Economy

Housing Market Set For Double Dip?

by Charles Feldman | March 24, 2010

The opening graph from the Associated Press story is pretty damn scary–and, what’s worse, possibly true. “The recovery in the housing market is at risk of collapsing.” Well, that pretty much says it all, doesn’t it? Though I would argue that we haven’t really had much in the way of a recover to begin with! [...]

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Commentary

Not Seeing The Foreclosed Forest From The Trees

by Charles Feldman | March 2, 2010

It is easy and often dangerous to jump on any one set of figures as proof of an emerging trend, tempting though it may be. But when times are tough, like they are now, a lot of people who should know better are too quick to pounce on statistics that may be creating a false [...]

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Commentary

The Economic and other Forces Impacting Your Real Estate Business

by Peter Giardini | February 11, 2010

It seems that everywhere you look now days the news stories, regardless of their source, provide nothing but conflicting points of view regarding the economy and where it is heading. Prices are up, sales are down. We’re at the bottom… no it’s going to double-dip. Credit is available… no it’s not! As a real estate investor, I am [...]

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Economy

Grandma Was Right – Especially About the Farmer and His Mare

by Jeff Brown | February 9, 2010

Grandma was a saint. I’m bettin’ most reading this share that opinion about their grandmas. The older I get, and the more experience I acquire (endure?), the more I’ve come to realize what an incredibly wise woman she was. She was also the only person who’d address me as Jeffrey Scott without me cringing, wondering [...]

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Mortgages & Lending

Fed Leaving Door Open to Extend Mortgage Backed Security Purchases

by Ryan Hinricher | February 8, 2010

I’ve been curious lately about the end of the Mortgage Backed Security (MBS) purchases by the Federal Reserve in March. The Fed is planning to end the program in less than 60 days on March 31st. Currently they stand at about 94% having purchased 1.17 trillion of the 1.25 trillion allocated to purchase these securities. [...]

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Economy

Last Week’s Ugly Economic News Reveals Bright Spots

by Ryan Hinricher | February 1, 2010

Last week, a media storm took place with the large drop in existing home sales. The drop of 16% seemed to shock everyone who was predicting only a 10% decline after the expiration of the initial home-buyer tax credit. Right after this, the numbers came out on new home sales, which painted an even bleaker [...]

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Economy

Housing Permits Up 30% Over April 2009. Will Builders Stifle Recovery?

by Ryan Hinricher | January 25, 2010

I’m starting to hear the phrase, “pent-up demand” a lot from various investors, real estate professionals, and builders. I started thinking a bit more about this and what’s in store for this spring in the housing industry, and more specifically in the new construction industry. New construction is something I have limited experience with. However, [...]

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Mortgages & Lending

Imprudent Use of Leverage: A Contrarian Opinion

by Brian Brady | January 22, 2010

Contrarians zig while other investors zag. They hold to the belief that most people receive news too late and act irrationally. Warren Buffett illustrates the contrarian approach best: A simple rule dictates my buying: Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful. Let’s talk about how mortgages can be applied [...]

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Economy

Real Estate Thought Leaders at Inman Connect, Comment on Economy

by Ryan Hinricher | January 17, 2010

I was fortunate enough to attend the Inman Connect real estate conference over the last week in New York. Although I attended in San Francisco last summer, this year was different for particularly one reason. The mood was optimistic. The last 12 months has been hard on many of us in the real estate business [...]

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Real Estate Tools

The Associated Press Economic Stress Index Tool

by Tom Koziol | January 15, 2010

Economic stress seems to be an apt description of today’s environment. Unemployment, foreclosures and bankruptcies seem to have hit every nook and cranny in these United States. Put another way, I don’t care where you live, your jurisdiction has its share of these problems. Wouldn’t it be nice if you had instant access to a [...]

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Commentary

They Just Don’t Get It: Is the Mainstream Media Biased Against Real Estate As An Investment?

by Florence Foote | January 6, 2010

How many people do you know that made their fortunes in the stock market, and can live off the income their stocks and bonds generate? I don’t know any, but I do know quite a few successful real estate investors who have managed to quit the rat race, and can live off of their real [...]

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Economy

Up! Up! And Away! Home Prices Continue To Rise In 20 Cities

by Charles Feldman | December 30, 2009

I admit it. The headline is almost too upbeat. Too optimistic. Too bright and bouncy. Too bubbly. Too rose-colored. Too bright-eyed and bushy tailed. Too much like one of those old pronouncements from the Bush White House. And, yet….And, yet…. home prices in 20 U.S. cities, says Bloomberg, “rose in October for a fifth consecutive [...]

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Economy

The Falling Dollar and Real Estate Investors

by Richard Warren | December 7, 2009

Want to watch someone’s eyes rapidly glaze over at a holiday party? Just start talking about how the dollar is falling against other world currencies. Most people don’t understand what that means. They don’t care either because they don’t understand how or why it affects them. They just assume that when something falls, or goes [...]

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Economy

New Home Sales fall 3.6% for September, First Decline Since March

by Joshua Dorkin | October 28, 2009

The White House keeps telling us that we’re in a recovery, yet anyone watching the economy, housing, foreclosures, unemployment, the stock market, commercial real estate, and dozens of other factors will tell you that they have some rose colored glasses glued on. Of course, if they didn’t, what they would tell us is that things [...]

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Economy

How’s the Economy? Check Your Underwear

by Richard Warren | September 21, 2009

underweareconomy There are a multitude of economic indicators to use as a barometer of the economy. Many are extremely complex, while others are fairly simple. One of the more unusual ones actually seems to make a lot of sense. Look at your underwear drawer!

I was recently reading an article in the Washington Post (article) and assumed that it must have been a slow news day. The reporter was talking about how consumer confidence can be gauged by the underwear you keep. It seems that there is even a Men’s Underwear Index (MUI), and former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan sees it as a credible means of tracking consumer sentiment.

Replenishment Item

The theory behind the index is that men will replace their underwear as it wears out. However, when times are tough they will wait longer than usual before purchasing a replacement. So when money is tight the sales of boxers and briefs are in the toilet. When people feel better about the economy again you will see the sales rise.

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