My Triangle Good News

Tim McBrayer answers a question on the Realtor.com Blog site.

Home Sales Grew by 7.2% in July, surprising the experts.

Mortgage applications jumped 5.6% the week ended Aug. 14 from a week earlier as average mortgage rates fell, the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) said Wednesday.Applications were up 25% from the same week one year ago.
Refinancing applications were up 6.9% following a 7.2% drop the prior week. Mortgage purchase applications were up 3.9%, a third weekly [...]

NAHB asks Congresss to extend Tax Credit to December 2010 and make it available to anyone buying a primary residence.

Signs are that the housing industry may have hit bottom.

JD Power Ranks Coldwell Banker #1 with Sellers and #2 with Buyers

Friends have their first child on July 7th.

Princeton Review names NC State #6 Most Valueable Public Institution of Higher Learning

Category
Score
2009 Rank
2008 Rank

Cost of Doing Business
281
16
22

Workforce
270
2
3

Quality of Life
152
31
38

Economy
66
42
23

Transportation & Infrastructure
144
8
15

Technology & Innovation
179
13
18

Education
91
24
27

Business Friendliness
117
12
10

Access to Capital
14
36
10

Cost of Living
16
19
20

OVERALL
1330
9
6

ECONOMIC PROFILE

Governor: Beverly Perdue (D)
Population: 9,222,414
GDP (2008 per capita): $35,719
Economic Change (2007-2008): 0.1%
Unemployment Rate (June 2009): 11.0%
Foreclosure Rate (June 2009): One per 1,299 households
Stimulus Funds Distributed (as of July 8, 2009): $5.6 billion
Budget Gap (projected 2010): $4.6 billion
Sources: US [...]