There were No Homes sold in the Rhinebeck School District  above $585 K in the 1st Quarter of 2013.

Of the 15 homes sold in the 1st Quarter of 2013, only one home sold above the the original list price. This home sold for $4,600 above the original list price. 14 Rhinebeck homes sold for less than the original list price.

Hudson Valley Restaurant Week, the "must–do" dining event heralding spring, returns March 11–24, 2013. Featuring more than 170 restaurants across seven counties, it is one of the largest Restaurant Week events in the country.

9 Rhinebeck,NY homes sold between August 2012 and January 28, 2013. The price range for these homes is $500,000 - $900,000.

83 homes sold in 2012 in the Rhinebeck Central School District.

The housing market is on the slow road to recovery. The one thing standing in the way of a more robust housing recovery, is tight credit.

Appraisals are generally ordered by banks so they can verify the value of collateral before granting a mortgage. Before the housing crash, when home values seemed only to rise, appraisals were almost an afterthought. But now, with banks far more cautious about lending, a low appraisal can torpedo a deal.

Come dine and sample the prodigious bounty of the Hudson Valley in the hands of the best chefs when Hudson Valley Restaurant Week returns for an encore this fall.

In September 2012, 7 of the 7 Rhinebeck homes sold for less than the Original List Price. 

Some housing analysts are concerned that the housing recovery so far has been driven so much by all–cash investors that as these supplies dwindle, due to continuing bank delays and more loan modifications, the overall home sales numbers will drop going into the end of the year.

The long–awaited recovery in bank lending to consumers is well under way in some smaller U.S. cities but remains depressed in large metropolitan areas on the East and West coasts, according to an analysis of data by The Wall Street Journal.

As lenders plow through a backlog of over five million delinquent mortgages, short sales are becoming an ever more popular escape route. A short sale is when the bank allows a home to be sold for less than the value of the mortgage. The bank takes the loss, but that loss is generally less than a more costly foreclosure.

Home prices typically are strongest in the summer, the busiest season for home sales, before declining later in the year. But the 5.9% rise far surpasses the 0.4% gain seen through the same period last year and the 2% gain in 2010.

Real estate website Zillow has a provocative data point for every renter thinking about buying these days: That move pays off after just three years on average nationwide.

By most measures, the housing market's recovery has been slow. But private–market "jumbo" mortgages—larger, higher–cost home loans that aren't guaranteed by the federal government—are making a much faster comeback.

When it comes to assessing a home's value, real estate agents and homeowners tend to be an optimistic bunch.

In the post–bust world, appraisers are a different story.

"For the first time, (home) prices are up year over year in a majority of metros, and asking home prices have increased for six straight months," writes Trulia's chief economist Jed Kolko in a release. "Rents, however, are rising even faster than prices in most markets.

American homes have never been more affordable than they are today. Prices are down dramatically, mortgage rates are at record lows and desperate sellers are willing to make concessions.

Housing has never been more affordable, and yet home ownership is still falling and more Americans are renting.

Overall, both auto and homeowner's deductibles have been climbing in recent years. While auto deductibles are now often $500 to $1,000, homeowners have moved toward $1,000 to $2,500 a claim from the $250 or $500 that once was common. 

Americans love critiquing services online, but when it comes to rating real estate agents, few reliable forums exist. How brokers are evading scrutiny.

Americans' attitudes towards the housing market are continuing to improve, despite stalling optimism about the economy and personal finances, according to a monthly survey by Fannie Mae.

Rhinebeck Real Estate Market for the Month of June 2012 Ten Rhinebeck Homes Sold.

Rhinebeck real estate market percentage price reduction for 76 homes sold between June 15,2011 to June 2012.

Rhinebeck Real Estate Average List Price for Homes Sold Between June 15, 2011 and June 15,2012.

If you are a vacation–home landlord or thinking of becoming one, it is time to review the tax rules on rental income from second homes.

When he inquired, the buyers explained that at the last minute, as they had approached the finish line, approved mortgages in hand, the appraisals on the houses they had hoped to buy came in lower than expected.  When that happens, the signed contract is no longer binding. 

There were 10 homes sold in Rhinebeck, NY in the month of May 2012. This is the most Rhinebeck homes sold in one month, since the beginning of 2012.

Our latest price scorecard raises the question of whether a real or false spring is under way.

