Monthly Archives: September 2011

Pending home sales disappoint in August

Posted on September 30, 2011 by grim

From the Wall Street Journal: Home-Sales Index Shows More Clouds on Horizon An index that tracks contracts to buy previously owned U.S. homes fell 1.2% in August, clouding an already-bleak outlook for the housing sector, the National Association of Realtors … Continue reading →

Posted in Employment, Housing Recovery, National Real Estate | 202 Comments

Fed out of bullets?

Posted on September 29, 2011 by grim

From HousingWire: Bernanke calls for more housing help from Washington Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke delivered a speech Tuesday afternoon on emerging market economies, but it was his remarks about the state of the still-ailing U.S. economy in a Q&A … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery, Mortgages, National Real Estate, Risky Lending | 148 Comments

July Case Shiller

Posted on September 28, 2011 by grim

From Bloomberg: Home Prices in U.S. Cities Fell 4.1% in Year Ended July Home prices in the U.S. declined less than forecast in July from a year earlier, a sign bank delays in processing foreclosures may have temporarily slowed the … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, National Real Estate, New Jersey Real Estate | 89 Comments

Renting perceptions rapidly changing

Posted on September 26, 2011 by grim

From HousingWire: NMHC: Housing policy must adapt to growing renter population The United States needs to shift its housing policy to recognize the rising number of Americans opting for rental housing and reduce incentives that prioritize homeownership, according to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Employment, National Real Estate | 240 Comments

“Suzanne researched this, this listing is special”

Posted on September 23, 2011 by grim

From the NY Times: One Town, but Two Markets OVER the last six months or so, it seems several New Jersey towns have developed symptoms of split personality — at least when it comes to their real estate markets. Take … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Housing Bubble, Housing Recovery, New Jersey Real Estate | 155 Comments

Upside surprise for home sales in August

Posted on September 22, 2011 by grim

From Bloomberg: Sales of U.S. Existing Homes Increased More Than Forecast Sales of previously owned U.S. homes rose more than anticipated in August as investors scooped up distressed properties with cash. The 7.7 percent increase left purchases at a five-month … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery, National Real Estate | 119 Comments

2015? That isn’t so bad…

Posted on September 21, 2011 by grim

From the WSJ: Home Forecast Calls for Pain Economists, builders and mortgage analysts are predicting the weakened U.S. economy will depress housing prices for years, restraining consumer spending, pushing more homeowners into foreclosure and clouding prospects for a sustained recovery. … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery, National Real Estate | 140 Comments

It really is different this time

Posted on September 20, 2011 by grim

From the Star Ledger: How the real estate market has changed the responsibilities of real estate agents Emotions run high when buying or selling a house, particularly in today’s real estate market. Sellers feel like they’re practically giving away their … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, New Jersey Real Estate | 116 Comments

Irene hits Jersey residents a second time

Posted on September 19, 2011 by grim

From the Record: Tax hikes, service cuts likely as Irene costs towns $61M Hurricane or not, Irene is on track to becoming one of the most expensive natural disasters in North Jersey’s history, with preliminary estimates from the region’s municipal … Continue reading →

Posted in Employment, New Jersey Real Estate | 125 Comments

“Agriculture is the new golf”

Posted on September 18, 2011 by grim

From the WSJ: An Apple Tree Grows in Suburbia Used to be, developers built high-end suburban communities around golf greens. The hot amenity now? Salad greens. In a movement propelled by environmental concern, nostalgia for a simpler life and a … Continue reading →

Posted in National Real Estate, New Development | 18 Comments

The New America

Posted on September 16, 2011 by grim

From CNN: The jobless in New Jersey find refuge in Tent City Cars and trucks cruise along Cedar Bridge Avenue, drivers listening to radio anchors reporting the headline that a record 46 million Americans are living in poverty, while 50 … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Employment | 118 Comments

Fort Monmouth Closes

Posted on September 15, 2011 by grim

From the Record: New Jersey’s Fort Monmouth closing after 94 years Anyone who has ever listened to FM radio, gotten a speeding ticket or wondered whether there is life on other planets has been affected by New Jersey’s Fort Monmouth. … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Employment, New Jersey Real Estate | 164 Comments

Obsessed with fixing the unfixable

Posted on September 14, 2011 by grim

There is an easy fix for negative equity. All we need to do is pick who loses. Do we (taxpayers) want to lose? Should the homeowner lose? Should the banks lose? Should investors lose? Should we all lose? From HousingWire: … Continue reading →

Posted in Employment, Foreclosures, National Real Estate | 152 Comments

Support for O’s housing bailout already waining

Posted on September 13, 2011 by grim

From CNBC: ‘Friction’ in Obama’s Refi Proposal The response to President Obama’s recent proposal to refinance more borrowers into lower interest rate mortgages was at best underwhelming and at worst scathing. The plan would expand the government’s so-far disappointing, Home … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, National Real Estate, Politics | 129 Comments

Screwed over a second time

Posted on September 12, 2011 by grim

From the NY Post: $1T in sour notes It’s the flip side of foreclosure fraud: Not only is the city fireman in danger of losing his home, he also might wind up with smaller retirement checks because his pension invested … Continue reading →

Posted in Foreclosures, Housing Bubble, Risky Lending | 62 Comments