“Sellers often overlook signs of shrinking demand,” he said. Higher real estate financing costs hit economies in multiple ways. Households with loans tighten their belts, while rising mortgage payments discourage would-be buyers from entering the market, dragging on property prices and development.The slowdown is a stark turnaround from a boom fueled by central banks’ easy-money policies in the years after the financial crisis an
Sept 9 (Reuters) - U.S. household wealth fell by a record $6.1 trillion in the second quarter to its lowest in a year as a bear market in stocks far outweighed further gains in real estate values, a Federal Reserve report showed on Friday.Household net worth tumbled to $143.8 trillion at the end of June from $149.9 trillion at the end of March, its second consecutive quarterly decline, the Fed's quarterly snapshot of the national balance sheet sh
Borrowers stand to save thousands by gathering multiple quotes from lenders. As mortgage rates surge and remain volatile, it’s becoming increasingly necessary for home buyers to shop around for a loan to find savings. According to Freddie Mac, borrowers potentially could save an average of $1,500 over the life of a loan by gathering one additional rate quote from a lender. And borrowers could save even more by gathering five different quot
High inflation eases, but price pressures still intense The U.S. grew slightly through end the August, a Federal Reserve survey found, but the outlook for the economy over the next year “remained generally weak” because of rising interest rates and nagging labor and supply shortages.The regular Fed survey, known as the Beige Book, said the sharp increase in prices earlier in the year has begun to fade, but that inflation “remained elev
In June the average rate on the 30-year fixed shot over 6% briefly, and that was enough to turn the once-hot housing market on its heels. Rates pulled back in July and August, but the damage was already done. Now rates are heading past 6% yet again, causing already beleaguered mortgage demand to fall even further.The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($647,200 or less) increased to 5.94%
Housing sales are falling in response to rising interest rates, but the real estate market is not in a recession, according to Wharton’s Fernando Ferreira. He explains why the persistent lack of supply will continue to put pressure on homebuyers. Wharton real estate professor Fernando Ferreira doesn’t believe the U.S. housing market has entered a recession.Home sales are falling in response to rising interest rates, but th
The government’s main measures of US growth pointed in different directions in the first half of 2022, adding to the ongoing debate on the health of the economy.Inflation-adjusted gross domestic product, or the total value of all goods and services produced in the economy, decreased at a 0.6% annualized rate in the April to June period, Commerce Department data showed Thursday. That reflects an upward revision to consumer spending and compares
If borrowing costs get just a little higher, the average household may be blocked from homeownership, warns an NAR economist. Mortgage rates continued inching up this week, nearing a threshold that would bring the average American household to a financial tipping point, warns Nadia Evangelou, senior economist and director of forecasting for the National Association of REALTORS®.The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage jumped to an average of 5.66%, Fredd
(Bloomberg) -- Bank of America Corp. started a trial program aimed at helping first-time homebuyers in Black and Hispanic neighborhoods by offering mortgages that don’t require down payments, closing costs or minimum credit scores, all considered longtime obstacles to narrowing the gap between White and minority ownership.Customers using the program will be evaluated for a home loan not by credit scores, but rather factors such as their history
Mortgage rates appear to be settling in the 5% range after recent dramatic climbs that shocked home buyers. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 5.13% this week, down slightly from its 5.22% average a week ago, Freddie Mac reports.Mortgage rates peaked at 6% in early June, which prompted a pullback in housing demand. However, “home sales may soon stabilize since mortgage rates have fallen to near 5%, thereby giving an additional boost
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