2012 Rhinebeck Memorial Day Parade and Ceremonies in Rhinebeck NY.

The lesson to take from this report is that all home price changes now are more local and more price–range specific than ever. 

Q. What sort of financial information does the law require that I give to my own agent?  What does she need to know about why I am moving?

The Realtors say it, the home builders say it, and now the chairman of the Federal Reserve is saying it: "Some creditworthy borrowers are still having trouble getting a mortgage."

If you're thinking of buying a second home in the next five years, this might be your best opportunity.

Sales of vacation homes are picking up as low prices pull buyers off the fence. But with travel costs rising and consumers still uncertain about the economy, many buyers are snapping up properties closer to home.

Fresh economic benchmarks painted a mixed picture of the nation's housing market, reflecting a sector that is inching forward amid fits and starts.

Average and Median Prices for Homes in Rhinebeck Township Sold between 2007 and 2011.

The spring housing numbers aren't coming in along expectations.

The central mystery in America's health care crisis is a simple question: Why don't people take better care of themselves? Like many simple questions, it leads into deep waters. It demands that we confront a profound new reality about health. Most important, it requires us to reframe the debate over paying for health care.

A new development is catching home buyers off guard as the spring sales season gets under way: Bidding wars are back.

Rhinebeck Village Homes Sold between 2007 and 2011 by Average and Median Price.  The Median Sales Price is often used as an indicator of the strength and the direction of the real estate market. 

This is neat! It's sort of a time machine of music from 1940 to 1999.

The average size of a mortgage purchase application increased 9 percent from December to the end of March, from $214,500 to $233,300 in March, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. "That points to underlying improvement in borrowers' appetite for mortgage credit," notes Paul Diggle of Capital Economics.

Climbing rents for apartments are combining with a continued decline in home prices to push once–reluctant home buyers into finally taking the plunge, say economists and real–estate agents, helping what appears to be a good start to the housing industry's all–important spring selling season.

You find the home of your dreams. You're pre–approved for a mortgage. You've scheduled the closing. Then ... the appraisal comes in too low and the deal blows up.

The number of homes sold to investors more than doubled last year, as rising rents and low–priced distressed properties fueled demand. Investors, half of them using no mortgage, bought 1.23 million homes in 2011, a 65 percent jump from 2010, according to the National Association of Realtors.

Sales of investment and vacation homes surged last year, the latest evidence that investors and higher–income households are taking advantage of low home prices to scoop up bargains.

Dutchess County Under Red Flag Fire Warning.

Hudson Valley Restaurant Week March 18-24,2012 was a week of a gastronomic dining experience for us.

It was barely a few weeks ago that mortgage rates were sitting at record lows.

Hudson Valley Restaurant Week 2012 is happening now. Hudson Valley Restaurant Week really runs for 2 weeks. The Hudson Valley Restaurant Week 2012 has grown from 70 restaurants which participated 6 years ago to 200 this year.

Proclaiming a recovery in the housing market isn't for the faint of heart.

Typically when rents go up, more renters turn to home buying.

Baby Boomers putting their house up for sale could flood the market in coming years, while the younger generations may not be interested in buying, a new report says.

Another day, another double–dose of home price reports, a home sentiment survey and a weekly report on mortgage applications.

Red Hook NY 12571 Real Estate Market 4 Homes Sold in February 2012.

There were 79 Rhinebeck Homes for Sale in February 2012; two Rhinebeck homes sold.

Rhinebeck Real Estate: How Does Negative Equity Effect Home Sales?

ISI home building analyst Steve East says higher gas prices will impact builders, with a "modest effect" on the entry level market.

Hudson Valley Restaurant Week is just four weeks away with a record 198 restaurants participating! Now is the time to make your reservations (but note, some restaurants can take reservations only one month ahead).

Economists need to get out more. After watching the Reuters and University of Michigan consumer–sentiment index rise 20 points since last summer, the number crunchers still aren't convinced.

SWEET VIOLETS tells the forgotten story of the Violet Capitol of the World — Rhinebeck, New York.

Now that demand is coming back, McGuinn says the big builders are inhaling lots, some developed, some not, and outbidding the smaller builders at every turn. He likens it to when Main Street retailers were taken out by the likes of Wal–Mart Stores.

There was NOT one Rhinebeck home for sale that sold in January 2012 that sold for list price.

