October 26, 2009—Existing-home sales bounced back strongly in September with first-time buyers driving much of the activity, marking five gains in the past six months, according to the National Association of Realtors®. Existing-home sales–including single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops–jumped 9.4% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.57 million units in September from a level of […]

October 30, 2009—(MCT/The Wall Street Journal)-The Senate has reached a compromise on extending and expanding the $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers, a boost the housing industry believes will help it pull out of its two-year-old downturn. While its passage remains uncertain, the agreement would extend the existing credit for first-time homebuyers, worth up to […]

There were few major surprises in the economic news this week, and little change in the stock market. While there was a great deal of daily volatility, mortgage rates ended the week nearly unchanged. A flood of housing market data was released during the week, and most of it reflected improvement in the sector. The […]

October 21, 2009—(MCT)—The annual ritual of fending off the flu is more complicated than usual this fall as Americans weigh the opportunity

Nearly a decade ago, after making a donation to a volunteer-run radio station in Austin, Texas, local librarian Red Wassenich was asked why he chose to support a broadcaster with a penchant for playing strange crooner music. “Because it keeps Austin weird,” he said.
Since then, the phrase “Keep Austin Weird” has become the city’s official […]

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – James and Maria Ivory’s dreams of a relaxing retirement on Florida’s Gulf Coast were put on hold when they discovered their new home had been built with Chinese drywall that emits sulfuric fumes and corrodes pipes. It got worse when they asked their insurer for help — and not only […]

Congress is considering expanding and extending the $8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit, which expires Nov. 30.
More than 1.8 million home buyers will have used the credit by the end of November, including an estimated 355,000 who wouldn’t have bought a home without it, according to the National Association of REALTORS® and other analysts.
Mark Zandi, chief […]

October 16, 2009—(MCT)—This summer, Brian Smith decided he should buy a house. Prices were at record lows; “for sale” signs were common, and, most important, he could get a tax credit of as much as $8,000 for first-time buyers if he bought before December. But four months later, after looking at more than 40 houses […]

 The seven-bedroom, three-bath house in this city’s West Garfield Park neighborhood had once been someone’s American Dream.But at a recent auction of about 100 foreclosed houses and condos, it was just Property No. 20 — and drawing no bids from a roomful of buyers despite its bargain-basement price.
“Any interest in this home at $7,000?” fast-talking […]

 October 12, 2009—Trulia, Inc announced that 25.6% of homes currently on the market in the U.S. as of October 1, 2009 have experienced at least one