Mortgage rates declined for the first time after a weeks-long upward streak, averaging 5% last week, Freddie Mac reported Thursday. Freddie’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) found that the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 5%, down from 5.11% last week. A year ago at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 2.98%. “The combination of swift home price growth and the fastest mortgage rate increase in over forty years is finally affecting purchase demand,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s Chief Economist. “Homebuyers navigating the current environment are coping in a variety of ways, including switching to adjustable-rate mortgages, moving away from expensive coastal cities, and looking to more affordable suburbs. We expect the decline in demand to soften home price growth…
Mortgage loan application volume plummeted by 8.3% last week, the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) weekly survey shows. The adjusted Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, dropped by 8.3%. The adjusted purchase index fell by 8%, while the unadjusted purchase index fell by 7% and was 17% lower YOY. The refinance index fell 9% and was down 71% YOY. Refinances made up 35% of total applications, down from 35.7%. Mortgage rates reached their highest level since 2009 last week, and overall application activity dropped to its lowest level since 2018. “The drop in purchase applications was evident across all loan types. Prospective homebuyers have pulled back this spring, as they continue to face limited options of homes…
New home sales fell to a four-month low in March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 763,000, down 8.6%, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The massive dropoff can be attributed to the rising cost of buying a home. Home price appreciation and increasing interest rates are pricing potential buyers out of the market. Between rates and prices, monthly mortgage payments are 19.5% higher than they were three months ago and 38% higher than a year ago. Meanwhile, some sellers are opting not to put their homes up for sale, exacerbating the stock shortage and driving up competition. The seasonally‐adjusted estimate of new houses for sale at the end…
Housing prices set a record in February, up 19.4% YOY and 2.1% from January 2022, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s (FHFA) latest House Price Index (HPI). Seasonally adjusted monthly house price changes from January to February ranged from +1.3% in the East North Central division to +2.9% in the South Atlantic division. The 12-month changes ranged from +15.3 percent in the East North Central division to +24.3 percent in the Mountain division. “House prices rose to set a new historical record in February,” said Will Doerner, Ph.D., Supervisory Economist in FHFA’s Division of Research and Statistics. “Acceleration approached twice the monthly rate as seen a year ago. Housing prices continue to rise owing in part to supply constraints.”…
Good Morning! Today is Monday, April 25. Emmanuel Macron, the incumbent president of France, won re-election over Marine Le Pen. A man died after setting himself on fire in front of the Supreme Court to protest climate change. Wildfires in Arizona, Nebraska, and New Mexico have killed at least one person and destroyed hundreds of structures. The Mortgage Note Reports Rocket Mortgage Works to End Digital Divide In Detroit: Editor Kimberley Haas reports that leaders at the company have been working with local officials who say there is still much work to be done. Real House Prices: FirstAm’s Real House Price Index jumped up by nearly 31% in February, the fastest growth in the more than 30-year history of the series. Rate Hike Impact: Nathaniel Drake of Fannie’s…
In its Economic and Housing Weekly Note, Nathaniel Drake of Fannie’s Economic and Strategic Research Group said that the full effects of rising interest rates have “yet to be felt.” “Especially given that the full effects of the recent rise in mortgage rates have yet to be felt, we expect existing home sales to continue to decline through 2022,” the note reads. “However, we believe there is still a pool of prospective buyers who were previously outbid but still want to purchase a home, which should help support sales, thus limiting the pace of slowdown in the near term.” Though demand remains elevated, there are signs that the hot housing market is cooling down. Existing home sales fell for the…
First American Financial’s Real House Price Index increased by 30.6% YOY in February, its fastest growth in the more than 30-year history of the series, the company reported. The RHPI measures the price changes of single-family properties throughout the U.S. adjusted for the impact of income and interest rate changes on consumer house-buying power over time at national, state, and metropolitan area levels. Because the RHPI adjusts for house-buying power, it also serves as a measure of housing affordability. February’s numbers show a rapid month-over-month decline in affordability. Real house prices rose by 5.6% from January, and nearly 31% YOY. Consumer house-buying power fell 3.6% between January and February, and 6.8% YOY. First American attributes the numbers to rising home…
Good Morning! Today is Friday, April 22. Philadelphia is ending its mask mandate, four days after reinstating it. The U.S. pledged more military aid to Ukraine, including drones that explode on impact. Palestinians and Israeli police clashed at one of Jerusalem’s holiest sites. The Mortgage Note Reports Weekly Rates: Mortgage rates averaged 5.11% last week, rising for the seventh consecutive week and causing “volatility in demand.” Q1 Foreclosures: Q1 2022 set a new post-pandemic high for foreclosure activity — the 11th consecutive month with a YOY increase in foreclosure activity. In Case You Missed It: This week Chuck Green reported that job cuts are hitting the mortgage industry, while Scott Kimbler wrote about how inflation is affecting retirements. And in other mortgage and housing news… Black Knight: Forbearance plan volumes ticked up…
Mortgage rates averaged 5.11% last week, up from 5%, Freddie Mac reported Thursday. Freddie’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) found that the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 5.11%. A year ago at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 2.97%. “Mortgage rates increased for the seventh consecutive week, as Treasury yields continued to rise,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s Chief Economist. “While springtime is typically the busiest homebuying season, the upswing in rates has caused some volatility in demand. It continues to be a seller’s market, but buyers who remain interested in purchasing a home may find that competition has moderately softened.” Mortgage rates have grown from 3.51% at the beginning of March while home prices remain elevated. The combo has…
Monthly mortgage payments are up by 19.5% from three months ago, and 38% YOY, according to Zillow’s March Real Estate Market Report. Annual home value growth set a new record for the 12th consecutive month. The typical home is now worth $337,560, up 20.6% YOY. At the same time, mortgage rates have grown from 3.51% at the beginning of March to breach the 5% mark at the end of the month. The combo has pushed monthly payments up 38% YOY on a home with a 30-year mortgage and 20% down payment. Despite this, Zillow reports that the pace and volume of sales picked up, “showing the depth of the pool of homebuyers willing and able to meet current asking prices.”…
