Here’s why home prices keep going up — and what we can do about it

Homebuyers are feeling the pinch. With home prices rising across the board, almost everywhere across the United States, many potential buyers are shying away from seeking a mortgage.

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/heres-why-home-prices-keep-going-up-and-what-we-can-do-about-it-2019-11-01

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S&P/Case-Shiller WA-Seattle Home Price Index

S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, S&P/Case-Shiller WA-Seattle Home Price Index [SEXRNSA], retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/SEXRNSA, November 1, 2019.

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/SEXRNSA

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S&P/Case-Shiller OR-Portland Home Price Index

S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, S&P/Case-Shiller OR-Portland Home Price Index [POXRSA], retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/POXRSA, November 1, 2019.

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/POXRSA

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S&P/Case-Shiller 20-City Composite Home Price Index

Oct 29, 2019

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/SPCS20RSA

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Is a Recession Coming? What the Market Is Telling Us

Economic cycles point to a recession

https://www.fool.com/millionacres/real-estate-market/articles/recession-coming-what-market-telling-us/

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Are iBuyers Opening the Door to Squatters?

A Chandler, Ariz., couple has been arrested after police say they found them and their two children living in a vacant home owned by the iBuying firm Opendoor. Police were alerted after a potential buyer visited to tour the property and reported finding people who appeared to be living inside.

https://magazine.realtor/daily-news/2019/09/12/are-ibuyers-opening-the-door-to-squatters

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30-Year Mortgage Rate Edges Up in October

For the first time since November of last year, information compiled by Freddie Mac shows that mortgage rates increased slightly. As of end of October 2019, the 30-year FRM – Commitment rate, increased by eight basis points to 3.69 percent from 3.61 percent in September. The cycle peak was 4.87 percent in November.

http://eyeonhousing.org/2019/10/30-year-mortgage-rate-edges-up-in-october/

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Rapid growth in jobs and office rents puts Seattle among leaders in top 30 tech markets

CBRE’s annual Tech-30 report, which measures the tech industry’s impact on North American office real estate markets, shows Seattle is the sixth fastest growing tech market in overall office rent growth

https://www.geekwire.com/2019/rapid-growth-jobs-office-rents-puts-seattle-among-leaders-top-30-tech-markets/

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Amazon Now Has 750,000 Employees After Third Quarter Hiring Binge

Amazon Now Has 750,000 Employees After Third Quarter Hiring Binge

https://www.inc.com/minda-zetlin/amazon-750000-employees-hiring.html

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Why You Need to Study This Google Formula to Win Customers and Grow Your Business

No matter what kind of company you are--tech startup or food truck--Google's acronym should guide you.

https://www.inc.com/magazine/201911/thomas-goetz/eat-expertise-authoritativeness-trustworthiness-google-ranking-seo.html?icid=hmsub4

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Hoping to buy a cheaper home or sell at a higher price? Here are cities where prices could shift

Pricey housing markets like New York City and Los Angeles seem poised to cool down over the next couple of years while more affordable metro areas like Miami and San Antonio could heat up, according to an analysis by research firm Natixis.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/10/24/homes-sale-where-housing-becoming-scarcer-more-available/4080158002/

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Be upfront about real estate commissions, report urges agents

A new study by the Consumer Federation of America calls on real estate agents to be more transparent about the commissions they charge. The study concludes that agents and real estate companies make it difficult for consumers to learn commission rates.

https://www.dispatch.com/business/20191030/be-upfront-about-real-estate-commissions-report-urges-agents

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When it comes to real-estate commissions, more cities should be consumer-friendly like Seattle

SEATTLE Home sellers and buyers largely don't know how real-estate commissions work, and brokers aren't in a hurry to help them learn.

https://www.seattletimes.com/business/real-estate/report-when-it-comes-to-real-estate-commissions-more-cities-should-be-consumer-friendly-like-seattle/

Other article:

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sns-tns-bc-real-estate-commissions-20191031-story.html

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Real estate brokers ‘purposely’ hide commissions: study

Realtors “purposely hide” their commission rates and the lack of transparency has stunted price competition, a consumer watchdog agency alleged in a new study.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/real-estate-brokers-purposely-hide-commissions-consumer-federation-of-america-study-191043651.html

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The Best Places For Business And Careers 2019: Seattle Still On Top

In Amazon.com’s fiercely competitive search for a second headquarters last year, Seattle—the company’s original home—turned out to be the true victor.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/samanthasharf/2019/10/30/the-best-places-for-business-and-careers-2019-seattle-still-on-top/#4aa797e053df

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Seattle-area home-price trends are driven by this hot, hot city. Hint: It’s not Seattle.

After three straight months of negative growth, home prices around Seattle are on the upswing again.

https://www.seattletimes.com/business/real-estate/seattle-area-home-price-trends-are-driven-by-this-hot-hot-city-hint-its-not-seattle/

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Your home may not be a mansion, but you may still pay a 'mansion tax'

An explainer on real estate tax changes

https://www.ksat.com/consumer/your-home-may-not-be-a-mansion-but-you-may-still-pay-a-mansion-tax

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The 50 Portland places on top of the real estate market

Specifically, the ZIP code 97229, also known as Northwest Heights/Cedar Mill/Bethany, was on top of the Portland Business Journal's heat index, measuring real estate activity across the metro area.

https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2019/10/25/hottest-hoods-the-50-portland-places-on-top-of-the.html

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Market Hotness Index

Metro Hotness - Zip Code and County Hotness

https://www.realtor.com/research/reports/hottest-markets/

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HOUSING STATISTICS

Housing Statistics offers 43 different sets of data, downloadable either as Excel or PDF files (updated weekly). Housing data and primary indicators of the industry are housed in one easy-to navigate location containing historical and current sets of statistics such as: Housing Starts (by Region & Structure Type), Homes Sold by Region, Producer Price Indexes (for Building Materials), Manufactured Homes, New Home Characteristics, Residential Vacancy & Absorption Rates, Units Under Construction, Value of New Construction, and many more.

http://www.nahbclassic.org/reference_list.aspx?sectionID=819&channelID=311

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Economic Indicators

U.S. Census Bureau Economic Indicators

https://www.census.gov/economic-indicators/

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CoreLogic Home Price Insights

The most geographically comprehensive and current home price index.

http://www.corelogic.com/about-us/researchtrends/corelogic-home-price-insights.aspx?WT.mc_id=crlg_151103_aHqc0&elq=d6379903117d41bcbe7b9f6a82f2189a&elqCampaignId=2692&elqaid=7659&elqat=1&elqTrackId=097f671c98fc48249757d8ddbd229326#.Vj1WlvnnuUl

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Bureau of Economic Analysis

U.S. Economy at a Glance

http://www.bea.gov/index.htm

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U.S. Housing Market Tracker

The U.S. housing market has struggled to find equilibrium after the bubble of the past decade. Here’s a look at where various gauges of supply and demand stand today.

http://graphics.wsj.com/us-housing-market/

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Mortgage Market Survey Archive

Compilation of Weekly Survey Data for 2015

http://www.freddiemac.com/pmms/archive.html

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Housing Economics

NAHB produces in-depth economic analyses of the home building industry based on private and government data. Our economics group surveys builders, home buyers, and renters to gain insight into the issues and trends driving the industry.

https://www.nahb.org/en/research/housing-economics.aspx

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