The VERY LATEST on Today's Real Estate Market
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Feb 26, 2013 Single-family homes sold in Massachusetts rose more than 10 percent on a year-to-year basis, the best January since 2007. Prices rose 6.8%. Condo sales were up nearly 11 percent on a year-to-year basis, but prices fell 2%, the lowest since 2009.
Feb 12, 2013 Prices for single-family homes climbed in almost 88 percent of U.S. cities in the fourth quarter The national median price for an existing single-family home was $178,900 in the fourth quarter, up 10 percent from the same period last year. Prices in western states climbed 20 percent to a median $245,200, the biggest gain of any area, according to the Realtors group. The best-performing metro area was Phoenix, where prices jumped 34 percent from a year earlier. Prices rose 31 percent in Detroit and 28 percent in San Francisco. Prices in northeastern states rose the least, up 0.7 percent to a median $228,400 Source: Bloomberg
Jan 24, 2013 More Good News! Mass Sales and Prices Jump!!!
Jan 15, 2013 Housing starts jumped in December.... Housing starts were up 12.1% over the previous month—the best showing since June 2008. Single-family home starts were up 8% while multifamily starts climbed more than 20%. Compared to the third quarter, annualized housing starts in the fourth quarter were 82% higher, for the strongest jump since the 1980s.
Dec 20, 2012 US home sales surge to highest level in 3 years
Dec 4, 2012 Remember: Real Estate results are a VERY Regional Phenomenon..... As I have stressed on many occasions since the market started to recover, because of the huge differences in the results between regions of the country, while Massachusetts real estate has indeed begun the long-awaited bounce off the bottom, we should not be overly excited by the reports of the national improvement in prices. As you will see below, the national year over year avg of an increase of 4.6% in prices is enormously influenced by huge increases in many of the areas that were hardest hit during the precipitous decline of the previous 5 years. So while our own region of the greater Boston area was not among the areas that were crushed between 2006 and 2011, we have not (yet) experienced the lift off the bottom that is even close to the oft-reported national numbers. JGC

Nov 27, 2012 The MassachusettsAssociation of REALTORS® (MAR) reported today that October single-family median home prices had their biggest monthly increase since June 2010, the last month of the home buyer tax credit. The number of closed home sales was up again for the 16th straight monthcompared to the year before. There were 3,685 detached single-family homes sold this October, a 22 percent increasefrom the 3,017 homes sold the same time last year. This is the 16th straight month of year-over-year increases. The median selling price for single-family homes in October was $287,000 which was up 4.4 percentfrom $275,000 in October 2011. This is the largest percent increase since the median price went up 8.3 percent in June 2010, which was the last month to close and qualify for the home buyer tax credit.
Nov 24, 2012 Further Encouragement from Vanguard: While questions still hover over the economy, the real estate market is making a welcome transition from area of concern to catalyst for growth. Once again, both existing-home sales and new construction delivered strong numbers, despite some resistance from Hurricane Sandy.
The market for existing homes is gaining momentum. Sales of previously owned homes climbed 2.1% in October. Construction of new residential homes rose 3.6% in October. October marked the third straight monthly rise for housing starts (including multi-families), which are now 41.9% higher than a year ago
Nov 5, 2012 Remember .... Real Estate prices are a REGIONAL phenomenon!
The National median existing single-family home price rose 7.6 percent in the third quarter of 2012 vs the same period in 2011, This was the strongest year-over-year price increase since the first quarter of 2006 when the median price rose 9.4 percent. In the second quarter the price increased 7.2 percent from a year earlier.
BUT …..
The median existing single-family home price in the Northeast SLIPPED 0.3 percent to $246,900 in the third quarter from a year ago.
The median existing single-family home price in the Midwest INCREASED 4.2 percent in the third quarter.
In the South prices ROSE 5.7 percent.
And in the West, prices SURGED 20.2 percent for the same period.
Regional ... Regional ... Regional !!
October 19, 2012 Existing Home Sales Reflect Optimism ....The slow but steady recovery in the existing home market was confirmed by September's data, which showed sales of 475,000. The number is 1.7% lower than August's, but 11% higher than a year ago. Additionally, the national median existing-home price for all housing types was $183,900 in September, up 11.3% from a year ago.
