Industries in the Real Estate subsector group establishments that are primarily engaged in renting or leasing real estate to others; managing real estate for others; selling, buying, or renting real estate for others; and providing other real estate related services, such as appraisal services.

The Real Estate industry includes equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) that are primarily engaged in leasing buildings, dwellings, or other real estate property to others.

Big Banks Slack on Maintaining Foreclosed Homes in Minority Areas

Wells Fargo and U.S. Bank have let foreclosed homes in black and Latino neighborhoods lapse into disrepair, while bank-owned homes in mainly white neighborhoods are better cared-for

The Myth of the Real Estate Pioneer

Speculating in unknown or unsafe neighborhoods is a risky game

Housing Market Improves, but Growth Years Away

Many economists predict 2012 will be the year the economy turns around and permanently ends the Great Recession. But does the closing chapter of the Great Recession also signal an end to the housing slump?

Jobs Report: A Glimmer of Hope for the Housing Market?

November's encouraging jobs numbers bode well for the struggling housing market

Housing Prices Drop Back to 2003 Levels

National home prices declined by 3.9 percent during the third quarter, which was a larger decrease than expected but still less than the 5.8 percent drop posted in the second quarter

An Idea Dysfunctional Washington More Than Happy to Let Die

A perfect example of a sensible, widely praised idea that has nevertheless gone nowhere is Right-to-Rent

More Americans Falling Behind On Mortgages

Mortgage defaults are rising again after nearly a year of trending downward, raising concerns about homeowners falling behind on their payments and undermining whatever nascent housing recovery may be under way

6 Strategies for Dealing with an Underwater Mortgage

For the millions of homeowners with mortgages underwater there are no easy answers. Should they keep paying and hope the market improves? Try for a loan modification? Cut their losses and walk away? Personal finance expert Gerri Detweiler explains the pros and cons of several options for those with underwater homes

Why Mortgage Rates Are Rising

An encouraging jobs report and news of progress in the euro debt crisis have given markets a confidence boost

How Low-ball Appraisals Are Limiting Housing Recovery

Before the credit crisis, some appraisals seemed to be mere formalities; that attitude helped fuel the boom days. Now, overly conservative appraisal standards -- many unfairly calculated, some observers argue -- may be holding back the housing recovery

How Renters Could Save the Housing Market

It might seem counterintuitive, but increasing rental activity might be the medicine the ailing U.S. housing market needs to get back on its feet.

Has the Housing Market Finally Found Its Footing?

For those looking for a bright spot amid the barrage of depressing data recently, news that housing prices were up for the third month in a row might have buoyed morale a bit. However, the housing outlook might not be so rosy after all

Refinancing Out of Reach for Many Americans

Despite the favorable conditions for refinancing -- U.S. mortgage rates are near their lowest levels in more than 50 years -- many homeowners haven't been able to benefit from the downward march in mortgage rates because they either don't have enough equity in their homes or don't qualify under today's stringent lending rules

Are Net-Zero Energy Houses on the Horizon?

With more energy-conscious consumers and changing building codes in mind, an increasing number of builders are integrating more energy-efficient designs into new constructions.

Bank-owned Home Sales Stay High

Bank-owned house sales remained high during the second quarter of the year with homes in some stage of the foreclosure process, including short sales, rising to 31 percent of sales compared to 24 percent a year earlier

Existing Home Sales Fall 3.8% in May To Lowest Rate in Six Months

Sales of existing homes in May fell by 3.8 percent from a month earlier to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.81 million, according to a report by the National Association of Realtors

Do We Need Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac?

The United States doesn't need government-sponsored enterprises such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to sustain the housing market. At least that's what Anthony Sanders, professor of real estate finance at George Mason University, told the House Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government Sponsored Enterprises

Why Home Prices Are Double Dipping

More bad news for the housing market cropped up in data, indicating that home prices have double dipped, dropping to new post-Recession lows in March. The disappointing figures scale back incremental gains made in the wake of the 2010 home buyer's tax credit and reinforce the probability of a long, slow recovery for the housing market

Bad Housing News: Why Homebuyers Aren't Buying

Why aren't homebuyers buying? Maybe they've heard the recent spate of bad housing news. On the other hand, this may be the best time in several decades to buy a home

The Challenges of Investing in Foreclosures

With home prices at historic lows and distressed properties selling at discounts of 35 percent or more in some parts of the country, scooping up bank-owned bargains has become increasingly lucrative for real estate investors. However, while the demand for foreclosures continues to grow, real estate investors face a host of challenges when it comes to closing the deal on distressed properties

