A Housing Rebound? Just The Facts

The Numbers Show Signs Of A Strong Recovery In Housing Sales

Post Below Is Not My Opinion, It Is The Observations Of Market Experts

A Housing Rebound Starting? Just The Facts

Topic Summary: No matter what the industry, there are economists who cover it that can never agree on the meaning behind the "numbers". Recently there have been some promising data suggesting a rebound in the housing market and the various areas that impact the housing market such as unemployment.

Foundation Facts for a Rebound in Housing

Foreclosures: RealtyTrac? (www.realtytrac.com), the leading online marketplace for foreclosure properties, released its Year-End 2011 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report?, which shows a total of 2,698,967 foreclosure filings 2011, a decrease of 34 percent in total properties from 2010. Foreclosure activity in 2011 was 33 percent below the 2009 total and 19 percent below the 2008 total.

Nationwide, starts of new single family homes were up 4.4% in December. According to the U.S. Commerce Dept. this is the third monthly increase in a row.

Homebuilders are slightly more hopeful because more people are saying they might be open to buying in 2012.

The latest monthly data show total existing-home sales rose 5.0 percent. (3^rd month in a row of increases) Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors, said these are early signs of what may be a sustained recovery. "The pattern of home sales in recent months demonstrates a market in recovery," he said. "Record low mortgage interest rates, job growth and bargain home prices are giving more consumers the confidence they need to enter the market."

The total housing inventory fell 9.2% to 2.38 million existing homes for sale. At the current sales pace that represents a 6.2-month housing supply - the lowest level of inventory logged in nearly seven years and lower than the seven-to-eight month inventory levels indicate steady home prices.

Home Value depreciation seems to be near the bottom. In many areas home prices are moving up, reflecting improved consumer sentiment that home ownership is still a cherished asset. See the recent SURVEY on American's View of Homeownership from the National Association of HomeBuilders

On the financing front, home mortgage rates are at their lowest levels in decades.

When it comes to public policy and the government aiding the housing market, look for some new programs to be promoted helping underwater homeowners and those with marginal credit histories.

Thanks to Tom Halfpap at Monarch Mortgage for this article.

2-Year Young Home For Sale On Quiet Street In Woodbridge With Trees, Three Finished Levels, Fenced Yard And A Big Deck

Owners Transferred So You Get The Blinds, Deck, Fence, Finished Walk-Out Basement And Wooded View

Woodbridge Home Looks And Feels Like A Brand New Home

Nice curb appeal Family room off the kitchen

The kitchen was expanded to add more cabinets along the wall and in the kitchen island.

Spacious home office Large master bedroom easily accommodates a king sized bed

Master bath gives you a large vanity with two sinks, soaker tub, and custom tile shower

Large deck with room for grill, table, and lounge chairs, overlooking fenced back yard that backs to trees

Deck stairs lead to the back yard Rec room in basement

This home in Heron Bend is affordably priced at just $489,900 in Heron Bend subdivision. 16409 Chattanooga Lane.

Find Out Why I Choose Guapos Over All Other Mexican Restaurants In Woodbridge Virginia

Guapos Is Conveniently Located Next To Potomac Mills Mall

Find Out The Secret Ingredient Guapos Has That Most Mexican Restaurants In Woodbridge Don't Give You

I am a Texan, from the land where Mexican food reighns supreme.

San Antonio is home to a wide array of outstanding Mexican restaurants, but northern Virginia isn't as lucky.

Why is that?

Simple.

Refried beans.

When I go to various restaurants in Woodbridge, they offer me black beans or pinto beans. Hey, I've got nothing against pintos or black beans, but when I get a plate of enhiladas I expect rice and refried beans.

Black beans or pinto beans just don't cut it.

The good news is that we have a Guapos Mexican restaurant by Potomac Mills Mall, and you get refried beans at Guapo's.

Yep, Guapo's serves refried beans. Glory be.

There is a new Guapo's location across the parking lot from the main entrance to Potomac Mills Mall.

Via con Dios mi amigos.

Fair Housing Laws And What They Mean To Your Realtor

Fair Housing Is Good For Everyone

A Sample Of Things Your Realtor Cannot Tell You

First, I'll share the Virginia Fair Housing laws with you, then I'll share a few stories about real situations that got Realtors into trouble.

