REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION : View Posts

WASHINGTON, DC – Americans’ concerns about the direction of the economy and their household income appear to be weighing on housing growth, according to results from Fannie Mae’s May 2014 National Housing Survey. The share of respondents who believe the economy is headed in the wrong direction remained at 57 percent last month, and those who said their household income is significantly higher than it was at the same time last year decreased four percentage points to 21 percent. Although respondents’ attitudes toward housing have been generally positive during the past few months, their reluctance to enter the home buying or selling market has restrained activity below typical seasonal trends.

“Consumers’ lukewarm income expectations and reticence about the economy seem to be holding back housing demand,” said Doug Duncan, senior vice president and chief economist at Fannie Mae. “This year’s spring and summer home buying season has gotten off to a slow start, even as mortgage rates have trended lower over the past two months. Our National Housing Survey data show that economic conditions continue to be the top concern among consumers who think it’s a bad time to buy or sell a home. While recent housing activity suggests that the worst of the housing slump may be behind us, this caution among consumers supports our expectation that the rebound in home sales will likely be too modest to pull sales for all of 2014 ahead of last year.”

SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS

Homeownership and Renting

The average 12-month home price change expectation remained unchanged from last month, at 2.9 percent.
The share of respondents who say home prices will go up in the next 12 months fell to 48 percent, and the share who say home prices will go down increased to 7 percent.
The share of respondents who say mortgage rates will go up in the next 12 months continued on a downward trend, dropping to 49 percent.
Those who say it is a good time to buy a house fell slightly to 68 percent, and those who say it is a good time to sell a house increased to 43 percent, a new all-time survey high.
The average 12-month rental price change expectation decreased slightly to 3.9 percent.
Fifty-one percent of those surveyed said home rental prices will go up in the next 12 months, while 3 percent of respondents said home prices will go down.
Forty-nine percent of respondents thought it would be easy for them to get a home mortgage today, rising 4 percentage points from last month.
The share who say they would buy if they were going to move increased slightly to 66 percent.
The Economy and Household Finances

The share of respondents who say the economy is on the right track increased 3 percentage points from last month to 38 percent.
The percentage of respondents who expect their personal financial situation to get better over the next 12 months fell slightly to 42 percent.
The share of respondents who say their household income is significantly higher than it was 12 months ago decreased 4 percentage points to 21 percent.
The share of respondents who say their household expenses are significantly higher than they were 12 months ago decreased 5 percentage points to 34 percent.
The most detailed consumer attitudinal survey of its kind, the Fannie Mae National Housing Survey polled 1,000 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 May 2014 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 page on fanniemae.com. Also available on the site are in-depth topic analyses, which provide a detailed assessment of combined data results from three monthly studies. The May 2014 Fannie Mae National Housing Survey was conducted between May 1, 2014 and May 21, 2014. Most of the data collection occurred during the first two weeks of this period. Interviews were conducted by Penn Schoen Berland, in coordination with Fannie Mae.

This news is courtesy of www.fanniemae.com

SEATTLE, — The affordable homes most sought after by first-time homebuyers are being kept off the market in part because nationally, those homes are almost three times more likely to be underwater than the most expensive homes, according to the first quarter Zillow® Negative Equity Reporti. The national negative equity rate fell to 18.8 percent in the first quarter, with almost 9.7 million American homeowners with a mortgage underwater, owing more on their mortgage than their home is worth.

Among all homes with a mortgage nationwide, roughly one in three (30.2 percent) priced within the bottom third of home values were underwater in the first quarter, compared to 18.1 percent of homes in the middle third and 10.7 percent of homes in the top thirdii. It is very difficult for an underwater homeowner to list their home for sale without engaging in a short sale or bringing cash to the closing table, which is a major contributor to inventory shortages across much of the country, even as negative equity slowly recedes.

More than one-third of homeowners with a mortgage (36.9 percent) are effectively underwater, unable to sell their homes for enough profit to comfortably meet expenses related to selling a home and afford a down payment on a new one.

“The unfortunate reality is that housing markets look to be swimming with underwater borrowers for years to come,” said Zillow Chief Economist Dr. Stan Humphries. “It’s hard to overstate just how much of a drag on the housing market negative equity really is, especially at the lower end of the market, which represents those homes typically most affordable for first-time buyers. Negative equity constrains inventory, which helps drive home values higher, which in turn makes those homes that are available that much less affordable.”

Negative equity has fallen for eight consecutive quarters, but fell at its lowest pace in almost two years in the first quarter as home value growth slowed. Negative equity fell from 25.4 percent in the first quarter of 2013 and 19.4 percent in the fourth quarter, while the pace of annual home value growth slowed to 5.7 percent in the first quarter, from 6.6 percent at the end of the fourth quarter. Looking ahead, the national negative equity rate is expected to fall to 17 percent of all homeowners with a mortgage by the first quarter of 2015, according to the Zillow Negative Equity Forecastiii.

At the end of the first quarter, the number of homes foreclosed nationwide fell to 4.9 homes per 10,000, from 5.4 homes per 10,000 at the same time last year. As foreclosure activity continues to fall, the pace of negative equity improvement will also slow, as homeowners’ debt is wiped from lenders’ books following foreclosure.

About Zillow:
Zillow, Inc. (NASDAQ: Z) operates the largest home-related marketplaces on mobile and the Web, with a complementary portfolio of brands and products that help people find vital information about homes, and connect with the best local professionals. In addition, Zillow operates an industry-leading economics and analytics bureau led by Zillow’s Chief Economist Dr. Stan Humphries. Dr. Humphries and his team of economists and data analysts produce extensive housing data and research covering more than 450 markets at Zillow Real Estate Research. Zillow also sponsors the quarterly Zillow Home Price Expectations Survey, which asks more than 100 leading economists, real estate experts and investment and market strategists to predict the path of the Zillow Home Value Index over the next five years. Zillow also sponsors the bi-annual Zillow Housing Confidence Index (ZHCI) which measures consumer confidence in local housing markets, both currently and over time. The Zillow, Inc. portfolio includes Zillow.com®, Zillow Mobile, Zillow Mortgage Marketplace, Zillow Rentals, Zillow Digs®, Postlets®, Diverse Solutions®, Agentfolio®, Mortech®, HotPads™ and StreetEasy®. The company is headquartered in Seattle.

