For the first time since 2006, violent crime was on the rise last year, according to FBI data. But in some cities, violent crime remains well below national averages. AOL Real Estate recently analyzed the FBI’s report on crime to find the cities with populations of more than 200,000 that have violent crime rates “substantially” below the national average. Here are the top 10 “safe zones” that made its list: Irvine, Calif. (ninth consecutive year named safest city in the nation) Fremont, Calif. Plano, … [Read more...]
10 Safest Cities in the U.S. (hint: 2 Arizona cities made the list)
July 29, 2013 by Leave a Comment
The kids aren’t buying homes: Generation Y may be holding back the housing recovery
July 25, 2013 by Leave a Comment
The number of “missing households” — that is, Americans who would be owning or renting a home now if prerecession economic trends had continued — hit 2.4 million as of March, according to an analysis of raw monthly government data by real-estate marketplace Trulia. That is down slightly from its peak of 2.6 million in 2011, but up 100,000 from the year prior. And 18- to 34-year-olds account for more than half of the missing households, according to the data. “Household formation is the most important indicator of … [Read more...]
Pending Sales at Strongest Pace Since 2006
June 28, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Pending home sales rose in May to the highest level since late 2006, implying a possible spark as mortgage interest rates began to rise, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, increased 6.7 percent to 112.3 in May from a downwardly revised 105.2 in April, and is 12.1 percent above May 2012 when it was 100.2. Contract activity is at its strongest pace since December 2006, when it reached 112.8. Also, pending sales … [Read more...]
Arizona home prices rise 17.3% over last year
June 5, 2013 by Leave a Comment
WASHINGTON - U.S. home prices soared 12.1 percent in April from a year earlier, the biggest gain since February 2006, as more buyers competed for fewer homes. Real estate data provider CoreLogic says prices rose in April from the previous April in 48 states. Prices also rose 3.2 percent in April from March, much better than the previous month-to-month gain of 1.9 percent. Prices in Nevada jumped 24.6 percent from a year earlier, the most among the states. California’s gain was next at 19.4 percent, followed … [Read more...]
The 10 Hottest U.S. Housing Markets of 2013
May 9, 2013 by Leave a Comment
After a long and painful downturn in the housing market, home prices in many—but not all—regions of the U.S. are showing signs of recovery. According to Zillow, a real estate listing website, home values rose 5.1% across the U.S. between February 2012 and February 2013. Many local housing markets are performing considerably better than the country as a whole. Home values rose more than 13% in 10 of the 30 largest housing markets for which Zillow has data, and rose more than 20% in five of them. Most of the 10 … [Read more...]
Vacation Homes Increasingly Enticing for Buyers
May 2, 2013 by Leave a Comment
The vacation housing market is looking bright these days in part because of favorable economic conditions, but second-home sellers attribute the increase to strategic marketing as well. “We tell people this is an important investment and not just another toy,” says Peter Colvin, co-developer of Kingfisher Cove, a luxury lakefront cottage community near Saugatuck, Mich. For Colvin, also a longtime investment advisor, you must first create reasonably priced vacation homes, and then convince potential buyers … [Read more...]
Is The Phoenix Real Estate Market In Another Bubble?
April 23, 2013 by Leave a Comment
According to Michael Orr, Director of Real Estate at W.P. Carey school of business at Arizona State, we are not even close to a bubble at this point. Michael has thus put together a 'top ten' list of reasons why we are not currently in a bubble. CLICK HERE to read his findings. … [Read more...]
Metro Phoenix luxury home sales on the rise
April 22, 2013 by Leave a Comment
The number of metro Phoenix luxury houses for sale is on the rise, something real estate analysts say is a good sign for the market because fewer of the houses are foreclosures or short-sale listings. At the beginning of April, there were 2,267 houses listed at $500,000 or more on the market, a 3 percent increase from March, according to the latest report from a local real estate firm and Arizona State University housing analyst Mike Orr. Of the upscale houses for sale, 90 were short sales. That compares … [Read more...]
Selling your home? The cards are in your favor
April 22, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Selling your home? In most parts of the country, you have finally regained the upper hand. So says Beth Braverman, CNN Money on April 8, 2013: 4:33 PM ET. To get your best price, though, you need to finesse your timing, list competitively and match your marketing strategy to local conditions. Lower your sights to make more money. Rising prices breed rising hopes: In a recent poll, brokers complained that 75% of homeowners think their agent's recommended listing price is too low. Pricing your property above … [Read more...]
7 Metros With Fastest Rising List Prices
March 26, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Nationwide, median asking prices continue to rise, reaching $189,900 in February. Meanwhile, inventories of for-sale homes on the market are reaching record lows, Realtor.com reports in its latest analysis of February MLS data. The markets seeing some of the largest increases in asking prices are the areas seeing some of the largest declines in inventories. California housing markets continue to post some of the largest price increases in the past year, but other strong performing markets also include Phoenix, … [Read more...]
