When Bearishness is Bullish As the 2017 housing market officially gets underway, at least a few Realtors are dealing with Buyers haunted by the post-2008 housing crash — and the fear that something like that could happen again. How warranted are those fears? Housing Market Vital Signs: Checklist Unfortunately, bubbles are usually only obvious in retrospect...Read More
Mine Would Need a BIG Retainer Fee Apparently, there is now a job called “life coach.” I don’t need one of those, but I’d sign up for something called “life concierge” in a heartbeat. Millions of Jobs? You know, someone who could smooth out life’s daily hassles and aggravations, spell you with kids or clients when...Read More
Older, More Cautious First-Time Buyers “Low interest rates and relatively low prices can take the housing market only so far. For the market to truly heal, the economy must also heal.” –“Who Wants to Buy a House“; The New York Times (9/28/2013) My clients know that I regard the housing market as a dependent variable,...Read More
Shackling the Bond Vigilantes In a world where pundits divide into those who think the federal government should be doing more to help the economy, and those who think it’s already done (way) too much, economist and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman lands squarely in the former camp. In fact, you might say that he is...Read More
Labor Day Sentiments 2011, or, For Whom the (Job) Bell Tolls (Nov. 7, 2112 — Washington, D.C.) President Susan Wallace — riding last year’s surge in employment to 19.7% and the dollar’s continued appreciation against the Yen and Swiss Franc — easily coasted to victory at the polls yesterday in her bid for reelection to a second...Read More
What’s an Investor to Do? [But] as long as the music is playing, you’ve got to get up and dance. –Former Citigroup CEO Chuck Prince Perplexed by a stock market that (inexplicably?) is once again on the rise — along with all manner of commodities (oil, gold, silver, etc.)? That, despite at best conflicting economic...Read More
