CoreLogic Reports 61,000 Completed Foreclosures in January

The Foreclosure Inventory Has Fallen Year Over Year for 15 Consecutive Months

IRVINE, Calif., - CoreLogic® (NYSE: CLGX), a leading residential property information, analytics and services provider, today released its National Foreclosure Report, which provides data on completed U.S. foreclosures and the overall foreclosure inventory. According to CoreLogic, there were 61,000 completed foreclosures in the U.S. in January 2013, down from 75,000 in January 2012, a year-over-year decrease of 17.8 percent. On a month-over-month basis, completed foreclosures rose from 56,000* in December 2012 to the January level of 61,000, an increase of 10.5 percent. As a basis of comparison, prior to the decline in the housing market in 2007, completed foreclosures averaged 21,000 per month between 2000 and 2006. Completed foreclosures are an indication of the total number of homes actually lost to foreclosure. Since the financial crisis began in September 2008, there have been approximately 4.2 million completed foreclosures across the country.

Approximately 1.2 million homes were in some stage of foreclosure in the U.S., known as the foreclosure inventory, as of January 2013 compared to 1.5 million in January 2012, a 21 percent year-over-year decrease. This was the 15thconsecutive month with a year-over-year decline. Month over month, the foreclosure inventory was down 3.3 percent from December 2012 to January 2013. The foreclosure inventory as of January 2013 represented 2.9 percent of all homes with a mortgage compared to 3.5 percent in January 2012.

“The backlog of distressed assets continues to fade as the foreclosure inventory has fallen to a level not seen since mid-2009, with less than 3 percent of all mortgages in foreclosure,” said Mark Fleming, chief economist for CoreLogic. “The improvement is widespread as only six states and 13 of the largest 100 metro areas had an increase in the foreclosure rate year over year.”

“We still have over a million homes in some stage of foreclosure which is too high, but the continuing downward trend in completed foreclosures is a very positive signal that there is a light at the end of the tunnel,” said Anand Nallathambi, president and CEO of CoreLogic. “We expect this trend will continue in 2013 as the housing market stabilizes and purchase activity picks up.

Highlights as of January 2013:
The five states with the highest number of completed foreclosures for the 12 months ending in January 2013 were: California (96,000), Florida (95,000), Michigan (74,000), Texas (59,000) and Georgia (50,000).These five states account for almost half of all completed foreclosures nationally.
The five states with the lowest number of completed foreclosures for the 12 months ending in January 2013 were: District of Columbia (96), Hawaii (458), North Dakota (508), Maine (538) and West Virginia (602).
The five states with the highest foreclosure inventory as a percentage of all mortgaged homes were: Florida (10.0 percent), New Jersey (7.2 percent), New York (5.1 percent), Nevada (4.7 percent) and Illinois (4.6 percent).

The five states with the lowest foreclosure inventory as a percentage of all mortgaged homes were: Wyoming (0.4 percent), Alaska (0.6 percent), North Dakota (0.7 percent), Nebraska (0.8 percent) and Colorado (0.9 percent).

*December data was revised. Revisions are standard, and to ensure accuracy, CoreLogic incorporates newly released data to provide updated results.

Home Value Forecast Shows Higher Priced Homes in the Los Angeles and Bay Areas Have Again Been Leading the Market's Recovery

February's Update highlights the differences in single-family prices per square foot (PPSF) and the speed of rising and falling home prices in several California markets; top ten list also includes New England and Midwest Metros

WALTHAM, Mass., - Pro Teck Valuation Services' February Home Value Forecast (HVF) Update examines how higher priced homes have historically been a good leading indicator of the overall real estate market and have been leading in this recovery as well.

"The residential real estate market outlook continues to improve in 2013. But as more sales and data become available, real estate markets exhibit varying degrees of predictability. Many of the interior U.S. markets exhibit low volatility and are relatively easy to forecast. Others on the East and West Coast show more volatility due to the combination of constrained supply and generally rising demand," said Tom O'Grady, CEO of Pro Teck Valuation Services. "Home prices in these markets rise and fall faster than in markets where new supply can be more easily added such as the more open Midwest U.S."

HVF tracks a number of market indicators to forecast where home prices are headed, and along with HVF partner Collateral Analytics examines the single family price per square foot (PPSF) for different priced markets in the Los Angeles County areas ofManhattan Beach, Lancaster and Burbank from 1970 to 2012. The authors chose these markets because they are representative of low, average, and high-priced cities in this area, which resulted in a clear pattern over the years of the higher-priced market moving first, followed by the average and then low-priced ones.

"Most newsworthy is the latest up move in the Manhattan Beach market which has pushed prices to all-time high levels," saidMichael Sklarz , Principal of Collateral Analytics and contributing author to Home Value Forecast. "This should be viewed as confirmation that the Los Angeles county real estate market is in the early stages of a new upward-cycle in home prices."

This month's Home Value Forecast update also includes a listing of the 10 best and 10 worst performing metros as ranked by our market condition ranking model. The rankings are run for the single family home markets in the top 200 CBSAs on a monthly basis to highlight the best and worst metros with regard to a number of leading real estate market indicators, including: sales/listing activity and prices, months of remaining inventory (MRI), days on market (DOM), sold-to-list price ratio and foreclosure and REO activity.

