REAL ESTATE

Pending home sales increased 10.4 percent in October from the previous month, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), an encouraging sign for the housing market.

U.S. mortgage applications decreased on a seasonally adjusted basis by 11.7 percent in the week ending Nov. 25, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA).

Down a stretch of cobblestone in Manhattan's Soho neighborhood, a historic cast-iron building encloses a modern interior. The building is 34 Greene Street, atop which is a massive two-level penthouse, currently on the market for $13.75 million.

U.S. homeowners with mortgages worth more than the value of their homes decreased slightly in the third quarter, according to a report from CoreLogic.

A retail space at 60 Greene Street in Manhattan's Soho neighborhood has sold for $10.35 million, according to New York City records, one of two recent deals that cement the street's reputation as a desirable retail strip. Across the street, 57-63 Greene's retail condo is close to a deal, according to David Schechtman of Eastern Consolidated, one of the listing brokers.

The U.S. average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rate remained steady at 3.98 percent in the week ending Nov. 17, according to Freddie Mac.

A mixed-use building at 21-23 Maiden Lane in Lower Manhattan has been sold for $14.5 million, according to New York City records.

The Greenwich Village townhouse at 64 Perry Street, next door to the fictional apartment of Carrie Bradshaw in Sex in the City, has sold for $9 million, according to New York City records.

Delinquent U.S. mortgage payments fell to 7.99 percent in the third quarter, down from 9.1 percent from a year earlier, according to the Mortgage Bankers Assocation.

Less than four months before the Penn State sex abuse scandal erupted, Joe Paterno transferred full ownership of his Pennsylvania home to his wife, Suzanne, for $1 plus love and affection, according to county records.

Sales of existing homes in Canada rose in October to the highest level since January, boosting forecasts for national resale activity for 2011 and confirming Canada's housing market remains robust.

Architects Robert A.M. Stern and Thom Mayne, along with real estate broker Mary Ann Tighe, closed out Tuesday's Zoning the City conference with a wide-ranging discussion that focused on New York, while acknowledging the changing skylines around the world.

Young Woo & Associates has sold the retail space at 72 Wall St. in Lower Manhattan for $14.5 million, according to New York City records.

An apartment at Waldorf Towers in Manhattan has been listed this week for a sky-high rent of $130,000 per month, making it the most expensive active rental listing in the city.

Sanford Weill, the former chairman and CEO of Citigroup, has listed his penthouse at 15 Central Park West for sale for $88 million.

U.S. foreclosure filings increased by 7 percent in October to a seven-month high, according to data from RealtyTrac.

Median home prices fell in 111 of 150 metro areas in the third quarter, according to the National Association of Realtors.

Mortgage applications increased 10.3 percent in the week ending Nov. 4, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Canadian housing starts slipped in October, but came in higher than expectations, as low interest rates and condominium building helped offset the impact of negative global economic news.

For a cool $14 million, you can own the most expensive house in Brooklyn. The house sits at 70 Willow Street in Brooklyn Heights and boasts some extremely luxurious features.

Canadian housing starts are expected to stabilize into 2012, while sales of existing homes will rise slightly and price rises will moderate, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp (CMHC) said in its quarterly outlook on Friday.

When Brian Williams unveils NBC's newsmagazine show on Monday night, he'll be broadcasting from the venerable office complex that gives Rock Center its name.

Fannie Mae's and Freddie Mac's regulator on Saturday rejected criticism he was obstructing a housing recovery by taking too narrow a view of his mission to protect the financial health of the two massive, taxpayer-supported mortgage firms.

CBRE Group Inc., the world's largest real estate brokerage and services company, reported third quarter revenue to $1.5 billion, up 21% from $1.3 billion in 2010.

When Bernie and Ruth Madoff attempted suicide on Christmas Eve of 2008, they did so in the couple's penthouse duplex atop 133 East 64th Street. When Madoff went to jail, they had to forfeit their many homes, which each gained an aura of infamy. Some have done better than others in the luxury sales market.

Robert Charles Duffy, a co-founder of Marc Jacobs International, has sold 62 Bank Street for $7.05 million, according to New York City records.

Sales of new single-family homes were up 5.7 percent from the previous month to 313,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. However, sales activity declined 0.9 percent decline from September 2010, when an estimated 316,000 homes were sold.

The Case-Shiller home price index reported small increases in prices of 0.2 percent for 20 major cities between June and August. However, annual returns were down 3.8 percent for the 20 cities measured, compared to August 2010.

Occupy Wall Street has camped out at Zucotti Park in Lower Manhattan for weeks, but it probably isn't reaching as many bankers as it could. Which could have something to do with the fact that finance is no longer the area's biggest tenant.