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Wednesday, March 25, 2015

87% of Singapore Owns a Home

Real-estate statistics

The number of people who are owners-occupiers of homes in Singapore is a cause for wonder: a staggering 87% of the population owns their own homes.
This literally means that Singapore has achieved the unique feat of having housed all its citizens of more than 3 million people! 
Image result for flag of singapore picture
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Nat'l Real Estate Post:
.........over the past 5 years, rents have increased by 15% whereas income has only increased by 11%.
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Shared in Home Design by Magly.  Gumno House is a private residence located in Risika, Croatia.

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Sales of previously owned homes fell short of a 5 million annual rate in February for a second month, showing an industry struggling to gain traction amid rising prices and a lack of inventory.
Closings, which usually take place a month or two after a contract is signed, rose 1.2% to a 4.88 million annual rate, the National Association of Realtors reported Monday in Washington. The median value of a house climbed 7.5% from the same month last year while the number of properties on the market was little changed.
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Nat'l Real Estate Post:
Home loan amounts are growing faster than home values.  Mid range and low end borrowers are either being intimitated from or are afraid to try to borrow.  And credit values are too low.
http://thenationalrealestatepost.com/loan-amounts-outpacing-home-values/?
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Shared by Francesco Del Santo .Pisa, Italy.
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From HUD:
The median sales price of new houses sold in February 2015 was $275,500; the average sales price was $341,000. The seasonally adjusted estimate of new houses for sale at the end of February was 210,000. This represents a supply of 4.7 months at the current sales rate.
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  • The benchmark 30-year fixed-rate mortgage fell to 3.8 percent from 3.81 percent last week, according to the Bankrate.com national survey of large lenders. One year ago, that rate was 4.5 percent. Four weeks ago, it was 3.99 percent. The mortgages in this week's survey had an average total of 0.29 discount and origination points. Over the past 52 weeks, the 30-year fixed has averaged 4.24 percent. This week's rate is 0.44 percentage points lower than that 52-week average. Excluding the week before last, the last time the 30-year fixed was lower was the week of May 22, 2013, when it was 3.74 percent.
  • The benchmark 15-year fixed-rate mortgage fell to 3.13 percent from 3.18 percent.
  • The benchmark 5/1 adjustable-rate mortgage stayed at 3.19 percent.
  • The benchmark 30-year fixed-rate jumbo rose to 4.02 percent from 4.01 percent.
  • by Polyana de Costa for Bankrate.com http://www.bankrate.com/finance/mortgages/mortgage-analysis.aspx

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    Shared and taken by Pasi Hortoma, somewhere in Finland
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    New-home sales soared almost 8% in February as a snowy winter month failed to deter buyers as expected.
    Sales of single-family homes rose to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 539,000, up 7.8% from January, the Commerce Department said Tuesday. That dwarfed economists' median forecast for a 470,000 annual rate and a small monthly decline, according to Action Economics' survey before the report.
    Instead, January's sales rate also was revised up to 500,000 from 481,000 previously reported.
    Doug Carroll in USA Today
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    Lending groups are demanding the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau take down its mortgage rate calculator, arguing it is providing misleading information to consumers.
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    Shared and taken by Luis Armando Oyarzun, Bariloche. Centro CĂ­vico.  ( In Chile I think)

    Tuesday, March 17, 2015

    Drone Rule Changes Coming

    The FAA last month proposed drone-rule changes, which would allow a "more flexible framework" for the vehicles with limitations on nocturnal and line-of-sight use. Proposed rules also address height restrictions, operator certification, use of spotters and aircraft registration. -- in Origination News
    http://www.nationalmortgagenews.com/news/origination/real_estate_agents_eager_for_drone_rule_changes-1046531-1.html?
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    Despite the economic and financial challenges young adults have braved since the recession, the millennial generation represented the largest share of recent buyers, according to the 2015 National Association of Realtors Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends study, which evaluates the generational differences of recent homebuyers and sellers. The survey additionally found that an overwhelming majority of buyers search for homes online and then purchase their home through a real estate agent, with millennials using agents the most. -- by NationalMortgageProfessional.com
    http://nationalmortgageprofessional.com/news/53123/nar-study-finds-millenials-lead-all-current-homebuyers?
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    Shared by Darja Vizjak, Pilgrimage Church in Slovenia, Lake Bled

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    Nat'l Real Estate Post:
    CFPB will no longer require proof of income for a pre-approval or pre-qualification.
    http://thenationalrealestatepost.com/new-cfpb-rule-will-render-pre-approvals-usless/?
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    Privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in February were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,092,000. This is 3.0 percent (±1.7%) above the revised January rate of 1,060,000 and is 7.7 percent (±2.0%) above the February 2014 estimate of 1,014,000.

