CPA Letter Daily article from: cpa@smartbrief.com

David White (cpa@smartbrief.com) thought you might be interested in checking out an excerpt from CPA Letter Daily.

Clear comeback in progress. Interest rates and inventories at record-setting lows! - David

Fed's Beige Book notes housing-market gains

The Federal Reserve's Beige Book says the housing market is experiencing "widespread improvement." The central bank's anecdotal round-up of its 12 districts also says the overall economy has had only modest growth in recent months.  RTT News (10/10), Fox Business/Dow Jones Newswires (10/10)

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Beige Book Says...

Latest Federal Reserve Beige Book is out.  Search on Beige Book for earlier posts on how to read it. 

FRB: Beige Book--Summary--April 14, 2010

For the San Francisco District (ours on the west coast), real estate comments include the following:

"The pace of home sales remained mixed across areas but appeared largely stable overall, while home prices edged up further in some parts of the District. However, contacts noted that continued limitations on the availability of nonconforming "jumbo" loans have restrained sales of higher-priced homes in some areas."

Certainly spot on regarding recent activity in the South Bay.  Prices have completely stabilized; numerous multiple offer situaions.  Jumbo loans will be a big boon when they become available on the more expensive properties, especially once stated income reappears.  Commercial looking a little tough! - David

Latest Federal Reserve Beige Book Released (3/3/10)

The latest version of the Federal Reserve's "Beige Book" on Current Economic Conditions was issued today.  If you're interested in the US economy (nationwide and regionally), you should read this book each time it's issued 8 times a year.  Note: Now it's an online report; it use to be a beige-colored softcover printed edition.

Here's how to read a Beige Book:
- Go to the link above and click on the most recent report
- Read the Summary info for the US as a whole
- Scroll down and read any sections of interest (like Real Estate and Construction!)
- Click on our region (the San Francisco District) and read that too.

That's it.  Takes 5 minutes and you know what the Fed is thinking about, unfettered with journalistic editorializing found in writings about the Fed (like this one!). - David

FRB: Beige Book--San Francisco--October 21, 2009

From the latest Federal Reserve Beige Book. Tracks pretty well with what we're seeing in the better areas of So Cal. - David

FRB: Beige Book--San Francisco--October 21, 2009: "Real Estate and Construction
Reports suggested that demand for housing continued to improve slowly, while demand for commercial real estate eroded further. The pace of home sales picked up further in parts of the District, accompanied by rising prices in some cases.