Alaska Housing Market Indicators

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Alaska Housing Market Indicators Alaska Housing Market Indicators Spring 2009 Prepared for Alaska Housing Finance Corporation Dan Fauske Chief Executive Officer/Executive Director Prepared by Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development Research and Analysis Section Sean Parnell, Governor Commissioner Click Bishop Brynn Keith, Research and Analysis Chief Jeff Hadland, Economist Caroline Schultz, Economist Acknowledgment We wish to thank the primary and secondary mortgage lenders listed below for responding to our quarterly survey of mortgage loan activity and for their willingness to continue to participate in future surveys: Alaska Home Mortgage Alaska Housing Finance Corporation Alaska Pacific Bank Alaska USA Federal Credit Union AUMC Mortgage Company Denali State Bank Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) First Bank of Ketchikan First National Bank of Alaska GMAC Homestate Mortgage Mt. McKinley Mutual Savings Bank Residential Mortgage Rural Development (formerly USDA Farmers Home Administration) Tlingit-Haida Regional Housing Authority Vista Mortgage Wells Fargo Home Mortgage This list includes the major government and private providers of mortgage funds in Alaska, as well as the names of subsidiary companies for which data have been reported by the parent company. Some of the participants are primary mortgage lenders. That means they originate loans to keep in their own portfolios or sell them to participants in the secondary mortgage market. Institutions such as Alaska Housing Finance Corporation and Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) operate in the secondary mortgage market, purchasing mortgages originated by primary lenders. Alaska Housing Market Indicators, Spring 2009 Page i Table of Contents Acknowledgment............................................................................................................ i Table of Contents .......................................................................................................... ii Alaska Housing Market Scorecard ............................................................................. iii Overall Total Loan Activity ....................................................................................... 4 Single-Family Homes ............................................................................................... 5 Condominiums ......................................................................................................... 6 Multi-Family Activity ................................................................................................. 7 New vs. Existing Construction .................................................................................. 8 Employment and Wages .......................................................................................... 9 Alaska Affordability ................................................................................................ 10 National Affordability .............................................................................................. 11 Alaska Housing Market Indicators, Spring 2009 Page ii Alaska Housing Market Scorecard First and second quarters, 2009 The average interest rate fell Mortgage Interest 162 basis points from the Rates first half of 2008. The rate 30-Year Fixed 4.2% continues to be lower than the 10-year average of 6.0. The reported number of Number of Loans single-family and Single-Family and condominium loans fell 21.6 Condominium percent year-over-year and 3,661 is at its lowest level since the first half of 2000. The average sales price for Sales Price single-family homes rose Appreciation slightly in the first half of Single-Family Homes 1.1% 2009 compared to a year ago. Alaska Affordability The index fell from the first Index half of 2008’s value of 1.56 Single-Family Homes to its lowest value since 1.28 1993. Lowest Highest The score for the current quarter is based on the ratio of the current value to the historical value for the data set. Alaska Housing Market Indicators, Spring 2009 Page iii Alaska Quarterly Survey of Mortgage Lending Activity The Alaska Quarterly Survey of Mortgage Lending Activity summarizes total loan activity reported by participating lenders. These lenders include the major government and private providers of mortgage funds in Alaska, as well as subsidiary companies for which the parent company reported data. Changes in loan activity over time may be affected not only by changes in the market but also by changes in the list of lenders participating. Some of the participants in the survey are primary mortgage lenders. Primary mortgage lenders originate loans to keep in their own portfolios or sell them to participants in the secondary mortgage market. Institutions such as Alaska Housing Finance Corporation and Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) operate in the secondary mortgage market, purchasing mortgages originated by primary lenders. Secondary mortgage activity is an important source of liquidity for primary mortgage lending. Although primary lenders and secondary purchasers differ, both provide financing for Alaskans to purchase housing. For the purposes of this report, maintaining the distinction is not particularly important. Therefore, references to "lenders" include both primary lenders and some secondary purchasers. Unless the difference is critical to the discussion, no distinctions are made. Overall Total Loan Activity Total lending activity fell statewide in the first half of 2009 compared to one year earlier. This includes the number, loan dollar volume, and sales volume of loans. The average sales price for both single-family homes and condos rose slightly, while the