The Housing Bubble Blog

Examining the home price boom and its effect on owners, lenders, regulators, realtors and the economy as a whole.

Most Were Greedy And Ran For The Roses

KION reports from California. "High demand landed Santa Cruz on the number 17 spot on realtor.com's top 20 hottest U.S. housing markets. 'The demand is being driven by Silicon Valley from people who come over here looking for second homes,' said Candie Noel, 2016 president of the Santa Cruz County...
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After A 10-Year Party There Will Be A Magnificent Hangover

Bloomberg reports on Canada. "The U.S. greenback broke above $1.40 vs. the Canadian dollar late last week in the wake of softer-than-expected inflation and wholesale sales prints north of the border. And according to Scotiabank Economist Derek Holt, the timing of the loonie's slump is abysmal as it...
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The Market May Not Be As Strong As Most People Think

The Sun Sentinel reports from Florida. "If you're looking to buy a new condo this weekend, you might be able to walk away with a leased set of wheels. Quantum Marketing Group, in conjunction with the Engel & Volkers real estate firm in Boca Raton, says it has created a program that will pay the car...
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A QE Only Economy

A weekend topic around three articles. Builder Online, "Last year, many economists predicted that 2015 would be a turnaround year for first-time buyers, who would be encouraged to enter the market due to stable job growth and the return of mortgage options that allow buyers to put as little as 3%...
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In Short Janet, It's Too Late!

It's Friday desk clearing time for this blogger. "The Federal Reserve, under Janet Yellen, waited too long to raise rates if she wanted to avoid another meltdown in the global financial system, Societe Generale strategist Albert Edwards said. In a research report entitled Fed negligence ... again!,...
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The Time To Intervene Was Years Ago

The Globe and Mail reports from Canada. "Vancouver-area banks reported suspicious transactions involving Mainland Chinese clients 17 times more often than those tied to citizens of any other outside country in recent years. Despite the legal requirement to disclose such transactions, Canadian banks...
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It's Once Again Easier To Qualify For A Mortgage

A report from the International Business Times. "The U.S. Federal Reserve is widely expected to pull a crucial economic lever for the first time in nine years Wednesday, boosting its benchmark short-term interest rate by a quarter of a point and edging it up gradually after that. As the Fed...
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The Erstwhile Star Has Suffered A Fall From Grace

The Globe and Mail reports from Canada. "In northeastern British Columbia, concern is centred on low prices for steel-making metallurgical coal – the effects of which have already been devastating. Five metallurgical coal mines were shut down between the spring of 2013 and fall of 2014. The impact...
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Prices That Once Would Have Encouraged Optimism

The Belmontonian reports from Massachusetts. "A million dollar house on Rutledge? Of course! How about in the shadow of the Temple on Amherst Road? You bet. Even along School Street, where the production of 'This Old House' came to visit, makes sense to see a price tag for a cool million. But...
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Conspicuous By Its Absence

A weekend topic on this Brown Political Review editorial. "There are many things that can give financial markets jitters, but only a few do so with clockwork regularity. The United States Federal Reserve is such an entity. Shudders mainly occur when the Fed uses monetary policy to fulfill two...
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