Brian Wesbury is one of the more optimistic professional economists out there. He’s proud of being dubbed “Mr. Sunshine.” Wesbury is chief economist at First Trust Advisors of Chicago and his assessments on the economy are quite in line with what you read here at the Good News Economist day after day.
He even has a [...]

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke gave his views on many topics on Monday afternoon.
Although he remains cautious his conclusions were in line with latest FOMC meeting minutes that calling for a modest recovery in 2010.
His bottom line: “…my best guess at this point is that we will continue to see modest economic growth next year–sufficient [...]

On Wednesday the Fed released its summary of comments received from its 12 regional districts in the November time-frame. The notes represent a collection of comments from businesses and other contacts outside the Federal Reserve and does not necessarily represent the views of Federal Reserve officials.
The regional reports indicate that economic conditions continue to improve [...]

I have mentioned my misgivings with the Case-Shiller 20 City Real Estate Index before, but everyone now hangs on it monthly and I have had to get on board too.
I have also mentioned that I am a real estate agent in New Jersey with access to the MLS data here, and a keen follower of [...]

Tuesday we reviewed a dozen areas where home prices are rising. Wednesday yielded the release of home sales data with three more significant pieces of great news.
1. Sales of previously owned homes rose for the second month in a row in May. The improvement was 2.4% better than the sales rate in April.
2. [...]

One reader contacted me last week with her good news. She said, “Have a look at the letter from my bank. It looks like good news to me!”
I later found out that this reader originated her adjustable rate loan five years ago on a new California home purchase. She was aware at the time that [...]

Repeatedly we said that the strength of this recovery will be measured in part by how well the housing industry fares.
Recently we’ve seen:
1. Homeowners with more manageable monthly payments
2. Housing starts bounce up
3. The number of foreclosures begin to fall
4. Jumbo mortgage activity increasing
5. Pending home sales jump up
6. Existing home sales rising
It is no [...]

In March, I contributed a piece called “The Coming Real Estate Recovery By The Numbers”. I have also written extensively on various plans for real estate recovery policy, my own and other people’s, and the phone has not not stopped ringing.
Well, I am among other things a real estate salesperson. Most of my [...]

U.S. home builders started construction on many more residencies than expected in May. The Commerce Department reported that housing starts increased by 17%. Building permits also rose 4% — significantly more than expected. The increase in starts was punctuated by a 29% surge in the West.
As this recovery begins we’ve continued to [...]

As this recovery begins, all eyes will be on the housing markets as a gauge for just how strong this return to growth will be.
Of particular note is the jumbo mortgage market which is now springing back to life.
A jumbo mortgage is a home loan with a lending amount above the industry-standard definition of conventional [...]