Source: Vanguard
October 17, 2012 Housing Starts Jump 15% to Four-Year High
October 2, 2012 The recovery continued to unfold in September at the national and regional levels with gains across the board. 1.8% quarterly growth at the national level was driven in part by gains in the West. The West posted notable quarterly gains of 3.7%, the fifth consecutive month it's led regional gains. The Midwest and South regions had quarterly home price gains of 1.9% and 1.3%, respectively. The Northeast posted the weakest quarterly gains of 0.2%.
Source: Clear Capital
Sept 25, 2012 Massachusetts Sales UP 20% Aug 2012 vs Aug 2011
Sept 19, 2012 Sales AND Prices UP Nation Wide
August 29, 2012 Merrimack/Nashoba Valley Single Family Home Sales Up 38% in July; Condo Sales Jump by 60%
August 22, 2012 Sales of existing homes rose in July even with constraints of affordable inventory, and the national median price is showing five consecutive months of year-over-year increases. Monthly sales rose in every region but the West, where inventory is very tight.
August 17, 2012 New construction of residential homes declined 1.1% in July following its strongest rise in more than 4 years in June. Nevertheless, housing starts were 21.5% higher than a year earlier. Issuance of building permits, which is a leading indicator of future homebuilding, rose 6.8%—its largest increase since 2008. Permits for multifamily buildings, such as apartment houses, propelled the gain. Housing completions rose 7.1%. Additional perspective on the housing market comes out next week with reports on existing-home sales (Wednesday) and new-home sales (Thursday).
August 8, 2012 Prices Continue to RECOVER
July 25, 2012 NATIONALLY, Sales of NEW Homes FALL
July 25, 2012 LOCAL Sales up Sharply in June
July 18, 2012 Housing Starts In U.S. Rose In June To Highest Since 2008
July 10, 2012 Prices ARE Rising
June 26, 2012 Home sales back to pre-recession levels
June 23 2012 The Real Estate week in review is, as usual, a bit mixed, but clearly suggests that we’re in much better shape than we were a year ago.
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Sales of previously owned homes fell by 1.5%from April's level, but were up 9.6% from a year earlier
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Housing starts declined by 4.8%in May on a monthly basis to an annualized rate of 708,000, but were up 28.5% compared with May 2011.
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Housingpermits, a more forward-looking indicator, rose 7.9%overall compared with April to reach their highest level since 2008
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This last item might at first blush appear encouraging, but not when we drill down a bit into the equation. To wit:
It was reported that the national median price of previously owned homes rose 7.9% to $182,600 compared with a year ago. BUT what many are failing to explain is that the reason for the price increase is in large part the result of the slowdown in the foreclosure process. That slowdown decreased the number of distressed properties from the equation that typically sell for bargain-basement prices, thereby pushing up the average price.
June 14, 2012 Foreclosure filings rise in May
May 30, 2012 Pending Sales of U.S. Homes Decrease by Most in a Year
May 18, 2012 Home Prices ROSE 0.6% in March from previous month
May 15, 2012 Inventories hover near lows last seen in 2005
April 24, 2012 Massachusetts SALES UP ... PRICES DOWN
April 23, 2012 Nationwide, housing starts were up 10.3% from a year ago. Starts rose 32.8% in the Northeast and 1.0% in the Midwest, were flat in the West, and dropped 15.9% in the South.
April 17, 2012 U.S. Housing Starts Unexpectedly Drop to Five-Month Low
April 11, 2012 Massachusetts Pending Home Sales UP 40%
April 3, 2012 Post Robo-Signing-Fiasco FORECLOSURES will continue to weigh on prices
March 30, 2012 Goldman Sachs Group Inc., which survived the subprime mortgage crisis by making bets on a housing decline, is raising money for a new fund that will buy home-loan bonds to benefit from an IMPROVING REAL ESTATE MARKET
March 26, 2012 Best Housing Affordability Conditions Ever…. Housing affordability in January reached its highest level since the National Association REALTORS® began compiling data in 1970. The index tracks median home price, median family income and the average mortgage rate.
