Massachusetts Housing Slows Down, Equity Cash Outs provided 14 Percent of Residents Income
With rising interest rates, and housing appreciation of over 70% over the last 4 years, the Massachusetts housing market is slowing down.
Massachusetts’ five-year housing boom, which lifted the average home price by 71 percent and bolstered the local economy, is over, according to homeowners and real estate agents.
Rising mortgage costs, an outgrowth of 12 consecutive interest-rate increases by the Federal Reserve since June 2004, have cooled demand, they said. Prices have dipped and sellers are rushing into the market even as weekend “open houses” attract few prospective buyers.
Here is the scary part of the story.
In Massachusetts, equity cash-outs jumped to 14 percent of residents’ disposable income in 2004 from 4 percent in 2001, according to Moody’s Economy.com, a forecasting firm in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Employment tied to real estate gained 4 percent, compared with a 5 percent decline in jobs overall. via Bloomberg
If this is the case, we are looking at a potential bloodbath in Massachusetts as there will be panic selling when the income is not there that had previously come from equity. I have downplayed many of the bubble bloggers who are looking for a bloodbath, but if there is panic selling due to income concerns, they may be correct.
Yikes
Very funny comparison. However you don't need to pay property tax on Barbies 3 Story Dream House. With the unemployment ...
My wife has actually decided to study for and get her real eatate licence just so we dont ever have ...
I like your analogy in this article. The real estate economy really is like a patient who you cannot ...
Real Estate is hyper-local. Every market is different. Phoenix has already hit bottom and is starting to recover. We have ...
Great to hear that the big boys
are predicting recovery sooner than
most think.
Thanks for the value! 
I agree--good analogy. You have to crawl before you can walk. Right now, at least in Austin, many people would ...
I live in the Philippines and I am glad we are not on the lists... 
I have a few Litograghs of Presidents homes , made by Richard V. Sebring. yr. 1990 Do they have any ...
Pingback by RealEstaterblog.com » Bad News for MA Real Estate - Tips & Resources for Real Estate Investors on 29 November 2005:
[...] Massachusetts Housing Slows Down, Equity Cash Outs provided 14 Percent of Residents Income [...]
Comment by Dan Marques on 29 November 2005:
Great research! I linked to it on my blog. As an RE investor in Massachusetts I am waiting for the upcoming crash…it is only a matter of time now.
Pingback by Subprime Loans Lead to High Foreclosure Rate in Massachusetts — The Real Estate Bloggers on 24 June 2007:
[...] record foreclosures. The high appreciation of homes in the past few years let people think of their properties as a bank to get money out of for living expenses and luxury [...]
Pingback by Bankruptcies Surge in Massachusetts as Families Try to Save Their Homes — The Real Estate Bloggers on 3 August 2007:
[...] wrote back in November, 2005 that Massachusetts was especially vulnerable to a downturn as many of the residents were using the gains in housing as a bank account. Cash [...]
Pingback by Bankruptcies Surge in Massachusetts as Families Try to Save Their Homes | My Weblog on 4 August 2007:
[...] wrote back in November, 2005 that Massachusetts was especially vulnerable to a downturn as many of the residents were using the gains in housing as a bank account. Cash [...]
Pingback by Cash Out Refinancing Leads To Massachusetts Foreclosure Surge — The Real Estate Bloggers on 3 June 2008:
[...] back in 2005 I wrote how Massachusetts families were using their homes as a ATM with cash out refinancing. At that time 14 percent of household income was coming from these cash out [...]
Comment by Ramen on 4 February 2009:
I think right now any drop in the housing market is no surprise. What we need to do is stimulate the economy to stimulate the housing market. But that’s common sense. Easier said than done, right!?