By Mike Colpitts The year ended with a bang in real estate as existing home sales jumped 5% in December to end 2011 with the third straight month of higher sales, according to the National Association of Realtors. Low mortgage rates and lower home prices pushed sales to a seasonally adjusted rate of 4.61 million… Continue reading Real Estate Sales Jump to End Year Higher
Category: Statistics
Mortgage Rates to Stay Near Record Lows
By Mike Colpitts Mortgage rates, hovering at record lows for nearly three weeks, should remain close to their all-time low levels for most of at least 2012. That’s the evaluation of Housing Predictor analysts after reviewing rate levels and the challenges the U.S. economy is facing. In an effort to keep mortgage rates low and… Continue reading Mortgage Rates to Stay Near Record Lows
Refinances Leap to New High on Low Mortgage Rates
By Kevin Chiu Refinancing mortgages leaped to a new high as homeowners came out in force to obtain lower mortgage rates prompted by the recently introduced Obama administration refinance program, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. The jump in loan applications came as borrowing costs hit record low rates. Refinances saw a leap of 26.4%… Continue reading Refinances Leap to New High on Low Mortgage Rates
Record Low Mortgage Rates Push Pick Up
By Mike Colpitts Driven by an increase in home purchases, mortgage applications picked up for the week as buyers took advantage of record low mortgage rates, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. The sharp increase in home sales accounted for an 8.1% rise in mortgage applications after the holiday week placed by home buyers for… Continue reading Record Low Mortgage Rates Push Pick Up
Mortgage Rates Equal Record Lows
By Mike Colpitts Mortgage rates are celebrating the New Year at their all-time record lows. The 30-year fixed rate averaged 3.91% to match its record low as Treasury bond yields remain near their lows with growing signs of improvement in U.S. manufacturing. It’s the fifth straight week that average rates have remained under 4.00% on… Continue reading Mortgage Rates Equal Record Lows
Record High Crop Prices Inflate Home Values
By Mike Colpitts Record high prices farmers are being paid for crops in the Mid-West are pressuring home prices, and are forecast to inflate home values as the real estate collapse moves closer to an end for part of the U.S. in 2012, according to the new Housing Predictor annual forecast. In all, a total… Continue reading Record High Crop Prices Inflate Home Values
Mortgage Rates Jump for New Year’s
By Mike Colpitts Mortgage rates, already at their record all-time lows jumped slightly higher in time for New Year’s this week as lenders became weary about growing problems in international financial markets, according to Freddie Mac. The rate of a 30-year fixed rate loan rose to 3.95% from a record low 3.91% last week. The… Continue reading Mortgage Rates Jump for New Year’s
Home Sales Jump Two Straight Months
By Kevin Chiu Home sales jumped for the second month in a row in November, increasing 4% after rising almost half as much the previous month, according to the National Association of Realtors. The jump in sales accounts for an annual adjusted rate of 4.42 million existing homes sales. The rise also accounts for a… Continue reading Home Sales Jump Two Straight Months
Bankers Expect Growing Mortgage Delinquencies
By Mike Colpitts Bankers expect delinquencies on mortgages and most consumer loans to rise as the housing market remains troubled, according to a survey conducted for FICO. Nearly half of the bankers polled by the Professional Risk Managers International Association or 47% said they expect mortgage delinquencies to increase, while only 13% expect defaults to… Continue reading Bankers Expect Growing Mortgage Delinquencies
Home Prices Tumbled Less in 2011
By Mike Colpitts Home prices tumbled an average of 4.3% on a year-over-year basis through last November, according to real estate analytics firm CoreLogic. The company’s Home Price Index, released Monday, confirmed what other real estate research companies reported – that home prices fell less in 2011 than 2010. The Santa Ana, California based firm… Continue reading Home Prices Tumbled Less in 2011