The credit to home buyers taking advantage of the federal government’s tax credit has reached $23.5 billion, according to the Internal Revenue Service. Some $16.2-billion was for the first time home buyers $8,000 credit and $6,500 grants to first and second time buyers. The tax credits produced a spike in home sales in the majority… Continue reading $23 Billion in Home Buyer Tax Credits
Category: California
California housing market
America’s Richest Home Market Rebounds
Once the home of wild Hippie partying, America’s richest home market is making a come back in luxury housing sales. Marin County, California just north of the scenic Golden Gate bridge is America’s richest housing market based on highest average net worth and it’s seeing a revival in luxury home sales. As Marin rebounds from… Continue reading America’s Richest Home Market Rebounds
California Burning Through Housing Inventory
Re-invigorated by a special $10,000 state tax credit, the California home market has been experiencing a rebound and a drop in housing inventory on the market. More than half of all homes sold by real estate agents in the last year have received multiple offers. Historically, when California begins a rebound in home sales the… Continue reading California Burning Through Housing Inventory
New FHA Guidelines Eliminate Possibility of Success
By Gary A. Poliakoff, Ryan Poliakoff and Kevin Chiu Plagued by the real estate crisis that is likely to top that of the Great Depression, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) has implemented a new set of lending standards in efforts to clear the glut of millions of vacant and unsold condominiums across the country. However,… Continue reading New FHA Guidelines Eliminate Possibility of Success
Worst is Over as Housing Deflation Peaks
Despite an on-coming wave of foreclosures, the worst is behind the majority of U.S. housing markets, according to a new assessment by Housing Predictor. Real estate deflation has been the worst in three states, topping 75% in the hardest hit markets of the country. But it has begun to slow as a result of a… Continue reading Worst is Over as Housing Deflation Peaks
Foreclosures Keep Pace
For fifty consecutive months foreclosure notices filed against U.S. homes have risen on a year over year basis, according to the latest Realty Trac monthly report. Notices of foreclosure activity were filed against 308,524 properties in February. Foreclosure auctions, including notices of Trustee’s Sales and Notices of Sheriff’s Sales, the last steps in the foreclosure… Continue reading Foreclosures Keep Pace
Huge Rise in Walkaways
A growing number of homeowners are doing what was once unthinkable strategically walking away from mortgages, and the trend is showing huge signs of increasing with the approval of academia. A consulting company working for financial institutions, Oliver Wyman estimates that 16% of current foreclosures are of mortgage borrowers intentionally walking away, choosing to… Continue reading Huge Rise in Walkaways
Markets on the Mend in Time for Christmas
By Kevin Chiu It’s the season of comfort and joy, Christmas trees and Santa Claus flying down the chimney. All of us wish for World Peace. We hope for a New Year that will be better than 2009 when the World’s financial system nearly blew up on Wall Street. In the face of all the… Continue reading Markets on the Mend in Time for Christmas
Housing Shows Stabilization
By Mike Colpitts More than four years after beginning its downturn, many housing markets are stabilizing. Stabilization is key and the first step in the recovery process as markets settle from the worst housing crash since the Great Depression. The long-running housing depression is far from over, but there are more indications that stabilization is… Continue reading Housing Shows Stabilization
Revolt May Start in California
By Kevin Chiu The first major move to pressure bankers to modify home mortgages may be developing in California. The action, planned for a vote next week, could be the most significant move yet to force bankers to take responsibility for millions of bad mortgages they issued to homeowners. The movement could signal a revolt… Continue reading Revolt May Start in California