Housing Starts Jump 14.6% in January

Housing starts in January reached their highest rate in four months, increasing more than analysts expected, the Commerce Department reports. Housing starts jumped 14.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 596,000 units.

Housing starts in January were helped by a 77.7 percent jump in multi-family homes. Single-family home construction, on the other hand, fell 1 percent.

Meanwhile, new home completions dropped to a record low of 512,000 units in January, falling 9.5 percent from the previous month.

And after housing permits surged in December by 15.3 percent, housing permits for future housing projects sank in January. New building permits dropped 10.4 percent to a 562,000-unit pace in January--mostly pulled down by a drop in multi-family and single-family unit permits.

Tarrant County foreclosure postings down 7 percent

Residential foreclosure postings dropped 7 percent in Tarrant County for the March 1 auction, while the Dallas-Fort Worth area saw a 9 percent decline, the Foreclosure Listing Service said Thursday.

In Tarrant County, 1,697 foreclosures were posted, compared with 1,834 a year earlier. March postings were also down 10 percent from February.

For the region, which includes Tarrant, Dallas, Denton and Collin counties, 5,071 foreclosures were posted, down from 5,548 a year earlier. The Addison-based real estate research firm said postings in the four counties have topped 4,000 for 30 consecutive months.

"Residential posting activity has been on the high end of the scale for some time now," said George Roddy Sr., the firm's president. "Posting activity tends to fluctuate at least some each month.

"The fact that postings filed for the upcoming auctions in March were about 9 percent lower than both this time last year and compared to last month does not elicit much excitement."

In the year's first quarter, Tarrant County postings increased 4 percent, to 5,439 from 5,234 a year earlier. It was the second-highest quarter, trailing only the fourth quarter of 2009, when 5,535 postings were filed, Roddy said.

Quarterly postings for the region were flat. From January to March, 16,194 postings were filed, a slight increase from 16,137 postings a year earlier. Collin County saw a 4 percent decline in the quarter, and Dallas County a 1 percent drop.

The auctions are held on the steps of the Tarrant County Courthouse. Postings must be filed with the county at least 21 days before the auction.

Generally, 25 percent to 40 percent of postings result in an actual foreclosure. In many of the other cases, homeowners are able to make up the arrears.

Mortgage Rates Hold Mostly Steady This Week

Mortgage rates mostly remained steady for the week, according to Freddie Mac’s weekly report on average mortgage rates.

The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate increased just slightly this week to 4.81 percent from 4.80 percent the week prior. Mortgage rates have been steadily inching upward since reaching a 40-year low in November of 4.17 percent. Meanwhile, 15-year rates dropped to 4.08 percent this week from 4.09 percent last week.

Five-year adjustable-rate mortgages also fell slightly to 3.69 percent from 3.7 percent last week.

"Mortgage rates held relatively stable this week on news that the economy improved and inflation remained in check at the end of 2010,” says Frank Nothaft, chief economist at Freddie Mac.

Source: “Mortgage Rates Show Mixed Results This Week,” Freddie Mac (Feb. 3, 2011)

Mortgage Applications Bounce Back

U.S. mortgages were back on the rise last week after a holiday-related slowdown in mid-January, the Mortgage Bankers Association reported.

Mortgage applications gained 11.3 percent in the week ended Jan. 28, according to MBA’s seasonally adjusted index. In the week prior, applications had fallen nearly 13 percent.

Meanwhile, refinancing applications rose 11.7 percent. Loan requests for home purchases also increased 9.5 percent.

Source: “U.S. Mortgage Applications Rose Last Week,” Reuters News (Feb. 2, 2011)

December Existing-Home Sales Jump

Existing-home sales rose sharply in December, when sales increased for the fifth time in the past six months, according to the National Association of REALTORS®.

