MORE ON THE DC HOUSING BUBBLE. DC ranks 16 on a new list showing the extent of the housing bubble. According to the The Data Almanac 2006, it cost $499 more per month to buy a home than to rent a home in DC. In San Diego the difference was $1442. In New York, it was $1,118. Numerous California and New York City Markets topped the list.

The placement of DC away from the top of the list jives with studies, such as one completed recently by Delta Associates. Because the list relies on HUD data from 2003, its value is that it demonstrates the relative modest risk of the DC market compared with other U.S. housing markets.

MORTGAGE RATES CREEP UP AGAIN. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.28 percent, with an average 0.5 point, for the week ending February 16, up from last week’s average of 6.24 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 5.62 percent, according to the Freddie Mac survey.

The average for the 15-year fix-rate mortgage this week is 5.91 percent, with an average 0.5 point, up from last week’s average of 5.83 percent. A year ago, the 15-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 5.14 percent.

Five-year adjustable-rate mortgages averaged 5.95 percent this week, with an average 0.5 point, up from last week when it averaged 5.89 percent. A year ago, the five-year ARM averaged 5.05 percent.

"So far this year, fixed-rate mortgage rates have risen only slightly," said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac chief economist. "Long-term mortgage rates are only marginally higher than they were two months ago."

TEN HIGHWAY BOTTLENECKS, as pinpointed by the Washington Post. Sounds like good news for DC. Only two of the trouble areas are in the city and those involve commuters to and from Maryland. Check out the graphic from the Washington Post.

What are we going to do?!? Tafffic. Traffic. Traffic. I guess everyone in Rockthesda and Alexandrington should have factored in the limited number of roads and the infinite number of cars when they decided to live out there. Plus you can't walk anywhere.