West Realty

Edina Realty to stop (some) Real Estate Listing Syndications

West Realty — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 15:04:51 +0000

Finally….one of the big players in the Minneapolis / St. Paul Metro Market has seen the light and will stop sending their listings to the likes of Trulia and Realtor.com. We have always felt that the third party aggregators, such as Trulia, Zillow, and Realtor.com did more damage to the consumer than good. To an [...]

MN Rental Caps – Release: 10-25-2011 | The Institute for Justice

West Realty — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:47:37 +0000

MN Rental Caps – Release: 10-25-2011 | The Institute for Justice. WEB RELEASE: October 24, 2011 CONTACT: Shira Rawlinson (703) 682-9320 [Private Property] IJ clients Ted and Lauren Dzierzbicki are wondering can the government arbitrarily restrict the property rights of some but not others? Arlington, Va.—In one of the greatest housing slumps in our [...]

The Recession in Perspective – Compares output and employment changes during the present recession with the same data for the 10 previous recessions – The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis

West Realty — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:30:00 +0000

The Recession in Perspective – Compares output and employment changes during the present recession with the same data for the 10 previous recessions – The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. The Minneapolis Fed comes up with interactive charts proving what we already knew…but it is very interesting none the less! Click on the above [...]

Buyer Can’t Sue After Bad Foreclosure Sale – Bloomberg

West Realty — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 18:05:41 +0000

Buyer Can’t Sue After Bad Foreclosure Sale – Bloomberg. US Bank was not the proper owner of the mortgage when they foreclosed, so the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court upheld a lower court ruling invalidating the title of the buyer. Suddenly, buying a foreclosure becomes more risky, from a title perspective, than a short sale. How [...]

According to Fannie Mae New Recession Chances are 50/50

West Realty — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 17:11:07 +0000

News Release – Economy at a Crossroads According to Fannie Maes Economics & Mortgage Market Analysis Group | Fannie Mae. October 17, 2011 Economy at a Crossroads According to Fannie Mae’s Economics & Mortgage Market Analysis Group Mixed Near-Term Performance for Housing, but Subdued Trend Remains in Place Pete Bakel 202-752-2034 WASHINGTON, DC – Despite [...]

Supreme Court refuses to hear MERS case « HousingWire

West Realty — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 01:43:39 +0000

Supreme Court refuses to hear MERS case « HousingWire. Read the Full Story at Housing Wire The U.S. Supreme Court denied review of a case brought against Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems by a California man, the Court announced Tuesday. Gomes v. Countrywide is the first major MERS case filed with the Supreme Court, according to Jose Gomes’ attorney, Ehud [...]

High court to decide case over RESPA fees « HousingWire

West Realty — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 01:39:23 +0000

High court to decide case over RESPA fees « HousingWire. Read the full story at Housing Wire The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Monday to clarify the scope of a federal law meant to protect homebuyers from being overcharged for real estate settlement services. The question the court will resolve is whether a provision of the Real Estate [...]

No-Cost Refinancing: Getting your lender to pay costs can be a smart strategy in uncertain times

West Realty — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 19:34:57 +0000

No-Cost Refinancing: Getting your lender to pay costs can be a smart strategy in uncertain times. How To: Refinance Your Mortgage Without Paying Closing Costs by ALEX STENBACK on SEPTEMBER 22, 2011 Refinancing can be expensive. But it does not have to be. That’s because, with a little bit of creative thinking, or if you are working with a lender that knows what [...]

What Today’s Fed Move Means for mortgage rates in 2011

West Realty — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 21:37:18 +0000

What Today’s Fed Move Means for mortgage rates in 2011.

A Childhood Defined By Before and After 9/11 | thebangbangpop.com

West Realty — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 12:09:45 +0000

A Childhood Defined By Before and After 9/11 | thebangbangpop.com. I am part of the paradigm shift generation of 9/11. We embody a group of Americans who lived two childhoods: pre and post-9/11. Born roughly between the years of 1988 and 1993, we spent the first part of our childhood in the 1990s in a [...]

Our Newest Listing in Edina

West Realty — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 16:41:57 +0000

The official website for this listing is http://PatPappas.com/5305, where you will find a full slide show.

