Monthly Archives: May 2013

Will rising rates push sales even higher?

Posted on May 31, 2013 by grim

From the LA Times: Rising mortgage rates could fuel already hot housing markets Mortgage rates have risen half a percentage point since setting record lows last fall, and many economists expect them to continue rising for the foreseeable future. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery, Mortgages, National Real Estate | 81 Comments

NJ better prepared, or do we just lie on surveys?

Posted on May 30, 2013 by grim

From the Star Ledger: Garden Staters in better financial shape than most, more ready for ‘rainy day’: study New Jersey residents are in better financial shape than most others across the country, according to a new study by one of … Continue reading →

Posted in Demographics, Economics, New Jersey Real Estate | 125 Comments

Is the confidence justified?

Posted on May 29, 2013 by grim

From the NY Times: Home Prices Rise, Putting Country in Buying Mood Americans are in a buying mood, thanks largely to the housing recovery. The latest sign emerged Tuesday as the Standard & Poor’s Case-Shiller home price index posted the … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery, National Real Estate | 73 Comments

Confirmation of a bottom, or is it too soon?

Posted on May 28, 2013 by grim

From the WSJ: Suburban Sales Swell House prices in the New York City suburbs, after a six-year roller coaster ride in which they lost roughly a quarter of their value, are climbing again. The strongest rises were in the southwest … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery, New Jersey Real Estate | 86 Comments

New homes (and probably remodels) to get more expensive. Safer? Who knows.

Posted on May 27, 2013 by grim

From the South Jersey Times: Home sprinklers touted by South Jersey fire officials; construction, synthetics major risks True or false? Recently built family homes in the United States hold up better in a fire than those built 50 years ago. … Continue reading →

Posted in New Jersey Real Estate | 17 Comments

Housing Cage Match: Cities vs Suburbs vs Exurbs

Posted on May 24, 2013 by grim

From the WSJ (Hat tip Orange): U.S. Cities Growing Faster Than Suburbs America’s biggest cities are continuing to outgrow their suburbs as the economy’s plodding recovery makes it harder for city dwellers to move to greener pastures. The nation’s 51 … Continue reading →

Posted in Demographics, Economics, Housing Recovery, National Real Estate | 65 Comments

No equity, no sellers, no sales

Posted on May 23, 2013 by grim

From the Star Ledger: Lack of equity slows home sales in New Jersey Although the number of homes in foreclosure or struggling to make mortgage payments in New Jersey has been slowly dropping, it hasn’t been translated into a rise … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery, Mortgages, New Jersey Real Estate | 94 Comments

April Existing Home Sales

Posted on May 22, 2013 by grim

From Bloomberg: Sales of U.S. Existing Homes Probably Rose to Three-Year High Sales of existing homes probably climbed in April to the highest level in more than three years, giving a lift to the U.S. expansion, economists said before a … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery, National Real Estate | 112 Comments

Should public workers be forced to live here?

Posted on May 21, 2013 by grim

From the Star Ledger: New Jersey’s captive workforce: Opinion Every month, dozens of jittery public workers gather before a five-member tribunal in Trenton, to be grilled on their personal lives: Divorces. Child custody issues. Family illnesses. Financial woes. Why? To … Continue reading →

Posted in Demographics, Economics, Politics | 86 Comments

Banks halt foreclosures … again.

Posted on May 20, 2013 by grim

Will we ever get through the backlog? From the WSJ: Some Banks Halt Foreclosures, Citing Regulator’s Bulletin Some of the nation’s largest banks, including Wells Fargo & Co., suspended foreclosure sales in a number of states following guidance issued last … Continue reading →

Posted in Foreclosures, Mortgages, National Real Estate | 68 Comments

Why home price gains are lagging here

Posted on May 19, 2013 by grim

Same dynamics apply to NJ. From Newsday: Why Long Island home prices are rising slower than the U.S. average U.S. home prices are up about 10 percent right now from the same time last year, multiple national reports have shown, … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Foreclosures, Housing Recovery | 36 Comments

Wait a minute, Doc. Are you telling me that you built a time machine out of a DeLorean?

Posted on May 18, 2013 by grim

From Loans.org:

Posted in Mortgages, National Real Estate | 20 Comments

NJ unemployment falls to 8.7%

Posted on May 16, 2013 by grim

From NJBIZ: Labor reports jobless rate hits lowest level in four years New Jersey’s unemployment rate dropped to its lowest level in four years in April, falling by 0.3 percentage points to 8.7 percent, according to new figures from the … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Employment, New Jersey Real Estate | 138 Comments

NJ property tax increases slow, but still higher

Posted on May 15, 2013 by grim

From Bloomberg: New Jersey Property Taxes Rise to Record as Growth Slows New Jersey’s average residential property-tax bill rose 1.6 percent to a record $7,885 last year as most towns abided by Governor Chris Christie’s 2 percent cap on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, New Jersey Real Estate, Politics, Property Taxes | 138 Comments

Retire somewhere warm? Or tax friendly?

Posted on May 14, 2013 by grim

From the WSJ: It’s getting trickier to put up your feet and sidestep taxes at the same time. Investors getting ready to retire have long looked at state and local tax laws in deciding where to settle when their working … Continue reading →

Posted in Demographics, Economics, National Real Estate | 90 Comments