http://realestateconsumernews.com Real Estate Consumer News is a one stop source for consumers to get the information they want and need concerning real estate Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:43:33 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://realestateconsumernews.com/florida/what-are-the-hot-spots-in-the-u-s-attracting-home-buyers/ http://realestateconsumernews.com/florida/what-are-the-hot-spots-in-the-u-s-attracting-home-buyers/#comments Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:32:55 +0000 Dennis Norman http://realestateconsumernews.com/?p=4441 Well, I guess my wife and kids aren't the only people that want to move to Florida! According to a report released by Trulia, house hunters from all over the country are searching for homes in Florida. In fact, of the top 10 metro areas where demand among online house hunters is strongest, seven are located in Florida! Florida also, according to the report, leads the list of states existing residents don't want to leave as well with many times more people from outside of Florida searching for homes in Florida than searches outside the state by people living in Florida. The metro in the number 1 slot is Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, Florida with 8.8 times more "inbound" property searches than "outbound" property searches. Wow! [...] Related posts:

1. Report shows homebuyers heading to the "burbs"
2. Ten cities that receive the most online home searches
3. Eighty-five percent of recent home buyers see their home as a good investment according to NAR survey

]]> http://realestateconsumernews.com/florida/what-are-the-hot-spots-in-the-u-s-attracting-home-buyers/feed/ 0 http://realestateconsumernews.com/home-sellers/houses-and-the-human-body-have-a-lot-of-similarities/ http://realestateconsumernews.com/home-sellers/houses-and-the-human-body-have-a-lot-of-similarities/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:12:14 +0000 Gerry Loesch http://realestateconsumernews.com/?p=4433 Have you ever thought about the similarities between houses and the human body? For example as our bodies age, things are not quite as straight, square and firm as they once were in our younger years. At one time I had a 44 inch chest and now with age it seems that chest dimension is closer to my waist line. In most cases, this aging in homes translates into floors not being totally level and windows and doors being skewed slightly or not latching. While this may create slight operational issues these conditions are quite common in older homes, some more so than others depending on the age, floor plan, design etc. While one could, in theory go through and re-level the floors, in my opinion in most cases this would be an unnecessary expense and cause additional problems. Quite frankly many look at these conditions as part of the “character” and “charm” of an older home. [...] Related posts:

1. What to do when moisture gets inside your home
2. Spring Showers-It is time to Improve the Odds to Limit Basement Seepage
3. Electric Panels need their space too

]]> http://realestateconsumernews.com/home-sellers/houses-and-the-human-body-have-a-lot-of-similarities/feed/ 0 http://realestateconsumernews.com/foreclosures/austin-texas-man-pleads-guilty-to-bankruptcy-fraud-and-identity-theft-in-connection-with-nationwide-foreclosure-rescue-scheme/ http://realestateconsumernews.com/foreclosures/austin-texas-man-pleads-guilty-to-bankruptcy-fraud-and-identity-theft-in-connection-with-nationwide-foreclosure-rescue-scheme/#comments Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:00:51 +0000 News Desk http://realestateconsumernews.com/?p=4399 An Austin, Texas, man pleaded guilty today in the Western District of Texas for his role in operating a foreclosure-rescue scam in Southern California and elsewhere that charged distressed homeowners fees in exchange for fraudulently postponing foreclosure sales. [...] Related posts:

1. Former Highgate Manor Operator Pleads Guilty in $11 Million Multi-State Mortgage Fraud Scheme
2. Three Charged with Fraud in Florida Foreclosure Rescue Scheme
3. Five Indicted in Foreclosure Rescue and Mortgage Fraud Scheme

]]> http://realestateconsumernews.com/foreclosures/austin-texas-man-pleads-guilty-to-bankruptcy-fraud-and-identity-theft-in-connection-with-nationwide-foreclosure-rescue-scheme/feed/ 0 http://realestateconsumernews.com/special-posts/sec-halts-father-son-ponzi-scheme-in-utah-involving-purported-real-estate-investments/ http://realestateconsumernews.com/special-posts/sec-halts-father-son-ponzi-scheme-in-utah-involving-purported-real-estate-investments/#comments Sat, 17 Dec 2011 03:49:55 +0000 News Desk http://realestateconsumernews.com/?p=4367 The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged a father and son in Utah with securities fraud for selling purported investments in their real estate business that turned out to be nothing more than a wide-scale $220 million Ponzi scheme. [...] Related posts:

1. Brothers Plead Guilty to Their Roles in Masterminding $30 Million Ponzi Scheme and Mortgage Fraud
2. Ponzi Scheme and Mortgage Fraud Mastermind Sentenced to 15 Years, Eight Months
3. Real Estate Agent Sentenced to Federal Prison for Defrauding Bank in Short Sale Mortgage Fraud Scheme

]]> http://realestateconsumernews.com/special-posts/sec-halts-father-son-ponzi-scheme-in-utah-involving-purported-real-estate-investments/feed/ 0 http://realestateconsumernews.com/special-posts/california-number-1-in-mortgage-fraud-ranking/ http://realestateconsumernews.com/special-posts/california-number-1-in-mortgage-fraud-ranking/#comments Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:22:42 +0000 Dennis Norman http://realestateconsumernews.com/?p=4360 The Mortgage Fraud Index from MortgageDaily.com has California at the top of the list for mortgage fraud activity during the third quarter of 2011. The mortgage fraud index for third quarter was at 1173, down almost seven percent from the prior quarter when the index was at 1261, but up over 16 percent from a year ago when the index was at 1007. [...] Related posts:

