Dennis Norman - St Louis Real Estate News

The Mortgage Interest Deduction…Truth vs Fiction

By Dennis Norman, on July 26th, 2013

The truth on the Mortgage Interest Deduction

Currently, lawmakers in Washington D.C., while looking for ways to “close loopholes” and cut spending, are looking hard at something once considered “untouchable”, the mortgage interest deduction (MID). While there is probably little chance of totally eliminating the ability for homeowners to deduct the mortgage interest they paid on their homes, there is a possibility the deduction could be altered significantly or capped, and, perhaps, even phased out over time.

Like most current events, there are stories out there with varying degrees of accuracy about the benefit of the mortgage interest deduction Continue Reading →

St Louis Distressed Home Sales Decline Dramatically In Past Year

By Dennis Norman, on July 25th, 2013

St Louis distressed home sales have fallen substantially in the past year with distressed home sales in June making up less than 1 in 5 home sales (18.3 percent) for the 5 county core area of the St Louis MO market (St Louis City and County, St Charles, Jefferson and Franklin Counties), according to the latest data from MORE, REALTORS. REO sales (bank and government-owned properties) accounted for just 15.8 percent of St Louis home sales in June (5 county core), down from 22.6 percent in June 2012. Short sales (where sellers sell for less than they owe) accounted Continue Reading →

Overview of changes to flood insurance program (Video)

By Dennis Norman, on July 24th, 2013

The great flood of ’93 revealed the importance of flood insurance to many St Louis area property owners that found their homes either underwater or threatened by flood though they never before thought it possible. As a result of that flood as well as subsequent floods brought on by hurricanes in coastal areas and other major storms inland, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) found itself in a position where major changes were needed in order to continuing providing flood coverage and at fair rates. Therefore the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 was passed which makes sweeping changes to Continue Reading →

New home sales soar in June

By Dennis Norman, on July 24th, 2013

New home sales soared in June to an annual rate of 497,000 homes, the highest level in 5 years, according to data just released by the U.S. Census Bureau and HUD. New homes were sold in June at a rate that is 8.3 percent higher than the month before and 38.1 percent higher than June 2012 when new homes were sold at the rate of 360,000 homes a year.

New homes sold in the month of June 2013 were sold for a median price of $249,700, a decrease of 5 percent from the month before and an increase of 7.3 Continue Reading →

The Typical St Louis House

By Dennis Norman, on July 23rd, 2013

The typical St Louis house is owner occupied (64.4 %), has 2+ bathrooms (62%) a garage or car port (84%) and a porch, deck, balcony or patio (96%), according to data just released by the U.S. Census bureau. According to the 2011 American Housing Survey, 68.5 percent of St Louis homeowners have a mortgage equal to 72 percent of the value of their house on average and with a median payment of $900 per month.

Click here for complete American Housing Survey Results.

Continue Reading →

St Louis Foreclosure Rate Declined By One-Third In Past Year

By Dennis Norman, on July 23rd, 2013

The St Louis foreclosure rate fell in May to 1.16 percent, down 33 percent from a year ago when the St Louis foreclosure rate was 1.75 percent, according to newly released data from Corelogic. More good news in the data is the fact that the St Louis mortgage delinquency rate declined in May as well, falling to 3.88 percent of all mortgage loans, down 17 percent from a year ago when the St Louis mortgage delinquency rate was 4.7 percent.

Search St Louis Foreclosures HERE

For Advice on How to Buy St Louis Foreclosures From A 2000+ Home Continue Reading →

St Louis’ Most Expensive Housing Markets

By Dennis Norman, on July 18th, 2013

St Louis’ most expensive housing can be found in Ladue today where the median price of homes for sale, as of today, is $1,318,731, according to data compiled by MORE, REALTORS. Closely behind Ladue is Clayton, with a current median price of $1,149,788, then Town & Country at $897,308 and Des Peres (63122) at $864,169. As the chart below shows, all four areas have seen median home prices fall from their peak during the past year, but all four areas are still reporting home prices above where they were a year ago.

