The Housing Bubble Blog

WBUR reports from Massachusetts. "More than 9,000 homes around Massachusetts have gone into foreclosure so far this year. That's 38% more than the same period a year ago, and according to Foreclosuresmass, the trend has spread to three quarters of the state's communities. 'Claudia Sierra's condo...

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The North County Times reports from California. "While most of the nation appears mired in the middle of a severe housing slump, the southwest corner of Riverside County may be showing signs of recovery. In April, the number of houses sold was higher than the year before for the fourth straight...

Some housing bubble news from Wall Street and Washington. AP, "Standard Pacific Corp.'s first-quarter loss widened as the worsening housing sector forced hefty impairment charges, the homebuilder said Monday. The Irvine, Calif., company posted a loss of $216.4 million. The latest quarter included...

The Bradenton Herald reports from Florida. "Thomas Wilson strolls through his Stoneybrook at Heritage Harbour neighborhood, pointing out the subtle signs of financial fallout. Windows with views of empty rooms. Weeds sprouting through once well-manicured lawns. Small, bright orange stickers on...

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The East Valley Tribune reports from Arizona. "In the first quarter of 2008, there were 310 resales of homes in Maricopa at a median price of $170,000, according to a real estate report issued by Arizona State University. In the same quarter of 2007, there were 90 resales with a median value of...

Readers suggested a topic on subprime lenders. "Are Mozilo and the other subprime lenders the Devil, and has the loss of folk wisdom by Americans gotten them into the HELOC/cash out refi mess? I refer to the old idea that the Devil isn’t a powerful being who can coerce people into giving up their...

What do you see in your local housing market this weekend? Defaults? "Our foreclosure rate is nowhere nearly as bad as parts of California and Vegas, but realtors say it is getting worse here. A five bedroom house in Kaimuki. A three bedroom fixer-upper in Waipahu. A two bedroom townhouse in...

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The Union Tribune reports from California. "Although the current real estate market downturn eventually will reverse itself, agents should prepare for difficult times, California Real Estate Commissioner Jeff Davi yesterday told about 300 members and guests of the San Diego Association of Realtors....

The Monitor reports from Texas. "Two national magazines have pointed to Hidalgo County's job and real estate markets as among the best in the nation. The area has seen record home sales and prices during the last five years. At the end of 2007, the median home price was $106,300, up 25 percent from...

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It's Friday desk clearing time for this blogger, "The most severe real estate recession in decades appears far from over, with the pace of foreclosures rising, the fall in home prices accelerating and the pain spreading to nearly every major U.S. city, according to two reports. Gary Sweredoski, a...

The St Petersburg Times reports from Florida. "Hold on to that house. Lawrence Yun, chief economist with the National Association of Realtors, says it will be worth at least 20 percent more. But you'll have to wait until 2013. In a presentation Wednesday to the Greater Tampa Association of...

And send your housing bubble pics to: hbbphotos@gmail.com

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The Union Tribune reports from California. "Job losses, rising gas prices and continuing weakness in the real estate market will plague San Diego County's economy for months to come, according to a forecast released today by the Anderson Forecast of the University of California Los Angeles. 'The...

The Rocky Mountain News reports from Colorado. "The median price of a single- family home closed in April slid by 10.2 percent from a year earlier in the Denver area, according to reports released Wednesday. The average price of a single- family home dropped to $267,259, a 17.13 percent plunge from...

The Lockport Journal reports from New York. "Lockport City Court is laying down the law on responsible home ownership. Judge Thomas M. DiMillo sentenced a former homeowner to fines and community service Tuesday for his part in the deterioration of a property that he lost to foreclosure. DiMillo...