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    Shared by Uros Kralj, taken by Danijela Zivkovic, Bellagio - Lake Como - Italy

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    Blame the Weather

    HOUSING STARTS
    Privately-owned housing starts in February were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 897,000. This is 17.0 percent (±9.5%) below the revised January estimate of 1,081,000 and is 3.3 percent (±12.5%)* below the February 2014 rate of 928,000.
    Single-family housing starts in February were at a rate of 593,000; this is 14.9 percent (±10.0%) below the revised January figure of 697,000. The February rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 297,000.
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    Shared by Mirjana Jesensek, taken by Maria Loana.  Camogli, Italia

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    3D Printed A/C Sold for How Much!?

    http://www.digitaltrends.com/home/haier-debuts-3d-printed-air-conditioner/
    Related- This-weird,-3D-printed-brick-will-cool-your-house-without-using-electricity-rendersDahlia_showcase.371_
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    Shared and taken by John Brody.   Sacre Coeur Basilica, Paris

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    The increase in average loan sizes for purchase mortgage applications has outpaced the recovery in house prices. -- Trey Garrison in HousingWire http://www.housingwire.com/articles/33237-average-mortgage-loan-size-outpaces-home-prices
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    Sunday, March 15, 2015

    The House that Twitter Sold


    The house that Twitter sold

    Agent gives house personality in more ways than one

    A blog from the National Association of Realtors said that home showings jumped from one or two a weekend to six and eight after the Twitter account debuted. -- Brena Swanson in HousingWire http://www.housingwire.com/blogs/1-rewired/post/33200-the-house-that-twitter-sold
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    The End of the Pre-Approval

    Under the new rules, a lender would not be able to require a borrower to submit any information verifying income prior to issuing a pre-approval. -- Ari Karen in NationalMortgageNews.com
    http://www.nationalmortgagenews.com/news/origination/the-end-of-the-pre-approval-1046241-1.html?
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    Shared by Majda Pal, Cave Bath Miskolctapola Hungary

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    Nat'l Real Estate Post:
    Homes within 1/4 mile of a Starbucks show much greater appreciation than those homes which aren't.  Starbucks has a great businesss model and knows where to put their locations.
    Also, H.R. 650  is a bill to give the manufacturers of manufactured homes less oversight and therefore more sales.  (Listen to the video.  It sounds like a good bill the way Frank and Brian tell it.)
    http://thenationalrealestatepost.com/how-starbucks-improves-home-values/?
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    Appraisers valued homes 0.13% lower than homeowners estimated in February, according to the Quicken Loansnational Home Price Perception Index.
    This is the first time appraiser opinions fell below homeowner estimates since August 2013. --Trey Garrison in HousingWire http://www.housingwire.com/articles/33205-appraiser-opinions-fall-below-homeowners-for-1st-time-in-18-months
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    Shared and taken by Jerzy A. Witek,  Mariacka Street, Gdansk (at night)

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    The Quicken Loans Home Value Index found that home values increased by 1% month-to-month and by more than 8% year-over-year, largely driven by gains in the West. Home values rose in Western states by nearly 2.5%, while in the South, the Northeast and the Midwest values barely budged. -- Jacob Passy in NationalMortgageNews.com
    http://www.nationalmortgagenews.com/news/origination/home-values-increase-1-nationwide-in-february-1046262-1.html?
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    Top 10 Most Expensive Cities in the World
    Singapore is #1
    http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2015/03/daily-chart
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    Shared by Phuong Nhu Pham, Berlin Germany


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    Massachusetts Homes Sold Despite All the Snow

