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According to a report released by Trulia.com, 21 percent of the homes for sale as of January 1, 2010 have experienced at least one price cut. This makes the second consecutive month that price reduction levels have decreased and the lowest level since Trulia started tracking price reductions in April 2009.
The average discount for price-reduced homes continues to hold at 11 percent off of the original listing price. This was also the second straight month where inventory levels have dropped for single family homes and condos across the United States.
The South has the lowest overall level of price reductions, with 20 percent of current listings experiencing at least one price cut, while the Northeast saw the biggest decrease in price reductions compared to the previous month — 12 percent. (Regions according to the U.S. Census Bureau)
Luxury homes (those listed at $2 million and above) continue to be hit the hardest by price reductions with the average discount rising to 15 percent for the first time since Trulia started tracking in April 2009.
Additionally, luxury homes represent less than two percent of all current listings on Trulia, but are responsible for 24 percent of the $21.2 billion in home price reductions. The average discount for homes priced less than $2 million continues to hold at 10 percent.
The FHA is making proposals to change mortgage insurance premiums, FICO (credit score) and down payment combinations and seller concessions. The changes will be posted in the Federal Register next month and after a comment period would become effective early summer.
With these rule changes, an FHA loan could cost you 10% more to close. That's $25,000 on a $250,000 loan.
3.5% Down Payments and seller concessions of up to 6% will soon be a thing of the past for many. Mortgage insurance premiums will also increase by 1/2 point.
Here is a quick summary of the changes:
So, with a FICO score below 580, the amount of out-of-pocket money to close an FHA loan would increase by about $25,000 on a $250,000 mortgage ($1,250 MIP, $7,500 increase in seller’s concession, $16,250 increase in down payment). This would be added to the current total cost, an increase of 10%. A FICO score above 580 could still add about $8,750 or 3.5%.
The FHA is taking these actions to reduce troubled mortgages in the future. They will also be making changes to reduce fraud.
These actions will allow them to add to their reserves against bad loans. As a home buyer, these changes will increase your overall costs to borrow tremendously.
Stay tuned, we'll keep you updated on these FHA Loan changes as they become effective.
Ice storms in the Midwest, blizzards in the nation’s capitol and northeast, and a wet El Nino weather pattern out west has brought some wild winter weather across the United States. This arctic chill explains why building construction has been falling this winter.
According to the Commerce Department, new home construction starts fell 4 percent in December to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 557,000. That’s a drop of 23,000 starts from November. Poor weather conditions reflected construction start declines of 19 percent in the Northeast and Midwest. They were down 1 percent in the West, but actually rose 3 percent in the South.
Applications for new building construction permits rose 11 percent in December to an annual rate of 653,000. That’s the highest level of activity since October 2008.
The January numbers may continue to show a decline as well. Arctic temperatures have gripped the heartland, the eastern seaboard, and even sent temperatures down into the 20’s as far south as Central Florida. In addition, heavy rains have drenched the golden state. Southern California has seen flooding, mudslides, and even tornados as more than five inches of rain has pounded coastal and inland valleys.
Overall, new home construction is down 75 percent from the peak of four years ago. However, it’s up 14 percent from last January when the housing industry hit bottom.
Hopefully the extension of low mortgage rates, falling home prices and the stall in home sales will urge some buyers to act, and we'll see these numbers turn around as Spring approaches.
In an effort to save a few dollars in this down economy, many would-be-sellers today are turning to computer generated reports to establish the value of their property, rather than paying for a full appraisal. These sites use data that is collated from various resources to come up with estimates of what a property is worth.
Although a professional appraiser is more expensive, they are highly trained to accurately determine the value of many different types of properties, as well as account for many variables the computerized reports don't take into consideration, like surrounding neighborhoods, economic development in the area, and the quality of the school system, just to name a few.
Many lenders don't even require an in-depth inspection or interior inspection of a home, which begs the question: How can a realistic property valuation be arrived at without an on-site inspection? The answer is, it can't.
To obtain state licensing or certification, appraisers must undergo a stringent course of training through an accredited educational facility. In addition, some states require appraisers to complete an apprenticeship with a more seasoned professional before they can operate independently. The best appraisers will consider every aspect of the property, including square footage, room count, types of rooms, condition of property, lot size, neighborhood trends and comparable properties in the area that recently sold, as well as similar properties that are currently on the market.
Locating a qualified appraiser in your area is not a difficult task. Banks and lenders in your neighborhood can often refer you to reputable appraisers.
