The Multiple Listing Service of Long Island, Inc. (MLSLI) reported a Long Island closed median home price of $380,000 for July 2010. This figure is slightly higher than $373,000 reported by MLSLI in July 2009 and represents closed sales in Nassau, Suffolk, and Queens County. Nassau County reported a July 2010 closed median home price of $435,000, representing a 6.1 percent increase over last year. Suffolk County reported a closed median home price of $341,500 compared to $349,000 July 2009. Queens reported a closed median price of $355,000 for July 2010, which was the same as it was reported in July 2009.

Between January and July of this year the total number of closed sales on Long Island has significantly exceeded closed transactions reported during the same time period in 2009. That is a result of the tax credit which was very effective in stimulating the housing market. However, as expected, now that the tax credit has expired, Long Island contracted sales have posted a 17.3 percent decrease from July 2009. There were 2,386 purchase agreements signed in July 2010 compared to 2,886 last July. This could be explained by the many would-be summer time buyers accelerating their purchases to take advantage of the tax credit.

In July, contracted home prices on Long Island were up and down amongst the three counties. Contracted home prices is a forward-looking indicator since it represents what deals have been recently written, not what deals have been closed. The July 2010 contracted median home price in Nassau County was $410,000 which represented a 2.5% increase over last July. In Suffolk County, the July 2010 contracted median home price slipped to $325,000, compared to $335,000 a year ago. Queens reported a contracted median home price of $350,000 which is 2.8 percent less than a year ago.

Industry experts predict that home sales in the short term are expected to slow before picking up later in the year providing the job market improves. Joseph E. Mottola, MLSLI CEO says, “To sum up the local housing market, would be to say that it is really trying to hold its ground until the job situation improves. Only after the employment picture begins to brighten will a stronger demand for housing be restored.”

A beautiful Long Island home

Main Street may be about to get its own gigantic bailout from the government. Rumors are flying from Washington to Wall Street, that the Obama administration is about to order government-controlled lenders Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to forgive a portion of the mortgage debt of millions of Americans who owe more than what their homes are worth- homes that are underwater.

An estimated 15 million U.S. mortgages – one in five – are underwater with negative equity of some $800 billion. On Christmas Eve 2009, the Treasury Department waived a $400 billion limit on financial assistance to Fannie and Freddie, pledging unlimited help. It is felt that the actual vehicle for the bailout could be the Bush-era Home Affordable Refinance Program, or HARP, a sister program to Obama’s loan modification effort. HARP was just extended through June 30, 2011.

The move, if it happens, would be a stunning political and economic bombshell less than 100 days before a midterm election in which Democrats are currently expected to suffer massive, if not historic losses. The key date to watch is August 17 when the Treasury Department holds a much-hyped meeting on the future of Fannie and Freddie.

The Republican leaders believe this rumor will become reality since GOPers and Democratic moderates in the Senate are unwilling to spend more taxpayer money on Stimulus. This latest housing plan would allow the White House to sidestep congressional objections and show voters it is doing something tangible about an economy that seems to be weakening. Wall Street bankers believe this rumor too and are alerting their clients privately to this possibility. If this rumor is true case workers are going to be working overtime trying to determine the how much is owed anf how to effectively disperse 800 billion to 15 million homeowners.

The president’s approval ratings are continuing to erode and Democrats are in real danger of losing the House and almost losing the Senate. The mortgage bailout would be a last-gasp effort to prevent this from happening and to save the Obama agenda. The political calculation is that the number of grateful Americans would be greater than those offended that they — and their children and their grandchildren — would be paying for someone else’s mortgage woes. So, it stands to reason that this is not just a rumor but a fact. We wait to see….Do leave your comments and feedback..

Housing markets that experienced the greatest inflation in house prices — including certain metro areas in sand states California, Florida, Arizona and Nevada — will not see a return of peak-level home prices before 2025, according to financial services technology provider Fiserv.

According to the Fiserv Case-Shiller indices measuring historical home price data and forecasts for more than 375 local markets, scattered metropolitan areas could recover home prices before 2013 (highlighted below, in blue):

The Fiserv Case-Shiller data points to a further 7% decline in home prices through the end of this year, with a prolonged recovery beginning early in 2011.

Other factors besides a run-up in house prices are dragging down recovery times in the industrial Midwest — including Michigan, Indiana and Ohio — where steep job losses in the manufacturing sector could keep housing demand low for some time.

A number of trends that defines initial signs of recovery in the housing market, such as rising home sales, has been occurring in selected areas. Areas such as Pittsburgh, PA; Columbia, SC; and several metropolitan areas in Texas, Washington and upstate New York. These areas could see peak-level home prices return within the next few years.

According to analysis of recent Zillow Real Estate Market Reports, U.S. homes lost $489 billion in value during the first 11 months of 2009, significantly less than the $3.6 trillion lost during 2008. Furthermore, 48 of the 154 markets tracked by Zillow, or nearly one in three, showed gains in home values during 2009.

The stabilization in home values reduced rates of negative equity in the third quarter of the year. Twenty-one percent of single-family homeowners had mortgages underwater, or greater than the value of their homes, compared with 23 percent in the second quarter.

Negative equity has been one of the biggest banes of homeowners, making many unqualified for home loan refinancing and preventing some from selling. Borrowers with negative equity are more prone to defaults and foreclosures.

