"Real Estate Market & Property News / Investment News"

This 18th-century estate in New York's Westchester County includes a centuries-old milestone used to direct stagecoach drivers and once had its own baseball team.

Set within the Balinese hinterland is this four-bedroom house built from old telegraph poles. The two-acre property includes a two-story guesthouse and an infinity pool.

This recently completed five-bedroom house is located in quiet countryside about an hour from central London.

The percentage of borrowers who have dropped behind on their mortgage payments fell to a four-year low in the first three months of 2012, a bankers' group said Wednesday.

In their bid to keep shoppers from deserting to the Internet, more malls are adding sprawling play spaces.

Nicoletta Mantovani, the second wife of the late Italian operatic tenor Luciano Pavarotti, has been getting a crash course in New York City real estate of late.

After five months of positive readings, the Architecture Billings Index slipped back into negative territory during April, an indication that demand for design services declined.

A dynamic art collection and a soothing verdant backdrop led to the marriage of Asian influences in this 5,375-square-foot Southern California home.

Nature is in full bloom across the nation. Many of today’s homeowners are unaware that Spring can be the ultimate time to list a home for sale. From beautiful lawns to temperate weather it’s prime time to lure in buyers.

REALTORS® from across the country are meeting with legislators, public policy makers and industry leaders this week to address pressing concerns and issues that affect homeowners, aspiring homeowners and real estate investors everywhere as the Realtors® Midyear Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo begins. One of the highlights of this year’s [...]

The film emperor may be striking back. For 25 years, filmmaker George Lucas tried to persuade his Marin County, Calif., neighbors to let him build a digital production studio on his ranch there, but the area's residents thwarted the plan.

We have a complete board turnover coming at the upcoming Annual Meeting. Some owners want to self-manage because our management company is not performing. Does this group, assuming they are elected, have the right to fire the manager and just take over with self-managing our 64 units? Does this require the vote of the entire membership?

ith the Euro-zone back in the news, it was inevitable that mortgage rates would fall again. Investors have become quite uncertain about austerity measures in Europe, especially with Greece, where opposition continues to grow. Here in the U.S., the Mortgage Banker's Association reported that mortgage applications increased 1.7% on a seasonally adjusted [...]

The national luxury-home builder Toll Brothers is moving to alter two small, pre-Civil War houses that survive amid the tall co-ops of Park Avenue, despite lobbying efforts by neighbors to save them.

Bank of America is offering some struggling homeowners payments of up to $30,000 if they sell their homes in a short sale and avoid ending up in foreclosure.

The real-estate company's top-of-the-market acquisition of Trammell Crow Co. has turned out to be the deal that keeps on giving, in the form of incoming CEO Robert Sulentic.

A recent sale in New York's famed 740 Park Avenue apartment building marked the highest price ever paid for a co-op in the city's history.

A parcel of timberland in Florida that is nearly the size of Rhode Island and owned by a who's who of elites from the worlds of business and diplomacy is now slated to be the next frontier in the state's real-estate development.

I am writing this as I am on a train on my way to Washington, D.C. for the National Association of Realtors® annual Midyear Conference & Expo. I am fortunate enough to be speaking at a few events while I am in town but I can remember a time when I came to events like [...]

Brookfield Asset Management plans to bundle together its wide array of commercial-property holdings into a new publicly traded subsidiary, with an eye toward further growth.

European commercial real-estate markets are struggling with a sharp increase in mortgages falling into trouble, just as more European countries slip back into recession.

New York has devised an almost infinite variety of ways to feel insecure about oneself. Ralph Gardner discovers his own case of rooftop envy.

A family with roots in Brooklyn retail has purchased a 49.9% stake in the trophy Midtown office skyscraper that became a symbol of the empire of the late Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis.

Median existing single-family home prices are firming in many metropolitan areas, while improving sales and declining inventory are creating more balanced conditions, according to the latest quarterly report by the National Association of Realtors®. The median existing single-family home price rose in 74 out of 146 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) [...]

This 135-acre equestrian compound has been in the same family for more than a century. It includes four homes, pastures, horse stables and plenty of land for generations to come.

This 11-bedroom property in southwest France includes a restored 18th-century monastery and two cottages set in 40 acres of parkland and hazelnut plantations.

The income and business of Realtors® is growing after many years of decline, according to the 2012 National Association of Realtors® Member Profile. The study’s results are representative of the nation’s Realtors®, who are members of NAR. Realtors® account for about half of the 2 million active real estate licensees in the U.S.* Realtor® members [...]

In addition to the bankruptcy filing for its mortgage subsidiary unit, Ally said it would pursue the sale of its international operations, including auto-finance businesses and insurance operations.

The public has focused on a fight over counting One World Trade Center's antenna in the tower's height, but important and long-lasting aesthetic issues are also in play.

