Real Estate News Headlines

National & International Headlines

(Site: Wash Post Real Estate)

• The recession has hurt many people's credit scores. How to fix it?
  The recession may have done a number on your credit score, even if it spurred you to reform spendthrift ways and cut up your credit cards. For many, the drops have come at the same time that lenders have tightened their standards and demanded higher scores to get the best interest rates.
  
  
• Mansions go modular as costs, timeline lure high-end buyers
  One day in February, it was an empty, snow-covered lot in Bethesda. In 32 hours, the property held a six-bedroom, six-and-a-half-bath French country mansion with a walkout basement.
  
  
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• Huntington Terrace: An eclectic 'American village' in Md.
  Pedestrian-friendly Huntington Terrace in Bethesda is celebrating its centennial this year. Narrow streets -- about 20 feet, curb to curb -- pass homes with mature trees and modest front yards. Children can walk to Bradley Hills Elementary School without having to cross busy streets.
  
  
• Do-it-yourselfers can shell out for a real estate 'bargain'
  We are a nation of bargain hunters, especially when it comes to real estate. And what could be a better bargain strategy than this? Snap up a foreclosed, partially completed house for a song, finish it up and own a really nice home for less money than buying a finished house.
  
  
  
• Lamond Riggs, D.C., residents love it enough to stay for a long time
  Caesar Dudley moved to Lamond Riggs in 1959, attracted to the affordable, well-built brick homes, the civic involvement and the convenience of city living.
  
  
• Testing the waters: This year, vacation buyers can afford to be picky
  As every beachcomber knows, salvaging treasure can require patience. ¶ Vacation areas around the Washington region have been buffeted by the real estate market collapse and the recession. Going into spring, optimistic market watchers are focusing hard on any glimmers of a revival while bargain...
  
  
• Sometimes losing a home is just the beginning of the pain
  As if losing one's home in a foreclosure or short sale were not already sufficiently traumatic, many former homeowners are learning that the day they turn in their keys may be only the start of an even more prolonged housing-induced misery.
  
  
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• Squatters in their own house: When banks don't foreclose
  It's been more than 16 months since Eugene and Patricia Harrison last paid the mortgage on their Perris, Calif., home. Eleven months since the notice got slapped on their front door, warning that the house would be sold at auction.
  
  
  
• Looking to refinance? Ask yourself these four crucial questions.
  We want to refinance our home loan. We are at 5.75 percent and might be able to get 4.85 percent on a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage. We would save $87 to $104 per month, and we are thinking about adding extra money each month to pay off the loan faster.
  
  
• Joining forces with Mom and Dad
  Many real estate agents are sensing an emerging trend of multiple generations living under the same roof, according to a national survey by Coldwell Banker.
  
  
• Grow any plant, any season, in a greenhouse
  The ending of winter and approach of spring intensify cabin fever and turn gardeners' thoughts to the potential that greenhouses -- and their fancier cousins, conservatories -- offer.
  
  
• In search of clarity in the confusing world of bathtubs
  DEAR TIM: Can you moderate a discussion between my wife and me about bathroom tubs? What exactly is a bathroom tub fixture? I think it's a light above the tub. Also, my wife believes soaking tubs in the bathrooms will add value to our home, but I'm skeptical. Finally, can you clear up the confusion...
  
  
  
• 30-year mortgage rates dip below 5% as market drags
  Mortgage interest rates declined this week, lowering borrowing costs as the housing market's recovery shows signs of slowing.
  
  
• A new real estate cost to watch for: Developer's private transfer fee
  How about this for a new and ingenious real estate money machine? Every time a house sells during the next 99 years, 1 percent of the price goes back to the original developer or is shared among investor partners. Ka-ching!
  
  
• Keeping a bathtub clean while keeping it safe
  Once you have your new bathtub, be sure to care for it. All too often, people ruin bathtubs in short order using cleansers that create permanent scratches. Carefully read the manual that comes with your tub. Most list approved cleansers that will not harm the surface of the tub.
  