AN JOSE, Calif., — Nationally, the number of single-family homes for sale and their prices continue to rise – revealing a healthier real estate marketplace than a year ago and strong seller confidence, according to the April 2014 National Housing Trend Report released today by realtor.com®, the leader in providing consumers the most accurate U.S. residential listings online.* Move, Inc. (NASDAQ: MOVE) operates realtor.com®.

While last April’s list price gains were driven largely by dramatic shortages in for-sale inventory, April 2014 data shows sustained moderate home price gains in tandem with increasing inventories. The increase in inventory and asking price suggests sellers are much more optimistic than a year ago, likely the result of a strengthening national economy.

April home inventories are up a robust 14.2 percent compared with April 2013, according to realtor.com® data. Median list price rose by 6.5 percent to $207,500 compared to last year. Median age of inventory is 86 days – a 6.2 percent increase compared to a year ago.

The combination of median list price rising above $200,000 and a double-digit home inventory increase is an indication that the marketplace is becoming more balanced.

“Home prices and inventories are more in balance in most markets – a sign of improving housing health and optimism across much of the country,” said Steve Berkowitz, Move’s chief executive officer. “As sellers gain confidence, we also are watching spring sales data closely to gauge whether buying activity will be in line with these early indicators.”

Some reports showed a cooling market in the early months of 2014. Existing home sales, at 4.59 million units in March, were 7.5 percent below the pace of March 2013 according to The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). However after nine months of stagnation, March pending home sales experienced their first gain – rising 3.4 percent, according to NAR’s Pending Home Sales Index.

While prices are rising, age of inventory is dropping faster than the previous year – by 15.7 percent in April – suggesting that properties are selling quickly in many markets and being replaced with new inventory at a quicker pace compared to last year.

Gains in new hot markets sprouting across the country are largely due to local economies’ increasing strength. New price leaders are Sacramento, California; Chicago; Austin and San Marcos, Texas; and Fort Pierce and Port St. Lucie, Florida. Recurring leaders are Houston; Las Vegas; Denver; Reno, Nevada; and Stockton, Lodi, Riverside, and San Bernardino, California.

While prices are continuing to rise, the pace of appreciation is slowing. This signals that housing is becoming more affordable for some, as rising equity comes more in line with asking prices.

Pumped by oil and gas economies, Texas and Colorado are exceptionally strong. Denver, Austin, Houston and Chicago are experiencing a supply-driven adjustment process similar to that which led to rapid house-price appreciation in California. These deficits aren’t as large, however, suggesting these markets are not likely to experience the kind of unsustainable appreciation California experienced during most of 2013. While sand states, such as California, Nevada and Arizona, continue to see supply-driven increases in prices in many markets, supply is beginning to catch up with demand.

How Data Is Collected

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, where 90 percent of listings are updated every 15 minutes from more than 800 MLSs. We regularly review and update historical data to provide the most accurate and comprehensive market-information available.

“Most accurate” claim(s) pertain to the accuracy of home listings, are based on comparison with other national listing portals, and are based on the greater frequency of listings updating on realtor.com®.

Supporting Resources

Read more about realtor.com®
Follow @realtordotcom on Twitter
Like realtor.com® on Facebook
About Move, Inc. and realtor.com®

Move, Inc. (NASDAQ:MOVE), the leading producer of online real estate services, operates realtor.com®, which connects people to the essential, accurate information needed to identify their perfect home and to the REALTORS® whose expertise guides consumers through buying and selling. As the official website of the National Association of REALTORS®, realtor.com® empowers consumers to make smart home buying, selling and renting decisions by leveraging its direct, real-time connections with more than 800 multiple listing services (MLS) via computers, tablets and smart phones. Realtor.com® is where home happens. Move, Inc. provides consumers a wealth of innovative tools and accurate information including Doorsteps®, SocialBios™, Moving.com™, SeniorHousingNet™, New Home Source and Relocation.com. Move, Inc. supports real estate agents and brokerages by providing many services to grow their businesses including ListHub™, the nation’s leading syndicator of real estate listings, TigerLead®, Top Producer® Systems, and FiveStreet as well as many free services. Move is based in the heart of Silicon Valley – San Jose, Calif.

MCLEAN, VA–(Marketwired – Apr 10, 2014) – Freddie Mac (OTCQB: FMCC) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), showing average fixed mortgage rates moving down slightly as we head into the spring homebuying season.

News Facts

30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.34 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending April 10, 2014, down from last week when it averaged 4.41 percent. A year ago at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 3.43 percent.

15-year FRM this week averaged 3.38 percent with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 3.47 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 2.65 percent.

5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 3.09 percent this week with an average 0.5 point, down from last week when it averaged 3.12 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 2.62 percent.

1-year Treasury-indexed ARM averaged 2.41 percent this week with an average 0.5 point, down from last week when it averaged 2.45 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 2.62 percent.

Average commitment rates should be reported along with average fees and points to reflect the total upfront cost of obtaining the mortgage. Visit the following links for the Regional and National Mortgage Rate Details and Definitions. Borrowers may still pay closing costs which are not included in the survey.

Quotes
Attributed to Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist, Freddie Mac.

“Mortgage rates eased a bit following the decline in 10-year Treasury yields. Also, the economy added 192,000 jobs in March, which was below the market consensus forecast but followed an upward revision of 22,000 jobs in February. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate held steady at 6.7 percent.”

Freddie Mac was established by Congress in 1970 to provide liquidity, stability and affordability to the nation’s residential mortgage markets. Freddie Mac supports communities across the nation by providing mortgage capital to lenders. Today Freddie Mac is making home possible for one in four home borrowers and is one of the largest sources of financing for multifamily housing. Additional information is available at FreddieMac.com, Twitter @FreddieMac and Freddie Mac’s blog FreddieMac.com/blog.

WASHINGTON, DC – Recent month-to-month volatility in the housing market has softened the ongoing recovery. However, the majority of the Fannie Mae National Housing Survey indicators on consumer attitudes have continued to move in a positive direction during the past year, which may portend a pickup in home buying and selling activity this spring. According to Fannie Mae’s March 2014 National Housing Survey results, the share of survey respondents who say it is a good time to sell a home climbed to 38 percent last month, compared to 26 percent at the same time last year. In addition, the share who believe it would be easy to get a mortgage today increased to 52 percent, compared to 47 a year ago, and tying the all-time survey high. Americans’ attitudes regarding their personal finances also have improved – those who expect their financial situation to worsen during the next 12 months decreased to 12 percent, a significant drop from 21 percent at the same time last year, and the share who say their personal financial situation improved during the past year reached an all-time survey high of 40 percent.

“The housing recovery continues to proceed in fits and starts. Rising mortgage rates and a lack of supply have dampened housing market momentum,” said Doug Duncan, senior vice president and chief economist at Fannie Mae. “However, we see several positive signs going into this year’s spring home buying season, compared with last year. For example, consumers are less pessimistic about their personal finances, and more optimistic about the current selling environment and their ability to get a mortgage. Still, those who are pessimistic about buying or selling a home today tend to point to economic conditions as the primary issue, and most consumers continue to say the economy is on the wrong track. Looking forward, we expect to see a pickup in economic growth later in the year, and this may boost the confidence of prospective buyers and sellers.”

SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS

Homeownership and Renting

The average 12-month home price change expectation decreased from last month, to 2.7 percent.
The share of respondents who say home prices will go up in the next 12 months decreased slightly to 48 percent, while the share who say home prices will go down decreased to 5 percent, an all-time survey low.
The share of respondents who say mortgage rates will go up in the next 12 months decreased to 54 percent, and those who said they will go down fell to 3 percent, tying the all-time survey low.
Those who say it is a good time to buy a house increased slightly from last month to 69 percent and those who say it is a good time to sell a house increased 4 percentage points from last month to 38 percent.
The average 12-month rental price change expectation decreased slightly from last month to 4.2 percent.
Fifty-two percent of those surveyed said home rental prices will go up in the next 12 months, a slight increase from last month.
Fifty-two percent of respondents thought it would be easy for them to get a home mortgage today, tying the all-time survey high first reached in January.
The share who say they would buy if they were going to move increased 2 percentage points to 68 percent.
The Economy and Household Finances

The share of respondents who say the economy is on the right track continued on a downward trend – decreasing 2 percentage points from last month to 33 percent.
The percentage of respondents who expect their personal financial situation to stay the same over the next 12 months increased 4 percentage points to 45 percent, tying a survey all-time high.
The share of respondents who say their household income is significantly higher than it was 12 months ago decreased 3 percentage points, to 21 percent.
The share of respondents who say their household expenses are significantly lower than they were 12 months ago fell one percentage point to 8 percent, tying the all-time survey low.
The most detailed consumer attitudinal survey of its kind, the Fannie Mae National Housing Survey polled 1,000 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 March 2014 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 page on fanniemae.com. Also available on the site are in-depth topic analyses, which provide a detailed assessment of combined data results from three monthly studies. The March 2014 Fannie Mae National Housing Survey was conducted between March 1, 2014 and March 23, 2014. Most of the data collection occurred during the first two weeks of this period. Interviews were conducted by Penn Schoen Berland, in coordination with Fannie Mae.

This news is courtesy of www.fanniemae.com

INDIANAPOLIS, — Simon Property Group, Inc. (NYSE:SPG), a global leader in retail real estate, announced today the launch of a new, dedicated Simon Venture Group. This new business will invest in retail innovation, focusing on opportunities that enhance the shopping experience.

Simon Venture Group will be investing across stages from early-stage to high-growth technology companies, making Seed to Series C+ investments and focusing on both direct and indirect strategic investment opportunities.

Mikael Thygesen, Chief Marketing Officer of Simon Property Group said, “We believe we have only scratched the surface on applying technology to the retail environment in innovative, interesting ways.”

The new Simon Venture Group will be led by J. Skyler Fernandes, who will be responsible for identifying, evaluating, and making investments. Fernandes was previously a partner at Centripetal Capital Partners, a multi-stage venture capital fund, where he concentrated on consumer Internet, retail, and high-tech with commercial applications. He is also the founder of One Match Ventures, a seed fund focused on consumer Internet and high-tech companies. Fernandes gave the first TED Talk on Venture Capital, entitled “Innovating the Financing of Innovation,” and leads a number of global initiatives, including the Missing Middle Initiative, launched at the World Economic Forum in Davos, which is focused on creating funds that invest $100,000 to $3 million.

“We’re excited to add Skyler to the team and look forward to his active engagement with the venture capital and start-up community to capitalize on opportunities that will yield benefits for our consumers and our retailers,” Thygesen said.

About Simon Property Group
Simon Property Group, Inc. (NYSE: SPG) is an S&P 100 company and a global leader in the retail real estate industry. We currently own or have an interest in more than 325 retail real estate properties in North America, Asia and Europe comprising approximately 243 million square feet. We are headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana and employ approximately 5,500 people in the U.S. For more information, visit simon.com

LAS VEGAS – Century 21 Real Estate LLC, franchisor of the world’s largest real estate franchise sales organization, today announced the launch of C21 Social XchangeSM, in conjunction with agreements with Google and Videolicious. Through an industry-first licensing agreement with Google, a co-marketing agreement with Google Adwords, and a comprehensive licensing agreement with Videolicious, the C21 Social Xchange combines a comprehensive social media marketing, communications and advertising tool suite for CENTURY 21® System professionals.

“The C21 Social Xchange empowers our independent sales professionals to easily build relationships and grow their sphere of influence,” said Bev Thorne, chief marketing officer, Century 21 Real Estate LLC. “Real estate is a people business, and today many business relationships begin online. CENTURY 21® agents are the only real estate professionals to benefit from such a partnership with Google, a recognized leader in relationship marketing.”

The agreements with Google provide CENTURY 21 sales associates in the United States with a license for Google’s social tools, and a special program to help them get started on Google Adwords Express. Google AdWords Express is a quick and easy way to advertise local businesses on Google.

“CENTURY 21 continues to be an innovator in online marketing,” said Sam Sebastian, director, local, Google, Inc. “We brought this unique combination of tools and programs to the CENTURY 21 System because of their forward-looking marketing strategy. I am very excited that Google tools will play a role in helping CENTURY 21 sales associates to remain on the leading edge of online marketing and advertising.”

In addition CENTURY 21 System members in the United States will have access to an enterprise-level license with Videolicious. The Videolicious mobile app empowers all CENTURY 21 System members to create professional-quality video productions and post to YouTube in seconds.

“The power of video marketing cannot be overstated,” said Matt Singer, co-founder, Videolicious. “Through this agreement, CENTURY 21 sales associates may now leverage that power to enhance their online marketing and drive more business opportunities.”

