Appraisal Institute News | Appraisal Institute

Oct 03, 2018 12:29 PM

Legislators Demand Fed Maintain Capital Requirements for Big Banks

Nineteen congressional members submitted a letter Sept. 20 to Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell demanding that the Fed maintain strict capital requirements for large banks, HousingWire reported. The letter is in response to a Fed official who expressed interest in weakening rules due to “unwarranted capital burdens.”

Sep 19, 2018 12:30 PM

Mortgage Fraud Rose Sharply During the Second Quarter: CoreLogic

The risk for mortgage fraud jumped 12.4 percent year-over-year in the second quarter, according to the Mortgage Application Fraud Index released Sept. 13 by analytics firm CoreLogic, HousingWire reported. The index includes data for such fraud indicators as identity, income, occupancy, property, transaction and undisclosed real estate debt.

Sep 19, 2018 12:30 PM

Beige Books Shows Housing Activity Slowing, Commercial Activity Growing

Home sales through the end of August slowed in some Fed districts due to lower demand and reduced inventories, but commercial sales and leasing showed modest increases, as did lending activity, the Federal Reserve reported Sept. 12 in its latest Beige Book.

Sep 19, 2018 12:30 PM

New Google Tool Estimates Carbon Footprint of Buildings, Transportation

Google launched its Environmental Insights Explorer tool Sept. 10 to estimate the carbon footprint of a city’s buildings and all the modes of transportation used by the people living there, Fast Company reported. More than 9,000 cities have agreed to reduce emissions as part of the Paris Agreement, but many have no inventory of emissions.

Sep 12, 2018 10:40 AM

Farmland Prices Hold Steady Despite Trade War with China, Moodys Says

Farmland prices in the U.S. are holding steady despite the recent trade war with China, according to risk management firm Moody’s Analytics, Commercial Observer reported Sept. 4. Real estate values in the Federal Reserve’s seventh district (where most soybean production occurs) reached a record high of $3,140 per acre in August.

Sep 12, 2018 10:40 AM

Bill to Repeal GSEs Introduced; Appraisal Institute Reviewing Proposal

Reps. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, and John Delaney, D-Md., released on Sept. 6 a discussion draft bill to reform the government sponsored-enterprises and the housing finance system currently backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The bill would repeal the GSEs’ charters and adopt a system allowing qualified mortgages to be securitized through Ginnie Mae.

Sep 12, 2018 10:38 AM

Fed Extends Until Mid-October the Comment Period for Volcker Rule Update

U.S. regulators announced Sept. 4 that they extended by 30 days the public comment period regarding the proposed rewrite of the Volcker Rule, Reuters reported. Comments are due by Oct. 17. The Volcker Rule bans proprietary trading by banks, which have complained that the rule is too complex.

Sep 05, 2018 12:30 PM

Fed Sees Greater Recession Risk as Some Seek to Halt Rate Increases

The gap between short-term and long-term borrowing costs is narrowing, which could signal the growing risk of a recession, according to a Federal Reserve study published Aug. 27, Business Insider reported. Some Fed officials believe that the flattening yield curve is a reason to halt additional interest rate increases.

Sep 05, 2018 12:30 PM

Moodys Says It Will Acquire Reis

Ratings agency Moody’s announced Aug. 30 that it is acquiring the analytics firm Reis, MarketWatch reported. The $278 million deal expands Moody’s presence in the U.S. commercial real estate market.

Sep 05, 2018 12:30 PM

Medical Office Vacancies at 10-Year Low; Developers Stay Busy: Report

The medical office market remains a hot sector for institutional investors, with building vacancies rising slightly but still at a 10-year low, according to commercial real estate brokerage Marcus & Millichap, Globest.com reported Aug. 30. Developers are on track to deliver an additional 9.9 million square feet this year.

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