It was a week full of intrigue if ever there was one. A positive jobs report gave way to bullish activity on Wall Street backed by heroics from the hometown team, as the Giants showcased their Manning(ham) magic. Meanwhile, dozens of state attorneys general brokered a deal that will likely include principal write-downs. In local […]

Whether motivated by the election cycle, a jump in employment, improving housing market metrics or the best start to a year for the S&P 500 since 1989, home buyers posted increased activity levels compared to last year. Consumers signed more purchase agreements but sellers entered into fewer listing contracts. Changes in supply-side metrics confirm this, […]

As the first month of the year trots onward, so do home buyers. They posted increased activity levels compared to the same week in 2011. Seller activity slowed compared to last year, however. Inventory declines effectively positioned many local markets into a more balanced state – particularly toward the end of last year. Increased seller […]

Last week, the Mortgage Bankers Association reported that mortgage applications increased more than 23.0 percent from the week prior. The fine print stated that most of the increase was driven by refinancing activity, given record low rates. Residential construction data also provided glimmers of hope. By now, many have surely noticed that the supply-demand balance […]