Question
Can I convert the monthly RealtyTrac foreclosure time series to a quarterly or annual frequency?
Answer
Specific issue: For RealtyTrac foreclosures (e.g., XTRACFIM.US), if you apply the Data Buffet frequency tool to convert monthly data to a lower frequency, the results exceed those published by RealtyTrac. The high bias is due to double-counting.
When RealtyTrac produces their quarterly and annual data, they perform the necessary de-duplication, which Data Buffet cannot.
Fix: Do not apply Data Buffet frequency conversions to RealtyTrac foreclosure time series.
General principle: Data Buffet will perform any frequency conversion when asked, but does so "naïvely." Depending on the nature of the raw data at its native frequency, the result may be invalid. Please familiarize yourself with the structure of the dataset (by reading Mnemonic 411) before applying conversions or transformations.
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