Last week, we shared the news that third-quarter foreclosures in Colorado hit an all-time high and that the housing crisis is looking worse so far this year. But for all the glass-half-full types, here’s a rosier look from Lawrence Yun, the chief economist for the National Association of Realtors (via the Denver Business Journal): “Many buyers have been rushing to beat the deadline for the first-time buyer tax credit that was scheduled to expire at the end of this month, and similarly robust sales may be occurring in November.”

Moreover, the tax credit has been extended, and potential buyers have until April 30 to put a contract in place. In other words, it’s a good time to buy a home if you are a first-time buyer, and it’s nice that the government is stepping aside to make it easier.

Of course, buying a home comes with an obvious caveat that seemed lost during the sub-prime meltdown: Don’t buy one unless you can afford it and you’re willing to make a long-term commitment. It appears many people are ready for that, despite Colorado’s unemployment numbers, which have slipped down to 6.9 percent, notes The Associated Press.

Sales of old homes, townhomes, condos, and co-ops in Colorado and our neighboring states rose by 1.6 percent in October, up 12 percent from a year earlier.

Posted 11/24/2009 at 2:30 pm by Michael de Yoanna
Economy, Panorama, Real Estate :: Permalink :: Comments

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