All men are by nature equal, made all of the same earth by one Workman; and however we deceive
ourselves, as dear unto God is the poor peasant as the mighty prince.
Plato
FREE HOME SEARCH ALL OVER LOS ANGELES COUNTY
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Quote of The Day
It doesn't matter where you are coming from. All that matters is where you are going.
Brian Tracy
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Quote of The Day
Feeling sorry for yourself, and your present condition, is not only a waste of energy
but the worst habit you couldpossibly have.
but the worst habit you couldpossibly have.
Dale Carnegie
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
New Homes Competing Against Foreclosures
Builders broke ground on fewer homes in April as the new-home sector continues to face competition from a glut of foreclosures that in many markets has brought home values down.
Construction on homes and apartments dropped 10.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 523,000 units, the Commerce Department reported on Tuesday. In March, housing starts reached a 585,000-unit pace (an upward revised figure). Residential construction is down 23.9 percent compared to April of last year--its largest drop since October 2009.
Considered the “volatile part” of the new-home market at the moment, construction of multifamily homes (buildings with five or more units) particularly hampered housing starts last month, decreasing 28.3 percent. Single-family home construction--which generally makes up 75 percent of all housing starts--dropped 5.1 percent from a month earlier.
Regionally, the results were mixed. In the South, housing starts dropped 23 percent and 4.8 percent in the Northeast. However, the Midwest posted a 15.7 percent gain in housing starts, as well as the West with 3.7 percent.
Permits for future home construction dropped last month, falling 4 percent to a 551,000-unit pace last month, the Commerce Department reports.
The Distressed Sales Impact
New-home construction is being weighed down by an oversupply of existing homes on the market, particularly foreclosures, experts say. Buyers are increasingly choosing bargain-priced foreclosures and previously owned homes over--in general--pricier new homes.
“Builder confidence has hardly budged over the past six months as persistent concerns regarding competition from distressed property sales, lack of production credit, inaccurate appraisals, and proposals to reduce government support of housing," NAHB Chairman Bob Nielsen said Monday in statement about the National Association of Home Builder/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index, which shows builders’ confidence about the new-home market remains low.
Source: “U.S. Housing Starts, Permits Fall in April,” Reuters News (May 17, 2011
Construction on homes and apartments dropped 10.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 523,000 units, the Commerce Department reported on Tuesday. In March, housing starts reached a 585,000-unit pace (an upward revised figure). Residential construction is down 23.9 percent compared to April of last year--its largest drop since October 2009.
Considered the “volatile part” of the new-home market at the moment, construction of multifamily homes (buildings with five or more units) particularly hampered housing starts last month, decreasing 28.3 percent. Single-family home construction--which generally makes up 75 percent of all housing starts--dropped 5.1 percent from a month earlier.
Regionally, the results were mixed. In the South, housing starts dropped 23 percent and 4.8 percent in the Northeast. However, the Midwest posted a 15.7 percent gain in housing starts, as well as the West with 3.7 percent.
Permits for future home construction dropped last month, falling 4 percent to a 551,000-unit pace last month, the Commerce Department reports.
The Distressed Sales Impact
New-home construction is being weighed down by an oversupply of existing homes on the market, particularly foreclosures, experts say. Buyers are increasingly choosing bargain-priced foreclosures and previously owned homes over--in general--pricier new homes.
“Builder confidence has hardly budged over the past six months as persistent concerns regarding competition from distressed property sales, lack of production credit, inaccurate appraisals, and proposals to reduce government support of housing," NAHB Chairman Bob Nielsen said Monday in statement about the National Association of Home Builder/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index, which shows builders’ confidence about the new-home market remains low.
