With a name like Screwpulp, it’s not hard to figure out how the founders of the startup feel about the current state of the publishing industry.

Screwpulp is one of six companies participating in Seed Hatchery, a tech-focused business accelerator for high-growth companies that wraps up its third season this month. Richard Billings is the founder of Screwpulp, which he and his team have built to help writers do an end run around traditional publishing outlets.

2. Mortgages Near $107 Million in April - Friday, May 10, 2013

From where he sits, Renaissance Realty’s Jeff Jenkins is optimistic that 2013 will be a fruitful one for the local real estate industry.

3. Dixon Opens Petit Palais Jewelry Exhibition - Tuesday, April 30, 2013

A rare display of French jewelry and designs at the Dixon Gallery and Gardens traces the history of jewelry design from the late 17th century to after World War II.

The exhibition, “Bijoux parisiens: French jewelry from the Petit Palais,” marks the second collaboration in three years between the Petit Palais in Paris and the Dixon Gallery and Gardens.

4. Foreclosures Drop 17 Percent - Thursday, April 18, 2013

Regulators and major lenders are still on the hot seat over flawed and sometimes abusive foreclosures that were carried out in recent years.

On Main Street, the ebbs and flows of foreclosure patterns – things like the public notice of a sale and the actual foreclosure transaction – still haven’t returned to a predictable or natural rhythm.

5. Market Stability - Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Home permit activity held stable for the first quarter of this year compared with the same period last year, and local builders expect to see continued gradual improvement through this year and into next.

6. March Mortgages Drop 8 Percent - Tuesday, April 16, 2013

From March 2012 to March 2013, the number of mortgages made in Shelby County dropped 8 percent – from 649 to 597.

March 2013 mortgage volume totaled a little more than $100 million, though, up from a little more than $97 million in March 2012.

7. Shelby County Mortgage Market Up 2 Percent - Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Someone let out a cheer earlier this month at the Memphis Area Association of Realtors 2013 Residential Real Estate Summit as MAAR President Regina Hubbard gave her optimistic forecast for the local housing market.

8. Signs of Life - Saturday, April 13, 2013

Home sales activity picked up in the first quarter of this year across the Mid-South, and brokers believe the market recovery is gaining traction.

Shelby County home sales rose 6 percent during the first quarter, with 3,382 sales from January to March compared to 3,179 during the first quarter of 2012, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

9. Senate Votes to Block Access to Gun Carry Records - Thursday, April 11, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) – Before last year's elections, the Senate Republican Caucus obtained a copy of the entire database of handgun carry permit holders in Tennessee. On Wednesday, the GOP-controlled chamber voted to block public access to those records.

10. Mortgage Activity Slows in February - Monday, March 18, 2013

Mortgage activity in Shelby County began 2013 by shifting into a higher gear, but someone tapped the brakes in February.

Total mortgage volume countywide had started the year showing double-digit percentage growth over the same period one year earlier. But in February, volume was up just 1 percent over the same month in 2012.

11. Downtown Investment - Thursday, March 14, 2013

Downtown’s housing market is seeing more sales, less time on the market, lower price points and inventory shortages.

There were 51 home sales year to date through February for Downtown’s 38103 ZIP code, a 104 percent increase from the 25 sales through the first two months of 2012, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

12. 3-D Printing Revolution Will Drive Innovation - Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Technology like that imagined by Star Trek and the futuristic cartoon The Jetsons is becoming reality with 3-D printing. Also known as additive manufacturing, it creates customized solid three-dimensional objects from digital schematics. It has arrived – and it is disruptive.

13. Shelby Home Permits Stagnate, Sales Decrease - Wednesday, March 13, 2013

New home permits were flat in February compared to the same month last year. 

Shelby County homebuilders filed 70 permits in February averaging 3,142 square feet and $222,975, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com. That compared to 72 permits filed in February 2012, averaging 3,520 square feet and $294,109.

14. Martha Stewart Denies Wrongdoing in Penney Deal - Wednesday, March 06, 2013

NEW YORK (AP) – Home diva Martha Stewart testified in court on Tuesday that she did nothing wrong when she signed an agreement to open up shops within most of J.C. Penney's stores across the country.

