Friday, December 13, 2013

Housing Crisis Is in ‘Rear View Mirror’

One of the biggest scars from the housing crisis – foreclosures – is rapidly fading away. Foreclosure activity posted a 15 percent month-to-month drop from October to November – the largest monthly drop in three years, RealtyTrac reports in its latest foreclosure report. What’s more, foreclosure filings have posted a 37 percent decrease from year ago levels. 
Reports on foreclosure filings, default notices, auctions, and bank repossessions all showed big declines in the latest report. 
“I think that [the housing crisis is] really in the rear-view mirror,” Daren Blomquist, vice president at RealtyTrac, told ABC News.
The number of homes entering the foreclosure process has dropped by two-thirds since the peak of the housing crisis in 2010. The number of homes that have started the foreclosure process has fallen to its lowest level since December 2005.
“While some of the decrease in November can be attributed to seasonality, the depth and breadth of the decrease provides strong evidence that we are entering the ninth inning of this foreclosure crisis with the outcome all but guaranteed,” says Blomquist. “While foreclosures will likely continue to stage a weak rally in certain markets next year as the last of the distress left over from the Great Recession is dealt with, it is highly unlikely that there will be a foreclosure comeback that poses any major threat to the solid housing recovery that has now taken hold.”
Source: RealtyTrac and “Foreclosures Plunge as Housing Crisis Retreats,” ABC News (Dec. 12, 2013)
Read More:
Principal Reductions Best Way to Avoid Foreclosure, Experts Say






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Thursday, December 12, 2013

HUD Issues Final ‘Qualified Mortgage’ Ruling

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development released its final ruling on the definition of “Qualified Mortgage,” which includes new requirements that mortgages must meet starting Jan. 10, 2014, in order to be insured, guaranteed, or administered by HUD or the Federal Housing Administration. 
HUD’s rule is similar to the existing qualified mortgage rule that was issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau earlier this year. 
According to HUD’s rule, “qualified mortgage” loans will have to meet the following criteria in the new year: 
  • Require periodic payments without risky features;
  • Have terms that do not exceed 30 years;
  • Limit upfront points and fees to no more than 3 percent with adjustments to facilitate smaller loans (there are a few exceptions, such as for manufactured housing);
  • Be insured or guaranteed by FHA or HUD.
HUD says the first two elements of the rule — periodic payments without risky features and terms that don’t exceed 30 years — are already part of its current underwriting processes. The requirement that limits upfront points and fees is not, but it’s consistent with private-sector and conventional mortgages guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, HUD notes. 
HUD’s rule also establishes two types of qualified mortgages: Rebuttable Presumption QM and Safe Harbor QM. The Rebuttable Presumption QM will contain annual percentage rates that are greater than the rate for the average borrower receiving a conventional mortgage. The Safe Harbor QM, which offers lenders the greatest legal certainty, will have a smaller APR. Both types of qualified mortgages hold different protections for consumers and consequences for lenders.
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act requires HUD to have a “qualified mortgage” definition that meets the ability-to-repay criteria, requiring borrowers to have the finances to be able to one day repay the loan. 
The qualified mortgage rule will have a major effect on determining the underwriting standards that most lenders will use to qualify borrowers, the National Association of REALTORS® has said. NAR has actively worked with lawmakers in shaping the qualified mortgage rule issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Read a full summary of the issues that NAR views as a concern.  
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; “HUD Releases Final Rule on Qualified Mortgages,” American Banker (Dec. 11, 2013); and “HUD QM Rule Announced; Closely Mirrors CFPB QM,” Mortgage News Daily (Dec. 11, 2013)
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Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Obama Scorecard: Housing Makes Gains, Headwinds Remain

The Obama administration’s Housing Scorecard for November showed an improving housing market, with home prices remaining strong and foreclosures falling. But the administration cautions in the report that the recovery remains “fragile.” 
Economic and job growth and rising home prices “have helped to reduce foreclosure starts to levels not seen since 2005,” says Kurt Usowski, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s deputy assistant secretary for economic affairs. “And although the number of home owners 'underwater' ... is down more than 40 percent from its peak, the number remains historically elevated, meaning more work needs to be done to ensure the continued stability of the housing market.” 
The scorecard reviews housing data to gauge the health of the housing market. 
Existing-home sales dropped in November, but remained strong over last year’s numbers (426,700 in November 2013 compared to 402,500 in November 2012), according to National Association of REALTORS® data. 
New-home sales also posted year-over-year gains: 37,000 in October 2013, up from 30,400 in October 2012, according to U.S. Census and HUD data.
Inventory levels of existing homes inched up slightly in November to a 5-month supply compared to a 4.9-month supply in October, NAR reports. But inventory levels are down from a 5.2-month supply last year. 
The inventory of new homes for sale took a big fall, to a 4.9-month supply in November compared to a 6.4-month supply in October, the Census bureau and HUD report. 
“Although the housing market has largely recovered, there are still home owners struggling, and it is key that we continue to help them,” says Treasury Deputy Assistant Secretary Tim Bowler. 
The government’s foreclosure mitigation programs are providing some relief to struggling home owners. For example, more than 1.8 million home owner assistance actions have taken place through the Making Home Affordable Program. Home owners who have taken part through the government’s Home Affordable Modification Program have saved on average about $547 monthly on their mortgage payments — nearly a 40 percent savings from their previous payment. 
View the full Housing Scorecard at www.hud.gov/scorecard.
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Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Consumers' Caution Could Spell Danger for Housing

The momentum in the housing market is losing some steam as more Americans say they are feeling more cautious about the economy and their personal finances, according to Fannie Mae’s November National Housing Survey of more than 1,000 Americans. 
Nearly two-thirds of Americans surveyed say they believe the economy is on the wrong track. What’s more, the number of Americans who expect their personal finances to worsen in the next year has risen to 22 percent.  
Expectations about rising home prices is also curtailing: Only 45 percent of Americans now say they think home prices will increase in the next 12 months. For those who do believe home prices will rise, they expect the increase to be 2.5 percent, down from 2.9 percent a few months ago. More Americans expect mortgage rates to rise in the next year, too.
“We continue to see caution as the defining feature of Americans’ attitudes toward the economy and their personal financial situation. In this environment, the housing recovery is likely to improve, but only at a gradual pace,” says Doug Duncan, senior vice president and chief economist at Fannie Mae. “Our November National Housing Survey results show a loss of momentum in expectations for home prices and personal finances. Also, the majority of consumers expecting higher mortgage rates implies a slowing of housing market momentum. As the economy continues to improve and household balance sheets for most Americans are slow to repair, we continue to see the transition to a full housing recovery as a slow process. Upcoming fiscal policy discussions and labor market developments may also lead to some bumps along the way.” 
Source: Fannie Mae
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Monday, December 9, 2013

Housing Confidence Grows in West, South

States in the West and in the South are expected to see the highest price gains in the next 12 months of about 4 to 8 percent, according to the REALTORS® Confidence Index Survey, a survey of about 3,000 REALTORS®. Tight inventory conditions persist in these areas, driving up home prices. 
Nationally, REALTORS® expect prices to move up by about 4 percent in the next 12 months, according to the latest survey, based on data gathered in November.
The highest price growth in the next year is projected for California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. Other states outside of the region that also are expected to see some of the larger price jumps include North Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan, and Massachusetts. 
Source: “Expected Price Growth Strongest in West and South Markets,” National Association of REALTORS®’ Economists Outlook (Dec. 9, 2013)
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