First-time homebuyers already feeling the pinch of inflation could catch a break after a recent action that will trim mortgage insurance premiums on federally backed loans. 

Loans secured with the backing of the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) typically enable buyers who are otherwise unable to afford a home to compete in the market without putting up a hefty down payment of at least 20 percent.

“A lower mortgage insurance premium on FHA loans is good news for buyers, especially those buying their first homes and with less-than-perfect credit,” Zillow Senior Economist Nicole Bachaud told The Hill.  

“As most mortgage buyers put down less than 20 percent, mortgage insurance is typically an expensive addition to their monthly payments that can…

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Today’s housing market has everyone wondering: Is it still a seller’s market, or has the power dynamic finally shifted in favor of buyers?

Try neither.

Uncertainty about the future of inflation, the economy, mortgage rates, and more have seized up the market—and wrenched power away from buyers and sellers alike.

“Today, real estate is ‘nobody’s market,'” notes Realtor.com® Chief Economist Danielle Hale in her analysis of housing data. “The number of homeowners deciding to sell continues to lag, but inventory and time on market continue to climb, reflecting still-hesitant buyers.”

The real estate game is at a stalemate that shows no signs of budging anytime soon, with neither buyers nor sellers willing to make the first move.

Buyers…

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  Good Morning, 

Are you considering purchasing a home in the near future? If so, your timing is impeccable and I would love to help with your house hunting needs. Below are a few key tips to get started when looking for homes. I know it might be feel like a marathon, but I promise to make it fun, exciting, educational and productive!


1. First, schedule an appointment with me to go over criteria for what you desire in a home, discuss budget and lender options,  explore areas of interest and proximity to work, play and people that you would like to be near in your new home. It is important to consider your home as your hub for all of the activities you like to do and not just being close to where you work. "Home is where the heart is."

2. I will…

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  • Prices are dropping at the fastest rate in 5 years.
  •          Existing-home sales fell for the twelfth straight month in January, with year-over-year sales falling 37%, the biggest decline since 2010.
  •          Seattle posted the second-highest decrease in close-to-list price ratio of any metro area in the U.S. last month.
  •          Sellers are paying for rate buy-downs.
  •          Sellers are offering concessions.
  •          Inspection and other key contingencies are back in play.
  •          Many buyers are negotiating a combination of (Lower offering price, Seller Rate Buy-Downs, AND still including Inspection and other contingencies)

The housing market today remains in a hazy no man’s land, with neither buyer nor seller willing to…

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Weekly Review
Newsletter - 02/21/2023

Week of February 13, 2023 in Review

Home construction slowed in January, but rising confidence among home builders this year is an encouraging sign. Also encouraging is the continued decline in the annual rate of inflation, although the drop was less than expected last month. Read on for these stories:

  • Mild Progress on Consumer Inflation
  • Wholesale Inflation Hotter Than Expected
  • Household Formations Continue to Outpace Completions
  • Builder Confidence Rose for Second Straight Month
  • Continuing Jobless Claims Continue to Creep Higher
  • Was the Rebound in Retail Sales an Anomaly?

Mild Progress on Consumer Inflation

The Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures inflation on the consumer…

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  •          Prices are dropping at the fastest rate in 5 years.
  •          Existing-home sales fell for the twelfth straight month in January, with year-over-year sales falling 37%, the biggest decline since 2010.
  •          Seattle posted the second-highest decrease in close-to-list price ratio of any metro area in the U.S. last month.
  •          Sellers are paying for rate buy-downs.
  •          Sellers are offering concessions.
  •          Inspection and other key contingencies are back in play.
  •          Many buyers are negotiating a combination of (Lower offering price, Seller Rate Buy-Downs, AND still including Inspection and other contingencies)

The housing market today remains in a hazy no man’s land, with neither buyer nor seller…

331 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Today’s housing market has everyone wondering: Is it still a seller’s market, or has the power dynamic finally shifted in favor of buyers?

Try neither.

Uncertainty about the future of inflation, the economy, mortgage rates, and more have seized up the market—and wrenched power away from buyers and sellers alike.

“Today, real estate is ‘nobody’s market,'” notes Realtor.com® Chief Economist Danielle Hale in her analysis of housing data. “The number of homeowners deciding to sell continues to lag, but inventory and time on market continue to climb, reflecting still-hesitant buyers.”

The real estate game is at a stalemate that shows no signs of budging anytime soon, with neither buyers nor sellers willing to make the first move.

Buyers have…

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What does selling your home have in common with online dating? Probably a whole lot more than you think.

Two-thirds of home buyers said they searched for more than three months before going under contract on a home, according to a new survey by the National Association of Home Builders. Buyers also complain that homes are getting too pricey. Forty-two percent of respondents said that the homes they wanted were too expensive for their budgets, which further delayed their search. Twenty-seven percent said that the increase in interest rates over the past 12 months had severely affected their home search parameters.

For Valentines: How Home Shopping Can Feel Like Dating

Are your home shoppers desperately trying to find “the one?” Finding the perfect…

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What does selling your home have in common with online dating? Probably a whole lot more than you think.

Two-thirds of home buyers said they searched for more than three months before going under contract on a home, according to a new survey by the National Association of Home Builders. Buyers also complain that homes are getting too pricey. Forty-two percent of respondents said that the homes they wanted were too expensive for their budgets, which further delayed their search. Twenty-seven percent said that the increase in interest rates over the past 12 months had severely affected their home search parameters.

For Valentines: How Home Shopping Can Feel Like Dating

Are your home shoppers desperately trying to find “the one?” Finding the…

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67% of Americans say a housing market crash is imminent in the next three years. With all the talk in the media lately about shifts in the housing market, it makes sense why so many people feel this way. But there’s good news. Current data shows today’s market is nothing like it was before the housing crash in 2008.

Back Then, Mortgage Standards Were Less Strict

During the lead-up to the housing crisis, it was much easier to get a home loan than it is today. Banks were creating artificial demand by lowering lending standards and making it easy for just about anyone to qualify for a home loan or refinance an existing one.

As a result, lending institutions took on much greater risk in both the person and the mortgage products offered. That led…

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