"Three of the top ranked markets are in Southern California while another two are in Massachusetts. A new entrant to the Top 10 list this month is Indianapolis-Carmel," added Sklarz. "Like a number of Midwest markets, Indianapolis did not participate in the nationwide housing bubble and its home prices have been among the most affordable in the country for many years. It's also a market with compelling rental yields for both institutional and individual single family home investors."
February's top CBSAs include:


Boston-Quincy, MA

Cambridge-Newton-Framingham, MA

Indianapolis-Carmel, IN

Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA

Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA

Raleigh-Cary, NC

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA

Wichita, KS

Colorado Springs, CO

San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX

"Top markets from late last year such as Phoenix and Sacramento are no longer on the list because their year-over-year sales counts are down, which is due to the lack of inventory rather than a decrease in demand," added Sklarz. "The bottom-ranked metros also represent an interesting mix with two being in the upstate New York area and two in Louisiana with higher months of remaining housing inventory."
The bottom CBSAs for February were: Cape Coral-Fort Myers , FL

Rochester, NY

Baton Rouge, LA

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY

Greenville-Maudlin-Easley, SC

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL

Mobile, AL

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR

Shreveport-Bossier City, LA

Spokane, WA

About HomeValueForecast.com

HomeValueForecast.com was created from a strategic partnership between Pro Teck Valuation Services and Collateral Analytics. HVF provides insight into the current and future state of the U.S. housing market, and delivers 14 market snapshot graphs from the top 30 CBSAs.


Home Value Forecast delivers a monthly briefing along with "Lessons from the Data," an in-depth article based on trends unearthed in the data.


HVF is built using numerous data sources including public records, local market MLS and general economic data. The top 750 CBSAs as well as data down to the ZIP code level for approximately 18,000 ZIPs are available with a corporate subscription to the service. To learn more about Home Value Forecast and Pro Teck's full suite of residential real estate valuation products visit us atwww.proteckservices.com. You can find Pro Teck on Twitter at @ProTeckServices.

Stressbusters For First Time Homebuyers

This morning, I was corresponding with a contributor for a major homesite this morning. The write is working on a story about what new home buyers could do to reduce their stress AFTER they purchased their home. I fell out of my chair when I saw her thoughts on what a ToDo list of after market stressbusters should include: Shop for an alarm system, a digital package, homeowners insurance and refinancing options.
I wondered out loud if she's ever actually bought a home.

I responded that her list of stressbusters would have a new homeowner ripping out their hair because their home likely wouldn't close! I pointed out that homeowners insurance has to be in place BEFORE a loan closes because without it, the loan won't close.

And as far as shopping for refinancing before the ink is dry on the original contract, I told her she could strike that from the list too. With the new fees tacked on to every closing, a new homeowner would be ill advised to refinance anytime in the near future. Even with a reduced interest rate, the mandatory fees are rolled back into the cost of the home and often the homeowner would be in no better or even worse shape than with the original loan. Homeowners should wait until they have equity built up before even considering this – and in most cases, that takes years.

As far as shopping for a digital package and a security system, well that depends, in most cases, on whether the buyer is purchasing a new home or a pre-existing home. If the buyer is purchased new construction or a pre-existing home. In new construction, decisions about security systems and digital packages typically have to be made shortly after the contract is signed. These systems are hardwired into the home just as the electrical system is.

If the buyer purchases a pre-existing home, their options are often limited to how the home is wired or how the home could be wired to accommodate what they want. They're also often limited by what services are available in the neighborhood. More times than not, I’ve seen these after market decisions INCREASE stress when the new homeowner finds out what’s involved to wire for digital and security and not always being able to get the services and service providers that they want.

So per the writer's original request, here are my stress busting tips for first time homebuyers are getting ready to walk into their new front door:

1)      The number one stresser is not having utilities turned on when you need them turned on. To avoid that, make a check list of utilities and arrange to have them turned on immediately upon your move in date. Most good realtors will remind homeowners to do this, but in the rush of everything, this doesn’t always get done. What adds to this stress is when utility providers can’t/won’t accommodate the new homeowner’s move in
schedule, especially at the last minute. Also schedule as many deliveries as possible on your move in date as well, especially if you can't take more than one or two days off from work for the move in. You'll want to get your new appliances and furniture in place as quickly as possible.

2)      What DIY upgrades do you want to make immediately? Paint? Install ceiling fans or new light fixtures? Change out or install built-in appliances? Make these changes BEFORE you move into the home or at least before you unpack. If you do want to install/upgrade a security system or a digital package, do it at this time as well. Get these projects done so they're not hanging over your head, and you can enjoy your home right away.

3)      Figure out your lawn care/landscape strategy. Are you going to do it yourself or hire it done? If you do it yourself, make decisions about the yard care tools you’ll need, lawnmower, edger and the like.  If you move in the winter, make your plans for spring. If you hire it out, research lawn care providers in your area. In this same vein, make sure the fence will hold your pet. If not, you’ll need to fix that immediately. Nothing is more stressful than a lost pet in a new neighborhood.

4)      Get to know your new neighborhood and neighbors. Find the nearest grocery store, gas station, school/childcare provider, vet and emergency medical provider. Touch base with the HOA and find out the
use rules for common areas. (If the home has an HOA)

I'm not sure that the writer appreciates my input since I haven't heard back from her, but I haven't seen her story posted either. I'm keeping my eye out for it. In the meantime, if you're a buyer, looking for your first home. Give me a shout. I'm here to guide you through the entire homebuying process!

January Annual Home Value Increase Is Largest Since Summer 2006

January Marks 15th Consecutive Month Of Home Value Gains; Southwest, California Markets Continue To Lead Nation In Appreciation

SEATTLE -- Home values began 2013 on a positive note, much the same way they ended 2012, and rose for the 15th consecutive month in January to a Zillow® Home Value Indexi of $158,100, according to the January Zillow Real Estate Market Reportsii.

January home values were up 0.7 percent from December 2012, and 6.2 percent from last year. The 6.2 percent annual gain is the largest since July 2006, when home values rose 7.5 percent year-over-year. The last time national home values were at this level was in June 2004.

Of the nation's 30 largest metro areas covered by Zillow, 27 showed monthly home value appreciation. Metro areas with the largest monthly gains in January included San Francisco (2 percent), Tampa, Fla. (2 percent), San Diego (1.8 percent),Riverside, Calif. (1.7 percent) and Sacramento, Calif. (1.5 percent).

