Land Loan

HDFC : Loans -- - Your Complaint - Your Questions - FAQs - Sitemap Search : Newsroom Home Page Resident Indian Land Purchase Loan Home Loan Home Improvement Loan Home Extension Loan Short Term Bridging Loan Land Purchase Loan Loans to Professionals for Non Residential Premises Loan Home Equity Loans Features Maximum loan 70% of cost of the land and based on the repayment capacity of the customer. Maximum Term 10 years subject to your retirement age. Applicant and Co- Applicant to the loan Home Loans can be applied for either individually or jointly. Proposed owners of the property, will have to be co-applicants. However, the co-applicants need not be co-owners. Adjustable Rate Home Loan Loan under Adjustable Rate is linked to HDFC's Retail Prime Lending Rate (RPLR). The rate on your loan will be revised every three months from the date of first disbursement, if there is a change in RPLR, the interest rate on your loan may change. However, the EMI on the home loan disbursed will not change * . If the interest rate increases, the interest component in an EMI will increase and the principal component will reduce resulting in an extension of term of the loan, and vice versa when the interest rate decreases. Fixed Rate without money market conditions- Rate of interest will not change. with money market conditions- Rate of interest will not change due to money market conditions for two years from the date of first disbursement of the loan * . *Conditions Apply Back to top Interest Rate Please get in touch with HDFC Home Line for the latest interest rate. Back to top Fees 1% of the loan amount applied plus applicable service taxes and cess. No Charges for Part or Full Prepayment of loan under Adjustable Rate (except in case of prepayment through a refinance from other bank or institutions prepayment charges will be applicable) Fixed Rate - Part prepayment upto 25% of opening loan outstanding in a financial year Replacement of cheques Income Tax Certificates Accelerated Repayment Option Back to top How to apply It's simple! You can choose any of the following ways to get in touch with us! Call the HDFC Home Line in your city – Our sales representatives will reach out to you for assistance HDFC Office Locator We have over 200 offices with flexible timings keeping in mind your work timings. The offices are conveniently located at a place closer to you. SMS HDFCHOME to 6767 Apply Online Back to top Documents You can download the Application Form and submit alongwith the following documents for an approval of loan. Salaried Customers Self Employed Professionals Self Employed Businessman Application form with photograph Application form with photograph Application form with photograph Identity and Residence Proof Identity and Residence Proof Identity and Residence Proof Latest Salary-slip Education Qualifications Certificate and Proof of business existence Education Qualifications Certificate and Proof of business existence Form 16 Last 3 years Income Tax returns (self and business) Business profile Last 6 months bank statements Last 3 years Profit /Loss and Balance Sheet Last 3 years Income Tax returns (self and business) Last 3 years Profit /Loss and Balance Sheet Processing fee cheque Last 6 months bank statements Last 6 months bank statements (self and business) Processing fee cheque Processing fee cheque Back to top Security for the Loan Security for the loan is a first mortgage of the property to be financed, normally by way of deposit of title deeds and/or such other collateral security as may be necessary. Interim security may be required, if the property is under construction. Back to top Suggestions Tell a Friend Print this Page Download Application Form -- HDFC Bank | HDFC Mutual Fund | HDFC Standard Life | HDFC Securities | HDFC Realty | HDFC Chubb | Intelenet Global | CIBIL Disclaimer 1999 Housing Development Finance Corporation Limited. Site Designed & Developed by IL&FS Infotech Limited .

