I think October was good month with all the statistics looking better. I still believe we will hit bottom before the end of the year. Prices and Interest rates are at all time lows and we are seeing more calls to look at properties. Total units Sold did come down but Listings under Contract went up a small amount.

The figures on this table are subject to change due to late reportings and corrections. These changes are reflected in the next months statisical blog post after we receive the updated information. For this reason you will find inconsistencies if you compare the data on multiple tables.

* Closed during the month.
** For the current month (not the total listing under contract)

Well, September has come and gone and now we are in the last quarter of the year. Is my prediction of hitting the bottom and starting back up going to happen? To be very honest I question that, but I am still seeing signs of a small housing recovery in many areas of the US which will eventually filter down to Tucson. I am not talking new homes but Resale homes in Tucson. Our Inventory continues to go down over the last six months which means we are keeping up with the homes coming on the market.

Again we have had some changes that were not for the good, but the changes were small. Sales of homes over $500,000 numbers are still dropping. This has more effect on the Average Sales price than the Median, but our Median did drop almost $5000 from August which surprises me as Sales were down by just 42. This next month will probably be key to our recovery for the last quarter.

The figures on this table are subject to change due to late reportings and corrections. These changes are reflected in the next months statisical blog post after we receive the updated information. For this reason you will find inconsistencies if you compare the data on multiple tables.

* Closed during the month.
** For the current month (not the total listing under contract)

Again I have seen some good statistics on spending which can work its way into housing. Interest rates are still at all time lows, but do not expect them to stay this low for much more than six months.

Jobs are still the prime factor of when we will really start out of this terrible spot we are all in. If you have a good job that is safe, you better be very thankful, as you are part of the lucky ones. I think a lot of our lives could change if we just looked at our Tax Code, Taxes and OIL. WHY, when we sit on more of the worlds reserves do we continue to buy from other countries? Do not believe what is said by the administration that we only have 2% of the world reserves, as the statement is flatly false, based on our own governments statistics. Just another scare tactic to stop us from drilling. We have the technology to drill and protect the environment but we do not create the jobs in that area and produce much cheaper Oil for the US, that the money stays in the US.

Call me at 240-7130 if I can help you with a owner occupied home, or you want to buy investment homes. We have a Lender right here in Tucson that will allow, I believe up to 10 homes, that the Lender keeps in their portfolio.

Have a safe Halloween.

I can not believe so much time has gone by since I looked at the statistics below. I have been very busy showing property and trying to get Escrows to close. Let the Buyer beware!!

If you are doing a contract that is an as-is, do not expect to get much done on repairs. Make your price reflect the repairs in your initial contract and be sure you have the funds to do the necessary ones. If you are buying an REO with FNMA, DO NOT expect them to pay anything that they have not agreed to in their addendum. They will walk you down to closing and not pay for anything that is not called out in the Appraisal.

And speaking of appraisals… I just had one that we provided the appraiser a proposal to replace 30 broken and missing roof tiles, and fix roof due to water stain on front roof exterior. The appraiser did not write it up and said they do not have to do roof certs anymore. That was a $1200 repair. Let the Buyer Beware!!

We had a number of closings in March, but some of the other statistics did not hold up to improvement. BUT just wait, as that will change. I see maybe six more months of small decreases and then upward movement. Interest rates and housing prices will start up so I suggest you have purchased by December so you can lock in payments that are lower than renting. This will probably be the lowest pricing you will see for a number of years. When demand picks up the new homes will still be more expensive for about six months into 2012 and then they will get closer, but higher.

The figures on this table are subject to change due to late reportings and corrections. These changes are reflected in the next months statisical blog post after we receive the updated information. For this reason you will find inconsistencies if you compare the data on multiple tables.

* Closed during the month.
** For the current month (not the total listing under contract)

If you have the ability to get going on your home purchase, call me soon so you can get into your own Home before rates change and they will.

What a difference a month makes. Everything went in the correct direction and I am praying that it starts a trend. I am seeing it in the properties I am showing and the properties that are going under contract during March. I have been very busy, which is great, but tiring.

Interest rates have gone back down below 5% which is also good, but I would not count on it staying there. Markets will be in a turmoil because of happenings in Japan and Lybia. Gas prices are up for what reason I do not understand except, it again is the speculators driving the prices up.

I am short on time so I will give you the new table and try to write another blog next week if time permits.

The figures on this table are subject to change due to late reportings and corrections. These changes are reflected in the next months statisical blog post after we receive the updated information. For this reason you will find inconsistencies if you compare the data on multiple tables.

* Closed during the month.
** For the current month (not the total listing under contract)

If I can help you Buy or Sell call me. I can do Short Sales, sell you a HUD Foreclosed home or just a regular Foreclosure (REO). Call me at 520-240-7130.

With the Holidays in the month of December, I think we did pretty well.We had 907 Sold Units but a lower number of Listings under contract which I can see is probably the result of the Holidays. Days on market went way up to 106, but Median and Average Sales price did well.

The figures on this table are subject to change due to late reportings and corrections. These changes are reflected in the next months statisical blog post after we receive the updated information. For this reason you will find inconsistencies if you compare the data on multiple tables.

* Closed during the month.
** For the current month (not the total listing under contract)

I am working with more buyers since the 1st of the year and think this will continue. Rates are still low but I am not counting on it staying below 5% for much longer. Short Sales and REO property are still dominating the market but this month and last month at least showed us in a holding pattern. If the inventory drops as it did this month we might see a small increase in pricing.

Many of the Banks are taking their time before foreclosing on properties and this will hold the listings down for a month or so. If the unemployment decreases and jobs start up again, I think we will slowly come out of this economic crisis we have been in. The more homes that sell in other states gives us a good chance to pick up some buyers that want warmer climates and are ready to retire. It has happened many times in the past 30 years and it will happen again.

