A (Real Estate) Tale of Two Cities and Four Zip Codes
For those who still doubt that all real estate is local, I thought it would help to compare two areas with approximately the same number of listings (detached single family). The first - the southeast zip codes of 97202 and 97206, encompassing Woodstock, Eastmoreland and Sellwood - has 438 active listings; and the second - […]
April numbers: There’s somethin’ happenin’ here, what it is ain’t exactly clear…
I said before I people and situation watch, because that can give early cues before the numbers catch up:
Nationally the DOW just went over 13,000 - up 13.5% since January - unemployment went down when it was expected to go up, and fresh $600 checks are taking some of the mental agony out of $3.60 gas prices. […]
Housing demand; market inertia, addendum
Git reminded me what I forgot in the last post: what will reverse inertia?
There are many who blame the media for much of the downturn, and think it’s the media that can pull us out. Emphasizing the negative froze buying; perhaps emphasizing the positive can inspire the thaw. Wrong on at least two counts:
People are […]
Forecasting the housing market: Presumption, projection and personal observation
[This began as a one paragraph caveat to the next installment of For the Benefit of Mr. Git, but grew. I’ll post the latter later.]
I’m not an economist. If you want one, NAR’s Lawrence Yun was named by USA Today as one of the top five in the United States. His tables are elaborate, his analyses detailed and nuanced, […]
The Lighter Side of Serious: What’s wrong with this picture?
All pulled from the MLS today:
Offered at $385,000: One Fire Hydrant!
Window coverings negotiable!
Wonderful use of color!
Yes! The world really is flat!
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[If anyone would like to preview any of these properties, please let me know…]
March PDX Real Estate Numbers; First Look
As I said in an earlier comment: Not pretty, not dire, about where it’s been since last August.
This is for all residential property categories in the greater Portland area, the same area covered in data released by RMLS in a couple weeks. Note these numbers will change somewhat; books are still being updated.
MEDIAN PRICE
[As always, […]
Bubblers and Ripples
photo credit: chris9486
USA Today has a story today re a connection between the decline in housing and the decline in electronics sales. As most things that show correlation without showing causation, it’s interesting but not much more. It does, however, dovetail nicely with a post I’ve considered writing to those numbered and universally nameless […]
Feb 08: First look at the numbers
One of the nice things about transparency - as opposed to spin - is that when the numbers actually doreveal themselves there’s no backpedaling, readjusting or respinning necessary.
And early February numbers - note they’ll continue to adjust for the next week or so - are exactly as expected. These are for all catagories in the […]
On the Theory People Don’t Want Spin; Portland Market Dynamics
Charles Turner asks an excellent question: How Do We Measure Real Estate Markets? Statistics exist to prove almost anything one wants to prove; what, though, will give the best indication of a market’s health?
When I was with Nordstrom in the seventies, volume was king. While most department stores calculated success on their gross margin, we […]
Sellers: How to do it Right
In this market it’s now axiomatic that, next to the right price, the most important step in whether or not a home will sell is its condition when listed. I wrote this nearly a year ago, and repeat it in various forms in every listing appointment:
Condition. Unless you’re selling a fixer – and have priced it […]
