Gmail - Market Matters Weekly Advisory - ridgecrestrealty@gmail.com

Gmail - Market Matters Weekly Advisory - ridgecrestrealty@gmail.com

Sacramento Bee

Appraisal sites on Net often fail to pin down accurate prices
Over the last five years, one of the newest developments in real estate is the ability for home buyers and sellers to search online for a home’s value. Popular Web sites such a Zillow.com, Cyberhomes.com, and Eppraisal.com offer free home estimates, but some consumers and real estate industry professionals say the values calculated often are inaccurate and misleading.

MAKING SENSE OF THE STORY FOR CONSUMERS

Housing Crash Continues

Housing Crash Continues: "The only true sign of a bottom is a price low enough so that you could rent out the house and make a profit. Then you'll know it's safe to buy for yourself because then rent could cover the mortgage and all expenses if necessary, eliminating most of your risk. The basic buying safety rule is to divide annual rent by the purchase price for the house:

annual rent / purchase price = 3% means do not buy
annual rent / purchase price = 6% means borderline
annual rent / purchase price = 9% means ok to buy"

Housing Crash Continues

Housing Crash Continues: "Housing Crash Continues -- It's Still A Terrible Time To Buy
Why?
By Patrick Killelea
Last updated 29 June 2010 (minor changes)

Because house prices will keep falling in most places. Prices are still dangerously high compared to incomes and rents. Banks say a safe mortgage is a maximum of 3 times the buyer's annual income with 20% downpayment. Landlords say a safe price is a maximum of 15 times the house's annual rent. Yet on the coasts, both those safety rules are still being violated. Buyers are still borrowing 6 times their income and putting only 3% down, and sellers are still asking 30 times annual rent, even after recent price declines."