Tag Archives: Home Sales

According to Zillow, homebuyers participating in its Mortgage Marketplace Survey answered basic questions on mortgage information incorrectly nearly one-third (32.5 percent) of the time. For example, 34 percent of first-time homebuyers are not aware that they might be able to get a home loan with a down payment of less than 5 percent. Prospective buyers aren't the only group who demonstrated a lack of basic mortgage knowledge. About one in five homeowners said they did not believe underwater borrowers could refinance.

Asking home prices posted the strongest gains in cities where job growth was also solid, according to Trulia. In a recent report, Jed Kolko, Trulia's chief economist, provided two reasons to explain the link between jobs and housing: job growth attracts newcomers to an area, who look for housing, and job finders often look for their own place to rent or buy. ""Young adults with jobs are much less likely to live with their parents than those without jobs. Furthermore, stable jobs will set this generation free to form their own households and start thinking about homeownership,"" Kolko added.

In Fannie Mae's monthly National Housing Survey, more than half of those surveyed (51 percent, up from 48 percent in March) said they expect home prices to climb in the next year, while 10 percent--flat for the fourth straight month--expect declines. Thirty-five percent expect no changes. April's report marks the first time in the survey's three-year history that more than half of respondents projected price gains.

As home sales and home prices in the Miami metro area continue to post gains, absentee buyers and cash purchases make up a sizable portion of the market, according to San Francisco-based DataQuick's March report. March was the 11th consecutive month of annual home sale gains in Miami and the 15th consecutive month of annual median price increases in the metro.

In a recent report, Radar Logic closely examined purchase trends and patterns from institutional investors in the Atlanta area. Among its findings, the research firm found investors have been targeting a different cross-section of homes compared to traditional buyers. According to the report, institutional investors are more likely to purchase homes that are cheaper, smaller, and located in lower-income areas compared to homes bought by non-investor buyers.

While reluctance from lenders, sellers, and appraisers has become something of a drag on sales and price improvements, David Hicks, co-president of HomeVestors, asserts the market's slow growth has kept the country away from another housing bubble. Also worth noting is the current shortage of inventory, which has boosted price points and helped to drive off the sort of speculative buying behavior that could generate a bubble. Even so, low appraisals, tough financing criteria, and buyer and seller reluctance have provided a balancing weight.

Amid reports of bidding wars are markets where the art of flipping can still be maintained. After analyzing some 600 metros in its database, RealtyTrac came up with a list of 25 markets where investors can yield the highest gross profit from flipping. The online foreclosure marketplace found flippers in Orlando, Florida averaged the highest gross profit at 63 percent. Las Vegas came in second, where flippers saw a gross profit of 53 percent last year. Phoenix, a metro known for its rapid price gains over the last year, pulled in a gross profit of 44 percent, putting it at third.

With a swipe at both the President and Congress and concerns about ""downside risks"" to the economy, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) voted 11-1 Wednesday to leave interest rates unchanged and to continue its program of purchasing agency mortgage backed securities and longer term Treasury securities. The FOMC explained the actions should ""maintain downward pressure on longer-term interest rates, support mortgage markets, and help to make broader financial conditions more accommodative."" Kansas City Fed President Esther George, cast the lone negative vote.

First quarter data from the Texas Association of Realtors showed the Lone Star state's housing market is off to a good start, pointing to a strong selling season for the summer. A report from the association revealed first quarter home sales in Texas totaled 53,937, up 17.5 percent from a year ago.

The number of households owning homes fell 698,000 to 74,511,000 in the first quarter, the first decline in almost two years, according to a Census Bureau report Tuesday. At the same time, the nation's homeownership rate fell to 65 percent (seasonally adjusted), the lowest level since the fourth quarter of 1995. The Census data paints a grim picture for the home sales market, which has already been struggling against mortgage restrictions and weak inventory.