15. Macy's CEO Testifies in Fight Over Martha Stewart - Tuesday, February 26, 2013

NEW YORK (AP) – Macy's CEO Terry Lundgren testified on Monday that he hung up on home diva Martha Stewart after she called to inform him on Dec. 6, 2011 that the company that bears her name had inked a deal with J.C. Penney to open shops within most of the chain's stores.

16. Mortgages Jump 38 Percent in January - Monday, February 25, 2013

Mortgage banking isn’t looking as dreary right now as it has in recent years. In Shelby County, mortgage activity began the year bouncing strongly off totals from the first month of 2012.

17. Reader's Digest Parent Seeks Bankruptcy Protection - Tuesday, February 19, 2013

NEW YORK (AP) – The parent company of Reader's Digest has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for the second time in less than four years, saying it needs to cut its debt so it can keep restructuring.

18. Pinnacle Awards Entries Due Friday - Thursday, February 14, 2013

The deadline for local commercial real estate brokers to enter the 12th annual Pinnacle Awards is Friday, Feb. 15.

The Memphis Area Association of Realtors Commercial Council will honor those top producers in the industry at an April 25 ceremony at the Memphis Country Club, 600 Goodwyn St.

19. Cost Increase - Tuesday, February 12, 2013

New housing permits were unchanged in January year over year, but pricing saw a healthy increase.

Shelby County homebuilders filed 50 permits last month, the same amount filed in January 2012, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

20. New Seed Hatchery Season Launches - Friday, February 08, 2013

This weekend marks the start of the third season of Seed Hatchery, Memphis’ startup accelerator that aims to turn six teams of founders into well-prepared, more polished entrepreneurs.

And from several vantage points, it’s one of the most diverse collections of startup talent in the 90-day bootcamp’s three-year history.

21. January Home Sales Up 46 Percent - Thursday, February 07, 2013

January home sales increased 46 percent from the same month last year, and pricing and new-home transactions improved year over year as well.

Shelby County recorded 1,344 home sales last month compared to the 921 sales during January 2012, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

22. Seminar to Tackle Reappraisal, Consolidation - Tuesday, February 05, 2013

Real estate industry professionals will soon have the opportunity to learn more about two ongoing issues that will affect every homeowner and taxpayer – the 2013 Shelby County reappraisal and the school consolidation.

23. Memphis Attorney Named to American Bar Association Committee - Friday, February 01, 2013

Memphis attorney Tanja Thompson has been elected to a two-year term as the management co-chair of the American Bar Association’s Committee on the Development of the Law Under the National Labor Relations Act.

24. Six New Seed Hatchery Teams Chosen - Thursday, January 31, 2013

Six new teams have been lined up for the 2013 Seed Hatchery cohort.

Seed Hatchery is Memphis’ high-growth tech startup accelerator and puts entrepreneurs through a 90-day boot camp, with a crash course in customer discovery, business development, go-to-market strategies and investor pitches. And this year’s cohort marks the third collection of founders to go through the program.

25. Time Inc. Cuts 500 People, 6 Percent of Workforce - Thursday, January 31, 2013

NEW YORK (AP) – Time Inc., the magazine unit of Time Warner Inc., says it is cutting 6 percent of its global staff of 8,000, or about 500 people.

26. Fourth-Quarter Foreclosures Down 11 Percent - Thursday, January 17, 2013

As 2012 wound down, so too did the pace of foreclosure activity. Foreclosures fell 11 percent in Shelby County in the fourth quarter of 2012 compared with the same three-month period in 2011, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports,www.chandlerreports.com.

27. ‘Stable’ Foreclosures - Thursday, January 17, 2013

The Crowne Plaza Hotel at 300 N. Second St. sits on a little less than two acres near Interstate 40. The Shelby County Assessor of Property’s 2012 appraisal for the 11-story, 244-room hotel was $6.6 million.

28. Solid Foundation - Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Local homebuilders filed 26 percent more permits in 2012 than 2011, the culmination of a dramatic change in the market that began last May.

Shelby County saw 884 permits filed in 2012, up from 700 in 2011, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com. Overall, sales of new houses in 2012 were basically unchanged with 774 new home sales recorded for the year compared to 781 recorded in 2011.

