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Nashville Real Estate Update

May 6th, 2010
Nashville Tennessee Skyline
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The Nashville real estate market seems to be relatively strong compared to the rest of the country. The one potential weak spot is home prices, which were reported on by an April 8, 2010 article in the Nashville Business Journal. That piece found that “Nashville’s home prices aren’t done falling according to an analysis released Thursday by Fiserv Inc. The Wisconsin company said it doesn’t expect Nashville’s home prices to bottom out until the third quarter of 2011, and says prices won’t return to 2007 levels until 2018.” The article continued to note that “It based its report on historical trend data and forecasts based on the Fiserv Case-Shiller Indexes, which measure sales price trends for existing homes, as well as data from the Federal Housing Finance Agency and Moody’s Economy.com.”

Foreclosures amidst Nashville real estate have also been edging upwards, but that figure remains quite mild relative to the rest of the country. According to an April 7, 2010 article, also in the Nashville Business Journal, “Foreclosure rates in the Nashville area continued to rise in February, according to data released today by First American CoreLogic. According to the data, 1.44 percent of outstanding mortgages were in foreclosure in the Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin area in February. That is an increase over February 2009, when the rate was 0.75 percent. The current rate is still below the national average of 3.17 percent.” The piece continued to note that “The mortgage delinquency rate also increased in February. According to First American Corelogic, 6.05 percent of mortgages in the area were 90 days or more delinquent…”

The volume of Nashville home sales, however, has increased impressively, according to an April 9, 2010 article in the Tennessean. The piece, written by Naomi Snyder, found that “Interest rates are at historic lows, the government is shoveling thousands of dollars in tax credits at people who buy homes, and the Nashville real estate market responded in March with a 22 percent increase in sales compared with a year ago. With a new sense of optimism, sellers are putting more homes up for sale here, buyers are signing more contracts, and homes are moving at a much brisker pace that’s likely to last at least until summer.”

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Tucson Real Estate Market

May 5th, 2010
City of Tucson
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The Tucson real estate market is showing continued strength with the exception of a few indicators, a welcome departure from the harder-hit Phoenix market.  According to an April 6, 2010 article in U.S. News and World Report, “Robust activity in the Tucson housing market may portend an end to the housing crisis there, even though home prices are still bumping along at low levels. Sales are rising as home buyers take advantage of big inventory, sellers willing to deal and the federal home buyer tax credit, says Bob Herd, president of the Tucson Association of Realtors.” The piece, composed by Christine Dugas, continued to note that “In Tucson, home sales were up 6.6% in February compared with the same month in 2009. ‘The first-time home buyer market is very robust, even with multiple offers in some cases,’ Herd says. ‘And the move-up market is starting to show small signs of life.’”

The same article in USA Today tracked other positive news for Tucson home sales, such as a higher median sales price. The article, written by Christine Dugas, found that “In February, Tucson’s median sales price was 15.5% lower than in February 2009. That was largely driven by a surge in sales at the low end of the market because of the tax credit, Herd says. Arizona still has the nation’s second-highest foreclosure rate. But among major metro areas, Tucson ranks 41st, which is much lower than Phoenix, at No. 8, according to RealtyTrac.” The article continued to note that “Foreclosure has made some popular areas more affordable, including Dunbar spring, which is a small, historic neighborhood near downtown.”

More mixed news for Tucson real estate was reported by an April 12, 2010 article in the Arizona Daily Star. This article noted that “Tucson home sales were up in March from the previous year. But the median price of homes sold – while higher than February’s – was down from March of last year. In Tucson’s housing market, 1,169 homes sold this March, with a median price of $157,680, says the latest monthly report by the Tucson Association of Realtors Multiple Listing Service.”

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Benefits of investing in Hawaiian real estate

May 1st, 2010
Hawaii #16 - Baby wolphin
Image by Mark Interrante (aka pinhole) via Flickr

Hawaii has long been known for its tropical beauty and outstanding sceneries. It boasts a unique charm and lively, floral appeal that is enough to refresh and enthrall your mind and body and fill you with abundant energy. Such is the beauty of Hawaiian resorts. From crowded beaches amid sparkling waters to magnanimous mountains and hilly regions to the lush growth of flourishing flora; the place is indeed one of its kinds. Every year millions of tourists from all around the world are attracted to this tropical paradise. Some of these are new visitors while there are still those who are so captivated by the place’s beguiling beauty that they return frequently to spend their vacations.

Hawaii with its beautiful six islands offers a rich geographical variation to its visitors. With a unique blend of cultures, the place holds the power of turning your simple vacations into a highly distinctive and enjoyable experience.