Existing-home sales, which are completed transactions that include single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, rose 12.3 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.28 million in December from an upwardly revised 4.70 million in November, but remain 2.9 percent below the 5.44 million pace in December 2009.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said sales are on an uptrend. “December was a good finish to 2010, when sales fluctuate more than normal. The pattern over the past six months is clearly showing a recovery,” he said. “The December pace is near the volume we’re expecting for 2011, so the market is getting much closer to an adequate, sustainable level. The recovery will likely continue as job growth gains momentum and rising rents encourage more renters into ownership while exceptional affordability conditions remain.”

The national median existing-home price for all housing types was $168,800 in December, which is 1.0 percent below December 2009. Distressed homes rose to a 36 percent market share in December from 33 percent in November, and 32 percent in December 2009.

“The modest rise in distressed sales, which typically are discounted 10 to 15 percent relative to traditional homes, dampened the median price in December, but the flat price trend continues,” Yun explained.

Mortgage Rates Drop Slightly

Mortgage rates didn’t fluctuate too much this week, dropping only slightly in some cases while the conforming 30-year fixed mortgage rate held unchanged at 4.94 percent for the week, Bankrate.com reports.

Bankrate.com reports the following average rates:
• 15-year fixed mortgages fell to 4.29 percent.
• Large jumbo 30-year fixed rates dropped slightly to 5.57 percent.
• 5-year adjustable rate mortgages fell to 3.88 percent.

“The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate has been particularly docile, with the average rate fluctuating less than one-tenth of a percentage point over the past month,” according to Bankrate.com. “A heavy dose of economic data and ongoing debt issuance by the U.S. Treasury have the potential to introduce some volatility to mortgage rates over the next week.”

Mortgage rates have remained at historic lows for several years. The last time mortgage rates were above 6 percent was November 2008.

Source: “Bankrate: Mortgage Rates Mostly Lower,” Bankrate.com (Jan. 13, 2011)

Resolving to buy a home in 2011? Resolve now to do it right

Many people start the new year with resolutions about losing weight, starting a new physical fitness routine, or getting their financial house in order. How many of you are making resolutions about buying a home?

All resolutions are only achievable if you start with realistic expectations. The resolution's goal may be very short-term (think … I will finish mailing my Christmas cards by January 15) or longer-term (think … I will fit into my old high school dress in time for the reunion). The experts agree there are two keys to success in achieving your goals. First, commit the goal to paper. Second, tell a friend who will hold you accountable for progress toward the goal. The same keys are critical to achieving success when resolving to purchase a new home.

Buying a new home doesn't just happen. Most homebuyers spend considerable time, effort, and thought when searching for their next house to call "home." Buying your next house is not as simple as going to the store and buying a loaf of bread. You can't see through the wrapper, you don't know how the house is going to fit your lifestyle or budget and, until you talk to a lender, you don't even know what kind, style, or size of home you can afford. Like all resolutions, buying a house requires commitment and effort.

For 2011, it's more important than ever to have a homebuying plan. In the last month or so, interest rates on home loans have gone up about one-half point. That means that the $150,000, 4% fixed-rate, 30-year home loan you might have secured in November will cost about $50 more per month in January just to pay the extra one-half percent interest on the loan. You'll have to pay an extra $600 a year to live in the exact same house. And, you will need about $1,500 additional income each year just to qualify for the home loan. Most financial gurus are predicting mortgage interest rates will rise in the foreseeable future. Even if the price of your dream home does not go up, the monthly payment could rise dramatically if the gurus are right and interest rates continue to rise.

Without a strong commitment to your house-buying resolution, you could miss out on the home of your dreams or the "buy of the year." It's about as easy to begin a diet tomorrow, as it is to begin your home search tomorrow. There's always an excuse to put off starting something important; that piece of pie looks tasty and the diet will just have to wait. The same is true with a house purchase. You buy the new shoes, get the new car, or spend extra money on a nice dinner out. The next thing you know, the month is gone, the year is gone, the money is gone, and you are no closer to homeownership.

So, how do you make a commitment to buying a home? First, follow the expert advice and commit your plans to paper. Don't just make a mental note about buying a house, actually write down your goal: "I will buy a house in 2011." Once you write your goal, take the time to write down exactly what items are important to you about your next home. Do you want three bedrooms or four? It's important to have a yard (big or small), or perhaps you want "country property" on one or more acres? What is more important, a gourmet kitchen or a large family room for entertaining? How far are you willing to commute to work? If you have children, is it important that the home be located in a specific school district? As you begin thinking about your next home, many more "wants" for your next house will come to mind.

