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RISMedia » Finance and Economy
‘Green’ Buying Remains Strong	4/19/2009 12:06 PM
RISMEDIA, April 20, 2009-The economy has not dampened the green commitments of most U.S. consumers, according to a recent national poll in which more than two thirds of those who purchase “green” products or services said their “green” buying habits are unchanged and one quarter said they’ve actually increased their purchase of “green” goods or [...]
56% of Americans Say News Paints Mixed Economic Picture	4/19/2009 12:02 PM
RISMEDIA, April 20, 2009-The proportion of Americans saying they are hearing a mix of good and bad news about the economy - rather than mostly bad news - continues to steadily increase. Currently, 56% of Americans say they are hearing a mix of good and bad economic news, up from 46% in March and just 19% [...]
Despite Economic Conditions, Retirement Plans Seen as Important Benefit	4/18/2009 12:02 AM
RISMEDIA, April 18, 2009-Amid the growing concerns about the current economy, small business owners continue to recognize that having a solid retirement plan as an important issue both personally and to their employees. This is according to survey results released by SunTrust Banks, Inc. Yet, despite this acknowledgement, almost 40% of small businesses do not offer [...]
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Helping More Homeowners - Loan Modifications Increasing	4/16/2009 2:29 PM
RISMEDIA, April 17, 2009-Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac modified nearly 24,000 loans during the fourth quarter of 2008, an increase of 76% over the third quarter. The modifications, along with the suspension of foreclosures that began November 26, reduced the number of foreclosures by nearly 27% during the quarter, according to data released by James [...]
Now’s the Time to Seize Summer Travel Bargains	4/15/2009 2:21 PM
RISMEDIA, April 16, 2009-AAA, one of the nation’s largest leisure travel organizations, is suggesting budget-minded consumers seize this summer’s travel bargains as similar savings may not be available in the future. Now is the time to separate general economic anxiety from personal financial reality. “Given all of the negative economic news of the past six months [...]
A Taxing Decision: 5 Tips to Make the Most of Your Tax Refund	4/14/2009 2:38 PM
RISMEDIA, April 15, 2009-Plasma TVs. Getaway vacations. Shopping sprees. The tax refund splurges of years past are not a reality for most Americans in 2009. Many people are likely wringing their hands over what to do with the money they receive back from Uncle Sam. Their concerns are well-founded: It’s more important than ever to [...]
March Retail Sales Disappoint as Retailers Wrap up First Quarter	4/14/2009 2:27 PM
RISMEDIA, April 15, 2009-Several months of stronger-than-expected retail sales provided hope that the industry was poised to bounce back, but March retail sales demonstrate that the industry is continuing to struggle. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), retail industry sales for March (which exclude automobiles, gas stations, and restaurants) decreased 0.6% seasonally adjusted from [...]
Facing Reality - Staying Optimistic in Today’s Economy	4/13/2009 2:22 PM
RISMEDIA, April 14, 2009-(MCT)-Optimism. For months, it’s been in rather short supply. Like a lingering cold you can’t shake off, the economy’s blues just hang on. It’s not just our bottom line that’s been battered, but our psyches, too. And even if you haven’t lost your job or aren’t facing foreclosure, it’s often hard to feel [...]
The Bailouts Continue - Life Insurance Receives Next Lifeline	4/12/2009 12:05 PM
RISMEDIA, April 13, 2009-(MCT)-The Treasury Department confirmed that life insurers are qualified to join banks and carmakers on the list of industries getting taxpayer bailouts. In a statement, the agency confirmed that certain life insurers are eligible to receive an unspecified amount of the money that remains from October’s $700 billion Wall Street rescue program. “There are [...]
Taxpayers Still Have Time to File or Amend 2005 Returns, but Must Act Quickly	4/12/2009 12:04 PM
RISMEDIA, April 13, 2009-With just a few days left to file income tax returns for 2008, Jackson Hewitt Tax Service is reminding tax filers of another important tax deadline on April 15: the deadline to file or amend returns for tax year 2005. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) ecently reported that it has $1.3 billion in [...]