Yes, says RBC Global's Eric Lascelles, who believes homes are more affordable than they've been in quite a while. No, says economic consultant A. Gary Shilling, who contends that home prices have 20% or more to drop before they hit bottom.

Website? Check. Blog? Check. Facebook page, Twitter handle, YouTube channel – check, check…and check. In today’s market, real estate professionals know that these web-based platforms are all must-haves in order to stay current and cover all potential business-generating bases in today’s largely technology- and social media-driven market. [...]

Perched on a bluff above the Columbia River Gorge, the 3,500-square-foot contemporary has a view of the changing river waters in an area that's known as a mecca for outdoor sports.

The new year opened with hope that the 3 percent growth rate of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reported for the end of 2011 would lead to stronger job growth and improving housing markets. While January and February offered positive economic news, March and April reporting suggested that unusually warm weather may have accelerated some economic [...]

Ricky Boscarino is a sculptor, painter and jewelry maker whose biggest art project for the past 23 years has been his home on five quiet acres.

It's hard to imagine a less enjoyable way to blow $5,000 to $15,000 (or more) than putting on a new roof.

Perched near the top of Hong Kong's priciest neighborhoods is this European-style townhouse with panoramic views of the city skyline and subtropical forests covering the mountainside.

This 1,947-square-foot Victorian home with three bedrooms and three bathrooms in San Francisco's sunnier Noe Valley neighborhood is asking $1.7 million.

One of America's most flamboyant private residences lies in the woods of northwest New Jersey. It's the personal vision of artist and craftsman Ricky Boscarino and reflects his eccentric world view.

Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee has inspired designers to come up with products that capture the moment. With so much merchandising to choose from, this is the perfect opportunity to flex your collector's muscle.

Merv Griffin's former estate near Palm Springs is reduced 34%; Sheik Tarek Al Fassi sells in Miami Beach; a Maryland estate of Phillips Seafood's Steve and Maxine Phillips lists for $32 million.

What to do if a pushy agent puts too much pressure on you to buy.

One World Trade Center's owners are sparring with their architects over what goes on top—a dispute that could stop the structure being recognized as America's tallest.

Mortgage interest rates hit new lows this week as both the 30-year and the 15-year fixed-rates fell, according to a weekly survey by Freddie Mac. It was the second consecutive week that rates broke records.

This 1,900-square-foot duplex apartment on New York's Upper East Side is home to a number of centuries-old European antiques and paintings that give the space an aristocratic touch.

The federal government is considering a new set of rules on mortgage origination that it says would make the process simpler and more transparent for borrowers.

According to the Summer 2012 Merrill Edge Report, many mass affluent Americans are willing to make short-term sacrifices in order to get their finances in better shape. The report, released on April 26 by Bank of America, explores the financial concerns and priorities of mass affluent consumers, Americans with $50,000-$250,000 in investable assets. [...]

Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) released the results of its first quarter refinance analysis showing homeowners who refinance continue to strengthen their fiscal house. In the first quarter of 2012, 79 percent of homeowners who refinanced their first-lien home mortgage either maintained about the same loan amount or lowered their principal balance by paying-in [...]

This 'traditional-style' home in Sag Harbor, N.Y., conceals a decidedly modern streak—it was built recently.

After four years of sleepy sales during the traditionally busy spring and summer homebuying seasons, real estate experts are forecasting a pickup.

On September 3, 2008, John Featherston, president and CEO of RISMedia, gathered several of the real estate industry’s most influential leaders to discuss the future of real estate. Participating in the discussion were Better Homes and Gardens Mason-McDuffie Chairman Ed Krafchow (then president of Prudential CA/NV/TX Realty); Jim Sherry, president [...]

The Malkin family that controls the Empire State Building has agreed to change the terms of the skyscraper's public offering, making the tax treatment less punitive to small investors.

Ten hard-hit housing markets will record double-digit price increases through 2013, according to a report Wednesday.

Beazer Homes has formed a REIT with KKR that will buy and then rent single-family homes, one of the largest and most talked-about asset classes in the real-estate business.

I don’t know how many people would openly admit this, but many feel they are just not exactly where they want to be yet in life. Some are close or on the right track, while others are nowhere near where they thought they would be. One thing that I have learned as a speaker and [...]

This crescent-shaped home in Atami, Japan, has an open floor plan and panoramic views of Mount Fuji.

This home in Bel Air mixes 'Mad Men' chic with 'eclectic modern.'

This 4,400-square-foot condo on the Upper East Side was tricked out by its owner, a candy store founder, with lavish amenities and a master bathroom with two of everything.

Built at the mouth of the River Avon in southwest England, this five-bedroom 1920s home overlooks popular surfing spot Bantham Beach.