The next step in the resolution process is to tell a friend. I recommend when committing to purchasing a house that you don't tell just any friend but rather, tell a knowledgeable friend. Tell someone who knows the "ins & outs" of the homebuying process. Tell someone who has first-hand experience with the entire process – what houses are for sale, how home financing works, what to expect from a home inspector, the meaning of title insurance, what did other houses in the neighborhood sell for? I strongly recommend the friend you select to help you keep your resolution and achieve your goal of homebuying be a Texas REALTOR®.

A Texas REALTOR®, under state law and the National Association of REALTORS® Code of Ethics, is obligated to look out for your best interests. The term REALTOR® has come to connote competency, fairness, and high integrity, resulting from adherence to a lofty ideal of moral conduct in business relations. When representing a buyer, seller, landlord, tenant, or other client as an agent, REALTORS® pledge themselves to protect and promote the interests of their client. This obligation to the client is primary, but it does not relieve REALTORS® of their obligation to treat all parties honestly.

As a Texas REALTOR®, I would be glad to help you keep your resolution to purchase a house in 2011.

Sellers … let go (while taking control)

As a seller, you have no control over some things that homebuyers factor into their purchase decisions. Location comes to mind. You can't do much about the quality of schools in your area or the nearby shopping options. My first house had no attic.

On the other hand, there are many things you can do to make your property more attractive to buyers. You could take care of long-needed repairs. You could tackle a remodeling project or spruce up your landscaping. You could "stage" your home to increase its appeal. And then there's the biggie … you have control over the
asking price.

These decisions and others will affect how long your home is on the market and how much you sell for. The key is to figure out which changes will be most successful in helping you meet your goals.

As a Texas REALTOR®, I can help you understand what actions will make the biggest difference to buyers. Once you know more about these factors, you can make good decisions about how to proceed with the sale of your house.

Marty Kramer | Consumer columnist

10 Real Estate Predictions for the New Year

The start of a new year is often a time of reflection, as well as a time of anticipation for the future. It’s no different for real estate professionals, many of whom have weathered the recession and are now optimistic about 2011. From the return of new construction to the creation of healthier homes, the following are 10 residential real estate trends they see for the coming year:

1.) Building is back: After three years of little to no new development, John Wozniak of Wheaton, Illinois-based J. Lawrence Homes said the builder is excited about 2011. “After a couple of very challenging years, the market for new-construction housing is showing signs of life. Slowly but surely, homes are selling and new properties are breaking ground, such as the two communities we opened this year in Lynwood and North Aurora,” he said. “We’ve had encouraging sales and I believe they point to an uptick for 2011.”

2.) Apartments continue to thrive: If there has been one bright spot over the past few years in the real estate industry, it has been the rental market.

“People have realized the many benefits of renting, from having more flexibility with your housing commitments to a higher level of finishes and amenities. And, this demand will continue to outpace supply,” said Steve Fifield, president of Fifield Cos. “Appraisal Research reports that Chicago’s Class A downtown apartments are at a nearly 95 percent occupancy rate, and those numbers will continue to stay very strong for 2011.”

3.) Opting for established: The mega-communities in the exurbs are a thing of the past, said Brian Brunhofer of Meritus Homes. Instead, 2011 will see builders move toward smaller neighborhoods or pockets of homes in established communities. “Close-knit communities with respected homeowner associations, mature landscaping and neighbors waiting to greet you – that attractive quality of life is going to appeal to buyers much more in 2011.”

Seconding the movement toward established communities is Jeff Benach of Lexington Homes. “Buyers are looking for a safer investment for their home purchase,” he said. “We won’t see them roll the dice like in the past on a fast-growing town in a far-out suburb. They want a proven area with access to retail development and employment corridors. They don’t want to wait for the surrounding area to be built. They want everything already in place,” he said.

