“Glass Half Full” Perspective
ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER BUSINESS SECTION 1/15/2012
Jeff Collins
“FORECLOSURE NOTICES, ACTIONS FELL 22 PERCENT IN THE STATE LAST YEAR”
Overall, foreclosures filings decreased nationwide 34percent in 2011. U.S. foreclosure filings were at their lowest level last year since 2007
Foreclosure filings decreased in 45 of the states and in Washington it had the biggest percentage decline with 88.5%
ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER BUSINESS SECTION 1/12/2012
Jeff Collins
“HOMEBUILDER SAYS ORDERS ROSE 20%”
Lennar Corp. reported its second profitable in a row
ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER REAL ESTATE SECTION 1/8/2012
Jonathan Lansner
“FOR RENTERS, SIGN POINT TO ANOTHER ROUGH YEAR”
Insiders say landlords will gain even more leverage, allowing them to keep raising their rates and making it tougher for tenants to find deals.
ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER REAL ESTATE SECTION 1/8/2012
Jonathan Lansner
“PRICIER HOUSING SHOWS SOME LIFE”
Several recent reports show that pricier slices of the market are showing some relative strength
HOUSINGECON.COM
Hamlin/Gooding
“CALIFORNIA ECONOMY IS IN THE MIDDLE OF A MODERATE ECONOMIC RECOVERY”
Such recovery is driven by its coastal communities. The national media keeps talking about shadow inventory and foreclosures. This inventory is less of a problem in California, where it is shrinking fast. As far as California is concerned, the shadow supply issue is 70% boondoggle and 40% real.
These days, California housing affordability conditions are the best in over a generation. It now costs more to rent for the masses than to buy a home in many California and US areas.
ORANGE COUNTY REPORT
Martin Brower/Arthur Barrett
“UCLA ANDERSON FORECAST”
Orange County Positive News…
Unemployment dropped a full percentage point from a year ago.
- Private sector jobs have risen 1.1 percent in 2011 and more than 30,000 jobs have been created since April 2010
- New home production is up 60%
- Vacant office space has been declining for a year and average lease rates appear to be leveling off
- Orange County total inventory is only 6.9 months with only 12% REO and 24% short sales – lower than LA County, San Diego or Inland Empire counties
Chapman Economist see slow recovery driven by investment and consumer spending. Chapman econometric model calls for continued weak but non-recessional growth in 2012. The forecast calls for real investment spending to increase from a 4.3% rate of growth in 2011 to 6.5 in 2012
LOS ANGELES TIMES BUSINESS SECTION 12/29/2011
Nathaniel Popper
“Standard & Poor’s positive for 2011 once again”
“The S&P 500 index on Thursday once again reversed course and rose above the level where it was when 2011 began. The Index has bounced in and out of positive territory all week.” It was up 13.8(1.1%) points and the DOW Jones Industrial average rose 135.63 points (1.1%). “Although there are fears about the European crisis that sent markets down Wednesday, investors gave the U.S. Economy confidence as business activity grew through out November.”
ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER REAL ESTATE SECTION 12/28/2011
Jonathan Lansner and Jeff Collins
“2012 HEALTHIER AND LEANER”
“The Orange County housing market is poised to start 2012 with a much healthier and leaner listing inventory, which will ultimately prove to be a catalyst to stronger demand in the lower ranges.” Thomas also crunched some numbers to calculate market time for 8 pricing slices and determined that 5 had a faster market time vs. 2 weeks ago and 7 improved over the last year. Still, homes over a million dollars are three times harder to sell than homes under a million dollars. These properties have a market time of just over 10 months compared to 3 months it takes to sell homes listed under a million.
“Glass Half Empty” Perspective
ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER BUSINESS SECTION 1/12/2012
Jeff Collins
“STATE POSTS SEVENTH-BIGGEST DROP IN HOUSE PRICES IN THE NATION”
California fell 5.9 percent from a year-a-go levels
ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER BUSINESS SECTION 1/4/2012
Jonathan Lansner
“ORANGE COUNTY MEDIAN HOME PRICE DROPS BELOW $400,000”
The last time the median home price dropped below $400,000 was April 2009. It is 38% below June’s peak of $645,000
ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER BUSINESS SECTION 1/4/2012
Jeff Collins
“7 TRILLION LOSS”
U.S households have lost $7 trillion because of a 33 percent drop in housing values since 2006.

- Corona del Mar