  
• Huntington Terrace
  BOUNDARIES: Greentree Road to the north, Old Georgetown Road to the east, Roosevelt Street to the south and Garfield Street to the west
  
  
  
• How a dehumidifier can empty itself; unstinking a sink; shower-wall moisture
  I want to keep my basement dry with a dehumidifier but am sometimes away from the house for extended periods and can't empty a dehumidifier every day. Can you help? -- Elaine
  
  
• Color of Money Book Club
  Personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary and Thomas J. Stanley, author of "Stop Acting Rich . . . and Start Living Like a Real Millionaire," take questions on money matters.
  
  
• White House extends refinancing program for troubled homeowners
  The Obama administration announced Monday that borrowers with little or no equity in their homes will have another year to take advantage of a refinancing program that so far has made little progress.
  
  
• Fighting foreclosure
  THE OPTIMUM policy for the home foreclosure crisis is to modify the loans of as many distressed homeowners as possible. Making mortgage terms more affordable by mutual agreement enables families to stay in their houses, props up neighborhood home values and saves banks the huge costs of seizing and...
  
  
  
• Economy Watch: Three indicators spell trouble for the recovery
  There is an old joke in journalism that if three of anything happens, you've got a trend story, no matter how vaguely tied together the three things may be.
  
  
• The delicate balance of historic preservation in suburbs
  Mention historic preservation, and people visualize venerable buildings and neighborhoods within cities. Thanks to public attitude and policy shifts in recent decades, countless urban districts and edifices have been officially designated historic and, in many cases, saved from the wrecking ball.
  
  
• Condo board has two options on delinquent fees
  I am president of a six-unit condominium association in the District. Five of the owners reliably pay their monthly condo fee, but one does not. She owes more than $3,500. What options do we have? We understand that the unit owner is also delinquent on her mortgage payments. Can we foreclose on the...
  
  
• Green Scene: Some plants will welcome boggy soil created by recent snowstorms
  As I write, snow is finally melting, making its way into the soil, creating soggy conditions in planting beds and woodlands.
  
  
  
• 30-year mortgage rates rise as new-home sales fall
  Mortgage rates climbed for the first time in three weeks, increasing borrowing costs as new-home sales slumped to the lowest level on record.
  
  
• Factors to consider in paying down the mortgage
  We are still in our house almost 2 1/2 years after refinancing, and the rate on our interest-only mortgage is 6.5 percent. If I have $10,000 that I will not need in the foreseeable future, can I send that amount with our next payment to help pay down the principal on the loan? Or am I better off...
  
  
• Be aware of good-faith estimate' rules, or it could cost you
  If you are planning to take out a mortgage or refinance, you might want to hear this blunt message from federal officials: Don't fly blind. When you're shopping among competing lenders for the best terms and fees, make sure you know which quotes come with a guarantee and which do not.
  
  
• Lamond Riggs
  BOUNDARIES: Kansas Avenue to the northwest, Eastern Avenue to the northeast, Riggs Road and Galloway Street to the south and Blair Road to the west
  
  
  
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• FDIC to test principal reduction for underwater borrowers
  The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. is developing a program to test whether cutting the mortgage balances of distressed borrowers who owe significantly more than their homes are worth is an effective method for saving homeowners from foreclosure.
  
  
• Economists surprised as new-home sales fall to lowest level in nearly 50 years
  Sales of newly built homes unexpectedly plummeted in January to their lowest level in nearly five decades, providing more evidence of the housing market's fragility.
  
  
• Pearlstein: Senators near an attractive deal on regulatory reform
  The Washington Post's Steven Pearlstein discusses regulatory reform.
  
  
  
• In green footsteps: A D.C. man jogs his way to a bright, sustainable home
  Seth Greenstein used to jog around the upper Northwest Washington neighborhood of Barnaby Woods, even though he found it kind of boring. "You know -- brick colonial, brick colonial, brick colonial," he said. He had been living in an equally boring rambler in nearby Chevy Chase, just a few blocks...
  