home equity line of

NYS Banking Department-Home Equity Line Of Credit Survey Interest Rate Information Home Equity Line Of Credit Markets Albany Buffalo Long Island New York Metro Rochester Syracuse Westchester Co, NY Definition of terms used in this survey. New York State home equity line of credit Average Highest Lowest 6.72 8.25 1.74 Albany Institution Telephone Date Rate Fees and Conditions Adirondack Trust Co 518-584-5844 12/23/05 7.00 P+0.00% (no floor); no yrly fee; $10,000 min Central National Bank 800-449-6842 12/23/05 8.25 P+1.25% (no floor); no yrly fee; $7,500 min Citibank 800-627-3999 12/23/05 7.25 P+0.25% (no floor); no yrly fee; $25,000 min Citizens Bank, N.A. 800-922-9999 12/23/05 7.00 P+0.00% (no floor); $50 yrly fee; $10,000 min First Niagara Bank 518-270-3200 12/23/05 7.75 P+0.75% (no floor); no yrly fee; $10,000 min HSBC Bank USA 800-975-HSBC 12/23/05 5.99 P+1.25% (1.25% floor); 4-mo intro; no yrly fee; $10,000 min KeyBank 888-KEY-1234 12/23/05 7.69 Range: P+0.69% to P+1.44% (no floor); $99 fee; $5,000 min M&T Bank 800-724-2440 12/23/05 5.49 P+0.95% (no floor); 6-mo intro; no yrly fee; $15,000 min Pioneer Savings Bank 518-274-4800 12/23/05 6.75 P-0.25% (no floor); no yrly fee; $2,000 min TrustCo Bank 518-436-9043 12/23/05 7.50 P+0.50% (no floor); no yrly fee; $7,500 min Buffalo Institution Telephone Date Rate Fees and Conditions Bank of Akron 716-542-5401 12/23/05 2.49 P-0.25% (no floor); 4-mo intro; no yrly fee; $10,000 min Bank of America 800-299-2265 12/23/05 7.49 P+0.24% (no floor); .25% disc w/auto debit; no yrly fee; $10,000 min Chase Bank 800-CHA-SE24 12/23/05 7.50 Range: P+.50% to P+5.00% (no floor); $50 yrly fee; $5,000 min Citibank 800-627-3999 12/23/05 7.25 P+0.25% (no floor); no yrly fee; $25,000 min Citizens Bank, N.A. 800-922-9999 12/23/05 7.00 P+0.00% (no floor); $50 yrly fee; $10,000 min Evans National Bank 716-549-6000 12/23/05 1.74 P+0.00% (no floor); 3-mo intro; $99 yrly fee; $7,500 min First Niagara Bank 877-722-9842 12/23/05 8.00 P+0.75% (no floor); no yrly fee; $10,000 min HSBC Bank USA 800-975-HSBC 12/23/05 5.99 P+1.25% (1.25% floor); 4-mo intro; no yrly fee; $10,000 min KeyBank 888-KEY-1234 12/23/05 7.69 Range: P+0.69% to P+1.44% (no floor); $99 fee; $5,000 min M&T Bank 800-724-2440 12/23/05 6.20 P+0.95% (no floor); 6-mo intro; no yrly fee; $15,000 min Long Island Institution Telephone Date Rate Fees and Conditions Astoria Federal S&LA 800-278-6742 12/23/05 7.00 P+0.00% (no floor); .25% disc w/auto debit; $25 yrly fee; $10,000 min Bank of America 800-299-2265 12/23/05 7.49 P+0.24% (no floor); .25% disc w/auto debit; no yrly fee; $10,000 min Bank of New York 212-495-1784 12/23/05 4.25 P+0.99% (no floor); 6-mo intro; no yrly fee; $5,000 min Chase Bank 800-CHA-SE24 12/23/05 7.50 Range: P+.50% to P+5.00% (no floor); $50 yrly fee; $5,000 min Citibank 800-321-2484 12/23/05 7.25 P+0.25% (no floor); no yrly fee; $25,000 min HSBC Bank USA 800-975-HSBC 12/23/05 5.99 P+1.25% (1.25% floor); 4-mo intro; no yrly fee; $10,000 min North Fork Bank 877-694-9111 12/23/05 7.00 P+0.00% (no floor); no yrly fee; $25,000 min Queens County Svgs Bk 718-433-4368 12/23/05 7.00 Range: P+0.00% to P+4.25% (no floor); $500-$600 fee; no yrly fee; $10,000 min Ridgewood Svgs Bk 718-240-4800 12/23/05 7.25 P+0.25% (no floor); no yrly fee; $10,000 min Washington Mutual Bank 800-788-7000 12/23/05 8.00 Range: P+0.75% to 3.75% (no floor); $45 yrly fee; $10,000 min New York Metro Institution Telephone Date Rate Fees and Conditions Astoria Federal S&LA 800-278-6742 12/23/05 7.00 P+0.00% (no floor); .25% disc w/auto debit; $25 yrly fee; $10,000 min Bank of New York 212-495-1784 12/23/05 4.25 P+0.99% (no floor); 6-mo intro; no yrly fee; $5,000 min Chase Bank 800-CHA-SE24 12/23/05 7.50 Range: P+.50% to P+5.00% (no floor); $50 yrly fee; $5,000 min Citibank 800-321-2484 12/23/05 7.25 P+0.25% (no floor); no yrly fee; $25,000 min HSBC Bank USA 800-975-HSBC 12/23/05 5.99 P+1.25% (1.25% floor); 4-mo intro; no yrly fee; $10,000 min Independence Community Bank 800-732-3434 12/23/05 7.25 P+0.25% (no floor); .25% disc w/auto debit; no yrly fee; $10,000 min Manufacturers and Traders Trust Co 800-724-2440 