The list below shows the current median list Continue Reading →

New Home Construction In Midwest Out Performs Rest Of U.S. In June

By Dennis Norman, on July 17th, 2013

New home construction here in the midwest in June out performed the rest of the country, according to a report released today from the U.S. Census Bureau. According to the report, new home construction in the midwest in June commenced on homes at an annual rate of 93,000 homes, an increase of 2.2 percent from the month before and an increase of 24.1 percent from a year ago. On a national level, new home construction in June increased only 0.6 percent from the month before and was up 24.6 percent from the year before, the annual increase largely Continue Reading →

Missouri Supreme Court Upholds Missouri Condo Lien Over Refinanced Mortgage

By Dennis Norman, on July 16th, 2013

The Missouri Supreme Court just handed down it’s decision today which upheld the priority of Missouri Condo Lien over a refinanced first mortgage. This case, which involves a condominium in Parkway Towers in the Country Club Plaza area of Kansas City, Missouri, was a huge win for condominium associations in Missouri.

Here is a recap of the facts of the case, from the Supreme Court opinion:

Trish Carcopa purchased the condo in 2004 and then in 2006 did a quit claim from herself to herself and and Nicole Carcopa. In June 2006, the Carcopa’s refinanced their existing loan with a Continue Reading →

The Urban Chicken Capital Of The U.S.

By Dennis Norman, on July 12th, 2013

The Urban Chicken Capital Of The U.S. is Portland Oregon at least in terms of the number of homes that have come on the market in the past 3 months with a “chicken enclosure” listed as a feature, according to the “Best Cities To Be A Chicken” report from Redfin.

Urban chickens have become popular over the past few years with health conscious folks that want fresh eggs although this new trend has met some opposition by city councils as well as some neighbors. From the best I can tell, the city of St Louis does permit chickens, although you Continue Reading →

St Louis Real Estate Home Prices and Sales Market Update VIDEO-July 2013

By Dennis Norman, on July 12th, 2013

St Louis Real Estate Home Prices On The Rise!

It’s still a seller’s market in St Louis, according to the latest market data from MORE, REALTORS. The inventory of homes for sale remains low while home sale and prices are increasing.

Thinking of selling and want to know if your neighborhood is a seller’s market? Contact us and we’ll answer that question for you.

Continue Reading →

St Louis New Home Construction Up Almost 30 Percent In Past Year

By Dennis Norman, on July 11th, 2013

St Louis new home construction activity cooled slightly in May 2013 with 336 building permits for new homes being issued in the St Louis metro area (the area served by the Home Builders Association of St Louis and Eastern Missouri) a decline of 3.4 percent from the month before however this is an increase of 13.5 percent from May 2012 when there were just 296 building permits issued for new homes, according to data published by the Home Builders Association of St Louis and Eastern Missouri.

If we expand our focus from just the month of May Continue Reading →

Foreclosures and Shadow Inventory Decline By Double Digits

By Dennis Norman, on July 10th, 2013

Foreclosures and Shadow Inventory are each down double digits from a year ago as the market continues to improve. In May there were 52,000 foreclosures completed in the U.S., a decline of 27 percent from 71,000 completed foreclosures a year ago, according to a new report from CoreLogic. The shadow inventory (foreclosed homes that are bank owned but not listed for sale) l falling below one million homes in April, a decline of 34 percent from it’s peak in 2010, when it reached 3 million homes.

Mortgage delinquencies are improving as well with less than 2.3 million mortgages (5.6 percent Continue Reading →

Over half of recent home sales were to Generation X’ers or Y’ers

By Dennis Norman, on July 9th, 2013

Over half (59 percent) of recent sales were to two generations, the X’ers (born between 1965 and 1979) with a median age of 39 and the Y’ers (born between 1980 and 2000) with a median age of 28, according to the National Association of REALTORS Home Buyer and Seller Generation Trends Report. Continue Reading →

Number of homeowners with negative equity falls by almost 50 percent

By Dennis Norman, on July 8th, 2013

The number homeowners in a negative equity position (owing more on their mortgage than the current value of their home) during the first quarter of this year fell to just 7.3 million homeowners in the U.S. or less than 15 percent of all homeowners with a mortgage, according to the most recent data from Lenders Processing Services (LPS). This represents a decline of almost 50 percent in the number of negative equity homeowners from a year ago. Continue Reading →

God Bless America!

