Real Estate Network

Posts Tagged ‘U.S.’

New York, NY (PRWEB) November 15, 2011

Profit Confidential, the popular stock market and economic e-letter, says that the October U.S. job numbers were worse than expected and that the underemployment rate in the U.S. is at 16.2%.

According to Profit Confidential, Last months job numbers disappointed again. But its worse than what the job numbers tell us. The U.S. Labor Department says only 80,000 jobs were created in October, bringing the unemployment rate in the U.S. to nine percent. But we need to look at the underemployment rate, not the unemployment rate, to get a real picture of what is happening in America.

Profit Confidential says that the underemployment rate includes people who can only get part-time work and who want full-time work and people who have given up looking for work. When we include these statistics in the job numbers, the real unemployment rate, the underemployment rate as it is referred to, is 16.2%. To get sustainable economic growth, the U.S. needs to create between 150,000 and 200,000 jobs a monthjob numbers we are nowhere near securing.

According to Michael Lombardi, lead contributor to Profit Confidential, when he looks at last months job numbers, what he finds startlingand what he sees few in the media talking aboutare the 22,000 jobs cut by state, city and local governments in October. Hes been writing in Profit Confidential about state and local governments needing to balance, or get close to balancing, their 2012 budgets. They are doing it by cutting payroll costs, which ultimately means that services to citizens are either delayed or cut back. The cuts to government jobs at the state and local levels are in their infancy.

Profit Confidential, which has been published for over a decade now, has been widely recognized as predicting five major economic events over the past 10 years. In 2002, Profit Confidential started advising its readers to buy gold-related investments when gold traded under $ 300 an ounce. In 2006, it begged its readers to get out of the housing market… before it plunged.

Profit Confidential was among the first (back in late 2006) to predict that the U.S. economy would be in a recession by late 2007. The daily e-letter correctly predicted the crash in the stock market of 2008 and early 2009. And Profit Confidential turned bullish on stocks in March of 2009 and rode the bear market rally from a Dow Jones Industrial Average of 6,440 on March 9, 2009, to 12,876 on May 2, 2011, a gain of 99%. To see the full article and to learn more about Profit Confidential, visit http://www.profitconfidential.com.

Profit Confidential is Lombardi Publishing Corporations free daily investment e-letter. Written by financial gurus with over 100 years of combined investing experience, Profit Confidential analyzes and comments on the actions of the stock market, precious metals, interest rates, real estate, and the economy. Lombardi Publishing Corporation, founded in 1986, now with over one million customers in 141 countries, is one of the largest consumer information publishers in the world. For more on Lombardi, and to get the popular Profit Confidential e-letter sent to you daily, visit http://www.profitconfidential.com.

Michael Lombardi, MBA, the lead Profit Confidential editorial contributor, has just released his most recent update of Critical Warning Number Six, a breakthrough video with Lombardis current predictions for the U.S. economy, the stock market, the U.S. dollar, the euro, interest rates, and inflation. To see the video, visit http://www.profitconfidential.com/critical-warning-number-six.

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Palo Alto, CA (PRWEB) February 21, 2011

Silicon Valley estate planning and probate lawyer Janet Brewer has released a new guide, “U.S. Gift Tax and Estate Tax Planning for Non-Residents and Non-Citizens”, highlighting key issues to consider when aspects of an estate cross international borders. The free guide is available for download at calprobate.com/international

Smart planning is essential because federal estate and gift tax laws are tough on non-citizens, even if the non-citizen has a green card, said Brewer, who frequently prepares estate plans for foreign nationals who own property or live in the U.S. In addition, many clients have assets both in the United States outside of the U.S. and not all countries recognize trusts and other tools that work within the United States.

“The tax effects of poor estate planning can be devastating,” cautions Brewer. “And, as with all estate plans, there is no opportunity for a ‘do-over.’ Heirs and loved ones will have to live with the results of what is taken care of — or not taken care of — now.”

While certified public accountants (CPAs), financial planners and other professionals can be helpful in the day-to-day management of financial affairs, it takes the special expertise of an estate planning attorney to make sure the transition of assets to heirs will go smoothly. International estate planning experience is all the more important when a non-citizen is involved.

