Wednesday, March 21, 2012
THE AMERICAN DREAM
Home owners are healthier, their kids have less teen pregnancy, get better grades, get better jobs out of college, and marriages are stronger. Home owners are more involved in their community, charities, and they vote. Home ownership adds a ton of social and cultural benefits to this country, and those home owners literally knit us together as Americans.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Housing Affordability Index Hits Record
Washington, March 06, 2012
Housing affordability conditions have reached the highest level since record keeping began in 1970, according to the National Association of Realtors®.
NAR’s Housing Affordability Index rose to a record high 206.1 in January, based on the relationship between median home price, median family income and average mortgage interest rate. The higher the index, the greater the household purchasing power.
An index of 100 is defined as the point where a median-income household has exactly enough income to qualify for the purchase of a median-priced existing single-family home, assuming a 20 percent downpayment and 25 percent of gross income devoted to mortgage principal and interest payments. For first-time buyers making small downpayments, the affordability levels are relatively lower.
NAR President Moe Veissi, broker-owner of Veissi & Associates Inc., in Miami, said this latest data underscores buyer opportunities in today’s market. “This is the first time the housing affordability index has broken the two hundred mark, meaning the typical family has roughly double the income needed to purchase a median-priced home,” he said. “For buyers who can qualify for a mortgage, now is a very good time to become a homeowner.”
NAR projects the affordability index for all of 2012 will be at an annual high, with little movement in mortgage interest rates or home prices during the year. “Housing inventory levels have declined to a point where conditions are becoming much more balanced in much of the country,” Veissi said. “If access to credit improves, we could see a much more meaningful increase in home sales and broader stabilization in home prices with modest gains in areas with stronger job growth.”
Housing affordability conditions have reached the highest level since record keeping began in 1970, according to the National Association of Realtors®.
NAR’s Housing Affordability Index rose to a record high 206.1 in January, based on the relationship between median home price, median family income and average mortgage interest rate. The higher the index, the greater the household purchasing power.
An index of 100 is defined as the point where a median-income household has exactly enough income to qualify for the purchase of a median-priced existing single-family home, assuming a 20 percent downpayment and 25 percent of gross income devoted to mortgage principal and interest payments. For first-time buyers making small downpayments, the affordability levels are relatively lower.
NAR President Moe Veissi, broker-owner of Veissi & Associates Inc., in Miami, said this latest data underscores buyer opportunities in today’s market. “This is the first time the housing affordability index has broken the two hundred mark, meaning the typical family has roughly double the income needed to purchase a median-priced home,” he said. “For buyers who can qualify for a mortgage, now is a very good time to become a homeowner.”
NAR projects the affordability index for all of 2012 will be at an annual high, with little movement in mortgage interest rates or home prices during the year. “Housing inventory levels have declined to a point where conditions are becoming much more balanced in much of the country,” Veissi said. “If access to credit improves, we could see a much more meaningful increase in home sales and broader stabilization in home prices with modest gains in areas with stronger job growth.”
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
FHA Insurance Premiums Will Increase
If your are considering buying or refinancing a home, you should let them know that the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) will soon increase mortgage insurance premiums on FHA home loans.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced it would increase the annual mortgage insurance premium (MIP) by 0.10% for FHA loans under $625,500. This would raise the fee from 1.15% to 1.25% of the total loan amount. This annual premium increase — which is broken down into monthly payments — takes effect April 1, 2012.
In addition, HUD announced it would raise the FHA's upfront annual mortgage insurance premium (UFMIP) from 1% to 1.75% effective April 1, 2012.
Starting June 1, 2012, the MIP for FHA loans over $625,500 will increase 0.35%, raising that fee to 1.50% of the total loan amount.
The primary reason for the changes is to bolster capital reserves for FHA's Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund. Congress has mandated the fund keep 2% in reserves. Last year, that reserve had slipped to 0.2%. The changes are expected to generate about $1 billion annually for the fund.
The increase in mortgage insurance costs applies to the purchase or refinancing of all FHA loans regardless of the amortization term or loan-to-value (LTV) ratio. The increases will not apply to borrowers already in an FHA-insured mortgage, a Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM), and other special loan programs to be outlined in a forthcoming FHA Mortgagee Letter.
For those considering refinancing or making a purchase, they might want to act before the new mortgage insurance premiums take effect.
If you would like more information about what these higher fees will mean, please contact me today.
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