RealEstateLatino.com's Blog

HUD USER has posted a Comprehensive Housing Market
Analysis (CHMA) report for the San Antonio, Texas area.
This eight-county housing market area is located in south
central Texas and includes the city of San Antonio, which
attracts an average of 26 million tourists annually.
 
Compiled by field economists in HUD's Office of Policy
Development and Research, the report presents data that
are useful in foreseeing changes in the demand for new
housing. The analysis describes the economic,
demographic, and housing inventory characteristics of
the San Antonio housing market area from 1990 to 2000,
from 2000 through September 2008, and projects
anticipated market activity during the period of October
1, 2008 to October 1, 2011. This is valuable information
for builders, mortgage lenders, borrowers, local
planners, and others who need to keep up with area
housing conditions and trends.
 
Interested readers can access the San Antonio analysis,
along with previous CHMA reports examining housing market
areas across the nation
at www.huduser.org/publications/econdev/mkt_analysis.html.
All HUD USER CHMA reports are available as free downloads.

By: www.realestatelatino.com

from: http://www.realtor.org/realtororg.nsf/pages/consumersplash

Buying or selling a home is never an easy process. All the different and confusing terms, the huge stacks of paperwork, all the forms that need to be filled out. Although it's an exciting experience, it can also be a very stressful one.

You need someone you can trust. Someone who can put your mind at ease because you know they're going to do the right thing and act in your best interest. Someone who will protect your rights.

When you enlist the services of a REALTOR®, you can be confident that you're being dealt with honestly. Every member of the National Association of REALTORS® makes a commitment to adhere to a strict Code of Ethics, which is based on professionalism and protection of the public.

The Code of Ethics is a promise-as a customer of a REALTOR®, you can expect honest and ethical treatment in all transaction-related matters. It is mandatory for REALTORS® to take the Code of Ethics orientation and they are also required to complete a refresher course every four years.

The actual Code itself contains 17 Articles and is quite comprehensive. To help you better understand exactly what the Code of Ethics is and how it benefits you as a customer; here is a summary of the key principles, which is referred to as the
REALTORS®' Pledge of Performance and Service.

Learn about how the Code of Ethics affects you as a home buyer or seller

For more helpful resources from The National Association of REALTORS®,
please visit our Home Buyers & Sellers page.

Sub-prime mortgages are no longer the only one thing responsible for foreclosures. Prime mortgage borrowers are being affected too.

Job losses are affecting homeowners, including those with low rate prime mortgages. Freddie Mac reported last year that 46% of foreclosures in June wee related to loss of income or unemployment.

Inman News reported a jump in prime-loan foreclosures from January to February.

HOPE NOW put the number of foreclosure starts on prime loans during February at 157,000, a 25 percent increase from the month before. Foreclosure starts on subprime loans fell by 5 percent, to 86,000.

The record 243,000 foreclosure starts recorded in February represented a 12 percent increase from the month before and a 36 percent increase from a year ago.

The good news is that NOT every home headed for foreclosure ends up loosing their homes. However, with more homeowners waiting for help assistance can get a little too late for those people who lost their income. It is imperative that lenders step up and negotiate a positive loan workout that would allow the homeowners to stay remain in home while they are actively looking for a job.

There is no dough that this homeownership nightmare in part started because of irresponsible lending, but that should not be a reason to punish responsible homeowners with fully documented prime mortgage who fall on victims of this national cause. Homeownership is the foundation of our society if we don't do something to preserve that foundation, future generations will be suffering for our mistakes.

Comments? - Thought? Bill.arce@realestatelatino.com