The National Association of Realtors® has released the 10 metropolitan markets with the lowest median listing prices in December 2011.  Note that these are listing prices and not selling prices.  There can be a difference in the list versus median price due to several causes. … Read more

Remodeling Magazine has released the 2011-2012 study analyzing which remodeling projects have the best payoff for homeowners.  This report is must-have information to homeowners, appraisers, Realtors® and real estate agents that are listing homes for sale.  Even better, the information is available via a free… Read more

AOL has just released a compilation  of home price statistics that have a unique perspective on the U.S. housing market.  Standard & Poors’ Case–Shiller Index reported a year-over-year price decline of 3.7 percent (November data) while the National Association of Realtors® saw 2011 declines of… Read more

Apartment asking rents increased 2.8 percent last year according to Rents Marcus and Millichap while effective rents (after consideration of all discounts, giveaways and specials) jumped 4 percent.  At the same time, median U.S. home values declined 3.9 percent.  Marcus and Millichap expects 2012 to see… Read more

Market Watch reports an analysis of the best five and bottom five housing markets in the country by Local Market Monitor for prices in the coming three years based on employment growth (jobs are everything), population growth and housing inventory (yes, supply and demand are… Read more

HomeGain’s latest study of more than 400 real estate agents and 2,000+ homeowners finds that three out of four home sellers (76 percent) think their home is worth more than their listing agent’s recommendation, up from 73 percent a year ago.  In contrast, 68 percent… Read more

Whenever talking about real estate, if we have learned anything, it is to invoke the TINSTAANREM clause—There Is No Such Thing As A National Real Estate Market.  That said, good news is that inventory for sale is down 20 percent year-over-year and declined 3.27 percent… Read more

The 2011 HomeGain Home Values Survey Q3 (the first company to provide free immediate home valuations) reports the following on home value expectations (and this survey was based on more than 500 real estate agents and brokers and 2,200 homeowners): 47 percent of agents/brokers think… Read more

Zillow tracks homes prices in many markets and submarkets across the country and they are now seeing some recovery in many markets five years after the initial fall in housing sales volumes and prices.  Two links follow. The first link references an August Zillow press… Read more

Homes had long been considered as a place to live and one that would keep pace with inflation.  In fact, from 1987 through 2009, home values (per the Case-Shiller Index) appreciated at 3.9 percent compound annually while inflation ran 2.9 percent (see post from March… Read more