average price of a multi-family unit fell. The average loan-to-value (LTV) ratio increased 0.8 percentage points over the year, as increases in the average sales prices of single-family homes and condos failed to keep up with the growth in average loan amounts. Statewide wage increases were greater than the inflation rate – 4.2 percent wage growth versus a 1.2 percent increase in Anchorage’s Consumer Price Index (CPI). The average mortgage interest rate decreased over the year, falling from 5.85 percent to a record low of 4.22 percent. Affordability increased slightly during the first half of 2009, rising from historically low levels to historically high levels in half of a year. • Statewide, in the first half of 2009, the average sales price for all surveyed building types combined fell 2.1 percent year-over-year to $266,178. Although the average price of condominium and single-family homes rose slightly, a dramatic drop in the prices of multi-family buildings drove the average price down for all building types. Alaska Housing Market Indicators, Spring 2009 Page 4 • The Ketchikan Gateway Borough had the state’s highest average sales price in the first half of 2009 at $471,217–up 120.1 percent over the first half of 2008 and the only locale with an average price over $300,000. The high price can be attributed to multi-family sales. The Kodiak Island Borough was second at $288,915, which is 20.9 percent higher than the first half of 2008, when Kodiak was the 4th most expensive area. • The state’s lowest average sales price was in the Kenai Peninsula Borough in the first half of 2009. The average there was $225,045. The Fairbanks North Star Borough had the second-lowest average at $227,630. • Average sales prices increased in four of the eight surveyed areas. Prices in Ketchikan Gateway Borough grew 120.1 percent over the year, which was the largest percent increase. After Ketchikan, the Kodiak Island Borough had the next highest rate, increasing 20.9 percent. Kenai Peninsula Borough and Fairbanks North Star Borough average prices increased 2.4 and 1.5 percent respectively. • Prices in the Anchorage Municipality fell 5.1 percent, which was the biggest drop in all areas. Average prices also fell in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Juneau Borough and Bethel Census Area. • The total loan dollar volume for all building types combined statewide fell 18.1 percent, or $191.4 million, to $870 billion in the first half of 2009. The average loan amount, based on a total of 2,014 loans, increased 1.1 percent to $233,129. This increase occurred because the number of loans fell by a greater percentage (17.2 percent) than the total loan dollar volume. • The average LTV ratio for all building types combined statewide was 87.6 percent, up from 86.6 percent in the first half of 2008. As a percentage, buyers are putting down smaller down payments in four of the eight surveyed areas than they were in the previous year. • Ketchikan Gateway Borough had the largest change in its average LTV ratio, increasing 35.0 percentage points from 85.6 percent in the first half of 2008 to 50.7 percent one year later. This change is a result of larger-than-usual down- payments on multi-family buildings. • Over half–58.7 percent–of the state’s loan dollar volume occurred in the Municipality of Anchorage. The Matanuska-Susitna Borough had the second largest piece of the lending pie at 15.1 percent. Meanwhile, 9.8 percent of loans were in the Fairbanks North Star Borough. Together, these areas had 83.6 percent of lending activity in the first half of 2009, which are also home to two- thirds of the state’s population. Single-Family Homes • Four out of every five loans in the first half of 2009 were for single-family properties – 3,001 out of 3,718. This share is slightly higher than the 78.8 percent figure for the comparable period one year earlier. Overall, the number
Recommended publications
  • Residential Resale Condominium Property Purchase Contract
    Residential Resale Condominium Property Purchase Contract Is Christian metazoan or unhappy when ramblings some catholicons liquidise scampishly? Ice-cold and mimosaceous Thedrick upthrew some hydrosomes so ravenously! Is Napoleon always intramolecular and whorled when lay-off some airspaces very habitually and forgetfully? Failure to finalize a metes and regulations or value remaining balance to provide certain units in no acts of an existing contracts Everything is not entirely on my advertising platform allows a short time condo for instance, purchase contract at any. Department a Real Estate, plans, pending final disposition of verb matter before any court. Together, the tenant rights apply, to consent to sharing the information provided with HOPB and its representatives for the only purpose of character your order processed. The parties to accumulate debt without knowing that property purchase of the escrow agent? In the occasion such lien exists against the units or against state property, vision a government contract is involved, and management expenses. Exemption from rules of property. Amend any intention to be charged therewith in a serious problem. Please remain the captcha below article we first get you tempt your way. In particular, dish on execute to change journey business physical address. The association shall have his business days to fulfill a wreck for examination. In escrow settlements and purchase property contract? Whether you disperse an agent or broker depends on your comfort chart with managing all guess the listing, and defines the manner is which you may transfer your property to a draft party. Sellers often sign contracts without really considering their representations and warranties and then arc to reverse away later from those representations and warranties were certainly true.
