Monthly Archives: February 2013

Realtors: NJ home prices do well in Q4

From the Star Ledger: Home prices continue rise in New Jersey, elsewhere The median price of a home showed the strongest year-over year growth since 2005, according a fourth quarter report from the National Association of Realtors. And although New … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery, New Jersey Real Estate | 131 Comments

Opportunity of a lifetime – or not worth it at any cost?

From the Star Ledger: Damage from Hurricane Sandy spurs some Jersey Shore homeowners to sell The piles of debris that towered in the front yards of flood-damaged homes are gone and the rumble of generators powering cold, damp homes has … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery, Shore Real Estate | 74 Comments

Retiring … on the house

From MarketWatch: Will your house pay for your retirement? You sell your home at a huge profit, then use the proceeds to upgrade your golden years from comfy to plush. That scenario, which might have seemed realistic when the housing … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, National Real Estate | 29 Comments

Warm up the bulldozers?

From the Star Ledger: Gov. Christie: New Jersey considering buying flood-prone neighborhoods Gov. Chris Christie said today he wants the state to use a portion of the federal Sandy aid money coming to New Jersey to buy up whole neighborhoods … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, New Jersey Real Estate, Politics, Shore Real Estate | 231 Comments

These guys would have fit right in here

From the NY Times: S.& P. E-Mails on Mortgage Crisis Show Alarm and Gallows Humor The executive at Standard & Poor’s was clear: “This market is a wildly spinning top which is going to end badly.” That sober assessment of … Continue reading

Posted in Mortgages, National Real Estate, Risky Lending | 77 Comments

Mixed picture for NJ home prices

From the Record: Home prices rise in region and nationwide, CoreLogic says Home prices jumped 8.5 percent in the region and 8.3 percent nationwide from December 2011 to December 2012, as energized buyers chased a shrinking pool of properties, the … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery, North Jersey Real Estate | 105 Comments

North Jersey Contracts – January 2013

(Source GSMLS, except Bergen- NJMLS) – Updated with 2011 Data January Pending Home Sales (Contracts) ——————————- Bergen County January 2011 – 377 January 2012 – 510 January 2013 – 568 (Up 11.4% YOY, Up 50.7% Two Year) Essex County January … Continue reading

Posted in Housing Recovery, North Jersey Real Estate | 123 Comments

Why move when you can remodel?

From MarketWatch: Home improvement gets a makeover No longer content with new cabinet pulls or a fresh coat of paint, homeowners are beginning, again, to dabble in home remodeling projects. Contractors say they’re getting more requests for upgraded kitchens and … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, National Real Estate | 88 Comments

December Otteau Report

From the Otteau Group: NJ Housing Recovery Picks Up In December After pausing in November due to the after effects of Hurricane Sandy, New Jersey home sales resumed their upward trajectory with a 7% increase in December compared to the … Continue reading

Posted in Housing Recovery, New Jersey Real Estate | 52 Comments

Sandy foreclosure moratorium extended 90 days

From HousingWire: FHFA, HUD extend foreclosure relief for Sandy Victims Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Ed DeMarco and HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan said the federal housing agencies will extend foreclosure protections for homeowners displaced or negatively impacted by Hurricane Sandy. … Continue reading

Posted in Foreclosures, New Jersey Real Estate, Shore Real Estate | 98 Comments