Feb 27, 2012 Nationally, prices continue to fall
Feb 27, 2012 Massachusetts SALES UP .... PRICES DOWN
Feb 23, 2012 Home Prices Declined 2.4% in Q4
Feb 22, 2012 Sales of Existing Homes Rise to Best Rate Since May 2010
Feb 16, 2012 Housing Starts were up almost 10% in December from a year ago
Feb 6, 2012 The Northeast region remained essentially flat over last month’s report with a very mild quarterly loss of 0.7%, and year-over-year growth of 0.1%. This region has been resilient over time with relative stability in year-over-year and quarterly numbers, but also boasts overall losses of just 22.5% since the height of that market’s value in 2006, as compared to the national average of 40.5% in losses since the nation’s peak
Jan 24, 2012 Massachusetts December sales down 5% vs Dec 2010
Jan 20, 2012 Previously-owned Home Sales Rise 5% in December
Jan 19, 2012 Housing starts worse than forecast in December, dropping 4.1%
Jan 17, 2012 Homebuilder Confidence Highest Since 2007
Jan 10, 2012 Mass homes put under agreement in December went up again for the eighth straight month compared to the same time in 2010.
Jan 3, 2012 NAR (Nat’l Assoc. of REALTORS) released its latest pending home sales index figure last week and for the second month in a row the index is up. But more than that, the index has broken 100. This is significant because the only time since the housing boom collapsed that the index has broken 100 is when the home owner tax credit was in effect. The fact that the index has returned to that level a year since the credit has been in effect means the housing market is strengthening completely on its own, without any stimulus.
Dec 29, 2011 Pending Home Sales at 19 Month HIGH
Dec 23, 2011 New Home Sales Highest since April
Dec 21, 2011 Prices DOWN ... Sales UP ....
Dec 20, 2011 Housing starts highest since April 2010
Nov 21, 2011 Existing Homes Sales Unexpectedly Rise 1.4%
Nov 15, 2011 Foreclosures jump 7% in October from September
Oct 20, 2011 Existing-Home Sales Off in September
Sept 27, 2011 Home Prices Fell 4.1% in Year Ended July
Sept 22, 2011 U.S.home prices rose 0.8% in July
Sept 21, 2011 Sales of U.S. Existing Homes Rise 7.7%
Aug 24, 2011 Mortgage Delinquencies Up
Aug 23, 2011 U.S. sales of new homes declined in July for the third straight month
Aug 23, 2011 Mass Single Family Homes UP in July
July 28, 2011 Existing Home Sales in U.S. Rose 2.4% in June
July 26, 2011 New-Home Sales Unexpectedly Fell for 2nd Month
July 26, 2011 Home Prices in 20 U.S. Cities Fell 4.5% in Year
July 21, 2011 U.S. home prices fell 6.3 percent in May from a year earlier
July 20, 2011 Sales of previously owned homes unexpectedly decline to a seven-month low
July 19, 2011 Housing starts in the rise more than forecast
July 7, 2011 More Relief for Unemployed Home Owners !!
July 1, 2011 Rates on 5-year ARM fall to record low
June 29, 2011 Pending Sales of Existing Homes Rise by 8.2%
June 28, 2011 Prices in 20 U.S. Cities fell 4% in the Year Ended in April
June 22, 2011 U.S.Home Prices Fell 5.7% in April From Year Earlier
June 21, 2011 U.S.Existing-Home Sales Hit Six-Month Low
June 2, 2011 Mortgage Rates for 30-Year U.S. Loans Decline for Seventh Week to 4.55%
May 31, 2011 Home Prices in 20 U.S. Cities Fall to 8-Year Low
May 27, 2011 Pending Sales of U.S. Existing Homes Drop 12%
May 25, 2011 U.S. home prices dropped 5.5 percent in the first quarter from a year earlier
May 19, 2011 Existing-Home Sales in U.S. Unexpectedly Fall
May 9, 2011 Home values fell three percent in the first quarter
April 28, 2011 March home sales in Massachusetts fell 14.4%
April 26, 2011 Home Prices in 20 U.S. Cities Decreased 3.3% From Year Earlier
April 25, 2011 New-home sales climbed 11.1 percent in March
April 21, 2011 Home Prices Slid 5.7% in February From Year Earlier
April 20, 2011 Existing Home Sales Rise 3.7%
April 19, 2011 Housing Starts in Increased 7.2% in March
March 30, 2011 ‘Shadow Inventory’ Totals Nine-Month Supply
March 23, 2011 Sales of new U.S. homes tumble 16.9% to record low