Source: “U.S. Housing Starts, Permits Fall in April,” Reuters News (May 17, 2011
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Homes and Condos Listing Update 05-12-11
Market Watch
New Listing (919)
Price Change (1037)
Back On Market (405)
Backup Offer (436)
Expired (160)
Pending (588)
Sold (539)
AVAILABLE HOMES FOR SALE IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY
New Listing (919)
Price Change (1037)
Back On Market (405)
Backup Offer (436)
Expired (160)
Pending (588)
Sold (539)
AVAILABLE HOMES FOR SALE IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Saturday, May 07, 2011
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
Granada Hills, Mission Hills and North Hills Homes Sold on 3rd Quarter of 2010
Granada Hills
Homes Sold: 128 Average Sales Price: $ 405,000 Price Change From 3rd Quater 2009: 5.2%
Condos Sold: 12 Average Sales Price: $ 257,000 Price Change From 3rd Quarter 2009: 11.6%
Mission Hills
Homes Sold: 42 Average Sales Price: $ 321,000 Price Change From 3rd Quarter 2009: 7%
Condos Sold: 3 Average Sales Price: $ 175,000 Price Change From 3rd Quarter 2009: -12.5%
North Hills
Homes Sold: 88 Average Sales Price: $ 375,000 Price Change From 3rd Quarter 2009: 4.5%
Condos Sold: 51 Average Sales Price: $ 185,000 Price Change From 3rd Quarter 2009: 14.6%
FREE Home Search
Homes Sold: 128 Average Sales Price: $ 405,000 Price Change From 3rd Quater 2009: 5.2%
Condos Sold: 12 Average Sales Price: $ 257,000 Price Change From 3rd Quarter 2009: 11.6%
Mission Hills
Homes Sold: 42 Average Sales Price: $ 321,000 Price Change From 3rd Quarter 2009: 7%
Condos Sold: 3 Average Sales Price: $ 175,000 Price Change From 3rd Quarter 2009: -12.5%
North Hills
Homes Sold: 88 Average Sales Price: $ 375,000 Price Change From 3rd Quarter 2009: 4.5%
Condos Sold: 51 Average Sales Price: $ 185,000 Price Change From 3rd Quarter 2009: 14.6%
FREE Home Search
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Foreclosures , Auctions and Preforeclosures in Granada Hills CA as of 04-28-11
GRANADA HILLS CALIFORNIA
10636 Haskell Ave
10544 Haskell Ave
11312 Haskell Ave
11114 Haskell Ave
10928 Haskell Ave
10814 Haskell Ave
11156 Haskell Ave
11033 Haskell Ave
11001 Haskell Ave
If you are a First Time Home Buyer, Investor or Thinking on Selling Your Existing Home and Buying
A
Bigger and Better Home
I am Here To Help
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Granada Hills Demographics, Schools, Home Values, Income, Population and More
Recent Home Value Results According To Zillow
$963K - 11586 Rancho Del Valle Granada Hills, CA 91344
$588K - 12401 Littler Pl Granada Hills, CA 91344
$457K - 17100 Signature Dr Granada Hills, CA 91344
$457K - 17100 Signature Dr Granada Hills, CA 91344
$403K - 10435 Wish Ave Granada Hills, CA 91344
$369K - 10857 Blucher Ave Granada Hills, CA 91344
$369K - 11248 Balboa Blvd Granada Hills, CA 91344
$361K - 15806 Los Alimos St Granada Hills, CA 91344
$355K - 16421 Index St Granada Hills, CA 91344
$345K - 15650 Horace St San Fernando, CA 91344
Granada Hills Demographics
Total Population: 48,863
White Population: 32,238
Black Population: 1,764
Hispanic Population: 9,985
Asian Population: 7,980
Hawaiian Population: 45
Indian Population: 227
Male Population: 23,943
Female Population: 24,920
Median Age: 37.80
Median Age of Males: 37.0
Median Age of Females: 38.6
All Schools in Granada Hills 91344
Elementary Schools
Danube Avenue Elementary
11220 Danube Ave. Granada Hills, CA 91344 (818) 366-6463
El Oro Way Elementary
12230 El Oro Way Granada Hills, CA 91344 (818) 360-2288
Granada Elementary
17170 Tribune St. Granada Hills, CA 91344 (818) 363-3188
Haskell Elementary
15850 Tulsa St. Granada Hills, CA 91344 (818) 366-6431
Knollwood Elementary
11822 Gerald Ave. Granada Hills, CA 91344 (818) 363-9558
Tulsa Street Elementary
