Tag Archives: Affordability

Real house prices have jumped significantly over the past year, rising more than 8 percent since January 2016. According to First American, these pricing jumps coupled with low inventory spell a seller’s market for spring. “Despite the monthly increase in affordability and continued strong wage growth, homes are less affordable across the country compared to a year ago,” said First American Chief Economist Mark Fleming.

What is causing the disparity between top-tier and bottom-tier markets post housing crisis?

For core-based statistical areas, the west coast usually holds the top 10 spots in the Pro Teck Home Value Forecast, but this month the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC CBSA has been added.

What can be done to increase affordability for severely "cost-burdened" homeowners as the national homeownership rate falls further?

Some of the hottest housing markets may be slowing down, while those that have been slow to rebound are finally heating up.

Although mortgage interest rates continue to remain at historical lows, the benefits of this current environment are not being taken advantage of by borrowers due to one pressing factor in the market: surging home price increases.

With many analysts early in the year having predicted a robust spring season for the housing market, the question remains as to whether or not that will come to pass after a few months of inconsistency to start 2016.

The level of optimism for the housing market in the U.S. for the fourth quarter of 2014 is at its highest point as it has been at any point during the recovery, according to a recent survey conducted by Trulia.

As the U.S housing market climbs back to healthy, a third of it is less affordable now than it's been all century, according to RealtyTrac. The firm's latest housing affordability report found that 34 percent of the 1,200 U.S. counties it surveyed are at their least affordable, on average, since 2000.

The National Association of Realtors' Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI), which measures contract signings as an indicator of future sales figures, jumped 6.1 percent month-over-month to 103.9. It was the largest one-month increase since April 2010, when the index spiked 9.6 percent as first-time buyers moved to sign purchase contracts to qualify for the First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit.