The Housing Bubble Blog

A pair of reports provide an update on the housing market in Washington. "Whatcom County housing prices took a strange turn in the first quarter of 2006, rising dramatically in several communities despite more homes being listed for sale and fewer being sold compared to last year." "'I would expect...

Several readers have taxes on their minds this weekend. "Well, Monday is tax day, so I’d like to see a discussion on how the current tax structure subsidizes the real estate industry and what impact a national sales tax or so-called 'fair tax' would have on the housing bubble. A national sales tax...

The Lahontan Valley News found a difference of opinion in Nevada. "Though the market has slowed since last year, demand for homes continues to be strong, said Bob Getto, the Fallon-area MLS director and a local realtor. Homes are spending more time on the market before they are sold, but no deep...

One reader had this suggestion. "I want two new posts every morning: "'The Daily Bit Bucket' where everyone can put their OT comments without disrupting the flow of threads."

The readers second topic: "Hey Look at What I found on Craigslist!' where everyone can put their OT comments without disrupting the flow of threads."

Readers want to know what effect lending regulations will have on the housing bubble. "What are the chances of the Fed tightening lending regulations on home loans. Since most of our elected reps. are bought and paid for by corp. America I doubt any tough measures will be enacted unless people who...

An update on the Connecticut housing market. "Wallingford: The cost of a home remains high in Connecticut, but the housing market is slowing down a bit. Houses are sitting unsold longer." "It's buyers like Gary Helbling who realtors say contribute to a soft real estate market. He's biding his time....

Let's clear off the desk and get ready for the weekend! "The trend is becoming clear across the state, where the number of building permits and home starts has been outpacing the number of households since 2002, Orlando-based economist Hank Fishkind told the crowd of about 240. 'Obviously there's a...

These reports on Japan show the cyclical nature of real estate booms. "Japan is entering its fourth year of robust economic growth and has an unemployment rate of 4.1 per cent, the lowest since 1998. Unlike previous, short-lived recoveries fuelled by government spending, the upward trend now is...

The Union Tribune has this update on San Diego. "No longer steaming, the San Diego region's housing market continued a slow cooling trend in March. The end of the first quarter also marked the 21st consecutive month in which sales volumes were down on a year-over-year basis, DataQuick reported."...

A columnist at the Boston Herald thinks local realtors are missing something. "The amazing thing about the real estate market is that it’s never in a slump. Just ask any Realtor. 'Strong?' Frequently. 'Red hot?' Sometimes. And on all other occasions it’s 'soft,' 'flattening out,' 'a little bit slow...

The Wall Street Journal looks at the housing bubble in resort towns. "As real-estate prices surged across most of America, some of the biggest gains swept coastal resorts. Now there are signs the tide has finally turned. In Ocean City, N.J., the median price fell 7% in March from a year before....

My San Antonio reports that speculators are buying into that city. " Some real estate agents say out-of-state investors, mostly from California, Arizona and Florida, now account for half their clients, while traditional families were their bread and butter up until the beginning of the year. For...

Post your weekend topic suggestions here! Also, don't forget to email digital housing bubble photos to: photos@thehousingbubbleblog.com

Inman News takes us back to California. "For months, Los Angeles-based aerospace consultant Doug Roberts has stewed over a real estate deal that went sour last November. It was bad enough that the seller first accepted but then rejected his full-price offer of $699,000 for the modest three-bedroom...

Some updates on the housing bubble in Florida. "With lawmakers ready to negotiate an already-flush budget, economists said Wednesday the state will bring in nearly $1 billion more in taxes. Senate President Tom Lee..said lawmakers should put at least part of the money in the state's reserves. The...

The Arizona Daily Star has this update on Tucson. "The median home price in Tucson decreased by 4 percent to $218,000 last month from $227,000 in February. After frenzied sales and month-to-month price increases of $5,000 in the first half of last year, the median price appeared to stabilize at or...

Some housing bubble updates from California. "Sales volumes are slowing while more homes are coming on the market. In March, 9,755 homes changed hands in L.A. County, a 10.3% decline from a year earlier, and the fifth straight month of falling sales. Prices haven't risen more than 4% from one month...

Some housing bubble reports on the Twin Cities. "So much for spring fever. So far, Twin Cities homebuyers seem to be shrugging off the record number of for-sale signs sprouting up all over instead of rushing to buy. That's not to say there were no buyers in March, 2.15 percent more than March last...

A pair of housing bubble reports from the Carolinas. "Pitt Center was overcrowded when many realtors appeared to tell Southern Shores Town Council that something needS to be done concerning the current regulations regarding temporary 'Open House' real estate signs. David Hoare, along with fellow...