4.) Make it modern: Chalk it up to “Mad Men” or simply a pendulum swing in taste, but either way transitional and warm-modern design will be prevalent in 2011, said Brian Goldberg, a partner in LG Development Group. “Our clients are looking for a cleaner approach to the style of their homes – more mid-century and less traditional with a warm and tailored aesthetic,” he said.

Ray Hartshorne, principal of Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture, agrees. “From the single-family side, our clients are gravitating toward modern design instead of strictly traditional, that is simple, clean line exteriors and open floor plans that are comfortable for the family and versatile for entertaining,” he said. “In the multi-family sector, now more than ever, we are seeing an interest in contemporary-themed and luxurious interior design for lobbies and common areas.”

5.) Buying for the long term: The Census shows the average person moves about 11 times, but Jim Chittaro, president of Smykal Homes, predicts that number will slowly decrease. “Thankfully, the idea of a home as a short-term moneymaker is essentially gone, so when people do buy, they’ll do it with the intention of staying put for closer to 10 years rather than two to three,” he said

This means people will be studying floor plans more closely, to ensure the home will grow with them, Chittaro continued. “Buyers want to be sure the home will suit their needs not only now, but down the road, whether they plan to expand their family or prepare for kids to leave the nest,” he said. “Floor plans that can adapt to lifestyle changes with flexible features like second family rooms should do well in 2011.”

Brunhofer agrees that more buyers will be looking for a home for the long haul. “It’s not just floor plans that buyers are going over with a fine-tooth comb,” Brunhofer said. “Our buyers are very careful about school districts. They want to know they can send all of their children to a school with a proven track record and not have to relocate a few years down the road to ensure a good education.”

The shift to long-term buyers will also put long-term builders in the spotlight. “People are hesitant to buy a home from a builder or secure a mortgage from a lender they don't perceive to be well-established,” said Benach. “Buyers want to know their builder is committed to them and the community, and that it’s not about making a quick buck or boosting a shareholder’s financial interest. That personal connection is really important.”

6.) Upping the ante on amenities: In 2011, developers will continue to create new and exciting amenities to differentiate their properties and keep them relevant in the marketplace, said Tony Rossi, president of RMK Management Corp. “Renters are looking for something special, like an outdoor grilling area or special events like dance lessons,” he said.

But it’s not just enhanced outdoor spaces in apartments that will matter in 2011. Benach thinks condo and townhome buyers will also place a higher importance on outdoor space in the coming year, especially those who live in an urban setting.

“People may realize they don’t need to live with as much square footage inside their home, so to compensate they’ll want a place to call their own outside their home,” said Benach.

7.) High-tech takes over: Running your home entertainment system, appliances and lighting from a centralized control panel is old news. Going forward, we’ll see more homeowners want a smart phone app that can control their residence remotely, noted Goldberg.

“Each year, the demand increases for home technology that makes homeowners’ lives easier,” he said. “We’ll get to a point, and some of our clients are almost there, where homeowners can leave work and by activating an app on their phone have all of their home electronics queued up when they walk in the door – the oven is preheated, lights come on and a TV show turns on when motion sensors recognize they’ve walked into the room. It may sound like a movie, but some of this technology we can build into homes now.”

8.) Smaller homes stay the course: The average size of a new home decreased for the first time in decades from 2008 to 2009, and that trend will continue into 2011, said Benach.

“This trend is fueled by first-time buyers with smaller budgets, requiring smaller homes,” he said. “New buyers will have to be more conservative with their mortgages and will need to pay a higher percentage for a down payment, which means they’ll need a home with a smaller price,” he said. “People won’t be buying more than they need. So to meet their needs, we’ll see builders continue to trim the size of their homes and look for new ways to make square footage work harder.”

9.) Green and gorgeous: As the green movement continues to grow, high-end builders and developers have found ways to make homes both green and gorgeous. “The old mind set was that a green home couldn’t also be stylish and sophisticated. It was as if the two concepts were mutually exclusive,” said Hartshorne. “But new products and forward-thinking design have proved that today’s homeowners can have both. Also, building a green home doesn’t have to break the bank. We are constantly being introduced to attractive, sustainable building materials that are more cost effective than in the past.”