The guide outlines key elements in an international estate plan, including:

What is considered home for the purpose of estate planning?
How the tax law treats non-citizens and non-residents differently from citizens
Treatment of minor children, including issues surrounding the choice and citizenship of a guardian
One useful estate planning tool, the Qualified Domestic Trust

“The tax rules for a noncitizen and nonresident are even more complex if he or she dies owning ‘U.S. situs’ assets,” adds Brewer. “The most common U.S. situs assets are real estate located in the U.S., stock options in a U.S. company, stock ownership in a U.S. company, and a U.S. company’s corporate bonds.

“For example, many people think land in Silicon Valley is very cheap right now. They are flocking to Los Altos, Palo Alto, Atherton, and other San Francisco Bay Area communities to purchase houses and condominiums. These real estate investors may be quite right some of the real estate in the Bay Area is at its lowest price in years. But if they are not U.S. residents and something were to happen to them, they are only entitled to a $ 60,000 exemption from U.S. gift and estate taxes non-resident aliens (NRAs) pay a much higher rate of gift and estate taxes than U.S. citizens. The good new is, with careful international estate planning, nonresidents and noncitizens can avoid tax traps.”

“When someone works hard to build up an estate, it can be devastating for the family to see it eroded by fees and taxes that could have been avoided,” said Brewer. “With this new guide as a start, families will know what kind of legal help they need, and the right questions to ask.”

The guide is one in a series of estate planning and asset protection guides offered by Brewer. For example, Brewer published a year-end tax law update for Bay Area families in December; before that, she published an alert for Bay Area CPAs about gift tax law changes. In August she published a guide telling the dos and don’ts when picking a trustee in California estate planning. Those who opt in to Brewer’s mailing list get the earliest notice about new resources when they come available.

About the Law Offices of Janet L. Brewer

Janet Brewer is a Palo Alto probate, trusts, and estate planning attorney with an advanced degree in tax law. She has practiced California estate planning, advanced gift-planning, and California probate law exclusively since 1991, and is Certified as a Specialist in Estate Planning and Probate Law by the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization. Learn more at calprobate.com or call (650) 325-8276.

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Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) November 11, 2011

Mission Statement

In Latin, Veritas means truth. In English, it means residential communities that meet the life care needs, physical and emotional, of U.S. military veterans by offering a unique package of location, price, services, amenities and, especially, honesty. Our mission is to envelop all veterans, regardless of age or demographics, whether single or with families, whether honorably discharged or not, in a secure cocoon of compassion and care that provides a sanctuary from the outside world.

Company

Veritas Villages of America, Inc., a newly formed real estate development and property management group headquartered in Philadelphia, has announced that its first residential community for veterans and their families is being developed in Smithtown, Long Island near the Northport VA Medical Center.

The Company is acquiring approximately 80 acres of undeveloped land in Smithtown, NY and is in negotiations for an additional 5 acres in Bohemia, NY for the development of a residential community and related facilities for U.S. military veterans, including retired veterans and their families as well as those coming home from overseas deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The first 37-acre site in Smithtown will feature 560 affordable condos, apartments and townhouses for sale and for rent. A portion of the units may be set aside for transitional housing. Amenities will include a beautiful, 24/7 world-class clubhouse modeled after the officers clubs on military bases. The clubhouse will feature several restaurants, around-the-clock food service, a game room, a convenience store, and a health club with a swimming pool along with other recreational facilities. The clubhouse will also include meeting rooms and banquet facilities that will host veterans organizations and Las Vegas casino nights.

The development may also include a Fisher House — a home away from home for military families to be close to a loved one during hospitalization for an illness, disease or injury. The site is only a few miles from the VA Medical Center in Northport, NY and shuttle buses will take residents to and from the VA facilities.

The 5 acres in Bohemia, NY will feature a Veritas House — an assisted living facility for 100 – 200 veterans.

Current Opportunity

There are now over 22 million veterans living in the U.S., including more than 9 million aged 65 and over 2 million younger than 35. Over the next few years, tens of thousands more service men and women are scheduled to be coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan, among other worldwide deployments. All together, these millions of vets constitute a huge market for specialized residential communities. In fact, three states alone, California, Texas and Florida, are now home to almost 2 million veterans each.

Americas veterans are generally better educated and have a higher median income ($ 35, 402 v $ 25,559) compared to the general population. In the 2008 presidential election, seventy-one percent of veterans cast a ballot, compared with 63 percent of nonveterans.