Out of the large number of tourists who visit Hawaii every year; a majority opts for rental houses or condos, while on the other hand there is an equally large population in search of a suitable property on this perfect holiday destination. People may opt for a real estate property on any of the six Hawaiian Islands namely: Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui, Lanai and Big Island

You will find a huge variety of houses, lands, villas, apartments, single bedroom cottages, condominiums and duplexes on the islands. Whether you are single, newly wed couple or a large family, investing in a real estate that lies in a tropical paradise is indeed worth it.

For real estate buyers, there are abundant opportunities available. Even though the market lacks it usual galore due to the recent financial crisis all over the globe, the chances of finding a suitable accommodation that best suits your likes and budget are still very high. Furthermore, with the recent decline in the real estate property prices, the time is indeed ideal to invest.

For some the investment in Hawaii homes may seem rather dis-satisfactory owing to the declining prices and market clumps. However, it is worth mentioning the fact that this fluctuation is not a new one and that the chances of recovery by leaps and bounds are indeed very high.

Furthermore, another benefit of investing in a Hawaiian real estate other than its breathtaking views and floral charm is that of lower interest rates. This means that the buyer is actually able to purchase more property than he thought from his given amount.

Investing in Hawaiian real estate is also beneficial because overall the cost of living in Hawaii is very high. This major tourist attraction is also one of the most expensive places to live in and thus one has to consider all the housing costs too.

In addition, the cost of rentals is extremely high, especially if you wish to live on the main land. For this reason, the idea of investing in a real estate is more economical. The prices of Hawaiian homes are still very high; however, they have dropped considerably in the last few years giving the buyers more chances of finding amazing deals. So make sure you buy yourself a slice of this heaven on earth before the property prices soar again. Many buyers tend to foresee this economic trend as an ideal future investment.

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Chicago Real Estate Update

April 20th, 2010
Critical Mass riders meet in Chicago's Daley P...
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The Chicago real estate market is facing mixed signals during the first quarter of the 2010 fiscal year. According to a March 16, 2010 article in Business Week, “A new report says the number of Chicago homes in foreclosure was up 16 percent in 2009 compared to 2008. The National People’s Action’s 2009 Chicago Foreclosure Report says more than 23,000 homes in the area were in foreclosure last year.” The piece, originally composed by the Associated Press, continued to say that “Senator Dick Durbin says the report suggest foreclosures are no longer being driven primarily by the years of what he calls predatory lending. The Illinois Democrats says they’re now driven more by unemployment and homeowners who owe more than homes are worth. In a statement about the new report, Durbin’s office cited figures showing 11 million homeowners nationwide owe more than their homes are worth.”

One positive bit of news for Chicago homes for sale and Midwest real estate was reported by a March 23, 2010 article by the New York Times. This article reported that “Midwest home sales improved nearly 10 percent over last year as tax credits and low interest rates continued to motivate buyers. The National Association of Realtors released figures Tuesday showing 68,000 sales in the 11-state region in February, and the median sales price fell 2 percent to $128,000.” The piece, also originally released by the Associated Press, continued to say that “In February, Midwest sales improved more than the nation as a whole. Non-seasonally adjusted figures showed total February homes sales increased 8 percent over last year.”

This same general outlook for Chicago real estate for sale was reported by a March 31, 2010 article in the Chicagoist. This piece found that “The Associated Press is reporting that Chicago-area single-family home prices saw the biggest drop among 20 cities in January, according to The Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller home price index. Chicago-area prices dropped just over four percent compared to last year, and is a bigger dip than the 0.7 percent year-over-year drop for the 20 cities combined…Analysts fear that bigger home prices may be in store as the first-time home-buyer credit expires.”

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Los Altos Real Estate

April 11th, 2010
City of Los Altos
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An affluent community in the Silicon Valley region of northern California, the city of Los Altos is a mid-sized city near the southern end of the San Francisco Peninsula. The community has a high median household income, measured at more than $158,000 in 2007, and thus home prices are correspondingly higher than in many areas. The Los Altos real estate experienced troubled waters throughout much of 2008 and 2009 in the aftermath of the U.S. financial crisis.

Today, the market seems to be showing signs of improvement. According to statistics from the Santa Clara County Association of Realtors, n February, there were 38 new listings, putting the city’s total inventory at 72, down from 86 one year ago, a positive sign. There were 17 Los Altos homes for sale closed upon in February, a significant improvement year-over-year, as there were only six sales in February 2009. These homes spent an average of 55 days on the market before selling, up slightly from 50 one year ago. Sold homes received a median price of $1.64 million, which also showed improvement from a year ago, when the price was $1.48 million, an encouraging sign for those in the market.

