Commentary
by Tom Koziol
| September 25, 2009
After you read this post you will realize the “new” is really the “old” but, in the end, who cares. At least according to me.
We’ve all seen headlines that read: Existing home sales dip in August or words to that effect. Truth is, those headlines aren’t news anymore. They used to be but used to be has become the norm or maybe I should say the numb.
To add more numb to this post, we all have read articles telling us real estate practitioners and investors are expressing frustration with what they consider slow action from banks. That is, banks aren’t releasing inventory fast to satisfy the demand.
My question boils down to what do they really expect from institutions that have moved, on a historical basis, extremely slow. It is merely business as usual.
On the other hand, given a red-hot market has poked its head out of the ground we should expect business not to be usual. We should demand those institutions with a home inventory to get off their duffs and start moving the product. A home is no different than any other retail product, other than the sales price. When demand flares up, release the inventory and satisfy the demand.
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Commentary
by Charles Feldman
| September 23, 2009
If you harbored any notion that the current economic crisis would somehow bring out the best in people–as we all come together like one of those old, warm and fuzzy “I’d like to buy the world a Coke” commercials, I’m afraid I have some very bad news for you. Well, actually, the FBI has the bad news, but I will pass it along.
A few days ago, FBI director Robert Mueller told the Senate Judiciary Committee that mortgage fraud cases that are being investigated by his agency are up roughly 63% just from a year ago! That’s sixty-three percent!!!!!
“The scheme have evolved with the changing economy, targeting vulnerable individuals, victimizing them even as they are about to lose their homes, ” said Mueller, as quoted in a New York Daily News article.
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First Time Home Owner Tax Credit Likely To Stay; But Current Homeowners Still Face Uncertain Future
by Charles Feldman | October 7, 2009As the, so far, jobless recovery continues, the White House is reportedly hunkered down trying to figure out what to do next. Obama administration officials are taking note of programs that have worked and those that have not done as well.
Among the programs that apparently fall into the “success” column is the $8,000 tax credit for first time home buyers.
The tax credit for first timers was part of the $787 billion dollar stimulus program and is being credited with helping the real estate industry stage a modest comeback—at least among first time home buyers.