10.) Healthy homes: When you consider a study by the National Institutes of Health that found the number of people with allergies is as much as five times higher than 30 years ago, the trend toward building homes with a healthier environment will also gain ground in 2011, said Goldberg.

“Indoor air quality, low VOC paints and adhesives, and all-around healthier materials are becoming more and more of a concern for people building homes – especially for those with children,” he said.

Rick Croce, from Wheaton-based Smykal Renovations, said this trend applies to existing homes, too. “Due to the economy, many people have decided to stay put in their existing home, which means they’ll be investing in changes to make it look better and live healthier,” he said. “We expect to be pricing out more jobs that include installing HVAC systems with better filtration, using low-VOC materials and even replacing old doors and windows to safeguard against exterior pollutants.”

Housing Starts Predicted to Hit 3-Year High

Housing starts will probably reach a three-year high of 739,000 in 2001, creating about 500,000 jobs and helping trim the unemployment rate to 9.1 percent, said David Crowe, chief economist for the National Association of Home Builders, in an interview with Bloomberg.

“This is an ugly economic cycle,” he said. “We need job creation to get people comfortable with buying a home. If they do that, we’ll create jobs that will reinforce that home buying and fuel additional job growth.”

Job growth in other sectors, as well as population growth, will also likely have an effect. The number of U.S. households will rise 0.7 percent to 118.7 million in 2011, the largest annual gain since the beginning of the housing crisis in 2007. Charles Lieberman, chief investment officer at Advisors Capital Management LLC in Hasbrouck Heights, N.J., expects jobs to rise by an average of 200,000 per month in 2011.

The CEO of luxury home builder Toll Brothers is optimistic. “The recovery is here to stay,” said Douglas Yearley. “I think 2011 will be an improving year, but I think 2012 will be a big year for us.”

Source: Bloomberg, Joshua Zumbrun and Kathleen M. Howley (12/28/2010)

Tax Deal Has Home Owner Benefits

Home owners were among those who benefited from the tax compromise that President Obama signed last week. Among the most home owner-friendly provisions are:

Deductions for private mortgage insurance: The agreement extends through 2011 a provision allowing home owners to deduct mortgage insurance premiums. To qualify for the full deduction, homeowners must have an adjusted gross income of $100,000 or less. Taxpayers with AGI of $100,000 to $109,000 can claim a partial deduction. Borrowers can’t deduct mortgage premiums on home loans that closed before 2007.

Tax credits for energy-efficient home improvements. Home owners who install insulation, new windows or other energy-saving improvement in 2010 are eligible for a tax credit worth 30 percent of the cost up to a lifetime maximum of $1,500. Improvements must be bought and installed by Dec. 31. Those who delay improvements to 2011 still get a tax credit, but it is capped at $500.

Source: USA Today, Sandra Block (12/21/2010)

Four Steps to Sustainable Homeownership

Purchasing a home is an exciting step in anyone’s life, but there is more to the process than just getting approved for a loan. In fact, it is even more important to make certain you are ready to keep your home for the long term. To that end, here is a look at 4 things you can do to make your homeownership sustainable.

Step #1: Increase Your Knowledge

The first step you need to take is to learn as much about your mortgage loan options as possible. This way, you can be certain to apply for the best type of loan to meet your personal needs. In addition to learning about the pros and cons of various loan options, you need to learn more about how credit scores, discount points and other factors affect the overall cost of a loan. As part of this process, you should contact your local HUD housing counselors to learn more about special buyer programs that might be available in your area.

Step #2: Get Your Finances Under Control

Before you can purchase a home, you need to be certain you will qualify to buy it. If your credit score is below 620, you will be better off taking some time to bring up your score before you make a purchase. This way, you can keep your interest rates down, which will help keep your mortgage payments down and will make it easier for you to keep up with your monthly payments. Of course, by getting your finances under control before you buy, you will also be more likely to be able to stay on top of your bills after you make a purchase.

