New-Home Sales Rise to Fastest Pace Since 2008.

New-Home Sales Rise to Fastest Pace Since 2008. Image courtesy of phanlop88 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

For the third consecutive month, sales of new single-family homes posted gains, rising 2.1 percent in May, according to housing data released Tuesday by HUD and the U.S. Census Bureau.

“Builders are reporting increased demand for new homes as buyers seek to take advantage of historically low mortgage rates while they remain so favorable,” says Rick Judson, National Association of Home Builders chairman. “Consumers in markets nationwide are definitely becoming more confident about making a home purchase as firming prices and tighter inventories provide further evidence of the ongoing housing recovery.”

New-homes sales moved to the fastest sales pace in May since July of 2008. Inventories also rose in May, reaching a 4.1-month supply at the current sales pace.

Regionally, sales posted double-digit increases in May by 40.7 percent in the Midwest and a 20.7 percent increase in the Northeast. In the West, new-home sales rose 3.6 percent while posting a 9 percent decrease in the South.

Source: National Association of Home Builders

Fastest-Growing Suburbs for home sales.

Fastest-Growing Suburbs for home sales. Image courtesy of photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Not everyone is moving to the city. Suburbs remain popular among home buyers.

Coldwell Banker recently released its list of the top booming American suburbs. The brokerage evaluated 1,500 suburbs to find the ones that offered the most employment growth, community safety, proximity to good schools, best commute times, and nearby access to stores.

The following suburbs made its list:

1. Cottage Lake, Wash.
2. Prairieville, La.
3. Fruit Cove, Fla.
4. Sammamish, Wash.
5. Mercer Island, Wash.
6. Riverton, Utah
7. Brentwood, Tenn.
8. Lehi, Utah
9. Cooper City, Fla.
10. Maple Valley, Wash.

Source: “10 Fastest-Growing Suburbs in America,” Business Insider (June 25, 2013)

Good News for High-End Home Buyers?

Good News for High-End Home Buyers? Image courtesy of marin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Jumbo loans are reportedly becoming easier to obtain, which may be welcome news for high-end home buyers.

Jumbo loans are mortgages larger than $417,000 in most parts of the nation and $625,000 in high-cost areas.

In the first quarter of 2013, lenders originated $54 billion in jumbo loans, up from $47 billion one year earlier, according to Inside Mortgage Finance.

Many jumbo lenders also reportedly are increasing the amount of a home’s value they will agree to finance.

“The pickup in jumbo lending comes as home prices are rising and banks are looking to build closer ties with affluent clients and put more loans on their balance sheets,” The Wall Street Journal reports.

J.P. Morgan Chase originated $5.6 billion in jumbo loans in the first quarter, which is 67 percent more than a year ago.

“Housing prices are going up, consumer confidence is growing, and the affluent segment is in better shape,” says Kevin Watters, chief executive of mortgage banking at JP Morgan Chase.

Bank of America has increased its jumbo loan origination by 37 percent in the first five months of 2013.

Source: “High-End Home Loans Stage a Comeback,” The Wall Street Journal (June 21, 2013)

Building Material Shortages Raise Concern.

Building Material Shortages Raise Concern. Image courtesy of Witthaya Phonsawat / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Shortages of key building materials—such as lumber and wall board—are a major barrier to a more robust recovery for the new-home industry, says David Crowe, chief economist of the National Association of Home Builders.

Recent surveys by NAHB and the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association show supply constraints and price increases are keeping construction rates far below what is considered normal and necessary to meet demand, Crowe says.

Builders report that in the last six months alone there has been a 5.17 percent increase, on average, in building materials that go into a home. Lumber dealers have reported that prices of products in the last six months have risen by 10 percent or more. According to the surveys, the highest reported shortages for building materials were for oriented strand board, wall board, framing lumber, and plywood.

Still, “the shares of reported shortages are not as high now as they were in 2004 or 2005, but the increases since 2012 are quite significant, especially when you take the early stage of the housing recovery into account,” says Crowe. “In 2004 and 2005 the home building industry was producing over 1.8 million new homes a year, while the current rate of new housing starts is still below 1 million.”

Michael O’Brien, NLBMDA president and CEO, says that material shortages and price increases will “continue to be a cause for concern as we move into the latter half of 2013.”

Source: National Association of Home Builders

Are Appraisals Finally Playing Catch-Up?

Are Appraisals Finally Playing Catch-Up? Image courtesy of tungphoto / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Many real estate professionals have been blaming low appraisals for derailing transactions over the last few years. But now home prices are heating up across the country. Are appraisals still coming in lower than the agreed-upon sales price?

Even with prices rising and the number of foreclosures falling, some appraisers say assigning a value to a property isn’t getting any easier. One of the big reasons, they say, is because of low inventories in many markets. “An undersupply of available homes has prompted bidding wars above list price, a price that isn’t necessarily justified by an appraisal,” The Chicago Tribune reports.

“That’s been happening a lot this winter and spring — the appraisal isn’t coming in,” Alvin “Chip” Wagner, of A.L. Wagner Appraisal Group Inc. told The Chicago Tribune. “It’s an appreciating market, and the closed data that appraisers use is behind what the homes are actually selling for right now. We’re just now on the cusp of good data.”

