June 2009
In Another Good Sign For The Housing Market, Builders Are Clearing Out Their Inventory
June 26, 2009 by MikeRosen · Leave a Comment
If you only saw the headlines this week, you may have missed another positive sign in the housing market.
According to the Census Bureau, the supply of newly-built homes for sale fell to 10.2 months in May, its lowest level in 10 months.
Unfortunately, the New Homes Sales story wasn’t positioned as a positively by the press. Instead, [...]
3 More Signs Of A Strengthening Housing Market
June 24, 2009 by MikeRosen · Leave a Comment
The housing market got another dose of good news yesterday.
According to the National Association of REALTORS, the number of homes sold in May increased for the third straight month and the national housing supply fell by 5 months.
Furthermore, first-time home buyers are accounting for nearly one-third of the market activity.
But, before we declare a bottom [...]
Adjusting For Cost Of Living Differences When You’re Moving To A New City
June 18, 2009 by MikeRosen · Leave a Comment
Moving to a new metropolitan area requires adjustments. There’s new streets to learn, new weather patterns to get used to, and new social cultures to assimilate.
There’s also new costs.
Just like home values vary by area, so does the Cost of Living. To visit a doctor in Chicago, as an example, costs a person more than [...]
The Double-Edged Sword That Is Rising Housing Starts
June 17, 2009 by MikeRosen · Leave a Comment
After being range-bound since the start of the year Housing Starts unexpectedly jumped in May, surprising analysts and Wall Street.
It’s the latest in a string of housing-related data that suggests a real estate recovery is already underway.
Housing Starts is an important statistic for a number of reasons, but to homebuyers and home sellers, its immediate [...]
Pareto Principle In Action : 80 Percent Of The Country’s Foreclosures Occur In 20 Percent Of The States
June 11, 2009 by MikeRosen · Leave a Comment
The Pareto Principle is a statistical concept most commonly known as the 80/20 Rule.
It says 80 percent of the effects come from 20 of the causes.
Apparently, the 80/20 Rule applies to foreclosures, too — at least according to data compiled by foreclosure-tracking firm RealtyTrac.
Based on data from May, 11 states accounted for 80% of the country’s foreclosure [...]
The Rules Of Receiving A Cash Gift For A Downpayment On A Home
June 10, 2009 by MikeRosen · Leave a Comment
Tighter mortgage guidelines since late-2008 are forcing home buyers to make bigger downpayments. Anecdotally, the change has led to a surge in buyers taking gifts of cash from family members.
If you’re among those accepting a cash gift from family, it’s important to know that you can’t just deposit the money in your bank account.
There is a proper [...]
Replacing Chemical Bug Repellents With Electronic Bug Repellents In Your Home
June 8, 2009 by MikeRosen · Leave a Comment
When it comes to controlling pests, bugs and insects in the home, chemical deterrents are a common and effective remedy.
Recently, however, because of environmental and safety concerns, electronic methods are growing in favor. Pest control chemicals can be very dangerous to humans and animals.
Often, an electronic pest repellent is less effective than a similar, home-wide chemical [...]
Relocate America’s 2009 List Of Top 100 Places To Live
June 4, 2009 by MikeRosen · Leave a Comment
In choosing its 2009 lineup of Top 100 Places To Live In America, Relocate America focused on areas with stable local economies and in which the housing market has avoided precipitous price drops.
It’s not a bad formula and topping the list of Top 100 Places To Live In America is Tulsa, Oklahoma, a city in [...]
The Number Of Homes Under Contract Soar In April. Are Buyers Losing Their Negotiation Leverage?
June 3, 2009 by MikeRosen · Leave a Comment
The number of homes under contract to sell soared in April, climbing nearly 7 percent nationwide versus a month ago.
It’s the third straight month in which the Pending Home Sales Index gained and the biggest monthly jump since October 2001, the month prior to the end of the Early 2000s Recession.
A “pending” home sale is one [...]
What Are Discount Points?
June 1, 2009 by MikeRosen · Leave a Comment
Most often referred to as just-plain “points”, discount points are an up-front fee charged by a mortgage lender in exchange for a lower mortgage rate.
The dollar value of one point is one percent on the loan size. Discount points appear on Good Faith Estimates and HUD-1 Settlement Statements on Line 802.
Historically, each 1 point paid [...]
