Steady as She Goes

Real estate prices are hanging in, 
but might be on the run this season

Mike Cooper Market Watch, Real Estate

The median price per square foot for the Coachella Valley remains unchanged, but the year-over-year change in city prices is still rather positive.

The Comeback KIDS

How the desert cities are recovering from the fall

Mike Cooper Market Watch

The Coachella Valley housing market as measured by price has nearly recovered from crash levels.

The High Price of Success

A reliance by banks on “ultrasafe” loans when “safe” would do has caused an unwelcome deceleration in the real estate market

Vic McDonald Market Watch

A year ago it took 74 days to sell the median home in the Coachella Valey. That number is creeping closer to 90 days this year, which may put pressure on homeowners to reduce their asking price.

A Tale of Two Cities

The housing market in Palm Springs surges while La Quinta lags with high inventory

Mike Cooper Market Watch

A comparison of the housing markets in two major Coachella Valley cities — Palm Springs and La Quinta — shows a strain needn’t always occur in the housing recovery

A Fine Line

As home prices and inventory rise, declining 
affordability takes its toll on sales

Vic McDonald Market Watch

Inventory is rising with the prices of homes, affecting affordability and ultimately sales. Tight (and unnecessary) lending standards of the banks also affect sales, although Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have been working hard to counteract and change this.

A Cycle of Falling Prices

The world’s deflationary outlook could hold down U.S. interest rates

Mike Cooper Market Watch

For the last six months, the financial community has been speculating about when the Federal Reserve will start raising interest rates.

Risky Business

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac must clarify liability regulations so that banks will ease stiff credit requirements and begin lending again

Mike Cooper Market Watch

If the banks don’t start easing up on their tight credit requirements, our general forecast is that housing prices will be essentially unchanged. However, if they do ease up, we think a further price increase of 10 percent is possible.

It’s Time to Lower The Score

Tough FICO lending requirements are disqualifying large numbers of potential home buyers and slowing the housing recovery

Vic McDonald Market Watch

For sales to increase, we need the number of qualifying home buyers to grow. Growth in home buyers at this point depends on banks loosening their credit standards.

The Road to Recovery

New lending rules and lingering foreclosure effects present ongoing challenges in the Coachella Valley housing market

Vic McDonald Market Watch

The Coachella Valley real estate market might seem like it has effectively recovered from the severe crisis of a few years ago. However, when we look at more than home prices, we find the situation is less than ideal.