The broadest measurement of the U.S. economy (GDP) expanded solidly in the third quarter at a 3.55 percent annualized rate. This marks two straight quarters of robust growth. Growth at this rate can accelerate future job creations. Still, we are missing consistency. The first quarter was negative. For the year as a whole in 2014, […]
During 2013, commercial real estate witnessed a noticeable reversal in capital availability. Following exceedingly stringent capital standards and overly tight liquidity in the wake of the 2008 recession, funding sources broadened. The trends accelerated during 2014, as most major capital providers returned to the markets and actively competed, leading some investors to express concern about […]
For the first time since January 2012, the Buyer Traffic Index, which captures on the aggregate how REALTORS® viewed traffic conditions in their markets, dropped to 44 in September (55 in August), according to data from the September 2014 REALTORS® Confidence Index Survey: http://www.realtor.org/reports/realtors-confidence-index. An index below 50 indicates that more REALTOR® respondents viewed their […]
Home owners love to decorate their homes for the holidays. But how far is too far when it comes to curb appeal with your Halloween décor? Get amused – or maybe even a little spooked – and check out this new slideshow at REALTOR® Magazine, the “Scariest (or Funniest?) Home Décor.”
Today, S&P/Case-Shiller showed that home prices grew 5.6 percent year over year in August for the 20-city index while the 10-city index showed a gain of 5.5 percent. The newer Case Shiller monthly national index showed a gain of 5.1 percent year over year in the August. Headlines seem to be focusing on the slow-down […]
REALTORS’® confidence about the outlook for the next six months for single-family homes is still generally “moderate” in many states, according to the September REALTORS® Confidence Index Survey: http://www.realtor.org/reports/realtors-confidence-index . The graphs below show a measure of REALTORS’® confidence for the single family residential market on a state-by-state basis.[1] An index above 50 indicates that […]
There is no consumer price inflation to speak of – as of yet. Even the expectation of future inflation rates remains low. This is the key reason as to why mortgage rates remain at historically low rates and why the cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA) for social security checks will barely rise next year. The latest consumer price […]
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine Nearly three-quarters of about 1,700 home owners recently surveyed say that they use their dining rooms on a daily or weekly basis, according to the 2014 Houzz Decorating Trends Survey. The majority of home owners surveyed say they want big tables in their dining rooms too. More specifically, rectangular […]
The REALTORS® Confidence Index decreased in September 2014 compared to August 2014, according to data from the September REALTORS® Confidence Index Survey: http://www.realtor.org/reports/realtors-confidence-index. The index for single family homes dipped to 51 (60 in August). The indexes for townhomes and condominiums remained below 50. An index above 50 indicates that there are more respondents who […]
After nearly three years of deliberation, regulators have finalized an important rule that impacts housing. The Qualified Residential Mortgage (QRM) rule avoids an onerous and costly down payment requirement for consumers and gives creators of mortgage backed securities one less uncertainty on their road to recovery. The immediate impact may be small, but another piece […]