Archive for September, 2006

San Antonio’s Market Remains Robust

Friday, September 29th, 2006

The housing market may be slowing down on a national level, but San Antonio’s housing market continues to do very well for the moment. Signs also indicate that the local market may continue to do well, at least for the immediate future.
What signs?
150 to 175 new real estate agents enter the market […]

Preparing for Foreclosure Spike

Thursday, September 28th, 2006

On average, 167,000 new families enter into foreclosure every three months. That is according to the Mortgage Bankers Association who also believe its just the tip of the iceberg. Combine $375 billion worth of loans adjusting to higher rates this year and $1 trillion resetting in 2007, with higher energy costs, higher […]

Hope Springs Eternal

Wednesday, September 27th, 2006

It’s hard to believe that just a year ago home prices for existing homes were rising at an average of 15%. Yet, within the span of one year, that average has dropped to below zero. That’s the first time since 1995. The National Association of Realtors announced that in August 2006, […]

The “Wild Card”

Tuesday, September 26th, 2006

A recent Bloomberg News poll of economists showed a decline in existing home sales to an annual rate of 6.20 million units in August from 6.33 million in July. A decline in sales of new homes, to an annual rate of 1.04 million units in August from 1.072 million was also noted.
With […]

Consensus from the trenches

Monday, September 25th, 2006

You may disagree as to how quickly or how far the housing market will decline, but the simple fact is that it is declining, and that is indisputable. The facts speak for themselves. In August, the number of housing starts fell 6%, down almost 20% from last year. Furthermore, the National Association of […]

Meet the Jetson

Friday, September 22nd, 2006

“Condos of the Future” are not only here, but are increasing in popularity. Condos designed with smart technology are becoming more of the norm with each passing year. In South Miami, the 35-story mixed use complex, Skyline at Mary Brickell Village, is incorporating smart-building fiber-optic technology with interactive software design. The […]

The Moral of the Story

Thursday, September 21st, 2006

It seems like not so long ago, every one was getting into the groove of flipping houses. Some people did it for a living, a few others as a way to supplement their full-time jobs, while others did it just to keep busy while earning a little extra money for retirement. Now, […]

Commission Rates Falling

Wednesday, September 20th, 2006

A MSNBC article reports that real estate commission rates are falling across the U.S. Historically, the average commission has trended around 6%; however, recent information suggests that 5% is now the norm. It doesn’t appear to end there either as more and more home sellers and buyers are negotiating commission rates. In […]

It’s Only Temporary

Tuesday, September 19th, 2006

Chief economist for the NAR, David Lereah, recently told a gathering of about 400 real estate agents in Saratoga Springs that the downturn in the housing market was necessary and would be temporary for the most part. He takes the position that the current downturn was a way to bring equilibrium back to a […]

MI: Mass Foreclosure Auction Scheduled

Monday, September 18th, 2006

Recent layoffs in the auto industry have crushed the real estate market in Michigan. No where is that more evident than in an upcoming auction where over 250 bank-owned single-family homes, condos and duplexes are going to hit the auction block en masse in late September. About 150 of those 250 homes lie […]