10900 Hayvenhurst Ave. Granada Hills, CA 91344 (818) 363-5061
Van Gogh Street Elementary
17160 Van Gogh St. Granada Hills, CA 91344 (818) 360-2141
Middle Schools
George K. Porter Middle
15960 Kingsbury St. Granada Hills, CA 91344 (818) 891-1807
Patrick Henry Middle
17340 San Jose St. Granada Hills, CA 91344 (818) 363-7401
Robert Frost Middle
12314 Bradford Pl. Granada Hills, CA 91344 (818) 360-2146
High Schools
Granada Hills Charter High
10535 Zelzah Ave. Granada Hills, CA 91344 (818) 360-2361
Jane Addams Continuation
16341 Donmetz St. Granada Hills, CA 91344 (818) 360-5244
John F. Kennedy High
11254 Gothic Ave. Granada Hills, CA 91344 (818) 363-6794
Other Schools
North Valley Charter Academy
16551 Rinaldi St. Granada Hills, CA 91344 (818) 368-1557
The Economics
Average House Value: $238,100
Average Annual Household Income: $78,213
Businesses: 904
Employees: 7,593
Annual Payroll: $187,266,000
The Politics
Congressional District: 27, 25
Congressional District Land Area: 150.0, 21484.0
Sr Senator: Barbara Boxer (D)
Jr Senator: Dianne Feinstein (D)
US House Representative: Brad Sherman (D)
Alberto Pacheco
Real Estate Consultant
http://www.stoppayingrentinla.com/ Granada Hills Real Estate
htttp://www.losangelescountyrealestate.blogspot.com
Become The Best Of You When You Think At a High Level
The Key To Become
Your Very Best Is To Think
At
A Very High Level
Friday, April 22, 2011
Did Jesus Christ Died For Your Sins?
More Than 2000 Years Ago
JESUS CHRIST
Died On The Cross To Pay For My Sins
As Well As
For Yours When You Accept Him as Your Saviour
Friday, April 15, 2011
New Bill To Speed Up The Short Sale Process
A new bill to improve the process for approving short sales may soon bring relief to distressed homeowners who are unable to keep their homes and hope to avoid foreclosure. The bill, recently introduced in the U.S. House and strongly supported by the National Association of REALTORS®, would impose a deadline of 45 days on lenders to respond to short sale requests.
The legislation, the “Prompt Decision for Qualification for Short Sale Act of 2011,” was offered in Congress by U.S. Reps. Tom Rooney (R-Fla.) and Robert Andrews (D-N.J.).
“The current short sale process can be time-consuming and inefficient, and many would-be buyers end up walking away from a sale that could have saved a homeowner from foreclosure,” said NAR President Ron Phipps, broker-president of Phipps Realty in Warwick, R.I.
“REALTORS® and consumers continue to raise issues about delays in the short sale process, because lenders are unable to decide whether to approve a short sale. After many months of delays, and with no response from lenders, potential buyers are losing patience and cancelling their contracts, often resulting in the property entering foreclosure. A short sale minimizes the negative impact on sellers and generally costs the lender less than a foreclosure,” said Phipps.
NAR has been actively pushing the lending industry to improve the process for approving short sales, which represent about 13% of recent home sales, according to NAR data. Phipps praised Reps. Rooney and Andrews for their efforts on the bill and urged Congress to pass the bill quickly.
“As the leading advocate for homeownership and housing issues, REALTORS® want to help more homeowners avoid foreclosure by facilitating a short sale when a family is absolutely unable to keep their home; however, that can only happen if lenders and servicers approve short sale offers in a reasonable amount of time,” said Phipps. “Streamlining short sales transactions will reduce the amount of time it takes to sell the property, improve the likelihood that the transaction will close and reduce the overall number of foreclosures. This benefits sellers, lenders, buyers and the entire community.”
For more information, visit http://www.realtor.org./
Search Homes Freely On This Website
The legislation, the “Prompt Decision for Qualification for Short Sale Act of 2011,” was offered in Congress by U.S. Reps. Tom Rooney (R-Fla.) and Robert Andrews (D-N.J.).
“The current short sale process can be time-consuming and inefficient, and many would-be buyers end up walking away from a sale that could have saved a homeowner from foreclosure,” said NAR President Ron Phipps, broker-president of Phipps Realty in Warwick, R.I.
“REALTORS® and consumers continue to raise issues about delays in the short sale process, because lenders are unable to decide whether to approve a short sale. After many months of delays, and with no response from lenders, potential buyers are losing patience and cancelling their contracts, often resulting in the property entering foreclosure. A short sale minimizes the negative impact on sellers and generally costs the lender less than a foreclosure,” said Phipps.
NAR has been actively pushing the lending industry to improve the process for approving short sales, which represent about 13% of recent home sales, according to NAR data. Phipps praised Reps. Rooney and Andrews for their efforts on the bill and urged Congress to pass the bill quickly.
“As the leading advocate for homeownership and housing issues, REALTORS® want to help more homeowners avoid foreclosure by facilitating a short sale when a family is absolutely unable to keep their home; however, that can only happen if lenders and servicers approve short sale offers in a reasonable amount of time,” said Phipps. “Streamlining short sales transactions will reduce the amount of time it takes to sell the property, improve the likelihood that the transaction will close and reduce the overall number of foreclosures. This benefits sellers, lenders, buyers and the entire community.”
For more information, visit http://www.realtor.org./
Search Homes Freely On This Website
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Friday, April 08, 2011
Fha Mortgage Insurance Premium To Rise on April 18, 2011
FHA Mortgage Insurance Premium to Rise
Leave a Comment It is about to get more expensive for people to get an FHA loan. Back in February, HUD announced that starting April 18, when you get an FHA loan, you can expect your monthly mortgage payment to be slightly higher thanks to higher Mortgage Insurance Premiums required by HUD.
FHA Mortgage Insurance Premium: Required on All FHA Loans When you get an FHA loan, there are two types of mortgage insurance that is required to be paid by the borrower:
■Up Front Mortgage Insurance Premium (also known as UFMIP)
■Monthly Mortgage Insurance Premium (also knowns as MI or MIP)
The change to FHA mortgage insurance starting on April 18 is a change to the monthly mortgage insurance premium, or MIP. Technically, the monthly mortgage premium is calculated as an annual amount and then paid monthly — but it is often referred to as a monthly mortgage insurance premium.
How much of a change will there be starting April 18? It depends on your loan term and how much money you are putting down (which will determine your loan-to-value ratio). Here is a simple breakdown:
■15-year loans with over 90% loan-to-value = 0.50% (up from 0.25)
■15-year loans with under 90% loan-to-value = 0.25% (up from 0)
■30-year loans with over 95% loan-to-value = 1.15% (up from .90)
■30-year loans with under 95% loan-to-value = 1.10% (up from .85)
FHA MIP Rising: How Much More Expensive?
In terms of monthly mortgage payments, how much more will these changes cost the average consumer?
Here is what someone with an FHA loan would pay if they got their loan prior to the change assuming a $200,000 loan amount with a 30-year loan and 3.5% down payment:
200,000 x .90% = $1,800 annually or $150 paid in FHA MIP each month.
And here is what they look like after the April 18, 2011 change:
200,000 x 1.10% = $2,200 annually or $183.33 paid in FHA MIP each month.
Total difference in monthly payment due to the increase in FHA MIP? $33.33 Same FHA loan. Same FHA fixed rate. Same 30-year loan term. Same FHA lender. Just more expensive.
Justin McHood works for Academy Mortgage and is based in Chandler, AZ.
Leave a Comment It is about to get more expensive for people to get an FHA loan. Back in February, HUD announced that starting April 18, when you get an FHA loan, you can expect your monthly mortgage payment to be slightly higher thanks to higher Mortgage Insurance Premiums required by HUD.
