Dan Barksdale's (usatitle) Blog

The rescue housing bill has finally passed the House and Senate. President Bush is expected to sign it into law. There are many aspects of this bill, some good, and some not so good. Looking over the highlights, there is one that will in my opinion, make an immediate impact: From the WSJ On-line ...

I love to read these types of articles. It shows how our open market economy can find a way to both make a profit and help their fellow man at the same time. With all the talk of the upcoming government bail-out, it is refreshing to see workouts happening without government intervention. Look for...

I'm sure most of you have heard this expression. I have to say, when it comes to updated information on these home buying or mortgage finder websites, the expression really hits home. I was reading my daily update from Inman News, and they are featuring the web site Homethinking.com The site prom...

March saw an increase of 19% in the number of homes sold in the Birmingham area, and an increase of 11% for the entire state. The average sales price was up for Birmingham, as was the median price. Here is the link to the Alabama Center for Real Estate web site. Alabama continues to show positive...

It looks as if any housing bill may take some time. I'm glad there isn't a consensus on what to do. Everyday I read another article with valid points, interesting solutions, or just insane proposals. Everyday that goes by, people are voicing opinion, and hopefully, someone is listening to them al...

It looks as if any housing bill may take some time. I'm glad there isn't a consensus on what to do. Everyday I read another article with valid points, interesting solutions, or just insane proposals. Everyday that goes by, people are voicing opinion, and hopefully, someone is listening to them al...

I have linked a page that summarizes the proposed laws for the foreclosure prevention act of 2008. I am pleasantly surprised with the fact that I don't see any "get out of jail free" cards to borrowers, mortgage companies, or Wall St. firms. I don't see any major moral hazards in the bill, and th...

Like it or not, some sort of borrower bail-out law is on the way. There is some good news about the recent Senate proposal in that the bankruptcy cram down provisions have been dropped. Also, the proposal to have FHA buy up mortgages at a reduced balance has been omitted. The rest of the law, how...

Despite the headlines, February was a very positive month for Birmingham area housing sales. Sales were up 5% from the previous month, and days on the market were down dramatically. Now, if we could just convince the news reporters to provide more accurate headlines. This link on the Birmingham B...

This is by far the most encouraging article I have seen in months. Finally, someone took the time to look at the affordability of a market, not just median values, which have fallen everywhere. Birmingham ranks 3rd in the US for most affordable housing. The index takes into consideration two majo...