By Dennis Norman, on July 4th, 2013

Get The “Fax” Before You Buy A Home

By Dennis Norman, on July 3rd, 2013

Yes, I know how to spell “facts” and am aware that “fax” machines have went the way of the dinosaurs and therefore would never advise someone to get one, so what exactly am I talking about in my post title? Actually, my recent discovery of a company that was launched in 2012 called Housefax prompted me to do this post, hence “fax”, however, I also mean to suggest that you should get all the “facts” you can (about the house and market) before you buy a home.

First, about Housefax. The company was launched last year and it’s top Continue Reading →

Will Home Prices Rise Much More In The Next Year?

By Dennis Norman, on June 28th, 2013

Over the past few months we have seen St Louis home prices rise as the inventory of homes declines and buyers snap up the best deals about as fast as they hit the market. The question now is, “will home prices rise much more in the next year” and, if so, will they continue at the current pace? Well, 70 percent the agents surveyed during the month of June by Redfin say they expect home prices to rise “a little” over the next 12 months and just 16 percent said they felt prices would rise “a lot” (down from 44 Continue Reading →

St Louis Home Sales Peak In June

By Dennis Norman, on June 27th, 2013

St Louis home sales peaked around the midpoint of June at the same time our Market Action Index (MAI) for the St Louis MSA peaked as well. The week of June 14th saw 1,964 homes leave the market in the St Louis MSA, most as a result of sale) and during the same week our Market Action Index (the black line on the chart below) hit 42, well into “seller’s market” territory (above 30 up to a max of 60). Since that peak, both the number of homes for sale that have left the market as well as our Continue Reading →

St Peters Is Top Booming Suburb In Missouri

By Dennis Norman, on June 26th, 2013

St. Peters is the top booming suburb in Missouri, according to a newly released ranking by Coldwell Banker of “Top Booming Suburbs In America”. In compiling this ranking, Coldwell Banker ranked 1,500 suburbs around the U.S. based upon job growth, unemployment rates, neighborhood amenities, community safety and more. St. Peters, with a score of 859.35 out of a possible 1,000 scored the best of the Missouri suburbs. The top suburb in the U.S.? Cottage Lake, Washington with a perfect score of 1,000.

St Peters Homes For Sale (click here)

By state, here is the list of Continue Reading →

St Louis Foreclosures At Lowest Rate In Over 3 Years

By Dennis Norman, on June 25th, 2013

St Louis Foreclosures fell in April to 1.2 percent of all St Louis homes with a mortgage, a decline of 33 percent from a year ago when the rate was 1.78 percent and is now at the lowest rate in well over 3 years, according to a report just released by CoreLogic. This puts St Louis foreclosures less than half the national rate for April of 2.65 percent.

In addition, the report reveals that St Louis mortgage delinquencies are also down significantly for April 2013 which 3.96 percent of St Louis mortgage being 90 days or more delinquent, a Continue Reading →

St Louis Housing Markets On The Rebound

By Dennis Norman, on June 24th, 2013

There are St Louis Housing markets on the rebound with prices and demand on the rise and inventories down. For the 9 areas of St Louis where the real estate market is on the rebound listed below, I have charts showing what home prices have done over the past 3 years (the red line) as well as what our Market Action Index is for the area (an index that rates an area based upon supply and demand – the Olive colored line). As the data shows, these markets are seeing home prices on the rise and the market heating up!

Continue Reading →

Now is the time to buy a home survey shows

By Dennis Norman, on June 21st, 2013

A survey by LendingTree reveals that now is the time to buy a home if you want to beat the coming higher home prices and interest rates. According to the survey of individuals that say they are considering buying a home in the coming year, 68% say they feel home prices will rise and 64% think interest rates will rise in the next 12 months.

