lender: Building Permits Surge in December; Signals a Strong Spring Housing Market
- 02/18/11 04:59 AM
Each month, in conjunction with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Census Bureau releases its New Residential Construction report. The report is comprised of several sections, one of which counts the number of homes that have "broken ground" nationwide. They're called "Housing Starts" and, by most measures, they faded quickly as 2010 came to a close. According to the Census Bureau's report, Housing Starts of single-family homes fell to 417,000 units on a seasonally-adjusted, annual basis. The figure marks a 9 percent drop-off from November, and is the lowest reading since May 2009. Not surprisingly, the press went bearish … (0 comments)
lender: Mortgage Guidelines Starting to Loosen?
- 02/18/11 04:47 AM
Mortgage lending appears to be loosening. That is, IF you're only looking at certain data. In its quarterly survey of member banks, the Federal Reserve asks senior loan officers around the country whether their "prime" residential mortgage guidelines had tightened within the last 3 months. A prime borrower is one with a well-documented credit history, high credit scores, and a low debt-to-income ratio. Of the 54 responding banks, just 2 said its guidelines had tightened during the period October-December 2010. That's less than 4 percent. And, by comparison, 95 percent of banks said guidelines remained "basically unchanged". The remaining banks … (4 comments)
lender: Foreclosure Activity Drops
- 02/18/11 04:17 AM
Foreclosures in Tennessee are still a popular choice for homebuyers here locally as residents in Rutherford, Davidson, and Williamson county seek to find a 'hidden gem' in the sea of inventory available . However, foreclosure activity is slowing nationally. According to foreclosure-tracker RealtyTrac, the number of foreclosure filings dropped 17 percent on an annual basis last month. Monthly filings ticked higher 1 percent after a combined 23 percent decrease through November and December 2010. The phrase "foreclosure filing" is a catch-all term, comprising default notices, scheduled auctions, and bank repossessions. January marked the third straight month of sub-300,000 filings after 20 straight months above … (0 comments)
lender: Mortgage Rates Return to April 2010 Levels
- 02/18/11 03:57 AM
Mortgage rates are surging. Over the last 7 days, conventional, 30-year fixed rate mortgage rates have jumped 24 basis points, or 0.24%, according to Freddie Mac's weekly Primary Mortgage Market Survey. It's the largest 1-week spike in mortgage rates in recent history. The 30-year fixed rate mortgage now averages 5.05% nationally. This is much, much higher than what we saw last November when mortgage rates were 4.17% and looked headed to the 3s. That's not the case today. In fact, it's the opposite. Mortgage rates have risen quickly and fiercely this year. As of this morning, mortgage rates are higher over … (0 comments)
lender: Your ARM Is About To Adjust
- 02/18/11 03:49 AM
If your ARM is due to adjust this spring, your best move may be to allow it. Don't rush to refinance - your rate may be adjusting lower. It's because of how adjusted mortgage rates are calculated. First, let's look at the lifecycle of a conventional, adjustable rate mortgage: There's a "starter period" of several years in which the interest rate remains fixed. There's an initial adjustment to rate after the starter period. This is called the "first adjustment". There's a subsequent adjustment until the loan's term expires. The adjustment is usually annual. The starter period will vary from 1 … (0 comments)
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