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What cities have had the best recovery of the real estate market?

Finally, after several years of writing depressing things about the real estate market and housing industry, I’m getting to write some positive things lately! Well, to keep the party going, today I have a list of 10 towns in the U.S. that are leading the U.S. in terms of a housing market recovery according to the “Top Turnaround Town Report” from REALTOR.com. Seven of the top ten markets are in Florida, but the number 1 turnaround town in the U.S. according to the report is Phoenix-Mesa, Arizona where the inventory of homes for sale has fallen almost 50 percent in the past year while prices increased almost 27 percent during the same period. [...]

Report shows strong real estate market in February;   says it probably won’t last

The latest housing market report by RadarLogic showed home prices in the 25 major metropolitan areas it tracks increased 1.9 percent in February from the month before (in contrast to the Case Shiller home price index which showed home prices fell a little under 1 percent from the month before) however was 3.18 percent lower than a year ago. [...]

Home sales increase in March;  2012 to be the year of recovery for housing

The National Association of REALTORS released it’s Pending Home Sales Index for March today showing an increase of 4.1 percent in the index from the month before (seasonally adjusted), and an 12.8 percent increase from a year ago and is now at the highest level it’s been since April 2010 [...]

New home sales and prices slip in March; both still better than a year ago

Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and U.S. Census Bureau released new home sales data forMarch 2012 showing a decrease of 7.1 percent from the month before, and an increase of 7.5 percent from a year ago. The seasonally-adjusted new home sales rate for March was 328,000 homes, down from a revised rate of 353,000 homes the month before. It’s worth noting that February’s sales were originally reported by the Commerce Department to be 313,000, so the revision to 353,000 was significant. So, in the end, March may not look so bad either if the revised numbers follow suit with the month before. [...]

Home sales fall in March but prices and inventory stabilize

Today’s existing home sales report from the National Association of REALTORS® shows existing home sales in March were at at a seasonally adjusted-annual rate of 4.48 million units which is a decrease of 2.6 percent from the month before and an increase of 5.2 percent from a year ago. The actual number of homes sold in March was 361,000 which is an increase of 4.0 percent from the month before and an increase of 0.9 percent from a year ago when there were 347,000 homes sold. [...]

Home sales slip slightly in February but still up over 9 percent from year ago

The National Association of REALTORS released it’s Pending Home Sales Index for February today showing a slight decrease of 0.5 percent in the index from the month before (seasonally adjusted), and an 9.2 percent increase from a year ago. [...]

Home sales slip slightly in February but up almost 9 percent from a year ago; home prices increase slightly

Today’s existing home sales report from the National Association of REALTORS® shows existing home sales in February were at at a seasonally adjusted-annual rate of 4.59 million units which is a decrease of 0.8 percent from the month before and an increase of 8.8 percent from a year ago. The actual number of homes sold in February was 286,000 which is an increase of 10.0 percent from the month before and an increase of 13.0 percent from a year ago when there were 253,000 homes sold. [...]

Pending home sales index hits highest level since April 2010

The National Association of REALTORS released it’s Pending Home Sales Index for January today showing an increase of 2.0 percent in the index from the month before (seasonally adjusted), and an 8.0 percent increase from a year ago. This marks the highest level the pending home sales index has been at since April 2010 when it hit 111.3 as a result of buyers racing to buy before the homebuyer tax credit expired. [...]

New home sales decline slightly in January; Inventory of new homes to lowest level in over a year

Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and U.S. Census Bureau released new home sales data for January 2012 showing a decrease of 0.9 percent from the month before, and an increase of 3.5 percent from a year ago. The seasonally-adjusted new home sales rate for January was 321,000 homes, down from an adjusted rate of 324,000 homes the month before. This is the first month new home sales have declined after four consecutive months of increases. [...]

Existing home sales and prices increase in January

Today’s existing home sales report from the National Association of REALTORS® shows existing home sales in January were at at a seasonally adjusted-annual rate of 4.57 million units which is an increase of 4.3 percent from the month before and an increase of 0.7 percent from a year ago. The actual number of homes sold in January was 257,000 which is 26.4 percent less than the month before and 4.0 percent more than a year ago when there were 246,000 homes sold. [...]

New homes sales fall in December and make 2011 worst year on record

Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and U.S. Census Bureau released new home sales data for December 2011 showing a decrease of 2.2 percent from the month before, and a decrease of 7.3 percent from a year ago. The seasonally-adjusted new home sales rate for December was 307,000 homes, down from an [...]

Home sales and prices increase in December; Inventory down to near-normal level

Today’s existing home sales report from the National Association of REALTORS® shows existing home sales in December were at at a seasonally adjusted-annual rate of 4.61 million units which is an increase of 5.0 percent from the month before and an increase of 3.6 percent from a year ago. The actual number of homes sold in December was 350,000 which is 4.5 percent more than the month before and 1.4 percent more than December 2010 when there were 345,000 homes sold. [...]

Home prices decline in November; fourth consecutive month of declines

A report released this morning by CoreLogic, one of the nations leading providers of property information shows that home prices in the U.S. fell in November 4.3 percent from the year before and declined by 1.4 percent from the month before marking the fourth consecutive monthly decline in home prices. [...]

