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Pending Home Sales Drop In January; Weather Named as Cause

Dennis Norman

 Today the National Association of REALTORS released it’s January Pending Home Sales Index showing a decrease of 7.6 percent in the index from December, 2009 to January 2010 (seasonally adjusted) and a 12.3 percent increase from last year.

Here are highlights from the report:

January’’s pending home sales index (seasonally adjusted) was 90.4 (the index is [...]

Existing home sales drops in January

Dennis Norman

According to the latest report from the National Association of REALTORS(R), existing home sales in January decreased 7.2 percent to a seasonally adjusted-annual rate of 5.05 million units in January from a level of 5.44 million units in December, however this does represent an increase over a year ago when the rate was [...]

Realtor Pending Home Sales Index shows Real Estate Market Leveling off

Dennis Norman

Today the National Association of REALTORS released it’s December Pending Home Sales Index showing an increase of 1.0 percent in the index from November (seasonally adjusted) and a 10.9 percent increase from last year.

Here are highlights from the report:

December’’s pending home sales index (seasonally adjusted) was 96.6 (the index is based upon [...]

December home sales plummet but 2009 finishes stronger than 2008

Dennis Norman

NAR’s “seasonally-adjusted” numbers show sales down 16.7 percent for the month…2009 finishes with 5,156,000 homes sold…My projection for the year was 5,143,000 homes….missed it by 13,000 (2/10 of 1 percent) hmm..not bad for a “non-economist”

According to the latest report from the National Association of REALTORS(R), existing home sales in December decreased [...]

Let’s play ’spin the data’

Dennis Norman

Or should I say “It’s all in the headline”?

So what am I talking about? The pending home sales data that was released by the National Association of REALTORS today, of course. Actually I could be referring to any data on the housing market whether new home sales, foreclosure rates, interest rates, existing home [...]

‘Actual’ Existing home sales drop 5.2 percent in November; Up 4.2 percent from a year ago

Dennis Norman

NAR’s “seasonally-adjusted” numbers show sales up 7.4 percent for the month…”actual” numbers show a 5.2 percent decrease….Sales up 44 percent from last year, lest we not forgot last year was the worst in over 10 years…

According to the latest report from the National Association of REALTORS(R), existing home sales in November increased 7.4 [...]

Pending home sales rise for ninth consecutive month

Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist, NAR

Is the increase real or have the tax-credits created an “artificial” market that cannot be sustained?

Today the National Association of REALTORS(R) issued their Pending Home Sales Index Report for October showing pending sales in the U.S. rose again for the ninth consecutive month – marking the longest streak since since [...]

Reports and headlines say home sales increased 10.1 percent in October, up 23.5 percent from a year ago; I say up 6.6 percent for the month and almost even with last year

Dennis Norman

National Association of REALTORS Report:

According to the latest report released today from the National Association of REALTORS(R), existing home sales in October jumped 10.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted-annual rate of 6.10 million units in October from a revised level of 5.54 million in September, and are 23.5 percent higher than the 4.94 [...]

Commercial Real Estate Forecast Uncertain according to NAR

The recent deep economic downturn has had a pronounced impact on commercial real estate sectors, but credit availability is the big unknown that will determine how soon commercial markets recover, according to the National Association of Realtors®.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said some initial movements earlier this week in commercial mortgage-backed securities are encouraging. “The [...]

Commercial real estate market feeling the pain; commercial loan defaults on the rise and expected to continue according to NAR

A severe ongoing credit crunch in commercial real estate lending is hampering recovery, according to a commercial market update at the 2009 REALTORS® Conference & Expo. NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun shared insights into the commercial markets and the current lending environment during the “Economic Issues and Commercial Real Estate Business Trends Forum” here today.

Yun [...]

Only market doing OK are lower-price homes according to Realtors; Inestors think twice about trying to flip anything more expensive..

Reduced home prices and the first-time home buyer tax credit have helped dramatically boost the lower end housing market, according to a residential market update yesterday at the 2009 REALTORS® Conference & Expo.

Lawrence Yun, National Association of Realtors® chief economist, said home sales continue to be dominated by lower priced homes. In fact, NAR data [...]

Home buyer tax credit extension update; House Passes Bill…On to President for approval

Dennis Norman

UPDATE 11/06/09 5:14 p.m. – Thanks to Denis T who was commenting on this post, click here to go to the IRS site with information on the new tax credits.

UPDATE 11/06/09 1:00 p.m. – I just heard that a short while ago President Obama signed the bill into law.  IT’S OFFICIAL!  So if you are in [...]

Home buyer tax credit update-November 2, 2009

Dennis Norman

UPDATED: 6:15 pm Central Time-

The Senate voted 85-2 this afternoon to end debate on the amendment..This is clears a procedural hurdle and will allow the bill and amendment to be voted on by the Senate, most likely on Tuesday or Wednesday….If passed by the Senate it would then need to go back [...]

Pending home sales rise for eighth consecutive month

Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist, NAR

Today the National Association of REALTORS(R) issued their Pending Home Sales Index Report for September showing pending sales in the U.S. rose again for the eighth consecutive month – marking the longest streak since since NAR began the pending home sale index in 2001.

As I have expressed previously, I’m somewhat [...]

Home buyer tax credit update-October 30, 2009

Dennis Norman

In yesterday’s update I had some rather encouraging news about the possible extension of the first-time home buyer tax credit of $8,000 that has stimulated some home buying but is set to expire on November 30th. The good news was that there is an agreement amongst the powers that be with regard to [...]

