ounce of prevention” today could mean the difference in whether a business is able to return to regular operations after a disaster.
An Honest Conversation about Medicare
House Speaker John Boehner this week called for "honest conversations" about Medicare.
Fair enough. Let's begin this honest discussion by admitting no one knows for sure how to reduce Medicare costs. And that's a problem, because Medicare expenditures are projected to grow almost 6% a year for the rest of the decade.
To understand why program costs are exploding, you just have to look through the annual Medicare Trustees report on the financial condition of the program. The 2011 report comes out on Friday, but it will surely have the same analysis you can find in all the other reports. If you want to engage in this honest discussion, a good place to start is on page 45 of the 2010 report. There you will find the four trends driving Medicare costs:
- Growth in the number of beneficiaries
- Increases in the prices paid per service, which reflect both higher wages for health care workers and higher prices for the goods and services purchased by health care providers
- Increases in the average number of services per beneficiary ("utilization")
- Increases in the average complexity of services ("intensity")
Let's take these one at a time. The number of Medicare beneficiaries will soar over the next 25 years, rising from almost 49 million this year to 85 million in 2035. The only way to cut costs here is to kick people out of the program. I don't see that happening.
Wages and prices are the next cost driver. Only two things can be done here. Lower wages for doctors and nurses or make them more productive -- meaning get more work out of doctors and nurses then you get today.
Congress tried to lower wages. It capped payments to physicians using a formula. But when the formula became too tough, forcing deep cuts in wages, Congress relented. Thus the "doc fix" was born. Meaning, Congress voted to pay doctors more. I am not arguing the merits of the formula here, just pointing out that the effort failed.
What about productivity? No surprise, it is harder to measure productivity in a hospital than it is in an auto plant. The hospital's product is good health and an outcome like that is hard to quantify. There is no dispute though that if you could accurately measure health care productivity, it would be low and perhaps even negative!
Some studies found as much as one-third of the spending in our health care system does not improve health, adding up to a staggering waste of more than $700 billion.
What can be done about this? The President has created a panel of experts to study ways to use new payment systems to reward innovation and more efficient treatment of disease.
A worthy goal, but as the Trustees Report points out, efforts to eliminate waste and increase productivity through payment and delivery system reforms:
"These outcomes are far from certain . . . . Many experts doubt the feasibility of such sustained improvements and anticipate that over time the Medicare price constraints would become unworkable and that Congress would likely override them, much as they have done to prevent the reductions in physician payment rates otherwise required by the sustainable growth rate formula in current law."
Republicans want to give consumers more power to choose efficient plans on the theory that this will reward innovation and efficiency. But what happens when the "premium support" payments that Republican propose fail to keep up with the cost of health care? The same thing that happened to physician payments. Congress would likely override them too.
The real problem in Medicare comes when we get to cost drivers three and four. Health care costs are driven by people using more services and more complicated services -- utilization and intensity. In other words, Medicare beneficiaries see health care providers more often and those health care providers are performing more expensive tests and surgeries using new technologies.
Now we are at the heart of the Medicare cost problem. If we're being honest, we must change the way we deliver and consume health care. This is not something that happens overnight or because a bill is written in Washington. It will require constant innovation and reform. We will have to get better at determining which treatments improve health and which do not.
The Brookings Institution's Barry Bosworth put it well in an email: "I think the basic problem is that we cannot say no."
Are we willing to change that? And if not, are we willing to pay for Medicare's rapid growth?
You can having an honest conversation on Medicare means confronting some very difficult questions.
Source: http://www.pbs.org/nbr/blog/2011/05/an_honest_discussion_on_medica.html
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