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... They don't see each other. They only see what they want to see. They don't know they're in debt.
Needless to say my favorite is P/E ratio. I will even look at a convincing forward-looking P/E ratio.
How about astrological indicators? I have not heard anyone here quoting them yet.
And how about “common sense†?
Nah, if they don't "see the debt" they're sure as heck not going to see "common sense."
Right now my favorite indicator is the mortagage/rent gap.
I'd have to say, as far as leading indicators are concerned, the price-to-rent (a.k.a. "PE") ratio is also my favorite, followed by the HAI and price-to-income ratio.
How about this ratio:
Let i be the 30-YR FRM interest rate
Let p be the price of the home
Let r be the annual rent of a comparable home
Ratio = (p * i) / r
This ratio is similar to "mortagage/rent gap" but it counts only the cost of money (interest).
Fake P, the ratio is for comparison only. Those fees, tax, and deductions are more or less constant over time for the same home anyway. I do not want to have a complex buy-vs-rent calculator. I do have a formula though.
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Signs... Everywhere you look, it's possible to see the Signs that something is not quite normal in the housing market today. Depending on where you stand on the Housing Bubble debate, the signs you see might be positive or negative indicators. Your "signs" may not be that significant to other people, and vice-verca. But everyone has their own favorite "market indicators".
What are yours?
Is it Y-Y/M-M price indexes? Is it price-to-rent (PE) ratios? Y-Y/M-M Sales Volume? Price-to-income ratios? The CA/national HAI (Housing Affordability Index)? Foreclosure rates? Total/available housing inventory? Mortgage lending standards? Levels of new housing construction? Level of speculator activity in the overall market? Shifts in the types of mortgages being issued? GSE debt levels/ share of the market? Overall levels of media "chatter" about the Bubble and/or number of recent articles & interviews on the subject?
What are your favorite "market indicators" and why? Are they leading or trailing indicators? Why? Discuss.
HARM
#housing