Appraisers say they are using sound data to base their valuations, including motivations of buyers and sellers.

Consumers “don’t always value us in a friendly light because we are the person coming in and saying yea or nay, and we’ve been the bearer of bad news for too many years,” says Sharon Bagby, an appraiser at Crystal Lake Appraisal Service Inc. “Home owners don’t really know where the values are. They’re hearing some really rosy values in some markets, but we have to work with the value that’s there.”

Source: “As housing warms up, appraisers feel the heat,” The Chicago Tribune (June 21, 2013)

Don’t Let Your Clients Get Scammed by Movers.

Don’t Let Your Clients Get Scammed by Movers. Image courtesy of sdmania / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Complaints are rising over a scam that involves moving companies providing low-ball estimates to customers and then later inflating fees once the truck is loaded, and holding customers’ possessions hostage until they pay more. The scammers threaten to auction off the person’s belongings unless they come up with more money to pay them.

How can your clients avoid being duped by moving scams? Consumer Reports suggests collecting estimates from at least three companies and being cautious about using companies that are unable to provide an address or licensing information. Interstate movers are licensed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. You can search for registered movers and complaint histories at their Web site.

Consumer Reports also recommends using a mover who has a marked truck and who puts everything in writing. Avoid moving companies that require large upfront deposits, Consumer Reports warns. Check the Better Business Bureau for any complaints against companies.

Recently, New Jersey officials uncovered 25 unlicensed moving companies with listings on such sites as Craigslist and Angie’s List that are accused of duping customers with moving scams.

Those who feel they’ve been scammed should contact their state attorney general, consumer protection agency, or licensing agency. Consumers should contact the police if they feel a mover is illegally holding their possessions.

Source: “Low-Ball Movers Put The Moves on Unsuspecting Consumers,” RealtyTimes (June 20, 2013)

10 Best Cities for the Young, Broke and Single.

10 Best Cities for the Young, Broke and Single. Image courtesy of imagerymajestic / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Yes, there are perfect cities for the “young, broke and single” too, according to a new survey by advice web site MoneyUnder30. The site conducted a national survey to reveal the top cities that offer young professionals the best employment opportunities, lowest cost of living, and  highest number of singles between the ages of 18 and 44.

Here are the cities that emerged in the top 10 and what helped put them on the list:

1. Austin, Texas: Rents are low comparable to other big cities, there are estimates of some 530 bars and restaurants, and unemployment is low at 5.1 percent.
2. Salt Lake City, Utah: The city boasts “mild winters and toasty summers” and is “one of the top places for gays to reside,” according to MoneyUnder 30.
3. Durham, N.C.: It’s known as the “City of Medicine” and has also appeared on Forbes list of America’s Best Cities for Young Professionals.
4. Columbus, Ohio: It’s home to Ohio State University, the nation’s largest college campus.
5. Baton Rouge, La.: Louisiana State University is in this city, which features mild weather (the average high for January is 61 degrees), and has appeared in other surveys as a top-ranked place for young adults.
6. Omaha, Neb.: It features “a very cool music scene,” a revitalized downtown, and diversified employment base.
7. New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, La.: The area has earned the nickname “Hollywood South;” it’s home to Tulane University, and boasts a thriving oil industry and world famous enertainment and restaurants.
8. Des Moines-West Des Moines, Iowa: It has a low 5.8 percent unemployment rate and Forbes has ranked it as a “Best Place for Business” and among “America’s Best Cities for Young Professionals.”
9. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Wash.: It’s “got a healthy overabundance of coffee shops”, is home to businesses like Microsoft, and has become the “focal point of an entrepreneurial/high-tech triangle that includes Portland, Ore., and Bend, Ore., to the south.”
10. Oklahoma City, Okla.: It averages a yearly temperature of 72 degrees, has a growing population, and strong employment bases in the energy industry and federal government.

Source: MoneyUnder30

Home Ownership Makes Happier, Healthier Families, Survey Shows.

Home Ownership Makes Happier, Healthier Families, Survey Shows. Image courtesy of photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Owning a home can make families healthier, happier, and more financially secure, according to new research by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. on the benefits of home ownership. Researchers worked with Habitat for Humanity families to evaluate how their lives changed after moving into their homes.

Eighty-nine percent of the Canadian families surveyed said their lives improved since they moved into their homes. Eighty-six percent said they’re happier since owning a home.

The survey also found home ownership led to an improvement in children’s school performance. The families reported that the children had increased confidence, improved behavior, higher grades, and enjoyed school more after becoming home owners.

What’s more, more than 75 percent of families surveyed say their health had improved since becoming home owners. They reported fewer illnesses caused by colds, flu, allergies, and stress, according to the study.

Canada’s home ownership rate — at about 70 percent — is one of the highest in the world.

The study’s release coincided with the National Association of REALTORS(R) recent release of a new publication, “Social Benefits of Homeownership and Stable Housing.”

“There is evidence from numerous studies that attest to the benefits [of home ownership] accruing to many segments of society,” according to Canadian researchers. “Home ownership boosts the educational performance of children, induces higher participation in civic and volunteering activity, improves health care outcomes, lowers crime rates and lessens welfare dependency.”

Source: “Owning a Home Makes Families Happier, Healthier,” Realty Times (June 18, 2013)