The Housing Bubble Blog

The Orlando Sentinel reports from Florida. "A federal bankruptcy court this month approved the sale of 122 acres that were once planned for vacation villas marketed primarily to British investors. Starting in 2006, investors started filing complaints and suing British American Homes, claiming the...

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The Bay Area Newsgroup reports from California. "Over the year that ended in July, the decline in home prices in the East Bay was about five times worse than what happened nationwide. The East Bay is losing jobs at a much faster pace than the rest of the state or the country. The problems seem...

The Boston Herald reports from Massachusetts. "Call it the return of the $100,000 home. Real estate observers are seeing a spike in the number of single-family houses and condominiums available in certain areas of the state for $100,000 or less. Real estate agents say they're seeing some...

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The Rocky Mountain News reports from Colorado. "Caroline Hoyt, whose company next Saturday is opening the Casitas at Stapleton, said that today's market is the worst since the downturn of the mid-1980s. This week, she discussed a variety of topics with Rocky Mountain News Real Estate Editor John...

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The Union Tribune reports from California. "Almost two-thirds of property owners who sold homes in San Diego County this summer lost money on the deal, according to an analysis by MDA DataQuick. Those who lost money were down an average of $161,000, or 35.5 percent less than the home had sold for...

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The Jackson Hole News & Guide reports from Wyoming. "'Price reduced.' 'Must sell.' These phrases are becoming almost as familiar in real-estate advertising as 'Location, location, location.' As sales volume slows - 77 single-family home sales in the first six months of 2008 versus 166 in 2007 -...

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It's Friday desk clearing time for this blogger. "Surprise, like nearly every city in the Valley, is seeing its neighborhoods and home values wracked by foreclosures. Rochelle Swenson bought her Legacy Parc house for $300,000. Now, she said, it is worth only about $195,000. Amid predatory lenders...

The Keene Sentinel reports from New Hampshire. "The upscale, four-home neighborhood on 40 acres in Chesterfield that Jim M. Larkin invested in has turned out to be a nightmare. 'I threw everything I had into it and it's put me on the brink of bankruptcy,' Larkin said in a phone interview with The...

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A report from the Idaho Statesman. "The federal takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac produced hopes among Treasure Valley real estate agents Monday for lower mortgage interest rates and fewer foreclosures. But bankers were cautious. Eugenio Aleman, a Wells Fargo economist, issued an analysis...

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The San Gabriel Valley Tribune reports from California. "The government takeover of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could lead to a dramatic drop in homeownership if they become privatized, an industry group said Tuesday. Looking down the road, privatization of the two agencies would...

The Wall Street Journal reports on Florida. "During the housing boom, Florida attracted hordes of speculators. By some estimates, more than half of all the deposits for Miami condos were put down by people planning to flip them for a profit without living in them, says Jack McCabe, CEO of McCabe...

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The Press Enterprise reports from California. "For Inland Empire Auction in San Bernardino, the current economic slowdown has been a mixed blessing at best. The auction house is loaded with household items, including furniture, jewelry, tools and various appliances, much of which likely came from...