Step #3: Create a Budget

In order to remain safely within your means, your mortgage payments should never be more than 28 to 33 percent of your total monthly gross income. If you have other debts, such as car payments, student loans, credit cards or child support payments, the total cost of these debts and your mortgage payment should not exceed 36 to 40 percent of your monthly gross income. Therefore, before you make a purchase, carefully analyze your debts and create a budget that will ensure your monthly payments remain below this figure while also leaving enough money available to put toward a savings plan.

Step #4: Get to Saving

Before you start looking for a home, you should have plenty of money saved up to apply toward the purchase of your home. In most cases, Earnest money, which is a deposit provided to the seller, will be required when making an offer. Earnest money requirements can range anywhere from $500 to two percent of the purchase price. In addition, depending upon the type of loan you get, you might need to make a substantial down payment or closing costs. In addition, by establishing good saving habits now, you will be better prepared to handle your finances effectively in the future.

Growing Economy Big Factor for Buyers

Economists are surprisingly positive about the impact of rising interest rates on home sales.

The consensus is that while rates are up from where they were, they are still at historically low levels and rock bottom rates are only a part of what encourages people to buy homes. More important factors could be jobs and other financial issues, which appear to be improving.

“Since the recent rate increases have essentially just undone the declines from earlier months, it is hard to see why sales should drop significantly further from current levels,” wrote Goldman Sachs economist Ed McKelvey in a research note published Thursday evening.

Source: The Wall Street Journal, Nick Timiraos (12/17/2010)

Home Building Edged Up in November

Housing starts increased 3.9 percent last month from October, the U.S. Department of Commerce reports.

Despite the gain, activity remains 45 percent below the threshold — 1 million units annually — that is considered healthy. And permits, which gauge future demand, slid 4 percent to the lowest level since April 2009.

In November, builders broke ground on 555,000 units, fueled by a 6.9 percent jump in construction of single-family homes; multifamily projects, conversely, declined 9.1 percent.

Source: Boston Globe (12/17/10)

NAR Praises FHA's Increased Stability

The latest independent audit of the Federal Housing Administration shows the agency’s financial condition has improved from last year, when it announced its capital reserve fund had fallen below the 2 percent level mandated by Congress. The annual audit shows that the capital ratio for the single-family portfolio rose from 0.42 percent to 0.79 percent over the past year.

The audit, which calculates the financial condition of the agency’s insurance fund, also showed the mortgage insurance fund grew more than $1 billion in 2010 and reserves are expected to remain above $9.9 billion even if home prices were to fall further. The audit indicates that FHA will most likely not require a bailout now or in the future.

“As the leading advocate for home ownership, the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® strongly supports FHA’s mortgage insurance programs,” NAR President Ron Phipps said. “FHA announced major changes earlier this year and took critical steps to strengthen and ensure its long-term financial soundness, and those efforts have paid off.”

FHA’s audit reflected a change in home values, and was not tied to excessive increases in defaults or unsound underwriting practices. In fact, the credit quality of FHA borrowers has increased significantly in the last several years; the average credit score for FHA customers has grown to 693, and less than 8 percent of the agency’s purchase borrowers this year had FICO scores below 620. The capital reserves are not FHA’s only reserve fund; FHA also has a cash reserve account separate from the capital reserve – and actual total reserves have grown to $33 billion.

“The future health of FHA’s reserve funds depends heavily on the direction of home values in the coming years. Home values have shown patterns of stabilization over the past 18 months, and in a recent independent survey, most economists expect modest home price gains over the next 3 years, so FHA’s reserves should steadily improve,” Phipps said.

FHA has played a key role in providing mortgage liquidity to qualified home buyers in recent years and has greatly increased its market share; according to the agency, FHA guaranteed nearly 40 percent of home purchases in the past year.

NAR is working closely with FHA to reassess and amend their lending policies so even more qualified home buyers can become home owners.

