Monday, September 19, 2011

Housing News Digest, September 19

City’s available affordable housing hits new heights
Aspen’s housing office is carrying its highest available inventory of income-capped homes for sale in recent memory, as unstable economic conditions continue to influence the local working class.

The Aspen/Pitkin Housing Authority (APCHA) showed 21 units for sale last week, which housing operations manager Cindy Christensen said was the most available since at least 2002.

HOA conference skedded in Vail

The Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Community Associations Institution will hold its eighth annual Mountain Conference on Oct. 6 in Vail, the non-profit group that deals with Home Owner Association issues announced today.

The conference, to be held from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. at the Vail Cascade Resort and Spa, 1300 Westhaven Dr., will deal with issues such as how aging mountain condo and townhome communities address needed repairs at a time when HOA revenues are down and lending opportunities scarce. Registration is $60 for chapter members and $75 for non-members.

Loveland commercial real estate brokers see recovery on the horizon
LOVELAND -- In July 2005 James Loonan paid $500,000 for an office space in the Colorado Commercial Real Estate Plaza on the northwest corner of Cleveland Avenue and Eisenhower Boulevard, public records show.

But in the midst of the economic slump, he closed his civil engineering firm Loonan & Associates Inc., 1435 N. Cleveland Ave., Suite A, and put the unit on the market more than a year ago, according to Bill Veio, a commercial broker and local developer selling the space.

Threat of downturn derails housing recovery: Fannie Mae

The threat of another economic downturn is stalling a housing recovery, Fannie Mae said in a report Monday.

The economy remains in a fragile state and is highly susceptible to additional shocks that could further erode economic growth, according to a study provided by the government-sponsored enterprise's Economics & Mortgage Market Analysis group.

Homebuilder confidence falls in latest NAHB survey

Homebuilder optimism remains limited, despite historically low mortgage interest rates as demand just isn't there, according to the latest National Association of Home Builders index.

The NAHB and Wells Fargo (WFC: 24.18 -3.09%) survey builders to gauge perceptions of the new, single-family home market for the next six months. A score higher than 50 indicates more builders view the market as good than poor.