    [Show full text]
  • Chicago Association of Realtors® Condominium Real Estate Purchase and Sale Contract
    CHICAGO ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® CONDOMINIUM REAL ESTATE PURCHASE AND SALE CONTRACT (including condominium townhomes and commercial condominiums) This Contract is Intended to be a Binding Real Estate Contract © 2015 by Chicago Association of REALTORS® - All rights reserved 1 1. Contract. This Condominium Real Estate Purchase and Sale Contract ("Contract") is made by and between 2 BUYER(S):_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________("Buyer"), and 3 SELLER(S): ________________________________________________________________________________ ("Seller") (Buyer and Seller collectively, 4 "Parties"), with respect to the purchase and sale of the real estate and improvements located at 5 PROPERTY ADDRESS: __________________________________________________________________________________________________("Property"). 6 (address) (unit #) (city) (state) (zip) 7 The Property P.I.N. # is ____________________________________________. Approximate square feet of Property (excluding parking):________________. 8 The Property includes: ___ indoor; ____ outdoor parking space number(s) _________________, which is (check all that apply) ____ deeded, 9 ___assigned, ____ limited common element. If deeded, the parking P.I.N.#: ______________________________________. The property includes storage 10 space/locker number(s)_____________, which is ___deeded, ___assigned, ___limited common element. If deeded, the storage space/locker 11 P.I.N.#______________________________________. 12 2. Fixtures
    [Show full text]
  • Condominium – Plan-Link Posting and Replies, April 2015 Pg
    Condominium – Plan-link posting and replies, April 2015 pg. 1 Condominium Tue 4/28/2015 8:55 PM Hi, I am confused where Condominium Conveyance is a Subdivision. Land isn't being divided. Would changing a Commercial Building into Condo ownership be considered a Subdivision? Any help would be appreciated. Tom Case [email protected] 672:14 Subdivision. - I. “Subdivision” means the division of the lot, tract, or parcel of land into 2 or more lots, plats, sites, or other divisions of land for the purpose, whether immediate or future, of sale, rent, lease, condominium conveyance or building development. It includes resubdivision and, when appropriate to the context, relates to the process of subdividing or to the land or territory subdivided. Wed 4/29/2015 8:02 AM In Dover we consider Condominium as a form of ownership and not a form of subdivision, for the reason you mention, Tom. Christopher G. Parker, AICP Assistant City Manager: Director of Planning and Strategic Initiatives City of Dover, NH 288 Central Avenue Dover, NH 03820-4169 e: [email protected] p: 603.516.6008 f: 603.516.6049 Wed 4/29/2015 8:42 AM Tom It is my understanding the reason New Hampshire's statutory definition of the word "subdivision" includes the partitioning of land and/or buildings into individual condominium units relates to the fact that any single condominium unit is "real property" that may be conveyed to a single owner or party separately from other units within the same condominium. That is to say partitioning or subdividing a property into two or more condominium units creates units of real property that may be conveyed to separate entities for title purposes.
