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Economy
Existing-Home Sales Plunge, Setback for Housing Recovery
2011-03-21
Sales of previously owned U.S. homes fell unexpectedly sharply in February and prices touched their lowest level in nearly nine years, implying a housing market recovery was still a long off.

The National Association of Realtors said Monday sales fell 9.6 percent month over month to an annual rate of 4.88 million units, snapping three straight months of gains.
Unexpectedly! (man... if I had a dollar for every time I heard that, I could fill up my gas tank on my Hummer)
Posted by:DarthVader

#10  I just want some sort of independent check on the assessors and the treasurers offices to make sure the institutions holding the paper on those houses that have been on the market for 2+ years are paying their taxes or they're moved to the sheriff's sale.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2011-03-21 23:16  

#9  I'd love to own a house but can't afford it. Never have, probably never will. But I do feel a tiny bit sorry for all the dumb bastards who did buy homes they can't afford. But not for all the greedy speculators who drove up prices thinking they would rake in cash for houses they never intended to live in.
Posted by: Scooter McGruder   2011-03-21 21:02  

#8  The value of your home isn't as important as the mill levy assessed against it by all your local taxing entities. Your friendly appraiser could lower all valuations by 50% but I guarantee you'll still pay the same amount in property taxes.
Posted by: whitecollar redneck   2011-03-21 21:00  

#7  Thank you TW I'll pass that on. I should see him Thursday.
Posted by: Dale   2011-03-21 20:57  

#6  But he built this home himself.

Dale, have your friend consult a competent real estate agent. "Competent" in this case is defined by an agent who has at least five years of $1 million in sales over the last decade. He'll want her to pull up at least three comparable houses that recently sold in his area, and have her explain why they got those prices compared to what his would sell for. With that information he might well win his argument with the assessment office. Without that information he most certainly won't.
Posted by: trailing wife   2011-03-21 19:42  

#5  AH Hello!; Yes give it back to the state. But he built this home himself. He was Vietnamese but escaped with one sister. His other sister was killed. So he has fought for everything he has got here. He doesn't want to make waves but he feels this country is becoming like his old country where the government just takes.
Posted by: Dale   2011-03-21 19:03  

#4  now $6000 when most homes in his area are in bankruptcy When taxes match the home's resale value, give it to the state!
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418   2011-03-21 18:45  

#3  I have heard West Virginia is sending out assessors
to evaluate properties assessment."unexpectedly" your property taxes go up. I know of one family in Pennsylvania that get property tax increases every year. Began at $4000 next year $5000 now $6000 when most homes in his area are in bankruptcy. $600,000 dollar homes now if sold are going for $200,000.
Posted by: Dale   2011-03-21 18:09  

#2  "unexpectedly" applies to housing, unemployment, inflation, election outcomes....anything that doesn't match the White House expectations as they forge ahead with policies that are oblivious to reality on every front.
Posted by: NoMoreBS   2011-03-21 15:53  

#1  unexpectedly
Posted by: Jairt Tingle8527   2011-03-21 15:36  

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