29. December Mortgages Up 34 Percent - Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Much like the fourth quarter, December was also an especially strong period for local mortgage activity.

From December 2011 to December 2012, total mortgage volume climbed 34 percent. December 2012 mortgages totaled a little more than $94 million, up from the nearly $70 million in December 2011.

30. Fourth-Quarter Mortgages Rise 21 Percent - Tuesday, January 15, 2013

The fourth quarter of 2012 in Shelby County essentially followed the same upward swing in mortgage activity as was seen throughout the year as a whole.

There were 1,925 mortgages during the fourth quarter of 2012, up 21 percent from the 1,592 during the same period the previous year.

31. Deadline Fast Approaching for Pinnacle Awards - Tuesday, January 15, 2013

The Memphis Area Association of Realtors Commercial Council is well under way in planning the 12th annual Pinnacle Awards ceremony, a night dedicated to showcasing commercial real estate industry professionals in the area.

32. Mortgage Gains Point to Solid 2013 - Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Shelby County’s mortgage market made decent strides during the past 12 months, posting gains over 2011 and foreshadowing a healthy 2013.

Banks and mortgage lenders made 8,028 purchase mortgages in Shelby County during 2012, a 17 percent improvement from the 6,862 mortgages during 2011, according to the latest data from real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

33. Fourth-Quarter Home Sales Rise 28.4 Percent - Monday, January 14, 2013

Local home sales in the fourth quarter increased 28.4 percent compared to the fourth quarter last year, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

34. Shelby County Home Sales Up 19 Percent in 2012 - Monday, January 14, 2013

Shelby County had the most home sales recorded in 2012 since 2008 when the housing market started drastically declining.

There were 14,946 home sales last year, up 19 percent from 12,600 unit sales during 2011, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com. And industry professionals say the outlook for 2013 is continued modest improvement.

35. Agency Absorption - Thursday, December 27, 2012

The Downtown Memphis office market has long been one of the more cost-effective of the city’s submarkets when it comes to rental rates, especially when amenities and ambiance are factored into leasing decisions.

36. Builder Permits Rise 10 Percent in November - Monday, December 24, 2012

The National Association of Homebuilders said Tuesday, Dec. 18, that sentiment across the homebuilding industry rose to its highest level since the middle of 2006.

National housing permits in November posted a 26.8 percent increase from November 2011. And while they’re not up quite that much, local starts are seeing increases as well.

37. County’s Mortgage Market Up 7 Percent - Monday, December 24, 2012

If they had any worries about next year’s taxes, the fiscal cliff and economic uncertainty, the local mortgage market saw borrowers brush them aside during November.

Continuing a pattern that’s been more the rule than the exception this year, Shelby County’s mortgage market keeps growing at a steady clip, and continued doing so through last month. Total mortgage volume countywide in November was up 7 percent over November 2011, climbing to almost $93 million in November 2012 from about $87 million during the same period last year, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

38. Brewer’s Publishing Unit Releases New Music - Wednesday, December 19, 2012

The new music publishing company from film director and Memphis native Craig Brewer has released its first song collection, Memphis musician Jason Freeman’s 10-song LP “Hex & Hell.”

39. Home Sales Up 16 Percent - Tuesday, December 11, 2012

The Shelby County housing market continued to improve last month with year-over-year increases in home sales and average prices, and industry experts say those are just two of the signs that local residential real estate has stabilized.

40. Permits Up 89 Percent in October - Thursday, November 29, 2012

Local homebuilders filed 89 percent more new home permits during October compared to October of last year.

Shelby County homebuilders filed 83 permits last month, a healthy boost from the 44 filed during October 2011, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com. October permits also posted a 6 percent increase from the 78 permits filed during September.

41. Shelby County Mortgages Up in October - Wednesday, November 14, 2012

The Federal Reserve has signaled its intent to buy mortgage-backed securities for much of the near future to try and goose the economy, which means mortgage rates are liable to keep skating along the bottom, as they are now.

42. October Home Sales Rise 36 Percent - Tuesday, November 13, 2012

The Shelby County housing market continues to improve with 1,407 home sales recorded in October, up 36 percent from the 1,034 sales tallied in October 2011.

