| Now into the thick of 2010, it may seem a little | | | | for a market whose troubles have mostly come |
| strange that we're only starting to analyze just what | | | | from over speculation. Housing construction for this |
| went on in the end of 2009. But as each new piece | | | | year is up too; local construction companies are finally |
| of information comes out, the overall picture gets | | | | getting rid of their backlog orders and receiving new |
| just a little bit better. And while both good and bad | | | | ones. These are mostly for houses priced at |
| signs lurk in the woodwork, the overall housing | | | | $250,000 and under. Banks have begun extending |
| market could be said to be "stable" if not | | | | credit to these construction companies as well for |
| "improving." | | | | the first time in over a year. |
| Dallas in particular is showing steady growth: the | | | | |
| most recent Standard & Poors Housing Price Index | | | | All the data isn't in yet-the effects of government |
| ranks Dallas 3rd out of 20 national cities with regards | | | | efforts such as the federal housing tax credit and |
| to year-after-year housing price growth. That pricing | | | | various restructuring programs have yet to make |
| index only applies to pre-owned homes-sales of new | | | | their presence known. The future of mortgage rates |
| houses are down across the board. This suggests | | | | are uncertain as well, though most sources are |
| that even when home buyers are coming to market, | | | | predicting an impending surge (which would slow |
| they are watching their pocketbooks much more | | | | down market growth). Expect the general economy |
| than before. This is bad for the housing market in the | | | | to have an impact on housing prices and |
| short term, but over the long term these more | | | | vice-versa-without steadily improving unemployment |
| reasonable purchases are a step in the right direction | | | | rates, the market could easily slip back down. |