Cleveland home prices soar as foreclosures clear

    Cleveland may be one of the most affordable housing markets in the nation, but it is becoming less affordable, thanks to a severe drop in for-sale listings.

There was a lot of buyer activity in Cleveland during the foreclosure crisis, but with so much of that inventory already gone, the nondistressed market is largely what's left amid strong demand.

US new home sales, prices rise strongly

    New U.S. single-family home sales rose more than expected in April and the median price surged, suggesting the housing market recovery was gaining traction.

The Commerce Department said on Tuesday sales increased 6.8 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 517,000 units. March's sales pace was revised up to 484,000 units from the previously reported 481,000 units.

Denver housing: Rocky Mountain high and HOT

    When Christopher Simmons began shopping for a home in Denver six months ago, he had no idea the risk and the frustration it would take to get one. The 27-year-old had good credit and cash to put down, but that was not enough in this red-hot market. "One of the hardest parts is that I travel for work often and am typically out of town on the weekends, and houses are being listed Thursday afternoon, offers due by Sunday afternoon and responses back on Monday," said Simmons.

A house that thumbs its nose at the drought

    Imagine a home that could recycle two-thirds of the water it uses. No need to imagine. New technology to do just that was recently approved for use in drought-parched California, and the company behind it claims it could be looking at a $15 billion business ahead.

"In five years time, every new home will have a water recycler in it," said Ralph Petroff, chairman of Nexus eWater, the Australia-based company behind the technology.

US housing starts, permits surge

     U.S. housing starts jumped to their highest level in nearly 7-1/2 years in April and permits soared, hopeful signs for an economy that is struggling to regain strong momentum after a dismal first quarter. The strength in housing is in stark contrast with weakness in consumption, business spending and manufacturing, which have prompted economists to lower their second-quarter growth estimates and raised doubts that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates before the end of the year.

Home builder sentiment drops 2 points in May

     In the heart of the spring housing market, home builders are less optimistic.

Builder confidence slipped two points in May on a monthly survey from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). It now stands at 54. Fifty is the line between positive and negative sentiment.

Housing by the numbers: Something is weird

    Homes are selling at a faster clip this spring, but something still isn't quite right in housing.

Thanks to the epic real estate crash of the last decade, market watchers and reporters now have a whole cottage industry of data providers to track every move in home sales and mortgage financing. But looking at all those numbers now, something doesn't add up to a "normal" housing market.