    (A very good article, humorous in spots.)
    © 2015 The Salem News, Beverly, Mass.. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency
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    “There are signs that this trend is starting to reverse, however. The US economy is now growing strongly, with real incomes rising rapidly and mortgage credit conditions loosening,” Stansfield says. “That means more young adults will have the means to strike out on their own. So, if this pent-up demand for housing is released over the next few years, will household formation surge, putting significant upward pressure on both homebuilding and house prices?” -- Trey Garrison in HousingWire http://www.housingwire.com/articles/33228-is-household-formation-set-for-a-rebound
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    Shared by Sandy Somewhere, taken by Diana von Burren, Pula Croatia

    Wednesday, March 11, 2015

    #Fanniegate Goes Viral on Twitter

    #Fanniegate goes viral on Twitter

    There’s little middle ground in Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac war of words

    by Trey Garrison in HousingWire
    http://www.housingwire.com/articles/33177-fanniegate-goes-viral-on-twitter
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    Freddie Mac: Mortgage rates at 21-month low

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    Shared and taken by Valentina Cirosola, Puglia Italy

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    The CFPB needs a regulator of its own

    Why is it OK for the bureau to violate the standards it imposes on others?

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    The January 2015 international trade deficit decreased 8.4 percent or $3.8 billion from December, to $41.8 billion. 

    Exports decreased
 2.9% percent to $189.4 billion, and imports decreased 3.9 percent to $231.2 billion.
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    Shared and taken by John Brody, Chapel in Small Village South of Paris  -  A beautiful rainy day about 200 miles into the countryside. Don't even know the town's name.
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    The national foreclosure inventory declined 33.2% and completed foreclosures declined 22.5% from January 2014, according to the latest report from CoreLogic (CLGX). -- Trey Garrison in HousingWire http://www.housingwire.com/articles/33198-corelogic-foreclosure-inventory-drops-332-over-last-january
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    Nat'l Real Estate Post:
    The CFPB coming disaster. http://thenationalrealestatepost.com/new-cfpb-disaster-coming-soon/?
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    Shared by Nhu Phuong Pham, PeleČ™ Castle, Romania
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    Consumers who believe it would be easy to get a mortgage today jumped to a record-high 54%, Fannie Mae’s February 2015 National Housing Survey found. -- Brena Swanson in HousingWire http://www.housingwire.com/articles/33187-fannie-mae-consumers-think-its-easier-than-ever-to-get-a-mortgage
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    The End of the Pre-Approval

    Under the new rules, a lender would not be able to require a borrower to submit any information verifying income prior to issuing a pre-approval. -- Ari Karen in NationalMortgageNews.com
    http://www.nationalmortgagenews.com/news/origination/the-end-of-the-pre-approval-1046241-1.html?
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    Shared and taken by Pasi Hortoma, somewhere in Finland
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    Wednesday, March 4, 2015

    Want a FoldOut House?

    Fold Out House!
    Screen shot from the video Would you want to live in this transformer house?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Azx_MnlSBI
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    Continuing a trend throughout February, mortgage applications dropped 3.5% from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending February 20, 2015. --
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    Home Depot Profits Rising on Housing Recovery
    "We had a strong finish to the year, as strength across the store, the recovering U.S. housing market and solid execution aided our business in 2014," said Craig Menear, chairman, CEO and president. -- Brena Swanson in HousingWire http://www.housingwire.com/articles/33038-home-depot-profit-rises-on-housing-market-recovery
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    Shared by Rae Ann Dougherty,
     