The condo market in Los Altos showed some mixed signals. There were two new condo listings posted in February to bring the total inventory to 11, exactly half of what it was one year ago. The month accounted for three condo sales, an improvement on just one last year, after spending an average of 58 days on the market in 2010, compared with 61 days in 2009. The median price for a condo sold in Los Altos came out to $780,000, the one area where the trend is still sloping downward, as last year’s median price was $925,000.

The year 2009 saw 269 homes and 39 condos sell in Los Altos. The yearly average saw homes spend 65 days on the market, and condos, 79. The median price for homes sold in Los Altos in 2009 was $1.5 million, and the median condo price was $760,000. Homes received, on average, 95.4% of their asking prices, while condos received 94.9%.

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Granite Bay Real Estate

April 11th, 2010
Ward Creek on the western shore of Lake Tahoe ...
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A census-designated place in Placer County California, the community of Granite Bay is a residential suburban area in the Sacramento region. The community is a quite wealthy suburb, with median household income estimated at more than $115,000 in 2007. Of course, this means that the Granite Bay real estate sector had rising home prices prior to the U.S. economic troubles that eventually came tumbling down, crippling the local market.

According to the Placer County Homes and Land blog, in the final quarter of 2009, there were 78 homes and 5 plots of land sold in Granite Bay during that quarter, of which 17 were bank-owned properties and 16 were short sales. These sales ranged from as little as $200,000 for an 1,800-square-foot home to $3.3 million for a nearly 7,000-square-foot home. The sales volume was an increase of more than 16% from the previous quarter from July to September, when there were only 67 properties sold. Inventory had fallen as well. The fourth quarter saw an inventory of 6.15 months worth of homes, versus 9.45 worth in the third quarter. The number of days these homes spend on the market, however, has risen, to 120 days on average from just 95. The median sales prices fell slightly from quarter-to-quarter as well. In the third quarter it was $550,000, but the final quarter of the year saw that figure fall by nearly 5% to $523,000.

At the end of January, there were 160 Granite Bay homes for sale, a positive, as that figure represented a more than 24% decline in inventory from six months earlier, in August. Eight of these homes were bank-owned and 18 were active short sales. The average asking price for these homes was $1.03 million, a 6.7% decline from six months ago. The median asking price, however, rose from six months earlier. In January it was $793,950, nearly 6% higher than in August.

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Carlsbad, California Real Estate

March 25th, 2010
Official seal of City of Carlsbad, California
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A coastal community located in Northern San Diego County, Carlsbad, California, is a relatively affluent community that has nonetheless been unable to escape the claws of the battered U.S. housing market woes. The Carlsbad real estate saw an initial dropping off of prices that seemed unstoppable, but as of recent months, slight improvements have been seen, pointing to signs that perhaps the bottom has been reached and now it’s time to climb back out.

Though sales through most of 2009 of homes were brisk and showed an increase over 2009, median prices of Carlsbad homes for sale struggled. The market kicked off 2009 with a median price of more than $700,000 and finished off the year in December with the median at around $620,000. The median price hit bottom in October at around $600, and then saw increases in November and December. Sales activity actually reached a yearly high in December, when 70 homes were sold.

Condo prices showed a similar trend. They started off 2009 with a median price of around $375,000 and finished the year in December at around $330,000. The lowest point for the condo market was also reached in September and October, and prices began to see ever so slight increases in November and December. Sales activity of condos remained mostly consistent, with around 25 to 30 sales per month.

These trends from the end of 2009 show that perhaps 2010 will be the year the the Carlsbad real estate market regains momentum and begins to see steady increases month over month as the U.S. economy slowly starts to pick up and residents return to employment and resume normal activity.

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Fullerton real estate market

March 9th, 2010
Images, from top, left to right: Downtown Los ...
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The Fullerton real estate market, which is closely linked to the rest of the Southern California real estate market, made some impressive strides during the month of January. According to an article released by EGP News, “In Orange County, the median home price was $325,000, up from $300,000 in the same month a year ago, according to La Jolla-based MDA DataQuick. According to DataQuick, 15,361 homes were sold in the six-county Southern California region – Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, Ventura, San Bernardino and Orange counties – in January, down 31.2 percent from 22,328 in December and up 0.9 percent from 15,227 in January 2009.” As John Walsh of MDA DataQuick pointed out, “The January stats underscore just how atypical this market remains…A huge chunk of what’s selling is still distressed.”