12/23/05 5.49 P+0.95% (no floor); 6-mo intro; no yrly fee; $15,000 min North Fork Bank 877-694-9111 12/23/05 7.00 P+0.00% (no floor); no yrly fee; $25,000 min Queens County Svgs Bk 718-268-6801 12/23/05 7.00 Range: P+0.00% to P+4.25% (no floor); $500-$600 fee; no yrly fee; $10,000 min Washington Mutual Bank 800-788-7000 12/23/05 8.00 Range: P+0.75% to 3.75% (no floor); $45 yrly fee; $10,000 min Rochester Institution Telephone Date Rate Fees and Conditions Bank of America, NA 800-299-2265 12/23/05 7.49 P+0.24% (no floor); .25% disc w/auto debit; no yrly fee; $10,000 min Canandaigua National Bank 585-394-4260 12/23/05 7.75 P+0.75% (no floor); .25% disc w/auto debit; no yrly fee; $10,000 min Chase Bank 800-CHA-SE24 12/23/05 7.50 Range: P+.50% to P+5.00% (no floor); $50 yrly fee; $5,000 min Citibank 800-627-3999 12/23/05 7.25 P+0.25% (no floor); no yrly fee; $25,000 min Citizens Bank, N.A. 800-922-9999 12/23/05 7.00 P+0.00% (no floor); $50 yrly fee; $10,000 min First Niagara Bank 716-434-6621 12/23/05 7.75 P+0.75% (no floor); no yrly fee; $10,000 min Five Star Bank 888-624-2300 12/23/05 7.25 P+0.25% (no floor); 0% 3 month intro; no yrly fee; $7,500 min HSBC Bank USA 800-975-HSBC 12/23/05 5.99 P+1.25% (1.25% floor); 4-mo intro; no yrly fee; $10,000 min KeyBank 888-KEY-1234 12/23/05 7.69 Range: P+0.69% to P+1.44% (no floor); $99 fee; $5,000 min M&T Bank 800-724-2440 12/23/05 6.20 P+0.95% (no floor); 6-mo intro; no yrly fee; $15,000 min Syracuse Institution Telephone Date Rate Fees and Conditions Alliance Bank 800-310-6275 12/23/05 1.99 P-0.26% (no floor); 4-mo intro; no yrly fee; $5,000 min Bank of America, NA 800-299-2265 12/23/05 7.49 P+0.24% (no floor); .25% disc w/auto debit; no yrly fee; $10,000 min Chase Bank 800-CHA-SE24 12/23/05 7.50 Range: P+.50% to P+5.00% (no floor); $50 yrly fee; $5,000 min First Niagara Bank 877-722-9842 12/23/05 8.00 P+0.75% (no floor); no yrly fee; $10,000 min Fulton Savings Bank 315-592-4201 12/23/05 6.00 P+0.00% (no floor); 12-mo intro; no yrly fee; $5,000 min HSBC Bank USA 800-975-HSBC 12/23/05 5.99 P+1.25% (1.25% floor); 4-mo intro; no yrly fee; $10,000 min KeyBank 888-KEY-1234 12/23/05 7.69 Range: P+0.69% to P+1.44% (no floor); $99 fee; $5,000 min M&T Bank 800-724-2440 12/23/05 6.20 P+0.95% (no floor); 6-mo intro; no yrly fee; $15,000 min Solvay Bank 315-468-1661 12/23/05 7.00 P+0.00% (4.00% floor); no yrly fee; $2,500 min The Oneida Savings Bank 315-363-2000 12/23/05 5.25 P+0.00% (no floor); 6-mo intro; no yrly fee; $7,500 min Westchester, Co Institution Telephone Date Rate Fees and Conditions Astoria Federal S&LA 800-278-6742 12/23/05 7.00 P+0.00% (no floor); .25% disc w/auto debit; $25 yrly fee; $10,000 min Bank of America, NA 800-299-2265 12/23/05 7.49 P+0.24% (no floor); .25% disc w/auto debit; no yrly fee; $10,000 min Bank of New York 212-495-1784 12/23/05 4.25 P+0.99% (no floor); 6-mo intro; no yrly fee; $5,000 min Chase Bank 800-CHA-SE24 12/23/05 7.50 Range: P+.50% to P+5.00% (no floor); $50 yrly fee; $5,000 min Citibank 800-321-2484 12/23/05 7.25 P+0.25% (no floor); no yrly fee; $25,000 min First Niagara Bank 877-722-9842 12/23/05 8.00 P+0.75% (no floor); no yrly fee; $10,000 min HSBC Bank USA 800-975-HSBC 12/23/05 5.99 P+1.25% (1.25% floor); 4-mo intro; no yrly fee; $10,000 min Manufacturers and Traders Trust Co 800-724-2440 12/23/05 5.49 P+0.95% (no floor); 6-mo intro; no yrly fee; $15,000 min Wachovia Bank, NA 800-922-4684 12/23/05 7.25 Range: P+0.00% to 2.00% (no floor); no yrly fee; $8,000 min Washington Mutual Bank 800-788-7000 12/23/05 8.00 Range: P+0.75% to 3.75% (no floor); $45 yrly fee; $10,000 min Rates are subject to change without notice and may vary from branch to branch. Although the rates reported here have been obtained from the financial institutions themselves, the accuracy of the information cannot be guaranteed by the publisher. 2005: Bankrate.com All rights reserved. | Home Search | Site Map | | Interest Rates | | Credit Cards | MortgageRates | Home Equity Lines of Credit | | Home Equity Loans | New Auto Loans | Used Auto Loans | Last Modified Friday, December 23, 2005 FastCounter by bCentral

buy property. But is