Source: NAR

3 Reasons to Sell a Home Soon

What do you tell a client who asks whether to sell a house now or wait? Steve McLinden, real estate adviser with Bankrate.com, offers these three good reasons not to wait, even though the holidays are approaching:

1. The market is improving. Most markets have either turned or are close to turning.

2. All real estate is local. Homes in great locations are always in demand.

3. Spring is coming soon. Many potential buyers are starting their online searches right after the holidays, making mid- to late February a great time to start marketing.

Source: Bankrate.com, Steve McLinden

Realtors' report says Dallas-Fort Worth home prices rose slightly in third quarter

Dallas-Fort Worth home prices were up by a small margin in the third quarter, and most of the increase was probably due to more sales of higher-priced homes.

The National Association of Realtors reported Thursday that median home sales prices in the D-FW area were up 1.6 percent from third quarter 2009.

The small gain here came as nationwide prices were basically flat, the Realtors said.

"Even with swings in home sales, prices this year have been changing very little from year-ago readings," Realtors' chief economist Lawrence Yun said in the report. The Realtors are forecasting flat home prices in the year ahead.

The just-released national data lines up with local figures that show median home prices in North Texas are up 1 percent year-to-date.

Of the 155 metropolitan areas that the Realtors track each quarter, 76 markets showed price declines.

Home sales in North Texas have slowed dramatically since federal housing tax credits expired at the end of April. But the bulk of the decline has been for lower- and moderate-priced homes. High-end home sales are still rising in many neighborhoods.

"Now that the tax credits have expired, we have seen a real drop-off in the activity at the lower end of the price spectrum," said Ted Wilson, a housing analyst with Dallas-based Residential Strategies Inc. "As a result, the median price has climbed."

David Brown of MetroStudy Inc. agreed: "The average and median prices have increased over the last year because of the surge in sales of homes priced over $500,000."

Consumers are Paying Less on Monthly Payments Than Three Years Ago

Experian, a leading global information services company, released its insights on average monthly payments* of the top 25 metropolitan areas. The study found that nationally, consumers are paying $903 per month on their bills, which could include a combination of credit cards, auto loans and leases, and mortgages—a decrease of two percent in the last three years.

The study also reveals that Washington D.C., Seattle and Baltimore top the list with the highest average monthly payments with Washington D.C. coming in at 42 percent higher than the national average. Cities with the lowest payments include Cleveland, Tampa and Pittsburgh .

"The trend we're seeing is that consumers have lower payments, indicating both proactive deleveraging by consumers and tighter limits from lenders and certainly consumers are making fewer major purchases than they were a few years ago," said Michele Raneri, senior director of analytics, Experian. "There are many ways to manage and develop a positive credit score and good payment habits. Paying bills on time is generally the single most important contributor."

Below are some tips for your clients to take into consideration when making a major purchase:

* Get your credit report. Before approving your request for a home loan, mortgage lenders review your credit report. If you review your credit report in advance, you'll see yourself from a lender's perspective.
* Be prepared. When lenders review your credit report, they evaluate how much you already owe, how much unused credit you have available, how prompt you are in paying your debts and whether you've recently applied for new credit.
* Count your savings. To buy a house, you generally need a down payment in the range of 5 percent to 20 percent of your new home's purchase price, depending on your credit risk. You also need money for closing costs and be sure to set aside extra funds for emergencies. If you spend everything on your down payment, you're statistically more likely to lose your new home to foreclosure sometime in the future.
* Make your payments. How much you borrow, how much you owe and when you pay become a part of your credit history. When you apply for new credit purchases, other lenders will review this history. Late payments can stay on your credit report for up to seven years, can keep you from buying another house or can make it more expensive to buy a car. A good credit history proves that you manage your finances well. It lets you enjoy using credit at your convenience and at a lower cost.

Real Estate Investing – Is It Possible To Still Make Money?

By: Tina Feston, Atlanta Realtor

Some people may wonder if it is even possible anymore to make money from real estate. The answer is an emphatic “Yes!” Like any other investment, the goal is to buy low and sell high, and by finding foreclosed properties that banks are anxious to unload, you can certainly do the “buy low” part.

