Tag: Citadel NYC

There’s new evidence that younger Americans are beginning to form households of their own at a faster rate than before. And, though young adults are more likely to become renters before they become buyers, the rate at which millennials are pursuing homeownership really depends more on where they live than anything else. Proof of that can be found in the latest Ellie Mae Millennial Tracker, which tracks the mortgage application activity of Americans born between the years 1980 and 1999. According to the latest results, the most popular metro areas among millennial buyers were those in the Midwest. But does that really mean young Americans are flocking to small, Midwestern cities? Well, not exactly. “What this data shows is where there is an inventory of affordable homes, the millennial buyers are ready to enter the market,†Joe Tyrrell, Ellie Mae’s executive vice president of corporate strategy, said. In other words, because affordability conditions are more favorable for buyers in the Midwest, there are more young Americans deciding to buy rather than rent. However, regardless of where you live, the results indicate a strong desire for homeownership among millennials, which should help keep buyer demand healthy for years to come. More here.

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Applications Survey, average mortgage rates were up last week, rising across all loan categories. Though rates remain low overall, they moved up slightly for 30-year fixed-rate loans with both conforming and jumbo balances, loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration, and 15-year fixed-rate loans. Higher rates didn’t hold back buyer demand, though. In fact, demand for loans to buy homes rose 5 percent from the week before and is now 5 percent higher than at the same time last year. Joel Kan, MBA’s associate vice president of industry surveys and forecasting, told CNBC that the rebound may have more to do with the time of year than any other factor. “More prospective home buyers returned to the market after two weeks of decreases in purchase activity, which were possibly due to spring break season and Easter,†Kan said. The rise in purchase activity was balanced by a 5 percent drop in refinance activity, however, which likely fell due to the first mortgage rate increase following consecutive weeks of decline. The MBA’s weekly survey has been conducted since 1990 and covers 75 percent of all retail residential mortgage applications. More here.

Home prices are expected to match their 2006 high at some point later this year, according to CoreLogic’s chief economist, Frank Nothaft. Nothaft says prices were up in March and are now just 2.8 percent below their peak. “With a forecasted increase of almost 5 percent over the next 12 months, the index is expected to reach the previous peak during the second half of this year,†Nothaft says. In fact, prices have already surpassed their previous highs in nearly 20 percent of cities included in the index. So what’s fueling the increases? Well, it’s a combination of a stronger economy, population growth, low mortgage rates, and a lower-than-normal number of homes for sale in many markets. Together, they’ve created an environment where the supply of homes can’t keep up with the number of interested buyers. And, when there are more buyers than available homes, prices rise. Still, buyers shouldn’t be scared off. Mortgage rates remain low by historical standards and that, combined with a stronger job market, should help make conditions better for buyers. Also, as the sales season continues, more homeowners will put their homes up for sale, helping to balance the market and slow future price gains. More here.

When it comes to buying a house, most people focus first on what’s going on inside the house. The size of the kitchen, the number of bedrooms, closets, storage, etc., are all top concerns. But, according to a recent survey from the National Association of Realtors, access to outdoor recreation is nearly as important to most home buyers. Respondents listed benefits such as better health, an appreciation of nature, and a greater sense of community among the reasons they believed it was important to be close to outdoor features. And it wasn’t a small number, either. There were large majorities that said outdoor recreation was either very or somewhat important to them. In fact, 56 percent of participants said it was very important and an additional 30 percent said it was somewhat important. Not surprisingly, there was a slight difference depending on where respondents lived. For example, in the West, 65 percent of those surveyed said outdoor recreation was very important to them, while just 51 percent felt the same way in the Midwest. Still, it’s clearly something to think about when searching for a home to buy – whether you’re buying a home by the water or just looking for something close to a neighborhood park. More here.