RISMEDIA, Saturday, November 30, 2013
As the economic recovery continues to build, Americans are again able to consume and invest; and with recent reports from the U.S. Census Bureau noting 34 percent of American households are rental units, investors are taking notice and rushing to reap benefits of placing investment funds in single- and multi-unit residential property.
“Investor demand for single family properties remains strong,” says Kirk McGary, CEO of Real Property Management, citing a recent study from Zelman & Associates that found investor demand for residential properties ranking at 60.9 on a scale of 0-100. “Trends like this in the housing market have created significant demand for property management companies like ours, as investors choose to put their money in real estate as opposed to the alternatives.”
Although there are many investment options available, real estate vehicles offer the ability to finance a portion of the purchase price to leverage the initial investment to control an asset valued much higher – unlike stocks, bonds and CDs. With lower interest rates available, a small increase in the value of a leveraged property investment can carry a greater return than an unleveraged investment — approximately 12 percent gross according to the same study by Zelman & Associates.
Investing in real estate also offers tax benefits where earnings from investments in CDs, bonds and stocks are taxed. By making deductions from the profit on mortgage interest, cost of property repairs and depreciation, property owners are writing off depreciation of an asset that is actually ascending providing yearly benefits to a long-term investment.
Most importantly, ownership of property improves cash flow. Subsidizing the investment with consistent rental income puts money in the investor’s pocket, covering the mortgage, repairs and additional homeownership costs.
Being able to minimize tenant turnover through timely and concise management reflects on the bottom line, maximizing the return on investment overtime.
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By Steve Cook | RISMEDIA, Monday, November 25, 2013
A majority of the nation’s largest markets, 52 percent, have now recovered more than half of the equity they lost during the Great Recession, according to the latest Rebound Report from Homes.com.
For the fourth consecutive month, all of the 200 midsize local markets measured continued to show gains year over year for the single-family index in October. While the number of top 100 markets achieving a full recovery remained flat from the previous month, there was noticeable improvement in the number of these markets pertaining to overall recovery. Three markets moved out of the 0-25 percent rebound range, and three markets moved up in the 75-100 percent rebound range.
Month-over-month increases in index values were seen in 251 of the top 300 markets, down from 253 the previous month. The slight downtrend is likely due to both seasonal trends and the state of recovery for these markets. Of the 49 markets that saw declines last month, 18 have fully recovered their decline in home prices from the housing bubble and show signs of continuing stabilization.
Seasonal downtrends, along with market stabilization, continued to trend at the end of the third quarter increased month to month – slightly down by three from last month’s report. However, the month-to-month declines displayed by 39 markets are relatively nominal, with the largest decrease being -0.93 index points in Lynchburg, Va.
“As we end the third quarter, both large and small markets that previously achieved full price recovery from the housing depression consolidated their gains reached during the home buying season. One in four surpassed their pre-recession peak values,” said Brock MacLean, executive vice president of Homes.com. “These price gains are restoring millions of homeowners to positive equity and are reviving local real estate markets across the country.”
The latest Homes.com Local Market Index reports:
- Year-over-year increases in all top 300 markets.
- Monthly increases in 90 of the top 100 markets and in 161 of the 200 midsized markets.
- Honolulu, Hawaii remains the top gaining market on a year-over-year basis, with a 28.88 index point or 13.07 percent increase.
- California markets [Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, Calif.; San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, Calif., San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, Calif.; Bakersfield-Delano, Calif.] are the remaining 4 in the top 5. Year-over-year, they increased 26.73, 25.98, 25.41 and 20.32 index points, respectively, but are only an average of 32 percent back to recovery.
- All of the top 10 monthly gaining markets from the top 100 are in the West, up from nine in the previous month and six in the month prior to that.
- Highlights from the Homes.com Rebound Report for the top 300 markets show:
- 80 have made more than a 100 percent rebound, indicating a complete recovery in these markets. This is an increase from 77 markets in the previous reporting period.
- The three newest markets to achieve a full rebound are Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, Iowa-Ill., Santa Fe, N.M. and Jefferson City, Mo.
- 152 show more than a 50 percent rebound, up from 143 markets in the previous month.
- 24 percent (19) of the 80 fully rebounded markets reported month-over-month losses, and the remaining averaged 1 percent gains month-over-month compared to .75 percent gain in non-recovered markets. This illustrates the seasonal downtrend in the housing market along with a leveling of home prices.
