Parcel boundary data show the legal boundaries of a property or piece of land.  A parcel is an area of owned land that is defined by clear perimeters or property lines. Property lines can become blurred over time as development occurs and natural landmarks that may have indicated boundaries disappear. Accurate boundary and property measurements are critical for legal and planning purposes. There are many resources for boundary and property data, such as local assessor offices and county recorders. However, property data providers like ATTOM offer convenient online access to the most recent parcel boundary data for the United States. Here’s an in-depth look at US parcel boundary data, who uses it and why, and where to find the most accurate information. What Are Parcel Boundaries? Parcel boundary data show the legal boundaries of a property or piece of land that have been determined by the city, county, or state …

The U.S. government is reporting that privately‐owned housing starts in December, 2024 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,499,000, which is 15.8% higher than November’s revised number and is 4.4% lower than one year ago.  December’s rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 418k.  Privately‐owned housing units authorized by building permits in December were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,493,000, which is 0.7% lower than November’s revised number and is 3.1% lower than one year ago.  Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 437k in December. Click here to read the full report at the U.S. Census Bureau.   The post Housing Starts Up 15.8% in December appeared first on Real Estate Investing Today.

In December 2024, the U.S. housing market experienced a slight decline in foreclosure activity with 28,632 U.S. properties with foreclosure filings – marking a 3% decline from the previous month and 6% decline from a year ago. The U.S. housing market recorded foreclosure filings on one in every 4,922 properties, reflecting a slight easing in foreclosure activity. Foreclosure starts totaled 19,376 properties, down 4% from the previous month and 5% from December 2023, while completed foreclosures decreased by 4% monthly and 16% annually. These trends highlight modest changes in foreclosure activity that may be shaped by evolving economic conditions. Rob Barber, CEO of ATTOM, observed that the continued decline in foreclosure activity throughout 2024 suggests a housing market that may be stabilizing, despite persistent economic uncertainties. He noted that this year’s data indicates foreclosure trends potentially returning to more predictable levels, offering some clarity for industry professionals, investors, and homeowners. …

Pending home sales dropped 4.5% from November as mortgage rates jumped to the highest level in months. Roughly 40,000 home purchases were called off in December, equal to 16% of homes that went under contract—the highest December percentage on record. Existing home sales—a lagging indicator of deals that were negotiated in prior months when mortgage rates were lower—rose to the highest level in nearly two years.  Pending home sales fell 4.5% month over month in December on a seasonally adjusted basis, the largest decline since October 2022. They dropped 2.3% year over year. Homebuyer demand dipped at the end of the year because mortgage rates jumped. After inching downward at the beginning of the month, mortgage rates reversed course halfway through December and have been rising since—in part because the Federal Reserve projected fewer 2025 interest-rate cuts than anticipated. The weekly average 30-year-fixed mortgage rate now sits at 7.04%, the …

Pending sales posted their biggest decline in over a year this week, as did new listings. But mortgage-purchase applications are on the rise, and mortgage rates are coming down.  Home tours and pending sales are falling as devastating wildfires burn in Southern California, extreme cold and snow hit the Northeast, Midwest and South, and housing costs rise across the country.  Redfin’s Homebuyer Demand Index–a seasonally adjusted measure of tours and requests for other buying services from Redfin agents–is down 11% month over month to its lowest level since August. Pending home sales fell 8.4% year over year during the four weeks ending January 12, the biggest decline since October 2023. Prospective sellers are also sitting on the sidelines, with new listings posting their biggest annual decline since September 2023.  But there are some pieces of encouraging news for homebuyers and the housing market. Mortgage rates are falling after the latest …

Foreclosure Starts and Completions Down from 2023; December 2024 Foreclosure Activity Declines from Previous Month and Year; Q4 2024 Foreclosure Activity Declines from Previous Quarter and Year IRVINE, Calif. – Jan. 16, 2025 — ATTOM, a leading curator of land, property data, and real estate analytics, today released its Year-End 2024 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report, which shows foreclosure filings— default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions — were reported on 322,103 U.S. properties in 2024, down 10 percent from 2023 and down 1 percent from 2022 and down 35 percent from 2019, before the pandemic shook up the market. Foreclosure filings in 2024 were also down 89 percent from a peak of nearly 2.9 million in 2010. Those 322,103 properties with foreclosure filings in 2024 represented 0.23 percent of all U.S. housing units, down slightly from 0.25 percent in 2023, and down from 0.36 percent in 2019 and down from a peak …

The December CPI report should reverse the jump in mortgage rates we saw last week after a strong jobs report, but political uncertainty and economic volatility will keep rates around 7% for the foreseeable future.  The latest Consumer Price Index reading shows softer-than-expected core inflation for December. Takeaway: This will reverse the jump in mortgage rates resulting from last Friday’s jobs report. The Fed will still hold the Fed funds rates steady for the next few meetings, as inflationary concerns around trade and fiscal policy continue. The numbers: Core inflation increased by 0.23% from a month ago in December and 3.2% from a year ago, slightly less than the 0.26% and 3.3% expected by economists. While headline inflation, which adds the volatile food and energy categories to core inflation, increased slightly more than expected, the Fed prefers to focus on core inflation. Within core inflation, airfares and used cars came …

Breaking Free from Banks: How Real Estate Investors Can Control Their Financial Future by Jason K. Powers As real estate investors, we’re all too familiar with the challenges of securing capital. From navigating the ever-changing terms of lenders to facing exorbitant interest rates, the obstacles can feel endless. Add to that the frustration of opportunity costs—the returns we miss out on because our money is tied up in someone else’s system—and it’s clear that the traditional financial system often works against us. Relying on banks and other lenders leaves us at their mercy. Approval processes are slow, repayment terms are rigid, and profits shrink as interest payments eat into our bottom line. This dependency restricts our growth and flexibility, keeping us locked in a cycle that feels impossible to escape. But it doesn’t have to be this way. What if you could fund your own deals on your terms? Imagine …

Dana Anderson As a data journalist at Redfin, Dana Anderson writes about the numbers behind real estate trends. Redfin is a full-service real estate brokerage that uses modern technology to make clients smarter and faster. For more information about working with a Redfin real estate agent to buy or sell a home, visit our Why Redfin page. Email Dana Lily Katz As a data journalist, Lily is passionate about helping readers understand complex facets of the housing market. She is particularly interested in the issues of climate change, race and gender equality and housing affordability. Prior to working at Redfin, Lily spent four years as a reporter at Bloomberg News in New York City. Email Lily

According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 256k in December, 2024 with the unemployment rate coming in at 4.1%.  As always, the BLS says employment in government continued its upward growth trend in December (up 33K) with an average monthly gain of 37k in 2024. BLS.gov Click here to read the full report at the Bureau of Labor Statistics.   The post Unemployment Rate 4.1% in December appeared first on Real Estate Investing Today.