First American Blog - The First Word
Welcome to First American’s blog featuring highlights on home ownership and title insurance. Please also be sure to visit and subscribe to our Innovation Center Blog, our Caring for Our Community Blog and our Economic Center Blog.

Shadow housing inventory on the decline in early 2013

According to a recent report by CoreLogic, January 2013 saw the pending supply, or shadow inventory, of homes for sale down 28 percent from its all time high in January 2010. Shadow inventory is the combined number of homes that are seriously delinquent on a mortgage payment, in foreclosure proceedings or owned by the mortgage servicer (REO), but...

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Topics: Economy

Mortgages for One

Mortgages are often thought of as a two-person operation, but that trend is starting to shift in the real estate market as individuals are increasingly seeking home loans on their own. Buyers who choose to go it alone enjoy some unique freedoms like not being tied to another person's credit or employment history. However, they also may...

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Topics: Homebuyer and Seller Education Economy Housing

Housing Market Enters 2013 with Strong Momentum

The recession of the late 2000s scared a large number of homebuyers out of the housing market, but recent improvements and increased stability have helped lure millions of Americans back in. In fact, the last three months of 2012 proved to be one of the strongest quarters in recent years, which led many experts to declare that the housing market...

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Topics: Economy Industry News

Rate of Foreclosures Drops in Two-Thirds of Major Metros

Although the nation's housing market is a long way from recovering fully from the recession of the late 2000s, several indicators suggest that significant progress was made during the third quarter of 2012. In addition to improving in basic measurements of health like property values, the housing market has also seen a large reduction in the...

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Topics: Economy Industry News Housing

How to Know When It Is a Good Time to Sell Your Home

Many factors are involved in deciding whether it is the right time to sell your house: the condition of the property, the state of your neighborhood and, of course, whether it's a good time for you and your family to move to a new location. However, perhaps even more important than any of these factors in determining whether to list your home is...

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Topics: Homebuyer and Seller Education Economy

Improving Markets Index Remains Strong in May

The list of housing markets showing measurable and sustained improvement held virtually unchanged in May at 100, down from 101 in April, according to the National Association of Home Builders/First American Improving Markets Index (IMI). The number of states represented on the list also held firm from the previous month, at 35 (including the...

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Topics: Economy Housing