Some Good Signs for the Real Estate Market

Sales ticked up for existing homes and new homes, several real estate market indicators revealed last week, pointing to a housing market that may finally be entering recovery mode.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Where Can You Find the Cheapest Homes?

Buyers can snag plenty of deals in housing today. Falling home values and record-low interest rates continue to push affordability to record highs.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Take Advantage of the Winter Market

“There’s a misunderstanding that winter is quiet,” Andrea Webb, an agent with Keller Williams in Montclair, N.J., told The Star-Ledger (New Jersey) in a recent article.

__________________________________________________________________________________

 ‘Blockbuster Sales’ Abound in 2011

The wealthy were taking advantage of the housing market in 2011, snagging homes at record-breaking prices particularly in markets like San Francisco, Manhattan, and the Hamptons.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Will You Still Be Able to Use a Cell Phone While Driving?

Real estate pros are no stranger to using their hands-free or hand-held devices in their cars when on the clock for their job. But a recent call issued earlier this month by the National Transportation Safety Board urging a complete ban of cell phones while driving — including hands-free devices like Bluetooth headsets — have had many concerned.

__________________________________________________________________________________

U.S. Population Growth Slows to WWII Levels

Demographers say a drop in the birth rate and a slowdown in immigration explain why U.S. population growth is at a crawl. Newly released Census data show that the population expanded only 0.7 percent during the 12 months ending on July 1, the lowest pace since the 1940s.

__________________________________________________________________________________

More HOAs in ‘Serious’ Trouble; Free Info Helps Them Collect

Forty-six percent of community managers say their client associations face “serious” problems as a result of the housing and economic downturn, while 10 percent describe the impact as severe, according to a December 2011 Community Association Institute survey.

__________________________________________________________________________________