Headlines in Real Estate for week ending February 1st 2013

Home prices post biggest jump in six years
CNNMoney
Home prices in 20 major cities were up 5.5 percent in November compared with a year earlier, their biggest jump in more than six years. Read the full story

First Time Buyer’s Top 3 Questions Answered
Di Matteo Group
First-time home buyers entering the housing market are usually faced with several questions such as how much are entry level homes, how much income do I need to earn to qualify for a loan and how much will my mortgage payment be? Full Story

The appraisal betrayal
The Wall Street Journal
The growing gap between a high-end home’s sale price and its appraised value can prompt potential buyers to walk away; those who decide to buy anyway may end up with an unwelcome mortgage surprise. Read the full story

Housing advocates push for new type of subprime loan
The Los Angeles Times
The Dignity Mortgage would have a higher rate for higher-risk borrowers but include rate cuts after five years of on-time payments. Read the full story

Housing to drive economic growth (finally!)
CNNMoney
Just over half of economists surveyed by CNNMoney identified a housing recovery as the primary driver of economic growth this year. Read the full story

Appraising high-end homes
The New York Times
As home sales pick up in the million-dollar-plus market, deals are being complicated by unexpectedly low appraisal values. Read the full story

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