Home

New lows for housing starts, permits

By Inman News, Thursday, January 22, 2009.

The pace of housing construction activity fell to a record low in December, the U.S. Census Bureau and Department of Housing and Urban Development reported today.

Building-permit activity dropped to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 549,000 in December, down about 50.6 percent compared to the same month last year. And the rate of housing starts dropped 45 percent year-over-year in December to 550,000.  more...

When blogging goes too far

By Teresa Boardman, Thursday, January 22, 2009.
Flickr photo by <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/albyspace/528457456/" target=blank>AlbySpace</a>.

I talk to and interact with real estate bloggers from all over the country. Lately it has occurred to me that some people go too far with blogging. I don't mean posting every day -- I do that, and that is one of the things that makes my blog work. What I mean by "too far" is that some spend four to six hours a day in blog-related activities.

For some it takes hours to write a single post. Some spend much of their time doing research about blogging and interacting with other bloggers.  more...

U.S. home prices at March 2005 levels

By Inman News, Thursday, January 22, 2009.

U.S. home prices fell 1.8 percent on a seasonally-adjusted basis from October to November -- a sharper decline than the 1.1 percent drop seen the month before -- according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s monthly House Price Index.  more...

Trying to time the bottom

By Tara-Nicholle Nelson, Thursday, January 22, 2009.

Q: I am in my mid-20s and make a six-figure salary as a medical professional. I bought my first major purchase as an adult -- a condo in the East Bay Area outside San Francisco -- about six months ago. I got a great price on a great place using a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage I can easily afford, and plan to keep my place for at least 10 years. But now I'm seeing interest rates fall, and prices of other condos in my complex are lower than what I paid. Where does that leave me? Should I have waited?

A: Dictionary.com defines a fool's errand as "a fruitless mission or undertaking." Your question brings to mind the two most common fool's errands  more...

Renting with roommates? Protect yourself

By Janet Portman, Thursday, January 22, 2009.

Q: I recently moved into an apartment with another roommate. We both signed a month-to-month rental agreement. On the second of January, I came home and found she had moved out, had not paid her portion of the rent, and had left her room totally trashed and painted weird colors.

I've paid the full rent for January and I have found a replacement roommate who starts March 1. My question is: What can I sue my ex-roommate for? I spent a ton of time and some money repainting and repairing the bedroom. --Bethany L.  more...

Refi applications down as rates reverse

By Inman News, Thursday, January 22, 2009.

Mortgage applications fell last week as the rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages available to borrowers with good credit popped back above 5 percent, reversing nearly three months of falling rates.  more...

California sales soar as prices plunge

By Inman News, Thursday, January 22, 2009.

December's sales of new and existing homes and condos in Southern California and the San Francisco Bay Area gained an average of 43 percent from a year ago, real estate research company DataQuick reported this week.  more...

Barber pole branding Premium Content

By Marc Davison, Thursday, January 22, 2009.
Flickr photo by <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/shawnzlea/2005934/" target=blank>szlea</a>.

What comes to mind when you see a barber pole?

An old geezer running a blade across a leather strap.
A hot towel, thick foam and a close shave.
Clubman.
Checkerboard floors.
A great place to whack a Mafia Don.

The local barbershop was Americana, right up there with the greasy spoon coffee shop and the Rexall drug store  more...