The Housing Bubble Blog

The Bend Bulletin reports from Oregon. "Paul Helikson stepped into the swirling snow on the steps of the Deschutes County Courthouse on a Thursday morning just before Christmas. Another day, another foreclosure auction. As is usually the case, nobody raised a hand to bid on the little north Bend...

Readers suggested a topic around the deteriorating economic situation. "I’ve just heard that a So Cal fire dept was/is in contract negotiations. No raise. They’re being asked to take a 9% reduction in pay. Expect this trend to grow." Another said, "My sweetheart works in education for a Sacramento...

The Capital Times reports from Wisconsin. "Mortgage foreclosures in Dane County leapt nearly 80 percent in 2007, matching the national increase as the local housing boom went bust and risky loans went sour. Stella Morris and her family lost a west side condominium, last fall after the interest rate...

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It's Friday desk clearing time for this blogger. "A weak economy has dealt some bad hands to Carson Valley gaming and some retail sectors, but the good news is that real estate markets may be recovering. Realtor Marsha Tomerlin of Coldwell Banker Itildo. 'Every six months, it's getting better,'...

Inside Bay Area reports from California. "Steve Fernandes held an 'Open House' on a recent Saturday morning...on a cold, hazy Central Valley day. Fernandes had two interested parties that stopped by looking over the four-bedroom, three-bath, 3,176-square-foot Centex home. But Fernandes, a broker,...

The Baltimore Sun reports from Maryland. "The Station North Townhomes had no shortage of pre-construction buyers, lured by the promise of luxury living near Penn Station in Baltimore's emerging arts district. Prices in 2005 reflected a red-hot market, rising tens of thousands of dollars with each...

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The Valley Sun reports from California. "As prices dip and California soars to the top of the list in the nation for real estate foreclosures, Realtors in this little hamlet are holding their collective breath for 'the other shoe to drop' — but, as yet, prices and sales don’t appear to be affected...

Some housing bubble news from Wall Street and Washington. MarketWatch, "Pulte Homes Inc.'s orders for new homes fell harder than those of peers in the latest quarter, suggesting it's offering relatively thinner price cuts and incentives, a move that could hurt the home builder later, a Wall Street...

The Nightly Business Report on Florida. "Whether the owners of modest homes in working class suburbs or condominium towers still under construction, Floridians are being squeezed by decisions of their own making, as well as economic circumstances beyond their control. The impact can be seen in...

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The LA Daily News reports from California. "Foreclosures soared 435.5 percent in the San Fernando Valley last year as nearly 3,000 homeowners surrendered to higher monthly house payments brought on by rising adjustable rate loans, the San Fernando Valley Economic Research Center at California State...

Some housing bubble news from Wall Street and Washington. Bloomberg, "Centex Corp., the second-largest U.S. homebuilder, reported a $975.2 million third quarter loss as the housing slump and tighter lending standards cut demand. Centex wrote down $554 million in land and property values in the...

The Charlotte Observer reports from North Carolina. "Home building and sales are falling more sharply in the Charlotte area than nationally, a sign the housing slump is worsening in what has been one of the country's stronger markets. Building permits, an indicator of future home sales, fell 40...

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