About Century 21 Real Estate LLC:
Century 21 Real Estate LLC (CENTURY21.com) is the franchisor of the world’s largest residential real estate franchise sales organization, providing comprehensive training and marketing support for the CENTURY 21 System. The System is comprised of approximately 7,100 independently owned and operated franchised broker offices in 74 countries and territories worldwide with more than 103,000 independent sales professionals. Century 21 Real Estate LLC is a subsidiary of Realogy Holdings Corp. (NYSE: RLGY), a global leader in real estate franchising and provider of real estate brokerage, relocation and settlement services.

This news is courtesy of www.century21.com

DENVER – RE/MAX Commercial®, part of the world’s most productive real estate network, has become one of the most dynamic names in the commercial sector. The commercial division of RE/MAX reported exceptional growth in annual total sales and lease volume, transaction sides and number of offices in 2013 and was recently ranked one of the top commercial brands on LoopNet.

“Last year saw tremendous growth for our RE/MAX Commercial Practitioners,” said Mike Reagan, RE/MAX Senior Vice President, Business Alliances. “Their remarkable achievements are a testament to the dedication, experience and professionalism they continuously demonstrate in the commercial real estate industry. RE/MAX Commercial complements the unsurpassed drive and determination of our practitioners with the brand awareness, training systems and resources they need to succeed.”

RE/MAX Commercial experienced an extraordinary 22.8 percent growth in total volume in 2013 when compared with total volume from the previous year. An impressive $8.7 billion in total sales and lease volume was reported last year compared to $7 billion in 2012. It is a continuing trend as RE/MAX Commercial grew its total volume 17.4 percent from 2011 to 2012.

The ongoing success of RE/MAX Commercial also can be seen in its growth of annual transaction sides. RE/MAX Commercial Practitioners were involved in 23,585 transaction sides around the world last year – up 15 percent from the 20,400 transaction sides that were reported in 2012. RE/MAX Commercial transaction sides also grew from 2011 to 2012 with an increase of 8.4 percent.

The number of RE/MAX Commercial offices and divisions around the globe grew from 439 in 2012 to 491 in 45 countries in 2013. According to the Certified Commercial Investment Member Institute (CCIM), RE/MAX has one of the largest contingents of CCIM designees and candidates in the industry. Additionally, four RE/MAX Commercial Practitioners have served as presidents of the CCIM Institute.

With over a quarter of a million commercial properties, remaxcommercial.com features more inventory than any other commercial brokerage network website. It’s a significant feat considering RE/MAX only launched the RE/MAX Commercial website in November 2012. The site continues to position RE/MAX Commercial Practitioners as qualified and reliable sources for buyers, sellers, landlords, tenants, brokers, bankers, municipalities and other potential clients. Remaxcommercial.com also features timely and insightful market reports, global real estate news and valuable lead-generating sourcing for commercial practitioners and an advanced search feature that allows consumers to locate properties based on location and property type.

RE/MAX Commercial recently solidified its place as a leader in commercial real estate by being one of the top 10 commercial brands by number of listings on LoopNet. LoopNet is a leading information services provider that offers a suite of products and services tailored to the commercial real estate industry. It operates the largest and most heavily trafficked online commercial real estate listing service with more than seven million registered members and an average of five million monthly unique visitors.

This news is courtesy of www.remax.com

Warmer weather is right around the corner, which means that backyard barbeques, pool parties and picnics will be in full swing before we know it. The last thing you’ll want to be doing is worrying about the look and durability of your deck, or worse, replacing the damaged wood or concrete.

At the 2014 American Coatings Show, Dow introduces RHOPLEX™ Deck and Concrete Restoration (DCR) Binders for restoration coatings, helping reduce the stress associated with repairing, or high cost of replacing, a deck or patio.

“The harsh weather that has plagued most of the U.S. this winter has led to wear and tear on outdoor gathering places,” said Sylvia Insogna, North American marketing director, Dow Coating Materials. “Instead of spending thousands of dollars on deck replacement, RHOPLEX DCR Binders help revive existing wood decks and concrete patios that have been beaten down by the elements, and transform them back into attractive entertainment areas.”

RHOPLEX DCR Binders were developed and tested by Dow Coating Materials scientists, exposed to the elements over coated, well-weathered wood and concrete substrates at the Dow Exposure Station in Spring House, Penn. The binders offer outstanding resistance to dirt and staining, and feature excellent flexibility and resistance to cracking. RHOPLEX DCR Binders are manufactured without the use of alkylphenol ethoxylate (APEO) surfactant, and can be formulated to low VOC.

“Designed specifically for this rapidly growing market segment, RHOPLEX DCR-317 and RHOPLEX DCR-113 Binders build on the signature durability of RHOPLEX 100% Acrylic Binder Technology,” said Insogna. “These new binders were developed to meet the unique needs of deck and concrete restoration coatings.”

To learn more about how you can protect your decks and patios from the elements with RHOPLEX DCR Binders, visit www.dow.com/coatingmaterials.

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About Dow

Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines the power of science and technology to passionately innovate what is essential to human progress. The Company is driving innovations that extract value from the intersection of chemical, physical and biological sciences to help address many of the world’s most challenging problems such as the need for clean water, clean energy generation and conservation, and increasing agricultural productivity. Dow’s integrated, market-driven, industry-leading portfolio of specialty chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics businesses delivers a broad range of technology-based products and solutions to customers in approximately 180 countries and in high growth sectors such as packaging, electronics, water, coatings and agriculture. In 2013, Dow had annual sales of more than $57 billion and employed approximately 53,000 people worldwide. The Company’s more than 6,000 products are manufactured at 201 sites in 36 countries across the globe. References to “Dow” or the “Company” mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. More information about Dow can be found at www.dow.com.

SEATTLE, — Zillow, Inc. (NASDAQ: Z), the leading real estate information marketplace, today announced it entered into an exclusive partnership with Beijing Yisheng Leju Information Services Co. (“Leju”), an affiliate of E-House (China) Holdings Limited (NYSE: EJ), a leading real estate services company in China, to power Leju’s U.S. home shopping experience.

Beginning in early summer 2014, Leju visitors who search for U.S. properties will be brought to a Zillow®-Leju co-branded website whereby they will have access to Zillow’s robust home search experience, rich data on homes, millions of for-sale listings, and unique pre-market inventory. The co-branded site will be translated into Chinese and operated by Zillow.

