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» Sales and prices for Connecticut condominiums were down during the same time period. In Q1, condo sales totaled 1,123, down 1.2 percent from 1,137 recorded sales a year earlier. Median prices for condos fell annually in Q1 by 1.9 percent to $156,000. Mortgage Master Opens 7th Connecticut Location Mortgage Master, one of the nation's largest privately owned mortgage companies, announced the opening of a new retail branch location to serve Connecticut's Greater Hartford area. The new branch is Mortgage Master's seventh office in the state, joining Fairfield, Greenwich, Hamden, Southington, Glastonbury, and West Hartford. In addition, the company named Dan Rosenfeld branch manager of the new office, where he will work alongside all Mortgage Master partners—including real estate agents, accountants, lawyers, and other referral partners—to provide service to borrowers. "Simsbury is the perfect location to open our newest location in Central Connecticut," said company president Paul Anastos. "Dan Rosenfeld, who is a well-respected leader, and the Simsbury branch will increase our already significant presence in Hartford and the surrounding communities." Rosenfeld has two and a half decades of real estate and mortgage lending experience and has consistently been ranked among the leading mortgage professionals in Greater Hartford and Connecticut, according to Mortgage Master. "The opening of the Simsbury branch is very exciting," Rosenfeld said. "Finding the best loan program that is suited for a family or individual's needs is my first priority. As a lifetime resident of the area, I am eager to help borrowers with the greatest financial decision of their lives." STAT INSIGHT 9.9% Mortgages at least 30 days delinquent or in foreclosure in Arizona as of May month-end. Source: Lender Processing Services IN THE NEWS Delaware rank: 18 90+ Day Delinquency Rate Foreclosure Rate April 2013 3.7% Unemployment Rate 3.0% 7.2% year ago 3.6% VISIT US ONLINE @ DSNEWS.COM 3.3% 7.0% Survey: 67% of Renters Cite Lack of Assets as Hurdle to Homeownership year-over-year change 1.9% -9.8% 2.9% Top County KenT CounTy 90+ Day Delinquency Rate Foreclosure Rate April 2013 5.2% 3.8% year ago 4.8% 4.1% year-over-year change 7.6% -6.2% Top Core-Based Statistical Area Dover, De 90+ Day Delinquency Rate Foreclosure Rate April 2013 5.2% 3.8% year ago 4.8% 4.1% year-over-year change 7.6% -6.2% note: The 90+ day delinquecy rate is the percentage of outstanding mortgage loans that are seriously delinquent. The foreclosure rate is the percentage of outstanding mortgage loans currently in foreclosure. State rank is based on the April 2013 foreclosure rate. All figures are rounded to the nearest decimal. The unemployment rate reflects preliminary April 2013 figures released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. All other data courtesy of LPS Applied Analytics. District of Columbia rank: 25 90+ Day Delinquency Rate 3.0% Foreclosure Rate April 2013 Unemployment Rate 2.5% 8.5% year ago 3.1% 2.8% 9.1% year-over-year change -3.3% -12.6% -6.6% Top County DisTriCT of Columbia 90+ Day Foreclosure Delinquency Rate Rate April 2013 3.0% 2.5% year ago 3.1% 2.8% year-over-year change -3.3% -12.6% Top Core-based statistical area WashingTon-arlingTon-alexanDria, DC-Va-mD-WV 90+ Day Foreclosure Delinquency Rate Rate April 2013 2.8% 2.1% year ago 1.6% 1.5% year-over-year change 77.6% 39.6% note: The 90+ day delinquecy rate is the percentage of outstanding mortgage loans that are seriously delinquent. The foreclosure rate is the percentage of outstanding mortgage loans currently in foreclosure. State rank is based on the April 2013 foreclosure rate. All figures are rounded to the nearest decimal. The unemployment rate reflects preliminary April 2013 figures released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. All other data courtesy of LPS Applied Analytics. A little more than half of American renters believe owning a home is a more sensible choice than living in rental housing, according to a research study from Fannie Mae's Economic & Strategic Research Group based in Washington, D.C. To better gauge the future of homeownership and the current shift toward renting, Fannie Mae's National Housing Survey took a look at renters' attitudes and preferences in Q 3 2012 to gain a better understanding of their aspirations and expectations. According to the research group's findings, the majority of respondents believe renting has its advantages in terms of current finances and stress. When asked which situation would be better for their budget, 57 percent of renters surveyed chose "renting" over "owning," while 52 percent said renting is less stressful. About half of respondents selected "renting" when asked which decision was best given the current economic climate. However, when asked about control, privacy, security, and financial prospects, the vast majority (64 percent or higher depending on the issue posed) said owning is the better choice. Overall, 51 percent of renters think owning is the more sensible choice over renting when comparing both the financial and lifestyle benefits. At 57 percent, young renters (ages 18-34) were more likely to choose owning as the better choice. Out of those who would prefer to own, many find themselves blocked by a number of hurdles. The most commonly cited problem was a lack of assets. Sixty-seven percent of aspiring owners have less than $10,000 in assets. Sixty-five percent said they would have trouble obtaining a mortgage today, while 64 percent felt they wouldn't have sufficient savings. Though most renters believe they would currently have trouble getting into the purchase market, many still feel ownership is in their future. Out of those who would prefer to own, 39 percent said they are renting now so they can financially prepare to buy a home. Again, younger renters were more likely to see renting as a stepping stone to owning. "The strength of the economy, particularly job creation and real income growth, as well 71

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