Blog Archive for December, 2010

The issuance of building permits for 2010 remain sluggish at best.  As of November of this year, building permits were issued on only seven single-family homes in the City of Steamboat Springs.  For the rest of Routt County (excluding Hayden), an additional 25 permits were pulled.

This lack of activity is largely the result of excess inventory in both the residential and commercial markets.  Spec projects are virtually non-existent, as most spec builders remain on the sidelines, waiting for market conditions to improve.  Right now, much of the existing inventory is priced below what it costs to build.  As a ...

from “Economists’ Optimism Building Steam for ’11,” Jeannine Aversa and Christopher S. Rugaber for The Associated Press, The Denver Post, Dec 17, 2010.

“Growth ‘has improved as the year is coming to an end.  I’m feeling more optimistic that the economic recovery will evolve into a self-sustaining expansion in 2011,’ said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics.”  Experts seem to be in agreement that new government reports published this week and looking at layoffs, factory production, and consumer spending along with current Congressional plans for tax-cuts indicate that 2011 will herald more improvement in our economy.  The ...

from “Countering the Critics,” Brian Summerfield for Realtor, Nov/Dec 2010.

Home Ownership Matters is the theme of a newly (September, 2010) launched, National Association of Realtors campaign.  The campaign has these objectives: to present facts about home ownership’s benefits to the U.S. economy and society; to preserve federal home ownership incentives, such as the mortgage interest deduction, while championing sensible reforms for the FHA and the secondary mortgage market; and to help the public understand the value proposition of responsible, sustainable home ownership.  In response to the possible withdrawal of home ownership tax incentives, the NAR is ...