Category Archives: Real Estate Law

Bloomberg writer Prashant Gopal reported late last week that, “The U.S. housing market, which has been a bright spot in the pandemic-battered economy, is running out of fuel. “With buyers eager to take advantage of low mortgage rates, the inventory of homes to buy is scarce. That’s driving up prices and threatening to derail the… Continue Reading

Ryan Dezember reported today at The Wall Street Journal Online that, “Americans with mortgages have accumulated nearly $10 trillion in home equity thanks to a decade of rising home prices. Yet millions of them have fallen behind on mortgage payments and risk losing their houses. “It is a potential bonanza for rental-home investors. Since the… Continue Reading

Bloomberg writer Craig Giammona reported today that, “U.S. homebuilder optimism rose to a record in September, with low mortgage rates driving a housing boom that has boosted the pandemic economy. “A gauge of builder sentiment jumped five points from a month earlier to 83, beating estimates and hitting the highest level in 35 years of… Continue Reading

Bloomberg writer Maeve Sheehey reported today that, “U.S. sales of previously owned homes surged by the most on record in July as lower mortgage rates continued to power a residential real estate market that’s proving a key source of strength for the economic recovery. “Closing transactions increased 24.7% from the prior month to a 5.86… Continue Reading

Washington Post writer Kathy Orton reported yesterday that, “The federal government’s inability to come to an agreement on a coronavirus relief package has been good for mortgage rates. “The 30-year fixed mortgage rate, the most popular home loan product, sank to its lowest level on record. It fell to 2.88 percent with an average 0.8… Continue Reading

Orla McCaffrey reported today at The Wall Street Journal Online that, “In a year of financial firsts, this one stands out: Mortgage rates have fallen below the 3% mark. “The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage fell to 2.98%, mortgage-finance giant Freddie Mac FMCC -0.93% said Thursday, its lowest level in almost 50 years… Continue Reading

Earlier this month, New York Times writers Conor Dougherty and Peter Eavis reported that, “Faced with plunging sales that have already led to tens of millions of layoffs, companies are trying to renegotiate their office and retail leases — and in some cases refusing to pay — in hopes of lowering their overhead and surviving… Continue Reading

Bloomberg writers Vince Golle and Reade Pickert reported today that, “U.S. sales of previously owned homes dropped in May by more than forecast to the lowest level since October 2010 as the coronavirus pandemic sent demand skidding along with the rest of the economy. “Closing transactions decreased 9.7% from the prior month to an annualized… Continue Reading

Bloomberg writer John Gittelsohn reported recently that, “Delinquencies on U.S. home loans surged by 1.6 million in April, the biggest one-month gain ever, after the government cleared the way for Americans who lost income in the pandemic to delay payments without penalty. “Mortgages at least 30 days in arrears almost doubled to 6.45%, the highest… Continue Reading

Wall Street Journal writer Nicole Friedman reported last week that, “The economy is shrinking, businesses are closing and jobs are disappearing due to the coronavirus pandemic. But in the housing market, prices keep chugging higher. “Home prices plunged during the last recession after a housing crash caused millions of families to lose their homes. Home… Continue Reading