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Tucson MLS Statistics for February 2008
2008-03-20 04:10:00
We don't have to wait till May. There was a notice included with this months statistics indicating the historical data has been changed to reflect the Tucson Areas.
More About: Statistics , February 2008 , February , 2008

Tucson MLS February 2008 Preliminary Closed Transactions 633
2008-03-01 15:05:00
I just pulled the Closed Transactions for 2008 .html">February 2008 at 6:45 this morning. This is more than in all of January. The small graph will expand for easier reading when you click on it. Now we will see how many are added over the next week. Share This
More About: Tucson

Tucson MLS Statistics for January 2008
2008-02-28 01:05:00
The February 2008 clock is ticking down. We have had some fun over at the Tucson AZ Real Estate blog counting up the closed transactions for the month of January and the trickle in approach to getting data in the system for reporting purposes. The threat of a fine up to $15,000 seems to impacted a few, but not enough.
More About: Statistics , January 2008

Tucson MLS 2007 Annual Statistics Report
2008-02-21 20:43:00
The annual statistics report is out for 2007. I've been working on the analysis for January 2008. But I keep finding issues with the numbers which isn't making it easy to try and do analysis.
More About: Report , Statistics , Tucson , Annual

Tucson Real Estate Tracking February 2008 Closed Transactions
2008-02-19 21:10:00
I've not only been following the additional closed transactions being added to the January total, which by the way is now at 613, I've also been tracking the closed transactions as they go into the Tucson MLS System for February as well.
More About: Estate , Real Estate , Transactions , Real

The Other Door of the Mortgage Barn About to Close
2008-02-17 06:13:00
Kenneth Harney in his weekly column carried in the Arizona Daily Star business section on Saturdays brought to light for many of us the upcoming changes in the coverage offered or I should say not even offered in certain circumstances. Here is a quote from the article.
More About: Mortgage , Close , Barn , Door

What is your Mutual Fund Costing You
2008-02-13 19:23:00
What do mutual funds have to do with real estate? They are where many people have their savings. Not just savings but retirement savings. It is out of these savings that some are planning to buy their second home in Tucson.
More About: Mutual fund , Fund , Mutual

The Big Picture The Details Sometimes Both
2008-02-08 20:45:00
Some times you have to step back from focusing in the details and look at the big picture. Sometimes you have to do just the opposite and focus on the details. This images a middle ground. If you go to the version at JPG.com you will see the big picture. If ...
More About: Picture , Details , The Big Picture , Big Picture

Tucson Wildlife Primaries
2008-02-07 00:10:00
Quail: “We voted for the one that will keep the feeder full of bird seed.” Squirrel: “I voted for the one that pledged to plant Oak trees.” Share This
More About: Wildlife , Tucson , Primaries

Tucson MLS January 2008 Sold Statistics (Preliminary Report)
2008-02-02 01:13:00
Tucson MLS Major Effort to get Accurate & Timely Data I mentioned a few days back there is a new policy implamented at the Tucson MLS regarding Status Changes of Listings. This included the change from Pending to Sold . The fine can be up to $15,000. Being at the end of the month I logged ...
More About: Report , January , Statistics , Tucson

Tucson Leap Year Observation
2008-02-01 21:56:00
Just a quick observation since today is the first day of February 2008. When I was growing up and in school, & it wasn’t a one room school either. (but Mom’s was) : ) They taught us a simple way to remember leap year as the year we always voted for a president. Now that ...
More About: Tucson , Year , Leap

Tucson Sold Units December 2007
2008-01-29 22:27:00
Debate and Logic go hand in hand. Both used to be taught in High School, it is rare to find either now. Which brings us to our logic problem for the day.
More About: Tucson , Units , Sold , December , December 2007

The Economy is Fine (Really)
2008-01-28 20:47:00
There is commentary in the Wall Street Journal today which is getting a lot of attention on the net. I’ve said many times in the past the media tends to be about 6 to 9 months behind reality. The numbers for 2007 come out and everyone jumps on the “Recession” band wagon. Well folks, ...
More About: Economy , Fine

Tucson MLS Statistics for December 2007
2008-01-28 00:19:00
The Merry month of May is about to be upon us. I am so ready. Why, because then we will be comparing apples to apples and I won’t have to go back to the previous years stats and subtract out all areas that are included in those reports so the numbers compared will ...
More About: Statistics , Tucson , December , December 2007

