Here are a few stories from the last week or so that are worth pointing out. First up a TV report from KOMO News: “Open House” — sign of the times in Snohomish County Real estate agents in Snohomish County are now resorting to a “shock treatment” for slouching home sales in their area. Realtors…
Tag: Virgin
Bill Virgin: Homeownership has been oversold
Over at the P-I earlier this week, Bill Virgin chimed in on the housing mess again with yet another well-reasoned column: Homes are good investments, not slot machines or ATMs. In the great American sport of finger pointing and blame shifting, a new villain has emerged to explain the mortgage-finance crisis. The fault, it turns…
Mortgage Freeze Bla Bla Bla
A lot of people have emailed me and a lot of discussion has been going on in the forums and comments about the new mortgage freeze plan that is being announced today. Even Bill Virgin, one of Seattle Bubble’s favorite local editorialists has a column on the subject today: You were the careful, responsible sort…
Somewhere Between Anxiety and Denial
As the mortgage industry begins to crumble and home prices are declining across the nation, the local media and blogging real estate insiders seem to be getting a bit anxious. Maybe it’s just me, but take a look at some of the recent headlines: Home values here still rising (Elizabeth Rhodes, Seattle Times) Seattle-area homes…
Bill Virgin: We are all real-estate speculators
Here’s yet another gem from P-I columnist Bill Virgin: We’re all guilty of speculating in real estate Greetings, fellow real-estate speculators. How ya’ feeling about your gamble on the real estate market these days? Who, me? Not us, you protest. Our purchase of a home is meant to provide shelter for our families, not as…