Real Estate: Interest high in 'Golden Loop'

Fresno's newest skyline and a possible financial district is taking shape near Woodward Park.

[via FresnoBee.com: Real Estate]

40-Year Loan Has No Money Down; State Stretches Its Mortgage Assistance to Help First-Time Home Buyers Qualify

In many ways the house for sale on Misty Morning Circle near Mather Airport is a typical Sacramento home: Three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath, 1,450 square feet with a backyard. Asking price: $355,000 - just above the countywide median of $352,500 in January. Today, first-time buyers trying to stretch financially to purchase that house with a 40-year mortgage - instead of the standard 30-year loan ...

[via KnowledgePlex.org News]

Panel sees cooling in Fresno area real estate

Central Valley real estate will continue to be a good investment at least for this year, although appreciation rates will likely decline from record levels of previous years, analysts said this week.

[via San Jose Real Estate -- MercuryNews.com]

Cha-ching! More homeowners cashing out their refi...

Cha-ching! More homeowners cashing out their refis
Eighty percent of Freddie Mac loans that were refinanced in the fourth quarter of 2005 resulted in new mortgages with loan amounts that were at least 5 percent higher than the original mortgage balances, the mortgage giant said in a report today.
"We see from the cash-out analysis that the overwhelming majority of these borrowers were extracting home equity rather than trying to reduce their monthly payments," said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac chief economist. The company estimates that home equity extraction from refinancing prime mortgages will total about $243 billion for 2005, then fall sharply to about $117 billion in 2006 as home price growth and refinance activity slows.We must be in the debt generation for sure. Isn't the point to lower your monthly costs and pay down the mortgage? Will there be any fallout down the road from this?

[via Inman Blog]

Changing Housing Market Calls for Changing Sales Strategies

Home experts encourage sellers to have their homes ‘pre-inspected' to make them more appealing in a slowing market

[via RISMedia.com RSS FEED]

Additional Disclosure Required of Home Sellers

Sellers must list everything from how to access sex offenders' identification line to if a pet has left a stain or odor in house

[via RISMedia.com RSS FEED]

Real Estate: Adjusting for cool market

Some home builders, trying to keep home prices down and responding to a possibly slower and highly competitive market in 2006, are planning to unveil new, more affordable designs.

[via FresnoBee.com: Real Estate]

Prices soaring for construction materials

Rising construction costs are expected to hammer the housing industry again in 2006. With interest rates inching up, home builders are also expecting a slight decline in sales this year.

[via San Jose Real Estate -- MercuryNews.com]

Is Evidence Mounting Against A Housing Bubble Bust

If the air is leaving the housing bubble, The National Association of Realtors still sees it leaving home sales at sustainable levels.

The National Association of Realtors, in a statement released on Tuesday, said that housing sales and prices in 2006 will remain strong but will not achieve the record levels of 2005.

Sales of existing homes are expect to drop to 6.74 million this year, a decline of 4.7 percent from the record high 7.07 million in 2005. New home sales will be down 8.5 percent to 1.17 million, setting yet another 2005 record of 1.28 million. While sales will decline, it is still expecte... Read More Now

[via MortgageNewsDaily.com]

School Districts Approve Boundary Changes

The line has been drawn in the land over where school districts can claim their boundaries.

[via KFSN Front Page headlines]

Police Search for Suspects in Beating

A well known Valley realtor is in critical condition after being beaten at an open house, and police may be narrowing down their search for suspects.

[via KFSN Front Page headlines]

New Office & New Beginnings at Guarantee Real Estate!

This is the new building we will be moving into sometime in March. The finishing touches and improvements are being made to the building. The address is 7088 N. Maple, which is north of Herndon and on the east side of the street. This building will be the home of the Guarantee Real Estate office that is currently at First & Nees. This will be the new home to the 70+ real estate agents. On the east side of the building will be the offices of Guarantee Home Loans, and across the parking lot is a satellite office of First American Title. I can't wait!!!!!!!