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A number of home sellers are reducing their asking prices. The locations of price reductions may surprise you…
80% Of Seniors Are Not Selling Their Homes
HUD solicits input on LIBOR transition
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Both reverse and traditional mortgage originators are feeling the crunch of appraisal turnaround times. RMD explains why and what HECM professionals have to say.
The RMI Reverse Market Minute update
Us Existing-Home Sales Fell For The First Time In Over A Year, Price Growth Slows
If more than one-third of your reverse mortgage loans are HECM-to-HECM refinances you’re running out of time. Time to refurbish your loan pipeline. Time to build effective and productive referral relationships.
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The appeal and eligibility of reverse mortgages for older homeowners are largely driven by home values and interest rates. And there are signs that the housing market may be beginning to falter. First new home sales rose in June and July but that’s only the second increase in the last six months. Second, new home sales have steadily fallen since March with only a modest increase in July. Third, housing inventory began steadily increasing this spring, a trend that’s expected to continue now that the eviction bans have ended. Keep in mind evictions and sales of rental properties will lag several months as landlords step through the arduous eviction process so don’t expect an immediate surge for several months.
These are the ten cities with the most over valued housing markets…
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It’s not boom or doom when it comes to the housing market. While Americans are getting priced out of the housing market millions of savvy older homeowners are sitting on a goldmine. Not just a motherlode of equity but a potential source of cash flow that could be mined to help temper the impacts of inflation and as a hedge against financial shocks.
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Do you know who the biggest player in the housing market is today? Is it hedge funds, REITs, or the largest developers? If you answered the Federal Reserve, congratulations.
Some members of the Federal Reserve’s policy-setting committee want to end the Fed’s purchasing of $40 billion a month of MBS (mortgage-backed securities) sooner than later. The question is how much and how soon. In a presser following the Fed’s two-day meeting discussing how to reduce asset purchases Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said, “There really is little support for the idea of tapering MBS earlier than Treasuries. I think we will taper them at the same time.”
The wind-down of asset purchases will put pressure on yields. Today, with the Fed consistently purchasing most mortgage-backed securities lenders don’t have to offer higher yields to attract investors, this allows them to offer lower rates. When rates eventually do increase modestly homebuyers will have to reconsider the price range homes they consider for purchase. Sellers may also rethink their asking price as home affordability erodes. Both would cool the pace of housing appreciation and bring some modicum of normalcy to an overheated market.
Monday Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Raphael Bostic said the central bank should move to taper asset purchases in light of recent strong employment gains. Speaking of the timing of tapering Bostic said, “Right now I’m thinking in the October-to-December range, but if the number comes back big” as with the last report “or maybe even a little bigger, I’d be open to moving it forward. If the number really explodes, I think we would have to consider that.”
While employment gains are substantial, many economists are concerned as millions of small businesses cannot fill open positions. Employer-mandated vaccinations or mask-wearing may further strain the rate of employment growth when coupled with the $300/week federal unemployment bonus. Both could postpone the Fed’s tapering of asset purchases. However, inflationary concerns could also spur the central bank to accelerate its timeline. The central banks’ mantra is they see the surge of inflation as merely transitory. Time will certainly tell.
For now, even a moderating seller’s market still will benefit reverse mortgage applicants in the short term when coupled with historic low interest rates significantly increasing their available loan proceeds. While it’s uncertain how long the market will continue its run, reverse mortgage originators couldn’t ask for a more ideal market.
-Shannon Hicks
As the housing market goes, so goes our industry. And a shift in the U.S. housing market has begun. Before we dive into the data showing why let’s discuss the most recent breaking news- eviction bans.
In a 5-4 decision on June 29th, the U.S. Supreme Court put the Centers for Disease Control on notice saying the agency overstepped its statutory authority in issuing a nationwide eviction ban. However, with the ban’s expiration of July 31st fast approaching the high court allowed the ban to remain in place another month. The CDC argued the eviction moratorium was warranted to prevent homelessness which they argued would lead to further spread of COVID-19.
Why does the eviction ban matter?
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The coronavirus pandemic has dramatically changed the landscape of the housing market- especially in urban areas. Here’s how COVID-19 vaccines in 2021 are poised to upset housing trends once again.
COVID has slowed but hasn’t stopped FHA’s search for a new servicer
CNBC: At what age should you pay off all debt?
