Mortgage financing giant Fannie Mae announced it would be extending some of its flexible lending standards into 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The extensions include allowing verbal verification of employment and power of attorney flexibilities, as well as some appraisal alternatives to ensure that transactions don’t get delayed. The extensions also require more checks on payment histories of self-employed borrowers.The temporary measures w
Homeowners are building wealth as property appreciation surges to its highest level since 2014. In the third quarter, the average homeowner had gained about $17,000 in equity year over year, according to CoreLogic’s latest Home Equity Report. Owners in Washington State saw the largest annual increase in home equity at $35,800, followed by California at $34,000.“The housing market has remained a strong pillar in an otherwise tumultuous ec
The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rate averaged 2.71% this week, holding at the all-time low first set last week, Freddie Mac reported.The ultra-low mortgage rates are making homebuying more attractive and boosting sales activity to the highest level since 2006, economists said at the National Association of REALTORS®’ virtual Real Estate Forecast Summit on Thursday. While home prices are rising annually by double-digit percentages, mo
Despite the economic uncertainties continuing to surround the pandemic, one fact has become crystal clear: Americans are ready to buy a new home. Low inventory, bidding wars, and record-low mortgage rates are giving consumers a new sense of FOMO—fear of missing out—and spawning a hot housing market, Ali Wolf, chief economist for real estate analytics company Zonda, said Thursday during the National Association of REALTORS®’ virtual Re
Low mortgage rates may also be helping to keep elevated delinquencies in check, according to a new report from CoreLogic."Our analysis of CoreLogic public records shows that more than one-half of all home mortgage loans created since the onset of the pandemic have been no-cash-out refinance," says Frank Nothaft, chief economist at CoreLogic. "By reducing their mortgage rate with these types of loans, homeowners have been lowering both their inter
The appraisal can be a stressful process and may threaten to derail transactions. Twenty-one percent of REALTORS® say “appraisal issues” delayed their sales contracts in October, according to the most recent REALTORS® Confidence Index. Appraisal issues led to 13% of contracts being terminated. The appraiser evaluates the home’s lot size, condition (both inside and out), foundation, neighborhood, and any other amenities that add or de
Home prices typically decline when economic activity constricts—but not in 2020. The economic downturn resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic has coincided with a booming housing market. Existing-home prices for all housing types jumped 15.5% year over year in October to $313,000, according to the National Association of REALTORS®.Home prices at all market levels are accelerating at the fastest rates in the past six years. The lowest p
The housing markets expected to be the strongest in 2021 are tech hubs with strong job creation, state capitals where home shoppers may get more square footage for their money, and smaller cities with greater affordability, according to a new analysis from realtor.com®.But none of these areas boast the cheapest home prices in the nation. In most of them, buyers will pay more than the national median home price of $348,000, realtor.com® notes.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency has extended its foreclosure and real estate owned eviction moratoriums for borrowers with Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac-backed mortgages until at least Jan. 31, 2021. The protections were put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic.This is the fourth time that the FHFA has extended protections to homeowners. The previous moratoriums were going to expire on Dec. 31.“Extending Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s foreclosu
Nearly half of more than 2,000 Americans recently surveyed by Lendingtree say they plan to move soon to reduce living expenses. Forty-six percent of those respondents say they plan to relocate within the next year.ApartmentGuide.com recently analyzed 250 of the largest metro cities in the U.S. to find out where the cost of living is going down. Researchers factored in groceries, housing, utilities, transportation costs, healthcare, and
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