And today, 9% of all U.S. companies are majority owned by veterans. Veteran-owned firms comprised an estimated 2.4 million of the 27.1 million nonfarm businesses operating in the U.S. in 2007. And 68% of these business owners were 55 or older in 2002. This compares with 31 percent of all owners of U.S. companies. These millions of soon-to-retire business owners constitute a significant market for residential retirement communities.

In addition to their sheer numbers, U.S. military veterans also offer another profitable attribute: government benefits. Total amount of federal government spending for veterans benefits programs in fiscal year 2009 was $ 95.6 billion. Of this total, $ 44.7 billion went to compensation and pensions, $ 43.4 billion for medical programs and the remainder to other programs, including vocational rehabilitation and education.

The approach

Through passion and commitment, Brian Mahon, a disabled former Marine and founder of Veritas Villages of America, has assembled a skilled and experienced management team who believe not only in offering veterans outstanding housing opportunities, but also in helping veterans receive their maximum benefits.

Too many veterans after serving their country, Brian points out, are faced with difficult adjustments to civilian life. Veritas Village will afford them the resources to access whatever assistance is available, and welcome them to an environment that they will feel comfortable navigating. In doing so, Veritas Village management will offer a better overall quality of life to the men and women who have served their country and, by defending our freedom, have given everyone in America the quality of life we all enjoy.

The first Veritas Village, in Smithtown, Long Island, will be typical of the entire system. It will feature an eighty-acre residential community combining multi-family housing with single family residences. Included will be the amenities described above along with an adjacent bank, a convenience store and a pharmacy. There will also be shuttle bus transportation to and from the nearby Northport VA Medical Center. Providing jobs for veterans will be another hallmark of all Veritas Village communities. The companys employment policy will mandate the hiring of veterans for all on-premise jobs, from shuttle bus drivers, security personnel and maintenance workers to restaurant and health club staffs.

Affordability and Profitability

A major factor in the affordability of Veritas Village residences for veterans and their profitability for Veritas Villages of America, Inc. will be the utilization of Simplex Homes in place of traditional home construction. Simplex is one of the countrys leading manufacturers of high quality, very attractive, yet inexpensive, modular housing.

Also key to the profitability of Veritas Village communities will be the companys ability to win U.S. government grants for providing veteran housing and to qualify for the HUD-VASH housing voucher program. And whenever possible and appropriate, Veritas Villages will offer to donate property for the development of a nationally-acclaimed Fisher House where families of VA hospital patients can stay when visiting hospitalized relatives.

Veritas Wilderness Villages.

Not all returning vets adjust well to living in urban areas or even suburban communities. Some prefer living in secluded areas without nearby neighbors, even wilderness areas that take advantage of their military training and survival expertise. For these vets, we will offer Veritas Wilderness Villages, large, rugged reservations in Wyoming or Idaho or Arizona that will afford the best of both worlds: The wilderness living experience without next-door neighbors with the security and the assurance that basic needs will be met along with access to medical care.

Wilderness Village residents will be brought by helicopter to a prepositioned fiberglass POD along with their belongings, a cell phone, food and other supplies. Additional food and supplies will be brought in to residents on a regular schedule. Residents can choose to leave at any time for any reason. Should they choose to leave, they will be brought out by helicopter and taken to a traditional Veritas Village residence. Conversely, residents of traditional Veritas Village communities can choose to vacation for a week or two at a Veritas Wilderness Village.

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(PRWEB) November 18, 2011

Farmers National Company, the nations leading agricultural services company, reports that demand for farmland is at an all-time high based on a record number of transactions pushing sales prices up 20 percent, on average, over 2010.

Miami, FL (PRWEB) November 25, 2011

Ever since the financial crisis of 2008, a growing number of Americans have lost faith in Wall Street and have recognized the value of diversifying their retirement portfolios with domestic or foreign real estate investment options. IRA Financial Group, the leading provider of checkbook control Self Directed IRA solutions, has developed a platform for making real estate, precious metals, international stocks, bonds, and foreign currency transactions tax-free with retirement funds.

A Self-Directed IRA, also called a Self-Directed IRA LLC with checkbook control, is an IRS approved structure that allows one to use their retirement funds to make real estate and other investments tax-free and without custodian consent. The Self-Directed IRA involves the establishment of a limited liability company (LLC) that is owned by the IRA (care of the IRA custodian) and managed by you or any third-party. As manager of the IRA LLC, you will have control over the IRA assets to make the investments you want and understand not just investments forced upon you by Wall Street.