This partnership presents a tremendous opportunity for real estate professionals who display their listings on Zillow to reach the second-largest population of foreign buyers of U.S. homes. Chinese buyers spent more than $11 billion on U.S. properties, [i] and on average, spent $425,000 on a home – with 69 percent of purchases reported as all-cash purchases.[ii]

“We’re excited to announce this exclusive partnership with Leju,” said Errol Samuelson, Zillow Chief Industry Development Officer. “Brokers and agents with listings on Zillow are now able to reach Chinese home shoppers who are ready to invest in the U.S. market, with no additional cost or effort. This is another example of how Zillow is continually providing new ways for real estate professionals to market and grow their businesses.”

“We’re thrilled to provide Leju visitors with Zillow’s unparalleled real estate search experience,” said Geoffrey Yinyu He, Leju’s CEO. “Many of our more than 60 million users are interested in U.S. properties and now they will not only have access to information on U.S. homes that they can’t find anywhere else, but they’ll also have the ability to quickly connect with a local real estate expert who can help them through the home buying process.”

Financial terms of Zillow’s first international partnership were not disclosed. In the United States, Zillow is the exclusive provider of for-sale and for-rent listings for Yahoo!® Homes, AOL® Real Estate and HGTV’s FrontDoor®.

About Zillow, Inc.

Zillow, Inc. (NASDAQ:Z) operates the leading real estate and home-related information marketplaces on mobile and the Web, with a complementary portfolio of brands and products that help people find vital information about homes, and connect with the best local professionals. Zillow’s brands serve the full lifecycle of owning and living in a home: buying, selling, renting, financing, remodeling and more. In addition, Zillow offers a suite of tools and services to help local real estate, mortgage, rental and home improvement professionals manage and market their businesses. Welcoming 70 million unique users during its peak month in 2014, the Zillow, Inc. portfolio includes Zillow.com®, Zillow Mobile, Zillow Mortgage Marketplace, Zillow Rentals, Zillow Digs®, Postlets®, Diverse Solutions®, Agentfolio®, Mortech®, HotPads™ and StreetEasy®. The company is headquartered in Seattle.

Zillow.com, Zillow, Postlets, Mortech, Diverse Solutions, StreetEasy, Agentfolio and Digs are registered trademarks of Zillow, Inc. HotPads is a trademark of Zillow, Inc.

Yahoo! is a registered trademark of Yahoo! Inc. AOL is a registered trademark of AOL, Inc. HGTV and FrontDoor are registered trademarks of Scripps Networks, Inc.

This news is courtesy of www.zillows.com

SAN JOSE, Calif., — Realtor.com®, a leader in online real estate operated by Move, Inc. (NASDAQ: MOVE), today released its National Housing Trend Report for February 2014. As prices continue to rise, more sellers are putting their homes on the market than this time last year, a sign of confidence in the gains sustained through the winter and an indication of a strong early beginning to the spring home buying season.

Data from realtor.com® reveals the number of properties for sale in February rose 10.1 percent above February 2013 levels, to 1,744,032 units. The median list price at $199,000 increased 7.6 percent compared to the same month last year, and the median age of inventory increased 6.5 percent above year-ago figures, to 114 days.

“Overall these figures indicate a continued reinforcement of steady gains and market stabilization that we’ve been watching since late last summer,” said Steve Berkowitz, CEO of Move. “Seller confidence is the factor to watch as we head into the spring home buying season, and these are very encouraging indicators – not only are more homes coming onto the market, but typically we don’t see a rise in asking prices this early into the year. This is the market these sellers have been waiting for.”

Many have speculated that as homeowners gained equity across 2013, sellers otherwise prevented from making ‘life event’ associated housing changes, for various reasons such as births, children entering school, aging home owners downsizing to smaller residences and others, now are finally able to tap into the resources necessary to make those changes. The increase in inventory is even more noteworthy given the severe climate conditions that likely dampened a more typical month of listing activity across much of the nation. Despite these encouraging gains, however, inventories are still extremely low, and this remains a key factor to watch for long-term housing market health.

Widespread inventory increases: Nationally, inventories in February were 10.1 percent higher than they were one year ago. Ninety-nine of the 146 markets tracked by realtor.com® saw year-over-year gains in inventory in February; of those, 63 markets rose by ten percent or more. The added supply does not appear to be impacting price gains; just eight markets of those with inventory gains registered declines in median list price year over year, none greater than 6.1 percent. Broad inventory gains in more than half the markets in February are strong signs of a far healthier inventory than the previous year.
List prices rise in advance of the buying season: Despite the increase in inventory, the median list price jumped by more than 2 percent in February to $199,000, 7.6 percent higher than it was one year ago. These list price increases are another sign of seller confidence going into the selling season, as sellers price their homes in anticipation of market conditions in the coming months. While annual gains in list price were widespread, they also were fairly modest throughout much of the country; of the 121 markets that posted year-on-year gains in median list price in February, 84 markets rose less than 10 percent. These modest increases are positive signs of a more balanced market overall heading into the spring season.
Days on market grow slightly: Along with the notable uptick in inventory and median list price in February, median age of inventory gained 6.5 percent in February compared to year-ago levels, to 114 days. Ninety-three of the markets tracked by realtor.com® saw increases in time on market in February; of those, 21 markets increased time on market by 20 percent or more. Forty-five markets still registered year-over-year declines in age of inventory in February 2014, with eight markets dropping more than 10 percent compared to year-ago levels.
Local Market Highlights

In the California markets that became overheated last spring, inventories have bounced back. Stockton has twice as many homes listed on realtor.com® than they had a year ago. Fresno, Bakersfield, Riverside and Oakland all report year over year increases of 40 percent or more on the numbers of homes for sale.
Among the 10 largest markets still registering inventory declines from a year ago, Denver and Chicago are relatively strong markets whose median list prices are up on a year-over-year basis by 19.6 and 14.3 percent, respectively. The inventory deficits in these markets will likely continue to put significant upward pressure on housing prices going into the 2014 home buying season. However, these and a handful of other Colorado markets are unlikely to experience the kind of appreciation that occurred in California through much of last year, since the deficits are not as large.
Despite the encouraging signs of a spreading recovery across much of the country, weak markets still persist. List prices in 14 markets dropped by more than 1 percent in February, typically in older, industrialized areas such as Shreveport, Rochester and Omaha. These patterns underscore the multi-pronged nature of the housing recovery and its dependence on the strength of the local economies.
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, where 90 percent of listings are updated every 15 minutes from more than 800 MLSs. We regularly review and update historical data in order to provide the most accurate and comprehensive market information available. For more information on Move, please visit www.move.com or one of its many online real estate properties including realtor.com®.

