More good news on the housing front! Freddie Mac’s March 2016 Housing Outlook states that 2016 will be a banner year for housing. They forecast the best year in housing starts, home prices and home sales since 2006. Rock on housing… This prediction is based on continued low-interest rates, increasing job growth and a gradual increase in the housing supply.…
A recent Lender One survey found that many mortgage lenders are expressing confidence in the current housing market. About 62% of the lenders surveyed are expecting that mortgage lending for home purchases will increase by about 11% on average in 2016. That’s good news on the purchase front – but what about refi’s? In another study, the American Enterprise Institute…
If you attended the recent Conference of Regional MBAs in Atlantic City, you heard Barry Habib, President of MBS Highway, talk about why he believes we may see another surge in refinances if/when the Fed raises short-term rates (Rates). Barry made a similar prediction last year of decreasing rates and was correct. We did see loan rates drop when the…
HUD/FHA announced a new partnership between FHA and the Department of Energy (DOE) which incorporates the use of DOE’s innovative Home Energy Score into FHA’s current Energy Efficient Homes (EEH) program, in Mortgagee Letter 2015-22, dated September 30, 2015. If you currently work for a mortgage lender that originates FHA insured loans, you may ask what the significance is relative…
Recently, I noted that we haven’t heard much talk about housing policy from either the sitting President or those seeking to take his seat. But lo and behold, we get some news out of Congress that the House, by a vote of 427 to zero passed legislation that would reform FHA’s condo approval rules (FHA Condos). Wow 427-0, that’s pretty…
We’re off and running. The 2016 presidential race is officially underway with the completion of the Iowa Caucus. What is a “Caucus” anyway? It’s a meeting of supporters or members of a particular political party or movement. So, what we had was a meeting of supporters of the movement to elect a new president who put forth their opinions on…
