property management Archives

Rates Fall To Lowest Level So Far This Year

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Applications Survey, mortgage rates were mostly down last week. Rates fell for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances, loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration, and 15-year fixed-rate mortgages. Rates for jumbo loans were unchanged from the week before. The decline brought mortgage rates to their lowest level so far this year. Michael Fratantoni, MBA’s chief economist, told CNBC the spring season is off to a good start. “The spring housing market is off to a solid start,” Fratantoni said. “Despite the relatively weak job report for March, job growth is averaging almost 180,000 [a month] so far this year, providing a strong support for the home purchase market.” The survey found demand for loans to buy homes was up 3 percent from the week before and is now 3 percent higher than at the same time last year. Refinance demand, on the other hand, was virtually unchanged from the previous week, despite falling interest rates. The MBA’s weekly survey has been conducted since 1990 and covers 75 percent of all retail residential mortgage applications. More here.

Townhomes Make A Comeback With Home Buyers

Historically, townhouses were the city homes the wealthy used when they needed to be in town for social events. These days, however, they’re popular with a wider array of buyers and there are a number of reasons why. First off, their small footprint and vertical design means they require less maintenance and are more likely to be located in trendier, walkable neighborhoods close to amenities and jobs. For that reason, townhouses appeal to both first-time buyers and baby boomers looking to downsize. Townhomes are also appealing because they tend to sell for less than the typical, detached single-family home. That combination of a lower price tag and the ability to be close to retail, entertainment, schools, and amenities have led to a bit of a townhouse building boom over the past few years. In fact, recent numbers from the National Association of Home Builders show a nearly 18 percent increase in the number of townhomes built between 2014 and 2015. But though it may not be the first time they’ve experienced a wave of popularity since their 18^th century heyday, with more and more Americans indicating a preference for them, they’re increasingly a desirable option for prospective buyers looking for a house to buy. More here.

Is It Better To Buy Now Or Save For Later?

For first-time home buyers, saving enough money for a down payment is among the top obstacles blocking their jump to homeownership. Where current homeowners can often use the sale of their house to help fund the upfront costs of buying another home, first timers have to come up with the money by budgeting and staying disciplined. But is it better to put off buying a home until you can come up with a full 20 percent down payment or should you buy now and put less down? This can be a complicated equation – especially since it ultimately depends on how much prices and mortgage rates rise or fall in the future. Despite this, a new calculator from mortgage insurer MGIC hopes to show new buyers that sometimes waiting a year or two to save up money can actually cost more. Vance Edwards, MGIC’s marketing program director, says that – while they don’t want to encourage anyone to buy before they can afford to – they want to help counter the notion that buyers have to save 20 percent before they can think about homeownership and help show that, not only are there other options, it sometimes costs more not to explore them. More here.

Spring Has Homeowners Seeing Opportunity

This year’s housing market depends a lot on whether or not current homeowners decide now’s the time to put their home up for sale. With inventory low in many markets, home prices have been climbing and causing affordability concerns for buyers. But there are two ways to relieve upward pressure on prices. One is more new home construction. The other is more homeowners putting their homes on the market. Doug Duncan, Fannie Mae’s senior vice president and chief economist, says the market may get a boost, if current homeowners become more active. “The housing market could get some tailwinds from a seasonal rise in for-sale inventory, particularly as some sellers seek to lock in profits from recent rapid home price gains,” Duncan said. “The market could also get a boost from homebuyers who decide to jump into the market before rates rise further.” The good news is there are an increasing number of Americans who believe this is the time to sell. In fact, Fannie Mae’s most recent Home Purchase Sentiment Index saw a 9 percent jump in the number of survey participants who said they feel it’s a good time to sell a house. If more homeowners begin to list their homes this spring, it’ll offer buyers better choices. It’ll also help moderate future price increases. More here.

How New Homes Help Buyers & The Economy

April is New Homes Month and, according to data from the Commerce Department, there’s a number of reasons to celebrate. Not only do new homes offer buyers the advantage of having a brand-new house with all new plumbing, electrical, mechanical, and structural features but they also provide increased energy efficiency and more amenities. Simply put, new homes can offer things a home built 40 years ago can’t. They’re also a good indicator of the health of your local housing market and economy. Research from the National Association of Home Builders shows every 100 single-family homes built creates nearly 300 jobs, $28 million in wage and business income, and $11 million in tax revenue. In other words, new home construction helps the local economy in addition to offering buyers more choices and helping moderate prices. So far this year, buyer demand and consumer confidence have both been high and there’s an expectation that more new homes will be built to accommodate those prospective buyers. Granger MacDonald, NAHB’s chairman, says there’s reason for optimism. “Our builders remain optimistic about the market for newly-built single-family homes and consumer confidence is strong, which should set the stage for a strong spring home buying season,” MacDonald said. “Americans continue to place a high priority on homeownership and work hard to achieve this goal for their families.” More here.

