Here’s some real hard-hitting reporting from the P-I. It turns out that mortgages are rising a lot faster than paychecks. Who knew? The percentage of Seattle residents who … own their homes increased over the past five years — even though home values and mortgage payments rose much faster than incomes, data the U.S. Census…
There Is No Spoon
A post by Susan Ryan over at the PI’s RE Blog proclaims “Just Say No to Bubble Talk” “As I’ve said repeatedly, stock market terms do not apply to real estate. There is no real estate bubble and never will be. A decrease in acceleration is not an implosion (or even a pop). Kendra Todd…
This Wasn’t The Way it Was Last Year
From Tacoma: Weekend article from The News Tribune Home builders are advertising more incentives. “Price Reduced” placards hang below “For Sale” signs. And the house down the block that you’d thought would sell in a few days? It’s been on the market for a few months. For buyers, it’s great news. They can be more…
The Mother of all Weekend News
Refinancing & Purchasing may have just become a bit tougher In my opinion, of all the pieces written on the market, this one by syndicated columnist Ken Harney has the potential to really put the hammer down on mortgage qualifying under no-doc, low-doc or ‘stated-income’ loan products (‘oft referred to as liar loans). The impact…
Elizabeth Rhodes: Master Of Misdirection
Wow, Elizabeth Rhodes is on a real anti-bubble roll this weekend. Did one of you submit this letter to her “Home Forum” Q & A? Q: I keep reading that home prices aren’t expected to decline in the Seattle area. Aren’t you overlooking the possible effect of “suicide loans” — those adjustable-rate mortgages that are…