Every winter, families across the country decide if this will be the year that they sell their current houses and move into their dream homes.
Mortgage rates hovered around 4% for all of 2017 which forced many buyers off the fence and into the market, resulting in incredibly strong demand RIGHT NOW!
At the same time, however, inventory levels of homes for sale have dropped dramatically as compared to this time last year.
Trulia reported that “in Q4 2017, U.S. home inventory decreased by 10.5%. That is the biggest drop we’ve seen since Q2 2013.”
Here is a chart showing the decrease in inventory levels by category:
The largest drop in inventory was in the starter home category which saw a ...
Definitely an aggressive headline. However, as the final data on the 2017 housing market rolls in, we can definitely say one thing: If you are considering selling, IT IS TIME TO LIST YOUR HOME!
How did we finish 2017?
- New-home sales were at their highest level in a decade.
- Sales of previously owned homes were at their highest level in more than a decade.
- Starts of single-family homes were their strongest in a decade and applications to build such properties advanced to the fastest pace since August 2007.
And Bloomberg Business just reported:
“America’s housing market is gearing up for a robust year ahead. Builders are more optimistic, demand is strong and lean inventory is keeping prices elevated.”
And the National Association of Realtors revealed that buyer traffic is stronger this winter...
Every month, CoreLogic releases its Home Price Insights Report. In that report, they forecast where they believe residential real estate prices will be in twelve months.
Below is a map, broken down by state, reflecting how home values are forecasted to change by the end of 2018 using data from the most recent report.
As we can see, CoreLogic projects an increase in home values in 49 of 50 states, and Washington, DC (there was insufficient data for HI). Nationwide, they see home prices increasing by 4.2%.
How might the new tax code impact these numbers?
Recently, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) conducted their own analysis to determine the impact the new tax code may have on home values. NAR’s analysis:
“…estimated how home prices will change in the upcoming year for each state, considering the impact of...
According to the National Association of Realtors’ latest Realtors Confidence Index, 61% of first-time homebuyers purchased their homes with down payments below 6% from October 2016 through November 2017.
Many potential homebuyers believe that a 20% down payment is necessary to buy a home and have disqualified themselves without even trying. The median down payment for all buyers in 2017 was just 10% and that percentage drops to 6% for first-time buyers.
Zillow Senior Economist Aaron Terrazas’ recent comments shed light on why buyer demand has remained strong,
“Looking into 2018, rent is expected to continue gaining. More widespread rent growth could mean home buying demands stay high, as renters who can afford it move away from the unpredictability of rising rents toward the relative stability of a monthly mortgage payment instead.”
It’s no surprise that with rents rising, more and more first-time...
Americans continue to believe that homeownership is important in achieving the American Dream. A recent survey by NeighborWorks America reported that:
“Owning a home remains a core element of the American Dream.”
When asked “How important a part of the American dream is owning a home?”
- 18% of those surveyed said it was the most important part
- 53% of those surveyed said it was very important
- 22% of those surveyed said it was somewhat important
Homeownership and Financial Stability
The survey also revealed that 81% of Americans believe that owning a home leads to a family being more financially stable. This...
According to Ellie Mae’s latest Origination Report, the average FICO® Score on all closed loans dropped to 722 which is its lowest mark since April. The average includes all approved refinance and purchase loans.
FHA and VA loans showed the most opportunity for millennials looking to enter the market with low down payments and even lower FICO® Score requirements.
Ellie Mae’s Millennial Tracker revealed that those who purchased homes in December with an FHA Loan were able to do so with an average down payment of 4% and a FICO® Score of only 684.
Joe Tyrell, EVP of Corporate Strategy at Ellie Mae commented on the opportunity this brings to buyers,
“With the average credit score dipping, lenders are extending credit to borrowers who may have had no previous access to the housing market.”
Bottom Line
More and more potential buyers are able to qualify for a mortgage loan now! If you are debating a home purchase, let’s get together and evaluate your ability to buy today!
Contact Gold Country Modern Real Estate, experienced Realtors in Amador County, for help purchasing or selling a home in Amador County, California.
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CoreLogic’s latest Equity Report revealed that “over the past 12 months, 712,000 borrowers moved into positive equity.” This is great news, as the share of homeowners with negative equity (those who owe more than their home is worth), has dropped more than 20% since the peak in Q4 of 2009 (26%) to 4.9% today.
The report also revealed:
- The average homeowner gained approximately $14,900 in equity during the past year.
- Compared to Q3 2016, negative equity decreased 22% from 3.2 million homes, or 6.3% of all mortgaged properties.
- U.S. homeowners with mortgages (roughly 63% of all homeowners) have seen their equity increase by a total of $870.6 billion since Q3 2016, an increase of 11.8%, year-over-year....
Over the next five years, home prices are expected to appreciate on average by 3.35% per year and to grow by 24.34% cumulatively, according to Pulsenomics’ most recent Home Price Expectation Survey.
So, what does this mean for homeowners and their equity position?
As an example, let’s assume a young couple purchases and closes on a $250,000 home this month (January). If we only look at the projected increase in the price of that home, how much equity will they earn over the next 5 years?
Since the experts predict that home prices will increase by 4.2% in...