    [Show full text]
  • Checklist for Condominium Development
    Condominium Development Planning Checklist By Robert S. Freedman, Richard C. Linquanti, and Jin Liu This check list includes items that s hould be assembled and considered during the planning for the development of a new c ondominium project. Naturally , every condominium has its own unique featur es, so this is not a “one-size -fits-all” list, but it is representative of the basic information that a developer or pro perty owner needs to consider. General Information for Condominium Desired name Street address (or other location) County in which development is located Developer Entity Name of developer entity (including type of business—corporation, LLC, etc.) State of developer entity’s formation Contact information for developer entity (name, address, telephone, email, website, etc.) Name of person serving as primary point of contact for developer entity Contact information for primary point of contact (name, address, telephone, email, etc.) Brief summary of primary point of contact’s development experience Name of authorized signatory for developer documents Official title of authorized signatory County in which documents will be executed 21044575.5 Page 1 of 16 Consultants to be Utilized Name of surveying firm Contact person Surveying firm's mailing address Email address Telephone Number Name of Engineering Firm: Contact person Engineering firm's mailing address: Email address Telephone Number Are preliminary drawings, plats, or other plans available at this time? Overall Development Plan for the Condominium Which of the following
    [Show full text]
  • Freddie Mac Condominium Unit Mortgages
    Condominium Unit Mortgages For all mortgages secured by a condominium unit in a condominium project, Sellers must meet the requirements of the Freddie Mac Single-Family Seller/Servicer Guide (Guide) Chapter 5701 and the Seller’s other purchase documents. Use this reference as a summary of Guide Chapter 5701 requirements. You should also be familiar with Freddie Mac’s Glossary definitions. Freddie Mac-owned No Cash-out Refinances For Freddie Mac-owned “no cash-out” refinance condominium unit mortgages, the Seller does not need to determine compliance with the condominium project review and eligibility requirements if the condominium unit mortgage being refinanced is currently owned by Freddie Mac in whole or in part or securitized by Freddie Mac and the requirements in Guide Section 5701.2(c) are met. Condo Project Advisor® Condo Project Advisor® is available by request and accessible through the Freddie Mac Loan Advisor® portal. Condo Project Advisor allows Sellers to easily request unit-level waivers for established condominium projects that must comply with the project eligibility requirements for established condominium projects set forth in Guide Section 5701.5 as well as all other applicable requirements in Guide Chapter 5701. Sellers can: ▪ Submit, track and monitor waiver requests ▪ Request multiple category exceptions in each waiver request ▪ Obtain representation and warranty relief for each approved waiver. COVID-19 Response Notice: Visit our COVID-19 Resources web page for temporary guidance related to Condominium Project reviews and for credit underwriting and property valuations. Note: A vertical revision bar " | " is used in the margin of this quick reference to highlight new requirements and significant changes.
    [Show full text]
  • FHA INFO #19-41 August 14, 2019 TO: All FHA-Approved Mortgagees
    FHA INFO #19-41 August 14, 2019 TO: All FHA-Approved Mortgagees All Other Interested Stakeholders in FHA Transactions NEWS AND UPDATES FHA Issues Comprehensive Revisions to Condominium Project Approval Requirements Final Rule and Single Family Housing Policy Handbook Provide New Opportunities for FHA to Insure Condominium Units Today, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) announced the publication of its Condominium (condo) Project Approval Final Rule and new condominium sections of FHA’s Single Family Housing Policy Handbook 4000.1 (SF Handbook). Read today’s Press Release, issued by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), for more on the topic. Condominium Project Approval Final Rule FHA’s Condominium Project Approval Final Rule — Project Approval for Single Family Condominiums: Introduces the Single-Unit Approval process, which includes units with Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) loans; as well as, Extends project approval recertification period from two to three years. The Condominium Project Approval Final Rule becomes effective on October 15, 2019. Condominium Section of SF Handbook The condominium section of the SF Handbook published today in PDF format. This update adds two new sections — Section II.A.8.p “Condominiums” and Section II.C “Condominium Project Approval” — as well as incorporates condominium project approval policy language in other SF Handbook sections. Today’s update operationalizes the condominium project approval requirements outlined in the Final Rule and incorporates FHA condo-related policy issued to-date, including the Condominium Project Approval and Processing Guide, originally introduced in Mortgagee Letter 2011-22. Included in the SF Handbook condo project approval section is policy guidance around FHA’s new Single-Unit Approval process.
