"The Danger Zone" - Jeff Thredgold / Tea Leaf

The world’s economy is “deeply into the danger zone” because of risks from the eurozone, the International Monetary Fund has stated. The IMF predicts the global economy will grow by 3.25% (after inflation) in 2012, down from an earlier forecast of 4.0%. Global output is forecast to expand 3.9% in 2013, down from a previous forecast of 4.5%.

FORECASTS & PREDICTIONS FOR HOUSING IN 2012 - Howard Voyles / HousingMatrix.com

David Liniger, Chairman and Co-Founder of RE/MAX released his Top 10 Real Estate Predictions for 2012:

• Continued low interest rates;
• Increasing numbers of home sales;
• Increasing numbers of home sales;
• Rising inventories, mostly due to increased foreclosures;
• Distressed properties will make up about half of all sales;
• An improved Short Sales process to help avoid foreclosure;
• Homeownership rates continue to fall;
• Foreign and domestic investors will buy 25% of homes;
• Increasing reliance on real estate agents;
• Increased use of Mobile & Social technologies.

MORE HOUSING FORECASTS:

Merrill Lynch – “It is too early to get bullish”.

Industry consultant John Burns - New Home Sales will increase from about 300k in 2011 to near 359k IN 2012 and Housing Starts from 600k in 2011 to near 717k (including multifamily).

Reuters – Lennar says high rents helped home order increase 20%.

Toll Brothers - Chief Executive Officer Douglas Yearley Jr. expects to sell about 2,600 homes. He said the company could deliver as many as 3,200 houses, up from the 2,611 sold in fiscal 2011.

Other - Builders have reduced their New Home inventory to 6 months and this will boost New Housing Starts.

Join the conversation with economist Rodney Johnson, president of HS Dent and host Howard Voyles, CEO of HousingMatrix.com. Understand the Forces Shaping the Economy & the Housing Market – Make Informed Decisions. The most informative 20 minutes you will spend this week. Click here to listen

Pipeline Denied By - Expect the Oil to Go to China - Rodney Johnson / HSDent 01/18/12)

The proposed XL Pipeline was rejected by President Obama under the pretense that the proposal had not been around long enough for sufficient study.  Study of what?  It’s a pipeline to bring in oil from Canada through a region that already has a lot of pipelines. Haven’t we studied this area before?  Don’t we know what’s in it?  And the pipeline proposal isn’t new., it’s been around since 2008.  This is the same posturing that we have seen a million times over from both parties.  The dance is familiar.