If you’re waiting on the shadow inventory, the flood of foreclosed homes held by Freddie and Fannie as well as a myriad of banking institutions across the U.S. to hit the market, don’t hold your breath. This is just not going to happen. The Wall Street Journal points out in a recent article that Banks have gotten more efficient at doing Short Sales..

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Mezzanine finance is that part of the capital structure between bank debt and equity. It has emerged as an enticing and in many cases "only" new finance option for hotel owners or buyers increasingly faced with a credit squeeze from banks. Market conditions have created an increasingly favorable climate for mezzanine debt financing, elevating it to critical component status...

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As a lot of you may already know by now, the San Diego real estate market has dramatically changed. Opportunities for home buyers abound and a segment of homebuyers that were previously priced out of the market are in the game – and there are no holds barred...

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The median price for March was $325,000 for detached homes. The slight three percent decrease from February even further reinforces that now is a good time for the first-time home buyer to invest. SDAR recognizes this, and, as a result, presented a seminar on first-time homeownership at our SDAR Real Estate Expo last month. Here are a few pointers in case you missed it...

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You're ready to leave the beach, but instead of a $10,000 down-payment, you have a pair of YSL boots, five pairs of Manolos, two pairs of Jimmy Choos, two pairs of Prada heels, and that Valentino dress that you managed to get on sale before the master retired. No problem, because better-than-condo living is now available and there's no down payment necessary. Oliver McMillan is building apartments for urbanites on the border of East Village and the Gaslamp Quarter...

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The Federal Funds rate is what banks charge each other for overnight loans, which allows banks to lower interest rates to their best customers. Chairman Bernanke lowered this rate by ¾ of a point on Tuesday January 22, 2008 which was the largest drop in 18 years. There is even talk that the fed may drop rates once again when they meet next week...

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As a prospective buyer or owner, possessing the freedom to have a dog downtown is usually based on your San Diego Home Owner's Association. So, in your hunt for the perfect new home in downtown San Diego, make sure it is also the perfect place for your pooch. Wouldn't you rather live somewhere that both you and your dog are welcome? No one wants to live their lavish life in downtown hiding. . .

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Will the San Diego wildfires affect San Diego real estate? The answer to this question is yes, but not nearly as much as you might think. Today we will examine a few distinct aspects of the situation and how they will affect the whole: lending, prices, inventory, defensible space, rental market, insurance, buyer confidence, construction, and contractors. . .

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Everyone knows that when it comes to real estate in San Diego, the old adage, "location, location, location" echoes in the distance. Even when the San Diego market is down, many locations, like beachfront homes, have maintained their property value, and in some cases, even gained equity. Of course, there is an exception to this real estate trend. San Diego's home values peaked in the summer of 2005 and have dropped approximately 10-35% throughout the county. So, what market element has been ...

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While the subprime lending market has led the way in the amount of national and San Diego foreclosures, the prime borrowers are beginning to catch up. There has unfortunately been very little foresight on the industry over the last several years. The subprime lending market is for borrowers with credit scores of less than 680. Typically, a borrower with a low credit score who gets a subprime loan will be penalized with a higher interest rate compared to a borrower with a high credit score (g...

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