Find a Property Investment Properties edition Buy to let, property development and investment opportunities Find a Property - Home Property Search Estate Agents Property News Specialist Properties Browse All Areas Find your ideal house, flat or apartment for sale or rent Find a Property - Moving made easy Find a Property - Specialist Properties - Investment Properties Investment Properties Property Edition Buy to let, property development and investment opportunities The Buy to Let market, one of the great success stories of the last ten years, has produced a growing band of happy investors buoyed up by the delights of solid capital growth and respectable rental incomes. It is, however, a cyclical market and one as subject to the laws of supply and demand as any other sector of the economy. Experts will advise that prospective investors should take pains to carefully research the local market and view the business as a medium to long term project. Viewed in that light, it remains a very solid bet and will continue as a popular option for a diverse cross-section of the population. This edition includes dozens of properties which should appeal to those motivated by high rental returns as well as those whose primary concern is capital growth. It also includes details of experienced agents who have made this sector a speciality. So if you're new to the market and need a reliable expert to lead you through the maze, if you're a seasoned player and know exactly what your looking for, or if you live overseas and need a professional all-in-one 'hands off' management service to take care of your portfolio this is the place to begin your search. Learning To Invest 20 Jul 2005 Thinking about investing in property but new to the business? Investment guru Simon Shinerock explains why it can pay to learn from the experts... Simon Shinerock More and more people these days are coming to the conclusion that the only way for them to have a chance of achieving financial security is to buy property. But is it better to leap in and learn through experience or should you attend one of the growing number of seminars on the subject? Simon Shinerock, the founder and Chief Executive of Choices Acquisitions , a very popular auction-buying service for investors, says more and more people are looking for reliable information and advice before they take the plunge. " Our regular estate agency business which started in 1989 manages over 1000 properties as well as dealing with millions of pounds of property sales and mortgages every month. " In addition, for the past four years, we have been providing auction information to potential investors, as well as sourcing investment and buy to let property from developers and agents for our clients. " Gradually it has become evident that many potential clients want more than information and advice, especially at the beginning - they want education. " In response to this need we have created a down to earth two hour seminar to introduce the novice investor to the business and to share with them some of the important lessons we have learned through our own experience." What You'll Learn The seminar business, can, of course, be an expensive route to take but Choices reckon they can teach the basics and introduce participants to their services for much less that the thousands some charge. " We are aware of two day seminars which are available at a cost of £2000 or more but we believe that what we provide for £50 is enough of a taster for most people and we have been very pleased with the positive feedback we have received, " says Simon. Seminars take place on a Saturday between 11.30 and 2.00pm at Choices modern Smallfield office near London Gatwick Airport. To book your place please call 01342 840000 or complete the email response form on their company information page Choices Acquisitions seminars, says Simon, will tell you about 1. The research we do 2. The evaluation and analysis techniques we have developed 3. Our contacts with developers and agents and how we have made them 4. How we find distress sales 5. A hot new area for property investment in the UK 6. How we can help you buy property below the