In a recent CBS News segment on the economy, CBS news analyst Mellody Hobson said housing and housing-related construction will be a big driver in the economy’s recovery. “Housing is the silver bullet. The largest number of unemployed people are … Continue reading →

The Peoria Area Association of REALTORS® (PAAR) issued a statement Friday expressing concern that the Peoria County Board is moving too quickly on an overhaul of of Chapter 19 Onsite Wastewater Disposal Systems, the county ordinance that regulates wastewater treatment … Continue reading →

Some good news can be found in Fannie Mae’s February National Housing Survey —consumers continue to have positive attitudes toward housing and the number of consumers who believe home prices will rise over the next year rose to a record … Continue reading →

The Wall Street Journal reports in the article, “Immigrants Buoy the Housing Market,”  that foreign-born buyers have been an important factor in boosting homeownership growth in the last decade and it is a trend that is expected to continue through … Continue reading →

In what Quicken Loans economist Bob Walters called a sign of a healing housing market, the Mortgage Bankers Association reports that mortgage applications jumped 14.8 percent  last week. Read more from HousingWire. “Mortgage applications rebounded after three weeks of declines. With … Continue reading →

Mortgage giants Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae could get a little smaller following the announcement this week that they will be forming a joint company to securitize mortgage loans. The change is seen as a step toward reducing the government’s … Continue reading →

Illinois continues to be a strong draw for corporate business. In 2012, Illinois ranked fifth in the country when it comes to the top states for corporations looking to locate or expand, according to the latest analysis by Site Selection … Continue reading →

If you are thinking of buying an Illinois home this spring, then you’ll want to mark your calendar for the State of Illinois Homebuyer Expo being held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 23 at the Illinois Institute … Continue reading →

Pending home sales were up in January and the index used to track them rose to its highest level since 2010, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) announced today. The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator used by NAR … Continue reading →

The Realtors Property Resource (RPR) announced this week that it has formed a Strategic Alliance Partnership with Fannie Mae to focus on making the short sale approval process more efficient, benefiting both REALTORS® and consumers. RPR is a parcel-centric information database … Continue reading →

Thirty-nine REALTORS® from across northern Illinois attended an Illinois Association of REALTORS® State Legislative Contacts (SLC) class hosted by the Mainstreet Organization of REALTORS® on Monday. Those appointed to serve as State Legislative Contacts fulfill a vital role as the … Continue reading →

The Illinois Association of REALTORS®’ Greg St. Aubin and Julie Sullivan give an update on the first weeks of the Illinois General Assembly. They outline key upcoming battles, and discuss pending deadlines for legislators.

Illinois home sales increased 31.1 percent over previous-year levels in January and median prices increased 1.2 percent, according to the Illinois Association of REALTORS®. Statewide home sales (including single-family homes and condominiums) in January 2013 totaled 8,502 homes sold, up … Continue reading →

Housing starts fell slightly in January compared to December, but still remain at a solid pace overall and applications for building permits rose, the Associated Press reports today (via Bloomberg BusinessWeek). The decline was due largely to a drop in … Continue reading →

Available housing inventory, already at an 11-year low by the end of 2012, fell even more in January, the Wall Street Journal reports. “There were just 1.48 million homes listed for sale at the end of January, down by 5.6% … Continue reading →

RealtyTrac has released its foreclosure report for the month of January and nationally, foreclosure starts hit a six-year low. Read the news release from RealtyTrac. In Illinois, a judicial foreclosure state, Chicago-area foreclosure starts were up compared to December, but … Continue reading →

In his State of the Union speech Tuesday night President Obama singled out the housing sector as evidence that the economy was growing stronger. Part of our rebuilding effort must also involve our housing sector. Today, our housing market is … Continue reading →

The Wall Street Journal reports on an interesting survey by real estate broker Redfin that finds that homes listed on a Friday sold for 99.1 percent of the seller’s original asking price, higher than any other day of the week. … Continue reading →

Did you watch the Grammy Awards? If you did, you might have seen a new ad that debuted showing the value of the REALTOR® brand when it comes to protecting homeowners. The ad ran during an event that delivers nearly … Continue reading →

Want to learn more about REALTOR® Party and what it means to you? The National Association of REALTORS® has launched a six-week effort to educate members on the ins and outs of the effort to protect our industry. Week one was … Continue reading →