Tag Archives: Investors

Pending home sales remained essentially flat in November, with regional shifts more or less offsetting each other, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported. The group's Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI), used as an indicator for expected home sales, bumped up slightly to 101.7 in November from October's downwardly revised 101.5. Compared to last November, the latest index was down 1.6 percent. NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun said the data indicates a flattening market.

According to Redfin's most recent Real-Time Fastest Markets report, 27.2 percent of homes in 23 metros all over the United States went under contract within two weeks of listing in November.

Rep. Mel Watt (D-North Carolina) is already making waves with an announcement that he plans to delay an imminent increase in guarantee fees (g-fees).

Effective January 1, Ken P. Wilson, MAI, SRA, will take over as president of the Appraisal Institute, the group announced.

Zillow's Home Value Index (HVI) stood at $168,900 in November, an increase of 0.6 percent month-over-month. On a yearly basis, the index was up 7.1 percent, reflecting a slight slowdown from the 7.3 percent peak recorded in the summer. For the next 12-month period, Zillow anticipates "moderating influences" will lead to a fairly significant leveling off in appreciation rates, with values rising an estimated 4.6 percent to a national average of $176,731.

Fannie Mae and Wells Fargo have reached an agreement that will close the book on a number of problem legacy loans, both companies announced. According to the separate announcements, Wells Fargo has agreed to pay $591 million to Fannie Mae to resolve repurchase requests on certain loans originated prior to 2009. Adjusting for prior repurchases, the bank will pay $541 million in Q4 2013. In its own statement, Wells Fargo said it had fully accrued for the cost of the agreement as of the end of the third quarter.

In a commentary shared with theMReport.com, Peter Muoio, chief economist for Auction.com Research, revealed the company's predictions for 2014. Chief among his predictions: Housing will get its second wind, the Federal Reserve's stimulus taper will take longer than most people expect, and Congress will (hopefully) get out of the way of the housing recovery--though even Muoio acknowledges the latter prediction might just be hopeful thinking on his part.

Now, as mortgage servicers prepare for the January 2014 effective date for complying with the CFPB's new rules for servicers, rest assured that the devil remains in the details.

Despite recent gains, which some of us believe are more of a mirage than an oasis, the economy still isn't creating enough good-paying full-time jobs to drive a full recovery in the housing market. At the same time, stricter lending requirements--and a lending environment I believe is going to get more challenging before it gets easier--are the other major headwinds that could slow down housing. While most forecasts are calling for a slight uptick in purchase loans in 2014, it's easy to build a scenario that goes terribly wrong.

As prices continue rising in the new year--albeit at a slower pace--investors will begin to ease back from the purchase market, but repeat home buyers will be there to pick up the slack, according to Trulia's predictions. "2013 was the year of the investor, but 2014 will be the year of the repeat home buyer," said Jed Kolko, chief economist at Trulia. Other changes to the market in the new year include lower affordability, "less frenzied" home-buying, and a shift in the rental market from single-family homes to urban apartments.