In the second quarter of 2012, there were 986,355 completed home sales across the United States, according to RealtyTrac. Of those, 22.8% were “foreclosure sales,” which means that homes were either actively in default…
The second-quarter foreclosure report from RealtyTrac was published this morning and at first glance it might seem that sales of foreclosed homes could be an anchor of sorts for the housing market. In the…
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) this morning released its data on pending home sales in July. The index rose from 99.3 in June to a two-year high of 101.7. Compared with July of…
The Mortgage Bankers Association released its weekly report on mortgage applications this morning, noting a 4.3% decline in the group’s composite index compared with last week’s total. Applications for refinancing fell 6% (seasonally adjusted),…
The S&P/Case-Shiller home price index for June rose sharply compared with the May index and house prices were higher on an annual basis as well. The national composite rose 1.2% for the second quarter…
Foreclosure fell in July, but only by a very modest amount compared to the previous month and July 2011, according to research firm CoreLogic. In its National Foreclosure Report, it issued these statistics: According…
Leaving aside what damage and disruption Tropical Storm Isaac could cause for the Republic Convention in Tampa, research firm CoreLogic estimates residential damage could reach $27 billion as the system marches over Haiti and into the…
The U.S. Census Bureau this morning released data on new single-family home sales for July. Economists had been expecting a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 365,000, and were pleasantly surprised by a reported increase…
The idea that a home is a good long-term investment continues to get battered. Like most theories about money return, the calculations are based on a house being bought and held for many years or…
There is value in all those old folks living in retirement homes and in retirement communities. The latest deal in the world of mergers and acquisitions has Sunrise Senior Living, Inc. (NYSE: SRZ) being…
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported this morning that existing home sales rose by 2.3% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.47 million units in July compared with 4.37 million units in…
Toll Brothers Inc. (NYSE: TOL) reported third fiscal quarter earnings per share (EPS) of $0.36 on $543 million in sales before markets opened this morning. In the same period a year ago, the country’s…
The Mortgage Bankers Association released its weekly report on mortgage applications this morning, noting a 7.2% decline in the group’s composite index compared with last week’s total. Applications for refinancing fell 9% (seasonally adjusted),…
Lowe’s Companies Inc. (NYSE: LOW) reported second-quarter earnings per share (EPS) of $0.64 and $14.25 billion in sales before markets opened this morning. In the same period a year ago, the home improvement retailer…
China’s Statistics Bureau reported that in July new home prices rose in 49 of the 70 cities measured. According to MarketWatch, that was the broadest advance in 14 months. At first blush, it would…