NAR - "Realtor® Member Survey Shows Response to Challenging Market" (5-13-09)

"More than one-third of Realtors^® use social and professional networking sites. Blogs, RSS feeds and podcasts are used by 17 percent of respondents on a regular basis, up from 12 percent in 2008. There are no significant changes in use of these technologies based on the number of years in the business."

NAR - "Jumbo Mortgage Market is Holding Recovery Back, Realtors® Report" (5-13-09)

"The ongoing credit crunch in the jumbo mortgage market has stalled home sales of high-priced homes, despite some recovery taking place in some mid- and low-priced home markets. The national share of home sales above $750,000 has fallen from 4.4 percent in 2007 to approximately 2.3 percent in 2009, and the months’ supply of inventory has risen from 18.7 months to 41.1 months during that same period."

Mortgage Bankers Association - "MBA Survey Shows Continued Slowdown of Commercial/Multifamily Mortgage Lending in First Quarter 2009" (5-13-09)

"Commercial and multifamily mortgage loan originations continued to drop in the first quarter of 2009, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Quarterly Survey of Commercial/Multifamily Mortgage Bankers Originations. First quarter originations were 70 percent lower than during the same period last year and 26 percent lower than during the fourth quarter of 2008. The year-over-year decrease was seen across all investor groups and most property types."

Mortgage Bankers Association - "Refinance Activity Slows, Purchase Applications Steady in Latest MBA Weekly Survey" (5-13-09)

"The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today released its Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending May 8, 2009. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, was 895.6, a decrease of 8.6 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from 979.7 one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index decreased 8.1 percent compared with the previous week and increased 28.4 percent compared with the same week one year earlier."

Los Angeles Times - "L.A. may test loan program for troubled Pacoima homeowners" (5-13-09)

"The Los Angeles City Council is poised to vote today on a plan to help distressed homeowners in the northeast San Fernando Valley by putting up city money for 'silent second mortgages' that could encourage financial institutions to modify home loans. The pilot program would make available $1 million from the Community Redevelopment Agency to help 20 to 30 homeowners in Pacoima and neighboring communities who are in foreclosure."

Yahoo - "RealtyTrac: April foreclosures rise 32 percent" (5-13-09)

"The number of U.S. households faced with losing their homes to foreclosure jumped 32 percent in April compared with the same month last year, with Nevada, Florida and California showing the highest rates, according to data released Wednesday. Ohio was in the top 10."

Bloomberg - "General Growth’s $400 Million Loan, Cash Use Approve" (5-13-09)

"General Growth Properties Inc., which filed the biggest real-estate bankruptcy in U.S. history, won court approval of a $400 million loan from a group led by Farallon Capital Management LLC and the right to use cash on hand to fund its operations"

Bloomberg - "California Home Prices to Fall 36% More, Fitch Says" (5-13-09)

"California home prices may decline by another 36 percent over the next year to 18 months, more than any other state, Fitch Ratings said."

Bloomberg - "Credit Suisse Loses Priority on ‘Predatory’ Loan" (5-13-09)

"Credit Suisse Group AG made a 'predatory' loan to the bankrupt Yellowstone Club and therefore lost its place in a line of creditors for the $309 million the club owes it, a U.S. bankruptcy judge ruled."