Judy Weil, SA Editor

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    • Wed Sep 17th 07:12 AM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Canada, NZ, Spain Home Prices Falter [Housing Tracker]
      Sleeping on the job...
      Thanks,
      Judy
      View article »
    • Thu Sep 11th 16:20 PM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      More On Mortgage Market Fallout [Housing Tracker]
      Hi Bill,
      So from the above it seems as if the crisis is going strong, but your comment yesterday gave me the feeling that there was some stabilization in the Nevada market. What's your overall sense there?
      View article »
    • Thu Sep 11th 13:37 PM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Fannie, Freddie: Who Benefited, Who Lost [Housing Tracker]
      Oops, thanks for picking up on that. Removed it.
      - Judy
      View article »
    • Tue Sep 9th 11:08 AM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Knowing When To Take Money Off The Table
      You're absolutely right. Thanks for reporting him. I've removed his comment as well. - Ed.
      View article »
    • Mon Sep 8th 16:22 PM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Financials: No Sign Of Let Up From Subprime [Housing Tracker]
      Yours is the question of the hour really. Homebuilders, financials, bloggers, buyers and sellers and even ratings agencies debate this issue vigorously and constantly. If people are bidding on condos even though they are not at rock bottom prices as you say, then is it the bottom?

      Obviously, I don't know the answer to that question. But here are just two things to think about in trying to.

      One is that many billions of dollars more worth of ARM mortgages and other exotica between subprime and prime mortgages are still in the process of resetting. I don't have the numbers in front of me, but I recently read that dozens of billions will be resetting in the next month and a half alone. Maybe with Fannie and Freddie's new look, banks will start lending, mortgages will now become more affordable and people can refinance in to a good, solid mortgage at a decent rate. After all, the Fed Funds Rate stands at 2%! People should be able to get a better deal than the 6-7%+ lenders are offering. But so far they can't and lenders won't lend even the sturdiest buyers for low rates right now. Risks are too high.

      Even if we're at the bottom, the market is still, well, at the bottom. Those that cannot afford the 10%-20%-even 40%-50% mortgage payment hikes, and cannot refinance or are not eligible to refinance, will not be able to sell. If they do, it will be without equity or even negative equity. Many will likely walk away. That's a lot of product coming on to the market. I won't even touch on the trend of rising prime mortgage delinquencies, the scenarios become even uglier.

      The other issue is why this whole thing started. Affordability. A bubble was created by prices just inflating and inflating and inflating until most people simply could not afford to buy anymore-- particularly in SoCal, as I'm sure you know.

      If sales are rising, is it because people can finally afford to buy houses now? Have prices reverted to the affordable mean already?

      [There's an actual measurement for that, by the way. Housing and Urban Development has an affordability metric, if I'm not mistaken. i.e. how much of their salaries can spend on housing and still live above the poverty line.]

      Obviously, I don't know the answer to that question either. But I personally believe that the answer to it will define the real bottom to this whole thing. If most people still can't afford to buy homes for a reasonable part of their salary, then the downturn will only stop when they can.

      Having said all that, I hope you're hopefulness turns out to be well-placed!

      ATB,
      Judy
      View article »
    • Wed Sep 3rd 12:57 PM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Commercial Real Estate: Eye On Hotels [Housing Tracker]
      Dear Politicus FInch,

      Sorry but the excerpt comes directly from an article on Commercial Property News' website. I googled it looking for independent corroboration and came up with another reference, but no dates. Looks like a beautiful hotel though...

      - Judy
      View article »
    • Wed Sep 3rd 12:53 PM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Commercial Real Estate: Eye On Hotels [Housing Tracker]
      John,

      Thanks for the tip about the comments. Leverage rates vs. cap rates were definitely out of control. Good point about REITs. Anyone know which ones are more exposed to the Arizona market?
      View article »
    • Mon Sep 1st 12:53 PM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Homebuilder News: Lawsuits, Bottom Calls... [Housing Tracker]
      Thanks!
      View article »
    • Wed Aug 27th 04:01 AM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Home Price Declines, But Not Everywhere [Housing Tracker]
      Thanks Bill, both for your interesting analysis and for your ever kind words.

      - Judy
      View article »
    • Fri Aug 15th 07:44 AM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Banks Wising Up? Short Sales Increase [Housing Tracker]
      Hi Fatcat,

      Sorry if it wasn't clear, I try to choose a title that reflects an important trend that emerges from the often disparate, general real estate news, but maybe I should be choosing more general titles.
      Something to think about-- thanks for the feedback.
      - Judy
      View article »
    • Wed Aug 13th 17:42 PM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Alt-A Default Warnings Grow Louder [Housing Tracker]
      Hi Bill,
      I thought of you when I was posting this one. I know you've commented on this before. Thanks for keeping up,
      Judy
      View article »
    • Thu Jul 31st 23:06 PM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Gleanings From Pulte Homes Q2'08 Conference Call
      Thanks Bill,
      Always appreciate your commentary.
      View article »
    • Wed Jul 30th 01:48 AM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Gleanings From Pulte Homes Q2'08 Conference Call
      Here's one on Ryland Group: seekingalpha.com/artic...
      ATB,
      Judy
      View article »
    • Thu Jul 24th 12:06 PM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Homebuilders: Scant Good News [Housing Tracker]
      Thanks, Bill!
      View article »
    • Wed Jul 23rd 10:53 AM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Americans Changing The Way They Live [Housing Tracker]
      Thanks!
      View article »
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