Last of the Daffodil Days At Spohr Gardens in Falmouth!

Last of the Daffodil Days!  http://spohrgardens.org./daffodildays.html Spring 2012 April 28 th 10:00 to – 2:00 pm

Experience the sheer beauty of thousands of daffodils!         thousands of daffodils     activities for children     guided tours     purchase Spohr Gardens tee shirts and note cards     take home a piece of Spohr Gardens by purchasing plants from the Gardens

Friday Facts April 20, 2012

FRIDAY FACTS

April 20, 2012

 

HERE ARE BITS & PIECES FROM INMAN NEWS:

• “Mortgage rates slid this week as worries about the economy made mortgage backed securities that fund most mortgage loans look like a safe bet to investors. “  Demand for purchase loans was up 5.5% from the same period last year.

 

 

• Federal Reserve Vice Chairwoman Janet Yellen defined substantial headwinds that continue to restrain the recovery.

1. Housing which is likely to pick up only gradually
2. State and local governments are facing extremely tight budget situations as federal stimulus winds down
3. Sluggish economic growth abroad.

 

• An article on Demographic Trends notes that the housing market through 2030 will depend on the desires and fortunes of two generations, the baby boomers and their offspring.  The current housing market suffers from “doubling up” among young adults, high vacancy rates, reduced incomes, higher poverty levels, high share of seriously delinquent mortgages and declines in home ownership particularly among minorities.

1. Growth in the senior population will create a new demand for affordable, accessible housing.
2. Seniors will contribute increasingly to the housing supply and release more units than they absorb.
3. Echo-boomers (born 1981-1995) represent a long term opportunity for housing recovery but are struggling in the economic crisis.
4. Rental housing demand is likely to climb in coming years.
5. Black and Hispanic Americans have suffered significant setbacks in homeownership.  Blacks are at 44.3%, 28% less than whites, and Hispanics are 25% less than whites.
6. Overall, median household wealth was $70,000 in 2009, down 28% from 2005.  Broken down:  non-Hispanic whites median household wealth was $113,000,

Asians – $78,000, Hispanics – $6,300, and Black – $5,700. 

 

Friday Facts April 13, 2012

FRIDAY FACTS

April 13, 2012

 

FROM RIS MEDIA:

• Economists at the University of California, Los Angeles, feel that the unseasonably warm weather gave the economy a false lift in January and February and growth is expected to cool for the rest of the year.  Although GDP grew at 3% annual rate in the first quarter of 2011, they estimate that the first quarter of 2012 will come in at 2% and remain there for the rest of the year.

 

FROM THINK BIG WORK SMALL:

• Nationally, on all our equity, we are $4 trillion underwater.  The average home LTV in the United States is now 94.3%.  We are a marginal correction away from having the average homeowner underwater.  Appraisers and underwriters have been put in a position not to allow appreciation.

 

FROM CNN MONEY:

• Housing prices have hit a 10 year low.  Nationally, homes sold in January lost.8% of value compared with December, and prices were down 3.8% from a year ago.  Prices have fallen 34.4% from the peak in July of 2006.

 

 

FROM INTERO REAL ESTATE SERVICES – THE LUXURY INSIDER:

• The top 250 agents in the U.S. sold over $15 billion in 2011.
• The top agent (from New York) sold $279,841,487
• Agent #250 sold $35,000,000
• 60% (150) sold in California or New York

Time For A Ride On The Shining Sea Bike Path!

Enjoy Highlights of Mashpee!

Enjoy Highlights of Mashpee!

Great Shopping, Dining, and So Much More!

Pocasset in the Spring! Enjoy!

Friday Facts April 6, 2012

 

FRIDAY FACTS

April 6, 2012

 

OWNER TO RENTER:

• BOA is instituting a pilot program in Arizona, New York and Nevada that will allow homeowners who are facing foreclosure to stay in their homes as renters.  They have to be 60 days delinquent, underwater, have no other liens and have the ability to pay rent.  The title is transferred to the bank, the mortgage debt is forgiven and they can lease up to three years at or below current market rates.

 

INMAN NEWS:

• Nar says that prices were down 2.5% in 2011 but that home sales will rise 7-10% in 2012 to the highest level in 5 years based on an uneven but higher sales pattern.  In the Northeast, February was down .6% from January, but up 18.4% from a year ago.

 

• 68% of house hunters contact an agent for a showing as a result of their mobile search.

 

• Economists predict home price stabilization in 2012, a 2% rebound in 2013, and an appreciation acceleration of 3.5% in 2014.  However, Kiplinger notes that how each individual state recovers will depend on how it deals with foreclosures.  The process will be severely slowed down in states with judicial review.