Home For The Holidays: Will It Be Better To Buy At Thanksgiving Or Christmas?

By ERIN FLYNN JAY Holiday home shoppers who are sensitive to mortgage interest rates near 8% may resist the idea of buying before Thanksgiving, hoping that Santa Claus brings relief, but is waiting until Christmas the answer this season? On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve held its target range for the federal funds rate at 5.25% to 5.5%, and mortgage rates slipped in anticipation of the news. But Orphe Divounguy, senior macroeconomist at Zillow Home Loans, warned that investors will likely recalculate their inflation forecasts based on employment and wage growth data, “causing large swings in mortgage rates.” That means uncertainty for homebuyers. Matt Ronne, senior loan officer with Motto Mortgage Preferred Brokers in Athens, TN, said that this year, with…

Listen To The Mortgage Note’s Fall Podcast

The Mortgage Note’s team has been tracking the housing crunch as low inventory, coupled with high interest rates, creates challenges for homebuyers and mortgage professionals. Editor Kimberley Haas interviewed industry leaders to learn more about what they are seeing and what products are being offered for this podcast. If you would like to participate in future episodes, please email us at [email protected]. Listen Here: Read Articles Featuring The Guests: Learn About The Eastern Tennessee Market With Loan Officer Matt Ronne Rocket Pro TPO EVP Talks About Current Successes, Challenges Bonzo Leader Says Success Starts With Personalized Messaging More Audio: FormFree’s Chief Customer Officer Christy Moss sat down with The Mortgage Note to talk about the company’s Residual Income Knowledge Index,…

Learn About The Eastern Tennessee Market With Loan Officer Matt Ronne

Tennessee now has more than seven million residents and a senior loan officer who works in the eastern half of the state says inventory and affordability issues have hit the communities he serves. According to U.S. Census Bureau information, the population of Tennessee grew by 2% between April 1, 2020, and July 1, 2022. The latest population estimate is that 7,051,339 people live in the Volunteer State, a nickname earned because of Tennessean’s eagerness to step forward in times of war. Athens, the county seat of McMinn County, is located near the eastern border between the cities of Knoxville and Chattanooga. The population in Athens has grown from 14,086 residents in April 2020 to 14,371 in July 2022 and data…

Rocket Pro TPO Competes For Loans Under $200K

By KIMBERLEY HAAS Leaders at Rocket Pro TPO are extending their promotion on 30-year conventional purchase loans at or under $200,000 as they gear up to be more competitive in that market this year. During an IGNITE: Live! webinar on Monday, Executive Vice President Mike Fawaz announced that they are continuing their 37.5 BPS credit on these loans. Fawaz said they want to make sure that they listen to their broker partners and their feedback. “This is something we have been extending every single month since December. And the feedback continues to be incredible and positive and broker partners want it,” Fawaz said. Fawaz explained the philosophy behind the promotion. “When you think about it, we are very competitive when…

Predictions: Chilly Market Ahead For Housing In 2023, Conditions Improve In 2024

By CHUCK GREEN According to experts, not only is the housing market expected to continue cooling this year, the forecast remains chilly entering 2023. Real house prices jumped 10.5% in September and logged a 60.6% YOY increase, according to First American’s Real House Price Index. But prices fell in 15 out of the top 50 markets they analyze. Mortgage originations saw their largest annual decline in 21 years this fall, further evidence that the housing boom is coming to an end. Originations fell 47% YOY in Q3, according to ATTOM Data’s Q3 2022 U.S. Residential Property Mortgage Origination Report. Quarter-over-quarter they were down 19%, the sixth consecutive drop. So, what in the name of the cranky barometer’s up? For one thing, surprise, surprise,…

First Community Mortgage Expands In Midwest

Tennessee-based First Community Mortgage is expanding its retail business into the Midwest, the company announced in a press release. The expansion comes as FCM celebrates its 20th anniversary. New team members have largely signed on since September 1. “We are excited to add these talented professionals to the First Community Mortgage family,” Keith Canter, CEO and one of the founders of FCM, said. New hires include Bret Head, who comes from Prime Lending where he served as SVP and Regional Director of Retail Sales. He joins FCM as EVP and National Director of Sales. The majority of new team members are based out of branches in Cincinnati, Chicago, Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Indianapolis. They include Branch Managers Ryan Kiefer and…

Millennials Dominate In America’s Biggest Metros

Despite challenging conditions for first-time homebuyers, Millennials are actively engaging in the housing market, especially in the nation’s largest metros, according to a new analysis from LendingTree. The analysis found that Millennials– people aged 25 to 40 in 2021– make up a majority of homebuyers in most of the US’s largest metros, especially Denver, Seattle, and Boston.  Of mortgages offered in Denver, 63.3% were offered to Millennials. In Seattle, 61.35% were offered to Millennials, and in Boston, 61.08%. Miami, Jacksonville, and Tampa have the smallest share of buyers in this age group, at 46.54% across all three markets. San Francisco, New York, and San Jose have the greatest portion of older Millennials, with an average age of 33.51%, while Indianapolis,…

Is Home Ownership More Affordable Than Renting? It Depends.

By KIMBERLEY HAAS A report released this month suggests that despite rising home prices it is more affordable to own a median-priced house than to rent a three-bedroom property in a majority of the United States. ATTOM’s 2022 Rental Affordability Report used fair-market rent data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, wage data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and sales deed data in 1,154 counties to find that home ownership will be more affordable in a majority of the country again in 2022. Todd Teta, Chief Product Officer at ATTOM, said home ownership still remains the more affordable option for average workers because it takes up a smaller portion of their pay when the math is…

Look At The Most Expensive Homes In 2022’s Hottest Housing Markets

By KIMBERLEY HAAS Analysts at Zillow have made their predictions for the hottest housing markets of 2022, and we are bringing you a look at the most expensive homes in the top five cities listed. On Tuesday, the Seattle-based company predicted Tampa, Florida, will be the hottest housing market of 2022. NFL Quarterback Tom Brady’s new city is followed by Jacksonville, Florida; Raleigh, North Carolina; San Antonio, Texas; and Charlotte, North Carolina. “Homebuyers are attracted to markets in the Sun Belt that offer relative affordability, fast-growing economies, and weather that allows them to enjoy the outdoors year-round,” Zillow economist Alexandra Lee said in a statement. Lee also predicts the seller’s market seen in 2021 will continue and buyers should be ready…

Wishing For A White Christmas? Home Sales Will Likely Stay Warm This Winter, As Will The Weather

By KIMBERLEY HAAS As people throughout the country wish for a white Christmas this upcoming weekend, it is expected that home sales will stay warm in many parts of the nation throughout the winter. Continued bidding wars, the Great Resignation, and Millennials on the market will all likely contribute to keeping home prices high during a season where sales typically cool off until spring. And above-average temperatures expected in many parts of the United States may also keep buyers on the market at a time when they would typically try to avoid moving due to snow and ice. Bidding Wars Redfin reported on Friday that in November, 59.5% of home offers written by their agents faced competition, which is the…