On an annual basis, all 30 of the nation's largest metro areas tracked by Zillow experienced year-over-year gains in January. Major markets where home values rose the most over January 2012 included Phoenix (21.9 percent), San Francisco (17.2 percent), San Jose (16.8 percent), Las Vegas (16.2 percent) and Sacramento (13.7 percent).

Because of seasonality, national rents fell slightly in January compared with December, down 0.2 percent to a Zillow Rent Indexiii of $1,271. Year-over-year, national rents were up 4.3 percent last month.

"The winter months are typically when things cool off in the housing market, but high demand and continued tight inventory in many markets have helped keep things at a boil through the early part of 2013," said Zillow Chief Economist Dr. Stan Humphries. "Demand will continue to be high throughout 2013, which will help home values and rents alike continue to rise. Foreclosure activity remains high, despite recent drop-offs. This will have the dual effects of nurturing rental demand, as displaced former homeowners seek new lodgings, and of adding supply to many markets, as foreclosed properties re-enter the market."

Completed foreclosures also slowed in January, falling to 5.54 homes foreclosed out of every 10,000 homes nationwide. That was down 0.8 homes over December and down 2.3 homes year-over-year.




Zillow Home Value Index

Zillow Rent Index


Metropolitan Areas

Jan.
2013 ZHVI

Month-

Month %

Change

Year-

Year %

Change

Jan.
2013 ZRI

Month-

Month %

Change

Year-

Year %

Change


United States

$158,100

0.7%

6.2%

$1,271

-0.2%

4.3%


New York

$346,100

0.3%

1.4%

--

--

--


Los Angeles

$421,800

1.4%

9.7%

$2,296

0.0%

2.9%


Chicago

$162,200

0.1%

1.6%

$1,512

-0.3%

4.1%


Dallas-Fort Worth

$131,800

0.5%

5.9%

$1,318

-0.2%

4.2%


Philadelphia

$188,700

0.4%

1.6%

$1,474

-0.3%

0.6%


Washington, D.C.

$327,100

0.7%

6.5%

$2,054

0.0%

3.1%


Miami-Fort Lauderdale

$155,900

1.3%

10.9%

$1,618

0.4%

2.7%


Atlanta

$115,500

1.0%

1.9%

$1,125

0.0%

0.7%


Boston

$319,500

0.2%

4.8%

$1,950

-0.3%

6.3%


San Francisco

$538,900

2.0%

17.2%

$2,522

0.2%

5.4%


Detroit

$82,600

1.3%

11.3%

$1,030

-1.8%

3.8%


Riverside

$201,300

1.7%

12.0%

$1,578

0.2%

2.9%


Phoenix

$159,300

0.9%

21.9%

$1,152

0.0%

2.3%


Seattle

$273,000

0.8%

7.6%

$1,610

-0.3%

2.2%


Minneapolis-St. Paul

$175,000

0.2%

7.4%

$1,439

0.0%

4.1%


San Diego

$381,900

1.8%

12.9%

$2,101

-0.1%

0.9%


Tampa, Fla.

$116,300

2.0%

9.1%

$1,186

-0.1%

2.7%


St. Louis

$126,700

-0.2%

1.4%

$1,094

-0.6%

1.0%


Baltimore

$222,100

0.0%

2.4%

$1,662

-0.4%

4.1%


Denver

$229,800

0.6%

12.6%

$1,528

0.9%

7.5%


Pittsburgh

$112,900

1.0%

2.9%

$942

-4.4%

-3.0%


Portland, Ore.

$231,500

0.5%

8.1%

$1,390

0.5%

5.1%


Sacramento, Calif.

$228,600

1.5%

13.7%

$1,456

0.0%

3.5%


Orlando, Fla.

$125,000

-0.4%

7.1%

$1,204

0.0%

1.7%


Cincinnati

$122,100

0.1%

0.9%

$1,073

0.4%

-2.4%


Cleveland

$109,800

0.2%

0.8%

$1,087

0.5%

1.6%


Las Vegas

$131,100

1.3%

16.2%

$1,142

-0.3%

-1.0%


San Jose, Calif.

$639,500

1.2%

16.8%

$2,668

0.8%

5.5%


Columbus, Ohio

$127,600

0.6%

4.5%

$1,153

1.7%

0.3%


Charlotte, N.C.

$138,100

0.4%

3.4%

$1,138

-0.1%

6.3%

Nearly 2 Million American Homeowners Freed From Negative Equity In 2012

SEATTLE -  Negative equity continued to fall in the fourth quarter of 2012, dropping to 27.5 percent of all homeowners with a mortgage, compared with 31.1 percent one year ago, according to the fourth quarter Zillow® Negative Equity Reporti. Almost 2 million American homeowners were freed from negative equity over the course of the year.
Approximately 13.8 million homeowners with a mortgage were in negative equity, or "underwater," at the end of the fourth quarter, owing more on their mortgages than their homes are worth. That was down from 15.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2011. American homeowners with a mortgage were collectively underwater by more than $1 trillion at the end of 2012.

In 2012, national home values rose 5.9 percent year-over-year, according to the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI)ii, to a median value of $157,400. This jump in home values, coupled with sustained high foreclosure rates, were the main drivers for receding negative equity. Among the nation's 30 largest metro areas, those with the highest number of homeowners freed from negative equity last year were Phoenix (135,099 homeowners freed in 2012); Los Angeles (72,936 homeowners freed in 2012); Miami-Fort Lauderdale (70,484 homeowners freed in 2012); Dallas-Fort Worth (59,461 homeowners freed in 2012); and Riverside, Calif. (58,417 homeowners freed in 2012).

New this quarter, the Zillow Negative Equity Forecastiii predicts the negative equity rate among all homeowners with a mortgage will fall to at least 25.5 percent by the fourth quarter of 2013, freeing more than 999,000 additional homeowners nationwide. Of the 30 largest metro areas, the majority of these newly freed homeowners are anticipated to come from: Los Angeles (72,696 homeowners freed in 2013); Riverside (62,407 homeowners freed in 2013); Phoenix (43,044 homeowners freed in 2013); Sacramento (33,356 homeowners freed in 2013); and Dallas-Fort Worth (31,434 homeowners freed in 2013).

