Armando Montelongo Live

The “graying” of the U.S. population will have broad effects on the country’s housing markets, from increased demand for affordable housing and rentals to changing home ownership demographics, according to a new report.

The Bipartisan Policy Center recently released its projections for the national market in “Demographic Challenges and Opportunities for U.S. Housing Markets,” a 52-page report we have summarized in this multimedia presentation:

As short sales become more common, it’s important that real estate investors become familiar with the process.

RealtyTrac, which tracks and studies foreclosure listings nationwide, has compiled a simplified version of the steps involved in a short sale, in which a lender agrees to accept less than what is owed on a house from a buyer, often as a way to avoid the often lengthy and expensive foreclosure process.

Here’s a quick checklist of the process, with information from the RealtyTrac blog:

What do you think? Is this helpful? Are you ready to start making more short-sale offers? Let us know:

Recent reports from both public agencies and private companies have highlighted the dramatic growth in the market for rental properties since the end of the housing boom.

Between the supply of houses and the demand for rentals, real estate investors have a significant chance today to establish themselves in buy-and-hold investments for the long term.

Here’s a visual look at the trends. Let us know what you think in the “Leave a Reply” box at the bottom of the page.

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The list of housing markets showing improvement in three statistical areas grew to 101 in April.

Thirty-four states and the District of Columbia are represented by at least one city in the National Association of Home Builders’ Improving Markets Index list, which identifies areas that have shown growth from troughs in housing permits, employment and house prices for at least six consecutive months.

Eleven markets dropped from the list and 13 were added, among them Rome, Ga.; Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; Greenville, N.C.; Brownsville, Texas; St. George, Utah; and Huntington, W.Va. The list now totals 101 cities.

“While housing markets across the country continue to struggle under the weight of overly tight lending conditions and other challenges, the April IMI indicates that at least 101 individual metros are showing measurable and consistent signs that they are headed in the right direction,” said Barry Rutenberg, the association’s chairman.

Here are the states and cities represented in the index this month:

The National Association of Home Builders/First American Improving Markets Index grew to 99 metro areas in in March, with Orlando. Fla., Rochester, N.Y., Columbus, Ohio, and Austin and San Antonio, Texas, joining the list.

The index identifies areas with improvement from troughs in employment (from the Bureau of Labor Statistics), home prices (from Freddie Mac) and single-family housing permits (from the U.S. Census Bureau) for six consecutive months.

“Economic conditions have been consistently strengthening in a diverse array of individual markets nationwide,” noted Barry Rutenberg, chairman of the association.

Thirty-two states and the District of Columbia are represented by at least one market:

Is your metro area on the list? Tell is what you think of this index in the comments section below: