One of key questions for 2013 is Will Housing inventory bottom this year?. Since this is a very important question, I’m tracking inventory weekly in 2013. There is a clear seasonal pattern for inventory, with the low point for inventory in late December or early January, and then peaking in mid-to-late summer. The Realtor (NAR) Read More

With interest rates slowly on the rise, that means bad news for home buyers and good news for renters, right? After all, aren’t the single-family and multifamily markets countercyclical? In the words of the old song, it ain’t necessarily so. Here’s why: The number of renters increased more than 1.1 million during 2011-12. That marked Read More

The median list price in Newport Coast this week is $4,590,000.Even though the days on market are trending higher, so is the Market Action Index at these inventory levels, providing a neutral outlook for the market. Supply and DemandThe market continues to get hotter. More sales demand and fewer homes listed have contributed to a Read More

It’s a good time to buy an expensive home. Jumbo mortgage loans, which sizzled during the housing market’s run-up and then fizzled spectacularly, are back with more flexible products from more lenders and interest rates that are inching ever closer to the terms offered to buyers of much less luxurious homes. As a result, more Read More

The median list price in Dana Point this week is $1,399,000.Inventory and days on market are both trending higher recently. However, the improving Market Action Index implies some increased demand will temper the negative trends. Supply and DemandThe market has been cooling off a bit in recent weeks, as more homes are available and demand Read More

Homebuilder confidence in the U.S. rose more than forecast in July to the highest since January 2006 as companies grew more upbeat about sales prospects. The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo index of builder sentiment climbed to 57 this month from a revised 51 in June, the Washington-based group reported today. The reading surpassed Read More

The median list price in Newport Coast this week is $4,590,000. Even though the days on market are trending higher, so is the Market Action Index at these inventory levels, providing a neutral outlook for the market. Supply and DemandThe market continues to get hotter. More sales demand and fewer homes listed have contributed to a Read More

It takes time to ramp up, and it appears the home builders are getting ready for more sales in Orange County … from Alejandro Lazo at the LA Times: O.C.’s Rancho Mission Viejo reflects rebound of housing market New construction across the region has taken off this year. Builders began work on some 2,944 homes Read More

The median list price in Corona del Mar this week is $3,177,000.Inventory has been lightening lately, and the Market Action Index has been trending up. Though days on market are increasing, these are mildly positive indications for the market. Supply and DemandThe market continues to get hotter. More sales demand and fewer homes listed have Read More

Although multinational companies are increasingly transferring employees to the United States, the United Kingdom, and China more than anywhere else in the world, many of those employees are not fully prepared for their new assignment, according to the “Top 15 International Relocation Destinations & Intercultural Business Tips for Career Survival,” recently released from Cartus Corporation. Read More