The Real Estate Connection

The federal government directly buttresses the mortgage industry through insurance and guarantee programs: FHA has an insured portfolio in excess of $1.2 trillion, Ginnie Mae guarantees over $2 trillion in securities backed by mortgages with FHA or other federal agencies, and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac –government sponsored enterprises (GSEs) … Continue reading

Homes Too Expensive

They say all real estate is local, but the West has more recently been an indicator of what is to come for the rest of the nation. It was the first region to crash in the mid-2000’s and the first to show signs of recovery toward the end of the … Continue reading

Inside Countrywide

WorkingRE Magazine Interview: Appraiser Who Brought Down Countrywide By Isaac Peck, Associate Editor The U.S. housing bubble and the corresponding real estate market crash of 2007-2008 brought about one of the most severe economic downturns in America since the Great Depression. The fallout was extensive: banks failed, established companies declared … Continue reading

Pressuring Appraisers

WorkingRE Magazine – reprinted by permission Pressure, Subtle Influence and Plausible Deniability Editor’s Note: Appraisers report that despite tough new appraisal independence laws, lenders, AMCs and others haven’t stopped trying to influence the process- they’re just being more careful about covering their tracks.  Fraud expert Richard Hagar, SRA, explains how … Continue reading

Benefits of New Construction

Benefits of New Home Construction • Residential construction has a positive, direct impact on the U.S. economy. • For each new single-family home that is built, NAHB (National Association of Home Builders) estimates that three jobs are created. • Jobs are generated in the industries where lumber, concrete, lighting fixtures, … Continue reading

Renters’ Crisis 2015

09/21/2015 A report from Harvard’s Joint Center on Housing Studies and Enterprise Community Partners, an affordable-housing nonprofit group, provides further documentation of the growing housing crisis. The number of renters forced to allocate 50% or more of their income for rents is at an all time high, and growing rapidly, … Continue reading

Unaffordable Rents

June 4, 2015 The National Low Income Housing Coalition has published a comprehensive report entitled Out of Reach 2015 describing in great detail how low wages and high rents affect people throughout the United States. California, our most populous state and a historical trendsetter, has the 3rd highest rents in … Continue reading

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