Tuesday, May 8, 2012
The Wall Street Journal
Former Fannie Mae CEO, speaking on a panel at a conference, says that an influx of investors into the housing market – rather than government policy – was the main cause of the housing market’s collapse.
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http://blogs.wsj.com/developments/2012/04/20/raines-dont-blame-homeowners-government-for-housing-bust/
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Mirroring the uneven economic recovery, the housing market is expected to move in a slow, gradual upward path in 2012, while encountering its share of speed bumps along the road, according to a forecast presented by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) on the housing and economic outlook.
While the latest monthly housing data have shown signs of a slight softening, NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe said this is more reflective of typical month-to-month volatility in the numbers and unusual seasonal factors than they are an indication of any significant downward trend in the broader housing market.
Crowe noted that numerous other fundamentals remain positive for housing at this time, including demographic factors (with pent-up household demand expected to ramp up and echo-boomers heading into their prime household formation ages), historically favorable mortgage rates that are not expected to move higher than 5 percent by the end of next year, more than 100 local markets currently listed on the NAHB/First American Improving Markets Index, and the fact that house price-to-income ratio has now returned to its historical average of about three-to-one versus the nearly five-to-one to which it had previously risen during the height of the housing boom.
However, he cautioned that housing still continues to face formidable challenges of its own — such as rising foreclosures, persistently tight lending standards for home buyers and builders and difficulties in obtaining accurate appraisals. Moreover, disappointing job growth numbers in March and uncertainty in the European economy are undermining prospects for a vigorous recovery.
http://www2.realtoractioncenter.com/site/R?i=FZiEfAGjjs2QkvLzlEYLcw
Monday, April 23, 2012
CNNMoney
The golden age for foreclosure squatters may soon be coming to an end now that the $26 billion mortgage settlement has been approved.
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http://money.cnn.com/2012/04/13/real_estate/foreclosures/index.htm?iid=Lead
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Calif. median home price: March 2012: $291,080 (Source: C.A.R.)
Calif. highest median home price by region/county March 2012: San Mateo, $677,900 (Source: C.A.R.)
Calif. lowest median home price by region/county March 2012: Tehama, $108,000 (Source: C.A.R.)
Calif. Pending Home Sales Index: February 2012: 127.8, an increase from the revised 102.4 recorded in January.
Calif. Traditional Housing Affordability Index: Fourth quarter 2011: 55 percent (Source: C.A.R.)
Mortgage rates: Week ending 4/12/2012 30-yr. fixed: 3.88% fees/points: 0.7% 15-yr. fixed: 3.11 fees/points: 0.7% 1-yr. adjustable: 2.80% Fees/points: 0.6% (Source: Freddie Mac)
Thursday, April 12, 2012
More consumers may be looking to purchase homes with a shift in several key housing market indicators, according to Fannie Mae’s March 2012 consumer attitudinal National Housing Survey. More Americans now expect both home rental and home purchase prices to increase over the next year. Nearly half of consumers expect higher rental prices, the highest number recorded since monthly tracking began in June 2010. These trends may be providing Americans with an increased sense of urgency to buy a home as 73 percent of Americans now believe it is a good time to buy a home, up from 70 percent in February.
Highlights of the survey include:
Thirty-three percent of respondents expect home prices to increase over the next 12 months, a five percentage point increase from last month, the highest level over the past 12 months.
On average, Americans expect home prices to increase by 0.9 percent over the next 12 months (up slightly since last month).
Thirty-nine percent of Americans say that mortgage rates will go up in the next 12 months, a five percentage point increase from last month.
On average, respondents expect home rental prices to increase by 4.1 percent over the next 12 months, a significant increase since February, and the highest number recorded to date.
Forty-eight percent of respondents think that home rental prices will go up, a three percentage point increase from last month and the highest number recorded to date.
Sixty-six percent of respondents say they would buy their next home if they were going to move, up one point since last month, while 30 percent say they would rent, up one point versus last month.
http://www.fanniemae.com/portal/about-us/media/corporate-news/2012/5690.html
