US Housing Prices Fall Modestly in the Fourth Quarter: 2009/Greater Lafayette Fares Better

Recently published data from the Federal Housing Finance Authority reports existing home sale values dropped by 1.2% from the fourth quarter of 2008. That compares very favorably to a 8.2% decline in the fourth quarter of 2008 over 2007.

The numbers for Greater Lafayette are more encouraging. Of the 298 Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Greater Lafayette's appreciation in housing value in the fourth quarter on a year over year basis, ranked number 32 with an average 0.19% appreciation. Other Indiana MSA's also fared well. In fact, Terre Haute was ranked number one.

City/Rank/Year to Year 4th Quarter Appreciation

Terre Haute/1/3.11%
Bloomington/20/0.83%
Evansville/29/0.43%
Lafayette/32/0.19%
Indy/53/-0.55%
South Bend/93/-1.70%
Anderson/102/-1.95%
Fort Wayne/123/-2.55%
Gary/149/-3.38%
Kokomo/208/-5.98%

Again, the processes measures and ranks appreciation in housing value from the fourth quarter of 2008 to the fourth quarter of 2009.

For those who spend time in the south, Florida continues to struggle. Here are the same statistics for selected Florida MSA's

Punta Gorda/191/-5.48%
Fort Meyers/263/-9.71%
Tampa-St. Pete/271/-10.75%
West Palm Beach/272/-10.86%
Naples/287/-8.03%
Miami/288/-14.02%

For those who are interested, the lowest rank MSA was Las Vegas, with a 19.30% average 12 month loss in value. Our issues in central Indiana appear less complicated as one reviews the economic statistics in other communities.

2009 Awards

Last Tuesday, Coldwell Banker Shook hosted its annual awards breakfast at the Holiday Inn. Our featured speaker was Mayor Tony Roswarski, who gave an interesting overview of the many capital projects the city embarked upon in 2009.

After Mayor Roswarski's comments, the 2009 awards were announced. The company had a very impressive year, during what was one of our country's more difficult years in residential real estate. The company ended the year with a commanding 22.4% of the market and 43.4% for properties above $300,000. Amongst its friends in the Coldwell Banker community, Coldwell Banker Shook was the number one office in the state and the largest office in its size category in the Northern Region, one the three geographic Coldwell Banker regions.

Coldwell Banker National is proud to present awards to its top sales across the country each year. Many of the Coldwell Banker Shook agents earned these national distinctions. 2009 national award winner from Coldwell Banker Shook are as follows.

INTERNATIONAL STERLING SOCIETY

Julie Runner-Boyce
Jan Dowell
Kathryn Oreovicz
Dolly Poston-Zollars

INTERNATIONAL DIAMOND SOCIETY

Individual

Cheryl Butcher
Olga Jeffares
Sherry Peck
Kelly Schreckengast

Team

Corbin-Flock Team

Brenda Hatfield Team

Mary Holtz and Kent Brewer

The Junius Group

INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE

Kathy Lafuse
Leslie Weaver

In addition, we learned that Kathy Lafase was the number one Coldwell Banker agent in the state.

The breakfast was adjourned by the company's management sharing how proud it is of the entire sales staff and the loyal and dedicated staff of administrative and management professionals that hold the organization together. Before leaving the breakfast we played a short, but rousing game of trivia.