The Housing Bubble Blog

The Independent Journal reports from California. "Ian Minto isn't exactly homeless, but he sure doesn't have his home. The former banker lost his job and, last fall, began falling behind on mortgage payments on the Mill Valley house he grew up in. He tried to refinance but said the lender that held...

The Gazette reports from Colorado. "Home sales sagged last month by nearly 20 percent when compared with the same time last year, according to the association’s figures released Thursday for sales that took place mostly in El Paso and Teller counties. - The supply of homes on the market rose 12.5...

Some housing bubble news from Wall Street and Washington. Associated Press, "At an emergency meeting of the Citigroup Inc. board Sunday, the nation's largest bank announced CEO Charles Prince's widely expected departure, but also estimated it would take additional losses of $8 billion to $11...

Seacoast Online reports from New Hampshire. "The number of home foreclosures in Rockingham County in September were 33, compared to 19 in September a year ago, according to an independent statewide newspaper. The total number of foreclosures in New Hampshire from January through September of this...

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The Orange County Register reports from California. "Home sales fell to their lowest level in at least 20 years in September. Yet, even with many buyers on the sidelines waiting for the market to settle, some are finding homes and others are signing contracts for personal reasons. There also are a...

The News Record reports from Wyoming. "The local real estate market hasn’t gone cold, but the red hot sales of recent years may have tempered themselves in recent weeks. Agents from across Gillette say the housing market agreed this week that prices have begun to level off as more new houses get a...

The Bradenton Herald reports from Florida. "Troy Dugan remembers when buyers snatched up Dugan Construction Inc.'s affordable homes almost as quickly as his Bradenton company could build them. But now buyers are scarce for the roughly 30 properties he has on the market, including a brand-new house...

What do you see in your local housing market this weekend? Price cuts? "Up to 25% Off home prices PLUS 3% Toward Closing Costs!* Or boosterism? "Healthy real estate markets in Kentucky and Midwestern states are being hurt by national news reports of problems in other areas, Lawrence Yun told...

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The San Francisco Chronicle reports from California. "Ask any real estate appraiser: Being badgered to overstate home prices is a fact of life, they'll say. 'We get pressured every single day to inflate our values,' said Dan Tosh, principal at an appraisal firm in Brentwood. 'We get people telling...

Readers suggested a topic on the adjustable rate loan resets. "An analysis of the ARM reset chart. We are getting close to the top of the first bump, and things are already pretty bad. Yesterday, someone said that Goldman has another chart that shows a different pattern and that we aren’t as close...

The Hook reports from Virginia. "Unloading inventory in a strong buyer's market has many of builders resorting to techniques not seen in the last half dozen years: slashing prices, offering incentives, even converting for-sale to for-lease. 'Our revenues are down 50 percent from last year,' says...

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It's Friday desk clearing time for this blogger. "Arizona ranks among the top 10 states in the nation in foreclosures, the number of homes for sale in the Valley is at its highest level in years, and people who absolutely must sell face problems. 'Once we take the listing, we tell them up front...

The Record Searchlight reports from California. "Nearly 80 lots in Deer Creek Manor are to be auctioned Nov. 21 on the Shasta County Courthouse steps. While the spike in home foreclosures, they jumped 562 percent in Shasta County in the first three quarters of 2007 from a year ago, has been well...

Some housing bubble news from Washington and the Wall Street Journal. "Merrill Lynch & Co., in a bid to slash its exposure to risky mortgage-backed securities, has engaged in deals with hedge funds that may have been designed to delay the day of reckoning on losses, people close to the situation...

Miami Today reports from Florida. "Recent reports show South Florida is second in the nation in foreclosures, with Brickell condos racking up the highest numbers locally. With 54 foreclosures, The Club at Brickell Bay, 1200 Brickell Bay Drive, leads to pack. The Vue at Brickell, a conversion...

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