New York Archives

Number Of Equity Rich Properties Hits New High

Homeownership isn’t a get rich quick scheme. So you shouldn’t buy a house expecting its value to skyrocket and your wealth to instantly rise. The housing market will have its ups-and-downs and there are no guarantees. Which means, you probably shouldn’t buy a house hoping it’ll make you rich. And while that’s generally good advice, it doesn’t mean owning a home won’t benefit your bottom line. For example, according to ATTOM Data Solutions’ Q3 2018 U.S. Home Equity & Underwater Report, there are now nearly 14.5 million equity rich properties across the country. Equity rich refers to when the amount owed on the mortgage is less than 50 percent of a property’s market value. And the new numbers are not only good news, they represent a new high and an increase of 433,000 from one year ago. Daren Blomquist, senior vice president of ATTOM, says part of the improvement is the fact that people are staying in their homes longer. “As homeowners stay put longer, they continue to build more equity in their homes despite the recent slowing in rates of home appreciation,” Blomquist said. In other words, the longer you stay in a house, the more likely you’ll see a return on your investment. More here.

Financial Confidence Fuels Home Buying Interest

How much money you spend is dependent on how much money you have. This is a simple equation and one that explains the current housing market. That’s because, though home prices and mortgage rates have gone up recently, home buyer demand remains high. And the most likely explanation for this is that the economy is stronger and people feel more secure financially. In short, they have more money so they’re able to afford more. Take Fannie Mae’s most recent Home Purchase Sentiment Index. The survey asks Americans for their perception of the current housing market, prices, rates, the economy, etc. According to the most recent results, 30 percent of Americans who say it’s a good time to buy a house cited favorable economic conditions as the reason they felt like the time was right. This is a good indication that financial confidence is helping to fuel interest in buying a home. However, though the economy may be helping keep buyers interested, affordability conditions are having an effect. In fact, the overall index fell 2 points from the month before with five of the six components seeing declines. More here.

Good News On Jobs Leads To Rate Increase

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Applications Survey, average mortgage rates were up last week from one week earlier. The increase is a continuation of a recent trend upward that has been propelled by improved economic conditions. As the economy has grown stronger, interest rates have grown along with it. Joel Kan, MBA’s associate vice president of economic and industry forecasts, told CNBC last week’s increase was due, in part, to newly released employment numbers. “Rates increased slightly last week, as various job market indicators showed a bounce back in job gains and an acceleration in wage growth in October,” Kan said. Naturally, increasing rates have had an effect on mortgage demand and last week was no different. The number of requests for loans to buy homes fell 5 percent from the week before. But despite the drop, purchase application demand remains virtually unchanged from where it was at the same time last year, when rates were lower. This is an indication that there is still a high level of demand from home buyers. The MBA’s weekly survey has been conducted since 1990 and covers 75 percent of all retail residential mortgage applications. More here.

The Simple Reason Housing Isn’t Headed For A Crash

At a glance, it might seem like home prices can only increase so much before they crash again. After all, they’ve largely recovered and are now at or above where they were just before they fell the last time. So doesn’t that mean we’re entering another housing bubble? Well, no. And the reason we aren’t is fairly simple. According to Lawrence Yun, the National Association of Realtors’ chief economist, the difference is what is pushing home values higher. “The current market conditions are fundamentally different than what we were experiencing before the recession 10 years ago,” Yun says. “Most states are reporting stable or strong market conditions, housing starts are under producing instead of over producing and we are seeing historically low foreclosure levels, indicating that people are living within their means and not purchasing homes they cannot afford. This is a stronger, more stable market compared to the loosely regulated market leading up to the bust.” Generally speaking, home prices have been moving up because there are more buyers than available homes for sale. And while that produces its own set of challenges, it doesn’t indicate the market is headed for another crash. More here.

Housing Outlook Sees Similar Conditions Next Year

Real estate, of course, is about location. From neighborhood to neighborhood, conditions may differ. Pricier neighborhoods will have different dynamics than more affordable areas. Hot spots that offer buyers features and amenities will have different conditions than less popular areas farther from the action. That’s why most people work with professionals when buying or selling a home. It’s good to be able to lean on the experience of someone with expertise in the specific parts of town you’re interested in. But that’s not to say you can’t have a general sense of where the market is headed and what to expect when you hit the streets in search of a house. Take the most recent forecast from Freddie Mac, for example. The outlook says, though the market will slow down this fall and winter, high demand for homes will mean more sales and competition next year. It also says home price growth will begin to slow next year, though you should expect mortgage rates to continue to edge higher through 2020. Overall, according to Freddie Mac’s outlook, home buyers and sellers should expect next year’s market to look relatively similar to this year’s. More here.

Young Adults Saving Early For Homeownership

First-time home buyers are important to the health of the housing market, since they typically account for around 40 percent of the homes sold. And though that number has fallen in recent years, a stronger economy and job market has led to increasing demand among younger buyers. In fact, according to one recent survey, an overwhelming majority of Americans between the ages of 18 and 34 say they want to own a home, if they don’t already. And while that’s not that surprising, the fact that the youngest respondents were among the most enthusiastic is. Generation Z – which includes Americans between the ages of 18 and 24 – were more than twice as likely to have started, or plan to start, saving for a home before the age of 25 than previous generations. Two in five Gen-Z participants said they hope to become homeowners by that age. But while they want to become homeowners, they may not have the same motivations as previous generations. Fewer of them said they wanted to become homeowners to live the American Dream or because they think real estate is a good investment. Instead, 61 percent said they want to own a home because they want to customize their own space. More here.

The Winter Market May Be Good For Buyers

Typically, spring and summer are thought of as the prime times to buy or sell a home. There are a number of reasons for this, including weather and the end of the school year. But whatever the reason, there are usually more homes for sale and more active buyers during what is typically the busiest sales season. Fall and winter, on the other hand, are the time of the year when the housing market slows down. The approaching holidays and colder temperatures across much of the country mean fewer Americans are in the mood for a move. But that can mean opportunities for buyers who are. A recent analysis looked at the country’s largest metro areas and compared typical affordability levels, projected rent increases, and the share of listings with a price cut to determine where buyers might have the best chances in the coming months. The results showed conditions in hot markets like Orlando, Boston, Seattle, and Las Vegas are becoming more favorable as the end of the year approaches. That means, interested buyers may be in a better position this fall and winter than they will be next spring when things begin to heat back up. More here.

Pending Home Sales Increase In September

When an offer on a home has been accepted, that home’s sale is considered pending. It isn’t final until closing, which typically takes place a few weeks later. But, because most accepted offers result in completed sales, the National Association of Realtors tracks contract signings as an indicator of what sales should look like in the near future. In September, the NAR’s Pending Home Sales Index showed a slight increase from the month before, though it’s still below where it was at the same time last year. Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist, says the month-over-month increase is a good sign. “This shows that buyers are out there on the sidelines, waiting to jump in once more inventory becomes available and the price is right,” Yun said. In other words, though tight inventory and the end of the summer season may lead to slowing sales in the near term, home buyer demand remains elevated. Additionally, Yun points out that compared to data going back to the year 2000, affordability levels are favorable and should help keep housing demand steady in the coming months.

Mortgage Demand Bounces Back After Holiday

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Application Survey, demand for mortgage loans rose 4.9 percent last week from one week earlier. Refinance activity led the way, increasing 10 percent from the previous week. Demand for loans to buy homes was also higher, however, posting a 2 percent increase. But though demand was up, the rebound follows a holiday week that saw sharp declines. “Mortgage application activity rebounded the week following the Columbus Day holiday, but both purchase and refinance levels remained lower than where they were two weeks ago,” Joel Kan, MBA’s AVP of economic and industry forecasting, said. In other words, despite last week’s gains, activity overall has slowed. It may have something to do with climbing interest rates. Last week, average rates rose again. Rates were up across most loan types, including 30-year fixed-rate loans with both conforming and jumbo balances and loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration. Average rates for 15-year fixed-rate loans were unchanged from one week earlier. The MBA’s weekly survey has been conducted since 1990 and covers 75 percent of all retail residential mortgage applications.

Most People Say They Have Good Neighbors

There are a lot of things you can tell about living in a particular a house from a quick visit or two. There are even some things you can tell just from driving through the surrounding neighborhood. But, while you can know how much available storage a house has or how new the windows are, you won’t have as easy a time knowing what your prospective neighbors are like and what it’ll be like living next to them. Fortunately, though, most Americans say they have good neighbors. In fact, according to the results of a new survey from the National Association of Realtors’ consumer website, three out of four people said they have good neighbors. That means, more likely than not, you’ll be able to get along with the people living around you. But what exactly makes a neighbor good? Well, respondents said being trustworthy and quiet were the most important qualities in a neighbor and being disrespectful of property was the worst trait a neighbor could have. But while everyone wants to have a good relationship with their neighbors, they don’t necessarily expect to become best friends. Very few participants said a close friendship was a must, with just 9 percent of women saying so and 20 percent of men. More here.