  
• Where we live: In Fairfax Co., Cabell's Mill is a natural choice for outdoorsy commuters
  Cabell's Mill, a Fairfax County community of 308 homes, is sandwiched between two extremes: the ever-congested Interstate 66 and the 650-acre Ellanor C. Lawrence Park. And it's exactly that blend of commuter convenience and nature that many residents find appealing.
  
  
• Green Scene: Safety concerns about snow and ice apply to plants, too
  Why is it not surprising that questions this month have been related to the weather? Top concerns included broken plants and snow and ice safety. Readers have also been asking about an invasive alien pest that could overtake the native box elder bug among pests that seek the warmth of your home.
  
  
• Obama's $1.5 billion financing plan would help struggling homeowners in 5 states
  LAS VEGAS -- President Obama unveiled a $1.5 billion program to aid the states hardest hit by the foreclosure crisis, a small but targeted effort to address a housing problem that continues to resist government solutions.
  
  
  
• Mortgage delinquency rate slows in fourth quarter
  Borrowers fell behind on mortgages at a slightly slower rate late last year, but the overall number of homeowners in financial distress remained at record levels, according to industry data released Friday.
  
  
• Assumability: A hidden potential value to FHA loans
  Does the assumability option on Federal Housing Administration loans offset their high mortgage insurance premiums? That is a great and very timely question. The value of assumability is as high as it is ever likely to be because of the broad consensus that interest rates in future years will be...
  
  
• Getting the grime out of your grout
  DEAR TIM: I've tried cleaning the tile grout on the floors of my home, with little success. The grout just doesn't come clean. The tiles themselves don't look like they used to, even though I'm using those newer pad-cleaner contraptions. What do you recommend? -- Judith P., Forest Park, Ill.
  
  
• Home chefs put professional-grade ranges on the back burner
  When you're choosing a range for your dream kitchen, bigger -- and more expensive -- isn't always better.
  
  
  
• Securing a 1098 form when your mortgage lender shuts down
  Taylor, Bean & Whitaker serviced my mortgage until it was shut down last year. Will I get the end-of-year 1098 tax form from it?
  
  
• Don't add a loved one to your deed
  We would like to introduce a new columnist, Harvey S. Jacobs, a real estate lawyer and investor based in Rockville. He will write about all aspects of residential real estate law, addressing concerns of buyers, sellers, landlords, tenants and small investors. The Housing Counsel column by Benny L....
  
  
• 30-year-loan rates dip to 4.93 percent
  Rates for 30-year home loans edged lower for the second straight week, mortgage finance company Freddie Mac said Thursday, but they remained above last year's record lows.
  
  
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• Plan to boost tax on 'carried interest' stalls in Senate
  Even as populist anger at Wall Street has reached a crescendo this winter, the Obama administration's drive to eliminate what critics call a lucrative tax break for wealthy financiers has stalled in Congress.
  
  
  
• IRS clarifies documentation needed for tax credits
  Despite back-to-back snowstorms that shut federal offices for days, the Internal Revenue Service issued new guidance last week on the two tax-credit programs that are powering the country's real estate markets -- the $6,500 credit for repeat buyers and the $8,000 first-time-buyer credit.
  
  
• Picking your bleach
  You can buy oxygen bleach at stores and online. (Full disclosure: I manufacture and market my own brand.) However, there is a wide range of quality. Some products are not as pure as others. Not all of the products have the same amount of active ingredient; some have more filler in them than oxygen...
  
  
• CABELL'S MILL
  BOUNDARIES: The neighborhood's borders include Ellanor C. Lawrence Park to the west and north and Interstate 66 to the south.
  
  
• Do-It-Yourself: Concrete comes clean with powerful blast of H2O
  Our concrete stoop and steps are badly stained after many years of use. How can we get them clean? --T. Farrand
  
  
  
• Real Estate Live
  The Post's Elizabeth Razzi answers your questions about the local housing market.
  
