U.S. Economy: Existing Home Sales Hover Near Four-Month Average; Prices Increase

April 23 (Bloomberg) -- Sales of existing U.S. homes in March stayed near a four-month average, and prices rose from February, a sign the housing recession has stopped getting worse.

U.S. MONTHLY HOUSE PRICE INDEX ESTIMATES 0.7 PERCENT PRICE INCREASE FROM JANUARY TO FEBRUARY

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. home prices rose 0.7 percent on a seasonally-adjusted basis
from January to February, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s monthly
House Price Index.

Home Prices Drop 6.5% in February as Mortgage Rates Fuel Demand

April 22 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. home prices fell 6.5 percent in February from a year earlier, the second-smallest drop in six months...

Report: U.S. housing market undervalued

All eyes will be on Florida and other markets that saw the biggest housing bust for signs of stability and growth

Housing Data Could Signal If Bust Is Over

Home sales will likely hit a bottom first -- and may have already done so. Data on existing home sales in March is scheduled to come out Thursday and new home sales on Friday.

Obama urges refinancing as housing measures roll out

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama encouraged Americans on Thursday to take advantage of historically low mortgage rates and said his administration was rolling out further phases of its plan to address the housing crisis.

Wells Fargo: Is This The Play On The Real Estate Recovery?

Wells Fargo's big upside earnings surprise has got everyone dissecting what is exactly is going on here; most agree it is a real estate recovery story, at least for the moment.

Help available for purchase of foreclosed homes

The Georgia Dream-Neighborhood Stabilization Purchase Program will provide $14,000 to each eligible borrower purchasing foreclosed properties in the state’s areas of greatest need. The 15-month program begins tomorrow, April 1st. All program funds must be disbursed by June 30, 2010.

Georgia Dream NSP Program

The program provides $14,000 to eligible borrowers purchasing foreclosed properties in eligible areas. Funds are disbursed in the form of a second mortgage lien with no interest and no monthly payments. The lien is released over a period of five years and six months.

Pending home sales up in sign of life for housing

Thanks to historically low mortgage rates and deeply discounted prices, homes in much of the country are now the most affordable in decades. First-time homebuyers are now able to take advantage of a new $8,000 tax credit that runs until Dec. 1.

One in Five Americans Plan to Buy a Home Despite Economic Conditions

Despite today's challenging market conditions, 18.1% of adults plan to buy a home this year in order to take advantage of the $8,000 tax credit recently passed by Congress in the administration's economic stimulus package.

Housing tax credits clear Georgia Senate

Under the legislation, which originated in the House, home purchasers would receive income-tax credits of up to $3,600, or $1,200 for each of three years. To qualify, homeowners would have to apply for the credit within six months of the date the governor signs the measure.

Existing-home sales rose 5 percent in Feb.

Biggest jump in more than five years

Georgia House passes housing tax credit

Georgians who buy a single-family home would get a three-year tax credit under legislation that sailed through the House on Thursday. Lawmakers voted 162-4 to allow home purchasers to receive income-tax credits of up to $3,600, up to $1,200 for each of three years. To qualify, homeowners would have to apply for the credit within six months of the date the governor signs the bill.

US GOVTS: Treasury To Move 'Quickly' On Housing Plan

The Department of Housing and Urban Development today allocated nearly 75% ($10.1 bln) of its funding provided by the stimulus plan approved by Congress earlier this month.

House to take up housing bill on Thursday

The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote on a bill on Thursday that would let bankruptcy judges rewrite home loans and shield mortgage servicers who modify loans from bondholder lawsuits.

Housing Prices in 20 U.S. Cities Fall a Record 18.5%

Home prices in 20 U.S. cities declined 18.5 percent in December from a year earlier, the fastest drop on record, as foreclosures climbed and sales sank.

Builders Launch Tax Credit Web Site

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has launched a newly-designed web site that provides detailed information about the $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers

Supply and Demand: Housing Sales Increase in California and Florida

According to the Sacramento Association of Realtors, homes sales in 2008 (20,587) almost doubled compared to the previous year

Home sales show surprising strength in Dec.

WASHINGTON - Sales of existing homes posted an unexpected increase last month, as sales of bargain-basement foreclosures in California and Florida boomed, closing out the worst year for the U.S. real estate market in more than a decade.