Origination activity fell for the fourth consecutive month in December as higher rates and seasonal slowdown pushed rate locks down, according to Black Knight’s December 2021 Origination Market Monitor. Rate locks fell 18.3% from November to December and 35% year-over-year (YOY), fueled by a 22.5% drop in locks on purchase loans and a 17.1% drop in rate/term refinances. Rate/terms refis hit their lowest point in two years at the end of 2021. Locks on cash-out refis also dropped by 10% from November, though they are up 18% YOY thanks to incredible gains in home equity. The share of refinances rose to 48% due to the decline in purchase locks, though average refi credit scores were down 20 points YOY as…
Freddie Mac’s annual multifamily outlook projects another strong year, with rents continuing to increase despite an overall moderating market. The report projects that the Sun Belt will outperform slow-growing smaller markets in the Northeast and Midwest. “We believe the market will continue to grow in 2022, reflecting the strong multifamily fundamentals that drove the market to a record-breaking year in 2021,” said Steve Guggenmos, vice president of Multifamily Research & Modeling at Freddie Mac. “We anticipate rent growth in all markets in 2022 due to strong demand driven by improving economic conditions.” Growth broke records in 2021 thanks to changing migration patterns and strong economic conditions. Multifamily demand reached its highest ever levels during Q2 and Q3 of 2021, and…
Good Morning! Today is Monday, January 10. A fire in a Bronx apartment building killed at least nineteen people. Russian forces have surrounded Ukraine on three sides as diplomats meet in Geneva for talks. “Power of the Dog” and “Succession” won top honors at the Golden Globes, which did not air this year due to criticism over ethical lapses and a lack of diversity. And in mortgage and housing news… Are UWM Workers Being Unreasonable?: United Wholesale Mortgage turned heads in the industry last week when it was reported that health officials are investigating the company after receiving complaints about how they are handling COVID, which lead some people to ask why employees in lending are expected to be in…
Fannie Mae’s Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI) fell 0.5 points to 74.2 in December, the GSE reported. Three of the index’s six components fell month-over-month as consumers once again reported pessimistic views on the homebuying market. Year-over-year, the index rose by 0.2.
A record-low 26% of respondents reported they believe it’s a good time to buy a home, while 76% said it’s a good time to sell.
This is a drastic drop from December 2020, when 50% said it was a good time to sell and 52% said it was a good time to buy.
Month-over-month, the share of consumers that reported it’s a bad time to buy a home rose from 64% to 66%, while the net share of…
Good Morning! Today is Friday, December 7. President Biden accused Donald Trump of spreading a “web of lies about the 2020 election.” The Supreme Court will hear arguments today in cases challenging the Biden administration’s vaccine mandates. Canada’s ban on conversion therapy takes effect today. And in mortgage and housing news… Rates Climb: Mortgage rates rose to their highest level since May 2020, up to an average of 3.22%, Freddie Mac reported. Forbearances Improve: Active forbearance plans dropped by 8% in the first week of January, according to Black Knight’s blog, Vision. December Jobs: The US economy added just 199,000 jobs in December, far below economists’ expectations of 422,000 gains. FHFA Changes Explained: The FHFA this week announced loan-level price…
Mortgage rates rose to their highest level since May 2020, up to an average of 3.22%, Freddie Mac reported Thursday. Freddie’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) found that the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 3.22%, significantly higher than last week’s 3.11%. It disrupts a trend of rates hovering around 3.10% or 3.11%. A year ago at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 2.65%. “Mortgage rates increased during the first week of 2022 to the highest level since May 2020 and are more than half a percent higher than January 2021,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s Chief Economist. “With higher inflation, promising economic growth, and a tight labor market, we expect rates will continue to rise. The impact of higher rates…
Good Morning! Today is Wednesday, January 5. A snowstorm in Virginia left hundreds of drivers stranded for more than 24 hours. Chicago canceled school today amid a clash with teachers about remote schooling during the Omicron surge. Walmart and Kroger are raising prices for BinaxNOW at-home Covid tests after a White House deal to sell them at cost expired. And in mortgage and housing news… UWM Under Fire: United Wholesale Mortgage is under scrutiny from both state and county health officials in the wake of complaints about the company’s handling of Covid. Loan Applications Down: Mortgage loan application volume dropped 2.7% from the week ending December 31, with refis down 2% as interest rates reached their highest point since April…
Mortgage loan application volume dropped 2.7% from the week ending December 31, the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) weekly survey reported. MBA adjusted the results to account for the holidays. The adjusted Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, fell 2.7%. The adjusted purchase index fell 4%, while the unadjusted purchase index fell 32% and was 12% lower YOY. The refinance index fell 2% and was down 40% YOY. Refinances made up 65.4% of total applications. The survey attributed the drop in refinances to an increase in the 30-year fixed rate, which rose to 3.33%, its highest point since April. “The higher rates to close 2021 caused refinance activity to decrease 2.2%. Refinance demand continues to dwindle, as…
Good Morning! Today is Monday, January 3. We hope you had a wonderful holiday and wish you the best in 2022!For today’s newsletter, we had Scott Kimbler look into the migration from U.S. metros to suburban and rural areas. Is It A Trend Or Here To Stay? Metros See Migration From Cities: Metros are seeing a migration away from urban areas, and those watching this trend say landlords shouldn’t hold their breath hoping a younger generation of renters will replace them. Affordability Reaches 13 Year Milestone: In Q4 2021, median-priced single-family homes were less affordable in 77% of U.S. counties analyzed by ATTOM Data Solutions, a 13-year high, the company found. New Record For Home Prices: The median home sale…
America’s home affordability problem was bad in 2020, before COVID-19 hit. In 2021, it got even worse. In Q4 2021, median-priced single-family homes were less affordable in 77% of U.S. counties analyzed by ATTOM Data Solutions, a 13-year high, the company found. In 440 out of the 575 counties analyzed, the gap between incomes and affordable home prices was larger than their historical averages. This is a dramatic increase from Q4 2020 when only 39% of counties were less affordable than in the past. “The average wage earner can still afford the typical home across the United States, but the financial comfort zone continues shrinking as home prices keep soaring and mortgage rates tick upward,” said Todd Teta, chief product…