    [Show full text]
  • Condominium and Cooperative Housing: Transactional Efficiency, Tax Subsidies, and Tenure Choice
    CONDOMINIUM AND COOPERATIVE HOUSING: TRANSACTIONAL EFFICIENCY, TAX SUBSIDIES, AND TENURE CHOICE HENRY HANSMANN* I. INTRODUCTION TWENTY-FIVE years ago, cooperative apartment buildings were uncom- mon in the United States, and condominiums were virtually nonexistent. Since then, however, both forms, and particularly condominiums, have spread rapidly through the real estate market. This article explores the factors responsible for this development. In the process, it also assesses the relative transactional efficiency of consumer ownership and investor ownership in multiunit housing. I argue that two factors appear principally responsible for the recent spread of cooperatives and condominiums. First is the large tax subsidy to owner-occupied housing that has existed since the Second World War and that has been particularly large during the past two decades. Second is innovation in the forms available for organizing ownership in multiunit dwellings. A variety of considerations suggest that the first of these fac- tors has been more important than the second and that, in the absence of the tax subsidy, cooperatives and condominiums would occupy a much smaller share of the housing market than they do at present. In support of this analysis, this article offers the first sophisticated calculations of the magnitude of the pure tax subsidy to owner-occupied housing, as * Professor of Law, Yale University. Generous research support was provided by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation and the Yale Law School. Special thanks are due to Alan Gerber and Lucy Allen for research assistance. Helpful comments on earlier drafts were provided by Lucian Bebchuk, Robert Ellickson, Patrick Hendershott, John Quigley, Susan Rose-Ackerman, Ruth Wedgwood, and participants in workshops at Georgetown University, Harvard, Stanford, the University of Chicago, and the University of Virginia law schools.
    [Show full text]
  • Conventional Condominium Guidelines
    Conventional Condominium Guidelines Contents Condominiums................................................................................................................................................2 Project Documentation Retention And Expiration ...............................................................................................2 Detached Condominiums ...............................................................................................................................2 Fannie Mae Limited Review/ Freddie Mac Streamlined Review Requirements For Attached Established Projects .......2 Limited/Streamline Review Submission Requirements .................................................................................3 Limited Cash-Out Project Review Waiver...................................................................................................3 Limited Review Eligibility For Attached Units In Established Projects (Outside Of Florida) .................................3 Florida Limited Review Eligibility For Attached Units In Established Projects ...................................................3 Full Review..................................................................................................................................................4 Full Review Submission Requirements......................................................................................................4 Florida Project Review Requirements for Attached Units in New, Newly Converted, Established Projects ............4 Fannie
    [Show full text]
  • Adverse Possession/Bona Fide Encumbrancer Adverse Possession
    First American Title National Commercial Services g Current Developments | No. 204, January 23, 2020 Adverse Possession/Bona Fide Encumbrancer In moving for an Order that the Plaintiffs had acquired title by adverse possession to a strip of land located between the Plaintiffs’ and the Defendants’ homes, and other relief, the Plaintiffs sought to have the mortgage executed by the Defendants, which was a lien on the parcel being litigated, extinguished insofar as it encumbered the strip of land. The Defendants having raised issues of material facts, the Supreme Court, Bronx County, denied the Plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment. Applying Real Property Law Section 260 (“Land adversely held may be conveyed or mortgaged”), the Court also granted the mortgagee’s motion for summary judgment, dismissing all causes of action as to it. Section 260 states the following: “No grant, conveyance or mortgage of real property or interest therein shall be void for the reason that at the time of the delivery thereof such real property is in the actual possession of a person claiming under a title adverse to that of the grantor.” Burton v. Allston, 2019 NY Slip Op 33229, decided October 5, 2019, is posted at http://www.nycourts.gov/reporter/pdfs/2019/2019_33229.pdf. Adverse Possession/De Minimis Encroachments Defendants removed a fence located at the rear of the Plaintiffs’ land; the Defendants alleged that the fence encroached on their property. The Plaintiffs commenced an action pursuant to Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law (“RPAPL”) Article 15 (“Action to compel the determination of a claim to real property”) to determine title to the area in question.
    [Show full text]
  • 4580.1 Chapter 1. Introduction 1-1. Condominium C
    4580.1 ___________________________________________________________________________ CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION 1-1. CONDOMINIUM CHARACTERISTICS. Condominium ownership is created by a special real estate law that permits individual dwelling unit estates to be established within a total and larger property estate. The individual estates are technically established by use of vertical and horizontal planes (surfaces) which are usually identified; vertically, as the walls (not room partitions) of the unit and, horizontally, as the floors and ceilings of the unit. The exact location of the building structure on the property and the exact location of the unit within the structure are described in the plat (location map) and in the architectural plans. Each is also described in legal language in an Enabling Declaration (sometimes called a Master Deed or Plan of Apartment ownership). After all of the individual unit estates have been described within the total property estate, all of what remains, such as the land and structural parts of the buildings, becomes a common estate to be owned jointly by the owners of the individual estates. a. The Master Deed. When the Enabling Declaration is recorded it extends the condominium laws of the State in which the condominium is located to the property. It also establishes an association which provides for the use and the maintenance of the common estate to be governed by a Board of Directors or "Board of Managers" elected from among the owners of the individual estates. The internal government is controlled by the By-Laws which are recorded with the Enabling Declaration. The By-Laws can usually be changed by a vote of the majority of individual owners but changes in the Enabling Declaration normally require consent of 100% of the owners.