Many REALTORS® are asking the questions – why is NAR having this rally? Are there specific bills or legislation we are trying to pass or defeat? What is the urgency? Congress addresses a myriad of real estate issues every year. What makes this year unique is that for the first time ever the American dream, [...]

(MCT)—Hiring continued its slow pace in April as employers added a modest 115,000 jobs to their payrolls, providing more evidence that the economy has lost some momentum from early this year. The jobless rate inched down to 8.1 percent last month, the Labor Department said Friday, but that wasn’t because more people were employed. Rather, [...]

(eM+C)—”By 2016, advertisers will spend as much on interactive marketing as they do on television advertising today. Investment in search marketing, display advertising, email marketing, mobile marketing and social media will near $77 billion and represent 26 percent of all advertising, as interactive channels gain legitimacy in the marketing [...]

Along the northwestern coastline of Phuket, Thailand, this two-bedroom Chinese-Thai styled villa faces the Andaman Sea, part of the Trisara Resort and Spa.

When Internet millionaire Tom Gonzales was putting together his elaborate family compound on the shores of Lake Tahoe, he had one big concern: Where to put some of the most valuable cars in his 400-car collection.

The Georgian facade on this five-bedroom home in England's Bradford on Avon is believed to have been added in 1720 by John Wood, the architect behind many of the picturesque streets and properties in nearby Bath.

This airy, 3,360-square-foot apartment in Tribeca still bears remnants of its industrial past.

People have been hyping the death of the mall for the last two decades, but it's not happening anytime soon, said Simon Property Group CEO David Simon.

Average rates for both 15-year and 30-year fixed mortgages fell to new all-time record lows this week, according to a report released by Freddie Mac Thursday.

Edward Peden and Dianna Ricke-Peden built their dream home in an unusual location -- an old underground missile bunker in rural Kansas.

Buying a home may never get any cheaper than this. Several housing experts are predicting that this year will be the last chance for bargain hunters to cash in on the best deals of the weak housing market.

Former Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz is selling his 22-acre estate in northern Georgia, baseball field and all.

Just having a website isn’t enough to set yourself apart in today’s highly competitive real estate market. If you’re looking to take your website to the next level, the following guidelines will help you increase the effectiveness of your website and give prospects a reason to keep coming back. Provide Valuable Content Now more than [...]

The abundance of online buyer-centered housing information has re-shaped consumer buying behavior, which in turn has changed the traditional real estate shopping process. The results of NAR’s 2011 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers confirm this trend, as 88 percent of homebuyers now utilize the Internet in their home search. A quick Google search [...]

Homeownership in the U.S. fell to its lowest rate in 15 years during the first quarter as more delinquent borrowers lost their homes to foreclosure, forcing many to rent.

A two-bedroom cottage with just over 1,000 square feet is on the market in Guerneville for $419,000. The home was built in 1937 as a summer getaway.

This is such a simple question yet it can have such profound results. Last week’s article, “Watch Your Mouth,” generated a lot of emails, Facebook messages and tweets. The majority of the messages were very positive and some of you were very honest. In fact, one person wrote, “I completely get the power that our [...]

Is residential real estate really recovering? Is consumer confidence climbing back? How can real estate professionals capitalize as the market begins to shift gears and head in a positive direction? These are just a few of the compelling questions that will be put forth and dissected by a select group of 200 executives from residential [...]

Pending home sales increased in March and are well above a year ago, another signal the housing market is recovering, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, rose 4.1 percent to 101.4 in March from an upwardly revised 97.4 in February and is [...]

Your overall success is a direct result of your ability to network and generate leads. The more leads you bring in, the more people you talk to and the more sales opportunities you will create. The key is to proactively connect with the right people and then follow up consistently. Consistency builds trust and establishes [...]

(MCT)—House hunters frustrated with the market’s supply of homes have shifted their search from the streets to underground. More buyers are targeting homes that haven’t yet hit the market, a trend agents say will grow as inventory shrinks and the mismatch of what’s available and what’s desired continues. Such back-pocket deals used to involve [...]

(MCT)—The housing market’s long, cold winter may finally be heading into a springtime thaw. New data show price declines easing in big cities, sales of new homes improving nationally and foreclosures in California dropping to levels not seen since before the start of the credit crunch nearly five years ago. The easing of foreclosures is [...]

(MCT)—The short sale process could get a lot quicker starting this summer under new rules that will require lenders to respond to offers within a month. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the nation’s two largest mortgage backers, will implement the guidelines on June 15. The changes require mortgage servicers to make a decision within 30 [...]

If you ask the average person how they feel they can give you an answer but not too many can tell you how they got there. Some people believe that they feel a certain way because of whatever the weather happens to be outside or because they “woke up on the wrong side of the [...]

