The Housing Bubble Blog

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The California realtors report on Sptember sales. "Home sales decreased 38.9 percent in September in California compared with the same period a year ago, while the median price of an existing home fell 4.7 percent, C.A.R. reported today. 'While it is typical for the median price to dip seasonally...

The Houston Chronicle reports from Texas. "Josh Lowrey is thinking of selling his three-story townhouse in the Sixth Ward next year so he can buy a house with a yard. The 30-year-old Dallas native said he's noticed that the housing market has started to slow, and developers are putting up units all...

The Massachusetts realtors report on September sales. "The Massachusetts Association of REALTORS reported today that the number of single-family homes and condominiums sold in September were down over 13 percent compared to the same time last year while prices continue to remain steady. Despite the...

Some housing bubble news from Wall Street and Washington. "Sales of existing homes plunged by a record amount in September as turmoil in mortgage markets added more problems to a housing industry in its worst slump in 16 years." "The National Association of Realtors reported Wednesday that sales of...

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The Tribune reports from California. "A rented bus carrying more than a dozen potential homebuyers toured foreclosed homes in San Luis Obispo County and northern Santa Barbara County on Saturday. 'People know that foreclosure can be a good buy. (Bank-owned) properties are priced really well because...

The East Valley Tribune reports from Arizona. "With the end of the year quickly approaching, Valley homebuilders are hustling to rid themselves of excess homes and hit sales projections by offering incentives and price discounts to potential buyers. Builders are working to meet the sales numbers...

Some housing bubble news from Wall Street and Washington. Chicago Tribune, "Neumann Homes, one of Chicago's largest home-building companies, said Monday that it plans to file for bankruptcy. Neumann, based in Warrenville, said it closed all of its sales, production and customer service offices....

The Palm Beach Post reports from Florida. "The outlook for the Palm Beach County housing market is none-too-stellar. Palm Beach County’s median home price in August was off 13 percent from its November 2005 peak, according to the Florida Association of Realtors. 'Will prices fall further? Yes,'...

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The Voice of San Diego reports from California. "George Chamberlin remains one of San Diego's most high-profile bulls. Faced with dropping home prices and skyrocketing foreclosures, Chamberlin and others have barely changed their tune, if they have at all. If any of his words were used to convince...

The Enquirer reports from Ohio. "Owners of low- to mid-priced houses aren't the only ones losing their homes to foreclosure in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Expensive homes are falling into foreclosure, too. Thirty-two homes valued at $200,000 or more were scheduled for sheriff's sale...

Some housing bubble news from Wall Street and Washington. New York Times, "For all the pain in the mortgage market, investors who hold bonds backed by risky home loans have continued to receive their monthly interest payments — until now. Collateralized debt obligations — made up of bonds backed by...

The Kennebec Journal reports from Maine. "Augusta has tended to trail other communities in Kennebec County, in population, income and new housing. 'Around the year 2000, something happened,' says Hallowell consultant Frank O’Hara. 'Augusta joined the national housing boom. Augusta’s population...

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The Recordnet reports from California. "Months have passed since the days when dozens of homes at a time were going up in any given subdivision in San Joaquin County. These days, the typical new-home development looks as if it's nearly in hibernation as the housing market steps into the third...

The Columbian reports from Washington. "If you think you're seeing more 'For Sale' signs around Clark County, you're right. The inventory of homes for sale here is the highest in at least five years, according to new figures. A year of sluggish sales contributed to a 12-month inventory of new and...

The Palm Beach Post reports from Florida. "So many had something to gain from the mortgage bubble, says Bill Davis, past president of the Florida Association of Mortgage Brokers' Palm Beach County region, and many of those people went about their business winking and nodding. 'It's everybody,' he...

What do you see in your local housing market this weekend? Auctions? "In another jolt to the downtown real estate market, a newly built, upscale condo complex on Boston’s waterfront is being foreclosed on by its lenders. The 11-story Harborview complex in the Charlestown Navy Yard is slated to be...