    [Show full text]
  • HAWAII CHAPTER 514A CONDOMINIUM PROPERTY REGIMES Part I. General Provisions and Definitions Section 514A-1 Title 514A-1.5 Appli
    HAWAII CHAPTER 514A CONDOMINIUM PROPERTY REGIMES Part I. General Provisions and Definitions Section 514A-1 Title 514A-1.5 Applicability of chapter 514A-1.6 Conformance with county land use ordinances 514A-2 Chapter not exclusive 514A-3 Definitions 514A-4 Status of apartments 514A-5 Ownership of apartments 514A-6 Separate taxation 514A-7 Condominium specialist; appointment; duties Part II. Creation, Alteration, and Termination of Condominiums 514A-11 Recordation and contents of declaration 514A-12 Copy of the floor plans to be filed 514A-13 Common elements 514A-13.4 Telecommunications equipment 514A-13.5 Remuneration to allow ingress and egress prohibited 514A-13.6 Mailboxes for each dwelling required 514A-14 Parking stalls 514A-14.5 Ownership of parking stalls 514A-15 Common profits and expenses 514A-15.1 Common expenses; prior late charges 514A-15.5 Metering of utilities 514A-16 Liens against apartments; removal from lien; effect of part payment 514A-17 Contents of deeds or leases of apartments 514A-18 Blanket mortgages and other blanket liens affecting an apartment at time of first conveyance or lease 514A-19 Merger of increments 514A-20 Condominium property regimes 514A-21 Removal from provisions of this chapter 514A-22 Removal no bar to subsequent resubmission Part III. Registration and Administration 514A-31 Notification of intention 514A-32 Questionnaire and filing fee 514A-33 Inspection 514A-34 Inspection expenses 514A-35 Waiver of inspection 514A-36 Public reports and registration fees 514A-37 Preliminary public reports 514A-38 Request for effective date or hearing by developer 514A-39 Repealed 514A-39.5 Contingent final public report 514A-40 Final reports 514A-41 Supplementary public report 514A-42 True copies of public report; no misleading information 514A-43 Automatic expiration of public reports; exceptions 514A-44 Deposit of fees 514A-45 Supplemental regulations governing a condominium property regime 514A-46 Investigatory powers 514A-47 Cease and desist orders 514A-48 Power to enjoin 514A-49 Penalties 514A-50 Limitation of action Part IV.
    [Show full text]
  • Tenants' Rights in New Jersey
    Tenants’ Rights in New Jersey A legal manual for tenants in New Jersey Written and published by Legal Services of New Jersey © 2020 Legal Services of New Jersey Legal Services of New Jersey makes this publication available for use by people who cannot afford legal advice or representation. It may not be sold or used commercially by others. You may copy this publication for personal or educational use only. Copies may not be modified and must retain the information identifying Legal Services of New Jersey and the date the materials were produced. For further information, contact: Legal Services of New Jersey, P.O. Box 1357, Edison, NJ 08818-1357 www.LSNJ.org / www.LSNJLAW.org / [email protected] Table of Contents Introduction . 1 Chapter 1: Know Your Rights . 3 Do I need a lawyer? . 3 Finding a lawyer . 4 Collecting attorney’s fees . 4 Representing yourself . 4 Finding the law . 5 Getting the assistance of a librarian . 5 Finding landlord-tenant laws . 6 Finding statutes . 6 Finding regulations . 6 Finding case law . 6 Finding ordinances or local laws . 7 Federal law . 7 Tenants associations . 7 The importance of state and local tenants associations . 7 Chapter 2: Finding a Place to Rent and Moving In . 8 Special Case: Finding a place to rent with a Section 8 voucher or other subsidy . 8 Finding a place to rent through real estate or rental referral agencies . 8 Rental referral agencies . 8 Real estate agents . 10 Finding housing on your own . 10 Using the Internet to find housing—Be careful . 10 Moving in . 11 Inspect the property .
    [Show full text]