The Power Broker Roundtable is brought to you by the National Association of REALTORS® and Rei Mesa, NAR’s Special Liaison for Large Firm Relations. Watch for this column each month, where we address broker issues, concerns and milestones. Moderator: Rei Mesa, Special Liaison for Large Firm Relations, NAR, and President/CEO, Prudential Florida Real [...]

As of December 2011, the official lockbox provider of The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) is 100 percent owned by NAR, the organization has announced. Now directly accountable to the real estate community it serves, SentriLock, LLC, as the official lockbox provider for NAR, will continue to focus on providing high-quality, technologically innovative [...]

Given the importance of the real estate market in today’s economic environment, REALTORS® will make their voices heard in Washington, D.C., next month at the National Association of REALTORS® Midyear Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo, May 14-19. More than 9,000 participants from across the country are expected to attend. As a highlight of this [...]

The forecast for the rest of 2012 shows mild increases building up to a stronger 1.2 percent by year end, according to the Home Data Index™ (HDI) Market Report, recently released by Clear Capital®, with data through March 2012. The HDI Market Report uses a broad array of public and proprietary data sources providing the [...]

HomeServices of America, Inc.™, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, recently announced the acquisition of Seattle-based Prudential Northwest Realty Associates. Originally established in 1942, Prudential Northwest Realty joined the Prudential Real Estate affiliate network in 1990 and is their largest affiliate in the state of Washington, with more than [...]

Last week, U.S. District Court Judge for the District of Columbia Rosemary Collyer signed documents to approve the $25 billion mortgage servicing settlement with the nation’s top five mortgage servicers: Bank of America, Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup and Ally Financial. “Yesterday’s court approval of the historic $25 billion [...]

“The market is already changing and the real estate professionals that are most prepared to deal with that change are the ones that are going to thrive.” That’s the perspective of Jared James, one of the industry’s most sought-after trainers, who will be launching his next 6-month coaching series, “Jump Start,” beginning April 16. Through [...]

NAR Pulse—Timeline accentuates stories, with large images, more compelling content and the ability to add milestones to tell an even deeper story. This allows REALTORS® to better feature listings, highlight neighborhoods or tell their own story. Check out the Member’s Edge blog for five things you can do to get the most out of Facebook [...]

This month, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) officially launches its new website, my.REALTOR.org. But this is no average website redesign. my.REALTOR.org is an entirely new approach to the online experience for members. Built with responsive design technology, my.realtor.org takes a bold step to engage members like never before by providing [...]

(MCT)—QUESTION: With the market up and down and with elections on the horizon, my husband and I are unsure about whether we should buy a home. We don’t want to wait too long and have prices go back up. What are your thoughts on buying in 2012? —Emalita ANSWER: Buy. The housing market is nearing [...]

A new study by economists at the University of California, Berkeley, and Oregon State University suggests that the U.S. housing crisis that started in 2007 and eventually led to a worldwide financial crisis was triggered by rapidly rising gas prices. Economic bubbles have a long history – from the Dutch tulip mania in the 1600s [...]

That baby boomers are swelling the ranks of older Americans is well-documented, but do we really understand the consequences of this important shift for the housing needs of older adults? A new report from the Center for Housing Policy, “Housing an Aging Population – Are We Prepared?”, explores the effects of this coming demographic change [...]

While the outcome varied a bit depending on your corner of the map, most power brokers agree that 2011 was yet another challenging year for real estate. According to the results of RISMedia’s 24th Annual Power Broker Survey—(like us on Facebook to see the Top 300 list, which can now be viewed while on-the-go on [...]

CENTURY 21 Real Estate LLC, the franchisor of one of the world’s largest residential real estate sales organizations, has recognized the 2011 top global offices, companies and producers across its network. “I am proud to recognize this year’s top performers,” said Rick Davidson, president and CEO, CENTURY 21 Real Estate LLC. “The geographic [...]

The biggest mistake that most real estate agents make in dealing with their clients and colleagues is that they are unconsciously committed to “people pleasing.” The signs to watch out for will clearly show you whether you are inadvertently falling into a “people pleaser” pattern. If so, you’ll be shown an alternative strategy. [...]

Keeping buyers educated is a crucial piece of the puzzle that real estate professionals can’t afford to overlook as we make our way through today’s challenging market. Here, Gretchen Pearson, president of Prudential California Realty in San Ramon, Calif. discusses how her company is pulling out all the stops when it comes to communicating with [...]

With the first quarter of 2012 behind us, you may still be looking for answers and strategies that can take your Web marketing strategy to a whole new level. There is so much talk out there about how to kick up Web leads, but before jumping in to quick fixes and spending money on things [...]

Laurie Goodman is an apolitical number cruncher who has spent most of her 28-year career out of the public view, studying the minutiae of mortgage-backed securities (MBS) for big investment banks. She's long been a star among Wall Street insiders, however. She holds the record for the most top rankings for fixed-in-come research from the trade bible [...]