By Kevin Chiu Vacation destination housing markets like Honolulu, posh Hilton Head, South Carolina or beautiful Miami Beach have challenges of their own, and they may be the real estate industry’s riskiest bet in 2012. Each hold traditional housing markets with year-round residents, but the condominium and vacation homes that are sought by vacationers and… Continue reading Riskiest Real Estate Bet in 2012
Money Trail Triggered Real Estate Collapse
By Mike Colpitts Following mostly decades of the appearance of propriety at the highest levels of U.S. government, an ugly money trail from special interest groups leads to members of Congress, which triggered the real estate market collapse. It’s been more than a year-and-a-half since President Barack Obama signed financial reform legislation into law. But… Continue reading Money Trail Triggered Real Estate Collapse
Mortgage Rates Jump for New Year’s
By Mike Colpitts Mortgage rates, already at their record all-time lows jumped slightly higher in time for New Year’s this week as lenders became weary about growing problems in international financial markets, according to Freddie Mac. The rate of a 30-year fixed rate loan rose to 3.95% from a record low 3.91% last week. The… Continue reading Mortgage Rates Jump for New Year’s
Real Estate Recovery Hard to Fathom
By Kevin Chiu Sometimes it’s hard to fathom. But there isn’t going to be a full-fledged recovery from this real estate crash for many years to come. For some reason a lot of people want to believe that things will somehow mercifully get better—and get better fast – like over night. Some areas of the… Continue reading Real Estate Recovery Hard to Fathom
Home Sales Jump Two Straight Months
By Kevin Chiu Home sales jumped for the second month in a row in November, increasing 4% after rising almost half as much the previous month, according to the National Association of Realtors. The jump in sales accounts for an annual adjusted rate of 4.42 million existing homes sales. The rise also accounts for a… Continue reading Home Sales Jump Two Straight Months
Bankers Expect Growing Mortgage Delinquencies
By Mike Colpitts Bankers expect delinquencies on mortgages and most consumer loans to rise as the housing market remains troubled, according to a survey conducted for FICO. Nearly half of the bankers polled by the Professional Risk Managers International Association or 47% said they expect mortgage delinquencies to increase, while only 13% expect defaults to… Continue reading Bankers Expect Growing Mortgage Delinquencies
Home Prices Tumbled Less in 2011
By Mike Colpitts Home prices tumbled an average of 4.3% on a year-over-year basis through last November, according to real estate analytics firm CoreLogic. The company’s Home Price Index, released Monday, confirmed what other real estate research companies reported – that home prices fell less in 2011 than 2010. The Santa Ana, California based firm… Continue reading Home Prices Tumbled Less in 2011
Actor Dennis Quaid Sells Home
Actor Dennis Quaid finally sold his Pacific Palisades, California estate for $9.5-million. The Hollywood star sold the home because he’s been spending more time in Texas, where his family resides full time in between making movies. Back in 1999 when Quaid purchased the property for $1.8-million it comprised a three bedroom, three bathroom home. The… Continue reading Actor Dennis Quaid Sells Home
Selling LA Renewed for Second Season
By Kevin Chiu Selling LA, a TV show featuring luxury estates throughout the richest areas of Los Angeles has been renewed for a second season on Home and Garden Television. Real estate broker Valerie Fitzgerald, the star of the dazzling show will be joined by other members of her team as the weekly show shines… Continue reading Selling LA Renewed for Second Season
Home Sales Over Reported By National Association of Realtors
By Mike Colpitts Home sales were over reported by more than 14% for a four year period by the National Association of Realtors, the organization admitted today. The alarming drop in the association’s existing sale figures came as no surprise to many local members, who had said the national association was over reporting sales for… Continue reading Home Sales Over Reported By National Association of Realtors