Monthly mortgage payments are 60% higher than a year ago, according to NAR. Buyers can save by shopping around for different types of loans. The interest rate for the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage crossed a major threshold this week, hitting 6.02%—the first time it has broken 6% since 2008, Freddie Mac reported Thursday. Volatile mortgage rates …
Category: Real Estate Tips
Feb 13
Existing-Home Sales Slip Again
Still, homeowners are faring well, with property prices surging despite a pullback in buyer demand, says NAR’s chief economist. Existing-home sales slipped further in August as economists blame the “housing recession” mostly on higher mortgage rates, though home prices continue rising, according to newly released data from the National Association of REALTORS®. But while existing-home …
Feb 12
Mortgage Rates Inch Closer to 7%
Buyers would be smart to shop around: The large dispersion in rate offerings among lenders could amount to several hundreds of dollars, Freddie Mac says. Home buyers who waited to buy a home this month compared to last month may have some regrets. Home buying is 12% more expensive than just a month ago. Fast-rising …
Feb 09
Mortgage Rates Average 6.66%
Home buyers have lost about $107,000 in buying power since the beginning of the year—and that’s what’s truly scary. Despite a slight decrease this week in mortgage rates, the average for the 30-year fixed-rate loan remains more than double what it was a year ago, adding hundreds of dollars per month to financing costs for …
Feb 08
Housing Starts Rebound, Builders Aim to Win Buyers Back
Despite an unexpected jump in new construction in September, demand for new homes is falling due to high prices and mortgage rates. Builders are lowering their asks to boost buyer traffic. Even as demand for new homes fizzles—about a quarter of homebuilders are reducing their prices to attract more buyers as foot traffic falls—single-family construction jumped …
Feb 07
Home Prices, Bidding Wars Withstand Sliding Sales
There’s some encouraging news in NAR’s latest housing report, though sales of existing home are still falling amid economic uncertainty. Home sales continued sliding in September as home buyers retreat from the market amid near-7% mortgage rates and mounting recession fears. Total existing-home sales—comprising transactions for single-family homes, townhomes, condos and co-ops—dropped 1.5% last month …
Feb 06
Builders Call New-Home Market ‘Unhealthy and Unsustainable’
Forced to slow down construction as buyer demand plummets, builders predict lower home starts through 2023. Builders are pulling back as the new-home market stalls, and a slowdown in construction is projected to last through 2023. In a housing market already sorely lacking inventory—which is leading to falling home sales—this isn’t good news for buyers …
Feb 05
What Happens When Mortgage Rates Break 7%?
NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun paints a picture of what could happen with borrowing costs once it passes a critical threshold. Mortgage rates remained just shy of 7% this week—the 30-year fixed rate loan is at 6.94%—which could be a “new normal” after recent rapid increases in borrowing costs, says Nadia Evangelou, senior economist and …
Feb 02
Second Chances
Despite signs of a housing recession, some buyers will be back to try again. The housing recession is here, but it’s not what you might think. There’s very little distress in the market, with less than 1% of home sales in foreclosure or needing a bank-approved short sale. Owners’ aggregate housing wealth, the asset valuation …
Feb 01
Buyers Embrace Adjustable Mortgages as Rates Surpass 7%
Rising interest rates have increased the average monthly loan payment by a whopping $1,000 year over year. With the rate for a 30-year mortgage rising to 7.08% this week—the highest average since April 2002, according to Freddie Mac—the average monthly loan payment is now $1,000 more than a year ago, Nadia Evangelou, senior economist and …
Jan 31
Pending Home Sales Plunge
Persistent inflation is proving “quite harmful to the housing market,” says NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. The housing market is quickly contracting as rising mortgage rates and stubbornly high inflation prompts more home buyers—and even sellers—to back away. The National Association of REALTORS®’ Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on home contract signings, …
Jan 30
Mortgage Rates Slip After Fed Hike, But What’s Next?
Economists eye two possible scenarios: Rates could rise to 8% or higher by the end of the year, or they could stabilize. Know what to expect. Mortgage rates this week dipped slightly below 7%, even after the Federal Reserve aggressively raised its benchmark interest rate again to tame inflation. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.95% …