1. Minnesota Emerges as Mortgage Fraud Hot Spot
2. Mortgage Fraud Case Activity Drops
3. California at top of list in 2009 for Mortgage Fraud Reports

]]> http://realestateconsumernews.com/special-posts/california-number-1-in-mortgage-fraud-ranking/feed/ 0 http://realestateconsumernews.com/home-sales-2/national-association-of-realtors-says-sales-were-weaker-than-people-thought/ http://realestateconsumernews.com/home-sales-2/national-association-of-realtors-says-sales-were-weaker-than-people-thought/#comments Wed, 14 Dec 2011 03:08:36 +0000 Dennis Norman http://realestateconsumernews.com/?p=4353 Today CNBC reported that the National Association of REALTORS, the country's leading source of existing home sales data, will be revising their home sales numbers from 2007 through October of this year downward because of "double counting, indicating a much weaker housing market than previously thought". [...] Related posts:

1. National Association of REALTORS(R) Urge Congress to help the housing market
2. New report shows home sales may be worse than reported
3. National Home Prices Back to 2004 Levels

]]> http://realestateconsumernews.com/home-sales-2/national-association-of-realtors-says-sales-were-weaker-than-people-thought/feed/ 0 http://realestateconsumernews.com/special-posts/baby-boomers-helping-their-kids-buy-homes/ http://realestateconsumernews.com/special-posts/baby-boomers-helping-their-kids-buy-homes/#comments Thu, 01 Dec 2011 12:39:38 +0000 Dennis Norman http://realestateconsumernews.com/?p=4335 Want to buy a house but a little short on cash? If your parents or grandparents are of the baby boomer generation then no problem, they'll give you the cash! Well, at least one in five will according to a recent survey by Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate. [...] Related posts:

1. Boomers aren’t selling their homes but are looking to buy investment property
2. What’s Hot and What’s Not in New Homes?
3. Are Reverse Mortgages Safe for Seniors?

]]> http://realestateconsumernews.com/special-posts/baby-boomers-helping-their-kids-buy-homes/feed/ 0 http://realestateconsumernews.com/special-posts/2012-presidential-elections-69-6-of-americans-said-housing-will-influence-their-vote/ http://realestateconsumernews.com/special-posts/2012-presidential-elections-69-6-of-americans-said-housing-will-influence-their-vote/#comments Sat, 12 Nov 2011 00:22:20 +0000 News Desk http://realestateconsumernews.com/?p=4306 Candidate positions on housing will be important considerations to nearly seven of 10 Americans (69.6%) in the 2012 presidential and congressional elections, according to a new national survey on housing released today by Move, Inc. This is especially true for Millennials(1) (70.7%), the next generation of homebuyers and the segment expected to play as important a role in the 2012 elections as they did in 2008. [...] Related posts:

1. Survey shows Americans not expecting housing market recovery until after 2012
2. Poll shows housing market second only to jobs in voter influence in 2012
3. Survey shows Americans’ gaining confidence in stability of home prices

]]> http://realestateconsumernews.com/special-posts/2012-presidential-elections-69-6-of-americans-said-housing-will-influence-their-vote/feed/ 0 http://realestateconsumernews.com/special-posts/two-individuals-sentenced-in-connection-with-2-5-million-reverse-mortgage-and-loan-modification-scheme/ http://realestateconsumernews.com/special-posts/two-individuals-sentenced-in-connection-with-2-5-million-reverse-mortgage-and-loan-modification-scheme/#comments Fri, 04 Nov 2011 22:35:02 +0000 News Desk http://realestateconsumernews.com/?p=4292 WASHINGTON – Two individuals – a loan officer and a title agent – have been sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William P. Dimitrouleas in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., for their participation in a nationwide $2.5 million reverse mortgage fraud scheme, the Justice Department announced today. [...] Related posts:

1. Two Loan Officers and One Title Agent Charged in $2.5 Million Reverse Mortgage and Loan Modification Scheme Plead Guilty in Miami
2. Three Loan Officers and a Title Agent Charged in $2.5 Million Reverse Mortgage and Loan Modification Scheme
3. Former South Holland Man Sentenced to 17½ Years in Prison for Directing $35 Million Mortgage Fraud Scheme Involving More Than 120 Residences in the Chicago Area

]]> http://realestateconsumernews.com/special-posts/two-individuals-sentenced-in-connection-with-2-5-million-reverse-mortgage-and-loan-modification-scheme/feed/ 0 http://realestateconsumernews.com/foreclosures/victims-of-bad-foreclosure-practices-can-now-apply-for-review-and-possible-compensation/ http://realestateconsumernews.com/foreclosures/victims-of-bad-foreclosure-practices-can-now-apply-for-review-and-possible-compensation/#comments Thu, 03 Nov 2011 11:08:59 +0000 Dennis Norman http://realestateconsumernews.com/?p=4288 In late September I wrote about a plan presented by acting Comptroller of the Currency, John Walsh, to address the "robo-signing" issue as well as other improper practices in the foreclosure process that have surfaced. Mr. Walsh's plan includes an independent review of the files of borrowers that feel they were a victim of a wrongful foreclosure practice as well as the potential for compensation or other relief for borrowers that were found to have been subject to improper foreclosure practices. Just this week it was announced that eligible borrowers may not apply for a review of their file and, if irregularities are found, file a claim for compensation. [...] Related posts:

1. Restitution for victims of improper foreclosure practices
2. Feds Take Action Against Banks for Misconduct and Negligence Related to Mortgage Loan Servicing and Foreclosure Practices
3. Foreclosure activity declines in February as allegations of bad lender practices continue

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