http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080806/UPDATES01/80806016

This is an interesting blurb from our local paper about filings and sales in Larimer County, comparing the first 2 quarters of 2008 to the first 2 quarters of 2007.

Interestingly, the article notes 920 filings in LC for the first half of this year. According to the NAR Economic & Market Watch Report posted on IRES for the 1st quarter of 2008, there were 3,075 homes for sale, and 816 homes sold. According to IRES, there are currently 4,189 listings in Larimer County, and there were 1,637 sales during the 2nd quarter of this year. I'm not sure if the NAR report is counting attached dwellings in their "homes" definition; I counted them in my IRES search.

The point being, 920 filings doesn't seem like a lot. I checked the statistics report for Weld County - YTD has 1,809 under "Foreclosures" - I'm not sure if they mean the same thing as "filings" with that term. They list 1,233 Public Trustee Deeds, which I'm assuming is the same as number of sales. I think Larimer County is still in a better position than most places, and hopefully stays that way.

Any input from anyone else out there?

I ran across this article today on the New York Times website. I can't decide if it will be a boon or bust for the REO agent who gets this listing, post-foreclosure...

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/27/auction-set-for-michael-jacksons-neverland/?hp

Is this a reflection of the market conditions, or simply the result of the waste of the excessively rich? I also think it's interesting that the article leads off with putting Michael Jackson's financial woes in the same category as those of the Everyday Joes. Is there really a similarity between Michael Jackson and the blue collar factory worker who is continually squeezed by the rising costs of living and a lack of increased wages to match? Or the tech industry worker whose job is outsourced to another country, and can no longer pay his mortgage and loses his house? While it's difficult to justify feeling sorry for someone who has wasted so many millions of dollars over the past few decades instead of putting that money to good use (I have no idea what his charitable contributions or foundations are, if any), I guess it is a commentary on how we must have compassion for the plight of others.

I do wonder what kind of job he'll have to get to pay rent....

This is our first blog on Active Rain...sort of like working on the first BPO: takes a long time to get it done, but you feel really good when you are finished! Also, it probably isn't very good, but you know you'll get better.

We're really excited to have this web presence, and look forward to learning from fellow real estate agents and asset managers all over the country (world?). We also look forward to expanding our professional relationships with agents and asset managers in different locations - it's a small world, after all.

Well, this isn't a very exciting blog, but it's a start. We'll try to come up with something better next time!