6 real estate headlines: 12-April

A daily dose of headlines for real estate agents, mortgage lenders, homebuyers and home sellers.

How many buyers qualify for new 'safe' mortgage rules? Wall Street Journal: About one in five mortgages purchased by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac over the 1997-2009 period would meet the proposed standard of "safe" mortgages that would be exempted from costly new lending rules.	DC's March home sales represent return to 'normalcy' DC Urban Turf: While the increased sales activity is positive news for the region, RBI analyst Jonathan Miller sees the sales surge as a return to the seasonality of the market, not a second coming of the housing boom.
Some neighborhoods shine, although Washington condo market continues to struggle Washington Post: Trendy neighborhoods in the District and close-in suburbs may be blossoming, but much of the Washington area may find it to be another chilly spring.	Proposed federal rules would drive many out of the market for home loans Washington Post: Under the law, loans that do not meet the stricter standards will be pushed into a less-favored, higher-cost category.
Donohoe's trifecta in Woodmont Triangle DC Mud: Montgomery County Planning Board will likely approve a multi-phased, mixed use project that will redefine the urban landscape of the underutilized Woodmont Triangle area in Bethesda.	Avoiding refinancing costs after a divorce The New York Times: There is another, little-known option that can avoid refinancing and its costs, which generally run 3 to 6 percent of the outstanding loan principal.

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