market value Below are some case studies from Choices: Case Study - Buying at auction A client wanted to start a buy-to-let portfolio on a low cost basis, as they were tight on funding we identified Liverpool as a good area, we highlighted six properties at an upcoming auction all of which represented good value based on their likely selling prices (about 30 per cent above guide price and 20 per cent below market price). Our experience has shown that it is pointless going to auction with only one property in mind in these circumstances as the chance of failure is too high. We are able to arrange funding in principle from a short term lender should our client be unable to arrange a buy to let mortgage in time. At the auction we were able to secure the third lot on our list. The client needed to do some cosmetic work but the estimated return on their deposit and costs once let was 25%, on top of which the property had a market value of 15% more than cost. Incidentally at the same auction we were able to secure two more properties for other clients on a broadly similar basis. Case Study - Buying Off Plan We are constantly looking for Off Plan opportunities on behalf of many clients. Through a trade contact of ours we heard about a development which was coming to an end. The developer had seven flats remaining and was prepared to sell them at a 15 per cent discount to market value. After checking the local rental market and speaking to agent contacts we were able to place five of these properties with three clients all of whom were looking at long term rental and capital growth. Case Study - Overseas Property We heard of some excellent opportunities for high yield apartment hotel investments on Miami Beach. We went to Miami to check out the local market and were able to get in on the ground floor of a renovation of a boutique Art Deco Hotel right on South Beach. Based on the figures we were able to obtain this investment should return up to 40 per cent on deposit plus costs plus there is built in capital growth of 20 per cent based on current market values. Each unit is $395000 with a 20 per cent deposit required and guaranteed finance on the balance, the developer is guaranteeing the first year return following the renovation and the investor shares in 60 per cent of the nightly rental ($400 per night minimum 70 per cent occupancy). As a further bonus, the owner can stay in their hotel suite at any time for as long as they want. Case Study - Agency contacts Over 95% of all property sold in this country is sold through estate agents. It therefore makes sense for us to establish good relationships with agents in areas where we expect capital growth and good rental returns. We were approached by one of our contacts on the south coast in respect of a sea front property available through an offshore tax exile who wanted to sell without publicity. We were able to secure the property which comprised of several apartments on behalf of several clients. Some of the units are going to be let, some sold on and some used as holiday homes after renovation. Choices Acquisitions © Find A Property 2000-2005 Property in the Investment Properties edition London (North of Thames) London (South of Thames) Surrey & Middlesex Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire & Essex Hampshire, Sussex & Kent Rest of UK Rest of Europe Rest of World Today's featured property for the Investment Properties edition... Blyth Road, London, E17, London E17 "Blyth Road, E17. A first floor end of terrace flat located on this quiet street off Lea Bridge Road. The property would benefit from some modernisation and comprises two large bedrooms, bathroom." On the market for £ 147,995 through ludlowthompson.com Rental Returns Overestimated 22 Nov 2005: Recent research from Landlord Mortgages accuses some lettings agents of exaggerating rental returns...... Landlords Remain Upbeat 26 Oct 2005: Landlords are in a bullish mood and plan to buy more properties in the months ahead, says a new survey...... How To Invest In Property 20 Oct 2005: How clued-up are you when it comes to spotting a good property investment? If you feel you