Salt Lake City

Existing-home sales fell in January 2010 but are above year-ago levels, according to the National Association of Realtors. Existing-home sales- including single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops- dropped 7.2% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.05 million units in January from a revised 5.44 million in December, but remain 11.5% » Read more  

Sales of new U.S. homes plunged 11.2% in January 2010 to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 309,000, the lowest rate on record dating back to 1963, the Commerce Department recently reported. The third-straight drop in sales on a month-to-month basis was unexpected. “The housing market remains very, very distressed,” wrote Dan » Read more  

Rachel Nacion-Ograyensek and her husband are getting nervous. The house that the two apartment dwellers want to buy—the one with the double oven, pool and tiled patio—may slip away from them. It’s on the market as a short sale, so the owner can’t act until the mortgage holder approves the discount price. But » Read more  

Experts fear a new wave of foreclosures will hit this year as prolonged unemployment makes it difficult for millions of homeowners to pay their mortgages—and many of them aren’t likely to get much help from a federal program aimed at keeping them in their houses. Banks participating in the Home Affordable Mortgage » Read more  

(1) Aging baby boomers (55 to 64 years old)- Although they are nearing retirement age, many will keep working out of necessity or by choice. Some will be forced to stay in their suburban homes until values recover. Those who are able to move will not choose traditional retirement locations or » Read more  

Q: What’s the outlook for foreclosure activity in 2010? A: It’s likely that we’ll set a new record in terms of overall foreclosure activity for the fourth consecutive year. Over 1.3 million U.S. households received a foreclosure notice in 2007; over 2.3 million received notices in 2008; and although the 2009 numbers » Read more  

If you have a good job and good credit, the next few months might be a good time to go house hunting. Fence-sitters take the risk that Congress may let a rich tax credit expire, and that interest rates may rise. Buyers and sellers should consider the following factors as they » Read more  

4 Reasons to Sell Now Selling a property in this tough market can seem like a challenge. Here are four factors that actually make this a good time to post a For-Sale sign. Sell low and buy low. Because all property values are down, the loss on the property a home owner sells is really only a » Read more  

For the first time in 11 months, buyers gained some negotiation power in December 2009.  Home buyers using a Realtor negotiated a median 2.7%, or $5,618, off the last listing price of homes sold in December, up slightly from 2.6% or $5,538 in November 2009. The data shows that this is still far » Read more  

As real estate owners and investors do business throughout 2010, they will more than likely face many complex tax issues that could strain their resources and drain profits. They should keep in mind these tax tips that could help them save money in the long run: 1. Determine if your partnership qualifies for » Read more