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Housing Outlook for 2016: Expect Change

DAILY REAL ESTATE NEWS | MONDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2015

While change is coming to the mortgage market, Freddie Mac says in its 2016 housing forecast that it's too soon to tell whether marketplace lending is the next Uber or just another flash in the pan.

“The current generation of marketplace lenders all may fail in the next economic downturn,” says Sean Becketti, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “Regulators may impose higher standards on marketplace lenders. The cost advantages of marketplace lending may not extend to mortgage lending."

But Becketti says the new year will undoubtedly bring changes: "Innovation is difficult to stop. New startups will look for ways to improve upon current marketplace lending business models. Large bank lenders may incorporate the most successful of the marketplace lending innovations. It's difficult to say where all this will lead, but one prediction is indisputable. Expect change."

Here are five more predictions for 2016 from the mortgage giant: 

1. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage will likely average below 4.5 percent for 2016 on an annualized basis.

2. Mortgage rates will gradually move higher posing an affordability challenge. But expect a strengthening labor market and pent-up demand to carry momentum into 2016.

3. Home prices will likely moderate slightly to 4.4 percent in 2016, driven in part by the reduction in home buyer affordability and reduced demand as a result of Fed tightening.

4. But industry activity will grow in 2016 despite monetary tightening. Expect tota l housing starts to increase 16 percent year-over-year and total home sales to increase 3 percent.

Life After Foreclosure: When Can You Buy?

#RealEstate #Home #Owners #Buyers #Sellers 

Life After Foreclosure: When Can You Buy?

Image via freedigitalphotos.net

ANAHEIM HILLS, CA, Dec. 10, 2013—For those consumers who have a foreclosure on their record, it may feel like they will never repair their credit enough to become a homeowner again. It can happen, notes Sid Fowler,REALTOR® at CENTURY 21 Award, but it will depend on a variety of variables.
“Bouncing back after a foreclosure will depend greatly on your individual circumstances, as well as the mortgage interest rate you are willing to pay,” says Fowler. Foreclosures can remain on your credit record for seven to 10 years. Most lenders will consider your request for a home loan two to four years after your foreclosure, although your interest rates will be higher.
“Keep an eye out for predatory lenders that will issue a home mortgage in less time than average, but will charge you obscenely high mortgage interest rates, fees, and penalties,” warns Fowler.
A quality lender will expect you to show that you have cleaned up your credit. In this light, a borrower who has worked hard to reestablish good credit may also be shown some leniency by the lender. 
Repairing your credit is possible, although it can be a slow-moving process. Act as quickly as you can to take care of any outstanding delinquencies, tackling a little at a time until you get back on the right track. “Make an effort, if at all possible, to repay your debt in full and on time for six months to a year to prove you are working hard to repair any damage,” says Fowler.
“It will also be helpful to provide a reasonable explanation about the circumstances that led to the foreclosure, such as exuberant medical expenses or lifestyle changes beyond your control,” notes Fowler. If you declared bankruptcy because you were laid off from your job, the lender may be more sympathetic. If, however, you went through bankruptcy because you overextended personal credit lines and lived beyond your means, it is unlikely the lender will readily give you a break.
If you've waited several years after your foreclosure and you're still having trouble obtaining a traditional mortgage, consider other options, such as subprime mortgages, which are made to borrowers who do not meet traditional credit criteria at a higher interest rate.

#Seller #Owner #Property #RealEstate

Downsizing Boomers to Fuel Apartment Market

Downsizing Boomers to Fuel Apartment Market

DAILY REAL ESTATE NEWS | WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2015

Millennials may be a big driver of multifamily housing now, but baby boomers looking to downsize are expected to drive apartment growth over the next few years, according to a study by the Kansas City Federal Reserve. They found that older Americans are “increasingly downsizing” to apartments.
In general, the downsizing activity usually occurs around the age of 70 and becoming increasingly prominent by age 75, writes Kansas City Fed senior economist Jordan Rappaport. By next year, the oldest baby boomers will turn 70. The number of Americans aged 70 and older will increase by more than 20 million in the next 15 years, according to Census Bureau estimates.

The Most Common Delays Toward Closing

DAILY REAL ESTATE NEWS | TUESDAY, JUNE 09, 2015

The majority of contracts – 64 percent -- are settled on time with no delays to closing, but some REALTORS® acknowledge facing delays or even having contracts terminated for numerous reasons, according to the latest REALTORS® Confidence Index Survey, a survey of more than 1,500 REALTORS®. Twenty-six percent of REALTORS® surveyed identified a delay to settlement, while 10 percent said they have even had a contract terminated prior to closing.

