The Housing Bubble Blog

The Financial Times reports on the new Harvard study. "Markets seldom disappoint both bulls and bears for long. But over the coming years the US housing market looks likely to do just that, according to a study by Harvard University. 'Although housing prices are stretched, it is hard to see the...

MSNBC reports on the changes in the housing market. "There’s no denying it any longer. In most parts of the country, the sizzling house market has cooled. The people who make their living selling homes prefer to put a more positive spin on these numbers. They say the marketplace is just going back...

The housing bubble news is coming out of the southeast, fast and furious. "Investors owned a whopping 58 percent of the homes sold in Myrtle Beach in 2004, putting the Grand Strand at the top of a national list in the number of investor-owned homes. National analysts are concerned that cities with...

MarketWatch has this report. "A growing percentage of U.S. housing markets are "extremely overvalued" and are at risk of falling prices, according to a study based on government data released Monday by Global Insight and National City. In the first quarter, 71 housing markets, representing 39% of...

Some housing bubble reports from the Twin Cities. "Twin Cities home sales for May were down from a year ago, as the housing inventory continued its record growth, the local Realtors associations reported Monday. There were 5,039 closed home sales in May in the 13-county metro area. That is down 9.3...

A trio of reports on housing markets that don't get much attention. In Texas, "There was a time when multimillion-dollar oil transactions were as routine as burgers and fries. Then the boom went bust. The wheeling and dealing went away, as did the Midland Savings cafeteria and everything else in...

One homebuilder is having problems in Florida. "WCI Communities said second-quarter earnings would likely disappoint because of dismal orders at many of its high-rise condo and single-family housing communities in Florida." "WCI, a leading builder of traditional and tower residences, today...

The Concord Monitor has this rare report on the housing market in New Hampshire. "Local real estate agents say the state's market has remained flat this spring, a season in which sales generally pick up for the busy warm-weather selling season. Properties are staying on the market longer, some...

The housing bubble is a hot topic in Florida. "Following articles such as 'Home flippers' investments flop,' Sunday, May 21, a reader sometimes comments along the lines of the one who said: 'The same bad housing news does not have to be reported every Sunday. I am not questioning your statistics,...

In Business Las Vegas has this report on appraisal fraud. "It may come as no surprise to those in the real estate industry that Nevada is near the top of the heap when it comes to mortgage fraud. According to the Mortgage Asset Research Institute, Nevada ranks seventh when it comes to alleged...

"One reader suggested a topic on when a housing market buy-opportunity may arise. "How about a general consensus on whether anyone’s ready to begin the lowballing? I mentioned, a week or so ago, that a co-worker of mine was going to make an offer on a ridiculously overpriced home in Telford, PA....

Please post any off-topic ideas, links or Craigslist finds here! This thread will be forwarded through the weekend.

Some reports from New York. "Through the first five months of the year, single-family home sales tumbled 12 percent from 2005, according to the Orange County Association of Realtors. Price reductions have become commonplace, and homes are staying on the market longer, say people in the business of...

A pair of reports on housing from New Jersey. "While home prices are still edging up, they are not rising at the furious double-digit clip of the past three years. And that is starting to put a damper on the real estate market for investors, some would call them speculators, who have had a hand in...

What are you seeing in your housing market this weekend? Homebuilder price reductions and incentives? Some reports from around the US. "The slowdown in Baltimore's housing market continued into May, with sales dropping as homes lingered longer on the market and listings piled up. Sellers often...

Two readers suggested inventory as a topic. "'Topic suggestions?' How about San Diego inventory? It’s been growing steadily by a 50 to 100 homes a day. On 05/02/2006 SD inventory was 19,494, as of a couple of minutes ago it’s at a mind boggling 21,632 houses for sale." Another said, "Zip showed...

A pair of reports on the housing bubble in full-swing. "Rural Hill Country communities have become a favorite of buyers from California. High taxes, inflated property values and a higher cost of living are prompting more Californians to leave the state and buy property in other parts of the...

Several readers suggested a discussion of the housing bubble and 'flyover country.' "How about a topic about large cities in flyover country that are NOT part of the bubble? Where you can still (today) get the dream home for under $300K. I’m thinking say Columbus,OH, Memphis, Fort Worth, Houston,...

The Sacramento Bee has this update on the California housing bubble. "As Sacramento's housing slowdown continues and more existing homes sprout 'For Sale' signs, home builders are ramping up the deals. What started late last year with free granite countertops now has escalated at places like...

The Arizona Republic reports on the May numbers. "Stubborn home sellers holding out for big money are clogging metropolitan Phoenix's housing market. Too many of these homeowners haven't shaken off the hangover of last year's home-buying binge. Market professionals say many owners continue to...