Monthly Archives: November 2016

What bust?

What now, shut down the blog? From the WSJ: Home Prices Recover Ground Lost During Bust U.S. home prices have climbed back above the record reached more than a decade ago, bringing to a close the worst period for the … Continue reading

Posted in Housing Bubble, Housing Recovery, National Real Estate | 90 Comments

Can Newark be the next hot spot?

From the Star Ledger: Why a tech millionaire built his incubator in Newark If Gerard Adams didn’t exist, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka might have to invent him. Adams is a 31-year-old Belleville High School grad and Caldwell University dropout, whose … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, New Development, New Jersey Real Estate | 132 Comments

10 years later, conforming loan limits finally increase

A couple of days old, but it’s big news and I missed it. From HousingWire: FHFA increases conforming loan limits for first time since 2006 For the first time since the housing crisis, the Federal Housing Finance Agency is increasing … Continue reading

Posted in Mortgages, National Real Estate | 53 Comments

Shop NJ Small Business

From NJTV: Communities Give Back for Small Business Saturday Sandwiched between Black Friday and Cyber Monday is Small Business Saturday when local retailers and business owners band together to get customers shopping in their communities. “It shouldn’t be about getting … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, New Jersey Real Estate | 30 Comments

DoJ fails, BoA walks

From the Wall Street Journal: Justice Department ‘Hustle’ Case Against Bank of America Dies The government’s Hustle case against Bank of America Corp. is finally dead. The case, in which the government accused the bank’s Countrywide Financial Corp. unit of … Continue reading

Posted in Foreclosures, Housing Bubble | 30 Comments

Don’t get it, we don’t need the $180 million?

From the Star Ledger: Christie keeping income tax agreement with Pennsylvania Gov. Chris Christie announced Tuesday he will keep in place a decades-old agreement that allows New Jersey and Pennsylvania residents who work across state lines to pay income taxes … Continue reading

Posted in New Jersey Real Estate, Politics | 100 Comments

Sorry NJ…

From NJ1015: Forecast calls for a braking of New Jersey’s economy While the U.S. economy seems to be moving ahead moderately, New Jersey’s economy is stuck in “slow,” according to the latest Rutgers University economic forecast. The Rutgers RECON forecast … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Employment, New Jersey Real Estate | 107 Comments

You better learn to drive a forklift

From the WSJ: In New Jersey and Long Island, Developers Eye Office-to-Warehouse Conversions Peter Sudler didn’t make the decision to demolish one of his top-end suburban office buildings lightly. But he knew better than to fight the market. “Rather than … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, New Jersey Real Estate, NYC | 117 Comments

NJ jobs growth bleak

From the Record: New Jersey lost 5,600 jobs in October In what several experts said showed a loss of momentum in the state’s economy, New Jersey lost 5,600 jobs in October, as its unemployment rate dipped to 5.2 percent, according … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, New Jersey Real Estate | 136 Comments

The elusive millennial buyer

From the Record: Millennials boost numbers of first-time homebuyers After two years of renting an $1,800-a-month studio apartment in Harlem, Sarah and Micaiah Fitzgerald decided it was time to buy a home. “We just felt we were throwing money away … Continue reading

Posted in Demographics, New Jersey Real Estate | 91 Comments

The Trump Housing Market – Up or Down?

From Forbes: How President Trump Could Affect The Value Of Your Home In July the U.S. Census Bureau announced that the homeownership rate in this country had hit its lowest level since the government began measuring the stat in 1965. … Continue reading

Posted in National Real Estate, Politics | 71 Comments

Will ending HAMP shorten the foreclosure timeline?

From HousingWire: Saying goodbye to HAMP isn’t the end for struggling homeowners Dec. 31, 2016 marks the end of a seven-year government program designed to save struggling homeowners who are behind on their mortgage, or in danger of imminent default … Continue reading

Posted in Foreclosures, National Real Estate | 86 Comments

Who said NYC was immune?

From the NY Post: New Yorkers see drastic spike in home foreclosures October brought an ugly surprise to hundreds of New Yorkers, as new foreclosure cases spiked dramatically. More than 1,100 NYC households fell into foreclosure in October, a 32 … Continue reading

Posted in Foreclosures, NYC | 70 Comments

FHA/VA cause new bump in foreclosures?

From CNBC: What’s behind a sudden foreclosure spike Foreclosures had been falling steadily to the lowest levels in nine years, but a curious spike in October may be the first sign of a crack in the recovery. The number of … Continue reading

Posted in Foreclosures, Housing Bubble, National Real Estate | 38 Comments

Open your wallets, someone needs to bail out Atlantic City

From the Morning Call: Will demise of North Jersey casinos bring $100 million in new building at Bethlehem Sands? While the rest of the country was transfixed by the presidential race, Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem officials kept one eye on … Continue reading

Posted in Politics, South Jersey Real Estate | 142 Comments