Fannie Mae warns of nearing double-dip recession « HousingWire

West Realty — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 19:29:25 +0000

Fannie Mae warns of nearing double-dip recession « HousingWire. Monday, August 22nd, 2011, 1:39 pm Fannie Mae stopped short of forecasting another double-dip recession for the U.S. economy Monday, but warned recent indicators show one could be nearing. “Key factors, including revisions to gross domestic product data, have revealed that we have a bigger hole to [...]

S&P downgrades PMI Mortgage Insurance on shutdown risk « HousingWire

West Realty — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 12:24:42 +0000

S&P downgrades PMI Mortgage Insurance on shutdown risk « HousingWire. After suffering a stock decline of more than 50% Thursday,The PMI Group (PMI: 0.4101 0.00%) absorbed another blow when Standard & Poor’s lowered ratings on the company and its subsidiary PMI Mortgage Insurance Co. PMI warned Thursday that it may stop writing insurance policies in several states because heavy losses left it [...]

Real estate agents to lenders: Short-sale process broken « HousingWire

West Realty — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 11:26:08 +0000

Real estate agents to lenders: Short-sale process broken « HousingWire. Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011, 11:25 am California real estate agents say closing short-sale transactions are “difficult” or “extremely difficult,” and said procedures by mortgage lenders and servicers are only serving to make matters worse over the past six months, according to a new survey. The [...]

India’s Tata group to sell $700 flat-pack house – Life & Style – The Independent

West Realty — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 15:04:30 +0000

India’s Tata group to sell $700 flat-pack house – Life & Style – The Independent. The Indian company that launched the world’s cheapest car has unveiled its latest product for the fast-growing nation: a flat-pack house that costs just $700 and can be built in a week. The Tata group, maker of the $2,500 Nano [...]

Heat Stroke in Dogs from the Animal Humane Society

West Realty — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 19:09:14 +0000

In a dog, heat stroke is a dangerous situation that requires pet owners to know the symptoms. The longer you wait to offer heat exhaustion treatment, the higher the risk of death or organ damage. Dogs do not sweat. When their bodies heat up, they must increase their respiratory rate to expel the excess heat. [...]

REALTOR® Magazine-Daily News-Existing-Home Sales Drop with Market Constraints

West Realty — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 20:17:53 +0000

REALTOR® Magazine-Daily News-Existing-Home Sales Drop with Market Constraints. Existing-home sales, which are completed transactions that include single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, fell 3.8 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.81 million in May from a downwardly revised 5 million in April, and are 15.3 percent below a 5.68 million pace in May 2010 [...]

Air Pollution Health Alert today, June 7th 2011

West Realty — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 19:25:55 +0000

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has issued an air pollution health alert due to elevated levels of ozone for the Twin Cities Metropolitan area effective from 1:00 p.m. through midnight on Tuesday, June 7, 2011.

Severe Drop in Minneapolis Home Prices. If this isn’t a double dip…what is?

West Realty — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 13:26:56 +0000

From MSNBC: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43222187 Case-Shiller Index, March 2011 Metro area One-month change (March/Feb) One-year change Atlanta -1.9% -5.2% Boston -1.7% -2.7% Charlotte -2.4% -6.8% Chicago -2.4% -7.6% Cleveland -1.8% -6.3% Dallas -0.8% -2.5% Denver -0.6% -3.8% Detroit -2.0% -0.9% Las Vegas -1.1% -5.3% Los Angeles -0.3% -1.7% Miami -0.8% -6.1% Minneapolis -3.7% -10.0% New York -0.9% [...]

West Realty — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 13:24:19 +0000

How I fixed my cracked swimming pool fiberglass sand filter

West Realty — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 15:27:14 +0000

As a professional, full time residential real estate broker, I don’t have the time or money to be spending on brand new stuff when my old stuff will work. As a former plumber and all around handyman, I have made emergency repairs to water systems pushing much hire pressure than a sand filter typically will [...]

Five Questions on Tuesday’s S&P/Case-Shiller – Developments – WSJ

West Realty — Tue, 31 May 2011 14:25:36 +0000

Home prices hit a new low in March, nearly five years after they first started to fall, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller index of home prices in 20 cities. Here’s a look at the numbers: Five Questions on Tuesday’s S&P/Case-Shiller – Developments – WSJ. Saint Paul Pioneer Press Article Located HERE

REALTOR® Magazine-Daily News-Pending Home Sales Drop

West Realty — Fri, 27 May 2011 16:31:34 +0000

REALTOR® Magazine-Daily News-Pending Home Sales Drop. Pending Home Sales Drop Pending home sales fell in April with regional variations following increases in February and March, with unusual weather and economic softness adding to ongoing problems that are hobbling a recovery, according to the National Association of REALTORS®.The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based [...]

