Indian tribe sues over Calif. ranch development AP (November 20, 2009) LOS ANGELES (AP) - An Indian tribe has filed a lawsuit to stop the development of a 5,000-acre gated resort community on a sprawling ranch some 60 miles north of Los Angeles that it claims as tribal land.
Firm: Calif median home price rises in month AP (November 19, 2009) LOS ANGELES (AP) - A tracking firm says the median home price in California increased more than 2 percent last month from September to its highest level in nearly a year.
Foreclosures hitting more people with good credit AP (November 19, 2009) WASHINGTON (AP) - The foreclosure crisis likely will persist well into next year as high unemployment pushes more people out of homes, pulls down housing prices and raises concerns about the broader economic recovery.
Starwood Hotels to move HQ from New York to Conn. AP (November 19, 2009) STAMFORD, Conn. (AP) - Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. says it will move its headquarters from White Plains, N.Y., to Stamford, Conn., in January 2012, with the help of millions of dollars in incentives from the state of Connecticut.
Ahead of the Bell: Housing Starts AP (November 18, 2009) WASHINGTON (AP) - New home construction likely inched higher in October as builders seized on the promise of more orders due largely to a federal tax credit for first-time homebuyers.
Oct. home construction, permits fall unexpectedly AP (November 18, 2009) WASHINGTON (AP) - Construction of new homes unexpectedly plunged last month, as builders waited to see whether lawmakers would extend a tax credit for homebuyers.
Court again upholds Fla. homeowner tax breaks AP (November 18, 2009) TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - A three-judge panel Tuesday rejected another challenge to state constitutional amendments that give property tax breaks to Florida's primary homeowners, but not to owners of second homes.
Mortgage delinquencies hit another record in 3Q AP (November 17, 2009) NEW YORK (AP) - The pace at which people fell behind on their mortgages slowed during the summer for the third consecutive quarter, but the overall delinquency rate hit another record, a new report shows.
Homebuilder sentiment index unchanged in November AP (November 17, 2009) LOS ANGELES (AP) - A key gauge of homebuilders' confidence held steady in November, reflecting a cautious outlook from residential developers as they waited to learn whether Congress would extend a homebuyer tax credit.
Firm: SoCal median home price increases in October AP (November 17, 2009) LOS ANGELES (AP) - The median home price in Southern California rose nearly 2 percent last month from September, as the inventory of homes for sale continued to shrink and lenders worked to avoid fresh foreclosures, a tracking firm said Tuesday.
Foreign demand rises for long-term US assets AP (November 17, 2009) WASHINGTON (AP) - Foreign demand for long-term U.S. financial assets rose in September as China and other countries boosted their holdings of Treasury securities.
Georgia land conservation to get $5.5 million AP (November 16, 2009) ATLANTA (AP) - Georgia land conservation projects will receive $5.5 million from a massive federal funding bill.
Beazer Homes CEO McCarthy may face civil charges AP (November 16, 2009) ATLANTA (AP) - Federal regulators have notified Beazer Homes USA Inc. that its top executive could face civil charges over incentive compensation.
Conn. residents: Pfizer land battle unnecessary AP (November 16, 2009) NEW LONDON, Conn. (AP) - After drug giant Pfizer Inc. announced that it was opening a new research center here, city officials aggressively moved to acquire surrounding land for an economic development project - triggering an epic fight over eminent domain that reached the U.S. Supreme Court and ended with residents being forced from their homes.
Realtors: home prices to rise 4 percent in 2010 AP (November 13, 2009) SAN DIEGO (AP) - Home prices are expected to grow modestly next year and sales will keep rising as the housing market continues to recover from the worst downturn since the Great Depression, the National Association of Realtors said Friday.
Realtors: home prices to rise 4 percent in 2010 AP (November 13, 2009) SAN DIEGO (AP) - The chief economist for the National Association of Realtors says home prices will grow 4 percent next year and home resales will keep rising as the housing market continues to recover.
Environmentalists sue over huge Calif. development AP (November 13, 2009) LOS ANGELES (AP) - A coalition of environmentalists filed a lawsuit Thursday to stop the development of a 5,000-acre resort community on the sprawling Tejon Ranch property some 60 miles north of Los Angeles.
Libby official: EPA must pay for lost buildings AP (November 13, 2009) BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) - A city councilman in Libby said Thursday that the Environmental Protection Agency owes the asbestos-plagued Superfund community $2 million for the demolition of several contaminated buildings.
