Monthly Archives: August 2013

Home purchases post another strong month

From the Otteau Group: July Purchase Activity Shifts Back in to High Gear Home purchase demand in New Jersey shifted back in to high gear with another double digit-increase. In July, signed purchase-contracts rose by 21% compared to one year … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery, New Jersey Real Estate | 29 Comments

Negative equity falls, still a long way to go

From CNBC: Home values rise, but millions still drown in debt More than three million U.S. borrowers have risen above water on their mortgages so far this year, thanks to swift home price appreciation, according to a new report from … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Foreclosures, Housing Recovery, Mortgages, National Real Estate | 67 Comments

Anyone surprised?

LISTEN UP! Clear your calendars now, I don’t care what you committed to. Today – 6:30 PM — Montecristo Lounge at J&R Cigars, 301 Route 10 East, Whippany, NJ 07981 No excuses. ———————————— From the Washington Post: Regulators relax proposed … Continue reading

Posted in Foreclosures, Politics, Risky Lending | 48 Comments

June home prices up 12% YOY – Much smaller locally

From Forbes: Home Price Growth Beginning To Slow Down, Says S&P/Case-Shiller Home prices continued their upward march in June, if at a slightly slower pace. U.S single-family home prices in 20 metropolitan areas rose a seasonally-adjusted 0.9% in June from … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery, National Real Estate, New Jersey Real Estate | 78 Comments

Hammers swinging, multifamily rentals hot

GTG Alert –NJRER GTG now scheduled for Thu 8/29 from 6:30 PM ’til whenever; venue — Montecristo Lounge at J&R Cigars, 301 Route 10 East • Whippany, NJ 07981 (973) 887-0800 (http://www.jrwhippany.com/index.cfm?page=lounge). ———————————— From the Record: Rental properties spark leap … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery, New Development, New Jersey Real Estate | 91 Comments

NJ “not bad” for retirement, if you don’t have to pay property taxes

From the Star Ledger: New Jersey isn’t ‘tax friendly’ for retirees, study shows It’s no secret that New Jersey is not the friendliest place for retirees. It’s not the weather, the highways or even the politics. It’s the taxes. A … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, New Jersey Real Estate | 70 Comments

Getting better everywhere but here?

From the Philly Inquirer: U.S. jobless claims dip, but Pa., N.J. still struggle For the first time since the start of the recession in late 2007, the number of people filing initial claims for unemployment insurance in the month fell … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Employment, Housing Recovery, New Jersey Real Estate | 125 Comments

July home sales up 17%, hit 4 year high

From Bloomberg: Sales of U.S. Existing Homes Rise to Highest Since 2009 Sales of previously owned U.S. homes jumped in July to the second-highest level in more than six years as buyers rushed to lock in mortgage rates before they … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery, National Real Estate | 126 Comments

Cashing out at the top?

From Bloomberg: The Housing Market Is Hot, So Re/Max Is Going Public There’s money to be made in real estate again, and one of the big names in the industry is eager to catch the boat. Re/Max Holdings, the franchiser … Continue reading

Posted in Housing Recovery, National Real Estate | 200 Comments

Gold Coast Renaissance (Take #3)

From the NYT: Have New Yorkers finally discovered Jersey City? As property values soar even in Brooklyn neighborhoods once viewed as on the fringe, New Yorkers are looking across that other river that separates Manhattan from the rest of the … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery, New Development, NYC | 97 Comments

Southern Jersey Shore home prices begin to tick up

From the Press of Atlantic City: South Jersey Shore’s home prices finally on the rise The shore area of South Jersey finally may be joining the improving housing market elsewhere in the nation. The median existing single-family home in the … Continue reading

Posted in Housing Recovery, Shore Real Estate, South Jersey Real Estate | 66 Comments

Delinquencies improve, but procedural delays plague NY/NJ

From the NYT: Delinquencies on the Decline In another sign of an improving market, mortgage delinquencies and foreclosures are down significantly since last year — although procedural impediments have tempered progress on the East Coast, especially in New York and … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Foreclosures, Housing Recovery, Mortgages | 100 Comments

NJ job market kicked in the face in July (or perhaps just an anomaly?)

From the APP: NJ lost 11,800 jobs in July; unemployment rate drops to 8.6 percent This isn’t going to be easy, is it? New Jersey’s job market lost 11,800 more jobs than it gained in July, the state reported Thursday, … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, New Jersey Real Estate | 205 Comments

No bubble in NJ – But we could be next to heat up

GTG Alert –NJRER GTG now scheduled for Thu 8/29 from 6:30 PM ’til whenever; venue — Montecristo Lounge at J&R Cigars, 301 Route 10 East • Whippany, NJ 07981 (973) 887-0800 (http://www.jrwhippany.com/index.cfm?page=lounge). ——————————————— From the Star Ledger: No sign of … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery, New Jersey Real Estate | 187 Comments

Parents Just Don’t Understand

From the Star Ledger: Parents willing to give grown kids a break in Northeast Parents of grown children in New Jersey – as well as the rest of the Northeast – tend to be more lenient when it comes to … Continue reading

Posted in Demographics, Economics, Employment, National Real Estate | 109 Comments