1.US Economy Grew at Brisk 4.2 Pct. Rate in Q2
“After a bleak start to the year, the U.S. economy grew at a brisk annual rate of 4.2 percent in the April-June quarter, the government said Thursday, slightly faster than it had first estimated.”

2.Knowing how real estate works saves time and money
“Real estate defined in law is an “immovable object” with a legal description that defines its space and place in our geography. This work is completed by registered land surveyors, who have specialized training on measuring and documenting land parcels. As the United States has grown, most every parcel of the land is surveyed and spatially identified before being designated for eventual ownership. Land ownership records are open and available for all to see.”

3.Is Owning Overrated? The Rental Economy Rises
“Things that you can now rent instead of buying: a power drill, a song, a tent, an office for an hour, a Prada handbag, a wedding dress, a painting, a dog, your neighbor’s car, a drone.”

4.The Economy is Improving, but May Face a New Speed Limit
“The recession is gradually ending, but we’re about to enter a world where fewer and fewer people work.”

5.Apartment bubble?
“CNBC’s Diana Olick reports multifamily REIT returns are up 29 percent year-to-date.”

6.San Fernando Valley’s housing inventory continues to build
“Housing inventory surged again in July in the San Fernando Valley from a year earlier, giving a summer bump to a languishing market, a trade group said Monday.”

TonyAlvarez.com

1.Home prices rising, but slowly
“Home prices are still rising, but the pace of increases is definitely slowing.”

2.Pending Home Sales Pick Up in July
” Pending home sales rebounded in July and have now risen in four of the last five months, according to the National Association of Realtors®. All major regions experienced healthy gains except for the Midwest, which saw a slight decline.”

3.Contracts to Buy US Homes Rise in Hopeful Sign
“More Americans signed contracts to buy homes in July, a sign that buying has improved as mortgage rates have slipped, the number of listings has risen and the rate of price increases has slowed.”

4.Average US 30-Year Mortgage Rate at 4.1 Percent
“The average 30-year U.S. mortgage rate remained at a 52-week low of 4.10 this week.”

5.Home prices just hit a 70-month high. Now for the bad news
“Home prices have soared over the past year, but the news isn’t all good on the home front.”

TonyAlvarez.com

1.Home prices rising, but slowly
“Home prices are still rising, but the pace of increases is definitely slowing.”

2.Improving Economy Slowly Brightens Outlook for Commercial Real Estate
“The strong rebound in economic growth during the second quarter and ongoing job creation are gradually improving the outlook for all of the major commercial real estate sectors, according to the National Association of Realtors® quarterly commercial real estate forecast.”

3.US Home Price Gains Slow in June
“U.S. home prices increased at a slower pace in June — a cooldown that could continue for several more months.”

4.Are baby boomers holding back the housing market?
“Millennials have long been blamed for the weakness in the property market. But new research suggests that the inability of middle-aged Americans to sell their own homes is a major reason for the slow recovery.”

5.San Fernando Valley’s housing inventory continues to build
“Housing inventory surged again in July in the San Fernando Valley from a year earlier, giving a summer bump to a languishing market, a trade group said Monday.”

TonyAlvarez.com

1.New home sales drop in July, plummet 15.2% in West
“New home sales fell unexpectedly in July as buyers in the West pulled back sharply.”

2.Slowing Home Sales Show U.S. Market Lacks Momentum: Economy
“The pace of new-home sales fell to the slowest in four months in July, signaling U.S. real estate lacks the vigor to propel faster growth in the economy. ”

3.Sales of new homes reach troubling 4-month low
“The sales pace of new single-family homes fell to a four-month low in July, missing analysts’ estimates, according to a government report released Monday that may add to worries about the housing market’s recovery.”

4.Double-sided U.S. economy: Sharp in some areas, dull in others
“Businesses are hiring at the fastest pace in years, but companies themselves still aren’t investing as much as they used to, and an improved labor market has not encouraged Americans to shed their cautious spending habits.”

5.12 startups that are changing the way we interact with real estate
“Are you ready for a glimpse into the future of real estate? Real Estate Connect’s “New Kids on the Block” session and an eye-opening Agent Reboot session called “9 technologies that will change the real estate landscape forever” provided a preview of coming attractions that may dramatically change the real estate industry.”

6.6 things you should know about the U.S. economy
“The economy took center stage this weekend as some of the biggest names in finance held their annual meeting in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.”

7.New home sales fall, but US economy stays on solid ground
“Sales of new US single-family homes fell for a second straight month in July, but a surge in the stock of properties on the market and slower price gains should help stimulate demand in the months ahead.”

8.’Perfect storm’ for housing?
“Discussing the current home supply environment, and what happens when interest rates rise, with Bill Pulte, Pulte Capital Partners CEO. ”

TonyAlvarez.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.Strategies for Setting a Price for Your Home
“To get top dollar for his Portland, Ore., home, Alex Hickman played lowball. He set his asking price below that of comparable homes nearby—and got six offers in four days.”

2.Beware the shortcomings of data on home prices and mortgage rates
“It has been said that figures lie and liars figure. But even when the numbers are truthful, they often are nearly meaningless.”