Average Home Loan Reaches New Record High

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Applications Survey, the size of the average home loan has reached a record high. And, since the survey has been conducted since 1990 and covers 75 percent of all retail residential mortgage applications, that’s saying something. But, though the increasing size of the average mortgage may seem like the natural result of rising home prices, it actually has more to do with the fact that there has been more buying activity at the higher end of the real-estate market recently. In short, there are more expensive homes on the market than there are affordable homes to buy. As inventory picks up on the lower end of the market, the size of the average mortgage will likely moderate. Also in the report, mortgage rates were relatively flat from the week before, with little change seen among 15-year fixed-rate mortgages or 30-year fixed-rate loans with both conforming and jumbo balances. Loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration saw the biggest change, falling from the week before. Lynn Fisher, MBA’s vice president of research and economics, says the market was fairly steady last week. “Markets appeared to hit pause last week, with little new information emerging about upcoming administrative or legislative policy changes,” Fisher told CNBC. More here.

Educated Buyers Make Happier Homeowners

The best defense against making avoidable mistakes is education. The more you know about something, the less likely you are to screw it up. So you’d think home buyers would want to learn as much as possible before heading out to find a house to purchase. After all, buying a house is major financial transaction and a serious commitment. And yet, surveys of potential home buyers consistently find that large majorities of them share in some common misconceptions about what it takes to buy a house and how the process should unfold. Recently, Fannie Mae’s Economic & Strategic Research Group interviewed real-estate agents, buyers, and loan officers in an effort to figure out why there isn’t more focus on homeownership education before buying. Not surprisingly, most of their answers boiled down to there not being enough time during the process to focus on education. But common misunderstandings about down payment requirements, financing options, and the added costs of homeownership can scare off buyers or lead them to make unwise financial decisions. That’s why it’s always important, as a buyer, to ask questions along the way. Though you may not have time for hitting the books, you can always lean on the expertise and knowledge of the professionals you hired to guide you along the way. More here.

Selling Your House Means Becoming A Buyer

It’s somewhat natural to want to break up the housing market into buyers and sellers. You’re either a homeowner looking for a home buyer or on the hunt for a new place to call your own. But though that’s the way a lot of us think about the real estate market, the fact is, if you’re in the process of selling a house, you’re likely also in the process of looking for a house to buy. And that complicates the transaction a bit more than say a renter looking to become a first-time buyer. Why? Mostly, it’s due to timing. And, according to one recent survey, that’s especially true these days. Because the number of homes for sale is lower than normal in many markets, home sellers are concerned about being able to find a house to move into once they’ve sold theirs. So much so that 65.6 percent of surveyed real estate agents said it’s the greatest challenge for sellers in their market. So what should a home seller do? Well, fortunately, there are options – whether it’s a contingency worked into the sale contract or an arrangement to stay with family in the interim. Whatever the particulars of your situation, your prospects as a buyer are something to consider when deciding when to put your home on the market. More here.

The Truth About Affordability Conditions

If you’re like most home buyers, affordability is among your top concerns. After all, the first question you ask when deciding to buy a house is typically going to be whether or not you can afford it. So recent news reports showing mortgage rates and home prices on the rise may have you feeling like buying a house isn’t within your reach. But that’s not necessarily true, according to a new analysis from First American Financial Corp. Their Real House Price Index looks, not only at prices, but also at income and interest rate changes. In other words, it gives a fuller picture of how much buying power the average American has. The most recent results show that affordability conditions have actually improved lately. Mark Fleming, First American’s chief economist, says conditions aren’t as favorable as they were last year at this time but they’re still high when compared to historical norms. “While affordability is lower compared to a year ago, the level of affordability in most markets is still high by historical standards, which is why demand is expected to remain strong this spring,” Fleming says. In other words, affordability conditions may not be what they were last year but there are still opportunities to capitalize in today’s housing market. More here.

Some Simple Steps To A Greener Home

There are a variety of reasons you might want to make your home green. From allergies to energy bills, giving your home an environmentally minded upgrade can not only be better for your health and utility costs, it can also improve the value of your home when it comes time to sell. It is true, after all, that energy efficiency consistently ranks near the top of home buyers’ wish lists. The good news, if you’re considering steps to a greener home, is that there are many things you can do that aren’t necessarily expensive or all that time consuming. From smart technology to natural household cleaners, if you’re interested in a greener life, there are plenty of products and practices that can help you achieve it. According to Marla Esser Cloos, author of a new book published by the National Association of Home Builders, the key is incorporating new habits into your day-to-day life. “Living green has to be a blend of the stuff you buy and the things you do,” she says. “If each of us built five simple practices or changes in buying habits into our daily routines, we would all soon have our own everyday green homes – and we would change the world.” To get going, buy some energy-efficient light bulbs or start a garden, then work your way up to replacing your old windows and upgrading your insulation. No matter where you live or what your budget may be, there are things you can do today to begin making your home green. More here.