FANNIE MAE

:- says housing market to continue to improve despite lackluster economy . http://www.dsnews.com/articles/index/fannie-mae-housing-market-to-press-on-while-economy-lags-2012-12-18

NOVEMBER NORTH COUNTY REAL ESTATE STATISTICS

Sales of all North County real estate types were down 15% in November  over October but up 13% over November of last year. The first 11 months of the year are up 10% for the same time period in 2011. Properties in escrow are down 17% from last month and also down 17% from November  of 2011. Active listings on the market were down 8 % from October  and also down 27% from the same time last year.  Smaller inventories of properties for sale are having an effect.

Sometimes It Feels Good to Know You Were Wrong

 - a lot of us in the real estate business (myself included) were fearful that when the banks, via prodding from the feds, slowed up doing foreclosures that it would just produce a big backlog o

f them that would make things even worse. Thankfully, it appears at least for the present, that is not happening and in fact the opposite is happening.  Check out this San Francisco Chronicle article here

LOWER INTEREST RATES DO NOT HELP THE ECONOMY

--if you don't loan the money to anyone. :-) . Ben Bernanke scolded the banks - Check out this San Jose Mercury article  by clicking here

ANOTHER SIGN THE MARKET IS IMPROVING

Foreclosure Buying Opportunities Dwindling - go to http://www.car.org/newsstand/newsreleases/todaysheadlines/

OCTOBER NORTH COUNTY REAL ESTATE STATISTICS

Sales of all North County real estate types were up 22% in October over September and are up 25% over October of last year.  The  first 10 months of the year are up 10% for the same time period in 2011. Properties in escrow are  up 2% from last month and also  up 3% over September of 2011. Active listings on the market were down 1 % from September and also down 25% from the same time last year.

2013 REAL ESTATE FORECAST

- by the California Association of Realtors is now available here