March 22, 2011 Home Prices Declined 3.9% in January From Year Earlier
March 21, 2011 Existing Home Sales in U.S. Slump; Prices Drop to Lowest Since April 2002
March 17, 2011 Discouraging Numbers from the Commerce Dept
March 8, 2011 Home Sales Accelerate as Prices Decline
Feb 28, 2011 Pending Sales of Existing Homes Fell 2.8% in January
Feb 23, 2011 Sales of U.S. Existing Homes Climb to Eight-Month High
Feb 22, 2011 Massachusetts Home SALES UP .. PRICES DOWN
Feb 17, 2011 U.S. Loans in Foreclosure Tie Record
Feb 10, 2011 Mortgage Rates Rise to 10-Month High
Feb 9, 2011 Best Affordability Numbers in 35 Years
27% of U.S. Home Owners Underwater
Jan 26, 2011 Mortgage Applications Lowest in Two Years
Sales of New Homes Rise More Than Expected
Jan 25, 2011 Home Prices in U.S. Declined 1.6%
Jan 20, 2011 Existing-home sales jump 12%
Dec 30, 2010 Pending Sales of U.S. Existing Homes Rise 3.5%
Dec 28, 2010 Home Prices in U.S. Decrease More Than Forecast
Dec 23, 2010 New-home sales up 5.5% in November
Dec 22, 2010 Existing-home sales climb 5.6% in November
Dec 16, 2010 30-year Mortgage Jumps to 7-Month High
Dec 13, 2010 Housing Shaky as Lenders Tighten
Dec 9, 2010 Mortgage rates jump to six-month highs
Dec 2, 2010 Pending Sales of U.S. Existing Homes Rise a Record 10%
Nov 23, 2010 October existing-home sales fall 2.2%
Nov 18, 2010 Mortgage Rates Surge to Three-Month High
Prime U.S. Mortgage Foreclosures Rise to Record
Nov 11, 2010 Home Prices Fall in Half of U.S. Cities
Nov 9, 2010 Massachusetts housing market sagging
Nov 5, 2010 Pending sales of existing homes unexpectedly declined in September
Oct 28, 2010 Mass. home sales off sharply for month, quarter
Oct 27, 2010 New-home sales climb 6.6% in September
Oct 27, 2010 Record-low mortgage rates will be gone in 2011: MBA
Oct 26, 2010 August Home Prices Rose Less Than Forecast
Oct 25, 2010 U.S. Existing Home Sales Rose 10%
Oct 19, 2010 Housing Starts Rise to Five-Month High
Oct 14, 2010 U.S. Home Seizures Reach Record
Oct 5, 2010 Pending sales for Bay State single-family homes fell 19 percent
Oct 4, 2010 Pending U.S. Sales of Existing Homes Increased 4.3% in August
Sept 30, 2010 Distressed Homes Sell at 26% Discount as Foreclosures Increase
Sept 28, 2010 Mass Home Sales at 20 Year Lows
Sept 24, 2010 U.S. Aug. new home sales flat at 288,000 pace
Sept 23, 2010 Existing home sales rebound a bit in August
Sept 22, 2010 U.S. Home Prices Fell 3.3% in July
Sept 21, 2010 Housing starts increase more than forecast
Sep 16, 2010 U.S. Home Seizures Reach Record
Sep 2, 2010 Pending home sales climb 5.2% in July
Aug 25, 2010 July new home sales plunge to record low
Aug 24, 2010 Existing-home sales plunge 27.2%
Aug 17, 2010 Building permits and Housing Starts disappointing
Aug 16, 2010 Home-builders index slumps to 17-month low
Aug 6, 2010 FHA To Help "Upside Down" Home Owners
July 27, 2010 Home Prices in 20 U.S. Cities Rose More Than Forecast
July 26, 2010 Sales of New Homes Climb More Than Forecast
July 20, 2010 U.S. housing starts drop 5% to 8-month low
July 15, 2010 U.S. Home Seizures Rise 38% to Record
July 14, 2010 Mortgage applications to buy homes hit 14-year-low
July 8, 2010 U.S. 30-Year Mortgage Rates Decline to 4.57%
July 1, 2010 Pending home sales plunge 30% in May
June 29, 2010 U.S. home prices rise 0.8% in April
June 23, 2010 Sales of U.S. New Houses Plunges to Record Low
June 17, 2010 Senate votes to extend home tax credit closing deadline
June 3, 2010 Pending home sales DROP as tax credit ends
May 27, 2010 Mortgage Rates Slide to Five-Month Low
May 26, 2010 New Homes Sales Jump in April
May 25, 2010 Housing Recovery Cooling - Case Shiller
May 25, 2010 Local home sales surge
May 19, 2010 Biggest Plunge in Purchases Since 1997
May 19, 2010 HOME PRICES Projected to Begin Rebound in 2011
May 14, 2010 MORTGAGE RATES fall to lowest levels of the year
May 4, 2010 Pending Sales of Existing Homes in U.S. Rise 5.3%
April 29, 2019 Latest Boston Area Housing data mixed
April 28, 2010 Housing Rebound 3 Years Away ???