Zillow forecasts negative equity by applying anticipated appreciation or depreciation rates to a home, according to the most current metro and national Zillow Home Value Forecasts, and by assuming all other factors remain constant.
"As home values continue to rise and more homeowners are pulled out of negative equity in 2013, the positive effects on the housing market will be numerous. Freed from negative equity, homeowners will have more flexibility, and some will likely choose to list their home for sale, helping to ease inventory constraints and moderating sometimes dramatic, demand-driven price increases in some markets," said Zillow Chief Economist Dr. Stan Humphries . "But negative equity is still very high, and millions of homeowners have a very long way to go to get back above water, even with current robust levels of home value appreciation in most areas. As a result, negative equity will remain a major factor in the market for the foreseeable future."

These results are from the fourth quarter edition of the Zillow Negative Equity Report, which looks at current outstanding loan amounts for individual owner-occupied homes and compares them to those homes' current estimated values. Loan data is provided by TransUnion®, a global leader in credit and information management. This is the only report that uses current outstanding loan balances on all mortgages when calculating negative equity. Other reports estimate current outstanding loan balance based on the most recent loan on a property (i.e., the original loan amount at time of purchase or refinance).

Bankrate: Mortgage Hold Steady

NEW YORK - Mortgage rates showed little movement, with the beenchmark 30-year fixed mortgage rate inching up to 3.80 percent, according to Bankrate.com's (NYSE: RATE) weekly national survey. This week, the average 30-year fixed mortgage has an average of 0.33 discount and origination points.
To see mortgage rates in your area, go to http://www.bankrate.com/funnel/mortgages/.
The average 15-year fixed mortgage rate remained unchanged this week at 3.02 percent. The average jumbo 30-year fixed mortgage rate was a touch higher (from 4.19 percent to 4.21 percent).  Adjustable rate mortgages were mixed, with the 5-year ARM rising (from 2.75 percent to 2.76 percent), while the 7-year ARM moved down slightly (from 2.98percent to 2.97 percent)

The last time mortgage rates were above 5 percent was in April 2011. At the time, the average 30-year fixed rate was 5.07 percent, meaning a $200,000 loan would have carried a monthly payment of $1,082.22. With the average rate now 3.79 percent, the monthly payment for the same size loan would be $931.91, a difference of $150.31 per month for anyone refinancing now.

SURVEY RESULTS
30-year fixed: 3.80% -- up from 3.79% last week (avg. points: 0.33)
15-year fixed: 3.02% -- unchanged from 3.02% last week (avg. points: 0.27)
5/1 ARM: 2.76% -- up from 2.75% last week (avg. points: 0.29)

Bankrate's national weekly mortgage survey is conducted each Wednesday from data provided by the top 10 banks and thrifts in the top 10 markets.

For a full analysis of this week's move in mortgage rates, go to http://www.bankrate.com.

The survey is complemented by Bankrate's weekly Rate Trend Index, in which a panel of mortgage experts predicts which way the rates are headed over the next week. The majority of the panelists, 58 percent, believe rates will remain relatively unchanged (plus or minus two basis points). Twenty five percent expect an increase larger than two basis points and 17 percent forecast a decrease larger than two basis points.
For the full mortgage Rate Trend Index, go to http://www.bankrate.com/RTI.

PR Newswire (http://s.tt/1A31N)

Realtor.com®'s January Trend Data Shows Ripe Conditions For Home Values Increasing in the New Year

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Realtor.com®, a leader in online real estate operated by Move, Inc. (NASDAQ: MOVE), released its January data on the U.S. housing market today, offering valuable insight into the latest real estate trends. Realtor.com®'s January 2013 national housing data indicates that listing inventories decreased 16.47 percent year-over-year; median age of inventory was at 108 days, a 9.24 percent decrease year-over-year; and median list prices are slightly higher increasing .80 percent year-over year to $187,000.

The findings indicate opportunities in local markets for both buyers and sellers. With inventories at record lows and list prices increasing, Realtor.com®'s 2013 Best Sellers Markets are Sacramento, CA; San Jose, CA; San Francisco, CA; Phoenix, AZ; and Washington, DC. For consumers looking for a competitive edge heading into the busy spring buying season, Realtor.com®'s Top Buyers Markets are Asheville, NC; Peoria, IL; Charleston, WV; Philadelphia, PA; and Cleveland, OH.

"We connect consumers to the home of their dreams by delivering the most comprehensive selection and accurate housing data for homes currently on sale or for rent," said Steve Berkowitz , chief executive officer of Move, Inc. "If inventories remain low and list prices begin to rise over the next few months, as they did last year, conditions will be ripe for additional markets to appreciate in 2013."

National Data
In January, the total number of single-family homes, condos, townhomes and co-ops for sale in the U.S. decreased by 16.47 percent from one year ago, dropping to its lowest point since January 2007, when Realtor.com® began collecting this data. The significant year-over-year decline in homes for sale shows that the real estate market has worked through much of its excess inventory and, if these conditions continue, sellers are more likely to receive their asking price. While the median list price is essentially the same as it was one year ago, the average amount of time a home spent on the market decreased 9.24 percent on a year-over-year basis.

The national for-sale inventory for single family homes, condos, townhomes and co-ops (SFH/CTHCOPS) (1,477,266) continued to decline in January, falling by 5.63 percent during the month and by 16.47 percent on an annual basis.
The national median list price for SFH/CTHCOPS ($187,000) increased .80 percent in January and is now slightly higher than it was one year ago. 

The median age of inventory of for-sale listings was 108 days in January, down 2.70 percent from December and 9.24 percent below the median age one year ago (January 2012).

