Solar panels evolve with attractive architectural integration

The future home comes equipped with solar panels charging home batteries and an electric car.


My grandfather loved new technologies. He bought a handheld calculator in the early 1970s for over $50. Over the 30 years that followed, calculators became much more complex, and much, much less...

Solar panels evolve with attractive architectural integration

A larger supply of housing is the best form of rent control

Rent control would be unnecessary if politicians allowed developers to build enough housing to meet the demands of our growing population.

Rents (and resale prices) spiral out of control in California, pressuring family budgets all across the state. Many people believe the solution is to put an...

A larger supply of housing is the best form of rent control

How the real estate guru scam works

Real estate gurus scam people with high-pressure sales, leaving their customers with little to show for the money wasted.


When I set out to raise money to buy properties in Las Vegas in 2010, many long-time readers weren’t thrilled about the idea. One of them created the graphic above to...
http://marketinsitenews.com/real-estate-guru-scam-works/

It"s high time for marijuana REITs

The marijuana industry needs financing and real estate for it’s expansion. New REITs spring up to meet the need.

Investing in real estate offers many opportunities to earn high returns — in the case of catering to medical marijuana growers, the “high” is literal. Because ...
http://marketinsitenews.com/high-time-marijuana-reits/

It"s time to reform Proposition 13

VOTERS WARM TO THE IDEA OF REFORMING PROPOSITION 13, BUT LARGE FINANCIAL INTERESTS WOULD VIGOROUSLY OPPOSE ANY ATTEMPTS TO CURTAIL THEIR SUBSIDY.

California legislators face limits on their ability to tax real estate due to Proposition 13, which limits the tax rate to 1% of purchase price with ...
http://marketinsitenews.com/time-reform-proposition-13/

Migration to MarketInSiteNews.com

Today is the first weekday in nearly 10 years that I didn’t publish a new post!
This morning we migrated the posts to the new website MarketInSiteNews.com. The transition is not yet complete, so please pardon the problems and glitches bound to accompany such a large undertaking.
The OC...
http://marketinsitenews.com/migration-marketinsitenews-com/

Real estate will suffer less than bonds when rates rise

Real estate investment trusts profit from cheap debt, and their value depends on low discount rates. Rising interest rates hurt them both ways.

House prices depend on debt. Of the four factors that determine house prices, three of them directly relate to financing terms. If mortgage interest...
http://marketinsite.wpengine.com/real-estate-will-suffer-less-bonds-rates-rise/

The two biggest worries in housing today

The specter of rising mortgage interest rates or an end to the flow of foreign investment concerns speculators in US real estate.

Many investors in real estate worry that the current recovery may be coming to an end. Economic expansions usually don’t last as long as this one, so many...
http://marketinsite.wpengine.com/two-biggest-worries-housing-today/

The two biggest worries in housing today

The specter of rising mortgage interest rates or an end to the flow of foreign investment concerns speculators in US real estate.

Many investors in real estate worry that the current recovery may be coming to an end. Economic expansions usually don’t last as long as this one, so many...
http://ochousingnews.com/blog/the-two-biggest-worries-in-housing-today/

Real estate will suffer less than bonds when rates rise

Real estate investment trusts profit from cheap debt, and their value depends on low discount rates. Rising interest rates hurt them both ways.

House prices depend on debt. Of the four factors that determine house prices, three of them directly relate to financing terms. If mortgage interest...
http://ochousingnews.com/blog/real-estate-will-suffer-less-than-bonds-when-rates-rise/

Are today"s homebuyers considering the impact of rising mortgage rates?

Buyers convince themselves rising mortgage rates won’t impact them, but they fail to consider how rising rates will curb home price appreciation.

I strive to educate this blog’s many readers and dispel fallacies surrounding residential real estate. Sometimes, the public impresses me...
http://marketinsite.wpengine.com/todays-homebuyers-considering-impact-rising-mortgage-rates/

The down payment barrier at the conforming loan limit

The down payment barrier inhibits home sales, but reduces the risk to the US taxpayer.

California endures a housing affordability problem. And it’s not merely that house prices are high. Families with high wages could finance mortgages large enough to buy more expensive properties, but they f...
http://marketinsite.wpengine.com/payment-barrier-conforming-loan-limit/

The great down payment barrier at the conforming loan limit

The down payment barrier inhibits home sales, but reduces the risk to the US taxpayer.

California endures a housing affordability problem. And it’s not merely that house prices are high. Families with high wages could finance mortgages large enough to buy more expensive properties, but they f...
http://ochousingnews.com/blog/the-great-down-payment-barrier-at-the-conforming-loan-limit/

One housing market indicator you should never trust

The “months of supply” indicator has little or no predictive power and often gives a false impression of the strength or weakness of the real estate market.

Realtors invented the “months of supply” to measure market absorption, providing a reading of how fast homes sell...
http://marketinsite.wpengine.com/one-housing-market-indicator-never-trust/

One housing market indicator you should never trust

The “months of supply” indicator has little or no predictive power and often gives a false impression of the strength or weakness of the real estate market.