Foreclosures dip 3 pct. in October from September AP (November 12, 2009) NEW YORK (AP) - The number of homeowners on the brink of losing their homes dipped in October, the third straight monthly decline, as foreclosure prevention programs helped more borrowers.
Property owner near TVA ash spill `living in hell' AP (November 11, 2009) KINGSTON, Tenn. (AP) - Ten months after millions of cubic yards of coal ash spilled from a Tennessee Valley Authority dam, Gary Topmiller and his wife, Pam, said they are trapped in their home across the Emory River from the site and "living in hell."
5 pct. of Americans plan to buy a home next year AP (November 11, 2009) NEW YORK (AP) - Just one in 20 Americans say they plan to buy a home within the next year, and they're most likely to be 34 years old or younger and living in the South or West, according to a survey released Wednesday.
Ariz. narrows property list for budget financing AP (November 11, 2009) PHOENIX (AP) - All or parts of four prison complexes are among a dozen state properties on a shortened list of facilities being proposed for sale-leaseback refinancing to help balance Arizona's state budget.
Home sales in Washington state rise in 3rd quarter AP (November 11, 2009) SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) - The number of existing homes sold in Washington state increased in the third quarter compared with the previous three months, the Washington Center for Real Estate Research reported Tuesday.
2 former NH Circuit City properties sold AP (November 11, 2009) MANCHESETER, N.H. (AP) - Two former Circuit City stores in southern New Hampshire have new owners.
Pa. to lease 32,000 acres for gas drilling AP (November 10, 2009) HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania will open nearly 32,000 acres of additional state forest land to leasing by gas drilling companies, the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources said.
Beazer Homes posts profit in fiscal 4th quarter AP (November 10, 2009) NEW YORK (AP) - Shares of Beazer Homes USA jumped 15 percent Tuesday after the homebuilder posted a fourth-quarter profit and a nice improvement in gross margins.
Median home prices fell nationwide in 3Q AP (November 10, 2009) (AP) - A real estate group says home prices fell in eight out of every 10 U.S. cities in the third quarter of this year as heavily discounted distressed sales made up 30 percent of all deals.
Hawaii hotel occupancy rate rises after 18 months AP (November 10, 2009) HONOLULU (AP) - Hotel occupancy in Hawaii rose slightly in September, the first increase after 18 months of declines, Hospitality Advisors LLC reported.
Housing plan reaches 1 in 5 borrowers AP (November 10, 2009) WASHINGTON (AP) - After a slow start, the Obama administration's mortgage relief program has reached one in five eligible homeowners, a government report says.
Housing plan helps 20 pct in Calif, Nev., Ariz. AP (November 10, 2009) WASHINGTON (AP) - The Obama administration's plan to combat the foreclosure crisis has reached about 20 percent of troubled homeowners in the states most affected by the housing meltdown, according to data being released Tuesday.
PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) - Tropical Storm Ida sloshed ashore with rain and gusty winds Tuesday before weakening to a depression, causing little damage along the Gulf Coast but bringing more rain to the already-soaked Southeast.
10 homes damaged in blast at nearby Utah refinery AP (November 05, 2009) SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - An explosion at a Utah oil refinery - the second this year - smashed windows, bent garage doors and peeled siding Wednesday from 10 nearby houses, officials said.
Congress giving homebuyers a big new tax break AP (November 05, 2009) WASHINGTON (AP) - Missed out on Cash for Clunkers? Congress has another deal for you: Buy a home before May 1 and collect up to $6,500 from the government. If you're a first-time homebuyer, get up to $8,000.
Congress set to clear aid to jobless, homebuyers AP (November 05, 2009) WASHINGTON (AP) - Congress is one vote away from sending the president legislation that continues aid to more than a million jobless people and extends tax breaks to hundreds of thousands of prospective homebuyers and struggling businesses.
MGM Mirage loses $750M as CityCenter's value drops AP (November 05, 2009) LAS VEGAS (AP) - MGM Mirage's latest casino project isn't open yet, but a drop in the $8.5 billion complex's value combined with falling revenue to push the casino operator into the red in its third quarter, the company said Thursday.
Fannie Mae offers borrowers option to foreclosure AP (November 05, 2009) WASHINGTON (AP) - Can't pay the mortgage? You still might be able to stay in your home. Government-controlled mortgage company Fannie Mae is going to give borrowers on the verge of foreclosure the option of renting their homes for a year.