3.Home Flipping Wanes as U.S. Investors Find Fewer Bargains
“Home flipping, in which a buyer resells a property quickly for a profit, is on the decline as U.S. residential price gains slow and foreclosures dwindle. ”

4.U.S. economy adding better jobs, not just more jobs
“Gallup released some interesting data this morning, noting that 58% of full- or part-time workers are “completely satisfied with their job security.” That’s not an overwhelming majority, but it’s the best result Gallup has found since it started asking the question 20 years ago.”

5.High-end house flipping is soaring
“It is dirty, financially risky and potentially dangerous work, but depending on the current direction of the housing market, it can be highly profitable. But home “flipping,” defined as buying and selling a home within a short period of time for the sole purpose of making money, is now on the slide. ”

6.Silicon Valley buyers drive record sales of high-end homes in Santa Cruz
” All of a sudden, high-end homes are in demand, and many of the buyers are coming from Silicon Valley. ”

7.L.A. area nation’s most expensive housing market

“When it comes to buying a home or renting an apartment, the Los Angeles-Orange County area is the most expensive market among the nation’s 100 biggest metropolises, according to a report released Thursday by the real-estate website Zillow”

TonyAlvarez.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.Mortgage rates hit 2014 low
“The average rate for a 30-year loan now stands at 4.1%, according to Freddie Mac. That matched its lowest level since June 2013, when it stood at 3.93%. The average 15-year fixed was 3.23%. ”

2.In some housing markets, all-cash deals still rule
“Buying a home? You still have to compete against the big money bringing all-cash. But it’s getting a little easier.”

3.Existing-Home Sales Continue to Climb in July
“WASHINGTON (August 21, 2014) – Existing-home sales increased in July to their highest annual pace of the year, and the ongoing decline in distressed sales reached an important milestone, according to the National Association of Realtors®.”

4.U.S. home sales jump; key mortgage rate hits low for the year
“Sales of previously owned homes rose more than expected in July, a sign of growing strength in the housing recovery.”

5.L.A.-O.C. housing market is least affordable in U.S., Zillow says
“Los Angeles and Orange counties are the least-affordable housing market in the country. And it’s likely to only get worse.”

6.Sales of Previously Owned U.S. Homes Climb to 10-Month High
“Purchases of previously owned U.S. homes unexpectedly rose in July to a 10-month high as low borrowing costs and an increase in inventory drew buyers.”

7.Average US 30-Year Mortgage Rate at 4.10 Pct
“Average long-term U.S. mortgage rates declined this week, with the 30-year loan rate hitting its low for the year.”

8.US Existing Home Sales Rise for 4th Straight Month
“Sales of existing U.S. homes rose for the fourth straight month in July to their highest level in nearly a year, the latest sign that the housing recovery is picking up after stumbling at the start of the year.”

9.U.S. housing, jobs data bolster economic outlook
“U.S. home resales rose to a 10-month high in July and the number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell last week, signaling strength in the economy early in the third quarter.”

10.U.S. existing home sales rise at fastest pace in 10 months
“Americans resold their homes in July at the fastest pace in almost a year, a sign the housing market was gaining steam again after a year-long slump.”

11.Home price appreciation in San Fernando Valley flattening out
“Home price appreciation slowed dramatically in the San Fernando Valley during July as the sales slump dragged on, a research center said Tuesday.”

TonyAlvarez.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.Construction of new homes hits eight-month high in July
“New-home construction in the U.S. surged to an eight-month high in July, lifting the stock market and prospects for a broader economic recovery.”

2.Mortgage Applications Increase in Latest MBA Weekly Survey
“Mortgage applications increased 1.4 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending August 15, 2014.  ”

3.No ‘slow market’ seen here
“If you’ve been reading a variety of print and online real estate news recently, reports are that the market has slowed. My experience is just the opposite. ”

4.America’s recession-torn construction belt
“If America had a “Construction Belt” that showed where homebuilding was thriving, it would only have a few notches on it, and they wouldn’t be near each other. ”

5.Percentage of all-cash home sales falls
“Fewer Americans are paying for their homes in cash.”

6.Are foreclosures finally catching up with Oregon residents?
“Yesterday, I reported on data from real estate buyer Gorilla Capital, which suggested that the Oregon housing market will be slower to recover due to a large number of foreclosure filings that have yet to be resolved.”

7.Don’t count on U.S. consumer to save economy
“In spite of recent increases in employment, consumers are still reluctant to ramp up their purchases of goods and services.”

8.Housing Starts Rebound in U.S. as Inflation Eases: Economy
“Home construction rebounded in July and the cost of living rose at a slower pace, showing a strengthening U.S. economy has yet to generate a sustained pickup in inflation. ”

9.Regulators increase mortgage cost
“CNBC’s Diana Olick reports the housing market is seeing the most pristine mortgages in the history of lending right now.”

10.Home construction surges
“New home construction shot up by nearly 16 percent last month”

11.Home price appreciation in San Fernando Valley flattening out
“Home price appreciation slowed dramatically in the San Fernando Valley during July as the sales slump dragged on, a research center said Tuesday.”

TonyAlvarez.com