Carollo's Blog on Real Estate- Featuring Queens and Nassau County Real Estate Information

Single-Family Starts to Fall Again in 2008: Realtors

According to the economic report Single-Family Starts to Fall Again in 2008: Realtors on MarketWatch.com, construction of single family homes is predicted to be on the decline again, for 2008, the third straight year in a row, as predicted by the National Association of Realtors.  It is predicted that builders will limit new construction projects for 2008 as their has been added pressure on the return.  Profits are staggering.

Read the entire economic report Single-Family Starts to Fall Again in 2008: Realtors on MarketWatch.com

Competition in the Real Estate Brokerage Industry

According to Competition in the Real Estate Brokerage Industry a recent report by the Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Department of Govenment the real estate industry has undergone many substantial changes in recent years.  Real estate agents and brokers have changed the way they operate, namely the increased incorportation of the internet.  However, the FTC argues that consumers could benefit more from being more knowledgeable in the brokerage options and services. 

Read the full report Competition in the Real Estate Brokerage Industry on FTC.gov

November sales of new homes rise 3.4%

According to Robert Schroder of Marketwatch.com, "Sales of new homes rose 3.5% in November to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.047 million, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday." Furthermore, "Although no doubt this report was boosted by the mild weather in parts of the country, the pickup in sales and decline in the number of homes for sale provide further tentative evidence that the housing market is stabilizing," the economists wrote in an e-mail." To continue reading the entire economic report, "November sales of new homes rise 3.4%," click here.

When Will the Housing Decline Bottom Out?

In an article on Marketwatch.com economists have predicted that the current housing market will bottom out in mid 2007 and recover sometime in 2008.  David Seiders of the National Association of Home Builders is quoted in the article saying,

"The downswing in home sales and housing production should bottom out around the middle of next year before transitioning to a gradual recovery that will raise housing market activity back up toward sustainable trend by the latter part of 2008,"

Read Housing Decline to Bottom Out in Mid 2007 for the rest of the economists predictions on the market

Can Buyers and Sellers Benefit on the Web without Agents?

How effective are those Web-based real estate companies who promise to charge less and sell your home faster than the traditional real estate company?  According to an article on Marketwatch.com, not so effective.  In the article Can Home Buyers, Sellers Benefit on the Web without Agents it appears that while the Internet can be a great tool for selling your home; the traditional realtor still plays an important role in the sale of your home.