The Housing Bubble Blog

The Sun Sentinel reports on Florida condos. "David Dweck couldn't believe it. The founder of the Boca Real Estate Investment Club scanned the MLS last week and found 2,700 condominiums for sale just in Palm Beach County retirement communities. That represents roughly 9 percent of the county's total...

The Bellingham Herald has this update from Washington. "It appears the Whatcom County real estate market is continuing a transition from a seller's market to one that is more balanced between buyer and seller. Inventory and days on the market continue to rise. Sellers sometimes must mark down...

The Arizona Republic reports that speculation is down in Phoenix. "Almost 17 percent of all the people who bought homes in metropolitan Phoenix last month were from out of state. Sounds high, but actually it's a figure that's shrinking. A year ago, 26 percent of all the Valley's home buyers listed...

Several readers suggested a topic on what the second and third quarter will bring. "In looking at some of the Florida numbers, I expect 2nd quarter we will start seeing some negative yoy numbers in some cities. I expect Sarasota/Bradenton to be down 5-10% yoy (even if April median stays where it...

What do you see in your housing market this weekend? How about homebuilder incentives, "Shopping for a new home? There's never been a better time to buy a new, ready-to-move-in home than now. June 23rd-25th is your chance to get the beautiful, brand new home you've always dreamed of, at the lowest...

The Daily News has this update on debt levels in California. "Many families set off on a borrowing binge in recent years as low interest rates allowed lenders to loosen standards. Mortgage payments as a percentage of disposable income topped 11 percent at the end of last year, a historic high."...

Post off-topic ideas and Craigslist finds here. This thread will be forwarded through the weekend. Also, don't forget to send your housing bubble pictures to: photos@thehousingbubbleblog.com

Some condo bubble reports from the Philadelphia Inquirer. "When it comes to price, Philadelphia was the biggest winner. The city's median represented a 32 percent increase over the 2004 median. The address for much of the region's home-price success? Downtown Philadelphia and surrounding...

The Santa Rosa Press Democrat has this update from California. "Sebastopol and Russian River area home prices are at opposite ends of Sonoma County's housing market, yet both have seen dips in recent months. Homes are staying on the market longer as buyers seek the best deals and sellers face...

Several readers posted on lending standards. "I would like to hear opinions on the impact of the eternally 'upcoming' tightening of the Fed lending standards. What are the key new stardards/rules, will they actually be enforced, and most importantly, could this be the nail in the coffin?" One...

Several readers suggested a topic on selling a home. "Are there any moral implications for selling your home at the top to someone who can’t afford it? Are there any moral implications for selling your home at the top to someone who can afford it?" "Did you warn the person you sold your house to...

The News Press reports on auctions in Florida. "Dan Mahaney estimates he got three calls from Florida residents last year. Now, he's getting at least 15 calls a week from people desperate to sell their Sunshine State real estate. 'Fort Myers is really picking up,' he said, as is the rest of the...

The Friday desk clearing starts with some international reports. "A real estate frenzy grips China's urban areas, and one recent day saleswoman Xu Shuang faced an unruly throng when units at her luxury housing project went on the block. 'You should have seen it. More than 1,000 people gathered...

The Florida realtors had a press conference Thursday. "Getting affordable catastrophe insurance is the biggest challenge facing nearly every segment of the housing market, the head of the state's Realtors group said Thursday. 'Citizens is no longer the insurer of last resort,' said Mike Dooley,...

These reports from Texas show the housing bubble is 'relocating.' "Austin homes continued to sell at a brisk pace in May, despite a cooling of the housing market on a national level. Sales of existing single-family homes jumped 15 percent in May as 2,260 residences changed hands. The median home...

The LA Times reports on the subprime lending business. "Profit at Ameriquest Mortgage Co. and its affiliates plunged 81% last year, reflecting a brutal price war over loans to higher-risk borrowers, rising interest rates and the company's agreement to pay $325 million to 49 states to settle...

Some housing bubble reports from California. "The Inland housing and construction market is slowing down, but it isn't likely to experience the dramatic price drops of the early 1990s, a longtime Inland Empire economist said Thursday. A combination of overbuilt and overpriced housing, slowing home...

A pair of reports on homebuilders in Arizona. "The Valley's slowing real estate market is giving new real estate players a chance. A Scottsdale firm purchased two prime parcels of state trust land in Peoria on Thursday. It was the only bidder for one parcel and easily beat Toll Brothers, which has...

Please post ideas for weekend topics here!

The Bay Area press is reacting to the new numbers in California. "Marin's median home price dropped to $900,000 last month after flirting with the $1 million mark in April, Dataquick reported Wednesday. The median price for single-family homes, not including condominiums, dropped about 8 percent...