Each month, Fannie Mae’s National Housing Survey polls Americans to assess their attitudes toward homeownership, renting, mortgage rates, the economy, their personal finances, and overall consumer confidence. February’s survey found respondents’ attitudes stabilizing and more confident in the economy and housing market. Among the highlights, the number of participants who said the economy was on the right track increased 5 percent from January and has risen 19 percent since November. The percentage of people who say it’s on the wrong track dropped by 6 percent. Also, Americans expect home prices to rise approximately one percent in the next year and the number who say now is a good time to sell a house is at its highest level in over a year. Among respondents, 70 percent said now was a good time to buy a home and 65 percent said they’d prefer to purchase their next home rather than rent. Doug Duncan, vice president and chief economist of Fannie Mae, said the pickup in hiring over the past few months has helped soothe consumer concerns regarding their personal finances, the direction of the economy, and their views of the housing market. More here.
According to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Applications Survey, the seasonally adjusted Purchase Index increased 2.1 percent from the week before as average mortgage rates dipped. Despite the continued improvement in demand for loan applications to purchase homes, the Market Composite Index, which measures total mortgage loan demand, was down 1.2 percent. Also, the Refinance Index fell 2.0 percent from the week before. The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances fell to 4.06 percent from 4.07 percent the previous week. The 30-year rate for jumbo loans was down to 4.33 percent. More here.
Clear Capital’s latest Home Data Index finds the rate at which home prices are declining has begun to improve. In February, home prices were just 1.9 percent below year-before levels, the slowest rate of decline since April 2011. Regionally, home prices were down in the West and Midwest, while values were flat in the South and up slightly in the Northeast. On a quarterly basis, prices showed even more stability. Nationally, home prices were down 0.6 percent quarter-over-quarter. Dr. Alex Villacorta, director of research and analytics at Clear Capital, said improvements in the job market, stronger consumer confidence, and heightened activity in the lower-price tiers put upward pressure on prices and could explain recent resiliency. More here and here.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and U.S. Department of the Treasury released their February 2012 Housing Scorecard, which compiles key market data and the results of the administration’s recovery efforts through the end of January. According to the report, the supply of existing homes currently for sale would take 6.1 months to sell and the number of new homes on the market represents a 5.6 month supply, the lowest level since 2006. In addition to falling inventory levels, existing-home sales rose to their highest pace since May 2010 and home prices dipped during the month. Also, recent enhancements to the Home Affordable Refinance Program resulted in another 300,000 families beginning the process of refinancing their homes. More here and here.
For more information contact the Elite Team at W.J. Bradley Mortgage at (480) 559-9590. W.J. Bradley Mortgage is a Mortgage Banker in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Periodically, the Federal Reserve collects economic data from the 12 Fed districts around the country and releases the findings in a report known as the Beige Book. In its latest report, which includes data through February 17, the Fed says economic activity has continued to increase at a modest pace and noted improvements in residential real estate, banking, and lending services. The Beige Books says most parts of the country saw increases in housing activity, growth in home sales, and returned forecasts of further improvement for this year. And though home prices were mostly flat or down in many areas, gains in home sales will clear existing inventory and pave the way for price increases. The report also found varying rates of single-family residential construction and building permits around the country and increases in lending and demand for mortgages were seen in areas such as New York, Philadelphia, Richmond, Chicago, Dallas, and San Francisco. More here and here.
RealtyTrac’s Year-End 2011 U.S. Foreclosure Sales Report shows homes in some stage of foreclosure accounted for 24 percent of all residential home sales during the fourth quarter of 2011. But though that represents an increase from the previous quarter it is 2.0 percent below the fourth quarter of 2010. Brandon Moore, chief executive officer of RealtyTrac, said foreclosure sales continue to be slowed by questions surrounding proper paperwork and procedures. For the year, total foreclosure-related sales were down 2 percent from the year before. More here.
According to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Applications Survey, the seasonally adjusted Purchase Index surged last week, gaining 8.2 percent over the week before. But despite the spike, a dip in refinance volume kept the Market Composite Index, which measures total loan application demand, relatively flat. Total mortgage applications decreased 0.3 percent from the previous week, though the four-week moving average is up 0.33 percent. Michael Fratantoni, MBA’s vice president of research and economics, said mortgage rates remained near survey lows last week but refinance volume fell slightly. The week’s results were adjusted for the Presidents Day holiday. The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages dropped to 4.07 percent from 4.09 percent the week before. More here.
Pending home sales measure contract signings, not closings, and are a good indicator of future sales. In January, the National Association of Realtors’ Pending Home Sales Index reached its highest level since April 2010. The index was up 2.0 percent from December and 8.0 percent over the year before. Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist, said the report offers hope of a healthy spring homebuying season. According to Yun, the upward trend implies home sales will see further gains this year and declining inventory could also mean broader price stabilization and growth. In January, the index was higher than anytime since the expiration of the homebuyer tax credit. More here.
Homes are more affordable now than anytime in the past 20 years, according to the National Association of Home Builders Housing Opportunity Index. The index measures the percentage of homes affordable to a family making the national median income of $64,200. During the fourth quarter of last year, more than 75 percent of all the new and existing homes sold nationwide were affordable, the highest percentage in the index’s 20-year history. Barry Rutenberg, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders, said that report indicates that homeownership is within the reach of more households than it has been for more than two decades. More here.
The U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s New Residential Sales report for January shows sales of new single-family homes were 0.9 below December’s upwardly revised annual rate of 324,000. The revision to December’s rate, previously reported to be 307,000, put that month’s sales pace at a year-long high. And, despite slipping from last month, January’s sales pace exceeded economists’ expectations and were 3.5 percent above last year. The median sales price of new houses sold in January was $217,000, up from $210,300 in December. At the end of the month, there was a 5.6-month supply of new homes for sale at the current sales pace. More here.