Anyone with any cash in hand should be buying a house right now.

The administration said it was expanding eligibility for its Home Affordable Modification Program, known as HAMP, to borrowers with higher debt loads and tripling the incentives it pays banks that reduce principal on loans.

This year's showpiece, which measures 4,181 square feet and is one of the smallest in the popular program's 29–year history, shows that the love affair with McMansions seems to be waning.

Home prices will fall another 5 percent through Q2 before bottoming toward year's end.

"Inventories [of unsold homes] have been coming down, showing very healthy declines," Ivy Zelman, CEO of Zelman and Associates told the Wall Street Journal. And Zelman is new to the bull ring, as she is famous for predicting the housing bubble in the first place.

In the Rhinebeck NY real estate market,there were a total of 72 homes sold in Rhinebeck NY in the year 2011.

There were 9 homes that sold in Rhinebeck, NY in the month of December 2011 which  were listed in the Rhinebeck real estate market.

A few positive readings in home sales and housing starts recently, topped off by today's 7.4 percent monthly jump in contracts to buy existing homes, are fueling what I dare say is a spark, albeit not a fire.

But now some economists fear the continued slump in housing could short–circuit the recovery in jobs by making it harder for Americans to relocate to find work.

In theory, as the economy improves, people tend to relocate from places where jobs are scarce to areas where companies are hiring.

The housing slump was deeper than initially estimated, but new data indicate that the worst of the downturn may have passed.

The National Association of Realtors said Wednesday it over–estimated home sales by 14.3% between 2007 and 2010, meaning that 2.9 million fewer homes sold during those years than thought earlier.

Now we know that the recent housing crash was about 14 percent worse than previously thought. That is the conclusion of benchmark revisions by the National Association of Realtors, after they realized that their numbers were "drifting" from other industry calculations.

There are still considerable headwinds facing housing's recovery, not the least of which are foreclosures, and potential buyers have to factor that into their decision making. They should not, however, be spooked by nasty new numbers that really just put an exclamation point on what we already knew … that housing went from an unprecedented boom to an unprecedented bust and took down our economy with it.

This year, one-third of first-time home buyers received a cash gift or a loan for a down payment from family or friends, according to the National Association of Realtors. That is up from a historical average of 27%.

All of the competitors make it clear their numbers are guesstimates, not gospel. "A Trulia estimate is just that—an estimate," says a disclaimer on that site's new home–value tool. Zillow goes a step further, publishing precise numbers about how imprecise its estimates can be. And every major site urges home–price hunters to consult appraisers or real–estate agents to refine their results.

At face value, it seems like an easy, albeit creative way to pay for the extension of the payroll tax cut. Raise the fees that banks pay mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to guarantee home loans.

A woman has been going door-to-door to Village of Rhinebeck businesses soliciting advertising on behalf of the Rhinebeck Central School District.  Please be advised, the RCSD is not in partnership with this person, nor is she representing them in any way.

There were a few positive indicators in September that gave some analysts fodder for optimism, but the readings on prices are far less rosy, and alas far more complicated.

Homes sold in Rhinebeck during the month of November told a story that is homes above $500,000 are being hard hit in this Rhinebeck real estate market.

Sinterklaas in Rhinebeck today!

Rhinebeck Real Estate Homeownership Owning Continues to Become More Affordable Relative to Renting.

Home prices and mortgage rates have fallen so far that the monthly cost of owning a home is more affordable than at any point in the past 15 years and is less expensive than renting in a growing number of cities.

Please join us this Sunday, November 27th for the annual Village Tree Lighting and Children's Parade.

Rhinebeck Real Estate Presented by Dirt Road Realty Existing Home Sales.

Dirt Road Realty News: Village of Rhinebeck Holds Public Meeting on November 22,2011. The Topic to be discussed is Events Code. For the business owner how will this impact your business?

Dirt Road Realty News: Village of Rhinebeck Holds Public Meeting on November 22,2011. The Topic to be discussed is Events Code. For the business owner how will this impact your business?

Lawmakers, under heavy pressure from housing lobbies, want to reinstate higher loan limits at the FHA, although not at mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which are currently under government conservatorship.

Rhinebeck Real Estate: Dirt Road Realty Presents

National Survey Finds That Falling Market Values Pose Greater Threat to Homeowners
Than Fire and Natural Disasters

Rhinebeck Real Estate Presented By Dirt Road Realty Home Ownership Survey.