Local Data
Regional January data suggests that at a local level, trends for both growth and decline observed in 2012 are continuing into 2013. States that were once at the center of the housing crisis, including Arizona, California and Washington, are continuing on upward trajectories. In several markets, particularly in California, home sellers are seeing a dramatic advantage when putting their homes on the market with some of the best prices in recent years. Alternatively, markets in the older industrialized parts of the Midwest and the East will likely continue to struggle without a significant turnaround in their local economies.

Realtor.com®'s 2013 Best Sellers Markets are Sacramento, CA; San Jose, CA; San Francisco, CA; Phoenix, AZ; and Washington, DC.

Realtor.com®'s Top Buyers Markets are Asheville, NC; Peoria, IL; Charleston, WV; Philadelphia, PA; and Cleveland, OH.
A number of factors will contribute to the continuation of a housing recovery this year, including the strength of the economy, the cost and availability of mortgage credit, consumer expectations regarding future housing prices and the success of efforts to reduce the number of foreclosures.

Realtor.com® regularly tracks real estate data and develops monthly reports featuring the number of listings, median age of inventory and median list price across the U.S. and in specific markets, as well as provides year-over-year and month-over-month changes. These reports are the only ones pulled directly from the Realtor.com® database that updates every 15 minutes from more than 800 multiple listing services. For more information, please visit www.Realtor.com.
PR Newswire (http://s.tt/1zNIX)

Zillow Names Best Cities for Singles to Move for Love

SEATTLE, Feb. 11, 2013- Zillow® has released its first "In the Move for Love Index" naming the best cities for young singles to relocate for love. For both men seeking women and women seeing women, Worcester, Mass., tops the list. Milwaukee, Wis., is best for young women looking for a man, and for single gay men, Miami topped the list of cities to find love.

Zillow ranked the 150 largest U.S. cities based on the Zillow Rent Index versus the median income, walkability and the ratio and abundance of single males to single females under 35. The resulting cities are geographically diverse, with median rents ranging from $800 to $2,500 per month.

"Today's society is more transient than ever, and when young singles are considering where to move next it makes perfect sense to consider how easy it will be to meet that person of their dreams," said Zillow Chief Marketing Officer Amy Bohutinsky . "We took a scientific approach to something that's typically been assumed more art than science; we looked at demographics, median income, rent prices and a number of other factors to pinpoint the best places for singles under 35 to move."

Methodology

Disposable Income: Assuming young people who are moving to a new city are more likely to rent, Zillow compared the Zillow Rent Index[i] (median rent price) to the median income[ii] because when a higher proportion of take-home pay can be spent on dating, the likelihood of finding a match increases. For young singles looking for love, housing costs represent a big portion of their monthly take-home pay.

Size of the Dating Pool: Cities with a higher proportion of single people to married people scored higher in the index.

Competition: To further determine where men and women had better odds of scoring a date, Zillow examined the ratio of single men to single women. In the rankings, the more lopsided the ratio, the less competition. For heterosexual singles Zillow used the overall ratio of men to women in the city. For gay singles Zillow looked at Census data on gay cohabitating households, as a proxy for the overall gay population.

Walkability: Assuming singles have a better chance of meeting "the one" when they are out and about, walking to bars, restaurants, shops and attractions, Zillow looked at a city's Walk Score® as a gauge to determine the ease of meeting new people.

Transplant Rate: Because it can be easier to meet other singles if many are new to town, the Zillow analysis factored in the percentage of a city's total population that is single and relocated within the past five years from a different county, state or country. Areas with high rates of single transplants scored higher in the index.

Results

Top 10 Cities to Find Your Valentine for Men and Women
Men Seeking Women Under 35			Women Seeking Men Under 35
Rank	City	Zillow Rent Index	Rank	City	Zillow Rent Index
1.	Worcester, Mass.	$1,302	1.	Milwaukee, Wis.	$962
2.	Glendale, Calif.	$2,548	2.	Miami, Fla.	$1,727
3.	Irving, Texas	$1,208	3.	Denver, Colo.	$1,468
4.	Cleveland, Ohio	$834	4.	Charleston, S.C.	$1,435
5.	Memphis, Tenn.	$857	5.	Tucson, Ariz.	$989
6.	Tulsa, Okla.	$888	6.	Plano, Texas	$1,713
7.	San Diego, Calif.	$2,116	7.	Baltimore, Md.	$1,247
8.	Philadelphia, Penn.	$1,060	8.	Santa Ana, Calif.	$2,097
9.	Buffalo, N.Y.	$810	9.	Durham, N.C.	$1,168
10.	Springfield, Mass.	$1,255	10.	Rochester, N.Y.	$893
Men Seeking Men Under 35			Women Seeking Women Under 35
Rank	City	Zillow Rent Index	Rank	City	Zillow Rent Index
1.	Miami, Fla.	$1,727	1.	Worcester, Mass.	$1,302
2.	San Diego, Calif.	$2,116	2.	San Diego, Calif.	$2,116
3.	Philadelphia, Penn.	$1,060	3.	Cleveland, Ohio	$834
4.	Worcester, Mass.	$1,302	4.	Denver, Colo.	$1,468
5.	Santa Maria, Calif.	$1,547	5.	Des Moines, Iowa	$1,009
6.	Des Moines, Iowa	$1,009	6.	Colorado Springs, Colo.	$1,219
7.	Colorado Springs, Colo.	$1,219	7.	Springfield, Mass.	$1,255
8.	Cleveland, Ohio	$834	8.	Kansas City, Kan.	$734
9.	Arlington, Texas	$1,252	9.	Aurora, Colo.	$1,323
10.	Baltimore, Md.	$1,247	10.	Dallas, Texas	$1,134

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Curb Appeal: Getting Buyers Through the Door

More times than I can count, I’ve pulled away from a home without getting out because the buyer didn’t like the looks of it from the outside. In the buyer’s mind, if a house is unappealing from the outside, it’ll be no better on the inside - regardless of what the interior really looks like.

