John Mulkey, Housing Guru

In a report from the Atlanta Fed, researchers have discovered that those with a better understanding of numbers and how to use them are less likely to experience foreclosure. And while the information seems a bit simplistic, the report points to our nation’s collective financial illiteracy. The p...

According to an article in the NY Times, the results of the home buyer tax credit seem to be mixed at best. With the door closing on the credit—buyers must have a viable contract by April 30 and must close by June 30—some areas have seen a recent surge in sales. But many have questioned the cost ...

Okay, so March sales of new homes “rocketed” to the highest gain in nearly 50 years, but do the new home sales numbers indicate a turnaround in housing? Hardly. While I understand everyone wants to hear good news, we also need to be realistic and need to know what’s going on in order to make the ...

While the government is referring to the GM payback of $8.1 billion borrowed from the U. S. and Canada as a great step forward for the company, it’s hardly newsworthy. Is GM suddenly profitable and selling so many great cars that it’s flush with cash? NO. The money actually comes from you and me,...

With the recent reports of fraud on Wall Street, what most want to know is: What’s the significance of the Goldman Sachs case? Will it bring about meaningful financial reform? Will the SEC investigation expand to other companies, and will the guilty parties suffer more than a proverbial “slap on ...

An article in the Wall Street Journal has reported that Goldman Sachs Group and one of its vice presidents, Fabrice Tourre, have been charged with fraud in a civil complaint filed by the SEC. The complaint alleges that Goldman failed to disclose to purchasers of CDOs, collateralized-debt obligati...

An article in MarketWatch has just reported the cold, hard facts I’ve been sharing for the past few months; it will take years for home prices to return. Reporting on a study done by HSH Associates, a financial publishing house, the article addresses the 32.6% drop in home prices as reported by C...

While some have predicted a soon to be realized housing shortage, I think their assumptions fail to consider the fundamental changes that have occurred. An article in MarketWatch reports a loss of more than a million households between 2005 and 2008; and fewer households means less demand for hom...

Is the Energy Star Label meaningful? A recent report from the Government Accountability Office, GAO, has consumers concerned that the promised savings from Energy Star rated equipment may be bogus. The report, issued March 5, 2010 found some gaping holes in the way the program functions, and stat...

What is RRP? Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP), is a new federally mandated program to deal with the issue of lead paint in homes, primarily those homes built prior to 1978. The program takes effect April 22, 2010. It’s important that general contractors, real estate agents, plumbers, remode...