(PRWEB) November 24, 2011

Michael Lombardi, leading contributor to Profit Confidential, was in Miami last weekend and realtor after realtor was telling him that the biggest condo building bust in history has bottomed out and that it is rebounding with the U.S. housing market. Buyers are snapping up properties, one-third of them paying cash, and the best deals are gone.

Lombardi is not sure he believes them. Or, to rephrase: hes not sure they understand. Lombardi is the analyst who correctly predicted the housing crash and told his readers to get out of real estate a couple of years before the crash.

We all remember when banks pulled way back on home foreclosures in 2010, as they were accused of not having their paperwork in order when they foreclosed. This put a temporary halt to U.S. home foreclosures. Now that theyve cleaned up their act, big U.S. banks are actually starting to accelerate their foreclosures.

In the third quarter of 2011, U.S. banks started foreclosures on more homes than at any other time in the past 12 months. According to Profit Confidential, Banks have a backlog of foreclosures in the U.S. housing market to start work on as a result of the banks cooling foreclosures during the period they were being accused of faulty foreclosure practices.

According to the National Association of Realtors, U.S. home prices fell in three-quarters of all metropolitan areas in the third quarter of 2011. The median price of homes in the U.S. was down 4.7% in the third quarter of 2011, compared to the same period of 2010. Foreclosure sales still make up 30% of all U.S. housing market activity at the resale level.

Hence, we have a situation where more foreclosed homes are coming onto the U.S. housing market and U.S. home prices are still dropping. But this is not the real problem.

If the Federal Reserve could keep long-term interest rates down for the next 10 to 20 years, the U.S. housing market would have a chance to recover. Unfortunately, the Fed cant keep rates that low for that long. Interest rates will have to rise sooner rather than later as inflation becomes a problem in America.

Lombardi states Rising interest rates will only depress the U.S. housing market further. This is what realtors dont understand the best bargains may lie further ahead.

Profit Confidential, which has been published for over a decade now, has been widely recognized as predicting five major economic events over the past 10 years. In 2002, Profit Confidential started advising its readers to buy gold-related investments when gold traded under $ 300 an ounce. In 2006, it begged its readers to get out of the housing market…before it plunged.

Profit Confidential was among the first (back in late 2006) to predict that the U.S. economy would be in a recession by late 2007. The daily e-letter correctly predicted the crash in the stock market of 2008 and early 2009. And Profit Confidential turned bullish on stocks in March of 2009 and rode the bear market rally from a Dow Jones Industrial Average of 6,440 on March 9, 2009, to 12,876 on May 2, 2011, a gain of 99%. To see the full article and to learn more about Profit Confidential, visit http://www.profitconfidential.com.

Profit Confidential is Lombardi Publishing Corporations free daily investment e-letter. Written by financial gurus with over 100 years of combined investing experience, Profit Confidential analyzes and comments on the actions of the stock market, precious metals, interest rates, real estate, and the economy. Lombardi Publishing Corporation, founded in 1986, now with over one million customers in 141 countries, is one of the largest consumer information publishers in the world. For more on Lombardi, and to get the popular Profit Confidential e-letter sent to you daily, visit http://www.profitconfidential.com.

Michael Lombardi, MBA, the lead Profit Confidential editorial contributor, has just released his most recent update of Critical Warning Number Six, a breakthrough video with Lombardis current predictions for the U.S. economy, stock market, U.S. dollar, euro, interest rates and inflation. To see the video, visit http://www.profitconfidential.com/critical-warning-number-six.

