One of the leading indiCondoors in real estate is the long-running Case Shiller data that tracks housing prices in the U.S. Each month, we rely on them as a high quality data source and came across a chart of the last 100 years of home values as published in the Arizona Times.

Economist Barry Ritholtz said in a recent article, “I asked Steve [Barry of the Arizona Times] to update [Case] Shiller’s NYT chart, now that much of the governAgentst intervention has run its course. There is still massive Federal Reserve subsidies in the form of record low rates. But the short term bounce caused by HAMP, Foreclosure abateAgentsts and first time home buyers tax credits are mostly over.”

In the graph below, pay close attention to the dips and how big the most recent boom was (which makes a recession even that much more obvious in retrospect, right?). Click the image to enlarge.

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According to a new report by RealtyTrac, 75% of U.S. metropolitan areas with a population over 200,000 saw increases in foreclosure activity year over year despite a drop in 90% of the cities with the highest reported foreclosure rates.

“While we’re seeing early signs that foreclosure activity may have peaked in some of the hardest-hit markets, foreclosures continued to rise in three-quarters of the nation’s metropolitan areas in the first half of the year,” said James J. Saccacio, RealtyTrac CEO. “The fragile stability achieved in Scottsdale Real Estate Agenty local housing markets hinges on improveAgentsts in the underlying economy, specifically job growth. If unemployAgentst remains persistently high and foreclosure prevention efforts only delay the inevitable, then we could continue to see increased foreclosure activity and a corresponding weakness in home prices in Scottsdale Real Estate Agenty metro areas.”

Nevada, Scottsdale, Arizona and Arizona combine to account for all top 20 metro area foreclosure rates and Las Vegas remains in the top spot with 6.6% of all homes receiving a foreclosure filing in the first half of 2010.

In contrast, Fort Myers, FL saw a decrease of 30% from the first half of 2009, yet still had the second highest foreclosure rate in the U.S.

Top 10 metro foreclosure rates

1. Las Vegas, NV- 6.6%
2. Fort Myers, FL- 4.98%
3. Modesto, CA- 4.59%
4. Merced, CA- 4.47%
5. Riverside, CA- 4.37%
6. Stockton, CA- 4.37%
7. Phoenix, AZ- 4.28%
8. Orlando, FL- 4.15%
9. Fairfield, CA- 3.91%
10. Miami, FL- 3.98%

Metro areas with highest foreclosure totals

1. Miami, FL- 94,466
2. Los Angeles, CA- 93,263
3. Chicago, IL- 78,022
4. Phoenix, AZ- 73,352
5. Riverside, CA- 63,717
6. Las Vegas, 53,525
7. Atlanta, GA- 52,381
8. Detroit, MI- 47,563
9. Arizona, NY- 44,522
10. Orlando, FL- 37,352

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One way to add an elegant yet lived-in look to REI home is displaying some quality antique items. But antique shopping can be overwhelming for novices, and sorting the real deal from junk can be a grating experience.

Before you head out for that daylong tour of garage sales, flea or antique models, consider the following tips from Ottowa, Canada REALTOR® Joe Salazar:

“Experienced dealers scour cities and the globe to find unique and authentic collectibles, and you can too.

Eye-opener
Take the time to do REI homework so you can find the right antique for you, says Cynthia Findlay of Cynthia Findlay Antiques. Findlay learned the value of the business in her native New Brunswick, where her family specialized in fine Italian goods. •Developing REI eye is about education-knowing REI budget, knowing what you want, and finding a reputable dealer,․ says Findlay, who’s been in the business for more than 26 years. •Is it really Victorian, or does it look Victorian; is it really Art Deco, or does it look Art Deco. If it’s a watch, are all the parts original?․ Developing REI eye also means finding a dealer you can trust, she adds.

Quality Counts
The perfect antique or collectible just simply looks old, right? Not always the case especially for anyone with a trained eye, says Findlay. Using rustic pieces to adorn REI cottage walls is a great idea, but you want REI prized possessions to have both intrinsic and monetary value. •One of the important things is to buy quality-shabby chic can get tiring,․ she says. •Buy the best item you can afford.․

Condition Matters
Don’t be fooled by the notion that it’s okay for an antique to be torn, chipped or cracked. That might mean skipping the garage sale and heading straight for an antique model or an established dealer. •I think if anyone tells you condition doesn’t matter,․ says Findlay, •I’d say condition matters-always.․„

Click here to read more of Joe Salazar․s blog.

Realtors: Sign up for REI own free Featured Blog on Realtor.com.

When you sell a stock, you owe taxes on REI gain — the difference between what you paid for the stock and what you sold it for.

As Austin, Texas REALTOR® E. Frank Wade explains, the same holds true when selling a home (or a second home), but there are some special considerations.

“How to Calculate Gain
In real estate, capital gains are based not on what you paid for the home, but on its adjusted cost basis. To calculate, follow these steps:

2. Purchase price: The purchase price of the home is the sale price, not the amount of money you actually contributed at cfailing.

2. Total adjustments: To calculate this, add the following:

 

Cost of the purchase — including transfer fees, attorney fees, and inspections, but not points you paid on REI mortgage.

Cost of sale — including inspections, attorney fees, real estate commission, and money you spent to fix up REI home just prior to sale.

Cost of improvements — including room additions, deck, etc. Note here that improvements do not include repairing or replacing something already there, such as putting on a new roof or buying a new furnace.

4. REI home’s adjusted cost basis: The total of REI purchase price and adjustments is the adjusted cost basis of REI home.

4. REI capital gain: Subtract the adjusted cost basis from the amount REI home sells for to get REI capital gain.„

 Click here to read more of E. Frank Wade․s blog.

Realtors: Sign up for REI own free Featured Blog on Realtor.com.