Morning Roundup (10/8/2021)– 12-Month High In Forbearance Declines, HPSI Falls

Good Morning! Today is Friday, October 8. Senate Republicans and Democrats reached a deal to temporarily extend the debt ceiling through December. Tokyo was hit by a 6.1 magnitude earthquake. Ireland signed onto a global agreement to set a minimum 15% corporate tax rate. And in mortgage and housing news… Black Knight: The number of plans in active forbearance fell by 11% since last Tuesday, the largest weekly decline in twelve months. HPSI Drops: Fannie Mae’s HPSI fell 1.2 points to 74.5 in September, as consumers continued to report that housing prices make it a bad time to buy a home. Housing Affordability Concerns Nationwide…: The latest Market Pulse report shows troubling trends in housing affordability. …And in California: A …

High Home Prices Driving HPSI Down

Fannie Mae’s Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI) fell 1.2 points to 74.5 in September. Three of the index’s six components dropped month-over-month. The full index is down 6.5 points year-over-year. More consumers, 66%, reported that it’s a bad time to buy a home in September than in August, when 63% of respondents said the same. Only 28% said they believe it’s a good time to buy. The home-selling conditions component stayed flat, as a majority of consumers reported they believe it’s a good time to sell. “The HPSI declined slightly this month but remains within the general bounds we’ve seen since the end of last year,” said Doug Duncan, Fannie Mae Senior Vice President and Chief Economist.  “The survey’s story…

Morning Roundup (10/6/2021)– Loan Apps Plummet, YOY Price Growth Makes History

Good Morning! Today is Wednesday, October 6. Some Democrats propose changing the filibuster to bypass fighting about the debt limit. Johnson & Johnson asked the FDA to approve its Covid-19 booster shot. The Justice Department is reviewing its decision not to prosecute the FBI agents who disregarded allegations about Larry Nassar and later lied about their actions.And in mortgage and housing news… Loan Applications Plummet: Mortgage loan application volume fell 6.9% last week to a three-month low, according to the MBA’s most recent survey. Black Knight: Huge equity increases for homeowners might not be enough to prevent foreclosures, according to Black Knight’s latest Mortgage Monitor Report. Price Growth Breaks Record: Annual home price growth hit its highest point in the…

MBA: Loan Applications Plummet 13% YOY, Hit Three Month Low

Mortgage loan application volume fell 6.9% last week, the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) weekly survey reports. The Market Composite Index, which measures application volume, fell 6.9% on an adjusted basis. On an unadjusted basis, they fell 7% from the week before, which is 13% lower year over year. The share of refinancing applications fell 10% and was 16% lower than a year ago. The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index fell 2%, while the unadjusted Purchase Index fell 2% compared to the week before, down 13% from the previous year. “Mortgage applications to refinance dropped almost 10 percent last week to the lowest level in three months, as the 30-year fixed-rate increased to 3.14 percent – the highest since July. Higher rates…

MBA: Forbearances Below 3%, Continue Trend

Forbearances fell to just 2.89% of servicers’ portfolio volume last week, down from 2.96% the week before, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) latest survey. It’s just the second time they’ve fallen below 3% since March 2020. The estimated number of homeowners in forbearance plans is around 1.4 million. The decline is part of a trend that’s continued even as government-funded forbearance relief plans have expired. For Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans, forbearances were down six basis points to 1.38%. Ginnie Mae loans fell seven basis points to 3.35%. Portfolio loans and private-label securities shares fell fourteen basis points, from 6.91% to 6.77%. Independent mortgage bank servicers saw a drop of five basis points to 3.19%, and the…

Mortgage Payments Least Affordable for Average Buyers Since 2008

Surging home prices have made mortgage payments more unaffordable than any time since 2008. The median American household would need to spend 32.1% of its income on mortgage payments on a median-priced home today, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. In November 2008, that number was 34.2%. The Atlanta Fed estimated the amount a household would need to spend on mortgage payments rose 3.1% in the first six months of this year alone. Though low interest rates and slightly higher incomes improve affordability, the price of homes has negated any positive buying power they normally would have generated. Prices continue to climb despite some speculation that the market may soon cool. Years of underbuilding have resulted in a…

Morning Roundup (10/1/2021)– Teachers, Nurses Struggle With Affordable Housing, Forbearances Down

Good Morning! Today is Friday, October 1. Lawmakers avoided a partial shutdown last night by signing a bill to fund the government. House Democrats delayed a vote on the $1 trillion infrastructure bill. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh tested positive for COVID-19. U.S. jobless claims remained near pandemic lows during September. And in mortgage and housing news… Teachers, Nurses Struggle With Housing: The lack of affordable housing is forcing in-person workers like teachers and nurses into smaller, older homes, according to a Zillow report. Forbearances Fall: Forbearances are down 11% month-over-month, the fastest rate of decline since July, Black Knight reported. Seniors At Home: An AAG survey found that over 80% of seniors do not want to sell their homes.…

Morning Roundup (9/30/2021)– Interest Rates Top 3%, Investor Confidence Tanks

Good Morning! Today is Thursday, September 30. The House plans to vote today on a $1 trillion infrastructure plan. A new AP poll finds President Biden’s vaccine mandate splits Americans down party lines. The NCAA will allow women’s basketball to use the phrase “March Madness,” which used to be restricted to the men’s tournament. And in mortgage and housing news… Freddie Mac: Interest rates rose to 3.01% this week, Freddie Mac’s PMMS reported. Investor Confidence Falls: Nearly half of real-estate investors believe the investment market is worse than a year ago, and 36% expect it to stay bad over the next six months. AIME Conference: 3,000 mortgage professionals attended AIME’s 4th Annual Fuse conference. Pending Home Sales Rebound: Pending home…

Morning Roundup (9/28/2021)– Forbearances Dip Below 3%, Homebuyers Increasingly Worried About Natural Disasters

Good Morning! Today is Tuesday, September 28. Rocket Mortgage will continue to sponsor the PGA’s Rocket Mortgage Classic through 2027. The presidents of Boston and Dallas’s Federal Reserve banks are resigning following reports of investment trading. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell will tell Congress today that inflation will stay high for a few months before moderating. Senate Republicans blocked a bill that would prevent a government shutdown. And in mortgage and housing news… Forbearances Keep Falling: The share of loans in forbearance fell yet again, dropping to 2.96%. It’s the first time they’ve dipped below 3% since March 2020. Natural Disasters Cause Concern: More than half of respondents to a Realtor.com survey said they considered natural disasters when choosing where…

MBA: Forbearances Fall Again

Forbearances fell again last week, continuing to trend down as relief plans expire, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) latest survey. Forbearances made up just 2.96% of servicers’ portfolio volume, down from 3.00%. It’s the first time they’ve fallen below 3% since March 2020. The estimated number of homeowners in forbearance plans is around 1.5 million. For Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans, the August 2021 number was down three basis points to 1.44%. Ginnie Mae loans rose three basis points to 3.42%. Portfolio loans and private-label securities shares fell four basis points, from 6.95% to 6.91%. Independent mortgage bank servicers saw a drop of one basis point to 3.24%, and the share for depository servicers declined four points…