A key step was taken yesterday in moving the country beyond the housing crisis, a crisis that triggered the worst recession in decades and whose lingering effects continue to hinder the nation’s nascent recovery. The deal, which …
housing
How ‘Shadow Inventory’ Is Killing the Housing Market
Recently, there have been lots of positive signs coming out of the real estate market. Foreclosure rates are down, housing starts are up, and homes have appreciated in value in some markets for the first time since 2006. Even so, …
No Bottoming Out for Real Estate Market as Home Values Keep Falling
If you’re watching the real estate markets, the good news is that the Federal Reserve has pledged to keep interest rates low through 2014. The bad news is that the market is going to need it. The November Case-Shiller housing …
Fixing the Housing Market: What to Expect from Obama’s SOTU Speech
What’s President Obama’s plan for getting the housing market back on track? Look for proposals—but not necessarily solutions—in tonight’s State of the Union address.
The Number of ‘Improving’ Housing Markets Nearly Doubles
Is the real estate market better yet? Seeking a way to aggregate local data, the National Association of Home Builders and First American Title Insurance constructed an “Improving Markets Index” in an effort to track metro area …
The 5 Items That Will Get Cheaper in 2012
Here are five consumer items that will get cheaper and five that will get more expensive as the new year wears on
5 Events that Really Mattered for Housing in 2011 – and Beyond
Government, the mortgage industry and forces of nature all shook the housing market in 2011. They had both an immediate impact and slow-burning effects, setting the stage for a bumpy 2012 with more foreclosures, political battles …
Real Estate Crash Hit Lower-Priced Homes The Hardest
When the housing bubble popped — in 2006, 2007, or 2008, depending on where you were — chances are that the value of your home took a nose dive. But who got hit worse, the top of the market or the bottom?
Realtor Revise: Housing Downturn Was Worse Than We Thought
It may not seem possible, but the horrific housing market crash of the past few years has actually been worse than we previously thought.
In the past two years alone, more than three million fewer homes may have been sold than
…
Homebuyers: Don’t Get Sunk Early in the Mortgage Process
If you are interested in buying a home, chances are you need a mortgage — and the first step toward a mortgage is a prequalification (or its cousin, pre-approval) letter. You provide your lender with basic financial information, and in return you receive a written offer to provide you with financial backing for a home purchase.
Foreclosure Timeline Lengthens to Record 21 Months
Increasingly in some states, foreclosure is like a Roach Motel: Houses come in, but they don’t get out. This has led to an egregious statistic in the new issue of Mortgage Monitor, a report from data-tracker LPS Applied …
Home Affordability Near Highest Level in 20 Years
It’s easy to drown in real estate statistics, but looking at “affordability” — the homes that someone on a median income could buy — is a fascinating gauge of housing markets. (Plus, it’s a statistic that can be fine-tuned to …
