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March 10, 2009

HomeGain releases results of survey of Realtors® on home values

Emeryville, CA - HomeGain® announced on Monday, March 9, 2009 the results of an extensive nationwide
survey on home prices based on responses of nearly 700 Realtors®.

The survey shows that 45 percent of homeowners think their homes should be listed 10 to 20 percent higher than
what their Realtors recommend. Nearly 20 percent of homeowners think that their homes are worth 20 percent
higher than their Realtors' recommended listing price. Homebuyers are experiencing a similar disconnect on price.
According to the Realtors surveyed by HomeGain, only 18 percent of their home buying clients think homes are
fairly priced.

The latest HomeGain survey underscores that while homeowners may be aware of falling home prices around the
country, many believe that the slide doesn't apply to their homes. "Our survey shows that the market and
Realtors are telling homeowners their homes are worth considerably less than homeowners think they are," said
Louis Cammarosano, General Manager of HomeGain.

For complete survey results, including regional breakdown and real estate agent commentary, visit HomeGain
Releases Results of Realtor Home Values Survey on the HomeGain Real Estate Blog.

Source: HomeGain

June 18, 2009

The Raleigh area still looking good! Check out this recent article posted by the Triangle Business Journal - Duane

Triangle tops other cities in study done for Charlotte chamber

Triangle Business Journal

The Raleigh-Durham area has finished on top in a study designed to determine how several prominent
Southeastern cities compare to each other.

The study, which was commissioned by the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, ranked cities in five separate
categories as well as in a composite ranking. The Triangle, which placed either first or second in each category,
was No. 1 in the composite rankings.

The categories, and the Triangle’s rank in them, were: employment and workforce (2); income and productivity
(2); livability and connectivity (1); new economy (2); and equity and diversity (2).

Other than the Triangle, the cities in the rankings – and their composite ranking – were: Austin, Texas (2);
Charlotte (3); Atlanta (4); Dallas, Texas (5); Richmond, Va. (6); Nashville, Tenn. (7); Tampa, Fla. (8) and
Jacksonville, Fla. (9).

The study, called Benchmark Charlotte 2009, was conducted by Harrison S. Campbell Jr., an associate professor
of geography at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Friday, July 10, 2009
The Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area - by Lee Weisbecker

Home builders tax break approved, goes to Perdue

State lawmakers have passed a bill allowing home builders to defer for up to three
years paying county and municipal property taxes on their unsold inventory of new
homes.

Qualifying for the exemption are homes that have been issued a certificate of
occupancy but remain unoccupied.

The anti-recession measure, which will take effect for tax years beginning after
July 1, 2010, was ratified Thursday and awaits the signature of Gov. Beverly
Perdue.

General Assembly fiscal researchers asked tax officials in all of the state’s 100
counties for an estimate of the dollar value of housing stock that would qualify
under the law; 45 responded with an estimate of $3.1 billion in unsold inventory.

Extrapolating from that figure, the researchers calculated that the amount of
deferred taxes would hit $30 million to $35 million in fiscal 2010.

With market conditions expected to improve by fiscal 2011, the deferred property
tax volume is expected to decline to $7 million to $12 million.

The program sunsets – meaning it goes out of force – after the third year, fiscal
2012-2013. Properties qualifying in that final year will remain eligible for the
exemption through 2015.

After the deferral period ends, the property taxes will come due.

Key sponsors of the measure, which sailed through both chambers with virtually no
opposition, were Fayetteville Democrat Margaret Dickson and Asheboro
Republican Harold Brubaker.