  
• In D.C., more evidence that commercial real estate headed for foreclosure crisis
  A mortgage crisis like the one that has devastated homeowners is enveloping the nation's office and retail buildings, and few places are likely to be hit as hard as Washington.
  
  
• Color of Money Live
  Personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary hosts a discussion with Thomas J. Stanley, author of "Stop Acting Rich . . . and Start Living Like a Real Millionaire," The Color of Money Book Club selection for February.
  
  
• Administration pushed to expand foreclosure-prevention program
  The Obama administration is facing increasing pressure from lawmakers and housing advocates to retool its troubled mortgage relief program a year after its debut as the housing crisis continues to deepen and spreads to more creditworthy borrowers.
  
  
  
• U.S. looks to reluctant foreign investors to help fund the housing market
  As the U.S. housing market boomed in the past decade and fueled a bull market in mortgage investments, Norway's government-owned fund went along for the ride -- and the fall.
  
  
• Refinancing unavailable for many borrowers
  The refinancing wave that swept the nation when mortgage rates hit historic lows last year is petering out, leaving behind millions of homeowners who could not qualify for the best rates.
  
  
• A hand up, together: Housing charities use condos to boost urban homeownership
  They won't get granite kitchen counters or exotic hardwood floors, but nine Northern Virginia families are about to become condominium owners.
  
  
• Long Branch, Montgomery County: Traditions of civic activism and diversity
  Diversity abounds on Jose Rodriguez's grocery store shelves. Basmati rice from India shares space with Venezuelan corn flour. Palm nut oil from Ghana resides near cassava bread from the Dominican Republic. Signs in English and Spanish hang above the aisles.
  
  
  
• Beautiful vessel sinks are not beasts to install
  DEAR TIM: I saw a vessel sink in a powder room while attending a party, and I can see now why vessel sinks are so popular. How do they differ from traditional sinks that drop below the surface of the countertop? Are special plumbing connections needed? -- Susan M., Clarkston, Mich.
  
  
• When a lender is restricted from calling a mortgage due
  My wife and I are getting divorced. I am prepared to give her the family home so our children will not be disrupted. Our mortgage lender will not relieve me of our joint obligation to make the monthly payments, but I hope that will not be a problem. We have been told that a lender can use the "due...
  
  
• 30-year mortgage interest rates dip back below 5%
  The average rate on a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage was 4.97 percent this week, down from 5.01 percent last week, mortgage company Freddie Mac said Thursday. Last year at this time, rates on 30-year mortgages averaged 5.16 percent.
  
  
• De-icing with the safety of pets, plants and people in mind
  Local governments in the Washington area have been spreading massive amounts of de-icers for snow and ice removal. These materials can harm streams, rivers and the Chesapeake Bay as they wash from paving, and can harm pets, plants, wildlife and aquatic life.
  
  
  
• Dialing down the decibels at home, at work and dining out
  Nature's assaults are never-ending, but humans and what they build also cause environmental disturbances, one of which is unwanted noise -- intrusive noise, ugly noise, discomfiting noise. We have the knowledge and techniques to cope with unwanted noise, but sometimes we don't or can't use them.
  
  
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• Good real estate news: Home equity is rising again
  With all the bad news about underwater homeowners and strategic walkaways, you might think that American homeowners' equity holdings are in the tank. But the least-publicized recent statistic on real estate is that, despite these scary reports, home equity is again on the rise.
  
  
• Hitting the right altitude for your new vessel
  Be sure you or the plumber does the math so that your sink does not end up too high.
  
  
• Where We Live: Long Branch, Md.
  BOUNDARIES: Roughly bounded by the Beltway to the north, Sligo Creek Parkway to the west, Carroll Avenue to the south and Northwest Branch to the east
  
  
  
• Downsizing: New-to-D.C. lawyer starts from scratch in small condo
  If your home is the size of a corner office, it helps to have an exceptional view. "I live among the monuments," says Glen Ackerman, looking out toward the Mall from the terrace at his 600-square-foot Penn Quarter condo. "When you live in such a small space, you use the city as your living room."
  
