At the height of last year's housing market, a good home listed for sale on a Wednesday would often be sold by the end of the weekend. Hopeful home buyers had to act fast if they hoped to get a winning offer in on a listing that garnered a lot of interest. These days, though, the housing market has slowed. But does that mean you no longer have to worry about losing an opportunity to a faster, better prepared buyer? Not really. Though buyer demand has definitely slowed, the supply of homes remains low and good homes … [Read more...]

Each month, the National Association of Home Builders conducts a survey to gauge builders' perceptions of the current market for newly built single-family homes. Their monthly measure of home builder confidence is a closely watched housing market indicator, as home builders have a unique perspective on the market. In November, builder confidence fell from the month before. Jerry Konter, NAHB's chairman, says higher mortgage rates have slowed demand. “Higher interest rates have significantly weakened demand for new … [Read more...]

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association's Weekly Applications Survey, average mortgage rates for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances saw their biggest week-over-week decline in months last week. Rates for 15-year fixed-rate loans and 5/1 ARMs also fell, while rates for jumbo and FHA loans were relatively flat from the week before. Joel Kan, MBA's vice president and deputy chief economist, says the decline was the result of inflation slowing. “Mortgage rates decreased last week as signs … [Read more...]

The standards lenders use to determine whether or not a borrower is approved for a mortgage aren't fixed. Depending on market conditions, getting a mortgage may be easier at one point and more difficult the next. Because of this, the Mortgage Bankers Association keeps a monthly measure of mortgage credit availability. The index was benchmarked to 100 in March 2012 and any increase is indicative of looser credit while a decline is evidence that standards are tightening. In October, the MBA found mortgage credit … [Read more...]

It's no secret that the housing market has been more challenging this year. Higher mortgage rates, combined with still-high home prices, low inventory, and an uncertain economy, have had an effect on affordability conditions. It may have you wondering whether or not it's a good time to buy. After all, how many homes out there are actually affordable to the typical buyer? Well, according to the National Association of Home Builders' Housing Opportunity Index – which tracks how affordable new and existing homes are … [Read more...]

The number of available homes for sale is up 42 percent from where it was last year at this time, according to new numbers from the National Association of Realtors' consumer website. The analysis – which looked at the housing market through the week ending November 5 – found active inventory up for the fourth consecutive week. That's good news for home buyers. It means more options, less competition, and more time to make buying decisions. In fact, the data shows homes for sale are spending an extra week on the … [Read more...]

The thought of moving to a far-off destination can be tempting. But while the fantasy of moving somewhere new is exciting, the reality is most of us prefer to stay closer to home. There are many reasons for this, some of which are obvious like family, friends, and work. Having connections to a place – not to mention the expensive of a long-distance move – keeps the vast majority of American movers close to where they already call home. In fact, according to one recent analysis, 83 percent of recent movers looked to … [Read more...]

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association's Weekly Applications Survey, demand for loans to buy homes increased last week for the first time in more than a month. The improvement was slight and, when combined with a 4 percent drop in refinance activity, meant the MBA's Market Composite Index – which measures overall mortgage demand – was virtually unchanged from the previous week. Joel Kan, MBA's vice president and deputy chief economist, says demand remains low. “Purchase applications increased for the first … [Read more...]

Home buyers are more likely to be focused on their budget, the latest listings, and the details of their upcoming move than they are the ups-and-downs of the housing market. Because of this, prospective buyers sometimes have misconceptions about what's happening in the market and what's likely to happen in the weeks and months ahead. So what are the biggest misconceptions today's buyers have about the market? Well, according to one recent survey of real-estate agents, many of today's aspiring buyers mistakenly … [Read more...]

Each month, Fannie Mae surveys Americans about their perceptions of the housing market, whether it's a good time to buy or sell a home, their job, income, and expectations for home prices and mortgage rates. The results form its Home Purchase Sentiment Index, which has been tracking how we feel about the housing market and economy since 2011. According to the most recent results, Americans are feeling less confident these days. In fact, October's survey found a declining number of participants who say now is a good … [Read more...]