FHA Mortgage Insurance Premium: Required on All FHA Loans When you get an FHA loan, there are two types of mortgage insurance that is required to be paid by the borrower:
■Up Front Mortgage Insurance Premium (also known as UFMIP)
■Monthly Mortgage Insurance Premium (also knowns as MI or MIP)
The change to FHA mortgage insurance starting on April 18 is a change to the monthly mortgage insurance premium, or MIP. Technically, the monthly mortgage premium is calculated as an annual amount and then paid monthly — but it is often referred to as a monthly mortgage insurance premium.
How much of a change will there be starting April 18? It depends on your loan term and how much money you are putting down (which will determine your loan-to-value ratio). Here is a simple breakdown:
■15-year loans with over 90% loan-to-value = 0.50% (up from 0.25)
■15-year loans with under 90% loan-to-value = 0.25% (up from 0)
■30-year loans with over 95% loan-to-value = 1.15% (up from .90)
■30-year loans with under 95% loan-to-value = 1.10% (up from .85)
FHA MIP Rising: How Much More Expensive?
In terms of monthly mortgage payments, how much more will these changes cost the average consumer?
Here is what someone with an FHA loan would pay if they got their loan prior to the change assuming a $200,000 loan amount with a 30-year loan and 3.5% down payment:
200,000 x .90% = $1,800 annually or $150 paid in FHA MIP each month.
And here is what they look like after the April 18, 2011 change:
200,000 x 1.10% = $2,200 annually or $183.33 paid in FHA MIP each month.
Total difference in monthly payment due to the increase in FHA MIP? $33.33 Same FHA loan. Same FHA fixed rate. Same 30-year loan term. Same FHA lender. Just more expensive.
Justin McHood works for Academy Mortgage and is based in Chandler, AZ.
Wednesday, April 06, 2011
Burbank Probate and Foreclosed Homes
Probates
2121 N Evergreen St 3BR 1BA 1048 sqft Home 6000 sqft Lot,Priced $ 387,000
445 N Orchard Drive 3BR 2BA 1380 sqft Home, 6750 sqft Lot,Priced $ 429,000
Foreclosures
1819 N Brighton St 4BR,3BA, 3101 sqft Home, 7250 sqft Lot, Priced $ 534,900
333 Victory CT 6BR,5BA, 2867 sqft Home, 5500 sqft Lot, Priced $ 567,900
This homes are available, if you are interested on any one of them, just send me an email to: gapm@juno.com or call me at: 818 481 9211.
2121 N Evergreen St 3BR 1BA 1048 sqft Home 6000 sqft Lot,Priced $ 387,000
445 N Orchard Drive 3BR 2BA 1380 sqft Home, 6750 sqft Lot,Priced $ 429,000
Foreclosures
1819 N Brighton St 4BR,3BA, 3101 sqft Home, 7250 sqft Lot, Priced $ 534,900
333 Victory CT 6BR,5BA, 2867 sqft Home, 5500 sqft Lot, Priced $ 567,900
This homes are available, if you are interested on any one of them, just send me an email to: gapm@juno.com or call me at: 818 481 9211.
Tuesday, April 05, 2011
Banks Commited Mortgage Fraud on Many Mortgage Loans
Do you know who really owns your mortgage?
As Scott Pelley reports on “60 Minutes” this week, that question has become a nightmare for many homeowners since the invention of mortgage-backed securities. Yes, those were the exotic investments that sparked the financial collapse in this country. And the’re still causing problems.
As it turns out, Wall Street cut corners when it bundled homeowners’ mortgages into securities that were traded from investor to investor. Now that banks are foreclosing on people, they’re finding that the legal documents behind many mortgages are missing. So, what do the banks do? As Pelley explains in this video, some companies appear to be resorting to forgery and phony paperwork in what looks like a nationwide epidemic.
Even if you’re not at risk of foreclosure, there could be legal ramifications for a homeowner if the chain of title has been lost. Watch the “60 Minutes” report and listen to Pelley’s discussion with “60 Minutes Overtime” editor Ann Silvio about the findings of his reporting team.