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ABOUT realtor.com®

Operated by Move, Inc., (NASDAQ: MOVE), realtor.com® helps connect people with the content, tools and expertise they need to find their perfect home. As the official website of the National Association of REALTORS®, realtor.com® empowers consumers to make the smartest decisions when it comes to finding a home by leveraging direct connections with more than 800 MLSs to deliver the most accurate and up-to-date listing information in neighborhoods across the country, and by making timely and meaningful connections between consumers and REALTORS®. Whether through desktop, mobile, or tablet versions, realtor.com® is where home happens.

ABOUT MOVE, INC.

Move, Inc. (NASDAQ:MOVE), the leader in online real estate, operates: realtor.com®, the official website of the National Association of REALTORS®; Move.com, a leading destination for new homes and rental listings, moving, home and garden, and home finance; ListHub™, the leading syndicator of real estate listings; Moving.com™; SeniorHousingNet; SocialBios; Doorsteps®; TigerLead® Top Producer® Systems and FiveStreet. Move, Inc. is based in San Jose, California.

This news is courtesy of www.realtor.com

SEATTLE, – Today, Zillow® Digs®, a home improvement and design inspiration marketplace, announced the top home storage trends for spring. Built-in cabinets, cubbies with baskets or trays, and repurposed antique furniture are the three biggest home organization trends according to the latest Zillow Digs Home Design Trend Report.

Spring Storage Trends from Zillow Digs Home Design Trend Report
While more than half (59%) of homeowners are planning remodels, the expected median spring renovation spending is down to $700, which is the lowest amount of planned spending since Zillow started recording home improvement spending trends.[i] Instead of investing in larger-scale remodels, homeowners are getting creative with how they spend their dollars, and are planning smaller projects that are better suited for spring cleaning and organizing.

This one-of-a-kind trend report depends on a survey of members of the Zillow Digs Board of Designers, a group of design experts from across the country, and the most popular storage and organization photos on Zillow Digs.

The top home organization trends for this spring are:

Built-In Cabinets: For the 59 percent of homeowners planning a spring remodel, the Zillow Digs Board of Designers say built-in cabinets or lockers will be a top renovation project for the season. Locker-style built-ins with coat hooks and benches are especially popular in mud and laundry rooms because of their accessibility and convenient storage solutions for coats, shoes and other household items. Zillow Digs Board of Designers Member, Vanessa Deleon of Vanessa Deleon Associates in New York City, recommends incorporating built-in cabinets with “detailed woodwork and knobs” to keep storage stowed away in style.

Cubby Storage: Organized, open storage solutions are a growing trend extending far beyond the kitchen. Hide everyday storage in plain sight by grouping like items together on trays, or for less visually appealing goods, store them inside beautiful wicker baskets displayed on open shelves or tucked into cubbies. Zillow Digs Board of Designers Member, Kerrie Kelly of Kerrie Kelly Design Lab in Sacramento, Calif., reminds homeowners that spring cleaning is all about “keeping things simple, light and bright, with an emphasis on the open shelving trend.” Think about how to reorganize in ways that keep your home open and bright.

Repurposed Antique Furniture: Since renovation spending is down, homeowners are thinking of creative ways to bring new life into their homes without breaking the bank. Repurposing antique furniture into hidden storage solutions is a popular trend among interior designers and homeowners alike. An old trunk can double as the perfect coffee table, and a retrofitted rolling cart in the kitchen can be used to store wine glasses, linens, or even small appliances. Zillow Digs Board of Designers Member, Mara Miller of Carrier and Company Interiors Ltd. in New York City, advises homeowners to be selective with their antiques and use “beautiful pieces of furniture” for a welcoming and “instant design statement.”

With Zillow Digs, homeowners can browse more than 400,000 photos of interiors and exteriors of real homes, organized by space, style, cost and color. Patent-pending Digs Estimates help people understand what it would cost in their geographic location to recreate the actual bathrooms and kitchens they are viewing. In addition, Zillow Digs users can collect images, share favorites and follow others for inspiration, from the Zillow Digs App for iPhone® and iPad® or on the Web.

About Zillow, Inc.
Zillow, Inc. (NASDAQ:Z) operates the leading real estate and home-related information marketplaces on mobile and the Web, with a complementary portfolio of brands and products that help people find vital information about homes, and connect with the best local professionals. Zillow’s brands serve the full lifecycle of owning and living in a home: buying, selling, renting, financing, remodeling and more. In addition, Zillow offers a suite of tools and services to help local real estate, mortgage, rental and home improvement professionals manage and market their businesses. Welcoming 70 million unique users during its peak month in 2014, the Zillow, Inc. portfolio includes Zillow.com®, Zillow Mobile, Zillow Mortgage Marketplace, Zillow Rentals, Zillow Digs™, Postlets®, Diverse Solutions®, Agentfolio®, Mortech®, HotPads™ and StreetEasy®. The company is headquartered in Seattle.

This news is courtesy of www.zillow.com

WASHINGTON – As part of its ongoing investigation into a March 12 gas explosion that destroyed two buildings in the East Harlem section of New York City, the NTSB today released an investigative update. The NTSB sent a go-team to the accident, and still has investigators on-scene.

The 8-inch cast iron/plastic main on Park Avenue between 116th and 117th streets failed the pressure test at the normal operating pressure. Tracer gas pumped into the main and a leak survey identified a leak adjacent to 1646 Park Avenue, one of the collapsed buildings.
Two service line segments (one about 20-feet long, the other about 3-feet long) recovered in the basements of the destroyed buildings at 1644 and 1646 Park Avenue have been removed and tagged as NTSB evidence. Items will be shipped to the NTSB laboratory in Washington.
Pressure testing of the service lines to buildings on Park Avenue adjacent to the destroyed buildings continues with no significant findings to date. ConEdison and the city are working to restore gas service to the adjacent buildings.
Work planned for the remainder of the week:

As the Fire Department recovery work permits the leak location will be excavated to expose the gas main pipe. Pipe segments will be marked, cut, removed and tagged as NTSB evidence; then shipped to the NTSB lab in Washington for further examination and testing. Undamaged pipe segments will also be shipped to the lab for comparison examination.
The segment of the cracked water main pipe in front of 1644 Park Avenue will also be cut and removed for shipment to the NTSB lab.
The City utility department is planning to run a camera probe inside the water and sewer pipes on Park Avenue between 116th and 117th streets. The videos will be added to NTSB accident docket as part of the evidence collection.
The NTSB investigation team with assistance from the parties, including ConEdison and the City, continue collecting gas system and water system operation, maintenance, and repair records for the vicinity of the explosion.
The investigation is ongoing. Any future updates will be issued as events warrant.

