Wrinkly Dollar

Where Will Home Prices Go From Here?

In light of the current economic turmoil, home values have dropped along with the prices of many other assets. According to the Case-Shiller measure of home prices for 20 cities around the US, nationwide home prices have dropped 29% since their peak in the summer of 2006. With such a large drop behind us, is now a good time to buy a home? Can current homeowners be comfortable that the value of their homes will not fall by much more?

Of course, no one knows the answer to these questions. But there is one measure used by Wall Street traders that gives an indication of where professionals expect home prices to be in the future. Read More…

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Negotiating and Lowering Your Apartment Rent

Several weeks ago, my wife and I were presented with what seemed to be a generous offer from our leasing company. Our apartment lease would soon be expiring, and the leasing company wanted to retain us as tenants. They were prepared offer us not just a flat rental rate for the coming year, but, get this, a $15 per month decrease in rent! This would seem like quite a deal in 2007 or any of the past few years. But we’re not in 2007. We’re in 2009, in what is potentially turning into the worst economic environment since the Great Depression. Read More…

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