April 27, 2010 Home Prices in U.S. Cities Increased 0.6% in February
April 23, 2010 SALES OF NEW HOMES SURGED 27% IN MARCH
April 17, 2010 HOME BUYER TAX CREDIT NOT LIKELY TO BE EXTENDED
April 16, 2010 Housing starts maintain UPWARD TREND in March
April 16, 2010 HOUSING STARTS, Permits Rise More Than Estimated
April 15, 2010 BANK SEIZURES of homes hits a record
April 13, 2010 The inventory of FORECLOSED HOMES in the U.S. hit a record in February.
April 5, 2010 Pending Home Sales Jump in February
March 30, 2010 Home Prices in 20 U.S. Cities Rose 0.3% in January
March 26, 2010 Obama expands programs to help homeowners avoid foreclosure
March 24, 2010 Sales of New U.S. Homes Drop to Lowest on Record
March 23, 2010 Existing U.S. Home Sales Fall for Third Month
March 19, 2010 Supply of Foreclosed Homes on the Rise Again
March 11, 2010 U.S. foreclosure filings rose at the slowest pace in four years
Feb 27, 2010 Warren Buffett Sees U.S. Housing Recovery by 2011
Feb 26, 1010 Sales of Previously Owned Homes Fell 7.2% in January
Feb 24, 2010 U.S. New-Home Sales Unexpectedly Fell to Record Low
Feb 23, 2010 Home Prices in 20 U.S. Cities Rose for Seventh Month
Feb 23, 2010 Massachusetts Home Prices up 9.6% in January
Feb 17, 2010 Housing starts up 2.8% in January, strongest month-to-month growth since July
Feb 11, 2010 U.S. foreclosure filings rose 15 percent in January from a year earlier
Feb 10, 2010 One-Fifth of U.S. Homeowners Owe More Than Properties Are Worth
Jan 26, 2010 Home Prices in 20 U.S. Cities Rise a Sixth Month
Jan 25, 2010 Home sales take the largest monthly drop in more than 40 years
Jan 14, 2010 U.S. Foreclosures May Rise to 3 Million This Year
Jan 8, 2010 U.S. Office Vacancies Climb to 15-Year High
Dec 29, 2009 Home Prices in 20 U.S. Cities Rose for Fifth Month
Dec 23, 2009 Natonally, New-home sales crater as subsidy wanes
Dec 22, 2009 Local home sales soar in November
Dec 21, 2009 U.S. Commercial Real Estate Prices Fall to 2002 Levels
Nov 24, 2009 Home Prices in 20 U.S. Cities Rise for Fourth Month
Nov 23, 2009 U.S. existing-home sales rise 10.1% to 6.10 million pace
Nov 19, 2009 FHA, Prime Mortgage Defaults at Records
Nov 18, 2009 Housing Starts Take a Dive
Nov 10, 2009 U.S. Home Sales Rise to Two-Year High
Nov 4, 2009 Mortgage applications rose 8.2% last week
Nov 2, 2009 Pending Sales of Existing Homes in U.S. Rise 6.1%
Oct 28, 2009 Mortgage demand falls again in latest week
Oct 28, 2009 Sales of new U.S. homes unexpectedly fell in September
Oct 27, 2009 Single-family home sales in Massachusetts increased for the third consecutive month in September!
Nov 24, 2010 Median sales price plunges 14%
New-home sales down 8.1%
· US Housing Starts Fell in February to Lowest Since April 2009....
· Building permits slumped to a record low....
· Permits declined by 28 percent in the Northeast to the lowest on record ....
March 29, 2011 Home Prices Declined 3.1% From Year Earlier
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