Let’s take a look at April NWMLS statistics from around the sound. As usual, courtesy Tableau Software (available free to use online), the Around the Sound update is rocking sweet interactive data visualizations. Feel free to download the old charts in Excel 2007 and Excel 2003 format. To get specific info about a certain point…
Foreclosures Remain Highly Elevated in April
Time to expand on our preview of foreclosure activity with a more detailed look at April’s stats in King, Snohomish, and Pierce counties. First up, the Notice of Trustee Sale summary: April 2009 King: 1,293 NTS, up 37.8% YOY Snohomish: 640 NTS, up 32.5% YOY Pierce: 737 NTS, up 13.0% YOY Here’s your interactive Tableau…
Did Banks Act in Good Faith During the Bubble?
I admit that my statement yesterday that “ethics and morals should not even enter the conversation” was a bit of intentional editorial hyperbole intended to spur the discussion. Obviously it does make sense to have a conversation about the ethics of walking away, since that’s exactly what we did for 177 comments (so far). As…
On Misguided Ethics and Walking Away from a Mortgage
With the subject of “walking away” finally hitting the mainstream media in full force this weekend with a dedicated segment on Sunday’s 60 Minutes, it would appear that the idea of giving the keys back to the bank to get out of a financial death spiral continues to gain some serious traction. Of course, even…
“Tax Savings” Far Overshadowed by Interest Paid
This weekend Seattle Bubble favorite Steve Tytler fielded a question from a very confused homeowner in his real estate Q&A column in the Everett Herald. Couple’s dilemma: To rent out house or sell Here is a portion of the owner’s question. We were given a house valued at $250,000, which is paid for. We have…