Bloomberg - "Delinquencies on U.S. Home-Equity Loans Reach Record" (7-7-09)

"Delinquencies on home-equity loans climbed to 3.52 percent of all accounts from 3.03 percent in the fourth quarter, and late payments on home-equity lines of credit climbed to a record 1.89 percent, the group reported today. An index of eight types of loans rose for a fourth straight quarter, to 3.23 percent from 3.22 percent in October through December, the group said."

Bloomberg - "U.S. Home Prices to Fall Through 2011’s First Quarter, PMI Says" (7-7-09)

"Thirty of the 50 biggest metropolitan areas have at least a 75 percent chance of lower prices through March 31, 2011, Walnut Creek, California-based PMI said in a report today. The decline is likely to spread to “all regions of the nation” from California, Florida, Nevada and Arizona, the states most affected by the housing slump, PMI said."

Bloomberg - "U.S. Office Vacancies Near 4-Year High on Job Losses, Reis Says" (7-7-09)

"The vacancy rate increased to 15.9 percent from 13.2 percent a year earlier, the New York-based research firm said today in a statement. Vacancies hit 16 percent in the first quarter of 2005 and were at 15.2 percent in the first quarter of this year, according to Reis."

Realty Times - "The Contract Offer: What Price to Start With" (7-7-09)

"So what is the right price to start with? That depends on a number of things, such as the risk of losing the home to another buyer, how close to market value the seller’s asking price is and what is the maximum price willing to be paid for the home. As mentioned earlier, there is no cardinal rule that there must be some fixed amount that a seller will negotiate from their asking price."

Realty Times - "Market Conditions" (7-7-09)

"The Pending Home Sales Index,1 a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in May, increased 0.1 percent to 90.7 from an upwardly revised reading of 90.6 in April, and is 6.7 percent higher than May 2008 when it was 85.0. The last time there were four consecutive monthly gains was in October 2004."

Realty Times - "Real Estate Outlook: Gains Versus Gloom" (7-7-09)

"In its latest monthly survey, Standard & Poor's Case-Shiller index found prices up in a number of key markets: Dallas prices gained 1.7 percent, Denver 1.5 percent and other cities -- Washington DC, Seattle, San Francisco, Atlanta, Boston and Cleveland -- registered smaller increases."

Realty Times - "Tenants in Foreclosed Properties Will Benefit from New Federal Law" (7-7-09)

"Sections 701 - 704 of the larger bill are cited as the 'Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act of 2009.' This applies to all federally related loans, which is to say just about every residential loan except seller financing. Section 702 provides that any person or entity who acquires a property through the foreclosure process may give a bona fide tenant not less than a ninety-day notice to vacate the premises. This applies to tenants who are on a periodic tenancy such as the typical month-to-month rental."