"It is surprising that in a 'tight' and 'difficult' credit environment, only 12 percent of contracts that were reported to have settled or terminated had financing issues," economists at the National Association of REALTORS® report. "One explanation may be that potential home buyers are deciding to sit on the sidelines for now, so these buyers were not captured in the data."About 60 percent of REALTORS® reported some type of issue on their contract in April. For example, 12 percent of REALTORS® identified a financing issue; 8 percent had home inspection problems surface; and 7 percent had an appraisal issue. Three percent of REALTORS® also identified issues buying/selling distressed property; titling and deed issues; or with contingencies stated in the contract.

Source:"64 Percent of Contracts Are Settled on Time," National Association of REALTORS® Economists' Outlook Blog (June 8, 2015)

Home Sales Cooled Off This Spring

Home Sales Cooled Off This Spring

DAILY REAL ESTATE NEWS | FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

Existing-home sales slowed in April, with all major regions of the country – except the Midwest – experiencing declines as buyer demand continues to far exceed the number of homes for-sale, according to the National Association of REALTORS® latest housing report.Total existing-home sales – reflecting completed transactions for single-family homes, townhomes, condos, and co-ops – fell 3.3 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.04 million in April, NAR reports. Despite the dip, sales are about 6 percent above year ago levels.
April sales failed to keep the robust gain seen in March, says Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist
"April's setback is the result of lagging supply relative to demand and the upward pressure it's putting on prices," Yun says. "However, the overall data and feedback we're hearing from REALTORS® continues to point to elevated levels of buying interest compared to a year ago. With low interest rates and job growth, more buyers will be encouraged to enter the market unless prices accelerate even higher in relation to incomes."
Regional BreakdownHere's a closer look at how existing-home sales fared across the country in April:

• Northeast: sales declined 3.1 percent to an annual rate of 620,000, but are 1.6 percent above a year ago. Median price: $253,200, up 3.6 percent compared to April 2014.

• Midwest: sales increased 1.7 percent to an annual rate of 1.22 million in April, and are 13 percent above April 2014. Median price: $173,700, up 11.4 percent from a year ago.

• South: sales decreased 6.8 percent to an annual rate of 2.04 million in April, but are still 3.6 percent above April 2014. Median price: $189,400, up 8.5 percent from a year ago.

• West: decreased 1.7 percent to an annual rate of 1.16 million in April, but are still 6.4 percent above a year ago. Median price: $318,700, which is 10 percent above April 2014.

But the limited for-sale inventories may continue to hold back sales.
"Housing inventory declined from last year and supply in many markets is very tight, which in turn is leading to bidding wars, faster price growth and properties selling at a quicker pace," says Yun. "To put it in perspective, roughly 40 percent of properties sold last month went at or above asking price, the highest since NAR began tracking this monthly data in December 2012."
Market Snapshot for AprilInventories: For-sale inventories rose 10 percent at the end of April to 2.21 million existing homes for-sale. Inventories are still 0.9 below year ago levels and are at a 5.3-month supply at the current sales pace.
Home prices: The median existing-home price for all housing types was $219,400 in April – 8.9 percent above last year. This marks the largest percentage gain in home prices since January 2014.
Days on the market: Properties sold faster in April, averaging 39 days. That is the fastest since July 2013 (which was 42 days) and the second shortest time (37 days in June 2013) since NAR began tracking such data in May 2011. What’s more, nearly half of the homes on the market sold for less than a month in April. Broken out, short sales were on the market the longest at a median of 180 days; foreclosures sold in 50 days; and non-distressed homes took 38 days.
Distressed sales: Foreclosures and short sales made up 10 percent of home sales in April, below the 15 percent share a year ago. In April, 7 percent of sales were foreclosures and 3 percent were short sales. Foreclosures sold for an average discount of 20 percent below market value, while short sales were discounted on average 14 percent.
Source: National Association of REALTORS®

All-cash sales: The number of transactions that involved all-cash were 24 percent in April, unchanged from March but down significantly from a year ago when all-cash sales comprised 32 percent of transactions. Individual investors who account for the bulk of cash sales purchased 14 percent of homes in April, down from 18 percent a year ago. Seventy-one percent of investors paid cash in April, according to NAR.