One can look at the Rhinebeck, NY real estate market each month at a time or you can compare two months of Rhinebeck real estate sales. After posting October Rhinebeck Homes Sold, I realized there are important Rhinebeck NY real estate market trends, if you compared the Sales of the Rhinebeck Homes sold to the month of September.

Red Hook Real Estate Homes Sold in  Red Hook NY in October  2011.

Rhinebeck Real Estate Falling Home Prices. A new report on still–falling home prices today highlights the fact that the lower those prices go, the more American borrowers fall into an negative equity position; that is, they owe more on their mortgages than their homes are worth.

Rhinebeck Real Estate Homes Sold in Rhinebeck NY in October 2011.

Rhinebeck Real Estate Home Prices Under More Pressure.

The more concerning aspect of the report is that while home prices including foreclosures and short sales fell 4.1 percent from September of 2010, they still fell 1.1 percent when you exclude distressed sales.

Your post today made its way through our offices pretty quickly, as we've been doing REO rentals for several thousand properties in our own portfolio for several years, and as part of Fannie Mae's Tenant–in–Place program. We'd probably be one of the companies you mentioned who would be interested in buying some of the GSE REO assets and turning them into rental units for some period of time. But it's not an investment to enter into lightly.

Rhinebeck Real Estate Adult Children Move Back In.  With job openings scarce, getting adult children to leave the nest is becoming a lot more difficult.

Rhinebeck Emergency Management Latest Weather Advisory

The original program, which started in 2009 and has helped about 900,000 borrowers get lower interest rates, was capped. You couldn't owe more than 25 percent more than your home was worth.

That cap is now gone, so you can be eligible no matter how underwater you are. Fees have been waived or lowered, banks have been largely let off the hook for reps and warrants on the loans (when they are forced to buy back bad loans), second liens can be transferred and mortgage insurers will move their coverage to the new loan.

The program is being touted as a way to help stabilize the housing market and stimulate the economy. But without addressing distressed homeowners and helping to clear the foreclosure glut, the effects will likely be limited, experts said.

A top Federal Reserve official is pushing for an "urgent effort" to prop up the housing market, and support the overall U.S. economy.

Speaking at Fordham University Monday, New York Fed President William Dudley called for policymakers to make it easier for homeowners to refinance at lower mortgage rates and prop up home prices.

Meanwhile, there's an even greater "shadow" supply of potential foreclosures and other distressed homes, a figure in the millions, which will keep inventories bloated for years. Real–estate agents also see firsthand this shadow inventory: many of them may represent "sidelined sellers" that have pulled their homes from the market and are likely to list their homes once it's clear home prices have stopped falling.

The housing market, which has struggled with an oversupply of homes for years, is facing a new problem: a lack of attractive inventory.

Sales of previously occupied homes in the U.S. fell slightly last month, a sign of continuing weakness in a depressed part of the economy.

Given record low interest rates and still–falling home prices, you would think housing demand would be surging, but these are strange, strange times. Difficult credit conditions, combined with a steep drop in consumer confidence have cancelled out housing's positives. Most concerning is a generational shift in housing demand.

While this monthly survey has many builders moving from the "poor" to "fair" category, they haven't moved to "good" yet. Builders still cite competition from foreclosures, pressure on home prices, and high material costs as big barriers to real improvement in the home building market.

For weeks now we've been touting new record–low rates on 15– and 30–year fixed mortgages.

Red Hook Real Estate Homes Sold in  Red Hook NY in September 2011.

Please Note…… Of the eight homes sold in Red Hook NY 12571 in the month of September 2011, one of the homes sold in Red Hook NY 12571 was on the Red Hook real estate market since August 2006.

The Source for Rhinebeck real estate homes sold in Rhinebeck NY is the Mid–Hudson Multiple Listing Service Inc (MHMLS). These figures for single family detached homes sold in Rhinebeck NY do not represent the total Rhinebeck NY real estate sales in Dutchess County. These figures for homes sold in Rhinebeck NY reflect the sales activity of the MHMLS, which comprises the largest sales volume sampling. .

With consumer confidence weak and getting weaker, and demand for housing showing no signs of resuscitation, home builders today are not only changing their building models, they're changing their business models; that includes returning to a practice that brought many of the builders down in the first place.