Realtors invented the “months of supply” to measure market absorption, providing a reading of how fast homes sell...
http://ochousingnews.com/blog/one-housing-market-indicator-you-should-never-trust/

The low housing inventory meme must die

realtors consistently and falsely blame low inventory for weak sales. The truth is that prices are getting too high for many buyers to afford.

realtors follow an unwritten rule: never say prices are too high. Occasionally, they may say something about affordability, but realtors generally...
http://marketinsite.wpengine.com/the-low-housing-inventory-meme-must-die/

No cash-out refinancing for Ponzi borrowers... yet

Homeowners cash-out their home equity to supplement their incomes reminiscent of the bad behavior that spiraled out of control during the housing mania.

Lenders offer homeowners nearly free money, so unsurprisingly, borrowers take the money. During the housing mania, bankers offered this money ...
http://marketinsite.wpengine.com/no-cash-out-refinancing-for-ponzi-borrowers-yet/

California"s future: landed gentry and transitory renters

The working class in California struggles with high rent until they give up and move out of state, leaving behind the landed gentry.


California housing policies devastate the lower middle class. Anyone who lives in California copes with higher housing costs than nearly everywhere else in the...
http://marketinsite.wpengine.com/californias-future-landed-gentry-transitory-renters/

California"s future: landed gentry and transitory renters

The working class in California struggles with high rent until they give up and move out of state, leaving behind the landed gentry.


California housing policies devastate the lower middle class. Anyone who lives in California copes with higher housing costs than nearly everywhere else in the...
http://ochousingnews.com/blog/californias-future-landed-gentry-and-transitory-renters/

Test Post from Real Estate Hawks

Test Post from Real Estate Hawks http://realestatehawks.com

Are today"s homebuyers considering the impact of rising mortgage rates?

Buyers convince themselves rising mortgage rates won’t impact them, but they fail to consider how rising rates will curb home price appreciation.

I strive to educate this blog’s many readers and dispel fallacies surrounding residential real estate. Sometimes, the public impresses me...
http://ochousingnews.com/blog/are-todays-homebuyers-considering-the-impact-of-rising-mortgage-rates/

Los Angeles"s turf removal program succeeded brilliantly

Despite criticisms of the methods, L.A.s turf removal program eliminated millions of square feet of water-hungry grass.

The recent drought in California prompted many stories of drought shaming that amounted to peer pressure to reduce water usage. People wore their brown yards as a badge of...
http://ochousingnews.com/blog/los-angeless-turf-removal-program-succeeded-brilliantly/

Buying out-of-state rental properties goes mainstream

New businesses help people overcome the hurdles of finding, securing, and managing rental properties in far-flung locales.

Back in August of 2010, I bluntly told people to buy Las Vegas real estate. I noted that the median home in Las Vegas — a 3 bedroom 2 bath detached property — cost less than...
http://ochousingnews.com/blog/buying-out-of-state-rental-properties-goes-mainstream/

A possible solution to California"s housing crisis

California could cure its housing shortage by mandating that large projects and municipalities provide sufficient housing to match commercial development.

California needs more housing. Everyone recognizes this fact, even the nimbys who oppose all new developments. California builders and...
http://ochousingnews.com/blog/a-possible-solution-to-californias-housing-crisis/

Chinese housing: Beauty contest or Ponzi scheme?

Chinese housing isn’t valued based on objective financial metrics. Investors buy what they believe others will find valuable.

Encouraged by the government, the Chinese people support a massive real estate Ponzi scheme. Chinese investors value property subjectively, like a beauty contest,...
http://ochousingnews.com/blog/chinese-housing-beauty-contest-or-ponzi-scheme/

Wall Street doubling down on rental home investments

While probably late to the party, new large investors in single-family rentals embrace solid reasons for investing in this business model.

Wall Street bought thousands of foreclosures during the housing bust. The capital from these investors absorbed the excess of foreclosures from the millions...
http://ochousingnews.com/blog/wall-street-doubling-down-on-rental-home-investments/

No cash-out refinancing for Ponzi borrowers... yet

Homeowners cash-out their home equity to supplement their incomes reminiscent of the bad behavior that spiraled out of control during the housing mania.

Lenders offer homeowners nearly free money, so unsurprisingly, borrowers take the money. During the housing mania, bankers offered this money ...
http://ochousingnews.com/blog/no-cash-out-refinancing-for-ponzi-borrowers-yet/

The low housing inventory meme must die

realtors consistently and falsely blame low inventory for weak sales. The truth is that prices are getting too high for many buyers to afford.

realtors follow an unwritten rule: never say prices are too high. Occasionally, they may say something about affordability, but realtors generally...
http://ochousingnews.com/blog/the-low-housing-inventory-meme-must-die/

Four unique features of the new normal in housing

The four unique features are (1) low mortgage interest rates, (2) low MLS inventory, (3) low owner-occupant demand, and (4) high but affordable house prices.

Prior to the housing bubble, the normal state of affairs for the housing market was slowly but steadily rising prices that matched the...
http://ochousingnews.com/blog/four-unique-features-of-the-new-normal-in-housing/

Are homebuilders producing enough homes?

 

Homebuilders only build houses if they can sell them. If homebuilders produce too many, they accumulate standing inventory, which they have to discount or incentivize in order to sell. If the problem persists, they lose money on the sales, and unless they want to go out of business, they...
http://ochousingnews.com/blog/are-homebuilders-producing-enough-homes/