Home buyer tax credit update

Dennis Norman

I have been talking a lot lately about the first-time home buyer tax credit of $8,000 that has stimulated some home buying but is set to expire on November 30th. I have also shared the efforts by organizations such as the National Association of REALTORS, The Mortgage Bankers Associaiton, The National Association of [...]

Tax credits and distressed sales push home sales to highest pace in over two years

Dennis Norman

According to the latest report released today from the National Association of REALTORS(R), existing home sales in September jumped 9.4 percent to a seasonally adjusted-annual rate of 5.57 million units in September from a level of 5.09 million in August, and are 9.2 percent higher than the 5.10 million-unit pace in September 2008. [...]

Homebuyer Tax Credit Best Tool for Sustaining Housing Recovery; HVCC a problem, Says NAR

Dennis Norman

The best available tool for sustaining the still-fragile housing market is the $8,000 homebuyer tax credit, (expires November 30) and it is essential that Congress extend the credit into 2010, the National Association of Realtors® testified at a hearing of the U.S. House Small Business Committee yesterday.

NAR Regional Vice President Joseph L. Canfora, [...]

Existing homes sales down 2.7 percent in August but up 3.4 percent from a year ago

Dennis Norman

According to the latest report released today from the National Association of REALTORS(R), existing home sales in August dropped 2.7 percent to a seasonally adjusted rate of 5.1 million units down from a level of 5.24 million units in July. This drop follows four-consecutive months of increases in the pace of existing home [...]

REALTORS Urge Congress to Extend Homebuyer Tax Credits

Dennis Norman

By: Dennis Norman

The National Association of REALTORS®is calling upon its 1.2 million members to urge Congress to extend the home-buyer tax credit into next year.

 

According to NAR the $8,000 first-time home-buyer tax credit has brought 1.2 million new buyers into the market – 350,000 of whom would not have purchased a home without [...]

Pending home sales increase for the sixth straight month; Is this recovery?

Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist, NAR

By: Dennis Norman

Today the National Association of REALTORS(R) issued their Pending Home Sales Index Report for July showing pending sales in the U.S. were up for the sixth consecutive month, the best streak since NAR began the pending home sale index in 2001.

Today’s report is not the only recent report [...]

Home sales see record increase in July; Good news for the Real Estate Investor that wants to buy or sell investment property

By: Dennis Norman

Dennis Norman

The housing market continues to show signs that it may be ready to come off life support which is very good news for the real estate investor.  I know many investors have been anxious to take advantage of some of the great opportunities to buy investment property at prices way below what it [...]

Commercial Real Estate Slowing; Apartments looking OK

Dennis Norman

By: Dennis Norman

Today the National Association of REALTORS(R) published their Commercial Leading Indicator for Brokerage Activity for the second quarter of 2009 showing a decline of 1.3 percent to an index of 101.5, down from an index of 102.8 in the first quarter. At 101.5 the index for the second quarter of 2009 [...]

The real estate market continue to show positive signs; Sales up in 39 states

Dennis Norman

By: Dennis Norman

The good news about the real estate market keeps coming! Don’t get too excited yet, I don’t know that the worst of it is over yet, not sure if the “fat lady has sang” yet or not, but at least the reports lately on the market have been encouraging.

According to the [...]

Increasing home prices brings affordability index in June down;
Still affordable though, especially in the Midwest

Dennis Norman

By: Dennis Norman

The National Association of REALTORS(R) has been reporting and tracking a “Housing Affordability Index” since January 1989. The index looks at whether or not an average family (an income equal to the median income) can qualify for a loan to buy a median-priced home.

The Housing Affordabiity Index for June was at [...]

Real Estate Market continues to show life
June sales up 3.6%

Dennis Norman

By: Dennis Norman

Today the National Association of REALTORS(R) released its existing home sales report for June showing an increase in sales for the 3rd month in a row and rising prices for the month in all regions of the U.S.

Existing home sales, including single-family, town-homes, condominiums and co-ops increased 3.6% in June to [...]

Will The American Clean Energy and Security Act Affect Investors?

Dennis Norman

By: Dennis Norman

If you are like most people you may be wondering what is “The American Clean Energy and Security Act”?  Odds are you would be more familiar with the term “Cap and Trade” bill or “Cap and Tax” bill, both of which have been applied to this.

The Act is H.R. 2454 (later [...]

The market continues to show signs of life- Pending home sales up 4 months in a row

By: Dennis Norman

Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist, NAR

We continue to see some encouraging data on the real estate market showing that buyers may be gaining some confidence in the market.  To this point, the  National Association of REALTORS(R)  Pending Home Sales Index Report for May showed a very modest increase of 0.1% on the index, over April, making [...]

HVCC…A four letter word?? Congress may halt it.

Dennis Norman

By: Dennis Norman

May1st the new Home Valuation Code of Conduct (HVCC) went into effect with regard to appraisals and the controversy over it began.

Appraisers don’t like it, agents are complaining they are losing sales (which are scarce enough in this market already) as a result of it and lenders are complaining as well. 

This past [...]

Existing Home Sales Up Again! Prices down over 16% in Past Year

By: Dennis Norman

Today the National Association of REALTORS(R) released its existing home sales report for May showing an increase in sales for the 2nd month in a row.  This is the first time we’ve seen two consecutive months of sales increases in almost 4 years.

Sales for May were at a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 4,770,000 homes which is a [...]