Updating the Renter Nation Prediction

The Wall Street Journal carried a story today on its front page entitled, “Banks Push Home Buyers to Put Down More Cash“. The key paragraph: The median down payment in nine major U.S. cities rose to 22% last year on properties purchased through conventional mortgages, according to an analysis for The Wall Street Journal by … Read more

Initial Questions on Alex Perriello’s Shared Equity Idea

Alex Perriello, the CEO of Realogy Franchise Group (the parent company of Coldwell Banker, Century 21, ERA, Sotheby’s, and Better Homes & Gardens), who used to be my boss’s boss, has an op/ed in yesterday’s New York Times. In it, he proposes a novel solution to the foreclosure crisis: Fortunately, there is a solution. Rather … Read more

Initial Questions on Alex Perriello's Shared Equity Idea

Alex Perriello, the CEO of Realogy Franchise Group (the parent company of Coldwell Banker, Century 21, ERA, Sotheby’s, and Better Homes & Gardens), who used to be my boss’s boss, has an op/ed in yesterday’s New York Times. In it, he proposes a novel solution to the foreclosure crisis: Fortunately, there is a solution. Rather … Read more

Into the Maelstrom, We Go

If you are at all interested in the real estate industry, then you need to be reading Dan Green on a regular basis. I just met him at RE Blogworld, and have put his blog into my reader ASAP (and linked it here). Dan is brilliant, and understands the financial markets and mortgage markets better … Read more

What Am I Missing Here: Multifamily Loans Down 63%?

From National Real Estate Investor comes news that loans for commercial multifamily projects have dropped 63% year over year: Commercial and multifamily mortgage loan originations continued to fall on a year-over-year basis in the second quarter, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Quarterly Survey of Commercial/Multifamily Mortgage Bankers Originations. Second quarter originations were 63% … Read more

Bailing Out Banks: What’s In It for US?

I don’t normally write much on financial matters connected to real estate, because I recognize it as an area where frankly, I have no real expertise. I know generally how mortgages, CDO’s, subprime and so forth work, but beyond the basics, I get lost. Tanta, over at Calculated Risk, however, does not get lost. In … Read more

Bailing Out Banks: What's In It for US?

I don’t normally write much on financial matters connected to real estate, because I recognize it as an area where frankly, I have no real expertise. I know generally how mortgages, CDO’s, subprime and so forth work, but beyond the basics, I get lost. Tanta, over at Calculated Risk, however, does not get lost. In … Read more