If you're in the market to buy a home, you'll be choosing a house from those listed for sale in your area, unless you hire a builder and architect to construct a home to your exact specifications. That means, to some extent, your choices are limited. In today's market, that's especially true, since there are a lower-than-normal number of homes available for sale. In other words, not only do low inventory levels cause prices to increase, they can also make it less likely that you'll quickly locate a home that fits … [Read more...]
Housing Health A Decade After The Crash
Following the housing crash and financial crisis, there was talk that Americans may stop aspiring to homeownership and would no longer see the housing market as a sound investment and reliable creator of wealth. After all, homeowners who saw the values of their homes plummet might become leery and those who hadn't yet bought a home may've considered themselves lucky. And yet, a decade down the road, the market has largely recovered and demand from buyers is running high. Lawrence Yun, the National Association of … [Read more...]
Mortgage Rates Fall To Lowest Level In A Month
According to the Mortgage Bankers Association's Weekly Applications Survey, average mortgage rates for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances fell to their lowest level since July 20 last week. Rates for loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration and 15-year fixed-rate loans also fell, while jumbo loans saw no change from one week earlier. Joel Kan, an MBA economist, told CNBC that the rate drop was due to the fact that the Fed has signaled that they may be more cautious when considering … [Read more...]
When Will The Buyer’s Market Return?
Housing market conditions are always in flux. One year, there will be more homes for sale than there are interested buyers. And the next, there will be more buyers than available homes. If you're thinking about entering the market, it's good to know where things currently stand and what's likely to happen in the coming months. That's because it'll determine what price you pay and for what. These days, buyer demand is outpacing inventory and, because sellers may have more than one offer to choose from, they can … [Read more...]
New Home Sales Up 13% Over Last Year
New homes only account for about 10 percent of all home sales. But, despite the fact that they are a small share of overall housing market activity, they are a significant factor in the health of the market. That's because new home construction is an important part of keeping the supply of available homes at a healthy level. And, when new homes are selling, builders build more. That's why it's encouraging that the most recent numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development … [Read more...]
More Evidence That Home Price Growth May Be Slowing
Over the past few years, rising buyer demand combined with a lower-than-normal number of homes for sale has led to higher home prices in markets across the country. And, though the rate at which prices have increased may differ from one market to the next, affordability conditions aren't what they were just a few years ago. However, new data may indicate that change is on the way. That's because there is evidence that home price growth may be starting to slow. In fact, according to one recent analysis, price … [Read more...]
Flat Home Sales A Sign Of Market Challenges
New numbers from the National Association of Realtors show sales of existing homes were virtually unchanged from the month before. Down 0.7 percent from June, sales were up in the West but a drop in the Northeast negated the gains. Lawrence Yun, NAR's chief economist, says a lack of available homes continues to hold sales back. “Listings continue to go under contract in under a month, which highlights the feedback from Realtors that buyers are swiftly snatching up moderately-priced properties,” Yun said. “Existing … [Read more...]
Steady Mortgage Rates Lead To Increased Demand
According to the Mortgage Bankers Association's Weekly Applications Survey, average mortgage rates were mostly flat last week, with little movement seen across all loan categories including 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with both conforming and jumbo balances, loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration, and 15-year fixed-rate loans. The lack of volatility in the mortgage market led to an increase in demand for both refinance and purchase loans. In fact, mortgage demand was up 4.2 percent over the week … [Read more...]
Builders Remain Confident In New Home Market
The National Association of Home Builders' Housing Market Index measures how optimistic builders are about the new home market. Scored on a scale where any number above 50 indicates more builders view conditions as good than poor, the survey has been conducted for 30 years and is a good indicator of where the current new home market is and where it may be headed. In August, the index fell one point but remains high at 67. Randy Noel, NAHB's chairman, says there are some challenges but overall builders are seeing … [Read more...]
Saving A Down Payment May Be Easier Than You Think
Saving for a down payment is one of the biggest obstacles first-time home buyers face. While repeat buyers can use the sale of their home to help fund a down payment on a new house, first timers have to save from scratch. And this can be difficult when also facing hurdles like higher rent payments and student loan debt. But, like everything real-estate related, location matters. In fact, according to a new analysis, saving a down payment for an entry-level home is much easier in some locations than others. For … [Read more...]
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