Category Archives: Economics

Step away for a minute and the world goes to shit

Posted on March 15, 2020 by grim

Seems I picked a fine time to stop blogging. Markets in turmoil, global pandemic, potential real estate catastrophe looming. Couple of folks reached out to me over the past few days about opening the blog back up again. Totally get … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, New Jersey Real Estate, Politics, Unrest | 225 Comments

Another good year for RE?

Posted on January 16, 2020 by grim

From HousingWire: CoreLogic: Expect home prices to rise 5% by next November In November, home prices climbed by 3.7% from the previous year, according to CoreLogic’s latest Home Price Forecast. The CoreLogic HPI projects future home price growth based on several economic … Continue reading →

Posted in Demographics, Economics, Employment, Housing Recovery, National Real Estate | 116 Comments

End of the NJ HQ?

Posted on January 14, 2020 by grim

From the Star Ledger: N.J. could force employers to pay severance to laid-off workers Stirred by the plight of New Jersey Toys “R” Us workers who lost their jobs when the Wayne-based retailed filed for bankruptcy and shuttered stores across … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Employment, New Jersey Real Estate | 79 Comments

Still strong on LI

Posted on January 12, 2020 by grim

From LI Business News: Long Island home prices climb on strong sales Prices of Long Island homes sold last month rose compared with a year ago, boosted by strong demand and a shrinking supply. The median price of homes contracted … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery, NYC | 36 Comments

Business growing in NJ?

Posted on January 9, 2020 by grim

From GlobeSt: Northern NJ Office Market Showing Improvement Heading into 2020 The Northern New Jersey office market showed signs of stability and improvement at the end of 2019 positing positive net absorption, lower availability and higher asking rents, according to … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, New Development, New Jersey Real Estate | 113 Comments

Trends 2020

Posted on January 6, 2020 by grim

From Forbes: The Real Estate Landscape In 2020: An Expert’s Predictions   Sellers will expand on home improvements before selling These will go far beyond staging as buyers become less inclined to buy homes that need work “They wish to know … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, National Real Estate | 125 Comments

The Exodus

Posted on January 3, 2020 by grim

From CNBC: People couldn’t wait to leave this state in 2019 Blame it on brutal winters, high taxes or the New Jersey Turnpike: The Garden State is the last place where people want to be. More than two-thirds of all … Continue reading →

Posted in Demographics, Economics, National Real Estate, New Jersey Real Estate, Property Taxes | 114 Comments

November Pending Sales

Posted on December 31, 2019 by grim

From CNBC: US pending home sales rise in November Contracts to buy previously owned U.S. homes rose in November, driven by a surge in new contracts being signed in the country’s West, the National Association of Realtors said on Monday. … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery, National Real Estate | 128 Comments

Housing Slowing?

Posted on December 30, 2019 by grim

From HousingWire: Home price growth slows but rent keeps rising at 2019 ends Both home prices and rents continued to increase as the year reached an end, but one of those two is increasing faster than the other. Home values … Continue reading →

Posted in Demographics, Economics, Employment, National Real Estate | 26 Comments

NJ Minimum Wage Increasing 10%

Posted on December 27, 2019 by grim

Should be interesting given that 6 months ago, minimum wage in NJ was $8.85. On January 1st, it will move to $11 an hour – roughly a 25% increase from a year ago, which would put NJ at the top … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Employment, New Jersey Real Estate | 51 Comments

Housing still looking good

Posted on December 26, 2019 by grim

From HousingWire: Home sale prices increased over 5% in the last month Home sale prices increased 5.2% year over year in November, according to a new report from Redfin. Now, home sale prices are at a median of $311,600, the largest increase since … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery, National Real Estate | 41 Comments

Delinquencies at 20 year low

Posted on December 20, 2019 by grim

From CoreLogic: The States Leading in Nationwide Delinquency Rate Drops The overall delinquency rate was 3.8% nationwide in September, down from 4.4% a year earlier and the lowest for the month of September in more than 20 years, according to the latest … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Foreclosures, National Real Estate, Risky Lending | 67 Comments

Idiots in Trenton

Posted on December 4, 2019 by grim

From the Star Ledger: High-cost, high-tax New Jersey is no place for old men – or old women You might have seen that Fairleigh Dickinson poll released last week in which a sample of New Jersey residents were asked, “Are you considering … Continue reading →

Posted in Demographics, Economics, New Jersey Real Estate, Unrest | 190 Comments

Nobody wants to sell?

Posted on December 2, 2019 by grim

From the Real Deal Home prices accelerate nationally as owners stay longer The pace of rising home prices quickened in September and existing home sales ticked up 1.9 percent. Average home prices in cities across the nation rose 3.2 percent … Continue reading →

Posted in Demographics, Economics, Employment, Housing Recovery, National Real Estate | 21 Comments

No recession without housing?

Posted on November 28, 2019 by grim

Home price gains accelerate in September, S&P Case-Shiller Index says Sales of new U.S. single-family homes unexpectedly fell in October following recent strong gains, but the overall housing market remains supported by lower mortgage rates. After shrinking for much of … Continue reading →

Posted in Demographics, Economics, Employment, Housing Recovery, National Real Estate | 33 Comments