Do you think that Miley Cyrus wrote “The Climb” with the NYSE in mind. 

There’s always gonna be another mountain
I’m always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Somebody’s gonna have to lose

Ain’t about how fast I get there
Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side
It’s the climb, yeah!  (traders on the floor break into spontaneous dance led by pop princess in wall street garb)

The stock market briefly and wonderfully eclipsed the 10,000 mark yesterday, revisiting an apex that we first accomplished ten years ago.  WE are all sooooo excited, to be back in the stock gain levels of ten years ago? ..?

 Honestly, those of us who are homeowners here in Virginia and DC are hopeful that the resurgence of the market could indicate a resurgence in the market. 

Fellow Zillow watchers.. what do you think?  We have watched our homes peak at irrationally high heights just 5 years ago to only go on a sickeningly steep Busch Gardens like drop.  Indicators are that there is a leveling off and that this summer we may have even seen a slight bounce back to values of a reasonble time.  Which begs an important question for DC newbies…. RENT… or … BUY?  Many a Virginia resident has made a killing on selling a home they owned for three years before moving back to an obscure base in Texas.  Conversely, some have been strapped into mortgages that do not hold up to the housing crash and are forced to rent their homes for a percentage of their value when the FBI, DOD or GS job ships them off to Asia.

Schools of thought vary about where the market hit bottom this year, or if it did hit bottom.  Interest rates have been remaining steady at the lowest rates ever seen.  There will be a magical moment when interest rates and housing prices begin to rise again.  How to catch that perfect moment just before “The Climb.” ? What would you tell a new Virginia resident.. RENT or BUY?  Have we recovered?