I ask the question repeatedly — why has this home for sale in the Rhinebeck area not sold? Is Diana Olick correct "A Lack of Confidence" on the part of the home buyer.
My Call to Action for this home for sale in the Rhinebeck area, if you are individual who can think out of the box over coming this lack of home buyers confidence, please give me a call. Harvey

Which all leads me to conclude that housing's recovery will not be founded on anything having to do with housing; as I have argued previously, over and over and over, housing's recovery is all about jobs and consumer confidence. It is about the bigger economy, which needs to improve before anyone can or will want to buy a house. The trouble of course is that historically, economic recovery is often driven by housing, not the other way around.

As you may know, The CENTER experienced catastrophic flooding and is closed for repairs and renovations.  Rhinebeck High School has come to our aid and the show will go on with performances September 16-24 at 8p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, 3 p.m. on Sunday, and a special added matinee on Saturday, September 24th, at 3pm. Show your true spirit and support The CENTER by purchasing tickets for a guaranteed laugh. 

A familar take away message is ususally the longer on the market the higher the per cent price reduction. The Rhinebck homes that sold in August were generally on the market less time than the homes which sold in July showing a lower per cent price reduction.

A familar take away message is ususally the longer on the market the higher the per cent price reduction. The Red Hook homes that sold in August were generally on the market less time than the homes which sold in July showing a lower per cent price reduction.

Aid for Homeowners as a result of Hurricane Irene

Update on Village of Rhinebeck Water Situation

Help Our Farmers Recover from Hurricane Irene

Please use alternate routes from the Village of Rhinebeck to the Hamlet of Rhinecliff and to the train station.
 

Village of Rhinebeck Boil Water Order in effect!

As a result of damages The CENTER has cancelled all activities through Labor Day Weekend including performances of Highlights from the Footlights and The All–American Audience Participation Magic Show.

When potential buyers see these national numbers and headlines, they make local decisions that may not be well–founded.

Higher priced homes are taking a hit and the outlook for them is worse than the overall market.

That will have ramifications for recovery.

Of the five homes that sold in Red Hook in the month of July,one was on the market since October 2008. The length of timeof this home on the market is reflective in the percent price reduction of 24%.

Please Note....The two homes that sold in Rhinebeck in the month of July were both on the market since mid year 2008. The length of time on the market is reflective in the percent price reduction of 33/34%.

How to Lower Your Property Taxes
Half of All Homeowners May Be Paying Too Much. Here's What You Can Do About It

Home prices are still going down in many markets. But your property–tax bill might well be going up.

The good news: There are ways to fight back.

For decades, price–to–income levels have moved in tandem, with a specific housing market's prices rising or falling in line with local residents' incomes.

Picture a scale, if you will. On one side I am loading on a 4.19% 30 year fixed rate mortgage, a huge oversupply of homes for sale, a drop in home prices of anywhere from 30 to 50 percent from peak and fast–rising rental rates. The other side of the scale is confidence, and right now it's lighter than a feather. It cannot even come close to balancing all the positives on the buy side.

Banks Cut Interest Rates on Deposits as Cash Flows In; Some Borrowing Costs Are Expected to Rise

Last week I previewed three homes in one neighborhood that were on the Mid–Hudson Multiple Listing System (MLS). They were all located on lovely country acreage with the good curb appearance. One home stood out and shouted out - a dream house waiting to be called home.

Yesterday I was showing a home and I was asked by my client, "Has anyone ever walked into one of the homes that you were showing & walked right out?" and they said, "That is not what I want!"

No! It is very simple – I have a policy of previewing homes before I show them to my clients. It is simply the most professional way to help my buyers. Why should I drag them through 15–20 homes that do not meet their criteria?

I realize everyone is glued to the stock ticker today, watching their personal net worth fall yet again; I know this because every time I wired up to do a live shot on CNBC today, my "hit" was "killed" at the last minute because the Dow dropped again.

One thing I will warn you about.  Be very careful when looking at statistics published in national or regional newspapers or other publications, because they might not give the local specific information. Remember location,location,location specific.

Real Estate is location,location,location. This is the information for our local area--Dutchess County--for a ten year period 2001 to 2010. The first part of the presentation of is in chart form so for you to better visualize the trends over the ten year period. The second part of this presentation is the summation table which highlights the perchange variances from year to year.