Sales have surged in recent months as buyers scrambled to take advantage of the government's first-time home buyer tax credit, which was originally set to end November 30. Last month the Obama administration extended the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit, added a $6,500 credit for home owners buying a new residence and increased income limits. Eligible borrowers must sign contracts by April 30 and close loans by June 30.

*****************************************************************************************

Best Buyer’s Broker Realty is an Exclusive Buyer Agent specializing in Long Island real estate (Nassau and Suffolk properties) and neighboring Queens County properties.

We don’t take any seller listings (yet we have more homes for you to see than most agents) and never have any potential conflict of interest like other agents who also represent sellers. We represent buyers only, 100% of the time. We can show you more homes for sale because we have access to MLS, FSBOs, Exclusives (homes that agents try to keep secret), foreclosures and homes not on the market that may be of interest to you.

We are not your traditional real estate agent. Our goal is to advise and protect home buyers and help them obtain the lowest price and best terms on their dream home. Call us at 516-887-6901 to see how we can help you save time and money. Or visit our sites at http://bestbuyersbroker.com or http://bestbuyerbroker.com.

******************************************************************************************

Existing home sales surged in October to the highest level in more than 2-1/2 years. The National Association of Realtors reported that existing home sales rose 10.1% last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 6.1 million units, up from the downwardly revised rate of 5.54 million in September.

Also, the S&P Case-Schiller composite index rose slightly on a seasonally adjusted basis. The country was roughly split between areas where home prices increased during the month and areas where housing values continue to decline.

Sales activity is the highest since February 2007, when the annual rate was 6.55 million. The gain was likely due to an influx of buyers looking to take advantage of an $8,000 tax credit the Obama administration made available for qualified first-time home buyers.

The tax credit was scheduled to expire at the end of November, but it has been extended to April 30 and expanded to include more home buyers.

Total existing home sales rose the most in the Midwest, surging 14.4% in October to a pace of 1.43 million. That's 28.8% above a year ago. In the Northeast, sales rose 11.6% to an annual level of 1.06 million; sales in the South jumped 12.7% to 2.30 million; and the West saw the smallest increase, up 1.6% to 1.31 million.

It is encouraging to see home prices rise as well. If this continues, some of the people in underwater houses (meaning with a mortgage more than the value of the house) might just see the flood recede and regain some positive equity in the house. This would greatly reduce the number of foreclosures in the future. It would make it an economically rational thing for people to pay their mortgages again.

All in all, the increase in home prices is good news, but it is coming with a big price from the Federal Treasury. The risk of a renewed downturn in the second quarter of 2010 is very big. If that were to occur, it would mean more pain for the mortgage complex.

*****************************************************************************************

Best Buyer’s Broker Realty is an Exclusive Buyer Agent specializing in Long Island real estate (Nassau and Suffolk properties) and neighboring Queens County properties.

We don’t take any seller listings (yet we have more homes for you to see than most agents) and never have any potential conflict of interest like other agents who also represent sellers. We represent buyers only, 100% of the time. We can show you more homes for sale because we have access to MLS, FSBOs, Exclusives (homes that agents try to keep secret), foreclosures and homes not on the market that may be of interest to you.

We are not your traditional real estate agent. Our goal is to advise and protect home buyers and help them obtain the lowest price and best terms on their dream home. Call us at 516-887-6901 to see how we can help you save time and money. Or visit our sites at http://bestbuyersbroker.com or http://bestbuyerbroker.com.

******************************************************************************************

Sales of existing homes rose in September, but prices continued to drop, according to the latest reading on the battered housing market by the National Association of Realtors. The report shows sales by homeowners jumped in September to an annual pace of 5.18 million, up 1.4% from a year ago. It was the first time that sales rose compared to a year earlier since November 2005.

Sales got a boost last month because prices continued to fall. The median price of a single-family home fell 8.6% from a year ago to $190,600. The median price of all homes sold during the month – including single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops – fell to $191,600, down 8.8% from $210,500 a year ago. Before the start of the current housing slump, it had been 11 years since prices fell compared to a year earlier. Experts say foreclosed properties are driving this sales jump.

The report offered some encouraging news, with the excess supply of homes on the market falling in September. Realtors estimated that there are now 4.3 million homes available for sale, which represents a 9.9 month supply. That is down from the 10.6-month supply in August. But that number could rise back above 11 months if sales begin to sink again and foreclosures continue to escalate.

*********************************************************************************

Best Buyer’s Broker Realty is an Exclusive Buyer Agent specializing in Long Island real estate (Nassau and Suffolk properties) and neighboring Queens County properties.

We don’t take any seller listings (yet we have more homes for you to see than most agents) and never have any potential conflict of interest like other agents who also represent sellers. We represent buyers only, 100% of the time. We can show you more homes for sale because we have access to MLS, FSBOs, Exclusives (homes that agents try to keep secret), foreclosures and homes not on the market that may be of interest to you.

We are not your traditional real estate agent. Our goal is to advise and protect home buyers and help them obtain the lowest price and best terms on their dream home. Call us at 516-887-6901 to see how we can help you save time and money. Or visit our sites at www.bestbuyerbroker.com or www.bestbuyersbroker.com