Skip to main content

Freddie Mac Predicts Interest Rate Volatility. Team Thayer Real Estate Advice. #Freddiemac #interestratevolatility



freddie-mac-two

Freddie Mac eased its U.S. Freddie Mac relconomic and Housing Market Outlook for May today, revealing that low mortgage rates kept affordability high in the first quarter of this year for buyers, but housing markets probably will see interest rates increase for the rest of the year. The outlook credits market participants attempting to anticipate the Federal Reserve's timing around rising short term interest rates as the likely be the cause of the increase.
“For the remainder of this year, we're likely to continue to see these mortgage rate swings as market participants try to anticipate Fed timing around rising short term interest rates,” said Len Kiefer, deputy chief economist at Freddie Mac. “Unfortunately, perspective homebuyers may experience bouts of affordability shock in many housing markets."
Outlook Forecast:
  • Due to weak first quarter data, revising down the forecast for economic growth for 2015 from 2.6 to 2.3 percent.
  • With tight for-sale inventories, house price growth continues to beat expectations. Expect 2015 house price growth to be 4.5 percent, revised up from 4.0 percent last month.
  • Due to strong refinance activity through the first four months of the year, the forecast for 2015 mortgage originations has been revised up to $1,350 billion.
  • Due to low mortgage rates and strong refinance volume, the forecast for the refinance share of originations in 2015 has been boosted to 43 percent.
“The labor market has added 5 million additional jobs, the unemployment rate is significantly lower, and housing markets are generally in much better condition than two years ago,” Kiefer said. “So far it's been low mortgage rates that have helped to keep homebuyer affordability strong in the face of rising house prices, while income growth remains stagnant."
Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

UFC 227 play-by-play and live results #UFC #MMA #UFC227

LOS ANGELES – MMAjunkie is on scene and reporting live from today’s UFC 227 event, and you can join us for live play-by-play and official results beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET (3:30 p.m. PT). The event takes place at Staples Center in Los Angeles. The main card airs on pay-per-view following preliminary-card bouts on FX and UFC Fight Pass. In the main event, bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw (15-3 MMA, 11-3 UFC) rematches former champ and ex-teammate Cody Garbrandt (11-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) for the title. In the co-feature, flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson (27-2-1 MMA, 15-1-1 UFC) has a rematch with Olympic gold medalist and former title challenger Henry Cejudo (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC). Follow along with our round-by-round updates and official results beginning at approximately 6:30 p.m. ET for the UFC Fight Pass prelims, 8 p.m. ET for the prelims on FX, and 10 p.m. ET for the main card on pay-per-view. To discuss the show, be sure to check out our  UFC 227 discussion thread...
Read more

First-Time Home Buyer Mortgage Risk Edge Up Team Thayer Real Estate news.

The first-time buyer share in April, May, and June was launched to new highs, supported by improvements in the labor market, riskier mortgage lending, and continuing low mortgage rates. The  American Enterprise Institute (AEI)  International Center on Housing Risk  recently released a  report , finding that first-time buyers account for 58.8 percent of primary owner-occupied home purchase mortgages with a government guarantee, up from 57.2 percent the prior June, according to the Agency First-Time Buyer Mortgage Share Index (FBMSI). The Combined FBMSI, which measures the share of first-time buyers for both government-guaranteed and private-sector mortgages reached an estimated 52.9 percent, up from 51.6 percent the prior June, according to the report. In addition, AEI determined that the Agency First-Time Buyer Mortgage Risk Index (FBMRI) stood at a series record of 15.83 percent, and increase of half of a percentage point from the average over the prio...
Read more

Understanding the tax advantages and disadvantages of homeownership #realestate #taxadvantage #taxes #housing #market

It’s no secret that some of the major perks of homeownership are the tax write-offs and advantages that follow the purchase. In fact, according to a 2015 survey by the National Association of Realtors, 80% of homebuyers see homeownership as a good investment, and 43% think it’s better than investing in the stock market. Reaping the rewards of mortgage interest and property tax deductions is just one way to think of your home as an investment. But there are even more real estate–related tax advantages and disadvantages that can slip under a new homeowner’s radar. It can be relatively easy to trigger tax liabilities or perks (and then fail to claim them) on that new piece of  Eugene, Or, real estate . This is why it’s essential to touch base with your tax pro before every real estate transaction, no matter how minor a question you may have. Sometimes planning and timing make a major difference in the financial impact of a real estate–related tax; other times, ...
Read more