Articles About Residential
- Author:
- Mark McDowell
- Posted:
- 11.01.2010
Suburban Sprawl’s Impact on the Carbon Footprint
The way America has been built in the last half century has assured that a majority of the population is dependent on the car to get to work, to school, to shop or virtually any place. This is the opinion of Andres Duany and Jeff Speck, who are city planners and co-authors of “The Smart […]
- Author:
- Tom Silva
- Posted:
- 10.29.2010
The House That Started a Foreclosure Frenzy
A small, weathered, blue-gray house in Denmark, ME, set off a national uproar about the foreclosure crisis when its owner, Nicolle Bradbury, lost her job and stopped paying her mortgage two years ago. The family, which includes Bradbury’s disabled husband and two children, lives on food stamps and welfare. When the bank started to foreclose […]
- Author:
- Jafer Hasnain
- Posted:
- 10.26.2010
Foreclosure Crisis Requires Creative Thinking
As I caught up on my New York Times reading over the weekend, I was struck by how consuming an issue this foreclosure legal mess has become. It is on the front page, on the Op-Ed page and on the inside. Well summarized in newspapers and well noted in the blogosphere. This issue has progressed […]
- Author:
- Mike Ochs
- Posted:
Uninsured Americans Rose 9.4 Percent of the Population in 2009
Mortgage rates have hit a record low. According to Freddie Mac, rates for 30-year mortgages fell to 4.27 percent from 4.32 percent in just one week. At the same time, safe-haven government debt is more appealing to investors than ever, according to a Freddie Mac survey. The low rates may be a sign that housing […]
- Author:
- Mark McDowell
- Posted:
- 10.22.2010
Solar Farm to Sprout on White House Roof
A new green initiative is joining the White House’s already famous organic vegetable garden. President Barack Obama plans to install solar panels on top of the White House’s living quarters to heat water and provide power to some of the historic mansion. The panels are scheduled to be in place by the spring of 2011, […]
- Author:
- Tom Silva
- Posted:
- 10.18.2010
Robert Knakal on the Bulls vs. the Bears – Who Do You Trust?
Who’s right about the state of the economy and commercial real estate – the bulls or the bears? Robert Knakal, chairman of New York-based Massey Knakal Realty Services, weighs both sides to help us cut through the mixed messages. In a recent interview for the Alter NOW Podcasts, Knakal noted that the bulls like to […]
- Author:
- Mark McDowell
- Posted:
- 10.14.2010
Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley To Receive Legacy Award for His Sustainable City
Who is the recipient of the inaugural Mayor Richard M. Daley Legacy Award for Global Leadership in Creating Sustainable Cities? It’s none other than retiring Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley himself. Writing in the Chicago Tribune, architecture critic Blair Kamin said “Chicago’s lame-duck mayor, famous for his green thumb and his iron fist, will receive […]
- Author:
- Mark McDowell
- Posted:
- 10.05.2010
Green Construction Comprises One-Third of All U.S. Projects
Although construction in the United States has been slow since the financial meltdown of 2008, there is one niche segment that is thriving – green construction. According to McGraw-Hill Construction, green buildings now comprise one-third of all new construction, an increase of two percent over 2005, a surprise in an industry that is historically slow […]
- Author:
- Mike Ochs
- Posted:
- 09.29.2010
Wealthy Chicagoans Return to Purchasing Upscale Houses, Condos
High-end residential sales in Chicago rose – somewhat unexpectedly — during the first eight months of 2010. This is primarily a result of sellers reducing their asking prices and closings at some high-profile condominium developments. Even with the uptick in sales, there’s still an excess of houses and condos on the market that likely will […]
- Author:
- Tom Silva
- Posted:
- 09.14.2010
Obama Administration Sets Its Sights on Housing Reform
The Obama administration – fresh from its financial regulation reform legislative victory – is not resting on its laurels. Next on the busy agenda is reforming the American housing market, which is viewed by many as the root of the financial crisis. In a response to collapsing housing prices and waves of foreclosures, the administration […]