Tucson Real Estate Absorption Rates December 2007
2008-01-27 06:40:00
Tucson Real Estate Absorption Rates Nov 07 to Dec 07 Area Dec Listed Dec Sold Dec AR Nov Listed Nov Sold Nov AR Sold YTD N 754 51 14.78 758 73 10.38 1079 NE 418 34 12.29 449 43 10.44 668 NW 2338 174 13.43 2474 175 14.12 3188 XNW 117 11 10.63 123 6 20.50 154 C 1000 93 10.75 1110 100 11.10 2015 E 466 52 8.96 504 46 10.95 893 S 570 37 15.40 615 49 12.55 909 SE 700 72 9.72 790 77 10.25 1242 SW 733 46 15.90 751 55 13.65 741 XSW 371 26 14.20 372 20 18.60 311 XS 643 46 13.90 665 61 10.90 799 W 524 35 14.97 541 45 12.02 661 XW 63 4 15.75 68 9 7.55 88   8,708 749 11.62 9,238 770 11.99   Tucson Real Estate 2007 Absorption Rate Summary It really all ...
More About: Tucson

Tucson 30 year fixed interest rates back under 6%
2008-01-16 18:30:00
The news of 30 year fixed interest falling below 6% seems to have been lost in a sea of bad news about the economy and the looming recession everyone is talking about but no one seems to be willing to say above a whisper. Well the economy has been in a recession for over a year ...
More About: Interest Rates , Tucson , Back , Interest , Rates

Rise in Pending Home Sales at odds with local closings
2008-01-10 03:13:00
This is the title of an article on Pending Sales being reported in the Tucson MLS Statistics Reports over the past few months. Once again we being treated to a look at the Tucson Real Estate market statistics that does not take fully into consideration the changes that have taken place in this market in the past 6 to 8 months. The main premise is “If the Pending Sales are up then why aren’t the closed sales numbers reflecting this increase in pending sales?” There is a lot of talk in the article but not much in the way of good analysis. Here is just a quick list of reasons the Pending Sales are up but the closed transactions aren’t following in 30 to 45 days like they have over the past few years. There has been a lot of New Construction sold in Tucson in the past few months with builders offering some huge incentives. Many of the “Pending Contracts” are for homes that aren’t built yet. Some of these homes will be 1 to 2 years before com...
More About: Home , Local , Rise , Odds

The S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index
2008-01-04 20:19:00
The S&P/Case -Shiller Home Price Index report gets a lot of press coverage each month when it comes out. But does anyone you know including yourself take the time to find out what the data reporting criteria is for this report? If you don't know the basis on which the conclusions are being drawn then you don't understand the results of what is being reported. Most major media outlets are counting on this.

Arizona Daily Star Sets Web Site Development Back 10 Years
2008-01-04 04:34:00
 UPDATE:  This continues to bug the heck out of me so here is an update for those that are using Firefox browser there is a Flashblock addon which blocks flash players but will let you click on the flash player to view at your disgression.  I just intalled it on my FF browser.  I’m really ...
More About: Daily , Arizona , Development , Sets , Site

Tucson News Year Resolution
2008-01-01 19:23:00
Since this blog focuses mostly on Tucson Real Estate News I opted for the News Year Resolution . I’ve made the same resolution for more than 30 years. It has served me well and I’ve never had an issue with keeping it. So it will be my resolution again this year. “I will only ...

Tucson MLS Sold 7% Better Than Reported
2007-12-29 21:21:00
Every month I notice there are more closed sales than are being reported in the Tucson MLS Statistical reports. There is a cut off date each month when they pull the data. Unfortunately there are some brokerages that don't get their sales entered in a timely manner which then skews the data. On any individual month it might not be significant but added together it can paint a different picture of the actual state of the market.
More About: Sold

Tucson Real Estate Absorption Rates October 2007
2007-12-20 00:43:00
Tucson Absorption Rates for November 2007 are a reflection of the mortgage, finance and insurance industry changes. The pendulum isn't through swinging to the conservative side yet resulting in a continued slowdown of residential home sales in November 2007 here in Tucson
More About: Estate , Real Estate , Tucson , Real