And year-to-date home sales activity is up 18 percent, with 12,585 sales recorded through October, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

43. Expert: Investors Confound Housing - Monday, November 12, 2012

The role of investor-driven neighborhoods in Memphis is growing, and the impact on different kinds of neighborhoods is largely unstudied and unknown.

For instance, what does it mean that going into 2012, 54 percent of residential property sales were accounted for by investor purchases from the Real Estate Owned (REO) inventory of foreclosing lenders?

44. Great Outdoors University Hits Milestone, Eyes Expansion - Tuesday, November 06, 2012

The Tennessee Wildlife Federation’s Great Outdoors University program is fulfilling its goal to connect inner-city children with nature in meaningful, life-changing ways.

The youth conservation education and outdoor experience program recently surpassed the 12,000 meaningful experiences milestone and now prepares for expansion into North Carolina and Missouri, as well as growing in Tennessee.

45. Rekindling Crosstown - Monday, November 05, 2012

Video artist Chris Miner says one way to explain the redevelopment of the Sears Crosstown building is likening it to the process of creating art.

“You get into it with a general idea of what you want to do, but then you kind of let it take you wherever you are going to go or wherever the piece wants to go,” he said.

46. Rise of House Flipping Focus Of Seminar - Wednesday, October 31, 2012

The impact of the foreclosure crisis on Shelby County home values is intricate and far-reaching.

Recent estimates by real estate information company Chandler Reports suggest that nearly a quarter of Memphis’ total housing stock are non-owner occupied.

47. Seminar To Tackle Commercial Conditions - Tuesday, October 23, 2012

While many commercial real estate professionals would like to forget about 2011 altogether, celebrating increases in 2012 is necessary for morale.

Shelby County experienced the most second-quarter sales this year since the second quarter of 2008, and the highest quarterly sales revenue since the second quarter of 2007.

48. Foreclosures Continue Rise in Third Quarter - Thursday, October 18, 2012

At a public gathering at Calvary Episcopal Church last week, the city’s Housing and Community Development director Robert Lipscomb lamented the pervasiveness of poverty in Memphis.

49. Building Permits Show Little Change - Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Local homebuilders didn’t change much the amount of new home permits they filed during the third quarter compared with the same period last year.

Shelby County homebuilders filed 218 permits during the quarter (July to September), compared with 216 filed during the same period in 2011, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com. Third-quarter permits marked a 12 percent drop from the 249 permits filed during the second quarter of this year.

50. Mortgage Market Sees Gains in Third Quarter - Tuesday, October 16, 2012

With the Federal Reserve taking steps to keep financing costs at extreme lows across the economy, it’s probably not surprising to hear an economist say he’s getting an earful from community banks and credit unions around the country.

51. Homes Sales Jump 17 Percent - Monday, October 15, 2012

Shelby County home sales in the third quarter increased 17 percent compared to the third quarter last year, and local professionals say there’s a feeling of optimism among buyers and those in the business.

52. Are You Recession Proof? - Thursday, October 11, 2012

Ray’s Take People make all kinds of predictions about the economy and someone is bound to be right, for good or for bad. If those predicting another recession actually get it right, are you prepared to ride it out?

53. Local Mortgage Market Up 25 Percent - Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Chris Low, chief economist for First Horizon National Corp.’s capital markets division FTN Financial, has been on the road in recent days.

54. Law School Celebrates 50 Years - Thursday, October 04, 2012

At the end of this month, the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law will celebrate half a century of preparing young legal minds for the future challenges they’ll face in the field of law.

55. Local Mortgage Market Up 22 Percent - Wednesday, September 19, 2012

It’s been an old story for several quarters – for a few years now, in fact: Rates are low, and homebuyers keep tiptoeing back into the market.

That’s especially liable to be the case going forward, in light of the Federal Reserve’s steps last week to keep interest rates low for an indefinite period of time. Indeed, the local mortgage market continues to feel the effects of those low rates.

56. Fed Launches Agricultural Report - Wednesday, September 12, 2012

The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis has begun publishing a new agricultural finance report that will be released quarterly.

57. August Home Sales up 21 Percent - Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Home sales in August were up 21 percent year over year, representing the eighth consecutive monthly increase from 2011.