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Top 10 Luxury Home Markets To Watch for Price Increases or Reductions
The Unique Homes Magazine has listed 25 luxury home markets to watch in 2007 in its January issue. According to the Unique Homes report the 25 luxury markets will indicate where the luxury real estate market is heading to. These markets along with features that make them stand out from the rest are worth watching out for.
The following is a brief report on the top 10 luxury home markets to watch for price increases or reductions in 2007.
1. Annapolis, Maryland. The waterfront city located on Chesapeake Bay offers excellent boating and affordable prices compared to Washington’s luxury enclaves. With Washington and Baltimore within reasonable commute, this city is highly desirable.
2. Asheville, North Carolina. An eclectic ambiance and low-key lifestyle attracts people to Asheville which continues to remain one of the hottest places for luxury home buyers.
3. Aspen, Colorado. From a ski enclave this luxury market has grown into a platinum location. With its four-season appeal and restrictive zoning policies, Aspen is still a highly-sought after destination.
4. Atlanta, Georgia. The city offers several new upscale communities, numerous lifestyle amenities, retreats and much sought after waterfront luxury homes.
5. Austin, Texas. A strong real estate market that saw record gains in 2006, the reputable University of Texas, the scenic lakes and the great music attracts buyers to this hill country.
6. Bellevue/Medina, Washington. With prices going up at 28 percent, the market has still not peaked and several upscale neighborhoods are available at a lower price range when compared to other markets.
7. Beverly Hills, California. One of the top ranked luxury markets that is perpetually in demand, Beverly Hills continues to be untarnished and idolized as the Mecca for luxury. Hollywood Hills is currently a hot market for buyers.
8. Idaho. The growing resort markets in the state garner attention for the state that is making its presence felt in the luxury home market.
9. Jupiter, Florida. The boom has arrived here after Tiger Woods’ purchase of a 10-acre estate for $38 m. The market continues to surge on this exclusive island.
10. Manhattan Uptown, downtown, midtown. The luxury market is upbeat with record sales of more than $5 m in 2006 accelerated by Wall Streeters. Co-ops and town houses are favorites among buyers here.
If you are interested in buying or selling a home, condo or any other type of real estate in any of these markets, be sure to seek out the services of a real estate agent to advise you about current local market conditions.

Often with financial help from parents, some college-age students choose to purchase homes or condos in communities where they attend college. This option allows students to live in a property that is usually more spacious and comfortable than typical dormitory-style rooms. For students who value attending a college with a large football program, affordable real estate may be an important criterion when selecting a college or university.
Coldwell Banker, a real estate firm, conducted a recent survey to identify the most affordable college football towns. The survey compared the average price of a single- family home with 2200 square feet, 4 bedrooms, 2

The price of housing is a major challenge in the United States. Some estimates note that more than 50% of the population cannot afford a median priced home. According to National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), of the total number of new and existing homes sold nationwide during the third quarter, only 40.4 percent were affordable for families earning the median U.S. income of $59,600.
But it is good news that housing affordability on the national level has not changed much in the third quarter in spite of a rise in the mortgage interest rates during the last quarter. This was because many markets saw a slight decrease in their home prices, which helped offset the rise in mortgage rates.
Indianapolis (Indiana) is the most affordable city for homes in America, based on the 2006 third quarter report of the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index (HOI). The city achieved this status for the fifth consecutive quarter.
Of the total number of housing units sold in Indianapolis during the third quarter, 86 percent of homes were priced at or below the U.S. median household income of $65,100. Homes in this metro area had a median sales price of $122,000, which is slightly higher from $120,000 of the previous quarter.
It is interesting to note that the most affordable U.S. cities for homes, condos and other real estate are largely from the northern industrial metro areas. The other larger cities that top the list for affordable homes in the third quarter after Indianapolis are Youngstown-Warren-Boardman (Ohio-Pennsylvania); Detroit-Livonia-Dearborn (Michigan); Buffalo-Niagara Falls (New York); and Grand Rapids and Wyoming (Michigan).
The report also lists the top seven smaller cities in America that have the most affordable housing markets. These are: Bay City in Michigan, Springfield in Ohio, Mansfield in Ohio, Lansing-East Lansing in Michigan, Lima in Ohio, Battle Creek in Michigan and Canton-Massillon in Ohio.
For both major metros and small metros, many of the least affordable cities are located in California. The least affordable major metro areas are Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, Modesto, Stockton, and San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, in that order. The least affordable smaller metros (less than 500,000 people) include: Salinas, Merced, Madera, Napa, and Santa Barbara-Santa Maria.
The good news for homebuyers is that there are many affordable cities in the United States. Moreover, even for cities that rated poorly for affordability, there may be some communities within the larger city that have affordable housing. For example, although the San Diego metro in California rated poorly overall for affordability, there are some communities in San Diego priced to meet the needs of lower-income home buyers. A good real estate agent can help you choose a community where you want to live based on your housing budget and needs.

