JEA Realty™ - Real Estate News

IRS Says Real Estate Tax Fraud Criminal Investigations Doubled In The Past Three Years, Prison Sentences Nearly Doubled.
A new report from the IRS says real estate fraudsters increasingly are facing Al Capone's fate: They end up in a federal penitentiary when their ill-gotten gains go unreported to tax collectors. The IRS's criminal case load in real estate fraud doubled in the past three years, it says, and its average prison sentences for convicted perpetrators jumped to 41 months. Ken Harney reports. FULL STORY->

Mortgage Rates Tic Up For The Second Week
Freddie Mac today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 5.69 percent, with an average 0.7 points, for the week ending February 24, 2005, up from last week when it averaged 5.62 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 5.58 percent. FULL STORY->

My Rate Prediction
The war on terror, strong economic data, and signs of inflation. These three horsemen haven't ridden together before, they're riding now... I think we're in for higher rates. FULL STORY->

Portland's Warmer Weather Boosts Warmer Housing Sales
Realtors in Portland, Oregon report rising housing prices and sales, in part due to a warm winter season. FULL STORY->

Mortgage Fraud Remedies Proposed
With mortgage fraud rampant in the U.S., Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's overseer is proposing the entities quickly report known and suspected cases of fraud and set up systems to detect a crime that impacts home owners, financial institutions and the economy. FULL STORY->

Condos, Co-ops Have Distinct Differences
In many markets across the country where housing prices are escalating (some would say out of control), the condominium purchase has become very popular once again. However, as soon as you mention "condo", most people imagine an apartment-like dwelling, when in reality a condominium is actually talking about the form of ownership, rather than the style of the structure. FULL STORY->

Ogden, Utah Offers Homebuyers Outdoor And Housing Opportunities
Historical Ogden and Ogden Valley are premier vacation and second home destinations, say local Realtors® who predict that the area is pulling out of its buyer's slump. FULL STORY->

Missing Molding: A Common Problem For Older Houses
Don't despair! If your old house is missing a piece of one of a kind molding, you can pay to have it replaced. FULL STORY->

Crisis? What Crisis? Canadians Debate How Much Household Debt Is Too Much
Household debt in Canada exceeds disposable income, and home ownership rates have declined for all age groups except those 55 and over. Yet, the Bank of Canada and other economists say there's little reason for concern. Here's how to tell if you're spending too much. FULL STORY->

Soothing Bubble Fears...Again
Economists are chanting a refrain about housing market bubbles: A) A national housing bubble doesn't exist, B) real estate is affected by local factors and C) equity gains thus far will buffer most home owners against all but the deepest price declines in local markets. FULL STORY->

Are More Second Homes Investments?
The second home market can be tough to quantify, because the relatively new sector is difficult to extract from the overall housing market and there are a variety of uses for second homes, but it appears there is a growing trend toward second home's purchased as investments. FULL STORY->

Port Charlotte Realtors Say Hurricanes Have Whipped Up Sales
Realtors in the Port Charlotte, Florida area say that after last year's hurricanes, home and land values are rising fast, and they all look forward to a brisk spring market. FULL STORY->

Planning To Win In An HOA
This is how one Board of Directors successfully dealt with an issue that all too frequently haunts community associations... special assessments. FULL STORY->

Freddie Making 'Home Possible'
Freddie Mac, a major supplier of funds for home loans, has rolled out a new grouping of mortgages it thinks will allow lenders to dig deeper into the pool of wanna-be buyers who can't seem to rub two nickels together for a downpayment and closing costs. Lew Sichelman has the details. FULL STORY->

Conference Board Projects Uneven Growth
The Canadian economy has finally rebounded to growth rates closer to its long-term potential according to the Conference Board of Canada. PJ Wade reveals why this is not good news all round. FULL STORY->

Smart Kitchens Could Cook Up a Strong Future, Report Says
With cell phones, pagers and computers becoming staples in everyday life, will kitchen appliances follow suit and jump into the home network? Michele Dawson explains why the electronics industry is cooking up support for so-called "smart" kitchens -- especially in new homes. FULL STORY->

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