Housing Doom Housing Bubble Blog

A nation that forgets its past is doomed to repeat it. - Churchill

October 18th, 2007

Credit Crisis Taking a Bite Out of Chocolate

It was bad enough when the credit crisis was squeezing housing and banks, but "chocoholics" like me start worrying when we read this:

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) - The ongoing credit crunch has hit mortgage lenders, housing builders, and big banks the past few months. Now, it appears it has spread to the chocolate market.

Hershey Co. executives said Thursday it’s the latest victim of tightening credit. It was one of the reasons Hershey cited for the candy bar maker’s disappointing third quarter performance.

According to Hershey President David West, who will become chief executive Dec. 1, the chocolate maker’s sales were impacted by inventory reductions and tighter credit conditions at its distributors, who are electing not to finance current inventory at higher borrowing costs.

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October 18th, 2007

Tucson September Sales Still Headed South

Judy Lowe, President of the Tucson Association of Realtors, had a strange assessment of this month’s home sales:

ONCE AGAIN, according to the Tucson Association of REALTORS® Multiple Listing Service September 2007 housing report, we see an increase in new contracts opening escrow (989 units) compared to the same month in 2006. This is the fourth month this has occurred - thus supporting the belief the local Tucson real estate market has stabilized.

Pendings are one thing however, and sales are another.  Tucson sales paint a different picture.  With only 683 homes selling in the month of September, this is the slowest month for Tucson’s sales since January 2000. This represents a 37% drop from last year’s 1077, and a 33% drop month-to-month:

 

 

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October 18th, 2007

A “Bad Ideas In Real Estate” Moment

OK, how dumb do you have to be to take this guy up on this offer?

RENT TO OWN = LEASE-PURCHASE:

3305 E. Windsor Dr. - 5 beds/4.5 baths, 3100 sq ft, 3 car garage, A/V inputs throughout the living room for surround sound systems, granite countertops. $3,000 per month + utilities. Cross streets are Higley & Ray

Rent credit available with additional down payment/monthly payment. This house is in preforeclosure, purchase price is $435,000.00.

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