I am still available to assist you in buying or selling. I have Short Sale experience to assist you, if you are in that unfortunate position. Call me at 520-240-7130.

I wish you all a great new year.

Well this month we are close to, or better than last month, but at least we are holding steady. Still a lot of Short Sales and Foreclosures which are dictating our pricing. Interest rates have gone back up by about .5% to about 5% and I expect to see it go even higher.

The figures on this table are subject to change due to late reportings and corrections. These changes are reflected in the next months statisical blog post after we receive the updated information. For this reason you will find inconsistencies if you compare the data on multiple tables.

* Closed during the month.
** For the current month (not the total listing under contract)

We will soon have a better balance in the House and Senate which I am praying will start healing our Economy. The public got shorted when this was not the highest priority back in 2009. The extension of the Bush Tax cuts for two years will help but it still does not let the job makers know where they will be at the end of the two years. We have got to pull in the reins on spending if we are ever going to get out of this debt we are establishing.

Here is a concept, why don’t we work for the public and not your re-election or party. Come to agreement on what’s good for the people who got you there. Stop the Pork add on, and let your request stand by it self, or how about letting the States decide what they want.

Well anyway I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happier New Year than this last one.

If I can help you for any Real Estate reason call me at 520-240-7130

Well the other shoe dropped and things are still going down. Most all categories I list have gone in the wrong direction.The only positive item is the Listings under contract which continues to go up since July when we had a big drop.The number of 1899 shows contracts still in escrow at the end of the month. This is probably due to Short Sales and possibly REO listings that are taking time to close and continue to push the number higher as they do not close for a longer time. Over all we really had a down month.

The figures on this table are subject to change due to late reportings and corrections. These changes are reflected in the next months statisical blog post after we receive the updated information. For this reason you will find inconsistencies if you compare the data on multiple tables.

* Closed during the month.
** For the current month (not the total listing under contract)

We did see a large slowing in foreclosure filings, but on November 9th they starting hitting again. I keep running into owners that move out of their homes as soon as they get the Notice of Sale. Why??? There are so many better ways to save their credit, while trying to get a Loan Modification and then a Short Sale if the Mod will not work. Some times they can be in their home for many months before the problem is resolved. The Lenders really do not want the homes back, when the owner could help get it sold and not have to wait a longer time before they might qualify for a new FHA loan.

I can help with your up coming foreclosure or your Notice of Sale which gives you at least 91 days from the date of the filing.

If you are a buyer, prices are at, or near, the bottom and interest rates are at Historical lows. Let me help you get your loan qualification going and find that great home for you.

Call me at 520-240-7130 or our office at 520-296-7143 with your request for help or start that home buying process.

Here we are in August and Christmas is soon upon us. I sure hope our Economy is not due for a lump of coal. But, if things keep going the same way, I am afraid we are all going to get that lump of coal. Unemployment is still hanging at 9.5 % and I know I have no idea what my tax situation is going to be over the next 4 years. I know many businesses are afraid to hire or spend the cash they are saving as they too are not sure what is coming down the line. Bills were passed, but the real outcome is still not totally known. I am hard pressed to believe any normal person would not want to know what they were really voting for, but it seems it is a rush to get things passed in Congress to our detriment. I am in favor of Healthcare but not the way it is supposed to happen. If they pass a Climate Change Bill we will be paying and paying for mother nature. Can we afford it? I am so tired of the lies, and not the total truth coming out of our Government. Government is getting bigger and bigger and telling States how to run their business, when they do not obey the laws already on the books.

Enough!!!!

Well July was a mixed bag as a large number of properties now have Pending Contracts. This really surprised me, but I think interest rates had a big part to do with that. Even though that number went up the Total Unit Sales dropped by 378 units which did not surprise me.

Update 08/16/2010: I am adding this after corrections by MLS. The number was not 1703 as reported but 990 for Pending Contracts which keeps me more in line with downward pressure on number of sales in the coming months.

The figures on this table are subject to change due to late reportings and corrections. These changes are reflected in the next months statisical blog post after we receive the updated information. For this reason you will find inconsistencies if you compare the data on multiple tables.
* Closed during the month.
** For the current month (not the total listing under contract)

I still think we will see lower prices for 3-4 months getting us passed the election. The Federal Reserve has some ideas they are working on, but I still see Businesses not knowing what is going to happen and will stay on the sideline instead of hiring. They have learned they can get by with fewer people so why hire unless they know they will really grow. The reduced number of hires will still affect housing as it will not allow more buyers to enter the market.

We need a robust economy and History has shown that raising Taxes will not get it done. We are again getting ready to receive a tax increase because of the expiring tax cuts that were done in stages back a few years ago. Those expiring tax cuts WILL kill our economy for a much longer period if most of them are not extended before the end of the year. You really need to understand what they really are and that they affect ALL of us in not a good way if not extended.

I can not tell you how to Vote, but be sure you look at how you are making out now and what needs to be changed. CHANGE, were did I hear that before? We here in Arizona and especially Tucson are subject to Lower wages (why is that?) and an influx of Illegals that we have to pay for, with Police, Fire, Schools and that all important Medical. I grew up in a small town with many Legal Hispanic Friends in school and neighbors. I never gave it a thought that they were Brown because they were friends and Americans. MY brother and one son have Hispanic wives and I would not trade them for anything. They are and have always been my family. There is a right way and a wrong way to enter this country but we are now at a spot where we have to come up with a smart answer that makes sense. I am glad I do not have to give the answer, but something needs to be done to bring this problem to a halt. We have rights in this state but we can not enforce those rights according to our(?) GOVERNMENT. So be smart and look at who you are Voting for, but Vote. I already sent in my early mail ballot.