Through a combination of reduced prices and the first-time home buyer tax credit, the lower end housing marketing has surged, according to a residential market update at the 2009 REALTORS Conference

According to an announcement made on Friday by Mortech, Inc., based in Lincoln, Nebraska, 2010 will be a year of development.

Crediting the home buyer tax credit, the National Association of Realtors (NAR), said they believe the outlook for housing and the economy appears to be headed for a sustainable recovery, and these projections were enhanced by the tax credit expansion to more home buyers through the middle of 2010.

Robert J. Hopp and Associates, LLC, a default law firm headquartered in Denver, Colorado, recently announced that it has promoted Jennifer H. Trachte to supervising attorney.

GMAC Financial Services said Monday that its CEO, Alvaro de Molina, has stepped down. The company's board of directors immediately named board member Michael A. Carpenter to fill the vacant position.

The Rockport Group and Trepp LLC are putting a securities underwriting model and loan analysis tool directly in the hands of commercial real estate investors.

After three months of consecutive declines, the number of foreclosed homes in California taken back by banks rose by 22.24 percent from September to October, according to ForeclosureRadar www.foreclosureradar.com, a local property information site that tracks every foreclosure in the Golden State and provides daily auction updates.

The FDIC's tally of failed banks for the 2009 calendar year has hit 123. The agency joined state and federal regulators Friday to close the doors on one institution in California and two in Florida.

Some lenders are moving to liberate their balance sheets of so-called toxic real estate loans that have led to billions in write-downs as property values have plummeted and defaults have soared.

During CoreNet Global Chicago'S monthly luncheon, experts discussed the future of the commercial real estate market.