Make sure  exterior isn't scaring potential buyers away. Step across the street and take a long, honest look at your home. Do you like what you see? If you don’t, then chances are potential buyers won’t either.

First make sure the exterior of your home is in good repair. If siding is coming loose, shutters are hanging askew, shingles are missing or windows are cracked, make those kinds of repairs first. If the paint is cracked or faded, repaint. Most buyers would rather avoid any home deemed a “fixer upper.

Next, what does the front door look like? Beat up front doors can turn away potential buyers regardless of what the rest of the exterior looks like. Give new life to an old front door with new stain or a fresh coat of paint and take the time to sand out scratches. Also, make sure the door hangs straight and opens and closes easily. Locks should turn easily. It’s frustrating when real estate agents must fiddle with the lock. I dread nothing more than showing instructions with detailed directions on how to get the door open.

Even if a buyer falls in love with your home as is, they will likely ask for these many of these repairs anyway - or concessions on the price in anticipation of the work they’ll have to do themselves.

Even if the home is in good repair, there’s still more you can do to stand out. If the exterior of the home is dirty, wash it. Most home improvement stores have do-it-yourself power washing tools, but for the best results, you might have to have it professionally pressure washed.

Wash window exteriors and replace torn or missing screens. Sweep and mop porches, patios and balconies. Make sure you sweep cobwebs and flying insect nests from underneath porch coverings.

Replace broken or missing outside light fixtures. Replace any fence pickets or gates that are visible from the street. Repair or replace broken flower bed edging. Pack away any yard art, statuary and flower pots.

Clean up grease stains from the driveway. You can start by soaking up grease stains with cat litter for a couple of hours. After you sweep up the cat litter, saturate the spots with a degreasing dish detergent and let that soak for a couple of hours. You might have to scrub the stains with a stiff brush as well. If that doesn’t work, you might have to have the drive way power washed as well.

Next turn your attention to the landscape. Make sure the yard is clear of any debris - leaves, brush, old newspapers and trash. If you have bare spots in your lawn, lay down enough sod to cover the problem. Trim bushes and pull up any dead landscaping and clean out the flower beds. Once the flower beds are cleaned out, spruce up them up with a layer of fresh mulch and some seasonal spot color. You don’t have to go overboard, just add enough color to make entrance bright and inviting.

If you’re thinking about selling your home and need a few tips, give me a shout!

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Staging Your Home

After you’ve decluttered, cleaned and repaired your home, now it’s time to stage it. Staging turns your home into a showplace where buyers can envision themselves living. It is yet another tactic to help you get top dollar for your home.

The first step in home staging is to depersonalize it. Buyers want to visualize themselves in the space with their things, and your stuff - your memories - can get in the way. Pack up anything that makes the home uniquely yours - personal framed photos, photo albums, scrapbooks - anything personal. Also pack up mementoes from past vacations, work, school or anything else that you save for sentimental purposes.

Also put away holiday-oriented décor. Not all buyers celebrate the same holidays. This is easier to do for spring and summer holidays than for winter holidays. If you go all out for Christmas, you might consider pairing back or even waiting until after the holidays before listing.

Do decorate your home with neutral décor. Showcase your most current, trendy pieces. But do so sparingly. And make sure those pieces sparkle like the rest of your home. Take a tour through a builder’s model to get ideas about what’s in style. Chances are buyers have toured model homes, and they’ll know what’s in style too.

After you’ve got your home looking good, you can focus on the more subtle aspect of staging. Your home should not only appeal to the eyes but the nose and ears as well.

A deep cleaning will help neutralize odors, but you can go a step further. Invest in an electric potpourri pot or fragrance warmers that you can plug into an electrical outlet. Choose clean scents appropriate to the season. I recommend linen or floral in spring, citrus in summer, wood or vanilla for fall and evergreen for winters.

For an open house, you can bake cookies and leave them on the counter in a decorative plate. You can also leave out a candle for your Realtor to burn. I never suggest leaving a burning candle unattended, even if you’re just stepping out for an hour or two while your house is being shown.

If you have pets, make sure to clean their spaces frequently - wash bedding, change litter boxes, etc….

No matter how clean a home looks, if it doesn’t smell clean, that’s one more chance for another home to jump head on the buyer’s list of favorites.

Finally, listen to what your home sounds like. Do you have humming appliances? Can hear traffic sounds or your neighbors? Barking dogs? Use your sound system or even television to mask over those sounds with background music. If you don’t have a sound system, turn to your cable provider. Many cable services have music channels that will work just as well. Select a channel that features light instrumentals. Tune all your televisions to the same channel for a cohesive sound throughout your home, but don’t blast the sound. You want it just loud enough to create ambiance.

When potential buyers walk into a house, they want to feel like they belong there. Staging is cost-effective way to quickly and easily improve your home’s appeal to potential buyers and make them feel at home.
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Getting Your Home Ready to Sell This Spring

North Texas’ pre-existing inventory of homes is the lowest that it’s been in months and prices are stronger than they’ve been in years. Now is an attractive time to upsize, downsize, move closer to work, into a new school district, or otherwise sell your home. But simply listing your home doesn’t necessarily mean home a quick sale, especially if your home looks… well… lived in. To make sure your property makes a buyer’s short list, you’ll likely need to invest some elbow grease so your home shines above the rest.

Declutter. If you’re serious about selling your home, start cleaning out closets and packing now. When you get a contract, you’ll have about a month, maybe six weeks, to pack up. Though a month may seem like a lot of time now, cleaning out and packing will inevitably be a daunting task when the time comes. Decluttering also will make your home show better because counters, closets and storage spaces will seem more spacious. As a result your home will show better.

