Housing News

Flirting with short-sale fraud in Nevada could soon be less risky: Friday, June 14, 2013; Real esate:; By Eli Segall; When your house plunges in value and you can’t afford the mortgage, it can be tempting to short sell to friends or relatives and just rent from them. It’s a temptation some Las Vegans act on, even though it can send them to jail.

Henderson couple charged with bank fraud in short sale: Thursday, June 13, 2013; By Riley Snyder; A Henderson couple could face up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine if convicted of bank fraud allegations in the short sale of their home. Cynthia Hosbrook, 41, and her husband, Robert Hosbrook, 51, were indicted in U.S. District Court on Wednesday.

Bonds OK’d for affordable-housing project in Henderson: Tuesday, June 11, 2013; By Cy Ryan; The state Board of Finance on Tuesday cleared the way for construction of a 210-unit apartment complex in Henderson for moderate- and low-income families.

Controversial program that uses eminent domain to bail out underwater homeowners poised for vote in NLV: Tuesday, June 11, 2013; Real esate:; By Conor Shine; For the past two years, representatives from Mortgage Resolution Partners have traveled to cities around the country to pitch local governments on a plan to help underwater homeowners keep their homes.

Amnesty period for nonpermitted home improvements nears end: Tuesday, May 28, 2013; By Conor Shine; Homeowners have only a few days left to self-report and avoid paying penalties for any home modifications done without a permit under a countywide amnesty program that runs through May.

Report: Median new house price in Las Vegas headed to $250,000: Tuesday, May 28, 2013; By Eli Segall; Las Vegas builders continue to sell homes at a faster clip than last year as they pull more permits and buy land at higher prices.

These five homes sold in May for how much?: Sunday, May 26, 2013; Real estate:; By Eli Segall; Las Vegas’ housing market is bouncing back with higher prices, rising values and a growing pipeline of construction plans. But not everyone is thrilled with a key reason for the upswing: investors.

Higher dues for homeowners at stake in HOA legislation: Thursday, May 23, 2013; Legislature 2013:; By Andrew Doughman; Anyone living in a homeowners association in Nevada might want to pay attention to the next few weeks at the Legislature.

Deciding whether to rent or buy a home getting more complicated: Thursday, May 16, 2013; By Eli Segall; Deciding whether to rent or buy a house in Las Vegas seemed pretty simple last summer: owning was cheaper than renting within two years of purchase.

More and more million-dollar homes being snapped up in Las Vegas: Wednesday, May 15, 2013; By Eli Segall; After some chilly years, Las Vegas’ luxury housing market is heating up. There were 85 sales of million-dollar homes in the three months ending March 31, up from 39 deals in the same period last year.

Nevada maintains familiar perch atop foreclosure rankings: Wednesday, May 8, 2013; Real estate:; By Eli Segall; Nevada had the highest foreclosure rate in the country again last month despite having fewer distressed homes. One in every 360 housing units statewide had a foreclosure-related filing in April.

Legislature approves plan to help homeowners with defaulted loans keep their house: Wednesday, May 8, 2013; Nevada Legislature 2013:; By Cy Ryan; A legislative subcommittee has approved a new $149 million program to help thousands of Nevada homeowners who became delinquent on their loans from 2002 to 2008.

Nevada second to only Florida in mortgage delinquency: Wednesday, May 8, 2013; By Eli Segall; The percentage of Nevadans who are months late on their mortgage payments is falling, but it remains well above the national average. Nevada had a mortgage delinquency rate of 9.12 percent last quarter.

Report: Las Vegas among top spots to ‘flip’ homes: Thursday, May 2, 2013; By Eli Segall; Flipping homes in Las Vegas is not as common as it used to be, but it’s still a lucrative business. The Las Vegas Valley is the second best place in the country to “flip” a home, according to a new report from RealtyTrac.

Housing rebound is facing obstacle: Too few homes: Wednesday, May 1, 2013; By Scott Mayerowitz, Associated Press; Beth Heinen Bell and her husband, Christian, are sick of renting. They want more space. They'd like to host friends for dinner. And now, having seen the real estate market start to rebound, they want to turn housing payments into long-term equity. So after a decade as someone else's tenant, the Bells, like a rising number of Americans, are finally ready to buy a home.