Shelby County saw 1,487 home sales last month compared to the 1,228 homes sold in August 2011, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

58. Chandler Reports Debuts Pulse Report - Monday, September 10, 2012

Real estate information company Chandler Reports is premiering a new complimentary report called the “Pulse Report,” which will provide a monthly snapshot of local market trends.

Derived from Chandler Reports’ extensive Market Trends reports and public record information from The Daily News, the “Pulse Report” offers a comprehensive overview of residential and commercial sales activity, foreclosure analysis, new housing trends and mortgage activity.

59. Construction Industry to be Honored at Annual Event - Monday, September 10, 2012

The largest commercial and industrial construction association in West Tennessee is preparing for its annual celebration recognizing the quality and innovation of merit shop construction.

West Tennessee Chapter of Associated Builders & Contractors’ Excellence in Construction Awards are set for Sept. 20 at 6:30 p.m. at the Pink Palace Museum, 3050 Central Ave. The awards honor all members of the team responsible for the projects, from contractors to subcontractors, suppliers to owners, and engineers to architects, said chapter president Erin Murphy.

60. Commercial Sales Drop 36 Percent - Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Local commercial real estate sales in July posted a 36 percent decrease from the same period a year ago.

Shelby County saw 41 sales last month, down from 64 sales in July 2011, according to the latest information from real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

61. Local Mortgage Market Up In July - Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Spurred by interest rates that look to stay at record lows for the near future, local homebuyers keep coming out of the woodwork.

The trend manifested itself in a healthy pickup in mortgage activity last month. Total mortgage volume throughout Shelby County was up almost 30 percent over July 2011, climbing to $143 million in July 2012 from $111.7 million during the same period last year, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

62. Kickstarter Projects Generate Millions of Dollars - Monday, August 20, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – A funny thing happens on Kickstarter, the website where people ask for money to finance their projects. Sometimes, they get more money than they ask for.

Sometimes, they get millions more.

63. Shelby Co. Home Sales Up 13 Pct. - Tuesday, August 14, 2012

July’s home sales report marked the seventh consecutive month with improvements over 2011 totals and the most sales filed during a single month this year, but pricing year to date is still troublesome.

64. Literacy Mid-South Seeks New Volunteers - Monday, August 13, 2012

Literacy Mid-South is in dire need of volunteers to accommodate the influx of adult students who’ve responded to the organization’s outreach efforts.

The mission of the nonprofit, based at 902 S. Cooper St., is to maximize the impact of child and adult literacy and learning through advocacy, research, family literacy workshops and resource development.

65. Chandler Seminar Pinpoints Real Estate Positives - Monday, August 13, 2012

Shelby County Trustee David Lenoir went out on a limb Thursday, Aug. 9, at real estate information company Chandler Reports’ “Master Your Market: Second Quarter Update,” claiming that the housing market had bottomed out.

66. Lemmonds Keeps Startups On Track at LaunchYourCity - Friday, August 03, 2012

Entrepreneurship is as much about storytelling as it is product creation and company-building. The latest widgets, the hottest startups, the most game-changing ideas – they don’t sell themselves.

67. Chandler Seminar To Cover Housing - Thursday, August 02, 2012

Real estate information company Chandler Reports is hosting its “Master Your Market: Second Quarter Update” event for local agents, appraisers, builders, investors and bankers Thursday, Aug. 9.

68. Portland Author’s Book Takes Off - Thursday, July 26, 2012

Years ago V Jeffers of Portland, Ark., became fascinated with the Monarch Butterfly, the most recognizable of non-detested insects. With their orange-brown wings and black veins and borders, Monarchs are found in New Zealand, the Canary Islands, Madeira and North America. In the Southeast Arkansas hamlet that V and husband Carl call home, V raises caterpillars in her spare time.

69. Q2 Foreclosures Up 5 Percent - Thursday, July 19, 2012

Shelby County’s real estate market is still feeling the effects of foreclosure activity, with a second quarter increase in activity following an even larger one in the first quarter.

70. June Permits Up 45 Pct. - Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Last month proved to be a positive one for local homebuilding activity, with a 45 percent increase year over year in new home permits.

Shelby County homebuilders in June filed 81 permits averaging 3,154 square feet and $233,996, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

71. Active Builders - Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Local homebuilders filed 54 percent more new home permits during the second quarter compared with the same period last year.