If you have any fixtures or window treatments you plan to take with you, take them down and replace them. When a buyer purchases your home, they’ll expect everything attached to the home to be included in the sale. Your Realtor can list exclusions in the MLS database, but if you really want to keep an heirloom light fixture, high-tech showerhead or designer draperies, pack them away before you even put your home on the market.

The decluttering stage would be a good time to host a garage sale. Click here to request a free copy of my “Clearing out the Clutter,” a comprehensive guide to hosting a successful garage sale. My guide offers up proven tips and tactics for making money and ditching your junk so you don’t have to move it.

After you’ve unloaded your junk, pack up everything except for the essentials. When you have a showing, you’ll have less to pick up, and when it comes time to move, you’ll have one major chore already crossed off of your to-do list.

Clean. A clean home shows better than a dirty home. The perception is that a dirty home needs work, while a clean, “move-in ready” home represents a better value. I’ve had buyers walk out of homes that otherwise meet their needs just because they were dirty.

A little elbow grease can prevent that buyer about face. On top of your routine cleaning, make sure you pay attention to these often overlooked areas:

• Corners, floor to ceiling inside and out
• Tile grout
• Ceiling fans and light fixtures
• Faceplates
• Baseboards
• Underneath and behind furniture
• Cabinets and drawers, inside and out
• Oven, microwave and other build-in appliances.
• Stair banisters, top to bottom
• Windows, inside and out
• Doors and door frames
• Window blinds and other window coverings, including curtain rods
• Mirrors
• Shelves
• Garage floor - sweep, mop and degrease.
• Drains, clean out and deodorize
• Porches, patios and balconies, sweep and mop
• Exterior brick and siding
• HVAC filters

Also have your carpets professionally cleaned, especially if you have pets. If your carpet has pet odors that aren’t neutralized with a good cleaning, you may have to consider new carpet. Your Realtor can advise you about your options here.

Repair. If you get an offer on your home, you’ll likely be given a list of items that the prospective buyer would like for you to fix as part of the deal. Frequently these requests come after a buyer has had the home inspected.

The list could include big ticket items such as the roof or foundation. You should already know whether you have problems there. Your Realtor can offer advice on how to deal with these kinds of problems.

The buyer’s list of requests likely will include anything that is obviously broken or in need of repair. Frequently the prospective buyer will ask you to have the problems “professionally repaired,” and you’ll have to show receipts proving that they were fixed. To save time and money later, fix those problems beforehand, especially if you can do it yourself.

Other problems aren’t as obvious. While you’re deep cleaning, you’ll likely find some small things that need repair. During your deep clean, make a list of those things so you can come back to them later. Here are some things to look for:

• Burned out light bulbs
• Broken or cracked face plates
• Cracks in corners and seams in the Sheetrock and back splashes
• Chipped, cracked or loose tile
• Loose carpet and other flooring
• Dripping faucets
• Running toilets
• Nail holes
• Drafty windows and doors

Many of these things require nothing more than bead of calk, a bit of adhesive or an inexpensive part from the hardware store. While they might be small things to you, they could very well end up on the buyer’s list of requested repairs too. But even if they don’t, a well maintained home stands out among the competition.

Paint. A fresh coat of paint makes any home feel fresh and clean. If possible, paint inside and out. If that’s not feasible, repaint any wall that’s been patched, has a lot of nail holes, can’t be cleaned or otherwise in obvious need of help.

Also paint over colors that are dated or faded or are TOO custom. Recently, I toured a home with a shocking green laundry room that matched nothing else in the house. Unless the homeowner repaints, they’ll have a very limited pool of buyers. The same can be said for children’s rooms painted in pinks and blues and purples. To make your home more appealing to the largest number of buyers, Consider neutral or earth tone colors that highlight flooring, counter tops or other features in your home.

Investing a little time and money before listing your home could mean a quick, top-dollar pay off after the sign goes in your yard.

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What Does 2013 Hold for Home Cooks Around the Country? "Clean" Ingredients, Juicy Treats...and Bacteria!

Allrecipes.com, the world's #1 digital food brand with more than one billion annual visits, partnered with Meredith women's lifestyle brands Better Homes and Gardens, Ladies' Home Journal, Family Circle, Eating Well, Fitness and Recipe.com to uncover the hottest food trends among home cooks. The report: The Measuring Cup Trend Report: What American Families are Cooking and Eating: 2013 Trends, available as a free download, concludes healthier eating will continue to be a top priority for home cooks, whether it's incorporating probiotics, "clean" ingredients, or more fruits and vegetables in everyday meals.

The report also found that women are flexing their creative muscles in kitchen. Using whiskey as a flavoring is on the rise, while novelty cakes have taken the place of the traditional sweet treats. Home cooks continue to be mindful of saving money by recreating their favorite restaurant dishes at home rather than dining out.

Below is a summary of 2013 trends:

Trend #1: Good-for-You Bacteria Goes Mainstream
Probiotic foods will become conventional refrigerator staples as one-third of women have already "tried and like them." The biggest probiotic food fans are women ages 30 to 39, with 40% earning 100k+/year.

Trend #2: It's a Piece of Cake!
Instead of a traditional birthday or holiday cake, 35% of women are creating novelty cakes for special occasions and holiday gatherings (think: ice cream cake, fun shape, unusual flavor).

Trend #3: Dinner Staycation
Women continue to feel pinched by the economy. Survey respondents say they dined out less frequently in 2012 compared to a year ago (44%). However these same women still seek the variety and new flavors available through restaurant menus. To satisfy this craving, 61% of home cooks admit to having prepared a restaurant-inspired dish at home in the past year.

Trend #4: A Clean Sweep in the Kitchen
With more than 44% of home cooks trying to eat cleaner (no processed foods, more whole foods/vegetables), 21% eating organic foods, 29% cutting back on meat, and 48% eating more vegetables, the healthy habits of home cooks are sure to impact 2013. Leading the way in the clean-food frenzy are home cooks in the West and the younger generation (ages 18-29).

