On Syndication: Is A MLS A Data Repository, or An Exchange?

A current discussion within the MLS and tech vendor industry is around the issue of listing syndication. This post by Brian Larson, and the discussions therein, is a pretty good summation of the thinking on the part of MLS executives, vendors, and consultants. As Victor Lund of the WAV Group, a leader in the world … Read more

Wait Just One Minute… Did NAR Just Concede Its Data Sucks?

So CoreLogic releases a report in which it claims that NAR’s widely used Existing Home Sales stats are total garbage: CoreLogic reported sales totaled only 3.6 million in 2010, down 12 percent from 2009. By comparison, NAR reported sales fell only 5 percent in 2010 after rising in 2009, and were flat relative to 2008. … Read more

Updating the Renter Nation Prediction

The Wall Street Journal carried a story today on its front page entitled, “Banks Push Home Buyers to Put Down More Cash“. The key paragraph: The median down payment in nine major U.S. cities rose to 22% last year on properties purchased through conventional mortgages, according to an analysis for The Wall Street Journal by … Read more

What's the Grade Level Required To Read Your Blog?

Once in a while, the Internet has gems in it that I find absolutely amazing, and tonight, I found one of them: online readability tests. I hadn’t ever given the topic much thought, since I write for my pleasure not yours, but it does appear that this blog is written for an older, more educated audience. … Read more

Bank of America Sets Up a New Division: Hopeful Signs

Just as my AOL Real Estate column on servicers and loss mitigation gets published, I see this news cross my desk…top: Bank of America President and Chief Executive Officer Brian Moynihan today announced changes to Bank of America Home Loans and Insurance that will continue the company’s strong momentum in extending home mortgage credit while … Read more