Local Real Estate Market Trends

Queen Creek 3 bedroom homes under $80K
Queen Creek 4 bedroom, 2000+ SqFt homes under $110K
Florence 4 bedroom, 2000+ SqFt homes under $100K
Queen Creek 5+ bedroom homes, 3000+ SqFt under $275K
Queen Creek 4 bedroom homes, 2500+ SqFt under $150K

Wall Street Journal Real Estate News

A Historical Virginia Estate	2/14/2012 8:45 AM
The Maples is a Virginia estate rich in Civil War history and outfitted with modern features like a swimming pool.
Empire State Building Owner Plans IPO	2/14/2012 9:55 AM
The company that runs Manhattan's Empire State Building is planning an initial public offering that could raise as much as $1 billion.
Housing Agency's Reserves at Risk	2/13/2012 4:15 PM
The Federal Housing Administration could exhaust its reserves over the coming year, which would require a Treasury infusion for the first time in its 78-year history.
Brooklyn's Shifting Center	2/12/2012 9:53 PM
New York's Steiner family is planning a 52-story rental apartment tower on a gritty block in downtown Brooklyn in what would be the latest expansion of residential development in the borough beyond its traditional boundaries.
Living Very Large	2/10/2012 12:53 AM
For a small cadre of very wealthy owners, building big is back. A bird's-eye view of some of the mega mansions going up across the country.
Where Art and Architecture Collide	2/10/2012 3:12 AM
A sculptor and his architect wife team up to fix up their Venice, Calif., home.
Kiawah Island Property Is Reduced 10% to $26 Million	2/9/2012 5:26 PM
Lionsgate's Jon Feltheimer buys in Los Angeles for $17 million; a Kiawah Island property is reduced 10% to $26 million; Al Capone's former Miami home goes on the market for $9.5 million.
Mediterranean, Vegas-Style	2/9/2012 5:27 PM
This 16,649-square-foot home with 11 bedrooms, 11 full baths and 2 half-baths is being auctioned without reserve on Feb. 24.
New York Tells Citi, Assurant to Cooperate	2/8/2012 4:56 PM
Probe explores whether banks and insurers charged exorbitant fees to homeowners who let their insurance policies lapse.
A Taste of Bali for Sale in Sebastopol	2/8/2012 3:43 PM
A Balinese-style home on 8.3 acres in Sebastopol is on the market for $3.6 million. Two llamas, two cashmere goats and a sheep, named Violet, are negotiable as part of the sale.
Restored English Farmhouse	2/9/2012 6:26 AM
This seven-bedroom 18th-century stone-built farmhouse in east England has been fully restored to modern standards by its current owners.
U.S., Banks Seal Pact on Foreclosures	2/9/2012 12:18 PM
Government officials have sealed an agreement valued at as much as $26 billion with five major banks, settling federal and state probes of alleged foreclosure abuses by lenders.
Q&A: What the Pact Means for Homeowners	2/9/2012 10:47 PM
Answers to questions on how the foreclosure settlement with Ally Financial, Bank of America, Citigroup, J.P. Morgan and Wells Fargo will affect homeowners, consumers and borrowers.
Home Prices Pop in Hot Valley Turf	2/8/2012 4:25 PM
The current technology boom has rippled out into the housing markets in Silicon Valley's core towns, but the ripples aren't reaching much beyond that, as home values fell at the end of last year in a majority of the Bay Area.
Developments Get Back to the Plan	2/3/2012 7:08 PM
As more financing and private-equity investments begin to flow into residential real estate, some mothballed development plans are being revitalized.
Mediterranean Style in Greenwich	2/13/2012 9:19 AM
Near downtown Greenwich, Conn., this waterfront home with a large interior patio was inspired by the owner's European upbringing. Floor-to-ceiling windows show off views of the Long Island Sound.
Cambodia's Developers Aim at Stars	2/8/2012 10:38 AM
A high-rise building boom in Cambodia's capital city, Phnom Penh, derailed by the 2008-2009 financial crisis, is starting up again.
Townhouse's New Light	2/14/2012 9:16 AM
The owners of a Greenwich Village townhouse have gutted the interior and rebuilt the house around shafts of light using an ultra-modern minimalist design.
It's Hardly a Ball for 11 Times Square	2/8/2012 12:36 PM
The risks of speculative office building are obvious at the 11 Times Square skyscraper. More than a year after it opened, the 1.1 million square-foot building is about 60% empty and unleased.
English Country Mansion	2/14/2012 8:15 AM
This six-bedroom Georgian home in east England has an added Edwardian wing, complete with a watchtower.

