Lockboxes as Anecdotal Indicators

By Kevin

What's a leading indicator? It's a data series that can be used to reliably predict the future movement of another. But informal data and anecdotes can be just as sensible and accurate as formal leading indicators.

For example, to measure the strength of current housing markets, people are noting the year-to-year increase in inventory, the relative decrease in price growth or a decrese in prices, etc.

But the most powerful indicator might very well be the return of highly visible clusters of lockboxes outside of condominium buildings. (w/ pic goodness).

-- March 22, 2006 11:50 AM |

Comments

Bob Hawkins wrote:

I'm guessing that a lockbox corresponds to an uninhabited condo. Could you fill in the blanks for me? We don't have those on ice caves like I live in.

-- March 22, 2006 4:28 PM ∞

Kevin Brancato wrote:

Sorry for the lack of a definiton; lockboxes are ubiqitous in my area.

Lockboxes contain the keys to a home, and are affixed securely to a doorknob, post, rack, etc. Realtors have a key or a code that opens a lockbox. With this system, any registered agent can show any home on the multiple listing service, at any time -- and neither the owner or the seller's agent need be present.

Lockboxes tend to show up in bunches at condos because of 1) rules forbidding lockboxes from being attached to doorknobs, or 2) the need for a key to get into the building, in addition to a key to the individual apartment.

As an aside, with the prospect of acclerating global warming, are ice caves depreciating in value?

-- March 22, 2006 7:37 PM ∞

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