In June the average rate on the 30-year fixed shot over 6% briefly, and that was enough to turn the once-hot housing market on its heels. Rates pulled back in July and August, but the damage was already done. Now rates are heading past 6% yet again, causing already beleaguered mortgage demand to fall even further.The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($647,200 or less) increased to 5.94%
Housing sales are falling in response to rising interest rates, but the real estate market is not in a recession, according to Wharton’s Fernando Ferreira. He explains why the persistent lack of supply will continue to put pressure on homebuyers. Wharton real estate professor Fernando Ferreira doesn’t believe the U.S. housing market has entered a recession.Home sales are falling in response to rising interest rates, but th
The government’s main measures of US growth pointed in different directions in the first half of 2022, adding to the ongoing debate on the health of the economy.Inflation-adjusted gross domestic product, or the total value of all goods and services produced in the economy, decreased at a 0.6% annualized rate in the April to June period, Commerce Department data showed Thursday. That reflects an upward revision to consumer spending and compares
If borrowing costs get just a little higher, the average household may be blocked from homeownership, warns an NAR economist. Mortgage rates continued inching up this week, nearing a threshold that would bring the average American household to a financial tipping point, warns Nadia Evangelou, senior economist and director of forecasting for the National Association of REALTORS®.The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage jumped to an average of 5.66%, Fredd
(Bloomberg) -- Bank of America Corp. started a trial program aimed at helping first-time homebuyers in Black and Hispanic neighborhoods by offering mortgages that don’t require down payments, closing costs or minimum credit scores, all considered longtime obstacles to narrowing the gap between White and minority ownership.Customers using the program will be evaluated for a home loan not by credit scores, but rather factors such as their history
Mortgage rates appear to be settling in the 5% range after recent dramatic climbs that shocked home buyers. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 5.13% this week, down slightly from its 5.22% average a week ago, Freddie Mac reports.Mortgage rates peaked at 6% in early June, which prompted a pullback in housing demand. However, “home sales may soon stabilize since mortgage rates have fallen to near 5%, thereby giving an additional boost
Mortgage rates fell slightly last week, but not enough to fuel any kind of recovery in consumer demand for home loans.Total mortgage application volume fell 2% from the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s seasonally adjusted index. Demand stands at the lowest level since 2000. It hit a similar low in July.Applications for a mortgage to purchase a home dropped 1% for the week and were 18% lower than the same week
The U.S. government is providing almost $12 million to help residents pay rent and mortgages in south Florida, a place that has been called the epicenter of the nation’s affordable housing crisis.The South Florida Times news site reported that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will provide $11.7 million for Miami-Dade County, which has seen housing prices and rents soar in recent months. Hillsborough County will see $2.8 mill
Water views for less than $300,000? A realtor.com® study identifies where buyers can snag waterfront property at an affordable price. Lakefront homes may offer home buyers a chance to buy a waterfront property at a more affordable price than a vacation home on the ocean. Some of the least expensive lake towns may not be as well-known, but they offer house hunters a chance to live on the water and still enjoy the activities and views that go alo
Though weekly changes in borrowing costs are volatile, housing activity is reaching more balanced levels—which is ultimately good for buyers, says Freddie Mac’s chief economist. Home buyers are having difficulty gauging opportunities to save on a property purchase as mortgage rates become more volatile. The average for the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage swung above 5% again this week, clocking in at 5.22%, Freddie Mac reports. Last week, the ave
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