This is a short video that discusses the problem. Watch the entire video here:
As Scott Pelley reports on “60 Minutes” this week, that question has become a nightmare for many homeowners since the invention of mortgage-backed securities. Yes, those were the exotic investments that sparked the financial collapse in this country. And the’re still causing problems.
As it turns out, Wall Street cut corners when it bundled homeowners’ mortgages into securities that were traded from investor to investor. Now that banks are foreclosing on people, they’re finding that the legal documents behind many mortgages are missing. So, what do the banks do? As Pelley explains in this video, some companies appear to be resorting to forgery and phony paperwork in what looks like a nationwide epidemic.
Even if you’re not at risk of foreclosure, there could be legal ramifications for a homeowner if the chain of title has been lost. Watch the “60 Minutes” report and listen to Pelley’s discussion with “60 Minutes Overtime” editor Ann Silvio about the findings of his reporting team.
This is a short video that discusses the problem. Watch the entire video here:
Monday, April 04, 2011
Spring Real Estate Market Conditions
Optimism about the housing market isn't quite sweeping the nation, but Americans remain sold on the value of home ownership at a good time to be bullish about buying a home. With home sales and prices still falling, the spring could shape up as an opportune time to make a deal.
The housing downturn hasn't shaken consumers' resolve to consider home ownership an integral part of an American Dream, even among home owners with homes that have lost value. The eighth quarterly "Allstate-National Journal Heartland Monitor Poll: The American Dream" revealed that nearly nine out of 10 homeowners say they would buy their same homes again.
Among those with homes with lost value, the same percentage said they would buy their home again. Also, seven of 10 Americans say they would advise a friend or family member to buy a home as a long-term asset. The spring could be a good time to take that advice.
Existing-home sales, completed transactions that include single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, dropped 9.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.88 million in February from 5.40 million in January. February 2010 sales were 2.8 percent below the pace in February 2010, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR).
The slow sales pushed the median price down to $156,100, the lowest level since February 2002, setting the stage for spring bargains. Some experts say the housing market is years away from a full blown recovery and the home buyer tax credit is kaput. However, improvements in employment and manufacturing and other economic sectors, bargain home prices and affordable interest rates could light a fire under buyers who've been sitting on the fence.
"Housing affordability conditions have been at record levels and the economy has been improving, but home sales are being constrained by the twin problems of unnecessarily tight credit, and a measurable level of contract cancellations from some appraisals not supporting prices negotiated between buyers and sellers," said Lawrence Yun NAR chief economist.
The Allstate survey of 1,000 Americans also found.
- Buying a home was the best investment among 24 percent, behind "investing in retirement savings" (38 percent), but ahead of "saving money in the bank" (20 percent), and "investing in the stock market" (6 percent).
- A majority, 58 percent of those who believe the housing crisis will remain a serious problem would still recommend buying a home.
- Americans are evenly split on whether the federal government should continue policies to encourage home ownership at the same level (46 percent) or scale them back because they cost too much (46 percent).
- More than half of Americans (52 percent) blame the housing crisis on banks and lending institutions for misleading borrowers and approving bad loans, while 32 percent blame people who bought homes and took out mortgages they couldn't afford, and only 12 percent blame government policies that encouraged too many people to try to own their own homes.
"Owning a home continues to be the bedrock of the American Dream � even as incomes are down, jobs are scarce and families struggle to make ends meet," said Thomas J. Wilson , Allstate chairman, president and chief executive officer.
"Homeownership is viewed positively by the vast majority of Americans as both a place to raise a family and a sound investment," he added.
Find Homes In Your Area of Choice and Withing Your Price Range
The housing downturn hasn't shaken consumers' resolve to consider home ownership an integral part of an American Dream, even among home owners with homes that have lost value. The eighth quarterly "Allstate-National Journal Heartland Monitor Poll: The American Dream" revealed that nearly nine out of 10 homeowners say they would buy their same homes again.
Among those with homes with lost value, the same percentage said they would buy their home again. Also, seven of 10 Americans say they would advise a friend or family member to buy a home as a long-term asset. The spring could be a good time to take that advice.