Last month 16 percent of home buyers who signed a contract on an existing home bailed out of that contract before closing. The norm is about a 4 percent cancellation rate, according to the National Association of Realtors. A real estate agent in Burbank, California says he's seeing cancellations in the 70 percent range right now. Is it mortgage rates? Mortgage availability? Appraisals? No, he says. It's a complete lack of consumer confidence.

Most vacation–home buyers aren't looking to make big investment profits. More than 80% of second–home buyers surveyed by the National Association of Realtors in May reported that they bought for consumption reasons—to live in the house and enjoy it.

Most Americans still believe that owning a home is a solid financial decision, and a majority of renters aspire to home ownership as a long–term goal. According to the 2011 National Housing Pulse Survey released today by the National Association of REALTORS, 72 percent of renters surveyed said owning a home is a top priority for their future, up from 63 percent in 2010.

Low interest rates are driving high–end home buyers to supersized mortgages at a pace unseen since the housing boom. But the deals may have a limited shelf life.  So–called jumbo loans—generally those bigger than $417,000—are a better bargain now than they have been in years.

What does the consumer price index (CPI) have to tell us about the future of the housing market?

Apparently a lot.

In 2010 Home Sales  in Dutchess County were boosted by a federal tax credit for first time home buyers.

With interest rates near rock bottom and home prices down, this ought to be a great time to buy a home. But for most people, it's a lousy time to get a mortgage.

Years after the collapse of the real–estate market and resulting financial crisis, it takes nearly pristine credit scores and hefty down payments to get the best rates.

The Obama administration is ramping up talks on how to revive the housing market, which is weighing on the economic recovery.

Without the distressed sales, home prices fell just 0.4 percent in May, essentially flat.

Sale Price and List Price of 9 Homes sold in Red Hook and Rhinebeck NY June 20

When is a gardener not a gardener? I'm pondering that question because, for the first time in 11 years of gardening, I've hired someone to help out.

At this point there are far too many unique regional factors weighing on home prices to draw any broad national conclusions.

The real–estate industry's growth and survival depend on buyers trading up to more–expensive properties. Now, faced with economic uncertainty, tighter lending and a glut of properties, homeowners are hunkering down, forgoing dreams of dens and great rooms, fourth bedrooms and second staircases.

Sales of existing homes fell 3.8 percent in May, not as deep a drop as some had forecast, to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.81 million units.

"Most worrisome was the lengthening time needed to sell a home, as there are few qualified buyers and those qualified buyers are waiting for the right price." Buyer traffic is weak, and distressed markets are showing the best activity.

But all real estate is local, right? And all these national numbers that folks like me spew don't have any footing in local reality, right? Yes, that may be true when it comes to the numbers. All real estate is local, but consumer confidence is national, and that trumps the local numbers.

(CBS News) According to a new government report today, more than 900,000 schoolchildren in this country have no real home. That's up 18 percent since the start of the recession.

Back in June 2006, when the housing market peaked, the prospect of a five–year national housing bust seemed unimaginable to most people. And yet here we are, with the latest Standard & Poor's Case–Shiller index showing that prices hit new bear–market lows, falling back to 2002 levels nationally and to 1990s levels in some battered regions.

One home sold in the Township of Rhinebeck, NY in the month of May in 2011.

This specific home was on the market for one year and it sold for $253,500 -- 39.6% lower than the original list price of $419,900.

As mortgage rates continue to fall, so too are home sales. That wouldn't make sense in a normal housing market, but these are very unique times.

Despite the lowest interest rate on the 30 year fixed in six months, mortgage applications to purchase a new home fell last week, over 3 percent.

If you're not talking about the head of the IMF today, then the only thing left really is the debt ceiling, which we officially reached today ($14.294 trillion for anyone who's counting).

What does remodeling say about home buying?

The inventory of Red Hook,NY 12571 homes on the market is 97 is of today.

The Inventory of Homes on the market  in the Rhinebeck School District was 126 as of May 5, 2011.

There's no question that consumer confidence, or lack thereof, is the greatest barrier in the way of a full–blown housing recovery.

* Please note- The longer a home is on the market the greater the increase in per-centage change from list price and sale price.

* Please note- The longer a home is on the market the greater the increase in per-centage change from list price and sale price.

Buyers in these markets could end up with a new home for a price close to that of the fixer–upper down the street.

