The Norris Group Blog

Today’s News Synopsis:

14,369 new and resale houses and condos sold in Southern California last month, according to MDA DataQuick. A survey shows the majority of large fund managers do not expect interest rates to increase in the near term. ForeclosureRadar said default notices in California decreased 29.6% year over year. A study from NAHB economists shows that a family earning $80,000 per year who buys a $200,000 house will receive $41,138 in tax benefits over the entire term of home ownership.

In The News:

MDA DataQuick – “Southland February Home Sales At 3-year Low; Investor Interest High” (3-15-11)

“Last month 14,369 new and resale houses and condos sold in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, Ventura, San Bernardino and Orange counties. That was down 0.6 percent from 14,458 in January, and down 6.4 percent from 15,359 in February 2010, according to DataQuick Information Systems of San Diego.”

NAR - “Tax Time Less Taxing for Home Owners” (3-15-11)

“A number of tax deductions and credits are still available for home owners; these include deductions – with specific limits – for mortgage interest and capital gains on home sales, and credits for certain energy-efficient home improvements. Even with these benefits, home owners pay 80-90 percent of all U.S. federal income taxes.”

Housing Wire – “Housing needs mortgage servicing standards: OCC” (3-15-11)

“National mortgage servicing standards will be an essential part of the new housing market, acting comptroller of the currency John Walsh said Tuesday. But reaching a consensus on how to devise those standards is a struggle that will take more work, he conceded, while speaking to the American Bankers Association.”

Housing Wire - “Oil shocks hedge against U.S. interest rate hike” (3-15-11)

“Oil price shocks greatly reduce the probability of higher interest rates in the near term, the latest Bank of America Merrill Lynch Survey of Fund Managers said Tuesday.”

NAHB - “Builder Confidence Edges Up One Point in March” (3-15-11)

“After four consecutive months hovering at the same low level, builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes improved by a single point in March, rising to 17 on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). This is the highest level the HMI has reached since May 2010, when the survey period corresponded with the final days of the federal home buyer tax credit program.”

Housing Wire – “Foreclosure activity slows in February: ForeclosureRadar” (3-15-11)

“Notice of default filings in California fell 29.6% on a year-over-year basis. The Golden State also experienced a 24.5% drop in sales back to the bank and a 20.3% decline in properties purchased by third parties.”

NAHB - “Tax Time Can Mean Big Savings for Homeowners” (3-15-11)

“A study from NAHB economists, ‘The Tax Benefits of Homeownership,’ details sample savings for a variety of income levels and homeownership situations. In one example, a household with an $80,000 annual income that buys a home with a $200,000 mortgage will save on average $1,765 in the first year—and realize a total benefit of $41,138 over the expected period of homeownership.”

NAHB - “Builder Confidence Edges Up One Point in March” (3-15-11)

“After four consecutive months hovering at the same low level, builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes improved by a single point in March, rising to 17 on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). This is the highest level the HMI has reached since May 2010, when the survey period corresponded with the final days of the federal home buyer tax credit program.”

Housing Wire – “More than one-third of CMBS loans make scheduled balloon payments in February” (3-15-11)

“Trepp, a provider of commercial mortgage-backed securities data, said 38.4% of CMBS loans made their scheduled balloon payments in February, compared to 38.7% a month earlier.”

Housing Wire – “GSEs inflated subprime balloon before it popped: Cato Institute” (3-15-11)

“the researcher paints the government-sponsored enterprises as culprits in the subprime debacle by citing data showing Fannie and Freddie acquired 40% of all newly issued private-label subprime securities issued during the housing boom years of 2003 and 2004.”

Bloomberg - “Lehman Seeks Partner on Real Estate Development Projects” (3-15-11)

“Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (LEHMQ) sent requests to at least six homebuilders and developers seeking partners for 75 real estate projects in 19 states, according to executives at three companies who reviewed the solicitations.”

Looking Back:

One year ago, builder confidence decreased by over 10 percent within half of a month. Sacramento home sales decreased by 26 percent from 2009. According to LPS, the U.S. mortgage delinquency rate was at 10.25%. California contributed $2.6trn to the total $5.7trn of US housing wealth lost since the peak of 2006.

For more information about The Norris Group’s California hard money loans or our California Trust Deed investments, visit the website or call our office at 951-780-5856 for more information. For upcoming California real estate investor training and events, visit The Norris Group website and our California investor calendar. You’ll also find our award-winning real estate radio show on KTIE 590am at 6pm on Saturdays or you can listen to over 170 podcasts in our free investor radio archive.