Market Matters

Housing Isn’t Overvalued, Except in These 10 Spots Source: Wall St. Journal With winter over and housing data showing a market that is bouncing back, bubble markets are few and far between—that is with California being the exception. Eight of the 10 most overvalued U.S. housing markets are in the Golden State; specifically, Orange Country, Los Angeles, and Riverside-San Bernardino are in the top four. Potential bubbles are determined by using price-to-income and price-to-rent ratios, as well as comparing home prices to historical trends. Read the full story

5 Surprising Missteps That Sabotage Mortgage-Seekers Source: AOL Real Estate   Common credit mistakes could complicate the mortgage process for potential home buyers. Consequently, knowing ahead of time what one shouldn’t do can make all the difference in ensuring that a buyer does not jeopardize the loan approval process. For example, applying for credit during the loan process is a red flag. Read the full story

International buyers are looking for more than just vacation homes Source: HousingWire Dense, urban areas are now attracting the attention of international buyers rather than holiday properties in markets like Miami, Aspen, and Palm Springs. Prospective buyers in Brazil, Australia, France, Italy and Russia are searching for urban areas with greater frequency, primarily in Los Angeles, New York City, and Miami. Read the full story Housing prices cooling slightly Source: San Francisco Chronicle   While home prices aren’t exactly falling, they are rising at a slower pace. According to the S&P/Case-Shiller 20-city home price index, prices rose "only" 10.8 percent in April, compared with April of last year, which was a smaller increase than the 11.6 percentage increase that experts were expecting, and substantially lower than in previous months. Read the full story