Weekly Roundup: Rent squeeze, U.S. price gains, rates reversal, stocks vs. housing, declining buyer regret, best inflation hedge, tomorrow’s market

‘Gatsby’ lends a whiff of luxury, glamor to buildings

With declining vacancy rate, rents in Manhattan and Brooklyn keep rising

Navigating school zones trickier as more families with young children put down roots

85-year-old man adopted 62-year-old woman of privilege for her to claim $100-a-month Queens rental

Brick Underground lists eight best site for finding a no-fee apartment

Blog on worst rentals would be funny if not so sad

Interior designers veer toward extremes in 41st Kips Bay Decorator Show House

Lawyer details ‘double dipping, deadlines and discrimination’ in today’s housing market

Performance artist sells downtown townhouse at steep discount, or maybe it’s just part of the building

Supermodel lists Sag Harbor cottage following death of parents, who lived there

Realty bites actor and wife, who lose $1 million on sale of Riverside Drive duplex

Year-over-year asking prices go up 8.3 percent in April, but rents rise just 2.4 percent

March house prices post 10.5 percent gain over one year earlier and increase in 89 percent of cities

Number of markets showing sustained improvements ebbs from April to May

Time columnist observes that conventional wisdom doesn’t apply to current housing ‘boom’

Rates reverse course, turning up for first time in six weeks

New problem loans sink to lowest rate in six years

Purchase activity at highest point in three years

New York attorney general says banks violate agreement by failing to process hundreds of refi requests promptly

Fed survey of senior loan officers finds a few banks have eased standards

Pesky loan underwriters stoop to absurd levels

Reports of suspicious loan activity shrink for first time in decade

1 out of 14 borrowers late with at least one payment, but foreclosure situation improves substantially

Fed governor notes 90 percent drop in loan originations for borrowers with low credit scores compared with 30 percent for those with high ones

Loved by sellers, contingency-free contracts buyers’ bane

Forbes contributor contends homes are investment again

Adding voice to endless debate, Pew questions whether stocks or housing better investment

Overheated markets have buyers, agents taking risky chances (see contingencies above)

No shortage of gold coasts across the country

Financial advisers say hosting adult child back home can cost $8,000-18,000 annually

Home warranty imperfect form of protection for seller, buyer

Columnist compares renovations to colonoscopies

But knowing where to begin assures happiness in the end

Teen lounges, hangout areas, sleepover spaces, ‘offices’ for doing homework gaining currency

Homebuyer remorse declines from 2003-2009, but low inventory could mean change in outlook

Center for Housing Policy reports huge rise in proportion of income for rent causing cutbacks in health care, food

FHFA numbers spark debate whether gold or silver better hedge against inflation than real estate

Builders’ confidence in 55-plus housing market shows strong growth in Q1

Expectations by ‘experts’ of home price appreciation this year helps fuel  bubble concern

Experts not alone: More than half of American surveyed by Fannie Mae now think prices will increase over 12 months

You have the option to search privately for all New York City properties here, though I encourage you to be in touch with me for assistance and advice. You also may want to see my critiques of properties that I visit in Out and About, which I post on Mondays or Tuesdays.

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Malcolm Carter
Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker
Senior Vice President
Charles Rutenberg Realty
127 E. 56th Street
New York, NY 10022

M: 347-886-0248
F: 347-438-3201

Malcolm@ServiceYouCanTrust.com
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