HED Reverse Mortgages

More and more these days, seniors who have substantial equity in their homes, but who are nonetheless cash-poor, are turning to reverse mortgages to supplement their retirement savings. A reverse mortgage may provide a lump sum payment to the homeowner/borrower, or it may make periodic payments or set up a line of credit -- or a combination of the three

Rising Number of Reverse Mortgage Borrowers Facing Foreclosure

Reverse mortgages were created to help seniors stay in their homes by tapping the equity built up over the years. Now, a small but growing number of reverse mortgage borrowers find themselves at risk of losing their homes anyway. That's because the number of reverse mortgages in default is growing. So how can a reverse mortgage be in default?

Now May Be the Time to Buy a Home

If you're into bottom-fishing, now may be the time to start trolling for real estate. At least that's the advice of Michael Corbett, author of 'Before You Buy: The Homebuyer's Handbook for Today's Market'

New Year's Resolutions for Home Buyers

Every year since I started writing this column in 1993, I've offered New Year's Resolutions for home buyers and sellers, plus New Year's financial resolutions that everyone can use to start their year off right.

Jobs and Real Estate Tethered for Better or Worse

Jobs and real estate continue to be tethered together. If salaries are frozen, or if more Americans' annual income doesn't keep pace with inflation, it might make them nervous about their future job and income prospects. And Realtors know that if you aren't confident about your future job and income prospects, it's unlikely you'll want to purchase a home

Housing Demand Evaporates As Stimulus Ends

Demand for housing has plunged to historic lows now that Uncle Sam has removed a key stimulus program from the market, a development that threatens to torpedo a real estate rebound as well as a broader economic recovery.

Home Prices Likely to Slide After Sales Plummet

Home sales took a nosedive last month, suggesting that prices may soon decline and underscoring concerns about the real estate market's capacity to recover.

9 Reasons to Choose a New Home Over a Resale

Today's house hunter has no shortage of cheap, foreclosed homes to pick through. But despite all those deals in the previously-owned home market, consumers shouldn't overlook the potential benefits of buying a new home. Here's a list of 9 reasons to choose a new home over a resale

What will happen to the housing market?

What has become painfully clear with the recently released existing-home sales data for July is that the government's real estate industry life support measures were truly keeping the housing industry afloat.

Downward Pressure on Home Prices Mounts

The tally of unsold homes on the market increased in June, a signal that real estate prices may face additional downward pressure in the coming months.

Dirt-Cheap Mortgage Rates: Here for How Long?

Although economists have grown increasingly concerned that the real estate market may slip into a double-dip economic recession, today's consumers are being handed a tempting incentive to buy property or refinance their home loans: ultra-low mortgage rates. Here's a look at the forces that have created the current mortgage-rate environment and the direction rates are headed

Weak Demand & Tight Credit Keeps Builders On Sidelines

Builders broke ground on fewer new homes than expected last month, as weak buyer demand continues to hogtie a revival in the residential construction industry.

Distressed Home Sales to Sandbag Housing Revival

Distressed properties made up 3 in 10 homes sales in the first three months of the year, as the foreclosure onslaught continues to sandbag a real estate recovery

Home Sales Poised to Drop in Coming Months

Americans signed far fewer contracts to buy homes than expected in May, the real estate market's first month of functioning without a key federal stimulus.

Did You Miss Out on 2010 Home Buyer Tax Credits? It May Not Matter

If you missed the home buyer tax credit 2010 deadlines, don't fret. In the long run, it may not matter. Financially speaking, you could be better off. Since the April 30 deadline, home buyer interest has plummeted. How bad is it? Sellers, states and even real estate companies are offering cash incentives to buyers in order to generate new interest

New Home Sales Plummet to Record Low

Home sales activity plummeted in May, as a key housing stimulus was removed from the market.

The Housing Market's Unexpected Drop

Home sales declined unexpectedly in May, even as federal stimulus efforts kept transaction levels artificially elevated.

Builders Break Ground on Fewer Homes

Builders are breaking ground on fewer properties now that a key housing stimulus has been pulled from the market.

Home Builders Grow Gloomy As Tax Credit Ends

Home builders have grown less optimistic about the real estate market following the expiration of Uncle Sam's homebuyer tax credit.

Housing Market Predictions Change with Lousy Housing Sales Numbers

Housing market predictions took a negative turn after some surprisingly lousy housing sales numbers were released. Suddenly, instead of talking about the housing recovery, housing analysts and economists are talking about prices that could fall dramatically over the next six to 12 months. What changed?