Joseph Blanco
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Southern California house prices hit 10 1/2-year high, Realtors report
Fierce competition for a limited number of homes pushed house prices higher in March, with Southern California homebuyers paying the highest median …
Real EstateSubprime mortgages are making a comeback — with a new name and soaring demand
They were blamed for the biggest financial disaster in a century. Subprime mortgages – home loans to borrowers with sketchy credit who put little to no skin in the game. Following the epic housing crash, they disappeared, due to strong, new regulation, and zero demand from investors who were badly …
LoansYou need to earn $418,000 to buy a home in NYC—here’s what you need in other major US cities
In many major U.S. cities, it's becoming more costly than ever to purchase a home.<p>"Over the past decade, home prices in almost all major U.S. cities …
Real EstateSouthern California housing shortage: 1,066 fewer listings selling 2 days quicker
Southern California listings are selling two days faster than a year ago because there were 1,066 fewer listings to consider.ReportsOnHousing tracks …
Real Estate11 of the Most Impressive and Innovative Rooftop Spaces
This week, we present a selection of 11 of the best images of rooftop spaces. These spaces, usually terraces conceived for the enjoyment of views and …
BauhausHistorian Who Predicted the 2008 Financial Crisis Warns the Next Recession Is Near
Niall Ferguson, a famed historian and a frequent guest of the world’s most elite events, is one of the prophets credited with accurately predicting …
EconomicsHome prices through the roof - biggest jump in 7 years
U.S. home prices went through the roof in April, posting their biggest monthly gain in seven years.<p>If that wasn't enough of a sign the housing market is roaring back, sales of new single-family homes in May rose to their highest monthly level in nearly five years.<p>"The recovery is definitely broad …
Housing MarketTrends For New Home Sale Prices At The Beginning Of 2018
At the beginning of 2018, we find that median new home sale prices are continuing to follow the upward trajectory that they have since September …
California is taking a cooling off period after generating too much energy from the sun
California’s solar sector has been on fire. But after a building sprint that saw its share of solar rise from 0.5% of generation in 2010 to 10% last year, the state may be taking a break following two new production records this month.<p>Solar served up an unprecedented 50% of the state’s demand on a …
Solar PowerUS existing home sales jump in February
WASHINGTON, March 21 (Reuters) - U.S. home sales surged in February, boosted by hefty gains in the South and West regions, but a chronic shortage of houses on the market remains an obstacle heading into the spring selling season.<p>The National Association of Realtors said on Wednesday that existing …
Real EstateReal Estate: What Do Homebuilders Know That Their Shareholders Don't?
Homebuilders shares sold off last week on the same day a slight decline was reported in builder confidence. Homebuilder confidence, however, was …
Real EstateHome sales are slumping all over the country
<b>But it just started. Could it be the new tax law and sky-high home prices?</b><p>The National Association of Realtors is already blaming rising mortgage rates. Pending home sales - an indicator of future home sales, based on contract signings - in January fell 3.8% from a year ago, to their lowest level …
Real EstateTitle insurance is a scam and it’s time for a government takeover
Iowa’s state-run system is by far the cheapest in the nation—and the most effective<p>Of all the paperwork and hassle that goes into closing on a new home purchase, one of the most overlooked is also one of the most costly—title insurance.<p>A lot of homebuyers don’t even know they need title insurance …
A Third of U.S. Homebuyers Are Bidding Sight Unseen
Thirty-five percent of homebuyers in the U.S. aren’t even visiting the property before they put in a bid, amid torrid competition in a tight market, …
Real EstateThe housing market could be in for a shock from rising interest rates and the new tax law
The average interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with a 20% down-payment and with conforming loan balances ($453,100 or less) that qualify for backing by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac rose to 4.64%, the highest since January 2014, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association's Weekly …
Housing MarketHotel sales in San Diego surpassed $611M in 2017, with few signs of a slowdown
Hotels continue to be a much desired commodity in California, which last year saw more than $6 billion in properties trade hands, from the Park Hyatt …
Fannie Mae needs infusion of taxpayer cash for first time in six years
Fannie Mae, the housing lender bailed out by the government nearly a decade ago, needs a $3.7 billion infusion of taxpayer cash.<p>But it's not because of bad mortgages or plunging home values, as was the case during the financial crisis. In fact the housing market is white hot once again. The reason …
Real EstateHome Prices Hit Records in Almost Two-Thirds of U.S. Cities
Home prices jumped to all-time highs in almost two-thirds of U.S. cities in the fourth quarter as buyers battled for a record-low supply of …
Real EstateA Fossil-Fuel Startup in California Is Using Solar’s Playbook
A California startup is applying the Big Solar playbook to fossil fuels.<p>Concentric Power raised funds to support $100 million of natural gas-fired …
Fossil FuelsCurbed Comparisons: What $1,800 rents you in LA right now
Cute apartments from the Westside to Pasadena<p><i>Welcome to</i> <i>Curbed Comparisons</i><i>, where we explore what you can rent or buy for a certain dollar amount in various LA ‘hoods. We’ve found five rentals within $100 of today’s price, $1,800.</i><p>↑ In the Fashion District, just outside Skid Row, this studio …
Trump's solar tariffs roil $28B industry
The Trump administration’s new tariffs on solar module imports take effect on Wednesday, the result of yet another contentious trade case from recent months.<p>At the end of January, President Trump approved the imposition of a 30% tariff on imported equipment used in solar panels, a duty that will be …
L.A.'s homelessness surged 75% in six years. Here's why the crisis has been decades in the making
Some of the poorest people in the city spend their days in the shadow of Los Angeles City Hall, napping on flattened cardboard boxes.<p>On any given day, as many as 20 people take to the City Hall lawn, across the street from LAPD headquarters. They're there to "escape the madness" in downtown …
U.S. ranked world’s 6th best housing market: 6 things to know
The U.S. housing market will remain among the world’s top performers in 2018, according to a new forecast by Fitch Ratings.<p>Here are six things you …
Here's how much your home remodel will pay you back
As home prices and mortgage rates rise, more and more homeowners are choosing to stay put and remodel.<p>Yet, depending on the project, some of the …
Real EstateTrump's Tariffs on Solar Mark Biggest Blow to Renewables Yet
President Donald Trump dealt his biggest blow to the renewable energy industry yet.<p>On Monday, Trump approved duties of as much as 30 percent on solar …
Solar PowerDowntown L.A. Is Starting to Mirror Manhattan’s Glut of Apartments
Landlords counting on downtown Los Angeles as a cash machine may be in for the same bout of pain as their counterparts in Manhattan, where a flood of …
Real EstateSeattle makes up 75% of country's hottest neighborhoods
The real estate website Redfin put out the list of the top 25 most competitive markets in 2017, and Seattle metro neighborhoods made up ¾ of the list.<p>…
Real EstateCan property owners ban marijuana use in rental units?
ESCONDIDO, Calif. – More than 100 property owners and managers attended a forum hosted by the county Wednesday to learn about the legal tools they …
CannabisWhy it makes more sense to rent than buy
A majority of Americans are renting on the cheap — at least, compared to what they’d be paying if they bought a home.<p>Most Americans (64%) live in a …
Real EstateLA should dismantle its freeways
It’s unhealthy to live next to freeways—but the homes aren’t the problem<p>A new <i>Los Angeles Times</i> investigation confirms what researchers have said for years: Living near freeways is not only extremely unhealthy, the most dangerous pollution travels farther and sticks around longer than previously …
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