Shelby County homebuilders filed 247 permits during the quarter (April to June), compared with 160 filed during Q2 2011, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

72. June Mortgages Up 7 Pct. - Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Local banks and mortgage lenders made 7 percent more mortgages during June 2012 than they did in June 2011, according to data from real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

73. Q2 Mortgages up 14 Percent - Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Shelby County’s mortgage market is continuing to turn a corner, with more buyers during the second quarter signing on the dotted line and bankers handing over a shiny new set of keys.

During the second three months of 2012, banks and mortgage lenders in Shelby County made 2,149 purchase mortgages, up 14 percent from the 1,878 mortgages during Q2 2011, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

74. June Home Sales Up 6 Pct. - Monday, July 16, 2012

Much like the second quarter of the year, June’s home sales report saw increases in nearly all categories.

Shelby County home sales were up 6 percent last month, with 1,327 recorded compared to 1,247 in June 2011, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

75. Q2 Home Sales Up 11 Percent - Monday, July 16, 2012

Local home sales saw an 11 percent boost during the second quarter of 2012 from the same period last year, and real estate professionals say it’s likely units and sales volume will continue to increase for the remainder of the year.

76. News Corp. Announces Plans to Split - Friday, June 29, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – Calling it the next logical step in an evolution over nearly six decades, Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. said Thursday that it will split into two publicly traded companies.

77. News Corp. Considers Split in 2 - Wednesday, June 27, 2012

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Under pressure to limit contagion from the British phone-hacking scandal, Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. said Tuesday that it is considering splitting into two publicly traded companies.

78. Fair Expands One Source With New Broker, Listings - Tuesday, June 19, 2012

For 15 years, One Source Commercial Inc. has been comprised of one agent: its founder, Rosemarie Fair.

79. County’s Mortgage Lending Up in May - Monday, June 18, 2012

When bank customers are seen doing something seemingly as simple as making plans for the future – plans, of course, that involve spending money – that conveys a lot to someone like Mike Edwards, Paragon Bank’s president and chief operating officer.

80. Homebuilding Permits Rise During May - Wednesday, June 13, 2012

May’s new home permit totals saw a significant upswing year over year, and homebuilders attribute the improvement to low inventory levels and low interest rates.

Shelby County homebuilders filed 91 permits in May – a 78 percent increase from the 51 filed during May 2011 – according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

81. Homes Sales Continue Upswing - Thursday, June 07, 2012

Shelby County home sales increased 25 percent in May compared to last year, as the historically busiest buying season kicked into full swing.

The Memphis area and its 34 ZIP codes registered 1,383 home sales last month compared to 1,109 recorded in May 2011, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

82. Calif. Firm Finds Niche With ‘Premium Properties’ - Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Investment firms nationwide are snatching up single-family real estate-owned (REO) properties, renovating and renting them, and then selling them to other investors.

This “house flipping” is seen as especially opportunistic in Memphis, where median asking prices are dwarfed by national averages and vacancies are widespread.

83. JA Turns Students Into Entrepreneurs - Tuesday, May 22, 2012

A group of Germantown High School students recently harnessed the power of entrepreneurship to make a positive impact on the lives of children thousands of miles away.

The students, participants of Junior Achievement’s Company program, teamed up with Nations Member Church’s Project 101, a program dedicated to saving the lives of young children in Africa who are suffering from acute malnutrition.

84. Home Sales Fall in Fayette, Improve in Tipton - Monday, May 21, 2012

April home sales dipped in Fayette County but rose in Tipton County, and agents who specialize in each area say foreclosures are behind it all.

Fayette County saw 33 home sales in April, a 25 percent decrease from 44 during the same month a year ago and a 39 percent decline from March’s 54, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

85. ‘New Enthusiasm’ Yields Permit Rise - Monday, May 14, 2012

While new-home sales remain low, average new-home sales prices are increasing, along with the number of permits and permit amounts.

Shelby County homebuilders filed 75 permits in April – up 36 percent from the 55 filed during April 2011 – according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

86. Home Sales Improve Just 2 Pct. - Thursday, May 10, 2012

Shelby County home sales in April saw little change year over year, and more than half of total sales were valued at $100,000 or less.

