Written by Federal Title | 05 January 2012

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LOCAL Buying or selling a home: What to expect in 2012 Washington Post Six years after the country’s housing market began its downward slide, and zero years into a whole-hearted, full-fledged recovery. Most of the Washington region has been insulated from the worst of the housing crisis, but the local market is nonetheless in an unpredictable spot. Baltimore, DC home sales expected to climb in 2012 Housing Wire Foreclosures are at the lowest rate in three years in the area, which also has public transportation projects underway and job security for many residents, the MRIS report notes. There's also been a slow but steady increase in the median home sale price since 2010. All DC homes to be sold as-is DC Urban Turf While the new contract may result in increased transparency, many believe that it will shift power in favor of sellers, and could affect property values. Ringing out the New Year on a positive note Washington Times 2011 turned out to be a good year for the Washington-area real estate market. Buyers were more active than they have been in five years, and the backlog of unsold homes fell to its lowest point in seven years. From Russia with love and window treatments DC Mud For transplanted Moscow native Lena Kroupnik of Lena Kroupnik Interiors, crossing the great and cold divide in 1991 entailed more than simply swapping nations.

NATIONAL Real estate pros share their insights on 2012 Inman News Inman News asked readers to share their expectations for real estate's top issues and trends in 2012, and to find out what tops their wish lists and to-do lists in the year ahead. Mortgage rate drops for the New Year Wall Street Journal Zillow said the 30-year fixed mortgage rate on its Mortgage Marketplace is at 3.73%, down from 3.81% a week earlier. The company said the rate dropped to 3.68% on Saturday and then held between 3.74% and 3.79% until it fell to the current rate early Tuesday morning. Refinancing gets even more attractive Smart Money Economic uncertainty in Europe and slow growth in the U.S. are prompting investors to pile into ultrasafe U.S. Treasurys. That, in turn, is pushing down mortgage rates, which are tied to Treasurys.  5 events that really mattered for housing in 2011 and beyond Time magazine Government, the mortgage industry and forces of nature all shook the housing market in 2011. They had both an immediate impact and slow-burning effects, setting the stage for a bumpy 2012 with more foreclosures, political battles and local market risks. Fed White Paper: "The US housing market: Current conditions and policy considerations Calculated Risk At the same time that housing demand has weakened, the number of homes for sale is elevated relative to historical norms, due in large part to the swollen inventory of homes held by banks, guarantors, and servicers after completion of foreclosure proceedings.