  
• Mortgage giants GSEs in limbo: In housing, a dangerous policy vacuum grows.
  THERE IS NO END in sight to the federal bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac . President Obama's fiscal 2011 budget proposal said as much in a few phrases that promised nothing more definitive than continued "monitoring" of the two mortgage giants, which have been operating since mid-2008 in the...
  
  
• Investment strategist forecasts events that could affect the economic recovery
  It's a tradition on Wall Street to offer predictions early in the year about where the economy is headed, whether companies will prosper and what will happen in the stock market. Here, Ed Yardeni, president of Yardeni Research, a New York-based firm providing independent investment strategy...
  
  
• Paying your credit card bill before the mortgage
  My grandmother Big Mama had a key financial rule that I've followed throughout my life.
  
  
  
• It's property tax assessment time. Here's what homeowners need to know.
  Thousands of Washington area homeowners are receiving their property tax assessment notices from their local jurisdictions. But many homeowners, will see their property tax assessments fall as the housing market continues to suffer.
  
  
• Murray Hill, just south of Beltway, offers convenience and comforts
  It's easy to drive past Murray Hill as you navigate Indian Head Highway, Route 210. But this conveniently located community of ramblers and split-levels in Prince George's County is worth a look.
  
  
• Tree myths: So much of what you've been told is wrong
  Many planting practices that were thought critical to the health of trees are simply myths. Some ideas that have long been accepted by experts have proven to be incorrect. This is understandable because it can take generations to comprehend the sophisticated systems of these magnificent plants.
  
  
• Fewer D.C. affordable housing options left as city rents rise
  Rents have increased more in the District than they have in most major cities, and renters are spending a larger portion of their paychecks to keep a roof over their heads, according to an analysis released Friday by the DC Fiscal Policy Institute that examines the city's rental housing market.
  
  
  
• The right way to trade property with a Starker exchange
  Say you own property in Rehoboth Beach, Del., which calls itself "our nation's summer capital." It has appreciated greatly over the years, but now you want to sell it. You have heard that you can defer any capital-gains taxes by doing a Starker exchange under Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue ...
  
  
• Digital images give home buyers a vivid new perspective
  Can you know what it feels like to stand in a house without actually standing in it? Can a computer-generated image of an interior that includes every detail, right down to the high-heeled shoes on the floor of a dressing room where the imaginary owner kicked them off, truly convey a sense of place?
  
  
• Have an adjustable-rate mortgage? Make sure you know how it works.
  My daughter and her now-former husband bought a house in 2000 with a variable-rate loan. They ended up filing for bankruptcy and were paying off what they owed on the house. They got divorced two years ago, and she got the house. Her payments increased approximately $250 per month when the loan a...
  
  
• Tim Carter offers advice on home repairs, including septic-tank cleaning
  DEAR TIM: I just moved from the city to the country and was informed by a neighbor that septic cleaning should be added to my list of things to do. I've never had a septic tank and now am concerned about how to care for it. How often should I clean my septic tank? Is this something I can do? What...
  
  
  
• 30-year mortgage rates top 5 percent
  Rates on 30-year fixed mortgages rose slightly this week, inching above 5 percent, Freddie Mac said Thursday.
  
  
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• Cash-in refinancing could help homeowners save
  Thinking of cashing out some equity when you refinance your mortgage? Sure, that used to be what millions of homeowners did when they needed extra money.
  
  
• An infrared sauna: Luxury at a price you can relax with
  Lyme disease left Kathy Fowler's hands so stiff that she couldn't type. She couldn't remember simple directions. Intravenous antibiotics helped, but Fowler, a health reporter for WJLA (Channel 7), wanted to explore alternative treatments as well.
  
  
• housing counsel
  Housing Counsel, by Benny L. Kass, can be found this week at http://washingtonpost.com/realestate. He discusses how owners can secure a tax-deferred exchange of a second home. His column will return to the print edition.
  
  
  
• MURRAY HILL
  BOUNDARIES: Indian Head Highway to the west, Livingston Road to the north, Hart Road to the east and E. Barrett Road to the south
  
  
• Color of Money Live
  Personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary answers your personal finance questions and discusses other money matters.
  
  
• Rising FHA default rate foreshadows a crush of foreclosures
  The share of borrowers who are falling seriously behind on loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration jumped by more than a third in the past year, foreshadowing a crush of foreclosures that could further buffet an agency vital to the housing market's recovery.
  
  
• 2010 International Builders Show: At home in the future
  In ways large and small, the 2010 International Builders Show held last week in Las Vegas reflected the still-troubled home-building industry. One entire exhibition hall was vacant, most exhibitors rented smaller spaces than usual, and the dancing models in the upscale showers -- standard fare for...
  
  
  
• From seedy to sought-after: D.C.'s Mount Vernon Triangle becoming urban village
  A few years ago, Mount Vernon Triangle was an area known for parking lots and prostitution. Today, it is a popular destination in the District for young home buyers, where new high-rise condos sit amid remnants of what was once an urban wasteland.
  
  
• Daughter inherited a must-have tool
  DEAR TIM: My dad passed away, and I was cleaning his tool room out. One of the tools I saved was a large L-shaped piece of flat metal that has ruler markings on it all over the place. I've been told this is an aluminum framing square. What are framing squares used for? Is it practical to own one? I...
  
  
• Haiti earthquake revealed the terrible cost of poor building design
  The sight of thousands of collapsed structures in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, may lead you to wonder whether a strong earthquake could cause equally widespread, catastrophic building collapse in an American city.
  
  
• Green Scene: El Niño could increase garden pests this spring
  El Niño is back. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Prediction Center reports that El Niño has gained slightly above-average strength over the Pacific Ocean since December, signaling that its effects might persist into the spring. What that means to gardeners in the...
  
  
  
• With multiple offers, a home seller needs more than a verbal deal
  My fiance and I offered to buy a home owned by a bank. The bank responded to our offer but said it would not pay for Federal Housing Administration fees or inspections. There are two other offers on this home, and the other buyers are also obtaining FHA loans.
  
  
• Tax exclusions offer big benefit to home sellers
  "The more you earn, the less you keep, And now I lay me down to sleep.
  
  
• Across the board, mortgage rates dip slightly
  Rates on 30-year mortgages remained almost flat this week as the Federal Reserve said it would keep interest rates near record lows to help the economy recover.
  
  
• To boost sales of foreclosures, FHA suspends anti-flipping rules
  Call it three birds with one stone: The federal government hopes to help low-down-payment home buyers, investors who fix up foreclosures, and communities burdened with too many bank-owned and foreclosed homes -- all with one potentially far-reaching policy change.
  
  
  
• Fannie Mae offers help with closing costs to foreclosure buyers
  Fannie Mae, the largest U.S. mortgage-finance company, is offering buyers of its foreclosed homes as much as 3.5 percent in closing-cost assistance to help clear an inventory of properties acquired during the housing slump.
  
  
• Experts at International Builders Show say home buyers want flexibility more than size
  Americans want smaller houses, and they are willing to strip some of yesterday's most popular rooms, such as home theaters, from them in order to accommodate changing lifestyles, consumer experts told audiences last week at the International Builders Show in Las Vegas.
  
  
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• Do-It-Yourself: How to restore a wood door
  My wood entry door was beautiful about 10 years ago but has been dried out by direct sun and is now unsightly. It had a stained, wood-toned finish. How can I restore it?
  
  
• Mount Vernon Triangle
  BOUNDARIES: Mount Vernon Triangle is due east of Mount Vernon Square in Northwest D.C. It is bounded by New York Avenue to the north, Massachusetts Avenue to the south and west, and New Jersey Avenue to the east.