Category Archives: Economics

CoreLogic: December Home Prices

Posted on February 3, 2012 by grim
Posted in Economics, Housing Bubble, Housing Recovery, New Jersey Real Estate | 136 Comments

From CoreLogic (no link): CoreLogic® Home Price Index Shows Fifth Consecutive Month-Over-Month Decline Home prices in the U.S. decreased 1.4 percent on a month-over-month basis, the fifth consecutive monthly decline. However, the HPI excluding distressed sales posted its first month-over-month … Continue reading →

Case Shiller: NY metro prices fall 2.3% in November

Posted on February 1, 2012 by grim
Posted in Economics, New Jersey Real Estate | 141 Comments

From the Record: Region’s home prices drop 2.3% Home prices in the New York metropolitan area, including North Jersey, dropped 2.3 percent in November, compared with a year earlier, the Standard & Poor’s Case-Shiller index reported Tuesday. Nationally, prices dropped … Continue reading →

Fed: NJ economy outpacing NYC

Posted on January 31, 2012 by grim
Posted in Economics, New Jersey Real Estate | 179 Comments

From the Record: NJs economy picks up as NYCs slows As New York State’s economic activity has leveled off, New Jersey’s has picked up — and the state job market is stronger than the unemployment rate of 9 percent suggests, … Continue reading →

I think I can, I think I can

Posted on January 30, 2012 by grim
Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery, National Real Estate | 103 Comments

From CNN/Money: The housing recovery that wasn’t Over the past few months, a spate of good news about the U.S. housing market has led some to think a recovery is finally on the horizon. The evidence is compelling. It now … Continue reading →

What part does hope play in economic forecasting?

Posted on January 25, 2012 by grim
Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery | 142 Comments

From HousingWire: RealtyTrac: Several economists missed the mark with 2011 projections Every new year brings predictions on how the economy is expected to fare, especially in terms of home sales, prices and gross domestic product growth. But with 2012 still … Continue reading →

Why do we keep believing we can fix housing?

Posted on January 23, 2012 by grim
Posted in Economics, Foreclosures, Housing Bubble, Housing Recovery, National Real Estate, Risky Lending | 153 Comments

From the WSJ: Economists See Ways to Aid Housing Market he underpinnings of a housing recovery are hiding in plain sight: sharp price declines, low mortgage rates and rising rents have made owning more affordable than renting in a growing … Continue reading →

NJ unemployment ticks down to 9 in December

Posted on January 19, 2012 by grim
Posted in Economics, New Jersey Real Estate | 121 Comments

From New Jersey Newsroom: N.J. jobless rate drops to 9%, lowest since May 2009 New Jersey’s unemployment rate in December dropped 0.1 percent to 9 percent, the lowest jobless rate in the state since May 2009, 31 months ago. And … Continue reading →

I’d like a tax cut, but can we afford it?

Posted on January 19, 2012 by grim
Posted in Economics, New Jersey Real Estate, Politics | 149 Comments

From the APP: Gov. Christie takes rosy look at state revenues By calling for a 10 percent income tax cut, Gov. Chris Christie must believe boom times are coming to state finances. Because with the scheduled increases for pension payments … Continue reading →

Bottoms Up?

Posted on January 18, 2012 by grim
Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery, New Jersey Real Estate | 188 Comments

From the WSJ: From Bottom Up, Signs of Housing Recovery After years of watching home prices slide, Claudia Ruggiero, a teacher in White Plains, was ready to strike. She and her husband Michael Johnson, also a teacher, had a 14-month-old … Continue reading →

Location, location, location, or something else?

Posted on January 16, 2012 by grim
Posted in Economics, North Jersey Real Estate, South Jersey Real Estate | 224 Comments

From the Record: Location still holds key to value The decline in housing values has not fallen equally on all towns. A Record analysis of home prices in the first half of 2011 (the latest available in public records) found … Continue reading →

The other New Jersey housing market

Posted on January 13, 2012 by grim
Posted in Economics, Housing Bubble, Housing Recovery, New Jersey Real Estate | 220 Comments

From the NY Times: Rural Areas Slower to Rebound FOR whatever reason, homes sales picked up in New Jersey in the latter part of 2011. A new statewide market report shows contract signings increased in six of the seven months … Continue reading →

January Beige Book

Posted on January 11, 2012 by grim
Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery, New Jersey Real Estate | 161 Comments

From the Federal Reserve: Beige Book – Second District–New York The Second District’s economy has grown at a somewhat faster pace since the last report, led by brisk holiday-season spending. Labor market conditions, as well as prices, have remained generally … Continue reading →

NJ downpayment size, 13.71%, highest in the nation

Posted on January 7, 2012 by grim
Posted in Economics, New Jersey Real Estate | 46 Comments

From the NY Times: State Leads Nation in Down-Payment Size BUYERS in New Jersey have the highest down-payment rate in the country, putting down an average 13.71 percent of the purchase price, according to a new report from LendingTree. That … Continue reading →

Just a little more 2012 prognostication

Posted on January 6, 2012 by grim
Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery, National Real Estate | 150 Comments

From the Ledger: Real Estate May Begin to Come to Life in 2012 The housing market — staggering under a slow economy and still paying for the excesses of the boom years — may start to stir to life in … Continue reading →

Housing Bailout #307b – “Sacrifice for the greater good”

Posted on January 5, 2012 by grim
Posted in Economics, Foreclosures, National Real Estate, Risky Lending | 220 Comments

From HousingWire: Bernanke calls for nationwide REO rental program The government should consider helping the nation’s vacant, unsold stock of foreclosed properties by supporting initiatives to occupy. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke believes that one aspect should be a government … Continue reading →