could use a helping hand, Ludlow Thomson has some tips...... Fantastic Investment Opportunity In South Africa 12 May 2005: How does the prospect of investing in a brand new development at the heart of Cape Town sound? Appealing? Read on for more details...... From Coronation Street To Canary Wharf 24 Mar 2005: From the terraced houses of Coronation Street to the high-rise apartment blocks of Canary Wharf: actress Annie Hulley has become a serious player in London's buy-to-let market...... PIFS Unlikely To Conflict With Buy-To-Let 03 Mar 2005: The introduction of property investment funds (PIFs) in the UK would add value to the property market but would be unlikely to have much effect on the buy-to-let sector, says a new report...... Investors Keep Faith With Property 09 Feb 2005: Despite the recent slowdown in the housing market, investors believe that property still provides the safest home for their hard-earned money...... Buy-To-Let Confidence High 07 Jan 2005: Despite negative comment from some quarters, landlords and mortgage intermediaries remain optimistic about the investment market...... Buy-To-Let Looking Good 06 Jan 2005: Strong tenant demand is pushing up rents and boosting landlords' yields, says a new report...... Landlords Hold The Line 14 Dec 2004: Despite falling house prices, most landlords are determined to hang onto their investment properties, says a new survey...... One-bed Flats Do Well 25 Nov 2004: Landlords take note: rents on one-bed flats are outpacing the rest of the market...... Buy-To-Let To Boom 08 Nov 2004: Despite talk of a market slowdown, the coming decade should see a huge increase in the number of buy-to-let investors, says a new report...... Rents On The Rise 20 Oct 2004: Rents are on the up in many parts of the country as landlords pay more for investment properties, says Paragon Mortgages...... What Tenants Want 29 Sep 2004: Power shower or roll-top bath? Garden or trendy kitchen with mod cons? Which features will have tenants fighting over your property?...... Investors Fly To Let 20 Aug 2004: As the housing market cools in Britain, investors are starting to pack their bags and look for bargains overseas...... Landlords Stand Firm 06 Jul 2004: Buy-to-let investors are showing few signs of stress and a mere 2.7 per cent say they'll sell up if house prices start to fall...... Women Bet On Buy-To-Let 23 Jun 2004: The property industry has long been a case of jobs for the boys, but that hasn't stopped a new generation of women investors from getting a foot on the development ladder...... A Leg Up From Your Landlord 22 Sep 2003: It might sound improbable, but a clever new scheme aims to help landlords make a healthy profit while giving tenants the chance to save a deposit for their first home...... Rent: The Furniture 03 Apr 2002: If you've ever been let down by a removals company, are about to relocate to the UK with your family, or are a serious buy to let landlord, rented furniture could be just the ticket....... Tenants From Hell 16 Nov 2001: They don't come trailing sulphurous smoke in their wake and 666 is not emblazoned on their foreheads. So a new service which promises to help identify the tenants from Hell should prove very popular with landlords and letting agents...... Well Hammered 15 Oct 2001: Buy at auction, the pundits all declare, if you want to pick up a bargain. Fine if you have the confidence and expertise to bid with the best. But where do you go if you don't? Meet the man with the answer...... Local Authority 08 Dec 2000: Ex-council properties may be viewed with suspicion in some quarters but in an inflated London market they're still within reach for hard-pressed first-time buyers and an excellent prospect for canny buy-to-let investors...... All Over The Shop 17 Nov 2000: Once upon a time, high streets across the land had a butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker and people who lived contentedly above the shops...... Investment Properties Property Edition Buy to let, property development and investment opportunities This edition only includes specially selected properties. To search every property in an area select your local edition Top Top Find a Property - Home Property Search Estate Agents Property News Specialist Properties Browse All Areas © Find a Property 2004 Advertise (estate agents only) Contact us (estate agents only) Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions

Real Estate Prices

Real estate horror stories - Dec. 2, 2002 Enter Ticker Symbol Search CNN/Money Autos Real Estate Money's Best Home Markets & Stocks News Jobs & Economy World Biz Technology Commentary Personal Finance College Credit and Debt Insurance Interest Rates Retirement Tax Center Ask the Expert Five Tips The Good Life Millionaire in the Making Money 101 Moneyville Retirement Planner Savings Calculator Asset Allocator Mutual Funds Money Magazine Video CNN TV Fortune 500 Best Employers Money 101 Portfolio Calculators Real-time Quotes Last 5 Quotes SPONSORED BY include virtual="/fn_adspaces/markets-stocks/last_five_quotes/sponsor.88x31.ad" -- CNN/Money Email newsletters RSS Mobile news Money archives Buy story reprints Find a Mortgage SPECIAL OFFER Personal Finance Your Home Real estate horror stories There's never been a national bust but keep an eye on your backyard. December 2, 2002: 11:57 AM EST By Leslie Haggin Geary, CNN/Money Staff Writer New York (CNN/Money) - During the past three years, real estate has been a shelter in the storm. Since 2001, home prices have gained about 6.3 percent annually, according to the National Association of Realtors . And in dozens of hot markets , from San Francisco to Providence, RI to Topeka, KS, homeowners have seen double-digit price increases over the past year. Next to the seeming flimsiness of stocks, real estate looks rock solid. For the past 40 years, home sales prices have outpaced inflation by one or two percentage points per year, and there has never been a national decline in real estate values. But that's just part of the picture. When you drill down to local markets, instead of steady rises, you may find vertiginous spikes followed by stomach-churching drops. What's more, when busts hit, it can take years -- maybe even a decade -- for individuals who bought at the top of the market to recoup their investment. To see how grim it can get, we looked at annual sales figures for 138 metro areas across the country during the past three decades to spot where local bubbles burst, what drove prices into the cellar and how long it took for property owners to recoup their money. Here are some of the factors that can kill a real estate boom. Population shifts It's obvious. Jobs equal workers. Without work, residents leave, and home sales dry up. Consider the case of southern California. Once home to a thriving defense industry, military cutbacks hit the region especially hard in the early 1990s. Some 1 million individuals left the area, according to Ingo Winzer, president of The Local Market Monitor , a real estate consulting firm that tracks housing prices nationwide. In Los Angeles, home prices shed 21 percent of their value between 1989 and 1996, with the typical house selling for $172,900. (The peak was $214,800 in 1989 following a five year, 77-percent jump.) An exodus can hit smaller communities, too. Syracuse, NY once boasted 250,000 residents back in the 1950s, when it was a thriving industrial city. No longer. Many of those jobs are gone and Syracuse lost a full 10 percent of those inhabitants from 1990 to 2000, when its population dropped to 147,000 residents. Home prices, not surprisingly, fell too. Half of all property owners in the county who sold homes in 1997, for example, sold at a loss. Vacant buildings were not uncommon. (At one point, there were more than 1,000 empty dwellings.) Local recessions Ask housing experts about local busts and one of the first places they'll mention is Houston, TX. When the oil market was kicked in the teeth back in the mid-1980s, home prices in this city tumbled fast. In just three years, from 1985 to 1988, the typical home price dropped by 21 percent -- or from $78,600 to $61,800. Related Stories • Did you pay too much for your house? • Real estate or stocks? • Milking the bubble • Rev up your resale value "Prices fell so much