If you're a prospective home buyer, the pace of new home construction should matter to you. Today's hot market and rapidly rising prices are largely due to the fact that there are fewer homes for sale these days. Combined with a high level of buyer demand, the lack of inventory has caused a competitive market where homes sell quickly and well over the seller's asking price. So what's the answer to this problem? Well, adding to the supply of available homes would help alleviate some of the pressure home buyers are … [Read more...]

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association's Weekly Applications Survey, demand for loans to buy homes reached its highest point since April during the week following Labor Day. Home buyers returned and pushed purchase application demand 2 percent higher than the week before. Joel Kan, MBA's associate vice president of economic and industry forecasting, says demand remains strong. “Housing demand is strong heading into fall, despite fast-rising home prices and low inventory,” Kan said. “The inventory situation … [Read more...]

Each month, Fannie Mae's Economic and Strategic Research Group releases a forecast detailing their outlook for the economy and housing market. According to their most recent release, the group sees some potential challenges ahead that may affect home buyers. Specifically, they believe buyer demand could begin to slow if affordability conditions worsen. Doug Duncan, Fannie Mae's senior vice president and chief economist, says there are a few factors that will determine whether or not that happens. “Affordability … [Read more...]

Builders have to be able to read the market in order to be successful. So it's no surprise their perspective is closely followed. One measure of how home builders are feeling about the housing market is the National Association of Home Builders' Housing Market Index. It surveys builders and scores their responses on a scale where any number above 50 indicates more builders view conditions as good than poor. In September, the index moved up one point to 76, ending three months of consecutive declines. Chuck Fowke, … [Read more...]

The number of rooms a house has – and how they're distributed – is even more important than the overall size of the home. A huge home that packs all the bedrooms and bathrooms into one cramped corner of the house may not serve its owners as well as a smaller house with a better layout. But while determining the number of bedrooms you need is a fairly simple calculation, how many bathrooms you need can be less clear. An analysis of data from the Census Bureau's latest Survey of Construction offers some insight into … [Read more...]

Your mortgage lender is the first person you should talk to once you've decided to buy a home. After a preliminary review of your finances, they can tell you, not only whether you're qualified to borrow, but also what your potential price range will be. In short, they're your first step toward buying a house. That's why Fannie Mae conducts their quarterly Mortgage Lender Sentiment Survey. Positioned at the start of the buying process, lenders are able to get a good read on the market and where it may be headed. So … [Read more...]

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association's Weekly Applications Survey, demand for loans to buy homes started the month off strong. In fact, the MBA's Purchase Index for the week ending September 10 saw an 8 percent increase from one week earlier. Joel Kan, MBA's associate vice president of economic and industry forecasting, said the gain pushed purchase application demand higher than it's been in months. “Purchase applications – after adjusting for the impact of Labor Day – increased over 7 percent last week … [Read more...]

Work has always played a role in where we live. After all, nobody likes a long commute. Which is why we've typically looked to live somewhere close to where we worked. But the pandemic changed work routines for many people and now it looks like it'll be changing how we decide where we want to move. It's already fueling a desire to make a change. In fact, according to one recent analysis, the number of remote or hybrid workers who say they're ready to move is about 10 percent higher than the number of in-person … [Read more...]

The best time to buy a house is when you're ready. But, once you're ready, picking the right time of year to start the process could be beneficial. It could even save you money. How? Well, when the market slows down and there are fewer active home buyers, price increases, bidding wars, and competition also slow down. That means, buying at the right time of year may mean better deals and less stress. And, according to a recent analysis from the National Association of Realtors' consumer website, the right time of … [Read more...]

If you want to be approved for a mortgage, you have to qualify. Which means, if you have too much debt, too little income, or bad credit, you may not be able to get a loan. Put simply, you have to have your finances in order, if you hope to borrow hundreds of thousands of dollars. But the standards lenders use to determine whether or not you're qualified aren't fixed. Sometimes they're more lenient than others. That's why the Mortgage Bankers Association tracks mortgage credit availability. Their monthly index … [Read more...]