Tucson Real Estate Absorption Rates November 2007
2007-12-20 00:43:00
Tucson Absorption Rates for November 2007 are a reflection of the mortgage, finance and insurance industry changes. The pendulum isn't through swinging to the conservative side yet resulting in a continued slowdown of residential home sales in November 2007 here in Tucson
More About: Estate , Real Estate , Tucson , Real

Tucson MLS Statistics for November 2007
2007-12-19 22:53:00
The Tucson MLS Statistics for November were finally released late afternoon Wednesday, December 18th. This is pretty much behind the rest of the nation and seems to perpetuate the notion that Tucson and the MLS are just a jerk water town. However, I have reason to believe this is about to change. We shall see if this holds true come January when we will see the December and all of 2007 Statistics report.
More About: November 2007

Mortgages, Committees, Foreclosures, The Grand Canyon
2007-12-09 20:50:00
There is an old saying among people that want to get things done but are roadblocked at every step along the way. One of the biggest roadblocks throw is “The Committee”. Are you familiar with the little rhyme: “Souls are dying what a pity, quick let’s form a new committee.” Well, we have seen in the news this week the results of a committee to help stem the tide of foreclosures due to all the ARM mortgages due to reset.  After all that is the main reason we are seeing these high foreclosure rates ISN’T IT? From the Wall Steet Journal Blog This graph was taken from The Peridot Capitalist that got it from a Countrywide conference. But you can read about that at the Peridot Capitalist. So we have a lot of hubbub in the news about what this new program will do. We hear from some how it will cause great harm to the economy because of investors moving away from investing. At the same time we hear how this is going to really help stem the tide of forec...
More About: Foreclosures , Mortgages , Grand Canyon , Grand , The Grand

4th Ave. Winter Street Fair - Tucson
2007-12-09 03:04:00
If it is called a street fair why is it held on 4th Avenue? Should it be the 4th Avenue Avenue Fair ? You can read all about it by clicking the sign. Share This
More About: Winter , Street , Tucson , Street Fair

Somebody’s buying homes
2007-12-09 02:47:00
Is there anybody out there buying homes? Not according to the national media, then who are these people with new sets of keys and a shiny new mortgage they can afford? Some body’s buying homes I was reading our Realty Times Daily News Feed. We don’t write it. It is a feed from Realty times. When I ran across this article on who is buying homes. I was about to get up and go get a copy of Forbes Magazine when I saw a familiar name. Realtor Barbara Lasky tells us that October pending home sales are up 26 percent over last year. And there it was. And a few people are buying homes. And that is a good thing. Share This
More About: Buying , Homes

Tucson Real Estate Absorption Rates October 2007
2007-11-18 21:02:00
You were expecting a Duck? I know you were expecting to find a picture of a rubber duck with a raincoat, umbrella and boots. But, it turns out the absorption rate overall dropped for the month of October. There were a few areas that saw a decrease in absorption but most areas saw a ...
More About: Estate , Real Estate , Tucson , Real , Rates

Tucson MLS Statistics for October 2007
2007-11-15 17:52:00
The Tucson MLS Statistics report was released yesterday November 13, 2007. The data was actually gathered on November 5th. One of the annoying things I’ve been tracking over the past year is the continuing discrepancies of the data in the report. This is NOT Due to the Tucson MLS. It is due to Tucson Brokerages NOT TURNING IN THEIR SALES in a timely manner. For example last month it was reported there were 683 Total Unit sales for September 07, but today a query on the solds for September indicates there were 752 units sold in September. This is 69 more sales than were reported. When the total reported is only 683 an additional 69 sales is significant. For October we find 790 Total Units being reported. I just pulled the stats from the MLS and it is showing 840 Total Units for October 07 which is an additional 50 sales. I think the Tucson MLS should set the date for sales to be turned in and fine brokerages which don’t turn in those sales by the date indicated. T...
More About: October 2007

Tucson Home Rent or Own
2007-11-01 01:01:00
This quote from a recent article based on an interview with Laurance Yun. http://www.realtor.org/reinsights.nsf/pag es/economistcommentary “A Home is Not a Stock Certificate — Thank God! Consumers and homeowners who purchase a home who are in it for the long-term are once again coming out well ahead. Because of the power of leveraging, $10,000 used for a down payment on a typically ...
More About: Tucson , Rent