The skill you need is to know how little you can pay, and know ways you can purchase distressed real estate while risking little or none of your own money. When people default on their mortgages, the process of foreclosure isn’t instant, or even quick. It is a long, protracted affair during which many legal steps must be followed. Look at it from the bank’s point of view: a borrower has defaulted on his or her loan, has stopped making payments, and pretty soon the bank is going to be stuck with a piece of property that they’re probably going to have a hard time selling. It is far from ideal for the lenders.

When lenders are buried in repossessed real estate and cars, it is a losing situation for them. Every day that a foreclosed house sits empty is a day that the grass grows, the mice get in, and the property values of surrounding real estate drop a little due to blight. Banks are faced with owning an undesirable property whose desirability will most likely continue to drop.

That’s why savvy real estate investors can step in and purchase property from lenders. Even if you only offer a fraction of the asking price, they may consider it, because they have a lot to lose by hanging onto the asset and not much to gain unless real estate in that particular area experiences some unexpected boost, such as a retail or industrial operation locating nearby.

In a slow housing market, obviously people are reluctant to buy real estate. But people still need a place to live, and real estate is the one of the few assets that we have a finite amount of. While some neighborhoods may not like having a rental property down the street, they’d much rather have a rental property than an abandoned, boarded up house that looks worse by the day.

If you are able to buy a foreclosed house for a great price at a decent interest rate, once you make any necessary repairs, you can rent it to one of those people who are averse to buying, and they will most likely cover your monthly mortgage payment and then some with their rent. You’ll be rescuing an undesirable property, making the neighbors happy, you’ll be providing someone a home, making them happy, and you’ll be taking the albatross of undesirable property off the neck of the mortgage lender, which will make them happy.

Successful investing in real estate doesn’t just happen when the market is going up rapidly. In fact, a stagnant or contracting real estate sector is a great time to get in on the ground floor of this type of investment. Business cycles come and go, there is only a finite amount of real estate on the planet, and the world’s population continues to grow. The question isn’t so much “if” real estate investments will pay off as “when” real estate investments will pay off. Successful investment in real estate, like any other worthwhile endeavor, will require brains and hard work, but done right, an investment in real estate can be a sound, long term asset that continues to pay off.

Home Sales Could Enter 'Virtuous Cycle'

Consumer confidence and business spending are key to whether the U.S. housing market will move into a virtuous or a vicious cycle in 2011, NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun told a packed audience at the Residential Economic Outlook Forum Friday in New Orleans.

After the downturn, the housing market has clawed its way back to a point of near stability, Yun said, with the pace of new foreclosures easing, sales moving toward historically normal levels and prices on a national basis gaining modestly.

At the same time, affordability remains strong. He said all of the price excesses from the housing bubble have been squeezed out. In San Diego, for example, buyers today would pay $1,564 a month in mortgage payments for a house that at the height of the boom would have cost them $2,833 a month.

The broader economy is also showing positive signs, with businesses enjoying strong profits, sitting on huge cash reserves, and even adding jobs. Yun predicts this positive trend to continue into 2011, with existing home sales reaching 5.5 million units, prices rising a modest 1 percent, and the U.S. gross domestic product increasing to about 2.5 percent.

“We are entering a virtuous cycle,” he said. But for the positive trend to continue, he added, businesses will have to start spending some of their cash to fuel job growth at a far greater pace than they’re doing now. Currently, businesses are adding jobs at a pace of about 100,000 a month. That needs to grow to about 400,000 a month for unemployment
to start shrinking.

The scenario will be far more negative if businesses continue to sit on their cash. In that case, sales will fall, inventories will rise, the high rate of foreclosures will resume, and the cost to the federal government of bailing out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will surge.

Federal Reserve Governor Thomas Koenig, who shared the data with Yun, said the Fed’s continued effort to spur the economy, most recently through a $600 billion bond buying program, is understandable given concerns over the slow pace of growth. But the continued subsidization of the market could unleash inflationary forces.

Yun said he sees possible evidence of inflation building, but it’s not visible now because the housing-cost portion of inflation measurements is holding down prices.