This news is courtesy of www.ntsb.gov

The booming U.S. energy market, robust housing recovery and strengthening economy are creating growth opportunities for investors of non-financial specialty assets, including farmland, timberland, real estate, private businesses, and oil and gas, according to U.S. Trust. In a report published today on its 2014 outlook for non-financial assets, U.S. Trust’s Specialty Asset Management group said it expects strong performance from the asset class and that it is a market poised for long-term growth.

“When you factor in long-term market trends – population growth, economic development in emerging markets and the correlating demands on energy, food and housing – we see a strong growth opportunity emerging for non-financial assets,” said Dennis Moon, national executive of U.S. Trust’s Specialty Asset Management group that manage separate accounts for high net worth investors in real assets.

“Furthermore, the factors that drive the value of these assets are unique and independent of the volatile forces often at play in the broader market, making these investments highly attractive and an important consideration in the construction of a balanced portfolio.”

In its outlook for 2014, U.S. Trust takes an in-depth look at the opportunities for five key non-financial asset categories:

Timberland: Demand for timber is expected to grow as the U.S. housing recovery moves into high gear and competition for resources heats up between pulp and paper mills and renewable energy plants fueling the fast-growing woody biomass market. Timber pricing is rebounding from historic lows and will likely continue to rise as supplies tighten and demand accelerates. These market fundamentals, combined with low return volatility and tax efficiency, suggests a strong 2014 for timberland investments.

Farm and ranch land: With a 4 percent, or in some cases higher, cash yield expected in 2014, farmland remains a favorable investment opportunity. In 2014, farm and ranch land prices are expected to level off as more normal slow growth is anticipated for commodities including corn, soybeans and wheat, spurred by macro-trends such as global population growth. As farmer-investors become more conservative and land prices level off, more opportunities for farmland deals are expected to emerge for long-term investors.

Oil and gas properties: As demand for energy accelerates and the U.S. moves ever closer to energy independence, oil and gas investment activities will continue to be a big area of focus. With the apparent worldwide economic improvement, in conjunction with the transforming energy efficiencies and correlating demands, the stage is set for investment opportunities in energy over the long term.

Commercial real estate: Economic improvements in 2013, both domestic and abroad, translated into stronger demand in the U.S. commercial real estate market, with the office, retail, multi-family and industrial segments all posting improvements for the year in vacancy, rents and valuation. The outlook remains positive overall for commercial real estate investors in 2014; however, there will be variances by product type and market. In the year ahead, multi-housing rent growth is expected to moderate and vacancy rates may slightly rise. Office and industrial properties are seeing continued rent growth but also shifts in tenant preferences for more functional space and amenities. Renovation will likely be the dominant focus of investments in retail properties as many markets continue to deal with “dead centers.”

Private businesses: As an investment class, private businesses are expected to offer a breadth of opportunities both for domestic and foreign acquirers in the year ahead, along with an increase in the inventory for buyers and the number of interested sellers. Positive balance sheet growth should continue to strengthen in 2014, and business owners are benefitting from strong credit opportunities at favorable rates, which should spur M&A activity. However, the pace of private company investment activity may be slowed as business owners face the still unknown impact of the Affordable Care Act on their cost of doing business.

“Non-financial assets can be an effective diversifier to a portfolio of financial assets, and we’re seeing this asset class become an increasing focus for many of our clients, both individual and institutional investors with access to the amount of capital needed for direct investments1,” added Moon. “By their nature, these are unique investments, and the assets themselves need to be managed to maximize the value of the deal and the investment’s income-producing potential.”

The Specialty Asset Management team at U.S. Trust offers strategic insight and specialized experience required to manage and maximize the potential of these investments. Led by Dennis Moon, the executive team includes:

Doug Donnell, national Timberland executive.
John Taylor, national Farm and Ranch executive.
Dick Sadler, national Oil and Gas executive.
Andrew Tanner, national Private Business and Real Estate Services executive.
A copy of U.S. Trust’s 2014 Outlook on non-financial assets is available at www.ustrust.com/sam along with additional whitepapers from the specialty asset management group at U.S. Trust.

1Note: Oil, gas and mineral interests are not available for direct investment through U.S. Trust.

U.S. Trust
U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management is a leading private wealth management organization providing vast resources and customized solutions to help meet clients’ wealth structuring, investment management, banking and credit needs. Clients are served by teams of experienced advisors offering a range of financial services, including investment management, financial and succession planning, philanthropic and specialty asset management, family office services, custom credit solutions, financial administration and family trust stewardship.

U.S. Trust is part of the Global Wealth and Investment Management unit of Bank of America, N.A., which is a global leader in wealth management, private banking and retail brokerage. U.S. Trust employs more than 4,000 professionals and maintains 140 offices in 32 states.

As part of Bank of America, U.S. Trust can provide access to a broad range of banking solutions for individuals and businesses, and an extensive retail banking platform.

Bank of America
Bank of America is one of the world’s largest financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small- and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 50 million consumer and small business relationships with approximately 5,100 retail banking offices and approximately 16,300 ATMs and award-winning online banking with 30 million active users and more than 14 million mobile users. Bank of America is among the world’s leading wealth management companies and is a global leader in corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 3 million small business owners through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations in more than 40 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Non-financial assets, such as closely-held businesses, real estate, oil, gas and mineral properties, and timber, farm and ranch land, are complex in nature and involve risks including total loss of value. Special risk considerations include natural events (for example, earthquakes or fires), complex tax considerations, and lack of liquidity. Nonfinancial assets are not suitable for all investors. Always consult with your independent attorney, tax advisor, investment manager, and insurance agent for final recommendations and before changing or implementing any financial, tax, or estate planning strategy.

Energy and natural resources stocks have been volatile. They may be affected by rising interest rates and inflation and can also be affected by factors such as natural events (for example, earthquakes or fires) and international politics.

Diversification does not ensure a profit or protect against loss in declining markets.

U.S. Trust operates through Bank of America, N.A., and other subsidiaries of Bank of America Corporation. Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC.

