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By Jeff D. Opdyke - From The Wall Street Journal Online - March 22, 2007

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More Americans Become Landlords as Rents Rise

By Jeff Bater - From The Wall Street Journal Online - March 23, 2007

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Existing-Home Sales Post Biggest Rise in Three Years

March 1, 2007 - Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO)

NEWS RELEASE

CONTACT:
Corinne Russell (202) 414-6921
Stefanie Mullin (202) 414-6376

WASHINGTON, DC – The rate of home price appreciation in the U.S. remained steady in the fourth quarter of 2006, extending a general trend of deceleration begun earlier in the year. Home prices, based on repeat sales and refinancings, were 1.1 percent higher in the fourth quarter than they were in the third quarter of 2006. This is slightly above the revised growth estimate of 1.0 percent from the second to the third quarter. Prices in the fourth quarter of 2006 were 5.9 percent higher than they were in the same quarter in 2005. Price appreciation in 2006 was substantially smaller than the tremendous price gains of recent years, which ranged from 7.4 percent in 2002 to 13.2 percent in 2005. The figures were released today by OFHEO Director James B. Lockhart, as part of the House Price Index (HPI), a quarterly report analyzing housing price appreciation trends.

“These data show that, on the whole, prices are still rising, albeit at a much slower pace,” said Lockhart. “This suggests that house price appreciation is, for now, more in line with historical norms.” House prices grew faster over the past year than did prices of non-housing goods and services reflected in the Consumer Price Index. House prices rose 5.9 percent, while prices of other goods and services, excluding shelter, rose 0.9 percent.

“The continuing strength in the economy and decreasing interest rates for borrowers prevented a harder landing in housing markets during the second half of last year,” said OFHEO Chief Economist Patrick Lawler. “Last quarter, though sharper drops occurred locally, no state had average price declines of as much as one percent,” Lawler said.

The states with the greatest rates of appreciation between the fourth quarter of 2005 and the fourth quarter of 2006 were: Utah (17.6%), Wyoming (14.3%), Idaho (14.0%), Washington (13.7%), and Oregon (13.5%). The states with the lowest rates of appreciation for the same period were: Michigan (-0.4%),
Massachusetts (0.5%), Ohio (1.0%), Indiana (2.3%), and Minnesota (2.5%).

[NOTE: This information is in the public domain and it is not subject to copyright protection.]

Realty Times - by Blanche Evans - Published: March 23, 2007

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Dominion Deal Designed To Dominate Internet Real Estate Marketing

Realtor Magazine Online - Source: The Wall Street Journal, Alex Frangos (01/05/07)