The price of Fullerton homes for sale substantially increased in the month of January, according to an article in OC Metro. The piece, published on February 16, 2010, found that “Orange County’s median home price jumped 14.9 percent in January compared to the same time last year, according to stats just released by San Diego-based MDA DataQuick.” The article, composed by Kristen Schott, noted that “The price for a home or condominium in the region rose to $425,000 in the period, up from $370,000 in January 2009. But the number declined from December’s $435,000 median. For the entire Southern California region, which includes the Orange, L.A., Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Ventura counties, the median home price rose 8.6 percent to $271,500…”

One problem spot for Fullerton real estate and Orange County real estate was reported in another article by the OC Metro. This piece, composed by Carol Starcevic, noted that “Foreclosure notifications in Orange County rose slightly in January from the previous month, but the number still remains significantly lower than January of 2009’s figure.” The February 16, 2010 article continued to point out that “In addition, 523 properties were returned to banks, up 86 from December but down 193 from January 2009. And 303 homes were sold to a third party, up 81 from December and 183 from the same time last year, according to the report.”

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Palm Desert Real Estate Update

February 2nd, 2010
18g Palm Springs - Aerial Tramway (E)
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Located just outside of Palm Springs, Palm Desert has faced its fair share of real estate struggles since 2007, even prior to the economic recession that began in 2008, which only worsened the situation for the Palm Desert real estate market.  Nevertheless, recent months have offered optimistic views of the future of the Palm Desert real estate.  Real estate experts have noted that the Southern California region has posted increases in both home sales and median sales prices, with both actually reaching year-over-year gains.  Experts are also confident that the federal tax credit for first-time homebuyers, as well as the greater affordability of housing in the region and the easier access to credit will allow for the recovery of the Palm Desert real estate market in the coming months.

According to DQNews.com, the Southern California region has posted increases in both its home sales and median sales prices, with home sales maintaining year-over-year gains for the 18th consecutive month and median sales prices reaching year-over-year gains for the first time since the summer of 2007.  During December of 2009, Southern California posted a total of 22,238 new and resale houses and condos sold, which was a 16.4 percent increase from the 19,181 sold during the previous months, and a 12.1 percent increase from the 19,926 sold in December of 2008.  The median sales price for homes sold in Southern California during December of 2009 was $289,000, a slight 1.4 percent increase from $285,000 of the previous month, and a 4 percent increase from $287,000 of the December of 2008.

The Desert Sun has also reported that the Palm Desert real estate market for apartments has improved over the past few months as many previous homeowners were displaced from homes that were foreclosed on.  Realtors have reported that many previous homeowners have opted for apartments, increasing the demand for apartments significantly over the past few months.  Realtors have also noted that the affordability of the apartments has also been a major incentive for attracting prospective investors.

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Oakland Real Estate Update

January 13th, 2010
City and County of San Francisco
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Real estate experts are optimistic that the recent improvements in the Oakland real estate market provides signs that the Bay Area real estate market is recovering from the struggles it has faced since 2007, prior to the economic recession of 2008, which only worsened the real estate problems.  Over the past several months, the Bay Area has posted gains in both home sales and median prices, and the declines in home values in many markets are stabilizing.  Although foreclosure rates are still high, real estate experts believe that the rate will decline and the smaller inventory of foreclosed properties will result in an increase in the Bay Area median sales price.

According to DQNews.com, the Oakland real estate, as well as the entire Bay Area in California, has shown major improvements over the past few months, with sales and median price levels topping the previous year’s levels, despite a slight dip experienced in October.  In November, the median sales price for new and resale houses and condos in the Bay Area was $387,000, which was a 10.6 percent increase from $350,000 in November of 2008.  Before October, the median sales prices hadn’t risen on a year-over-year basis since November of 2007, but the current median sales price is still41.8 percent below the peak of $665,000 reached in the summer of 2007.  In November, the Bay Area posted a total of 6,878 new and resale home and condo sales, a 19.5 percent increase from the of the same month during the previous year.  Real estate experts believe that the large inventory of “bargain” priced homes has been a major incentive for prospective buyers.

The San Francisco Chronicle has also noted the promising signs of the Oakland real estate market with the slowing decline in property values in the Bay Area real estate markets.  According to the Chronicle, the Bay Area suffered from a $38.1 billion drop in property value in the first eleven months of 2009, however, that’s small in comparison to the $233.1 billion decline seen in 2008.  Real estate experts are optimistic that the general affordability of the Bay Area real estate and the federal tax credit will play a major role in improving the real estate market in the coming months.

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