FHA raises fees, tightens loan standards
The Federal Housing Administration is raising fees and tightening lending standards to shore up its strapped finances and avoid a taxpayer bailout.


Federal Housing Administration – Business – United States – Mortgage – Housing

Sales of new homes sink 7.6 percent
New home sales unexpectedly fell 7.6 percent last month, capping the industry’s weakest year on record.


Business – Business and Economy – Construction and Maintenance – United States – Residential Housing

Establishing Measurable Benchmarks For Your Team
It is essential that you create meaningful targets or benchmarks that are tangible and traceable for each staff member. These benchmarks are much different for the sales-oriented team members like Buyer’s Agents and Listing Agents. The benchmarks for these production-oriented staff need to be aligned with the standard an Agent should aspire to.

Investor Report: 20 Percent Limit
Foreclosure and REO investors have begun taking a closer look at the Obama administration’s recent loosening of rules on property “flips”… . And they’re seeing some potential complications.

Duplicity in mother-of-all mortgage walkaways

Tishman Speyer Properties walks away from 11,232 Manhattan apartments because it can’t pay its mortgage. That’s good business.

Tishman Speyer Properties – Business – United States – Financial Services – Mortgages

Establishing Measurable Benchmarks For Your Team
It is essential that you create meaningful targets or benchmarks that are tangible and traceable for each staff member. These benchmarks are much different for the sales-oriented team members like Buyer’s Agents and Listing Agents. The benchmarks for these production-oriented staff need to be aligned with the standard an Agent should aspire to.

Home prices rise unexpectedly in November

A closely watched index shows that home prices rose nationally for the sixth straight month in November, with 14 of 20 metro areas tracked showing improvements.

Real estate pricing – Home – Shrubs – Plants – Gardening

Home sales tumble surprise 16.7 percent

Sales of previously occupied homes took their largest drop in more than 40 years last month yet managed to end 2009 with the first annual gain in four years.

United States – Tax credit – Tax – Business – Accounting