Tag Archives: housing market

by

Home Prices in 20 U.S. Cities Climb by Most in Seven Years

Graph - up

Home prices in 20 U.S. cities rose in October from a year ago by the most in more than seven years, signaling the real-estate rebound will keep bolstering household wealth in 2014.

The S&P/Case-Shiller index of property prices in 20 cities climbed 13.6 percent from October 2012, the biggest 12-month gain since February 2006, after a 13.3 percent increase in the year ended in September, a report from the group showed today in New York. The median projection of 22 economists surveyed by Bloomberg called for a 13.5 percent advance.

A dwindling inventory of foreclosed properties has helped restrict the supply of homes for sale, pushing up prices even as higher mortgage rates cool demand. The real-estate market will probably get its next boost from gains in employment that are lifting consumer confidence in the economic expansion.

Read the article…

by

Housing Predictions: How 2014 Will Be Different

Neighborhood

What should you expect for next year’s housing market? Trulia’s Chief Economist, Jed Kolko, dipped into the data to find out. Check out his predictions for the 5 ways that the 2014 housing market will be different from 2013, as well as the top 10 cities to watch as we enter the new year.

by

Predictions for the New Year

The coming year is expected to be a little kinder to home buyers. While affordability will continue to be a problem in hot markets like New York and San Francisco, buyers in general may find they have more homes to choose from and more lenders vying for their business.

Read more…

by

NAR Chief Economist Reveals 2014 Predictions

Graph - up

Speaking at the 2013 Realtors Conference & Expo earlier this month, National Association of Realtors (NAR) chief economist Lawrence Yun predicted steadiness in existing-home sales over the next year as prices continue to ascend.

Over the past two years, Yun says existing-home sales have shown a 20 percent cumulative increase, while prices have gained 18 percent. Meanwhile, incomes have only barely risen, coming up somewhere between 2-4 percent.

Read more…

by

Experts Shoot Down Housing Bubble Warnings

Several experts at a conference in Miami a couple weeks ago called into question economist Robert Shiller’s recent comments that the housing market was starting to look “a little bubbly.” Shiller, who co-developed the S&P/Case-Shiller Composite 10 Home Price Index, has said he’s concerned some markets across the country may be over-correcting and starting to resemble a housing bubble.

However, a group of housing experts disagreed during the ABS East 2013 conference. Price appreciation is slowing, says Mark Fleming, CoreLogic’s chief economist. Fleming says that the rapid growth in appreciation in previous months was a correction after an overshoot in prices falling during the housing crisis.

“We are certainly not in a housing bubble,” added Laurie Goodman, who heads the Urban Institute.

Even if interest rates continue to move higher, the housing market would still be OK, say Goodman and Fleming. Goodman says that even with a 6 percent interest rate, affordability would remain at 2000-2003 levels.

The article…

by

Realty Researcher Expects Housing Rebound to Continue

Money

In a series of weekly blogs, analysts from John Burns Real Estate Consulting remain mostly optimistic about the housing rebound, but raised caution flags about flippers.

“We are advising our clients in areas with a high percentage of flippers to take into account the risk of artificial price appreciation,” stated a company vice president. “While successful flips are more likely to be reported than unsuccessful ones, the profits described to the public wildly surpass the reality of the recovering market.”

Read more…

by

Housing Activity “speeding along,” but Pace Slowing as Seasons Change

September tested the housing market’s resilience around Western Washington with fluctuating mortgage rates, record-setting rains, and persistent inventory shortages in some areas. By month’s end, however, both pending and closed sales outgained the same period a year ago, according to the latest figures from Northwest Multiple Listing Service earlier this month.

Prices also increased compared to 12 months ago, but fell slightly from the previous month. Year-to-date figures through nine months show prices for homes and condominiums that have sold in the 21 counties served by the MLS are up 12 percent from a year ago.

Read the article…

by

For Bigger Homebuying Value, Look in These Smaller Markets

With fixed mortgage rates rising by more than a full percentage point since May and more likely to go higher than lower, homes are becoming significantly less affordable for those not buying with cash. That means homebuyers still trying to take advantage of still-low mortgage rates might have to set their sights a little lower when shopping for what they can afford.

Here’s a look at seven smaller housing markets that would be quite affordable for those who don’t have to live in a major metro area.

by

Suze Orman Changes Homebuying Advice

Now that we are seeing a rebound in the housing market, it is time for a new home buying strategy says Suze Orman. “Financial advice needs to change according to what is happening in the economy,” she says.

In today’s economy, with interest rates still low, relatively speaking, and home prices leveling out, Orman says potential homebuyers no longer need to make a down payment of 20 percent. “I’m fine if you can get a mortgage with 10 percent down,” says Orman.

Read more of her advice…

by

Will The Mortgage Rate Spike Slow Market Recovery?

Thoughts

Have you been watching mortgage rates rise the past few months and wonder what that means for the housing market? So have a lot of other people!

Find out when mortgage rates are likely to bite and what other factors are influencing the current market nationwide.