22 markets were not affected by the boom-bust scenario of the U.S. housing bubble. These markets did not experience the same peak-to-trough decline displayed by the remaining 278 markets. All of these markets are midsize markets, with half from the state of Texas and 73 percent from energy-producing areas. They include: Brownsville-Harlingen, Texas; Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, Texas; Shreveport-Bossier City, La.; Anchorage, Alaska; Fayetteville, N.C.; Charleston, W.Va.; Lubbock, Texas; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Amarillo, Texas; Waco, Texas; College Station-Bryan, Texas; Longview, Texas; Tyler, Texas; Fargo, N.D.-Minn.; Jacksonville, N.C.; Monroe, La.; Waterloo-Cedar Falls,
For more information, visit www.Realestateeconomywatch.com.
RISMEDIA, Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Freddie Mac recently released the results of its third quarter 2013 quarterly refinance analysis, showing that borrowers are continuing to take advantage of near record low mortgage rates to lower their monthly payments, shorten their loan terms and overwhelmingly choosing the safety of long-term fixed-rate mortgages. Borrowers who refinanced in the third quarter of 2013 will save on net approximately $6 billion in interest over the next 12 months.
“With mortgage rates still near their historic lows, 37 percent of refinancing borrowers chose to shorten their loan term,” says Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist. “Mortgage rates on 15-year fixed-rate loans averaged nearly a full percentage point below 30-year loans during the third quarter, providing a financial incentive for homeowners to term shorten. HARP refinancers have an additional incentive to shorten as some origination fees are waived.”
• Of borrowers who refinanced during the third quarter of 2013, 37 percent shortened their loan term, up 5 percent from the previous quarter and the highest since 1992. Further, 40 percent of those who refinanced outside of HARP took out a shorter-term loan, while 32 percent of HARP borrowers shortened their term. Borrowers who kept the same term as the loan that they had paid off represented 59 percent and only 4 percent chose to lengthen their loan term.
• The net dollars of home equity converted to cash as part of a refinance remained low compared to historical volumes. In the third quarter, an estimated $6.4 billion in net home equity was cashed out during a refinance of conventional prime-credit home mortgages. The peak in cash-out refinance volume was $84 billion during the second quarter of 2006. Adjusted for inflation, annual cash-out volumes during 2010 through 2013 have been the smallest since 1997.
• The average interest rate reduction was about 1.8 percentage points — a savings of about 30 percent. On a $200,000 loan, that translates into saving about $3,500 in interest during the next 12 months. For all borrowers that refinanced during the third quarter, the estimated interest savings over the next 12 months will be about $6 billion. Homeowners who refinanced through HARP during the third quarter of 2013 benefited from an average rate reduction of 1.9 percentage points and will save an average of $3,850 in interest during the first 12 months, or about $320 every month.
• About 85 percent of those who refinanced their first-lien home mortgage maintained about the same loan amount or lowered their principal balance by paying in additional money at the closing table. That’s just shy of the 88 percent peak during the second quarter of 2012.
• More than 95 percent of refinancing borrowers chose a fixed-rate loan. Fixed-rate loans were preferred regardless of what the original loan product had been. For example, 86 percent of borrowers who had a hybrid ARM refinanced into a fixed-rate loan during the second quarter. In contrast, only 3 percent of borrowers who had a fixed-rate loan chose an ARM.
• With mortgage rates remaining below 5 percent for most of the past four years, relatively few homeowners with loans taken in this period would have much incentive to refinance. Consequently, the median age the original loan was outstanding before refinance increased to 6.7 years during the third quarter, the most since the analysis began in 1985.
“By obtaining lower interest rates, borrowers will save approximately $6 billion in interest over the next 12 months, which they can put towards savings, paying down debt or supporting additional expenditures,” says Nothaft. “Further, the estimated $6.4 billion in ‘cash-out’ activity will further augment borrowers’ investment and consumption spending.”
For more information please visit www.FreddieMac.com
RISMEDIA, Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Builder confidence in the 55+ housing market showed continued improvement in the third quarter of 2013 compared to the same period a year ago, according to the National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) latest 55+ Housing Market Index (HMI) released today. All segments of the market—single-family homes, condominiums and multifamily rental—registered strong increases. The single-family index increased 14 points to a level of 50, which is the highest third-quarter number since the inception of the index in 2008 and the eighth consecutive quarter of year over year improvements.