Memphis and its 34 ZIP codes registered 1,116 home sales last month, up 2 percent from 1,094 recorded in April 2011, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

87. Mortgages Up 10 Pct. in April - Wednesday, May 09, 2012

T.S. Eliot described April as “the cruelest month” in his classic poem “The Waste Land” – but for Shelby County’s mortgage market, April turned out to be a bit more positive than that.

88. Forum Addresses Latest HUD, Real Estate Trends - Monday, May 07, 2012

People who receive housing counseling before they borrow are much less likely to default. Research shows that 75 percent of at-risk homeowners who meet with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development housing counselors and attend loss mitigation programs won’t be foreclosed.

89. Roots of Faith - Tuesday, May 01, 2012

The man who correctly predicted the stock market convulsion of 1987, a veteran hedge fund manager who today is one of the richest men in America, held up a notebook at a celebration in his honor late last week.

90. Jones Has Memphis Homecoming At GPAC - Thursday, April 26, 2012

Rising star Caroline Jones’ performance Saturday, April 28, at Germantown Performing Arts Centre’s 2012 Gala will be a homecoming of sorts for the New York-based singer-songwriter.

91. Chandler Event To Highlight Q1 Housing - Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Shelby County home sales increased 20 percent from January to March compared to last year, but that number requires some reading between the lines.

That’s why real estate information company Chandler Reports is hosting its “Master Your Market: First Quarter Update” event for local agents, appraisers, builders, investors and bankers Thursday, May 3.

92. Foreclosures Up 30 Pct. in Q1 - Thursday, April 19, 2012

The timing and backdrop seem fitting. During the first quarter of 2012, the same three-month period in which the state of Tennessee announced its participation in a $25 billion settlement with some of the biggest lenders over foreclosure abuses, the number of foreclosures in Shelby County swelled by almost 30 percent.

93. Gaining Steam - Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Local homebuilders filed 20 percent more new home permits during the first quarter compared with the same period last year, but industry experts say the market won’t see significant recovery until next year.

94. Awards Just One Facet Of Comm. Council - Tuesday, April 17, 2012

This year marks a decade of existence for the Memphis Area Association of Realtors’ Commercial Council, the trade organization for the commercial real estate profession and its related sectors.

The council has about 325 members whose professions include commercial developers, brokers, property managers and other related CRE careers. Two of the council’s main events each year are the Commercial Property Forecast Summit, held in February, and the Pinnacle Awards, which honor the highest-producing commercial brokers each spring.

95. Q1 Mortgages Up 12 Percent - Tuesday, April 17, 2012

As the new year got under way, it didn’t look like Shelby County’s mortgage market was going to be ringing in 2012 with a bang.

By the end of January, the market was in pretty much the same place as it was one year earlier, with total mortgage volume barely budging (to $67 million, barely up from January 2011’s mortgage volume of $65.3 million).

96. Housing Improves 20 Pct. in Q1 - Monday, April 16, 2012

Local home sales saw a 20 percent boost during the first quarter, with increases in both traditional and foreclosure sales, and agents suggest that among such low inventory levels, it’s a move in the right direction.

97. Conspiracy Theory - Thursday, April 12, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) — Tennessee joined 14 other states along with the U.S. Justice Department in suing Apple Inc. and major book publishers Wednesday, alleging a conspiracy to raise the price of electronic books they said cost consumers more than $100 million in the past two years by adding $2 to $5 to the price of each e-book.

98. Bee Raises Funds for Literacy - Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Literacy Mid-South Thursday, April 12, will host its 2012 Corporate Spelling Bee from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Goldsmith Room at Memphis Botanic Garden, 750 Cherry Road.

99. Joyful Noise - Thursday, April 05, 2012

Memphis has a major new advocate of live, original music.

It’s Madison Line Records, a locally based full-service nonprofit record label launched by Visible Music College, which itself offers a variety of music industry programs and classes.

100. St. George’s to Host Symposium - Thursday, April 05, 2012

The public is invited to learn about the importance of entrepreneurial citizenship during St. George’s Independent School’s 2012 Educational Symposium, slated for April 14 at Memphis Bioworks Foundation, 20 S. Dudley St.