Modest median price gains in new and existing homes, a stable interest rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage, decreased housing starts and a stable unemployment rate are some of the features of the 2007 housing forecast provided by major trade group economists as reported by The Inman News.
NAR chief economist David Lereah expects new-home sales to fall from 1.07 million units sold in 2006 to 975,000 units in 2007, which is an 8.7% decline. He cites decreased new home construction as a large contributing factor to this change. The median new home price of $238,400 in 2006 is expected to increase by 1.3 percent to $241,400 in 2007.
NAR also predicts that existing home sales figures for 2006 to end around 6.47 million units, which is an 8.6% decline from 2005. The 2007 forecast for existing home sales is 6.43 million units. The median price of existing homes in 2006 was $223,700 and is expected to increase 1.7% to $227,500 in 2007.
Doug Duncan, chief economist for the Mortgage Bankers Association predicts the interest rates on 30-year fixed mortgages to stay around 6.5 percent, but mortgage originations to fall 14% to $2.1 trillion.
While Lereah predicts that the unemployment rate to stay at 4.7 percent, Duncan takes it higher and believes it may reach 5.2 percent by midyear 2007. However, he concurs with Lereah in predicting modest home price gains in new and existing homes for the coming year.
The housing forecast of The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) is in line with NAR and the Mortgage Bankers Association. According to David Seiders, Chief Economist at NAHB, the year 2007 will see the housing market re-adjust itself once the housing demand stabilizes, leading to a healthy balance between supply and demand.
Looking at the state level, the California Association of Realtors (CAR) projects that the median price of California homes will end 2006 around $560,700, and will decline in 2007 to $550,000 — a 1.7% drop. The number of units sold in California will end 2006 around 481,200, and is projected to decrease 447,500 in 2007. CAR predicts that the unemployment rate will stay around 5.1 percent, although interest rates on the 30-year fixed mortgage may hover around 6.7 percent in 2007.
The overall housing forecast for 2007 made by these four major real estate trade groups is not at all bad. Home buyers and investors planning to go ahead with their real estate activities can fare better with the help of a good real estate agent.

Eager to know the top cites in America where one can safely invest? Here are the best real estate markets in the entire country according to a recent report from Business 2.0 Magazine. The November 2006 edition of the magazine lists the top ten cities that are ideal to buy a home. These are – Panama City and Vero Beach in Florida, Bridgeport in Connecticut, Lakeland in Florida, McAllen in Texas, San Luis Obispo in California, Wilmington in North Carolina, Manchester in New Hampshire, Fort Collins in Colorado and Atlanta in Georgia. The report cites the appreciation rates of home prices projected over a period of five years.
Florida enjoys the status of having three of the top four cities to invest in. Panama City, which tops the list of best places to buy real estate is expected to have a real estate appreciation of 72% over the next five years. Major real estate development projects such as the building of a new airport and low property prices are expected to boost the economy and the housing market.
Vero Beach, projected to have an appreciation of 64%, comes second for its excellent weather, low property taxes and a lower cost of living. Lakeland, with a 59% projected gain in home prices is a tempting option with homes selling for a fifth less than the national median price.
Buying a home in Bridgeport, CT is a bargain now with median home prices at a very low $280,000 compared to the rest of the Fairfield County. Home prices in McAllen, TX which holds the fifth place, are expected to soar by 57%.
It is estimated that homes in the McAllen, TX area may appreciate 57 percent with an increase in the median home price from $70,000 to $109,000.
Homeowners making an investment in San Luis Obispo, California, today, are expected to get a good appreciation (40%) on their homes over the next five years.
The median home price in Wilmington, NC is expected to increase to $297,000 by 2011, up from the current price of $217,000, an increase by 37%.
Manchester, NH, which has twice been rated as the ‘best place to live’ in America by Money Magazine, sits at eighth place with an expected appreciation of 35%.
Fort Collins and Atlanta follow in the ninth and tenth places of top cities for real estate investment in the USA. Fort Collins, one of the most popular cities in America, has been ranked as the ‘No.1 small city’ this year by Money Magazine. Recent price reductions in the housing market makes ‘now’ the best time to buy a home or condo in this city with an estimated property appreciation of 28%. Atlanta is poised for a significant appreciation too with an expected rise of up to 24% in home prices over the next five years.
So, if you are a prospective homebuyer set to take a plunge into any of the top ten real estate markets, it is the right time to enlist the services of a good real estate agent who can guide you through the complicated home buying process.