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RISMedia » Real Estate
Howard Hanna Reports Record Sales in 2011	2/9/2012 3:11 PM
Howard Hanna Real Estate Services recently reported record home sales for 2011 through its 134 offices in Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York and West Virginia. This marks the 9th straight year Howard Hanna Real Estate Services has increased sales units and …
Survey Reveals Nation’s Leading Real Estate Firms: RISMedia Annual Power Broker Survey Launches Today	1/30/2012 4:04 PM
Despite a challenging real estate market, the industry’s leading residential brokerage firms continue to demonstrate resiliency and growth, and will prove this by participating in RISMedia’s 24th Annual Power Broker Report & Survey. As the industry’s preeminent report ranking the …
Obeo’s New SEO Optimization Drives Traffic Back to the Broker	1/23/2012 4:55 PM
Obeo, a leading provider of online real estate virtual tours and real estate in North America, announced a new search engine optimization (SEO) feature to help brokers and agents win the battle for their listings. Studies show that 96 percent …
New England 2012 Housing Market Outlook & Forecast	1/23/2012 4:54 PM
Regional Spotlight—RE/MAX of New England recently released their 2012 Housing Market Outlook & Forecast. According to the study, Connecticut experienced the largest declines in 2011, as single-family home transactions slid -8.4 percent and average price dipped -1.8 percent, compared to …
RISMedia to Showcase Celebrity Home Listings	1/17/2012 4:00 PM
Agents, have you ever listed or sold a home owned by a celebrity? If so, we want to know about it! RISMedia is excited to announce that in 2012 we will be significantly expanding our coverage of celebrity homes and …
Monday Morning Mobile: Time to GoMo and Test Your Site	1/15/2012 12:06 PM
We all know that Google is no stranger to the world of mobile, after all its operating system, Android, is the most popular in the world; all their apps (Gmail, Google calendar, flicker, etc.) are all designed for use on …
Mobile Goes Mainstream: MRE Announces Support of Google’s Go Mo Initiative	1/11/2012 4:12 PM
In support of Google’s Go Mo initiative, Mobile Real Estate (MRE), a leading mobile solutions provider, has launched a free online tool that allows REALTORS® to test their website to ensure it is optimized for mobile. When Google launched its …
Mid Atlantic Region Expected to be ‘The Exception, Not the Rule,’ in 2012 Housing Market	1/5/2012 9:53 PM
REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT—As the new year begins, potential home buyers and sellers throughout the Mid Atlantic region are anxious about how their properties will fare in this coming year. To explore the issue, MRIS has released a list of several key …
Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners Helps Local Charities this Holiday Season	1/2/2012 1:28 PM
During Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners’ holiday charity drive, sales agents and staff from throughout the region spent much of November and December gathering donations to benefit a variety of charities. The Partners banded together with one common goal – to …
Prudential Network Realty Launches Mentoring Program	1/2/2012 1:26 PM
The real estate professionals at Prudential Network Realty are helping students learn about career opportunities through their support of a new real estate mentoring program for youth attending the MaliVai Washington Youth Center. “It is very rewarding to launch a …

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