Real Estate is local. The overall Real Estate market in the United States affects all local markets. Local markets will reach the bottom of their specific market(s) at different times. Idaho, North Dakota, Wyoming, and a few other states that have not, generally speaking anyway, been victims of predatory lending to the degree other states, such as California, Arizona, Nevada, Florida, ..., have had predatory lending as the norm, rather than the exception, willrecover sooner than the states that were suseptible to predatory lending.
Real Estate is local. I am an expert in my market, Racine County, Wisconsin. We have experienced declines in property values, depending on municipality, ranging from 7% to 18%, annually since 2006.
The number of closed transaction in Racine County for 1st quarter 2009 vs. 1st quarter 2008 the decline ranges from 28% to 48% depending on the municipality. Are we close to the 'bottom' of our market? Depending on what Washington does, how the automakers deal with their challenges, how consumer confidence does, how the credit markets recover, how the greedy lenders and Wall Street react by making good borrowers pay for the lenders, and risky borrowers, past indiscretions, and how unemployment is managed, ...
According to the most recent study done for the PMI industry, the Racine, Milwaukee Metropolitan Statistical Area, (MSA), is rated at minimal risk, less than a 5% of probable decline in property value over the next 12 months, as compared to other areas that may face declines of 20%-40% over the next 12 months.
Is the bottom near? I think so!
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