“We have seen steady improvement in the 55+ housing sector as buyers and renters are attracted to new homes and communities that offer the lifestyle they desire” says Robert Karen, chairman of NAHB’s 50+ Housing Council and managing member of the Symphony Development Group. “Although the market is significantly stronger than it has been in recent years, we still have a ways to go to get back to full production.”
There are separate 55+ HMIs for two segments of the 55+ housing market: single-family homes and multifamily condominiums. Each 55+ HMI measures builder sentiment based on a survey that asks if current sales, prospective buyer traffic and anticipated six-month sales for that market are good, fair or poor (high, average or low for traffic). An index number below 50 indicates that more builders view conditions as poor than good.
“Right now the positive year over year increase in confidence by builders for the 55+ market is tracking right along with other segments of the home building industry,” says NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. “And like other segments of the industry, the 55+ market is improving in part because consumers are more likely to be able to sell their current homes, which allows them to buy a new home or move into an apartment that suits their specific needs.”
All of the components of the 55+ single-family HMI showed considerable growth from a year ago: present sales climbed 16 points to 52, expected sales for the next six months rose 11 points to 53 and traffic of prospective buyers increased 10 points to 43.
The 55+ multifamily condo HMI posted a gain of 14 points to 37, which is the highest third-quarter reading since the inception of the index. All 55+ multifamily condo HMI components increased compared to a year ago as present sales increased 15 points to 37, expected sales for the next six months climbed 11 points to 40 and traffic of prospective buyers rose 13 points to 35.
The 55+ multifamily rental indices also showed strong gains in the third quarter as present production increased 17 points to 48, expected future production rose 15 points to 50, current demand for existing units climbed 18 points to 60 and future demand increased 16 points to 60.
For more information, and the full 55+ HMI tables, visit nahb.org/55hmi.
Says NAR; Rates and Home Prices Predicted to Rise
By Nick Caruso | RISMEDIA, Thursday, November 14, 2013
The real estate market will continue its road to recovery in 2014, with home prices rising 6 percent and mortgage rates hitting 5.4 percent. In addition, demand is predicted to plateau, all according to Lawrence Yun, chief economist and senior vice president of Research for the National Association of REALTORS®, who presented his 2014 market forecast during last week’s REALTORS® Conference and Expo.
Other factors aim to set the market back on the right path. Although there could be a possible negative impact due to rising mortgage rates, job creation and loosening underwriting standards should balance out 2014’s sales volume.
“There were two million jobs created in the past few months and we’ll see the same next year,” says Yun. “These people could potentially enter the market.”
Yun does not see, however, an increase in unit sales nationwide, as inventory levels remain an issue to keep an eye on. Currently, the nation is under one million and this number needs to increase 50-60 percent in order to get back to normal numbers.
“I don’t foresee that next year, but maybe we can at least make up half the needed gain to steadily reduce the inventory pressure,” he says.
While existing home sales are expected to remain flat at roughly 5.1 million units, new homes could rise by 25 percent from 430,000 to 510,000 next year. This part of the market is still in recovery due to the difficulties for smaller builders to obtain financing. This should continue easing throughout the next year.
When prompted further about how the rising mortgage rate will affect sales and the market, Yun responded: “Assuming nothing changes further, I believe it takes about 10 percent right off the top in terms of people who qualified this year versus the same people who would qualify next year. If need be, NAR will be pushing for new legislation to clarify what QM and QRM are so that we don’t get hit by that 10 percent.”
With the housing market is recovering for most Americans, homeowners will be more concerned than ever about their home values in 2014. Actual price increases for 2013 was 11 percent, which is now expected to be a six percent rise next year. The way to relieve home price pressure is for more inventory to come into the market, says Yun.
“We were surprised by how fast inventory would decline, but there was always a fresh set of inventory trickling in as it went out,” he says.
Overall in 2013, investor activity has been normal, but numbers slightly declined. Though, more small-time investors entered the market, staying one step ahead of the population, consistently punching numbers to see what transactions made the most sense for them. “If investors remain active, it implies that housing is a good buy,” says Yun.
Despite some cautionary areas, the real estate market has its beacons of potential. The industry may not be back to its best numbers yet, but we are still heading in the right direction and making our way down that road to recovery.
“We’ve had a decent year this year and next year will be roughly the same.”