Home sales rise in November;  second consecutive month of increases

The National Association of REALTORS Pending Home Sales Index for November shows an increase of 7.3 percent in the index from the month before (seasonally adjusted), and a 5.9 percent increase from a year ago. This is the second consecutive month that the index has increased and marks the highest level the index has achieved since April 2010 when it was at 111.5. [...]

New home construction in November inches up;  Curent pace slightly ahead of record-low

The last couple of months I have said that, “unless something changes dramatically, 2011 will hit a new record low of new home starts. Well, the actual numbers this year will still most likely be a record low, but at least the rate of new home starts for November has now inched above the record low New home starts in November were up 2.3 percent from the prior month with the seasonally adjusted annual rate inching its way up to 447,000 homes, just slightly above the all-time low of 445,200 new home starts in 2009. [...]

National Association of REALTORS says "Sales were weaker than people thought"

Today CNBC reported that the National Association of REALTORS, the country’s leading source of existing home sales data, will be revising their home sales numbers from 2007 through October of this year downward because of “double counting, indicating a much weaker housing market than previously thought”. [...]

Is the housing market seeing the beginning of a "soft landing"?

“We may indeed being seeing the beginning of at least a ‘soft landing’ in housing,” said Michael Feder, President and CEO of Radar Logic. The latest housing market report by RadarLogic contained said, while trends in home prices remain negative in most major U.S. metropolitan areas, there are indications that market conditions are starting to improve. [...]

Home sales jump in October to highest level in 18 months

The National Association of REALTORS Pending Home Sales Index for October shows an increase of 10.4 percent in the index from the month before (seasonally adjusted), and a 9.2 percent increase from a year ago. This is the first time in four months that the index has increased and marks the highest level the index has achieved since April 2010 when it was at 110.9. [...]

New home sales tick up slightly in October;   still on track for worst year ever

Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and U.S. Census Bureau released new home sales data for October 2011 showing an increase of 1.3 percent from the month before, and an increase of 8.9 percent from a year ago. The seasonally-adjusted new home sales rate for October was 307,000 homes, up from an adjusted rate of 303,000 homes the month before (originally reported at 313,000 homes). Unfortunately, even with the increase in the rate of new home sales, the current rate of new home sales is still on track to make 2011 new home sales the lowest since the Commerce Department began keeping track of sales in 1963. [...]

Home sales increase in October;   Prices fall to 6-month low

Today’s existing home sales report from the National Association of REALTORS® shows existing home sales in October were at at a seasonally adjusted-annual rate of 4.97 million units which is an increase of 1.4 percent from the month before and an increase of 13.5 percent from a year ago. [...]

Metro home prices fall in 3rd quarter but home sales by state on the rise

This morning the National Association of REALTORS released a report showing the median sales price of homes for metropolitan areas throughout the U.S. in the third quarter as well as a report showing total home sales by state for the quarter. The reports showed mixed results, with metro median home prices in the U.S. declining by 4.7 percent from a year ago and total home sales in the U.S. increasing 17.0 percent from a year ago. [...]

Home sales fall in September; third consecutive month of decline

The National Association of REALTORS Pending Home Sales Index for September shows a decrease of 4.6 percent in the index from the month before (seasonally adjusted), and a 6.4 percent increase from a year ago. This is the third consecutive month the index has decreased from the month before and, and the year over year numbers continue to show decline in the rate of improvement from last year. [...]

New home sales tick up in September but still on track to be worst year ever

Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and U.S. Census Bureau released new home sales data for September 2011 showing an increase of 5.7 percent from the month before, and a decrease of 0.9 percent from a year ago. The seasonally-adjusted new home sales rate for September was 313,000 homes, up from an adjusted rate of 296,000 the month before. Unfortunately, even with the increase in the rate of new home sales, the current rate of new home sales is still on track to make 2011 new home sales the lowest since the Commerce Department began keeping track of sales in 1963. [...]

Home sales and prices decline in September

Today’s existing home sales report from the National Association of REALTORS® shows existing home sales in September were at at a seasonally adjusted-annual rate of 4.91 million units which is a decrease of 3.0 percent from the month before, an increase of 11.3 percent from a year ago and is the second highest rate of home sales since March 2011 when it was 5.09 million. [...]

New home construction increases slightly; still on pace for record-low year

The last couple of months I have said that, “unless something changes dramatically, 2011 will hit a new record low of new home starts. Well, unfortunately, even though the report for September shows an increase of 1.7 percent in housing starts, the seasonally adjusted annual rate is still at just 425,000 homes and still on track for 2011 to be a record low year for housing starts. [...]

Home sales decline in August; second consecutive month of declines

The National Association of REALTORS Pending Home Sales Index for August shows a decrease of 1.2 percent in the index from the month before (seasonally adjusted), and a 7.7 percent increase from a year ago. This is the second consecutive month the index has decreased from the month before and, while the year over year numbers are still better, this month’s year over year increase was only half of what last months was. [...]