news-at-noon

More Support Will be Needed for GSEs

HousingWire reports another $42 billion in subsidies will be needed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from 2012 to 2021, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).  In testimony before Congress this week, CBO said Fannie and Freddie have returned $24 billion, reducing the original $154 billion bailout to $130 …

More Support Will be Needed for GSEs Read More

Sam Zell, Chairman of ELS, Target of Lawsuit

Bloomberg reports that a division of Deutsche Bank of Frankfort, Germany, sued dozens of former shareholders and brokers of Chicago’s Tribune Company, alleging Sam Zell’s leveraged buyout (LBO) and subsequent bankrupting of Tribune was fraudulent, and just a way for the shareholders to line their pockets with $8.5 billion.  In …

Sam Zell, Chairman of ELS, Target of Lawsuit Read More

MHI Pushes for Campaign to Revise Dodd-Frank

MHI Week in Review continues urging contacts with members of Congress to make revisions to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank) that are of significant concern to the manufactured housing industry.  These include: 1) high-cost mortgage triggers; 2) qualified mortgage criteria for small manufactured home loans; …

MHI Pushes for Campaign to Revise Dodd-Frank Read More

Canadian Company on the Prowl?

RTTNews says land lease community owner (LLC) Killam Properties, Inc. (TSX:KMP), of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada has closed its public offering of $46 million of 5.45 percent convertible subordinated debentures due June 30, 2018.  Canada NewsWire’s Digital Journal says a syndicate of underwriters led by RBC Capital Markets backed the …

Canadian Company on the Prowl? Read More

Executive Change in Manufactured Housing Transportation Firm

Business Wire reports that T.J.T., Inc. announces the appointment of Shawn CJ Kling as president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the company, replacing Joseph B. Light who is retiring.  The company supplies recycled axles, tires and other transportation supplies, and provides aftermarket products to the MH industry.  Serving a …

Executive Change in Manufactured Housing Transportation Firm Read More

Dow Falls Again, Housing Stocks Close Mixed

The Dow took a slight tumble again today amid news of the economy continuing to lag, dropping .34 percent to close at 12,248.35, and several housing stocks fell as well.  ELS gained 4.04 percent, MSCI was up .51 percent and Sun communities gained .47 percent. Palm Harbor Homes lost 16.33 …

Dow Falls Again, Housing Stocks Close Mixed Read More

Falling Mortgage Rates May Signal Another Downturn

HousingWire says fixed-rate mortgages (FRMs) dropped to their lowest rate since last November, suggesting that another decline in the housing market may be coming.  According to Bankrate, its survey of major lenders revealed the average 30-year FRM fell to 4.69 percent last week.  The average 15-year FRM declined to 3.88 …

Falling Mortgage Rates May Signal Another Downturn Read More

Chairman of Major Bank Says Mortgage Industry Bottom Hit

Bloomberg News reports that JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM)’s Jamie Damon says losses have peaked in the United States mortgage industry.  The chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of the financial services and banking industry giant, says home prices may slip further, but the worst is behind us.  JPM is …

Chairman of Major Bank Says Mortgage Industry Bottom Hit Read More

Modular Builder Partners with Schools for Green Home Competition

PRLog reports that Epoch Homes, a modular builder from Pembroke, New Hampshire, is collaborating with two UMassachusetts colleges to build a net zero energy modular home.  The Massachusetts College of Art and Design Department of Architecture, and the University of Massachusetts Lowell College of Engineering will work with Epoch to …

Modular Builder Partners with Schools for Green Home Competition Read More

Portfolio Manager’s First Quarter Less Painful Than Q1 2010

The Sacramento Bee says Origen Financial, Inc. (Pink Sheets:ORGN) reported a net loss of $2.8 million for the first quarter of this year, at 11 cents a share, versus a net loss in Q1 2010 of $5.2 million, or 20 cents a share.  The company, a real estate investment trust …