Trend #5: Shaken, Stirred or Seared—with Whiskey
Whiskey isn't just for cocktails anymore. The celebration of whisky/bourbon flavors is extending into home kitchens. Bourbon Balls, Bourbon Chicken, Bourbon Fudge, Bourbon Salmon, and Bourbon Meatballs were all among the fastest-moving recipe search terms in 2012.

Trend #6: First Eat with Your Eyes
The wildly popular photo and idea-sharing site, Pinterest, inspires 75% of women to try new dishes based on inspiration gathered from friends, family, brands, and—complete strangers! Allrecipes' most popular Pinterest boards include inspiration for those who feast with their eyes (Amazing Food Photos), plus ideas for feeding a family (Kids' Recipes).

Trend #7: Increasing App-etites
Mobile phones continue their rapid growth as essential grocery shopping companions for family-focused women. Shoppers are most excited about mobile's ease of use, the variety of app choices, and the ability to make mealtime/purchase decisions while in-store. Shoppers aged 39 and younger are the most likely to seek in-store meal inspiration using a mobile device.

Trend #8: The Juicy Details
More than 56% of women prepared a smoothie or squeezed fresh juice at home last year. The majority trying this juicy option say their main incentive is, "it's delicious" (73%), followed by "health benefits" (64%).

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Consumer Housing Sentiment Continues to Rise as Employment Concerns Wane; More Americans Say Now is a Good Time to Sell

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7, 2013- Increasing confidence in home sales and an improved sense of job security provide further evidence of the strengthening of the housing market, according to Fannie Mae's January 2013 National Housing Survey results. Underlying the growing sense of optimism, the percentage of survey respondents who think it is a good time to sell a home continued to climb to 23 percent last month from 11 percent the same time last year. While expectations regarding personal finances stayed relatively flat last month, other housing indicators remained at or near survey highs, indicating consumers remain confident in the stability of the housing market.

"The housing market continues to firm, with consumer home price expectations for both rental and ownership properties near the strongest levels that we've seen in the survey's two-and-a-half-year history," said Doug Duncan , senior vice president and chief economist at Fannie Mae. "Concerns about job loss are waning as payrolls are growing – a trend that may give potential homebuyers more confidence that they can meet the financial obligation of homeownership. The upward trend over the past year and a half in the share of consumers who say it's a good time to sell may reflect two related events. First, homeowners see that home prices are improving. Second, the number of homeowners who are underwater is declining, reducing a barrier for those owners who need to sell their home in order to buy a new one."

SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS

Homeownership and Renting

• The average 12-month home price change expectation fell slightly from last month's survey high to 2.4 percent. 
• At 41 percent, the share of those surveyed who believe home prices will go up in the next 12 months decreased by 2 percentage points from December's survey high, while the share who believe home prices will go down returned to the survey low of 10 percent. 
• The percentage of those surveyed who think mortgage rates will go up decreased by 3 percentage points to 41 percent, while those who think they will go down dipped slightly to 7 percent. 
• Twenty-three percent of respondents say it is a good time to sell a house, up by 12 percentage points year-over-year. 
• At 3.7 percent, the average 12-month rental price change expectation fell 0.9 percent from last month's survey high. 
• Fifty percent of those surveyed say home rental prices will go up in the next 12 months, a slight increase over December, and the highest level since the survey's inception. 
• The share of respondents who said they would buy if they were going to move held steady at 65 percent. 

The Economy and Household Finances

• At 39 percent, the share of respondents who say the economy is on the right track increased slightly over December. 
• The percentage who expect their personal financial situation to get better over the next 12 months rose by 3 percentage points to 43 percent. 
• Twenty-three percent of respondents say their household income is significantly higher than it was 12 months ago, holding steady from last month. 
• Thirty-eight percent reported significantly higher household expenses compared to 12 months ago, the highest level since December 2011. 
• The percentage who are concerned they will lose their job in the next 12 months declined 1 percentage point to 19 percent, a survey low. 

The most detailed consumer attitudinal survey of its kind, the Fannie Mae National Housing Survey polled 1,003 Americans via live telephone interview to assess their attitudes toward owning and renting a home, home and rental price changes, homeownership distress, the economy, household finances, and overall consumer confidence. Homeowners and renters are asked more than 100 questions used to track attitudinal shifts (findings are compared to the same survey conducted monthly beginning June 2010). Fannie Mae conducts this survey and shares monthly and quarterly results so that we may help industry partners and market participants target our collective efforts to stabilize the housing market in the near-term, and provide support in the future.

For detailed findings from the January 2013 survey, as well as a podcast providing an audio synopsis of the survey results and technical notes on survey methodology and questions asked of respondents associated with each monthly indicator, please visit the Fannie Mae Monthly National Housing Survey site. Also available on the site are quarterly survey results, which provide a detailed assessment of combined data results from three monthly studies. The January 2013 Fannie Mae National Housing Survey was conducted between January 5, 2013 and January 28, 2013. Interviews were conducted by Penn Schoen Berland, in coordination with Fannie Mae.

Opinions, analyses, estimates, forecasts, and other views of Fannie Mae's Economic & Strategic Research (ESR) Group included in these materials should not be construed as indicating Fannie Mae's business prospects or expected results, are based on a number of assumptions, and are subject to change without notice. How this information affects Fannie Mae will depend on many factors. Although the ESR Group bases its opinions, analyses, estimates, forecasts, and other views on information it considers reliable, it does not guarantee that the information provided in these materials is accurate, current, or suitable for any particular purpose. Changes in the assumptions or the information underlying these views could produce materially different results. The analyses, opinions, estimates, forecasts, and other views published by the ESR Group represent the views of that group as of the date indicated and do not necessarily represent the views of Fannie Mae or its management.

Fannie Mae enables people to buy, refinance, or rent a home. We play a leading role in America's economic recovery today and in building a better housing finance system for the future.

SOURCE Fannie Mae

http://www.fanniemae.com

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