This news is courtesy of www.bankofamerica.com

ATLANTA, The Home Depot®, the world’s largest home improvement retailer, has begun filling more than 80,000 positions as it prepares for spring, the company’s busiest selling season.

“Spring is our peak hiring season, giving us the opportunity to find some of the best associates who are passionate about customer service,” said Tim Crow, executive vice president—Human Resources.

Job seekers can research openings and begin applying now at www.careers.homedepot.com. All applicants must apply online.
Job opportunities are available on a market-by-market basis, based on individual store needs and geographical variance in climate. College students, retirees, veterans and reservists are encouraged to apply.

The Home Depot is the world’s largest home improvement specialty retailer, with 2,263 retail stores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, 10 Canadian provinces and Mexico. In fiscal 2012, The Home Depot had sales of $74.8 billion and earnings of $4.5 billion. The Company employs more than 300,000 associates. The Home Depot’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: HD) and is included in the Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor’s 500 index.

This Press Release is courtesy of www.homedepot.com

WASHINGTON, DC – Fannie Mae (FNMA/OTC), provided $28.8 billion in financing to the multifamily market in 2013, working with lender partners to finance 507,000 units of multifamily housing. Approximately 99 percent ($28.5 billion) of the loans that Fannie Mae financed in 2013 were delivered through MBS execution. Fannie Mae met the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s goal to reduce multifamily volumes by 10 percent relative to 2012 levels, achieving 95 percent of its total volume capacity.

“I am proud that Fannie Mae continued to serve the multifamily market in 2013 with $28.8 billion of new acquisitions,” said Jeffery Hayward, Senior Vice President and Head of the Multifamily Mortgage Business, Fannie Mae. “The need for quality, affordable rental housing is greater today than it’s ever been, and we will continue to do our part by providing liquidity, stability and affordability to the multifamily market and maintaining our credit standards. Over 85 percent of the multifamily units we financed in 2013 were affordable to families earning at or below the median income in their area.”

For 26 years, Fannie Mae has relied on its Delegated Underwriting and Servicing (DUS®) program to play a significant role in the multifamily housing market. The DUS program relies on shared risk with Lenders, or “skin in the game,” and provides certainty and speed of execution, delegated underwriting and servicing, competitive pricing, and strong credit risk management. DUS Lenders delivered 99 percent of Fannie Mae’s 2013 multifamily loan acquisitions.

“Thanks to our 24 DUS Lenders, 2013 was another terrific year for multifamily production,” said Hilary Provinse, Vice President for Multifamily Customer Engagement, Fannie Mae. “As the competitive landscape heats up in 2014, we will rely on the strength of our delegated model and the flexibility of our single loan MBS to help our Lenders achieve their production goals as we continue to build a solid book of business.”

The following are the top 10 DUS Lenders that produced the highest volume in 2013, as well as the top 5 DUS Lenders that produced the highest volume in the multifamily affordable housing and seniors housing categories in 2013, listed in descending order:

Top 10 DUS Producers in 2013:

1. Walker & Dunlop, LLC
2. Wells Fargo Multifamily Capital
3. CBRE Multifamily Capital, Inc.
4. Beech Street Capital, LLC
5. Berkadia Commercial Mortgage, LLC
6. Prudential Mortgage Capital Company
7. M&T Realty Capital Corporation
8. PNC Real Estate
9. Arbor Commercial Funding, LLC
10. Berkeley Point Capital LLC

Top 5 DUS Producers for
Multifamily Affordable Housing in 2013:

Wells Fargo Multifamily Capital
Oak Grove Capital
Greystone Servicing Corporation, Inc.
Walker & Dunlop, LLC
TIE: Citibank, N.A. and PNC Real Estate
Top 5 DUS Producers for
Seniors Housing in 2013:

KeyBank National Association
Oak Grove Capital
CBRE Multifamily Capital, Inc.
Berkadia Commercial Mortgage, LLC
Red Mortgage Capital, LLC
Production highlights for individual business categories, which are part of the overall total 2013 multifamily investment number are listed below.

Multifamily Affordable Housing – (financing for rent-restricted properties and properties receiving other federal and state subsidies) $2.3 billion, a decrease from 2012’s $3.8 billion
Small Loans – (loans of up to $3 million, or $5 million in high cost areas) $2.3 billion, down from $3.0 billion in 2012
Large Loans – (loans $25 million or higher) $10.4 billion, down from $11.6 billion in 2012
Manufactured Housing Communities – $1.0 billion, an increase from $912 million in 2012
Student Housing – $454 million, a decrease from $712 million in 2012
Structured Transactions – $1.9 billion, a slight increase from 2012’s $1.8 billion
Seniors Housing – $1.6 billion, up from 2012’s $1.2 billion
As the largest source of financing in the multifamily sector, Fannie Mae remains a reliable partner across the spectrum of the nation’s rental housing needs.

This Press Release is courtesy of www.fanniemae.com

ATLANTA, – The Home Depot®, the world’s largest home improvement retailer, today announced that it has acquired Blinds.com. Based in Houston, Blinds.com is the #1 online window coverings retailer in the world. The acquisition closed today, and terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“We’re delighted to welcome the Blinds.com team into The Home Depot family,” said Frank Blake, chairman & CEO of The Home Depot. “The acquisition of Blinds.com positions us well for expansion in the quickly growing online window coverings market. In addition, their unique sales and service model is one we hope to learn from as we continue to create even better interconnected retail experiences for our customers.”

Since 1996, the team at Blinds.com has developed a simple, seamless and engaging online and mobile experience. Its knowledgeable, highly-trained staff has been selling window coverings for an average of 12 years, and they are available to service customers by phone, live chat and face2face™ video consultation. As The Home Depot continues to implement its interconnected retail strategy, the company will work with Blinds.com to expand its technology into homedepot.com and the company’s stores with the goal of improving the entire end-to-end buying process for window coverings.

The Blinds.com management team and staff will remain intact at its headquarters in Houston to continue growing its successful brands, customer experience and unique culture of service.

“We’re joining forces with The Home Depot because there is a huge opportunity to utilize each other’s strengths, take additional share in this category and move even faster toward our vision of making the design, purchase and installation of quality window coverings as easy and affordable as possible,” said Jay Steinfeld, founder and CEO of Blinds.com. “We will continue to build the Blinds.com brand and culture in our own unique way, and we believe The Home Depot is the best partner to help us do this over the long term.”

This Press Release is courtesy of www.homedepot.com