Existing-home sales, completed transactions that include single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, dropped 9.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.88 million in February from 5.40 million in January. February 2010 sales were 2.8 percent below the pace in February 2010, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR).
The slow sales pushed the median price down to $156,100, the lowest level since February 2002, setting the stage for spring bargains. Some experts say the housing market is years away from a full blown recovery and the home buyer tax credit is kaput. However, improvements in employment and manufacturing and other economic sectors, bargain home prices and affordable interest rates could light a fire under buyers who've been sitting on the fence.
"Housing affordability conditions have been at record levels and the economy has been improving, but home sales are being constrained by the twin problems of unnecessarily tight credit, and a measurable level of contract cancellations from some appraisals not supporting prices negotiated between buyers and sellers," said Lawrence Yun NAR chief economist.
The Allstate survey of 1,000 Americans also found.
- Buying a home was the best investment among 24 percent, behind "investing in retirement savings" (38 percent), but ahead of "saving money in the bank" (20 percent), and "investing in the stock market" (6 percent).
- A majority, 58 percent of those who believe the housing crisis will remain a serious problem would still recommend buying a home.
- Americans are evenly split on whether the federal government should continue policies to encourage home ownership at the same level (46 percent) or scale them back because they cost too much (46 percent).
- More than half of Americans (52 percent) blame the housing crisis on banks and lending institutions for misleading borrowers and approving bad loans, while 32 percent blame people who bought homes and took out mortgages they couldn't afford, and only 12 percent blame government policies that encouraged too many people to try to own their own homes.
"Owning a home continues to be the bedrock of the American Dream � even as incomes are down, jobs are scarce and families struggle to make ends meet," said Thomas J. Wilson , Allstate chairman, president and chief executive officer.
"Homeownership is viewed positively by the vast majority of Americans as both a place to raise a family and a sound investment," he added.
Find Homes In Your Area of Choice and Withing Your Price Range
Pending Home Sales All Over The US in February 2011
Pending Home Sales Surprise to the Upside: Pending sales of previously owned U.S. homes unexpectedly rose in February, a trade group said Monday, pointing to a modest pick-up in home sales.
The National Association of Realtors said its Pending Home Sales Index, based on contracts signed in February, increased 2.1 percent to 90.8. Economists had expected the index, which leads existing home sales by a month or two, to fall 1.0 percent after a previously reported 2.8 percent decline.
"We may not see notable gains in existing-home sales in the near term, but they're expected to rise 5 to 10 percent this year with the economic recovery, job creation and excellent affordability conditions providing confidence to buyers who have been on the sidelines," said NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun.
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The National Association of Realtors said its Pending Home Sales Index, based on contracts signed in February, increased 2.1 percent to 90.8. Economists had expected the index, which leads existing home sales by a month or two, to fall 1.0 percent after a previously reported 2.8 percent decline.
"We may not see notable gains in existing-home sales in the near term, but they're expected to rise 5 to 10 percent this year with the economic recovery, job creation and excellent affordability conditions providing confidence to buyers who have been on the sidelines," said NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun.
FREE Home Search
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Home Values and Prices Around The USA
According to PMI Group Monthly Analysis: In previous house price boom and bust periods,
house prices moved above their fundamental values only to fall below them for a while. While this simple analysis can help to identify areaswhere house prices appear to be out of line with incomes, it can’t tell us when a correction will occur.
As a result, while some areas appear to have already fallen well beyond their fundamental values, they could still fall further. What the analysis does say, however, is that at some point, there should be a recovery in house prices in these markets that will bring them back into balance with incomes.
States where house prices are too low, although they had no bubble Indiana is a good illustration of a surprising pattern seen for areas where prices tracked incomes quite closely even during the housing bubble, but then still got hit by declining house prices as a result of the Great Recession. Other states
with similar patterns include Arkansas, Kentucky, Kansas, Iowa, Mississippi, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming. It is likely that house prices in these areas will recover along with job growth, which is already happening in manufacturing and agriculture.
