| A peek 'Behind the Curtain' at real estate practices and 10 home-design pet peeves |
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Real estate agents and brokers surveyed by Inman News say their colleagues often engage in practices that most agree are unacceptable, such as relisting a property to generate fresh interest or reset days on market.But the survey also found that real estate professionals are divided on the acceptability of much of what goes on "behind the curtain" -- such as agents "double ending" a transaction and representing both the buyer and seller.The online survey of agents and brokers -- "Real Estate: Behind the Curtain" -- asked real estate professionals about not only the frequency of more than three dozen customs and practices, but whether they thought such behavior was acceptable or not.All rights reserved. This content may not be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever, in part or in whole, without written permission of Inman News.Use of this content without permission is a violation of federal copyright law. [Read the full article] Foreclosure starts rebounded in May and June after falling sharply in April, but loan modifications continued to outpace foreclosure sales during the second quarter, according to the latest report from loan servicers participating in the "Hope Now" program.The latest Hope Now report showed foreclosure starts -- which fell 25 percent from March to April, to just over 160,000 -- rebounding to 181,866 in May and 195,721 in June. Foreclosure sales remained nearly constant at around 70,000 per month, while loan servicers modified loans at the rate of about 80,000 per month.In the first six months of the year, loan servicers completed an estimated 558,125 loan modifications, down 42 percent from the same period a year ago. Most loan modifications completed in the first half of 2011 -- 374,704 -- were granted outside the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP).All rights reserved. [Read the full article] A husband-and-wife broker team who specialize in short sales and bank-owned properties can continue to operate their business while they appeal a 10-year suspension of their licenses by Washington regulators.An Aug. 5 final order by the Washington state Department of License revoking the licenses of Michael Hellickson, his wife Tara Hellickson, and their Pierce County-based brokerage, Hellickson.com Inc., won't take effect for 35 days, allowing the Hellicksons to seek a stay of the order while they appeal it in court.Regulators claim the couple committed multiple, serious violations of licensing law, including listing homes at artificially reduced prices below what the owner was willing to accept in order to generate multiple lowball offers.An attorney for the Hellicksons, Douglas Tingvall, said the Hellicksons will file suit in Pierce County Superior Court seeking a stay of the order pending judicial review. [Read the full article] 
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