When CoreLogic released its April Home Price Index (HPI) earlier this week, there were many encouraging signs that the housing market is recovering better than originally predicted. Home prices and the number of distressed sales increased nationwide by 1.1% in April 2012 (compared to 2011). This marked the second year-over-year increase in 2012 and the first time two … Keep reading... about Home Prices Rise for Second Month

The first quarter of 2012 was a milestone for housing affordability, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). The Housing Affordability Index, which "provides a quick look at affordability and is calculated by the relationship between median home price, median family income and average mortgage interest rate" rose to 205.9 in quarter one of 2012 (National … Keep reading... about First Quarter Review: Housing Affordability

There are half a dozen markets in Florida that are positively trending, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Two of these markets are located on Southwest Florida's Gulf Coast: Punta Gorda and North Port. The NAHB has an Improving Market Index that analyzes Metropolitan Statistical Areas that have shown improvement from their "market bottoms with … Keep reading... about Improving Markets: North Port and Punta Gorda

Since 2006, the average US home price has declined by nearly 33%. These downward trends have contributed to panicked owners selling too quickly and an increase in available homes on the market. According to market watcher, Fiserv, home prices in the US will rise at 4% per year for the next five years. Fiserv sees market prices stabilizing by the end of summer and then climbing … Keep reading... about Forecast Predicts Annual 4% Rise in Home Prices

A review of the nationwide housing market indicates that, for the most part, the majority of areas in the United States are seeing a recovery for residential real estate. It is important to keep in mind that ALL real estate is “local” and there are areas of the country where recovery has yet to take hold. According to Steve Berkowitz, chief executive officer for Realtor.com, … Keep reading... about Broad Based Housing Recovery