06 May 2010
Economic News Affecting the Housing Market

There was a lot of economic activity that kept investors watching every move.  As the Mortgage and Real Estate News reports:

With a Fed meeting, Treasury auctions, and major economic data on this week’s schedule, investors were watching closely for unfavorable news. In the end, there were no major surprises. Little changed in the Fed statement, auction demand was at average levels, and the economic data was generally close to expectations. The biggest influence on mortgage markets turned out to be turmoil in Greece, which caused investors to seek the relative safety of US bonds, and mortgage rates ended the week a little lower.

Beyond Greece’s economic trouble, investors have been watching to see whether other smaller European countries would slip into economic turmoil.  As a result, investors shifted funds to safer investments, including US Treasuries and mortgage-backed securities (MBS).

In a move that will have direct impact on the housing market, the Mortgage and Real Esta News reports:

Prior to Wednesday’s Fed meeting, it had been reported that support was growing among Fed officials to begin sales of mortgage-backed securities (MBS) from the Fed’s portfolio. The Fed statement made no reference to MBS sales, however. As expected, the Fed made no change in the fed funds rate. The statement described the economy in slightly more positive terms. Also, pending Home Sales, a leading indicator for the housing market, will come out on Tuesday.

While incremental, many of these moves in the economy can prove positive for the real estate market, both in Los Angeles and nationwide.

 

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13 Apr 2010
Pending Home Sales Gain, Possible Spring Surge

According to the National Association of Realtors:

Pending home sales rose in February, potentially signaling a second surge of home sales in response to the home buyer tax credit.  The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in February, rose 8.2 percent to 97.6 from a downwardly revised 90.2 in January, and remains 17.3 percent above February 2009 when it was 83.2. The data reflects contracts and not closings, which usually occur with a lag time of one or two months.

The Pending Home Sales Index is based on a scale of 1 to 100.  One hundred is equal to the average level of contract activity during 2001, which was the first year to be examined as well as the first of five consecutive record years for existing-home sales.  The index breaks out differently from region to region. In the Northeast the index rose 9.0 percent to 77.7 in February and is 18.9 percent higher than February 2009. In the Midwest the index jumped 21.8 percent to 97.9 and is 18.7 percent above a year ago.  Pending home sales in the South increased 9.2 percent to an index of 107.0, and the index is 17.5 percent higher than February 2009. In the West the index fell 4.8 percent to 98.0 but is 14.6 percent above a year ago.

These numbers and anecdotal evidence from various markets around the country, has led the National Association of Realtors to suggest that there is a distinct possibility of surge in home sales for the spring.  According to the NAR’s chief economist, Lawrence Yun:

“Anecdotally, we’re hearing about a rise of activity in recent weeks with ongoing reports of multiple offers in more markets, so the March data could demonstrate additional improvement from buyers responding to the tax credit.”

All of this together looks like good news for the market as a whole and Los Angeles in particular.

 

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07 Jan 2010
Advice For First Time Home Buyers

Five Tips for First Time Home Buyers

If you are a new buyer and want to position yourself for homeownership:

1. Establish good credit habits and a favorable credit history

Get a credit card and use it responsibly. Apply for an automobile loan and make your payments on time every month. If you’re renting an apartment, put your own name on the lease and the utility bills and make sure the rent and the bills are paid every month. If you’re already struggling with credit card debt or have large student loans, take a free workshop from Apprisen, formerly the Consumer Credit Counseling Service.

Call (800) 355-2227 for information.

2. Start saving for a down payment and closing costs

It’s possible to purchase a first home in many parts of the country without much in the way of savings. But in high-cost housing areas, starting to save early can be enormously beneficial because you’ll get the advantage of compounding interest and have a longer period of time to grow your investments. Open a savings account or a stock brokerage investment account and make regular deposits.

3. Make a financial plan

Use your local library and bookstore probably have at least a few shelves of books about financial management and buying a home. Take notes. Make a financial plan for yourself. You can learn a lot about real estate, budgeting and credit on REALTOR.com® too.

4. Research neighborhoods and towns

Many young people assume they’ll continue living in their own home town when they get older, but people are more mobile than ever and chances are good you’ll one day live in another city or even another state. Again, the library, bookstore and Web can be excellent resources for information about housing costs and home ownership opportunities around the country and in various neighborhoods.

5. Tap your relatives for advice

Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles or older cousins with experience buying real estate can give you good information about the cost of housing in the area where you want to live and what it takes to buy a home. Questions to ask: Is housing affordable in this area? How much money would I need to save in order to buy a home? What advice would you give me about planning my financial future? Would you recommend some books that I might like to read about buying a home? Don’t be shy. If you have a question, ask someone in a position to know the answer.

All of these steps can easily be applied to the local Santa Monica & Los Angeles housing market.

 

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29 Dec 2009
House-Hunting Tips

Eight House-Hunting Tips for a Positive Experience

1. Location Counts

You’ve probably heard the old real estate joke about “location, location, location,” but the point still bears repeating. Location is crucial. How far are you really willing to commute to your place of employment? How good are the local schools, shopping centers, public transportation, seniors services and other public amenities? Will your new home be next to a vacant lot or a commercial property? Even a picture-perfect dream home can be a mistake if it’s in an undesirable location, and a poor-location home can be a particularly bad choice if you anticipate reselling the home within a few years.

2. Make A List

Do you (and your spouse, if you’re married) really know what you need and want in your home? You’ll save yourself many hours of shopping (and potentially arguing) if you make a list ahead of time. Zero in on the features you must have, would like to have, definitely don’t want and would prefer not to have. Your goal is to find the right home for your family without falling in love with one that doesn’t suit your needs. Tip: Start compiling your wish list by thinking about what you like and dislike about your current home.

3. Do Your Homework

Not long ago, consumers had very little access to information about recent home sales prices, market trends, homes on the market, neighborhood statistics and the home-buying process. Today, all this information and more is available on the Web. Go surfing. Get educated. Become empowered.

4. Get Pre-Approved For A Mortgage

Your top-dollar home price is a function of your household income, your creditworthiness, interest rates, the type of loan you select and how much ready cash you have for the down payment and closing costs, among other factors. Rather than guessing or estimating how much you can afford to spend, ask a lender or mortgage broker to give you a full assessment and a letter stating how much you’re qualified to borrow. The true amount may be much more or much less than you think.

5. Use A Checklist

Touring multiple homes is a confusing experience for most people. Rather than relying on memory, make notes about the homes you visit. Turn your priorities into a personalized home-shopping checklist and use it track the features of each home.

6. Wear Comfortable Clothing and Sturdy Shoes

House-hunting can be tiring, especially if you’re relocating to a distant community and want to see a dozen homes in one day. There’s no sense in torturing your feet unnecessarily.

7. Be Prepared To Make An Offer

House-hunting can also be frustrating, especially if you know in your heart you’re not really emotionally or financially ready to buy a home. If you’re not ready, don’t put yourself through the exercise. If you are ready, go through a blank purchase contract ahead of time so you’ll know what decisions you’ll face when you make an offer.

8. Relax

Granted, buying a home is a major life-altering event. But it’s not worth making yourself insanely crazy or super-duper stressed. Save time at the end of your house-hunting expedition to unwind, calm your thoughts and emotions and keep the whole experience in perspective.

 

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