Category Archives: Housing Recovery

Don’t bet on a quick recovery

Posted on September 10, 2012 by grim

From the WSJ: Housing on Mend, but Full Recovery Is Far Off Home prices during the first half of 2012 posted their strongest gains in six years, the clearest sign that more U.S. housing markets have hit bottom. But the … Continue reading →

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

Weekend Housing Pep Talk

Posted on September 8, 2012 by grim

From Barrons: Happy at Last Nothing’s wreaked quite the havoc on the U.S. economy, and indeed the national psyche, as the six-year slide in home prices. It wiped out some $7 trillion in household wealth, savaged bank balance sheets, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery, National Real Estate | 186 Comments

Not on fire, but rents still rising

Posted on September 7, 2012 by grim

From CNBC: Rent Spikes Begin to Ease Recent reports have shown home prices rising, especially in the housing markets which were hardest hit in the crash. Investors, buying in bulk, have been swarming these distressed markets, seeking to take advantage … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery, National Real Estate | 144 Comments

Homes that sell are selling faster (or are they?)

Posted on September 6, 2012 by grim

Caution caution caution… Read this piece with extreme skepticism. “Relisting,” the practice of taking a property off market and almost immediately back on market as a new MLS listing in order to make the property appear “new to market” or … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery | 124 Comments

“Don’t be surprised if the all-time low in home prices is in the rearview mirror.”

Posted on September 5, 2012 by grim

From the WSJ: Here’s More Evidence That Home Prices Have Hit Bottom. In each of the last three years, home prices have increased in the spring and summer, when more people are buying homes, before giving back all of those … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery, National Real Estate | 109 Comments

North Jersey Contracts – August 2012

Posted on September 4, 2012 by grim

(Source GSMLS, except Bergen which is NJMLS) Pending Home Sales (Contracts) ——————————- Bergen County August 2011 – 589 August 2012 – 707 (Up 20% YOY) Essex County August 2011 – 258 August 2012 – 348 (Up 34.9% YOY) Hunterdon County … Continue reading →

Posted in Housing Recovery, New Jersey Real Estate | 121 Comments

Blame the kids

Posted on September 3, 2012 by grim

From the Star Ledger: Millennials are slow entering the housing market The Millennial Generation, those born between the end of the ’70s and the start of the ’90s, have crossed into adulthood. They are taking up the mantels passed down … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery, New Jersey Real Estate | 89 Comments

Fed: Modest improvement in housing markets

Posted on August 29, 2012 by grim

From the Fed: Beige Book – August 29, 2012 – Second District–New York Construction and Real Estate Housing markets across the District have shown further signs of modest improvement since the last report. The housing market in the Buffalo area … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery | 120 Comments

Reasons for optimism?

Posted on August 29, 2012 by grim

From NJBIZ: Housing data give reason for optimism The weak housing market has long handcuffed the economic recovery, but new data released today suggest a housing recovery may be gaining steam. The latest S&P/Case-Shiller Home Prices Indices show home prices … Continue reading →

Posted in Housing Recovery, New Jersey Real Estate | 122 Comments

June Case Shiller Day!

Posted on August 28, 2012 by grim

From the WSJ: Why Home Prices Are Rising: The ‘Distressed Share’ Tuesday’s measure of June home prices from the S&P/Case-Shiller 20-city index is likely to turn positive when compared with one year ago for the first time in two years, … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery, National Real Estate | 91 Comments

Foreclosures? No big deal.

Posted on August 27, 2012 by grim

From HousingWire: Studies find home prices and crime rates not greatly impacted by foreclosures Furthermore, foreclosures have been portrayed as death knells for neighboring property values, but a recent working paper from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta says home … Continue reading →

Posted in Foreclosures, Housing Recovery | 97 Comments

I ain’t afraid of no ghost

Posted on August 23, 2012 by grim

From the WSJ: Shadowboxing With the Recovery in Home Sales The salvo of distressed home sales that was supposed to sink the housing recovery hasn’t shown up yet. Perhaps it never will. The National Association of Realtors said Wednesday that … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Foreclosures, Housing Recovery, National Real Estate | 130 Comments

July Existing Home Sales

Posted on August 22, 2012 by grim

From Bloomberg: Sales of Previously Owned U.S. Homes Probably Climbed in July Sales of existing homes probably climbed in July from an eight-month low, adding to signs U.S. housing may pick up in the second half, economists said before a … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery, National Real Estate | 91 Comments

Just when you thought the bailouts were over

Posted on August 21, 2012 by grim

From HousingWire: Obama to renew push for wider mortgage refinance plan The Obama administration will renew efforts to pass a wider refinance plan for more underwater homeowners when Congress reconvenes in September. “The housing market is beginning to pick back … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery, Mortgages, Politics | 119 Comments

Lenders really helping delinquent borrowers?

Posted on August 18, 2012 by grim

From the NY Times: Help for Distressed Homeowners LUIS CEREZO’s eyes welled up as he awaited the outcome of his latest attempt to resolve the 18-month backlog of mortgage payments he owes on the town house in Elizabeth where he … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Foreclosures, Housing Recovery, New Jersey Real Estate | 34 Comments