    Tanah Lot temple in Bali, Indonesia

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    Not everyone thinks the housing market is faltering:
    House prices have firmed up in recent months thanks to a combination of fewer homes being put on the market and stronger demand for the inventory that’s available,” Diggle said.
    “But as firmer prices act to attract sellers back into the market and keep a lid on demand, that should in turn help prevent a further acceleration in price growth. Admittedly, our forecast of 4% house price growth in both 2015 and 2016 is stronger than the consensus expectation of 3.5%. But with the prospects for the wider US economy looking increasingly promising, that is a position that we are happy to occupy," he said. -- Trey Garrison in HousingWire http://www.housingwire.com/articles/33044-not-everyone-thinks-housing-is-faltering
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    Self-service Mortgage Servicing
    “The whole mortgage transaction is going to go online,” said John Vella, chief revenue officer at Altisource Portfolio Solutions (ASPS), during a panel called Communicating with Borrowers through Self-Servicing.  “Before long, the whole thing, from soup to nuts, will be online.” -- Ben Lane in HousingWire http://www.housingwire.com/blogs/1-rewired/post/33064-is-self-servicing-the-future-of-mortgage-servicing
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    Shared by Lyndsey Eve Valdez, taken by Gary Lo.  San Francisco.
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    Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen's Senate testimony Tuesday confirmed that the Fed will take a go-slow approach to raising interest rates, notes CNBC commentator Ron Insana. -- Ron Weil in NewsMax.com http://www.newsmax.com/Finance/StreetTalk/Insana-Fed-rates-2016/2015/02/25/id/626805/?
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    PERSONAL INCOME AND OUTLAYS: JANUARY 2015 Personal income increased $50.8 billion, or 0.3 percent, and disposable personal income (DPI) increased $52.6 billion, or 0.4 percent, in January, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Personal consumption expenditures (PCE) decreased $18.9 billion, or 0.2 percent. In December, personal income increased $45.3 billion, or 0.3 percent, DPI increased $37.3 billion, or 0.3 percent, and PCE decreased $35.7 billion, or 0.3 percent, based on revised estimates. From the U.S. Department of Commerce
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    Shared by ShipProjectCargo, Lake Huron

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    Goldman Sachs just nailed millennial homebuying

    Publishes animated graph day before housing conference

    by Jacob Gaffney in HousingWire
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    Shared by Tina En, Scotland

    New York Penthouse Prices Soar

    New York real estate is soaring, and there's no better proof than One57.
    One of the penthouses in the 1,004-foot-tall residence has officially closed for $100.5 million, making it the most expensive apartment ever sold in NYC and the first to surpass $100 million.
    one57 from the sky

    Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/inside-one57s-100-million-penthouse-2015-1?op=1#ixzz3SVnhAudo

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    Nat'l Real Estate Post:
    Mortgage rates to stay low due to a slower world economy.
    http://thenationalrealestatepost.com/barry-habib-sees-lower-rates/?
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    Pending home sales in January surged to the highest level since August 2013 after a steep drop last month, according to the National Association of Realtors. -- Brena Swanson
    http://www.housingwire.com/articles/33098-pending-home-sales-surge-to-highest-level-in-18-months
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    Shared by Uros Kralj, minimalist house

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    10 reasons the housing market could go ballistic this spring

    http://fortune.com/2015/02/27/10-reasons-the-housing-market-could-go-ballistic-this spring/ by Joshua Brown
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    Top 10 Housing Markets Impacted by Oil -- by Brena Swanson in HousingWire http://www.housingwire.com/articles/33092-top-10-housing-markets-impacted-by-oil-prices
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    Shared and taken by Valentina Cirosola, Puglia Italy

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    How Investors Create Uncertainty in the Housing Market -- by Matt Scully
    http://www.nationalmortgagenews.com/news/distressed/new-uncertainty-in-housing-as-investors-seek-maximum-profits-1045551-1.html?
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    Saudi Prince Lists Luxurious New York Appartment, includes 3 bullet proof panic rooms -- by Brena Swanson in HousingWire
    http://www.housingwire.com/articles/33111-saudi-prince-lists-luxurious-new-york-nest-for-485m
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    Shared by James Harrision, taken by Places to Visit Before You Die, Paris

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     Dr. Seuss inspired home

    https://roadtrippers.com/blog/the-sad-tale-of-alaskas-whimsical-dr-seuss-house
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    Last week, Fannie Mae reported annual net income of $14.2 billion and annual comprehensive income of $14.7 billion in 2014. This compares to net income of $84.0 billion and comprehensive income of $84.8 billion in 2013, which included the release of the company’s valuation allowance against its deferred tax assets. -- Brena Swanson in HousingWire http://www.housingwire.com/articles/33034-fannie-mae-and-freddie-mac-are-better-than-ever
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    Shared by Tim Moore, taken by Mahida Wahab, Venice

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    “The housing recovery is faltering. While prices and sales of existing homes are close to normal, construction and new home sales remain weak. Before the current business cycle, any time housing starts were at their current level of about one million at annual rates, the economy was in a recession” says David M. Blitzer, Managing Director and Chairman of the Index Committee at S&P Dow Jones Indices. “The softness in housing is despite favorable conditions elsewhere in the economy: strong job growth, a declining unemployment rate, continued low interest rates and positive consumer confidence. -- By Tyler Durden