The glimmer of hope that housing would stage a sustainable comeback this spring has melted with the winter snow.

Even as many await the traditional surge of buyers and sellers in the warmer months, analysts say it will be a year before there's any solid improvement in housing.

World events have provided U.S. home buyers and refinancers with a rate reprieve for what is typically the home–buying and selling season, but it isn't clear how long that will last.

It may be the trickiest and most troublesome issue couples face when approaching retirement: Where are you going to live?

Without a house to sell , first-time home buyers have had a field day in the depressed housing market. Until recently, anyway. A series of new rules, regulations and policies have changed the landscape, making buying that new home harder and more expensive.

As housing prices drop, mortgage lenders are requiring larger downpayments on homes. Kelsey Hubbard talks to WSJ's Mitra Kalita about what the changes mean for consumers.

Barbara Corcoran: There's Never Been A Better Time To Buy A Home Than RIGHT NOW

Q. I have been thinking about downsizing my home to save money. But I'm wondering if that's smart from an investment standpoint. Will a smaller house hold its value as well as a larger one? –– Montclair, N.J.

A. If the small house is in the same general vicinity as the larger one, probably not. That's because, all other things being equal, people will almost always equate size with status.

Political and economic unrest, rising gas prices, higher commodity prices, and a very concerned consumer versus excellent affordability, huge inventory, great distressed property deals and eager sellers.

The Relationship Between the National Housing Market and Local Markets Is Breaking Down—and Opportunities Are Cropping Up for Well-Heeled Buyers. Here's What You Need to Know

Rhinebeck NY- Four homes are sold in January 2011

In January 2011, three homes were sold in Red Hook. 15,19 and 18 per-cent change from listed price to actual sale price.

As work progresses on developing the Dutchess County Rail Trail, negotiations continue on acquiring a nearly one-mile spur of old rail bed linking the trail to the Walkway Over the Hudson.

Dutchess Rail Trail to Feature “Veterans Memorial Mile” & Educational Signage Program.

No doubt there is a cautious optimism in the air, but there is still a very large fence running through today's housing market, with a whole lot of buyers lodged on it indefinitely.

Sales should rise this Spring, as the economy strengthens and consumer confidence returns, but it will take home prices longer, and as always, the story of pricing will become ever more local.

Buying agents have proliferated in the luxury markets of London and southern England as a weaker pound has lured overseas investors. They do everything from locating the home and negotiating the price, to arranging legal and survey work and researching potential pitfalls such as noisy neighbors.

You wouldn't –– for a lot of good reasons –– go into a contested divorce proceeding without an attorney, or worse, take the advice of your spouse's attorney.

Why, then, would you buy a home –– an adversarial process regardless of how friendly everyone involved in the transaction seems –– without someone on your side?

Oh, you think home buyers have always had representation? Well, think again.

As a buyer, you are not represented unless you've told the real estate agent who is showing you homes that you want that agent to represent you as your "buyer agent." If you haven't, "your agent" could be representing the seller.

The decision now is, do I get in and get the really great deal, or do I wait until Spring to see the new inventory and perhaps have a tiny bit of competition? Obviously it's going to depend on your local market.

Rhinebeck Homes Sold in 2010  in price points.

After dragging the U.S. economy into a severe recession, property markets across the country now are relying on an economic recovery to help cure their hangover in the new year.

The housing sector, weighed down by a glut of unsold homes, needs job growth to boost demand and curb the flow of delinquent loans into foreclosure. For commercial real–estate investors, lackluster hiring means fewer new jobs to fill empty office space and less consumer confidence to drive activity in stores and distribution warehouses.

A new bout of declining home prices is threatening to hamper the U.S. recovery, just as consumers and the overall economy have been showing signs of healing.

WSJ's Mitra Kalita discusses October's U.S. housing price decline with Yale University economics professor Robert J. Shiller, who says the struggling housing market will likely continue to weigh on the overall economy.

Disclosure: Law allows advanced consent to dual agency On August 30, 2010, Gov. David Paterson signed a bill into law amending Real Property Law 443 to add two new components to the agency disclosure law relating to advanced consent to dual agency and agency disclosure for condominiums and cooperative apartments/units.

Consumers will research on average 3 different models of computers before purchasing one. Why does the real estate correspondent care about computers? I don't. I'm just throwing out some important background information to make my point, like that 96 percent of American consumers compare prices when shopping for anything.

