Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Real Estate Expected to Flounder in 2007 The newest forecast by Moody's Economy.com, a private research firm, projected that the median sales price for an existing home will decline in 2007 by 3.6 percent -- the first decline for an entire year in U.S. home prices since the Great Depression of the 1930s. 9:32:54 AM

DE: Cedar Shore Condo still an empty lot A year to the day after a devastating fire that razed an 18-unit condominium to the ground at Cedar Shores, residents are still waiting for the association board to make a decision to rebuild their former home. 9:26:00 AM

NY: Women Unafraid of Condo Commitment In the last five months, single women spent more than $30 million out of the $100 million or so in sales in the 299-unit condominium. In fact, single women bought 72 of the first 165 apartments sold. Spending by these women far surpassed that of single men, who accounted for $19 million. Married couples accounted for about $45 million in sales, and investors $5 million. 9:22:30 AM

AZ: Homeowners foot repairs A recent wave of vandalism in Arrowhead Ranch neighborhoods has homeowners association board members scratching their heads and dipping into their wallets. 9:08:42 AM

FL: Geotube is alive, well and working along Boca Raton’s shoreline The geotube that was installed more than five years ago amid concerns about seawater eroding the foundation of a shoreline high-rise condominium in Boca Raton is still there – and still doing its job of protecting the building. 9:04:51 AM

Experts Warn Insurance Regulators About Dangers of New Madrid Fault Earthquake, insurance and building code experts from across the country today warned state insurance regulators of the catastrophic consequences when middle America experiences a replay of the 1811 and 1812 New Madrid series of earthquakes, and recommended that the regulators support a comprehensive solution that includes financial protections, public education, stronger building codes and strengthening first responders to better prepare for such an event. 9:03:51 AM

FL: Eagles' new nest tree puts new twist on debate Now it seems the eagles have finally agreed, building a new nest in a new tree — and flying into a new face-off with Signature Communities, which wants to build five high-rise condominium towers northwest of Wiggins Pass Road and Vanderbilt Drive. 8:59:21 AM

OR: Quick condo conversions put tenants in a bind, while cities can offer little help Three months ago, dozens of residents of an apartment complex at 2025 S.E. Caruthers St. – including recent college grads entering the working world, and two women who’d earlier been displaced by Hurricane Katrina – were told their building was being converted to a condominium complex. Tenants were given just five weeks to leave their apartments – either that, or buy them. 8:56:27 AM

FL: Delray condo association to settle housing bias suit A condo association in Delray Beach has agreed to pay $150,000 to settle a federal housing discrimination lawsuit, according to The Fair Housing Center of the Greater Palm Beaches Inc., a plaintiff in the case. 8:55:00 AM

FL: Condo auction attracts many bidders, few sales Forty condominium units at The Hamptons at Tampa Palms were sold at a public auction over the past weekend, at an average price of $148,000 a unit.  J.P. King Auction Co. of Gadsden, Ala., managed the sale of the units, which were among the most expensive converted apartments in the Tampa Bay area. 8:46:10 AM