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RENTAL RATES CLIMB AS SALE PRICES DIP
HotPads: Demand for 'low-risk' housing rises
By Inman News, Tuesday, April 26, 2011.
Inman News
Rental listing prices nationwide jumped 7.4 percent in the last year while for-sale listing prices dropped 8.8 percent, according to areport from property search site HotPads.
The report is based on listings active on HotPads in April 2010 and April 2011. First-quarter data shows a reversal of the broader trend -- rental prices fell 1.8 percent and sale price rose 3.5 percent -- but the report emphasized that the first-quarter trend is likely attributed to seasonal patterns in the housing market.
"We predict investors looking to ride the rental upswing will continue renting properties and will wait for home values to appreciate," the report said.
"Increasing demand for rental properties is an indicator of a growing preference for low-risk housing options, which is closely linked to the broader economic uncertainty."
Since April 2010, the national median list price of for-sale homes has dropped in every month except for March 2011 and April 2011.
The median rental listing price is more uneven month-to-month, but has shown a clear upward trend in the past year.
HAVE THE TAX CREDITS BEEN EXTENDED FOR 2011?
On December 17, 2010, President Obama signed the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010. This law extends the tax credits for energy efficiency into 2011, BUT at lower levels. The levels revert back to those in effect in 2006 and 2007, which were 10% of the cost of the improvement, up to $500, with a $200 max for windows, and several other set maximums.
Highlights:
- $500 lifetime limit. If you got over $500 in these tax credits from 2006 - 2010, you are not eligible for anything more.
- 10% up to $500 for insulation, roofs, and doors.
- Windows capped at $200, but qualification now ENERGY STAR
- Furnace and boilers capped at $150, and all furnaces and boilers must meet 95 AFUE
- $50 for advanced main air circulating fan
- $300 for air conditioners, air source heat pumps, water heaters, and biomass stoves
Tax Form:
For products "placed in service" in 2011, you need to file the 2011 IRS Form 5695 and submit it with your 2011 taxes (by April 15, 2012).
On the 1040 form the residential energy tax credit (from Form 5695) is claimed on line 52.
What you need to submit and save:
Save your receipts and the Manufacturer's Certification Statement for your records. Submit Form 5695 with your taxes.
9 UNEXPECTED ENERGY (AND MONEY) SAVERS
 Here are a few surprising and simple ways to cut your energy bill this season. Give your pocketbook and Mother Nature a gift this season by taking advantage of these simple, surprising ways to save energy and money.
Put lamps in the corners: Did you know you can switch to a lower wattage bulb in a lamp or lower its dimmer switch and not lose a noticeable amount of light? It's all about placement. When a lamp is placed in a corner, the light reflects off the adjoining walls, which makes the room lighter and brighter.
Switch to a laptop: If you're reading this article on a laptop, you're using 1/3 less energy than if you're reading this on a desktop.
Choose an LCD TV: If you're among those considering a flat-screen upgrade from your conventional, CRT TV, choose an LCD screen for the biggest energy save.
Give your water heater a blanket: Just like you pile on extra layers in the winter, your hot water heater can use some extra insulation too. A fiberglass insulation blanket is a simple addition that can cut heat loss and save 4% to 9% on the average water-heating bill.
Turn off the burner before you're done cooking: When you turn off an electric burner, it doesn't cool off immediately. Use that to your advantage by turning it off early and using the residual heat to finish up your dish.
Add motion sensors: You might be diligent about shutting off unnecessary lights, but your kids? Not so much. Adding motion sensors to playrooms and bedrooms cost only $15 to $50 per light, and ensures you don't pay for energy that you're not using.
Spin laundry faster: The faster your washing machine can spin excess water out of your laundry, the less you'll need to use your dryer. Many newer washers spin clothes so effectively, they cut drying time and energy consumption in half - which results in an equal drop in your dryer's energy bill.
Use an ice tray: Stop using your automatic icemaker. It increases your fridge's energy consumption by 14% to 20%. Ice trays, on the other hand, don't increase your energy costs one iota.
Use the dishwasher: If you think doing your dishes by hand is greener than powering up the dishwasher, you're wrong. Dishwashers use about 1/3 as much hot water and relieve that much strain from your energy-taxing water heater. Added bonus: you don't have to wash any dishes.
REALTORS APPLAUD BILL TO SPEED LENDER RESPONSE TO SHORT SALES
Washington, April 13, 2011
A new bill to improve the process for approving short sales may soon bring relief to distressed home owners who are unable to keep their homes and hope to avoid foreclosure. The bill, introduced in the U.S. House yesterday and strongly supported by the National Association of Realtors®, would impose a deadline of 45 days on lenders to respond to short sale requests.