Animal relief efforts after Minneapolis tornadoes | Animal Humane Society

West Realty — Mon, 23 May 2011 16:21:37 +0000

Animal relief efforts after Minneapolis tornadoes | Animal Humane Society. Animal Humane Society is currently standing by to support the animal relief efforts of the American Red Cross Twin Cities Chapter and Minneapolis Animal Care & Control after the tornadoes that moved through Minneapolis yesterday. When called upon, AHS will provide food, shelter and comfort [...]

Online searches for Twin Cities real estate as reported by the Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal

West Realty — Fri, 20 May 2011 15:14:29 +0000

According to the Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal, Realtor.com has reported that Minneapolis / St. Paul real estate searches ranked 48th among 146 markets. This is compared to the census which ranks the MSP metro as 16th market in the United States. Here is the reason:

A Great New Listing in Oakdale Minnesota!

West Realty — Mon, 16 May 2011 14:31:59 +0000

Vacation at home in this 'Up North' getaway home! Big room sizes including a fabulous hot tub room with bar, opening to your totally private deck! Open kitchen, with multi levels so that dining & entertaining is a breeze! Across street from park & Lake!

Fannie and Freddie unlikely to support principal write-downs « HousingWire

West Realty — Fri, 13 May 2011 15:00:33 +0000

Reducing the principal on troubled mortgages may be a part of a settlement offer proposed by state attorneys general to mortgage servicers, but the industry's largest investors –Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — say principal reductions are not a part of their plans.

Debt Collector, Collection Agency Lose Licenses; Mortgage Originator Barred from Doing Business in Minnesota

West Realty — Fri, 13 May 2011 00:55:20 +0000

A Minnesota debt collector, his company and a St. Cloud-based mortgage originator are on the hook for a combined $170,000 in the wake of two orders issued by the Minnesota Department of Commerce

Looks like Zip Realty is toast

West Realty — Thu, 12 May 2011 22:56:08 +0000

Zip Realty pretty much is throwing in the towel in this statement on their Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended 12/31/2010. Read the full 10-K here: http://bit.ly/lA96t7 Anyhow…in case you don’t want to slog through the 10-K… read this excerpt below. Too bad… “We have experienced net losses in recent quarters and expect to [...]

April Real Estate Closings on NorthstarMLS (Minnesota) are 26.52% cash

West Realty — Thu, 12 May 2011 20:58:33 +0000

April Real Estate Closings on are 26.52% cash, down from 32% in March. I found 5071 closed sales, with 1,345 cash and 3,726 not cash transactions.

Only 39% Now Expect Improved Home Values in Five Years – Rasmussen Reports™

West Realty — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 20:40:12 +0000

Both short and long-term confidence in the U.S. housing market continue to fall, with homeowners now expressing the highest level of pessimism in two years.

Animal Humane Society Walk for the Animals is April 30th

West Realty — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 12:55:09 +0000

Link to official Walk for the Animals Page Click Here

Minorities drove the majority of Minnesota’s growth over past decade – TwinCities.com

West Realty — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 12:46:18 +0000

Minorities drove the majority of Minnesota’s growth over past decade – TwinCities.com. As Minnesota’s population increased about 8 percent between 2000 and 2010, there were more than four new brown faces for every new white face. Although the state remains predominantly white — a group that demographers refer to as “non-Hispanic white” — the steady [...]

Obama Calls for Limits on Itemized Deductions.

West Realty — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 22:00:40 +0000

Obama Calls for Limits on Itemized Deductions In a speech, President Obama said reducing spending in the tax code would be one of the planks in his plan to reduce the federal budget deficit. The other elements include efficiency improvements and spending reductions defense and health care, and keeping expenditures low for domestic programs. The [...]

Bill introduced to speed up short sales « HousingWire

West Realty — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 18:22:02 +0000

Bill introduced to speed up short sales « HousingWire. A bill was introduced in the House of Representatives this week, requiring mortgage servicers to respond within 45 days of receiving a short sale request. The bill was introduced by Rep. Tom Rooney (R-Fla.) and Rep. Robert Andrews (D-N.J.). The National Association of Realtors immediately backed the bill [...]