In December 2011, Congress reached a last-minute deal to fund the payroll tax cut extension. The payroll tax extension will provide a 2% tax reduction for individuals making up to $106,800 – so the tax extension will be very helpful for many Americans who are struggling during these tough economic times. But like so many [...]
The economy and the housing market continue to recover… but that recovery is viewed as a marathon, not a sprint. Last month, the Fed reiterated that sentiment. On the one hand, the Fed’s Policy Statement that it released after its regularly scheduled meeting was pretty much the same story, including such statements as stable long-term [...]
It’s been said that no news is good news. But last week, the Jobs Report brought some good news for the labor market. The headline Jobs Report showed 243,000 jobs created, which was much better than expected. Meanwhile, a whopping 257,000 private jobs were created, also much higher than expected. Upward revisions to November and [...]
The National Association of Realtors® surveys homebuyers and sellers each year to uncover housing trends and monitor changes taking place in the industry. This year’s report highlights a number of trends that haven’t been seen in years. Here are just 11 highlights from the 2011 report. 1. In 2011, 37% of homebuyers were first-time buyers [...]
On the one hand, the housing market still remains uncertain. For instance: Foreclosures will still be a concern in 2012 as a fresh wave will be hitting the market…and that will prevent a broad-based pricing recovery in housing. However, the good news is that the delinquency rates have declined and should continue to do so. [...]