Sorry, this isn’t a Seattle-specific story, but it caught my attention this weekend as it seems like a major policy shift on the national level: President shifts focus to renting, not owning The Obama administration, in a major shift on housing policy, is abandoning George W. Bush’s vision of creating an “ownership society” and instead…
Author: The Tim
Tim Ellis is the founder of Seattle Bubble. His background in engineering and computer / internet technology, a fondness of data-based analysis of problems, and an addiction to spreadsheets all influence his perspective on the Seattle-area real estate market. Tim also hosts the weekly improv comedy sci-fi podcast Dispatches from the Multiverse.
Monday Open Thread (2009-08-17)
Here is your open thread for Monday August 17th, 2009. You may post random links and off-topic discussions here. Also, if you have an idea or a topic you’d like to see covered in an article, please make it known. Be sure to also check out the forums, and get your word in the user-driven…
Poll: In the next 30 years, the desirability of the Seattle area will:
Please vote in this poll using the sidebar. This poll will be active and displayed on the sidebar through 08.22.2009.
More on the Possible Mastro Bankruptcy
Kristen Grind over at the Puget Sound Business Journal had another great article about the unfolding mess with local developer Mike Mastro: Rival banks battle over Mastro bankruptcy A legal battle between rival creditor banks over developer Michael Mastro Sr.’s real estate holdings is breaking out in federal bankruptcy court — a dispute that affects…
Improvement in Seattle Home Prices vs. Economic Fundamentals
Here’s an update to the area-wide price-to-income and price-to-rent ratio charts we first posted back in April. These charts are based on per capita income, “Median Contract Rent” (from 2005 adjusted using the “rent of primary residence” component of the CPI), and Case-Shiller home prices indexed to the county-wide median. They are not intended to…