The Housing Bubble Blog

Please post off-topic ideas, links and Craigslist finds here.

The Orange County Register reports from California. "Orange County's 122-month streak of rising home prices is over. The decade-long run ended last month when the median price of an Orange County home fell to $620,000, a decline of $2,250 from the median in February 2006, DataQuick reported...

The Patriot News reports from Pennsylvania. "State and federal regulators are looking at ways to cut down on the risky loans in an effort to curb foreclosure rates. Pennsylvania has not escaped the national trend. Foreclosure filings in the state shot up 34 percent, from 28,650 in 2005 to 38,333 in...

Some housing bubble news from Wall Street. "Accredited Home Lenders Holding Co., a mortgage company for people with bad credit, needs to raise cash after paying more than $190 million demanded by backers this year. The stock lost almost half its value. 'It's clear now that liquidity is an issue'...

The Orlando Sentinel reports from Florida. "The slumping residential real-estate market in the Orlando area is still searching for a bottom. The number of homes and condominiums sold by Orlando Regional Realtor Association members in February fell by nearly 39 percent from the same month a year ago...

Please post off-topic ideas, links and Craigslist finds here.

The Union Tribune reports from California. "San Diego County's resale home prices remained relatively steady last month with the median price of single-family houses unchanged at $540,000 for the fourth straight month, DataQuick Information Systems reported Monday. The overall median stood at...

The Columbian reports from Washington. "A shake-up in the nation's subprime mortgage lending industry is beginning to have an impact in Clark County. Some offices have closed, others have cut staffing to deal with a slowdown in the housing market and tighter regulations related to higher interest...

Some housing bubble news from Wall Street and Washington. CNN Money, "Embattled mortgage lender New Century Financial Corp. announced early Monday that all of its lenders are cutting off its financing, that it has been found in default of many of its financial agreements, and that it does not have...

The Sun Sentinel reports from Florida. "When it comes to single-family homes, better to buy now. But hold off on those condominiums. That's the word from the University of Florida, which last week released a quarterly study that suggests the housing slump is stabilizing. Meanwhile, existing home...

Please post off-topic ideas, links and Craigslist finds here.

The Mercury News reports from California. "Luis Mapula and his wife weren't looking to buy a home when Plata was approached at the San Jose Flea Market in April 2004, according to their lawsuit. Three months later, Mapula, whose take-home pay was $3,400 a month, and Luis Plata, a stay-at-home...

Readers suggested a topic on the real estate industry in a down market. "Will RE/Mortgage business behavior improve or deteriorate in a bear market?" One posts, "I believe it will improve incredibly but not by their doing. The market will dictate that they don’t run amok because there will be so...

The Tuscaloosa News reports from Alabama. "While 2007 is set to be a big year for condos, it may also mark the beginning of moderation in what has been an explosively growing market since 2004. (Developer) Bill Lunsford said the market has changed significantly since his company began work on...

What do you see in your local housing market this weekend? Disputed statistics? "Home sellers beware. Despite what real estate industry data might suggest, sales prices were down by 10 to 20 percent around the state last year, according to an East Brunswick analyst who keeps day-to-day tabs on New...

Please post off-topic ideas, links and Craigslist finds here.

The LA Times reports from California. "ShaRon Lewis is facing a 50% hike in the payment on her adjustable-rate mortgage next month. This week, she discovered she can't qualify for a new loan with payments that she could afford. And although she's willing to sell the West Hills home she's owned for...

Readers suggested a topic on subprime woes. "Is the credit crunching subprime meltdown thingy over OR are we just getting started?" One replied, "I think we’re just getting started and it is going to get worse before it gets better. A lot worse." One looked at the secondary market, "It depends on...

The St Petersburg Times reports from Florida. "As the housing downturn consumes their livelihood, home builders and Realtors soothe themselves with a steady mantra: The seas are turbulent now, but retiring baby boomers will keep the market afloat. Researchers at the University of Florida suggest...

Please post off-topic ideas, links and Craigslist finds here.