that people owed more on than their mortgages than their homes were worth," said David Weil, an economics professor at Brown University. " They'd drive to the bank and drop off their keys to their homes and just leave." Houston isn't the only city where home prices have fallen when the local economy languishes badly. Take the stock market crash of 1987, which hit New York City's financial industry hard. Prices peaked at $183,000 in 1988, and anyone who bought then had to wait until after 1997 to get to even money. Another victim? Hartford, CT. From 1984 to 1988, the typical home price soared 92 percent to $167,600 from $87,400. Then the insurance industry started laying off or moving out. Hartford's population growth slowed to zero. And home prices starting falling. In fact it wasn't until last year that someone who bought at the 1988 price would have made their money back. Fast run-ups in housing values Are markets that have soared quickly especially prone to a bust? That's a question no doubt troubling many homeowners. But the answer isn't simple. Certainly, there have been plenty of hot markets that suddenly turned sour. Consider Honolulu, Hawaii, for example. Back in 1995, the average tab for a house in this community hit a record $360,000 -- a whopping 122 percent increase from the decade before. Then suddenly, prices began to drop. By 1999, a $360,000 island retreat was being unloaded for $290,000, a 19 percent discount, according to NAR. Prices started to finally rise in 2000, but anyone who bought at the island's real estate peak didn't recoup their money until this year. Hawaii's housing woes were tipped off by several factors, not the least of which was the decline in the Japanese economy, which squelched real-estate investment in Hawaii. Honolulu was also in trouble in part because few fundamentals, other than investment dollars -- were pushing the market. In fact, during the boom years, the island's population was climbing at a 1 percent rate, too low to justify the massive run-up in housing values. Bottom line: it's important to look at what drives housing spikes before you assume there will be a catastrophe, said Winzer. Rising interest rates "People tell you that housing never goes down, but that's just not true -- you try to sell a house when interest rates have gone up," said Stephen Cauley, associate director of the Ziman Center for Real Estate, Anderson School at UCLA . To illustrate his point, Cauley points to the early 1980's, when double-digit interest rates were being used to fight inflation. That made the cost of borrowing money for a home almost prohibitively expensive. "It was horrendous for the housing market," said Cauley. "There were no transactions." By 1982, the number of existing home sales had slid to 1.92 million, the lowest number on record, according to NAR. Many markets -- notably Detroit, Providence, Chicago and Philadelphia -- saw home prices stay flat or fall between 1979 and 1982. These days, of course, high interest rates seem a distant threat, though they are beginning to creep up. Current mortgage rates are hovering just above 6 percent for a fixed, 30-year loan. But even if rates go up a full percentage point, rates are still low, said Cauley. How will all this play out? If history is any guide, there won't be one big pop, the kind that usually come with stock-market crashes. But that doesn't make it any less painful. --* Disclaimer Selling? Buying? Click to compare top local real estate agents More on YOUR HOME • Your Home: Bracing for higher rates • Refinancing demand lags again • A rose is (not) a rose TODAY'S TOP STORIES • Most overvalued housing markets • Risks to the economy in 2006 • Which was the worst ad of all in 2005? CNN Money contact us | subscribe to Money magazine advertising -- | site map | glossary | RSS | press room OTHER NEWS: CNN | SI | Fortune | Business 2.0 | Time © 2005 Cable News Network LP, LLLP. A Time Warner Company ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Terms under which this service is provided to you. privacy policy Reprints of site stories are available.

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