Category Archives: Real Estate News

REITs Return Big as Investors Pour In

Institutional investors are especially drawn to REITs because they provide not just earnings growth, but strong dividend growth. REITs are required to distribute at least 90 percent of taxable income to shareholders in the form of dividends. Also, real estate … Continue reading

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The Other Housing Recovery: Agents’ Pay

About half of all licensed agents are members of this industry group, which is meeting in Washington, DC this week for a semi-annual conference. “To put that in perspective,the median realtor income had fallen by 35 percent during the housing … Continue reading

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Fannie Mae: From Ward of the State to Cash Cow

When Fannie Mae was bleeding cash back in 2008, the government took it into conservatorship, which allowed Fannie Mae to draw funds from the Treasury to stay afloat. In return, the government took senior preferred shares of the company. Fannie … Continue reading

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Mortgage Lending Loosens…But Far From Loose

Rates have been trending lower of late due to trouble overseas and the weak U.S. employment picture. That uncertainty continues to send investors to the safety of the 10-year Treasury, pushing yields lower. Mortgage rates loosely follow those yields. But … Continue reading

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Here’s What Is Really Behind Home Price Gains

This is also a repeat sales index, but it is based on a three-month running average. The National Association of Realtors reported median home prices up nearly 12 percent in March, but being a median, that number relies on the … Continue reading

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