Since disposable income is not available at the state level, we made a minor adjustment to the state-level per capital income data by adjusting it for how national disposable per capita income compares to national per capita income over time.
There are many measures of affordability, some based on prices relative to monthly house costs, including taxes, insurance and mortgage payments, while other measures compare house prices to rents. Here, we compare house prices and adjusted per capita income1 in order to study how they evolve over time. Over time, house prices and income should grow at similar rates, otherwise housing would become either increasingly affordable or unaffordable. We used two different measures of house prices, the CoreLogic House Price Index (HPI) built on all transactions and the CoreLogic HPI excluding distressed sales, since they tell somewhat different stories.
States where house prices have over-corrected from the boom and are very affordable Michigan is an example of a state that had a housing boom, with prices moving upward at a pace much faster than the capacity of homeowners to pay for them – but where prices appear to have significantly over-corrected.
The data for Michigan suggest house prices were overheated in the decade before 2007, but have since
overshot too far to the downside of income, both relative to a 1995 base year of 100. 1995 as the base year because it was a relatively stable period for both housing and the overall economy). An index value of 120, for example, would signify that income or the HPI is 20 percent higher than it was in the base year of 1995.
Since there is some concern that the house price indices which include distressed sales undervalue properties not sold as short sales or from REO, we also show the CoreLogic HPI that excludes distressed sales.
Comparing the different HPIs, the index that excludes distressed sales lessens the underpricing
seen in most areas, but it only explains a portion of the under-pricing relative to incomes. Other states that have a broadly similar pattern to Michigan include Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois,
Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, and West Virginia.
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house prices moved above their fundamental values only to fall below them for a while. While this simple analysis can help to identify areaswhere house prices appear to be out of line with incomes, it can’t tell us when a correction will occur.
As a result, while some areas appear to have already fallen well beyond their fundamental values, they could still fall further. What the analysis does say, however, is that at some point, there should be a recovery in house prices in these markets that will bring them back into balance with incomes.
States where house prices are too low, although they had no bubble Indiana is a good illustration of a surprising pattern seen for areas where prices tracked incomes quite closely even during the housing bubble, but then still got hit by declining house prices as a result of the Great Recession. Other states
with similar patterns include Arkansas, Kentucky, Kansas, Iowa, Mississippi, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming. It is likely that house prices in these areas will recover along with job growth, which is already happening in manufacturing and agriculture.
Since disposable income is not available at the state level, we made a minor adjustment to the state-level per capital income data by adjusting it for how national disposable per capita income compares to national per capita income over time.
There are many measures of affordability, some based on prices relative to monthly house costs, including taxes, insurance and mortgage payments, while other measures compare house prices to rents. Here, we compare house prices and adjusted per capita income1 in order to study how they evolve over time. Over time, house prices and income should grow at similar rates, otherwise housing would become either increasingly affordable or unaffordable. We used two different measures of house prices, the CoreLogic House Price Index (HPI) built on all transactions and the CoreLogic HPI excluding distressed sales, since they tell somewhat different stories.
States where house prices have over-corrected from the boom and are very affordable Michigan is an example of a state that had a housing boom, with prices moving upward at a pace much faster than the capacity of homeowners to pay for them – but where prices appear to have significantly over-corrected.
The data for Michigan suggest house prices were overheated in the decade before 2007, but have since
overshot too far to the downside of income, both relative to a 1995 base year of 100. 1995 as the base year because it was a relatively stable period for both housing and the overall economy). An index value of 120, for example, would signify that income or the HPI is 20 percent higher than it was in the base year of 1995.
Since there is some concern that the house price indices which include distressed sales undervalue properties not sold as short sales or from REO, we also show the CoreLogic HPI that excludes distressed sales.
Comparing the different HPIs, the index that excludes distressed sales lessens the underpricing
seen in most areas, but it only explains a portion of the under-pricing relative to incomes. Other states that have a broadly similar pattern to Michigan include Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois,
Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, and West Virginia.
Search Homes For Free In Your Areas of Choice
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