Borrowing costs inched down for the second consecutive week. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.33%, Freddie Mac reports.“Mortgage rates have drifted down for two weeks in a row and that drop reflects improvements in market liquidity and sentiment,” says Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “While the market has stabilized relative to prior weeks, home buyer demand has declined in response to current economic conditions. The
The number of homes for sale declined 15.7% annually in March, a housing report released Thursday by realtor.com® shows. However, the national median listing price was up 3.8% to $320,000 last month, and homes spent fewer days on the market in March as the pandemic prompted mass restrictions to be put in place across the country to try to stop the spread.Price growth did show some deceleration during the weeks ending March 21 and March 28 compar
The federal government’s stimulus package that's poised to provide aid to the economy and workers during the pandemic also extends unemployment benefits to those traditionally ineligible, including self-employed individuals and independent contractors— categories that many real estate professionals fall under.The National Association of REALTORS® has released an FAQ on unemployment assistance outlined under the Coronavirus Aid, Rel
The Department of Housing and Urban Development announced Thursday the Federal Housing Administration will offer a tailored set of mortgage relief options to those with FHA-insured mortgages who are being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and who are unable to make their payments.Mortgage servicers may extend deferred or reduced payment options to FHA borrowers facing financial hardship for six months, and also extend options beyond that to an ad
Fifty-six percent of consumers in the United States and United Kingdom admit to being jealous of other people’s homes, according to a survey of more than 1,000 conducted by bathroom retailer QS Supplies. Millennials are the generation greenest with envy at 60.8% compared to 53.8% of Gen Xers and 37.9% of baby boomers. “More likely, millennials are moved to envy by the proliferation of social media,” researchers say.Overall, home size evoked
Government agencies are relaxing some requirements to help keep real estate transactions and refinancings moving forward. Last week, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac announced they were easing standards for both property appraisals and employment verifications for loans they are purchasing, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.The Federal Housing Administration and Department of Veterans Affairs have also recently announced similar moves. The go
The COVID-19 outbreak will undoubtedly have a long-lasting influence on Americans and the housing market moving forward. Housing analysts are already weighing in on what those changes could be.In a new report, Apartment List highlights a few of the long-term changes they foresee coming from the COVID-19 pandemic:Mobility will initially be low before spiking.“Geographic mobility generally declines during downturns, when a lack of job opportuniti
Cities may be putting more social distancing measures in place to control the spread of COVID-19, but physical distance is not lessening consumers’ views on buying a home in the future. A new survey released by Point2 Homes, an online real estate marketplace, shows that home buyer sentiment remains resilient despite the global pandemic.Point2 Homes surveyed 2,900 visitors to its site from March 23 to 26 to learn their views on the short- and lo
The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced that it’s extending its grace period for homeowners to renew flood insurance policies to 120 days. Typically, FEMA allows a 30-day grace period to renew policies through the National Flood Insurance Program to help customers avoid a lapse in coverage. But FEMA’s unprecedented step to extend that period comes in response to the coronavirus pandemic. “The extension will allow additional time f
Pending home sales, a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, rose 2.4% month over month and 9.4% year over year in February—a fresh sign that the underpinnings of the real estate market are strong, even as the coronavirus outbreak poses significant challenges, the National Association of REALTORS® reported Monday. All four major regions of the country saw an increase in pending home sales last month.Downward pressure on those nu
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