Housing News

U.S. home prices rise 8.1 percent, most since June 2006: Tuesday, March 26, 2013; Las Vegas, one of the nation's hardest hit markets, sees gain of 15.3 percent; By Paul Wiseman, Associated Press; U.S. home prices rose in January at the fastest annual pace since June 2006, just before the housing bubble burst. The gain shows the housing recovery is strengthening ahead of the all-important spring buying season.

Report: Las Vegas land prices rising at ‘downright scary’ pace: Thursday, March 21, 2013; By Eli Segall; Las Vegas land prices are rising at an unsustainable and “downright scary” pace as the valley’s home building market continues to rebound, a new report says.

Plan that aids underwater homeowners through eminent domain to get hearing in North Las Vegas: Wednesday, March 6, 2013; Real estate:; By Conor Shine; A company with a unique but controversial approach to help underwater homeowners refinance their mortgages using eminent domain will pitch the North Las Vegas City Council on the plan Wednesday evening. Mortgage Resolution Partners has spent the past year meeting with local governments in states hit hardest by the housing crash to present its plan that would use private money to buy distressed mortgages and help homeowners reduce the amount of principal owed while staying in their houses.

U.S. home prices rose by most in nearly 7 years: Tuesday, March 5, 2013; By Christopher S. Rugaber, Associated Press; U.S. home prices jumped in January, a sign the housing market is gaining momentum as it nears the spring selling season. Home prices rose 9.7 percent in January from a year ago, according to data released Tuesday by CoreLogic. That's up from an 8.3 percent increase in December and the biggest annual gain since April 2006.

Disagree with county appraiser's value on your home? Take your case to this board: Thursday, February 28, 2013; By Conor Shine; It’s 8 a.m. on a recent Saturday at the County Commission chambers as five members of the Board of Equalization take the dais. The chamber seats are filled with homeowners from throughout the valley.

New housing market off to strong start this year: Friday, February 22, 2013; By Eli Segall; The Las Vegas Valley’s new homes market roared out of the gate last month with rising sales and construction plans, though activity is still weak compared to the boom years.

Percentage of underwater homeowners in Vegas drops in 2012: Wednesday, February 20, 2013; By Eli Segall; The percentage of underwater homeowners in Las Vegas Valley fell last year as rising home values gave many people a financial lift. But there’s ample room for improvement: Las Vegas is expected to stay the underwater capital of America for at least another year.

City puts lien on Summerlin house for cost of hoarding cleanup: Wednesday, February 20, 2013; By Conor Shine; A Las Vegas man who filled his home with tons of garbage, dozens of animals and other hoarded objects won’t be able to sell his house without first paying off a six-figure cleanup bill to the city.

County to study easing rules to allow vacation home rentals: Wednesday, February 20, 2013; Majority of commissioners still wary, want to avoid proliferation of party houses; By Conor Shine; Short-term vacation rentals are currently outlawed in residential areas in unincorporated Clark County, but that could be changing.

UNLV students prepare to build competition-ready 'net-zero' house: Thursday, February 14, 2013; By Paul Takahashi; After more than a year of design drafts, a group of bright UNLV students is ready to break ground on a fully functioning house powered exclusively by the sun. In January 2012, UNLV was selected to participate in the Solar Decathlon, a biennial competition that challenges 20 collegiate teams from around the world to design and construct a solar-powered house. It's a pertinent challenge for a desert city like Las Vegas, where sunshine is abundant, natural energy resources are scarce and smog checks and air-quality warnings are ubiquitous.

Nevada foreclosure rate remains second worst in nation: Wednesday, February 13, 2013; By Eli Segall; Nevada’s foreclosure rate remained the second worst in the country last month, despite a continued drop in volume. One in every 344 housing units in Nevada had a foreclosure-related filing in January.

Nevada still has among worst mortgage delinquency rates: Tuesday, February 12, 2013; By Eli Segall; Nevada’s mortgage delinquency rate improved last year but remains one of the worst in the country, a new report shows. Nevada had the second-highest delinquency rate — 10.45 percent — in the country in the three months ending Dec. 31, according to TransUnion.

Median home prices experience largest year-over-year increase in nine years: Friday, February 8, 2013; Real estate:; By Eli Segall; Southern Nevada’s housing market began 2013 with mixed results last month, with rising prices, shrinking inventory and an uptick in nondistressed sales.

Three Las Vegas-area communities in top 15 for home sales: Monday, February 4, 2013; By Eli Segall; Three Las Vegas Valley master-planned communities were in the top 15 nationwide for sales last year, research reports say.

Las Vegas one of the worst areas to buy bank-owned home, report says: Wednesday, January 30, 2013; real estate:; By Eli Segall; If you’re hunting for a deal on a bank-owned house, don’t bother looking in Las Vegas. The valley is expected to be one of the worst regions in America to buy a foreclosed home this year, according to a new report from RealtyTrac. The research firm ranked Las Vegas fourth from the bottom. The valley has only seven months worth of foreclosure inventory and a 17 percent price discount, says RealtyTrac.