Buying a home is a big-time real estate investment and has to be done with great prudence. Knowing where not to buy a home is as important as are the dos and don’ts of buying a home.
Of the many top ten lists on CNNMoney.com, there is listed the top ten overvalued cities in America where it is better not to buy a home for the next two years or so. The report states a variety of reasons for the unfavorable market conditions.
Five cities in California – Bakersfield, Fresno, Merced, Sacramento and Stockton, figure among the top ten cities that have the least possibility of home price appreciation. Home prices have reached a new high (by nearly 60%) in these areas over the past two years. With an economy driven by agriculture and relatively higher unemployment rates anticipated for that area, the real estate market is predicted to slump in the region.
Although three cities in Florida are recommended as good real estate buys, the report also cites four others in Southwest Florida that fall among the very bottom of the list. With home prices here expected to plummet very soon, cities like Fort Myers, Naples, Punta Gorda and Sarasota are those that one would do best to avoid for a year’s time or so, while buying a home or a condo.
Market prices are expected to decline in the Jersey Shore (New Jersey) area that saw a radical boom in the last two quarters. Although home prices in the third quarter have rebounded from the slight drop during the second quarter, the bubble is expected to burst soon and the overpriced market is likely to stabilize. The popular seaside cities of New Jersey, Atlantic City and Ocean city are anticipated to fall under the unfavorable list.
In Phoenix, Arizona, a hot favorite among investors last year, sliding home prices may to be an unavoidable occurrence in the next 12 months. With home prices dropping by more than $100,000 in some residential developments and investors trying to sell off their property, it is safer to wait for a year or longer before investing here.
Economists at Moody’s Economy.com also predict a sharp decline in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, California’s Inland Empire.
The bottom ten cities that are likely to see major drops in median home prices during the coming year are Stockton, (leading the list with a predicted fall of 9.7%), Merced, Reno/Sparks, Fresno, Vallejo/Fairfield, Las Vegas, Bakersfield, Sacramento, Washington, D.C and Tucson.
Given these fluctuating real estate market conditions, one should exercise a great deal of caution when investing in real estate. It makes sense to get the expert advice of a real estate agent to advise you about your next home purchase, since agents often have access to the most up-to-date real estate market data and neighborhood pricing trends.

On any given day, people can easily find articles and news stories describing an impending bust of the so-called real estate bubble. Despite this gloomy prediction, many experts believe that the recent slowdown in housing will be a gradual and modest readjustment rather than sharp bust or decline. These experts believe that factors that lead to a sharp decline in the real estate market are just not present in the current economic outlook. In fact, a recent study by the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University noted that “despite the current cool-down, the long-term outlook for housing is bright.”
The rise and fall of the real estate market is subject to the forces of supply and demand, and these factors point to stable and positive growth in the real estate segment.SUPPLY FACTORS
Limited supply of real estate makes it scarce and usually pushes home prices up. In contrast, an oversupply of real estate tends to put downward pressure on home prices. Despite the current slow down in the real estate market, factors that impact limited supply favor continued growth in the real estate market. Some of these factors include:
1. Builders have readjusted growth plans in regions that have an oversupply of new housing. Over time, any excess inventory is likely to be depleted and equilibrium achieved between supply and demand.
2. The availability of land in certain regions, as well land use regulations and associated compliance costs will continue to restrict the supply of new homes.DEMAND FACTORS:
Housing located in regions with high demand tend to be more expensive than homes in regions with low demand. Factors that impact the demand for housing suggests a favorable long-term housing outlook. Some of these factors include:
1. No current evidence of significant and across-the-board job losses; forecasts of relatively low unemployment rates.
2. Long-term increased demand for second homes, vacation homes and senior housing by baby boomers.
3. Long-term increased demand for entry-level homes by the children of baby boomers.
4. Long-term increased demand for entry-level homes by immigrants.
5. Long-term increased demand for entry-level homes by second-generation Americans.
6. Forecasts that the outflows and inflows of the U.S. population in and out different regions will not significantly impact the overall U.S. real estate housing market.
7. Relative stability in interest rates.
8. Continued stability in long-term home appreciation rates.
9. Overall, rising rate of wealth across all age groups.SUMMARY
In summary, strong household growth, overall rising incomes and wealth, and a stable economy all bode well for continued long-term growth in the real estate market. While the overall housing outlook is favorable, affordability will continue to be a challenge, as wages, especially in the lower income levels, have not kept up with housing costs.

