– Reminder: 3.8% tax is not a transfer tax on real estate NAR: A bizarre Internet rumor surfaced again, but it’s not true: There is no real estate transfer tax starting in 2013. Avatar Holdings becomes AV Homes A Central Florida builder is changing its name to avoid comparisons...
– Fed review for robo-signing extended Ex-homeowners can submit their 2009-2010 foreclosure for federal review if done by one of 27 participating lenders.
– Florida: Balmy breezes, sunsets and romance NAR to Administration: Don’t harm housing Budget proposal has a cap on IRS mortgage interest deductions and impacts capital gains on some real estate investments.
– HUD gives Fla. $49.6M for affordable housing Nationwide, HUD granted a total of almost $1.8 billion, with the top amount, $321.5 million, going to New York.
– HUD: $7.5 million to fight housing discrimination Only two Fla. enforcement groups received funds: Jacksonville and Broward County will split about $100,000. Foreclosure settlement: Fla. to get $8.4 billion About $170M for foreclosure victims, rest for underwater owners; will take up to 9 months to identify beneficiaries.
– Realtor University Approved for Master of Real Estate degree program The Master of Real Estate degree, available online, includes five areas of concentration. First course starts Feb. 27. Trulia: 1 in 3 home searches cross state lines Trulia analyzed users’ locations and where they searched for a home....
– Fannie Mae expands online offers for HomePath properties An Orlando-area pilot program goes national. Realtors now submit offers online and track status through HomePath.com.
– Aid for military families facing foreclosure Hope Now, a private lender alliance, will start to focus on military families at risk of foreclosure.
– Survey: Apartment industry continues recovery Survey: Multi-family market continues upswing as developers play catch-up to growing consumer demand for rental housing. NAHB: Nearly 100 house markets improving Seven Fla. metro areas have shown consistent improvement for at least six months, with Miami new entrant on latest list.
– Short sale sellers need to close in 2012 If lawmakers don’t extend break and a bank nixes $100K in short sale debt, it could cost a taxpayer in 25% bracket $25K.