Portfolio Manager’s First Quarter Less Painful Than Q1 2010 Read More

Congress and Industry Suggest Altering Risk Retention

Origination News reports a congressional hearing heard both sides of the aisle criticizing federal regulators for exempting Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from the five percent risk retention policy on non-qualified residential mortgages (QRMs).  The Dodd-Frank Act (Dodd-Frank) exempts Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and Veterans Affairs (VA) loans, but not …

Congress and Industry Suggest Altering Risk Retention Read More

Industry Pros Express Concerns over Dodd-Frank Implementation

Manufactured housing personal property (chattel) lenders state that unless amended, once rule making goes into effect on the Dodd-Frank Act (Dodd-Frank), loans on homes under $78,000 will become history due to the increasing fixed transactional costs per loan required by the law.  MH lenders’ records reveal that most personal property …

Industry Pros Express Concerns over Dodd-Frank Implementation Read More

Dow Registers Big Fall, Many Housing Stocks Follow

The Dow dropped 279.65 points in its worst day of trading since last August, as economic fears gathered, to close at 12,290.14, and most housing stocks followed suit.  ELS gained 2.35 percent, but Skyline Corporation fell 5.70 percent, Cavco dropped 4.70 percent, Sun Communities lost 4.47 percent, Palm Harbor Homes …

Dow Registers Big Fall, Many Housing Stocks Follow Read More

Modular Apartments Still Set to Rise in Brooklyn

Following up on a story we published here March 17, Bloomberg reports that Bruce Ratner, CEO and chairman of Forest City Ratner Companies, the developer of the Atlantic Yards in Brooklyn, New York, plans to borrow $100 million to construct the 34-story modular apartment building.  Thirty percent of the 400 …

Modular Apartments Still Set to Rise in Brooklyn Read More

Sun (Communities) Becoming More Orange

RVBusiness says that real estate investment trust (REIT) Sun Communities, Inc., of Southfield, Michigan, acquired Orange City RV Resort in Orange City, Florida, for $6.47 million cash.  Orange City has 517 RV sites and is less than 50 miles to Disney World and the Daytona Beach area.  According to the …

Sun (Communities) Becoming More Orange Read More

Home Buyers Stimulate Economy More than Renters

HousingWire reports that a survey of over 1,000 borrowers by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) revealed half could not afford the required 20 percent down payment under the qualified residential mortgage (QRM) plan, despite housing prices being at record lows.  USA Today‘s analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data …

Home Buyers Stimulate Economy More than Renters Read More

California City Backs Green, Affordable Manufactured Homes

The Santa Monica Daily Press reports that eleven new manufactured homes are being showcased as examples of green technology applied to manufactured housing.  Built with a combination of federal funds and local redevelopment dollars as part of an affordable housing initiative, the units have solar cells for energy and water …

California City Backs Green, Affordable Manufactured Homes Read More

MHARR on the Move

Staff members of the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) met May 26 with Acting HUD (Housing and Urban Development) Assistant Secretary for Housing – Federal Housing Commissioner Bob Ryan, and career officials of the HUD manufactured housing program.  Issues included consumer financing, changing HUD’s “trailer” orientation to “housing” …

MHARR on the Move Read More

Equity LifeStyle Properties Acquires Chunk of Competitor

Chicago Real Estate Daily reports that Sam Zell’s Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) is adding 31,167 home sites to its portfolio of 111,002 home sites by buying 76 land lease communities (LLC) from Hometown America LLC, its Chicago-based competition.  The properties are spread over 20 states.  ELS will finance the $1.4 …

Equity LifeStyle Properties Acquires Chunk of Competitor Read More

Dow Ends Day Up, Month Down; Housing Stocks Close Up

The Dow gained 128.21 points on the day to close at 12,569.79, even though the month showed an overall loss of less than two percent since May 1.   Housing stocks were also on the plus side.  Palm Harbor Homes ended the day up 13.64 percent, Deer Valley climbed 11.11 percent, …

Dow Ends Day Up, Month Down; Housing Stocks Close Up Read More

mas kovach mhpronews shopping with soheyla .jp

Get our ‘read-hot’ industry-leading 

get our ‘read-hot’ industry-leading emailed headline news updates

Scroll to Top