Macerich 3Q results fall 10 pct. as revenue dips AP (November 05, 2009) SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) - Mall operator Macerich Co. on Thursday said its third quarter funds from operations slid 10 percent as revenue fell.
Wyo. BLM defers leasing in Adobe Town area AP (November 05, 2009) CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - The U.S. Bureau of Land Management said Wednesday that it was deferring the auction of controversial oil and gas leases in the high desert Adobe Town area in southwest Wyoming.
Fannie Mae to rent out homes instead foreclosing AP (November 05, 2009) WASHINGTON (AP) - Thousands of borrowers on the verge of foreclosure will soon have the option of renting their homes from Fannie Mae, under a policy announced Thursday.
Fla. justices consider mediation for foreclosures AP (November 05, 2009) TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Mediation would be a good way to expedite a flood of mortgage foreclosures, members of a foreclosure task force said Wednesday, but some disagreed on the details in oral arguments before the state Supreme Court.
Hyatt Hotels rises from IPO price in debut on NYSE AP (November 05, 2009) NEW YORK (AP) - Shares of Hyatt Hotels Corp. traded higher Thursday in the iconic hotel chain's first day on the New York Stock Exchange, with investors dismissing concerns about infighting among its founder's heirs and tepid hotel reservations around the world.
Pulte Homes posts $361.4M loss for Q3 AP (November 04, 2009) (AP) - Pulte Homes Inc. lost $361.4 million in the third quarter, but with the acquisition of Centex Corp., the homebuilder's new orders increased by more than a third.
National Retail Properties gets new $400M loan AP (November 04, 2009) ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - Retail real estate investment trust National Retail Properties Inc. said Wednesday it has a new $400 million credit facility, which will replace one set to mature May 2010.
St. Joe narrows 3Q loss as real estate sales climb AP (November 03, 2009) JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) - Real estate developer The St. Joe Co. on Tuesday said its third-quarter loss narrowed despite higher expenses, as it sold off some of its holdings.
Fire strikes historic Vt. general store - again AP (November 03, 2009) PUTNEY, Vt. (AP) - When a fire destroyed the beloved, centuries-old Putney General Store 18 months ago, some people here cried.
September pending home sales rise 6.1 percent AP (November 02, 2009) WASHINGTON (AP) - The volume of signed contracts to buy previously occupied homes rose for the eighth straight month in September as buyers scrambled to take advantage of a tax credit for first-time owners that expires at the end of this month.
NJ towns move to preserve area, limit developments AP (November 02, 2009) TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - One of New Jersey's most significant environmental areas may soon get new protections that probably would limit development projects.
St. Joe Co. weathers recession by thinking big AP (November 02, 2009) SANTA ROSA BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Building along the Florida Panhandle's picturesque seaside slowed when financing dried up and the economy soured. Fences with architects' renderings of developments hide the unfinished eyesores dotting the beaches.
Apartment Investment & Management 3Q FFO falls AP (October 30, 2009) DENVER (AP) - Apartment Investment & Management Co. said Friday that its third-quarter funds from operations declined as rents and occupancy fell.
Nevada construction deaths prompt safety review AP (October 29, 2009) WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal officials will investigate workplace safety programs across the country after the deaths of 25 workers in construction accidents in Las Vegas over an 18-month period.
UK mortgage approvals up 6 pct in September AP (October 29, 2009) LONDON (AP) - Mortgage approvals in the U.K. rose 6 percent in September as the country's battered housing market improved, but cautious consumers paid off debt faster than they borrowed, the Bank of England said Thursday.
Brookfield Properties declares 14-cent dividend AP (October 29, 2009) NEW YORK (AP) - Real estate developer Brookfield Properties Corp. on Thursday said its board declared a quarterly dividend of 14 cents.
Brookfield results slip on residential decline AP (October 29, 2009) NEW YORK (AP) - Real estate developer Brookfield Properties Corp., owner of high-profile properties like the World Financial Center in New York and Bank of America Plaza in Los Angeles, posted a third-quarter profit dip Thursday, reflecting a decline in its residential operations.
Wyndham Worldwide 3Q profit falls, revenue down AP (October 28, 2009) PARSIPPANY, N.J. (AP) - Wyndham Worldwide Corp. said Wednesday that its profit fell in the third quarter as it spent less money on its timeshare business and continued to deal with travelers' spending less.
Tenn. Appeals Court rules for Bible Park rezoning AP (October 27, 2009) MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) - The Tennessee Court of Appeals at Nashville has ruled in favor of a rezoning that would allow a Bible-based theme park to be built in Rutherford County.