April housing numbers released by the National Association of Realtors were, wait for it … good. Spring is traditionally a busy season for home sales, but the real estate market has been in such a slump for the past couple of …
Real Estate Markets
Why This May Be the Ideal Time to Buy Real Estate
Well, it’s only taken half a decade, but the moribund real estate market is finally starting to show signs of life. If you were thinking about making a move on a piece of property, right now is possibly the best time. You can …
When Consumers Pay More Due to Race or Gender
Is there a “woman tax”? By some account, women pay over $1,300 more annually than men for everything from deodorant to sneakers to health care. They’re not the only group that pays a premium, though. Men are charged thousands …
The American Dream Gets Another Facelift
The American Dream of home ownership has taken some hits in the recession. But it remains alive and well, though with some twists that will help shape the nature of the budding housing recovery.
When — and Where — the Housing Market Is Due for a Bounce
The real estate recovery is just around the corner. Well, that’s if you believe the new housing numbers out this week.
Mixed Bag of Housing Data Shows Recovery — Except in Areas with High Foreclosures
In housing, there may be a rising tide, but it isn’t lifting all boats. According to data released today by the Federal Housing Finance Agency, prices were up 0.3% in February from the month before on a seasonally adjusted basis. …
Need a Mortgage? Better Hope Your Credit Record Is Almost Perfect
Credit requirements for home loans have remained very restrictive even as banks are offering credit cards and car loans to riskier borrowers. This has been pretty well-documented, but until now, nobody had actually crunched the …
Off the Road: 8 Reasons Why We’re Driving Less
In recent months, car sales have been booming at the same time that consumers have been paying more per vehicle. Because demand for cars is high, it would seem like a safe assumption that people need new wheels because we’re all …
Foreclosures Are at a 4-Year Low, But That’s Not Necessarily Good News
Foreclosure filings fell in March to their lowest level in four years, according to real estate data provider Realty Trac. For the first time since July 2007, the nationwide number of filings fell under 200,000 — a 4% drop from …
Got $1? You Could Buy a Timeshare
Take my timeshare, please! People have joked for years that timeshares are horrible investments, and yet some people have just kept on paying good money for them. Given the abundance of timeshares now offered for sale for just $1—or nothing whatsoever—perhaps the message will finally sink in.
Rental Vacancies Drop as Young People (Finally) Move Out
If you’re thinking that you can’t get ahead, you’re right. Rents, according to a Reuters story quoting Reis Inc., a firm that tracks real estate data, just posted their biggest jump in four years.
How’d You Like to Buy an Entire Town? Bidding Starts This Week at $100K
In the real estate world right now, it’s clearly a buyer’s market. Years of foreclosures and price drops have brought about a sharp rise in investment and vacation home sales, while the market also presents buyers with ample …