Of the would-be home buyers surveyed, 57 percent are first-time home buyers and 45 percent said they are “actively” shopping for a home while the remaining 55 percent said they are “casual” shoppers.

Click here Continue Reading →

Home Builders’ Market View Best In Over Six Years

By Dennis Norman, on June 20th, 2013

Home builders’ market view is more optimistic today than it has been in over 6 years, according to the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). The index, which compares how many home builders have an optimistic outlook on the market with those with a negative outlook to arrive at an index number. An index about 50 indicates more builders are optimistic about the market than negative on the market.

The chart below shows the history of the index.

Looking for a new home in St Louis? Click here to see all for sale

Continue Reading →

Are St Louis Home Price Gains Threatening Another Housing Bubble?

By Dennis Norman, on June 19th, 2013

It has only been recently that economists started using the word “recovery” in the same sentence as “housing market” and now there is talk about a possible housing bubble? CoreLogic, in it’s June MarketPulse report, citing a 12.1 percent increase in their home price index from April 2012 to April 2013 cautioned that the double-digit home price gains “prompt caution” and makes some ask “are we witnessing a new housing bubble?”

The CoreLogic report encompasses the largest metro areas in the U.S. so I decided to look at the St. Louis area specifically to see if what we are Continue Reading →

Noise Tops List of Reasons For Disputes With Neighbors

By Dennis Norman, on June 18th, 2013

In the Bible we are told to “love our neighbor as yourself” but it seems over 4 in ten people out there may have a problem with this and noise is the culprit almost half the time. According to a new survey by FindLaw.com, forty two percent (42) of Americans say they have had a dispute with a neighbor and almost half of that group (48 percent) cites noise as the reason for the dispute.

Continue Reading →

You Have To Act Quick To Buy A St Louis Foreclosure

By Dennis Norman, on June 13th, 2013

If you want to buy a St Louis foreclosure, you will have to be prepared to move quick, and pay up to be successful! Over the past 60 days, there were 929 new foreclosure listings (bank and government owned homes) in the St Louis core market area (St Louis City & County, St Charles, Jefferson and Franklin Counties). These new St Louis foreclosures for sale have an average listing price of $84,467 and almost 50 percent of them are already sold (48%), selling in a median time of 11 days and for an average of 106 percent of the list Continue Reading →

St Louis Homeowners With Negative Equity Falls 10 Percent

By Dennis Norman, on June 12th, 2013

There were 88,367 St Louis homeowners with negative equity during the first quarter of this year, according to a report just released by CoreLogic. This represents 15.7 percent of the St. Louis homeowners with a mortgage and is a decline of 10 percent from the prior quarter when there were 98,365 St Louis homeowners with negative equity, or 17.5 percent of all St Louis homeowners with a mortgage.

For the State of Missouri as a whole, there were 120,056 homeowners, or 15.3 percent of all homeowners with a mortgage, with negative equity during the first quarter of this year. On Continue Reading →

Three out of Four People Say Now Is The Time To Buy A Home

By Dennis Norman, on June 11th, 2013

Over three of every four people (76 percent) say now is a good time to buy a home according to the National Housing Survey for May just released by Fannie Mae. Would be sellers are also feeling better about the housing market with 40 percent saying now is a good time to sell a home.

When it comes to financing that home purchase, American’s are getting more optimistic as well, with 46 percent saying it would be easy to get a home loan today, however 50 percent believe it would be difficult to obtain a mortgage.

Thinking of Continue Reading →

St Louis Real Estate Home Prices and Sales Market Update VIDEO

By Dennis Norman, on June 10th, 2013

St Louis Real Estate Market Shows Strengthening in May!

The St Louis Real Estate Market remains in seller’s market territory this month, according to the latest market data from MORE, REALTORS. The inventory of homes for sale remains low while home sale and prices are increasing.

Thinking of selling and want to know if your neighborhood is a seller’s market? Contact us and we’ll answer that question for you.

This is not the market to be an uniformed participant in though or not have qualified, professional representation. This can lead to frustration as a buyer as you continue to “miss” Continue Reading →