The legislation, the "Prompt Decision for Qualification for Short Sale Act of 2011," was offered in Congress by U.S. Reps. Tom Rooney (R-Fla.) and Robert Andrews (D-N.J.).
"The current short sale process can be time-consuming and inefficient, and many would-be buyers end up walking away from a sale that could have saved a home owner from foreclosure," said NAR President Ron Phipps, broker-president of Phipps Realty in Warwick, R.I.
"Realtors® and consumers continue to raise issues about delays in the short sale process, because lenders are unable to decide whether to approve a short sale. After many months of delays, and with no response from lenders, potential buyers are losing patience and cancelling their contracts, often resulting in the property entering foreclosure. A short sale minimizes the negative impact on sellers and generally costs the lender less than a foreclosure," said Phipps.
NAR has been actively pushing the lending industry to improve the process for approving short sales, which represent about 13 percent of recent home sales according to NAR data. Phipps praised Reps. Rooney and Andrews for their efforts on the bill and urged Congress to pass the bill quickly.
"As the leading advocate for home ownership and housing issues, Realtors® want to help more home owners avoid foreclosure by facilitating a short sale when a family is absolutely unable to keep their home; however, that can only happen if lenders and servicers approve short sale offers in a reasonable amount of time," said Phipps. "Streamlining short sales transactions will reduce the amount of time it takes to sell the property, improve the likelihood that the transaction will close and reduce the overall number of foreclosures. This benefits sellers, lenders, buyers and the entire community."
The National Association of Realtors®, "The Voice for Real Estate," is America's largest trade association, representing 1.1 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.
Information about NAR is available at www.realtor.org. This and other news releases are posted in the News Media section.
APRIL SALES STATISTICS
The number of Short Sale listings continues to domoniate the housing listings inventory, while the number of Traditional listings has overtaken the number of REO listings for the month ofApril.
When comparing the number of listings to the number of sales, one can see a major difference. The number of Short Sales are less than either the REO or Traditional sales. Also, the number of REO sales is more than the Traditional sales.
The length of time to close a Short Sale continues to exceed the time to close either the REO or Tradional sale. Short Sales take much longer to process the offer and acceptance, plus they take longer to close the sale than either of the other transaction types.
*IN THE NEWS - The Ballen Group officially welcomes CHRIS HAHN, Short Sale Listing Manager along with JAMES JOHNSON, buyer specialist, and GREG DUFFIELD, as Lead Buyer Specialist. Think you'd be great in real estate? Give us a call. We can help you get on the track for licensing and working in Nevada.
Call us at (702) 604-7739 for more information regarding the market.
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Brought to you by...
The Ballen Group
Keller Williams Realty
Las Vegas
(702) 604-7739
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Why Use a REALTOR®?
The REALTOR® mark shows that your real estate agent is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and adheres to a strict Code of Ethics. There are many reasons to use a REALTOR® to help you buy or sell a home. Here's one:
A REALTOR® can give you up-to-date information on what is happening your local marketplace and the price, financing, terms and condition of competing properties.
For information on choosing and using a REALTOR®, click here.
Pending Home Sales Rise Again in March
Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said home sales activity has shown an uneven but notable improvement. "Since reaching a cyclical bottom last June, pending home sales have posted an overall gain of 24 percent and demonstrate the market is recovering on its own," he said. "The index means modest near-term gains in existing-home sales are likely, which would be even stronger if tight mortgage lending criteria returned to normal, safe standards."
Mortgage Rates Inch Lower
NEW YORK - Mortgage rates remained below the 5% mark, with the benchmark conforming 30-year fixed mortgage rate inching lower to 4.95%, according to Bankrate.com's weekly national survey. The average 30-year fixed mortgage has an average of 0.37 discount and origination points.
The average 15-year fixed mortgage stepped down to 4.14%, and the larger jumbo 30-year fixed rate reset the low point of the year at 5.40%. Adjustable rate mortgages were also lower, with the average 5-year ARM dipping to 3.69% and the 7-year ARM dropping to an even 4%.
Mortgage rates were lower this week, but the movement in mortgage rates continues to be tame. Mortgage rates have remained within a one-third percentage point band since mid-December. The Federal Reserve did little to rock the boat, holding interest rates steady and changing very little in the post-meeting statement.
Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke's initial press release was a historic event, but uneventful. While the Federal Reserve confirmed that they will halt their bond purchases at the end of June, this has been widely expected and any resulting volatility in bond yields or mortgage rates is far from certain. Mortgage rates are closely related to yields on long-term government bonds.
The last time mortgage rates were above 6% was Nov. 2008. At the time, the average 30-year fixed rate was 6.33%, meaning a $200,000 loan would have carried a monthly payment of $1,241.86. With the average rate now 4.95%, the monthly payment for the same size loan would be $1,067.54, a difference of $174 per month for anyone refinancing now.
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