Prohibited Practices

Virginia's fair housing law prohibits the following practices:

1. Refusing to sell or rent after the making of a bona fide offer or refusing to negotiate for the sale or rental of, or otherwise make unavailable or deny, a dwelling to any person because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, elderliness, familial status or disability;

2. Discriminating against any person in the terms, conditions, or privileges of sale or rental of a dwelling, or in the provision of services or facilities in connection therewith to any person because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, elderliness, familial status or disability; (A loan FORMER loan officer I know took advantage of applicants who were new immigrants to the US by putting them into subprime loans, even though their credit was perfect, and charged them higher "junk fees". He is now selling used cars.)

3. To make, print, or publish, or cause to be made, printed, or published any notice, statement, or advertisement, with respect to the sale or rental of a dwelling that indicates any preference, limitation, or discrimination or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, elderliness, familial status or disability. The use of words or symbols associated with a particular religion, national origin, sex or race shall be prima facie evidence of an illegal preference under this chapter which shall not be overcome by a general disclaimer;

   (I know about a Realtor who advertised in a listing that a house was "walking distance to the new Jewish Community Center. Her real estate license was revoked, and she paid a $1,000 fine.)

4. Representing to any person because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, elderliness, familial status or disability that any dwelling is not available for inspection, sale, or rental when such dwelling is in fact available;

   (The Department Of Housing And Urban Development - HUD - sends "Testers" out to real estate offices, representing themselves as prospective buyers and/or tenants, and contact numerous agents at different offices about a test property. They use various tools to entrap Realtors. Entrapment in the enforcement of Fair Housing laws is perfectly legal.)

5. Denying any person access to membership or participation in any multiple listing service, real estate brokers' organization, or other service, organization or facility relating to the business of selling or renting dwellings, or to discriminate against such person in the terms or conditions of such access, membership, or participation because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, elderliness, familial status or disability;

6. To include in any transfer, sale rental, or lease of housing, any restrictive covenant that discriminates because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, elderliness, familial status or disability or for any person to honor or exercise, or attempt to honor or exercise any such discriminatory covenant pertaining to housing;

   (A potential seller client I interviewed told me that he promised his neighbors that he wouldn't let any of "THOSE" people buy his house. I politely exceused myself and did not list the house for sale.)

7. To induce or attempt to induce to sell or rent any dwelling by representations regarding the entry or prospective entry into the neighborhood of a person or persons of a particular race, color, religion, sex, national origin, elderliness, familial status or disability.

   (This refers to a tactic called "Block-Busting" that was used often in the 1950's and 1960's to motivate home owners to move because "Some of THOSE people" were moving onto the block. I once knew an agent who would not take persons into an Arlington neighborhood because it was primarilly populated by one protected class of persons.)

   Gentle Reader, HUD is vicious and swift to take action when a possible fair housing violation has occurred. If you report it, you can be sure HUD will investigate your experience with gusto.

   If you believe you have been the victim of fair housing violations, report it at the HUD Fair Housing website.

   If you believe you have been a victim of Fair Housing laws, but you're not sure, you can contact HUD, ask a Realtor, call a title company, or call a lender to ask about your situation. You can also go to my website and email your question,

Starbucks coffee: now served in cargo containers

Retailer converts shipping containers into shop space

BY INMAN NEWS, SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2012.

Inman News®

A Starbucks made from shipping containers. All photos courtesy of Tom Ackerman, Starbucks.

By SUSAN GALLEYMORE

You've heard the popular refrain that Starbucks is everywhere. There may be some truth to that -- the massive coffee retailer has even set up shop in a shipping container.

The now-one-of-a-kind drive-thru/walk-up Starbucks coffee outlet off Interstate 5 in Tukwila, Wash., which opened Dec. 13, is constructed from four modified shipping containers, including one 20-foot container and three 40-foot containers.

And while novel for Starbucks -- this is the company's first foray into a trend gathering momentum for shipping container constructions, but perhaps not the last -- other stores built from shipping containers include a grocery in Seattleand a series of restaurants in San Francisco.

Spokesman Alan Hilowitz described the Tukwila store as another step in fulfilling Starbucks' core mission -- providing a gathering place for communities, using Starbucks' scale "for good," and reducing the corporation's carbon footprint -- while also recycling "the same kind of shipping containers that transport our coffees and teas around the world."

Tony Gale III, Starbucks' corporate architect and architect of record for the project, described the mindset with which he and his team tackled the store's design. "We were able to open our minds to the use of very common elements destined for the landfill as structure for a high-quality, drive-thru coffeehouse design -- essentially creating an industrial beacon for sustainable thinking."

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Gentle Reader,

This is Erick. I know that this story refers to a Starbucks shop on the "other" coast. I thought it was worthy of mention here because you never know where you'll find your next Starbucks.