Economy

Neiman Marcus Earnings Call: Real Softness in a Couple of Texas Stores

By Candy Evans / March 17, 2016 /

Their clothing and shoes (and jewelry! yes jewelry!) make us happy, but a little doom and gloom is hanging over Neiman Marcus after the retailer’s Tuesday morning earnings call this week. And if you are in the business of pushing luxury products, like million dollar homes or vacation homes, you pay attention. The take-aways: it’s…

Is There a Bubble In Dallas Housing Prices? Zillow Senior Economist Says Nope

By Leah Shafer / February 15, 2016 /

There’s no doubt that Dallas-Fort Worth is one of the hottest real estate markets in the U.S. Zillow recently named it No. 3 in the country, noting a 4 percent unemployment rate and solid income growth. Additionally, the Zillow Home Value Forecast predicts the Dallas-Fort Worth median home value will go up by 5.6 percent in 2016. But some housing analysts and mortgage…

U.S. Department of the Treasury Moves to Make Cash Purchases of High End Real Estate More Transparent in Two Regions

By Candy Evans / January 14, 2016 /

The story broke in The New York Times today, and it only affects Manhattan and Miami real estate right now… but get ready. The Feds are tired of cash buyers who hide their identities in “shell ownership” of luxury real estate. I, for one, am happy as it is so hard to chase down ownership…

Freddie Mac Issues Predictions for 2016, U.S. Housing Markets Cool in December

By Joanna England / December 28, 2015 /

It’s the end of December, so brace yourself for the onslaught of crystal ball-wielding, looking-forward-looking-back pieces from just about every blog and website out there. Of course, CandysDirt.com is no exception. We looked at the latest reports, and it looks like the housing market in December has been slower than molasses in January, perpetuating the…

Shall We Freak Out About Rising Interest Rates???

By Candy Evans / December 16, 2015 /

Get ready for the media freak out. Besides a re-hash of last night’s Republican debates — the most substantive thus far, in my opinion — everyone is talking about an expected interest rate hike today from the Fed. I had two media calls yesterday asking me if I thought a rise in interest rates might hurt…