Buying home, condo or any other real estate in a market that is protected from a bursting bubble is every investor’s dream. Knowing where to look for these bubble-proof markets and how to identify them is crucial.
There are some important factors that investors should consider when searching for stable investments such as single-family homes, condos or any other type of real estate. Some of these factors include a fast growing population (which positively impacts the demand for housing), a solid and diverse economy (which impacts employment rates and subsequent demand for housing), rising incomes (which impacts buyers’ ability to purchase real estate), a developing infrastructure (which contributes to the appeal of a city or community), and restrictions on future real estate development (which limits future supply of real estate). Investing in real estate within communities that meet these criteria may prove to be more profitable than communities that are missing one or more of these factors.
A recent report by Business 2.0 Magazine identified U.S. cities that have consistently demonstrated price appreciation in the real estate market. The October 2006 issue of the Magazine identified the top 5 real estate markets that demonstrated an upward price trend over a long period time. The top-ranking cities were:
1. San Francisco, California
2. Los Angeles, California
3. Seattle, Washington
4. Boston, Massachusetts
5. New York City, New York
San Francisco topped the list with an average annual home price appreciation of 4.2% from 1949 to 2006. In contrast, the national average was 2.3%. Strong restrictions on real estate development and a limited geography helped push San Francisco to the top slot.
Los Angeles ranked second in the report. The average annual home price appreciation in Los Angeles was 3.7% from 1949 to 2006. Reductions in available land and increasing restrictions on further development helped pushed Los Angeles to the number 2 slot.
Home prices in Seattle, which was third on the list, demonstrated an average appreciation rate of 3.2% from 1949 to 2006. While Seattle made the top 5 list, recent easing of building restrictions may cause Seattle to fall out of the top 5 over the next few years.
Boston was fourth in the rankings. The city has seen annual home prices appreciate by 3% over the period from 1949 to 2006. A strong increase in per capita income contributed to Boston’s high ranking.
New York City follows close behind with an average annual home price appreciation of 3% from 1949 to 2006. A limited geography, large population, and finite number of properties contributed to New York’s high ranking.
While there is no guarantee that any of the real estate markets listed previously are truly “bubble proof,” the factors described above may help investors find the profitable markets and avoid “bubble” markets. Since the real estate market is constantly changing, be sure to seek out the services of a skillful real estate agent to help you navigate your next real estate purchase.

Despite a recent slowdown, the U.S. real estate market continues to be a popular investment destination for foreign investors. Attracted by a desirable return on investment, many foreign nations continue to invest heavily in the U.S. residential and commercial real estate markets. In fact, in 2005, foreign investment in U.S. real estate reached 1.83 trillion.
To evaluate the impact of foreign investment on the U.S. real estate market, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) produced a 2006 report entitled ‘Foreign Investment in U.S. Real Estate: Current Trends and Historical Perspective.’ The report provides insights into the trends in foreign real estate investment, its impact on the U.S. economy, and the major countries that participate in U.S. real estate investment. Below are some highlights from the NAR report.
According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, the top seven countries that had significant holdings in U.S. real estate as of 2005 were:
Germany – 13 %
Latin America – 13 %
Australia – 11 %
Japan -10 %
United Kingdom – 10 %
Canada – 6 %
Netherlands – 6 %
The U.S. economy is wide open to foreign investors. Both investors and Americans significantly benefit from all this foreign investment. The NAR study estimates that without foreign investments in the securities market, the long-term lending rates would be four percentage points higher than the current rate, which would adversely impact the U.S. real estate market.
Foreign direct investment into the U.S. not only creates more jobs but also contributes to the demand for U.S. real estate. In fact, foreign investment may be responsible for creating two million U.S. jobs by the end of 2006, which further bolsters the demand for U.S. real estate.
Permanent and temporary immigration of foreign-born workers into the U.S. further bolsters the demand for real estate. According to the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University, 1.2 million net immigrants are expected to arrive in the United States annually. This immigration pattern is expected to offset the decrease in housing demand by post baby-boomer generations.
In summary, the impact of foreign investment and immigration into the U.S. will continue to play a major role in the U.S. real estate market.