Here's my point: 40 percent of us get just one quote when shopping for a home loan.

Did you know that there's actually a formula to creating the perfect house? Neither did we...until now.

From a creative perspective, designing and decorating a home is a very right–brain type of activity. Matching paint colors, choosing textures, pairing furniture and fabrics –it's like an artist's dream job! But what about those of us who are a bit, well, challenged in the "just wing it!" department.

So why, then, do mortgage purchase applications fall every time rates go up slightly and the opposite when they go down??

Buyers who want to test drive a house before buying or need extra time to patch up their finances, are asking agents to find sellers willing to entertain such offers to rent to own.

Home sales fell off dramatically in July after the expiration of the home buyer tax credit. Then they came back a few months later, and then turned for the worse again in October.

The message from the National Association of Realtors today, or at least from its chief economist as he released lackluster sales results for October, is that the mortgage market is now largely to blame for the lack of a real recovery in housing.

Sales of previously owned homes fell in October amid weak demand and concerns about the foreclosure process, putting sales for 2010 on pace to close at their lowest level in 13 years.

The accelerated mortgage pay–down idea works only if you have positive cash flow and/or available cash. Otherwise, forget it.

If sales plunge, inventories rise, and when inventories rise, prices fall. Do they fall everywhere? No. Is all real estate local? Yes. And that's especially why I can't stand these "national" home price reports. And yes, I recognize the contradiction ... that I will continue to report these price surveys on TV several times over. It's a living.

Yes, it was the biggest monthly gain in 28 years, but it was also the third worst sales month on record.

Disclosure and advise for Home Buyers.

The U.S. Congress passed an extension of the increased Fannie–Freddie–FHA loan limits for high cost housing markets to a maximum $729,750.

For months, home buyers and sellers have been stuck in a curious stalemate, with sellers reluctant to lower prices and buyers staying on the sidelines.

Here we go again on home prices.Every time we get this report, we also get all kinds of questions from viewers/readers about why some media outlets report it one way and some another. The S&P/Case–Shiller Home Price Indices report prices in the top 10 and 20 housing markets monthly, as well as a national number quarterly.

Online real estate sale site Zillow.com, puts out a survey showing that 1/3 of Americans today can't qualify for a mortgage and half of Americans would not be eligible to get those low low rates on the 30–year fixed that we're always talking about.

The hugely popular walkway, which celebrates its first birthday October 2,2010 has so far drawn 720,000 people to an unpolished section of Poughkeepsie, and to Lloyd on the Hudson River's western side.

Newport thinks that the market is actually overcorrecting, just as prices overshot on the way up. He says houses are pretty fairly valued now, and yet prices are still dropping due to weak demand and a large volume of foreclosures.

U.S. retail sales rose for a second consecutive month in August.

Consumer spending in the U.S. rose more than forecast in July, exceeding gains in incomes and indicating the economy may avoid slipping back into a recession.

Despite a steep drop in home sales, home prices could actually rise due to the makeup of what is and is not selling.

After months of hovering near 50 year lows, mortgage rates have fallen even further, into uncharted territory and to a level lenders say is finally igniting more homeowner refinancing.

Not long ago, many big banks were turning away New Yorkers seeking jumbo mortgages. This summer, however, banks are competing for the business, creating a wealth of new products and attractive options for borrowers.

Reduce your refinancing costs and get to know the fees that you will be paying.

Nearly two years after the credit crunch virtually froze mortgage markets, rates for jumbo mortgages on pricier homes are at their lowest since 2003.

Sales of previously owned homes in the U.S. slipped in May after increasing two consecutive months despite the influence of a fading government tax credit.

The mortgage interest deduction, which appears on about 41 million U.S. tax returns, is a huge political hot button.

Home trends are important,because most buyers want to make sure that the home they purchase now will hold strong appeal to a future buyer once it's time to sell.

Today's housing market commentary presented by Diana Olick of CNBC.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Citigroup Inc. are expanding in �jumbo� mortgages used to buy the most expensive homes, could help revive the Millbrook, Red Hook, Rhinebeck real estate market that shriveled amid a three-year jump in homeowner defaults.

Harvey Brown ABR principal Broker of Dirt Road Realty offers three valuable observations in today�s real estate market if you are buying a home in the Rhinebeck, Red Hook, and Millbrook NY vicinity.