6 housing trends in a still-shaky market CNNMoney.com
In this quieter environment lie new challenges and opportunities for homebuyers, sellers, owners, and investors. For the first time in years you aren't completely at the mercy of market forces: You can really affect how much you make (or lose).
To come out on top, though, you need to understand the key trends shaping the shifting market. You'll find them outlined below, along with smart moves that should help you exploit them.
1. Distressed properties will keep prices under pressure.
For a while last year it might have seemed as if the long-awaited housing recovery was just about here. Home prices stopped falling in spring, and have stayed fairly stable since, according to the Case-Shiller housing index. Sales rose from their recessionary lows, and inventories came down from their highs.
But the pickup turned out to be short-lived. Sales of existing homes dropped sharply in January from the previous month, and inventories crept back up. Economists predict that the national median price for a single-family home will dip another 5% to 10% before finally bottoming by year-end or early 2011.
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msnbc.comObama agenda: Challenging Wall Streetmsnbc.comIt would be a kind gesture for the Democrats to take that $3 million dollars they collected, and purchase health care insurance for the needy. and more »
