housing market

Cautious Optimism For N.H. Housing Market

Todd Bookman — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 18:30:58 +0000

New data from NH Housing Finance Authority shows 263 New Hampshire homes fell into foreclosure in September. That’s a 13% decline from 2011 levels.

The report says the numbers are a sign that the worst of the housing crisis could be behind us.

But, cautious optimism aside, there is some tangible good news here: total foreclosures are on track to be their lowest since 2009. Foreclosure auction notices are also way down.

Housing Sales Up, But Prices Remain Flat

Todd Bookman — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 18:42:20 +0000

New housing data suggests the New Hampshire market may be stabilizing, even while residential prices remain low.

The median sale price last month was $210,000. That’s the same price from August 2011--a signal that the number of houses for sale continues to outpace demand.

But a report from the New Hampshire Association of Realtors says the number of units sold is up more than 20% from last year. And gains are being seen in each of the state’s ten counties.

Housing Market Shows Signs of Life

Todd Bookman — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 18:03:06 +0000

New housing data released today show a continued upswing in residential sales. Twelve-hundred-and-sixty homes were sold in July. That’s a jump of about 20% from a year ago.

John Rice with NH Association of Realtors believes that with sales on the upswing, housing prices may be starting to turn the corner.

“If they are not as low as they are going to get, they’ve got to be close to it," says Rice.

The median sale price in July was $215,000, basically the same as it was in 2011.

Hoping For Payout, Investors Become Landlords

Chris Arnold — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 07:23:00 +0000

The housing market has a new frontier — turning foreclosed homes into rental properties. Some big-time investors are starting to buy up thousands of homes to turn into rentals. That might help shore up home prices. But some housing advocates are nervous.

For decades, most single-family homes available for rent have been owned by mom-and-pop landlords. Sometimes it's the nice old guy up the street who owns a couple of rental homes, and some even offer advice on the Internet.

But, it's not just mom-and-pops anymore.

Fannie, Freddie Weigh Mortgage Write-Downs

Chris Arnold — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 06:53:00 +0000

Hundreds of thousands of homeowners facing foreclosure might get help by having the amount they owe reduced by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

This is a hot topic in Washington, D.C., with many Democrats pushing for these so-called "principal reductions" to try to help the housing market.

Mixed Data on Housing Market

Todd Bookman — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 20:44:27 +0000

New data from the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority paints a mixed picture of the State’s housing market.

288 New Hampshire homes slipped into foreclosure in January. That’s a 22-percent decrease from the prior month, but still well above pre-recession levels.