BY: JANN SWANSON www.mortgagenewsdaily.com Apr 5 2017, 7:45AM
Purchase index vs 30 year fixed – mortgagenewsdaily.com
The volume of purchase mortgages continued to increase during the week ended March 31, but steadily shrinking refinance numbers once again pulled overall volume down. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) said its Market Composite Index, a measure of loan application activity, declined for the third straight week, decreasing by 1.6 percent from the previous week on a seasonally adjusted basis. On an unadjusted basis the Index fell by 1 percent.
The Refinance Index lost another 4 percent on top of 3 percent losses in each of the previous two weeks. The refinance share of all loan applications decreased to 42.6 percent from 44.0 percent.
The Purchase Index gained 1 percent on both an adjusted and an unadjusted basis compared to the volume during the week ended March 24. The adjusted index has risen in five out of the last six weeks. Purchase volume was up 8 percent compared to the same week in 2016. The average loan size for purchase applications reached a survey high at $318,200.
Adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) applications had an 8.5 percent share of the total, unchanged from a week earlier. The FHA share of total applications increased to 11.1 percent from 10.8 percent and the VA share ticked up 0.1 percentage point to 11.1 percent. USDA applications held steady at a 1.0 percent share.
Average contract interest rates were mixed during the week, but effective rates were all lower than the week before. The average contract rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages (FRM) with conforming loan balances ($424,100 or less) increased to 4.34 percent from 4.33 percent. Points decreased to 0.31 from 0.43.
The jumbo version of the 30-year FRM, loans with balances greater than $424,100, had an average rate of 4.24 percent, down 2 basis points from the previous week. Points dipped to 0.24 from 0.26.
FHA-backed 30-year FRM had an average contract interest rate of 4.15 percent with 0.32 point. A week earlier the rate was 4.24 percent with 0.36 point.
The average contract interest rate for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages was unchanged at 3.57 percent. Points dropped to 0.38 from 0.43.
The average contract interest rate for 5/1 ARMs rose 3 basis points to 3.33 percent. Points were down to 0.13 from 0.28.
MBA’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey has been conducted since 1990. It covers over 75 percent of all U.S. retail residential mortgage applications with respondents that include mortgage bankers, commercial banks and thrifts. Base period and value for all indexes is March 16, 1990=100 and interest rate data assumes mortgages with 80 percent loan-to-value ratios and points that include the origination fee.
NAPLES PENTHOUSE CONDO FETCHES RECORD PRICE
LAURA LAYDEN
An exclusive top floor condo in Naples Cay has sold for a record price. Spanning nearly 11,700 square feet under air and overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, the penthouse at Seasons has fetched the highest price paid for a condo in Naples — at $14.75 million, according to the listing agent.
Naples Cay, nestled between Park Shore and Pelican Bay, is within walking distance of Waterside Shops and the Artis—Naples performing arts center.
Built by Bonita Springs-based WCI Communities, the Seasons tower sits at 81 Seagate Drive, on the northern end of Gulfshore Boulevard North.
The penthouse sold Monday. Perched on the 22nd floor, it offers wide views of the Gulf and other waterways.
The residence recently got a major face lift. It was gutted and remade by Steven G., known as one of the top high-end interior design firms in the country. I
Upgrades include Italian porcelain 31-by-72-inch slabs for flooring, custom millwork and state-of-the-art lighting. Other features include Gaggenau and Sub-Zero appliances, white quartz countertops, high-end plumbing fixtures, a private elevator with a mirrored nickel finish, oversized dual closets and a fitness room. It came completely furnished.
Including the outdoor lanai, the units stretches more than 13,600 square feet.
Collier County property records show the condo last sold for $6.975 million in 2006.
Interest in high-end real estate in the Naples area has picked up since the U.S. presidency was decided, local Realtors say.
In 2016 the most expensive home sold in Naples went for $15.15 million. Built in 1981, the Port Royal estate on Fort Charles Drive has 6-plus bedrooms and 13 bathrooms on land originally platted for two houses. It includes 303 feet of waterfront with east, south and west water views.
The previous high paid for a condo in Naples was $11.7 million. It was for a 4-bedroom penthouse with five bathrooms and a den at the Regent, a high-rise tower at 4101 Gulfshore Blvd. N. in Park Shore. With a living area of 12,050 square feet, it sold at a then-record price on May 7, 2012
Contact David at 239-285-1086 to view resale condos at Naples Cay, and for information on new construction luxury condos in Naples, new construction floor plan variations, more custom luxury homes by WCI Communities, and to arrange a visit to Naples Cay, or Altaira at Naples, Florida.
Collier Realtors group: Pending sales climb 10%
LIZ FREEMAN
The inventory of properties for sale in Collier County increased in February and prices held steady, a sign that buyers have more options, according to the latest real estate report.
At the same time, overall pending sales in February jumped 10 percent and closings shot up 18 percent compared to last year, according to the NABOR report for February. The data does not include Marco Island.
Condominiums in the $300,000 to $500,000 price range were the bright spot in pending sales and condos in the $500,000 to $1 million category hit the sky with a 75 percent increase in closings.
Property listings last month climbed to 6,466 homes, a 16-percent boost compared to inventory of 5,577 the same month in 2016. Condominiums dominated with buyers having 3,207 on the market compared to 2,599 the year before, which was a 23-percent boost in inventory.
High end condo buyers had the largest stock of 284 condos in the price range of $1 million to $2 million to consider, almost double the number compared to 198 high end options on 2016. The bulk of the luxury condos available are in North Naples.
There were 613 closings last month compared to 518 last year in February. Pending sales last month stood at 1,092 for a 10 percent boost compared to 993 a year ago.
Overall median prices among closings rose just 3 percent to $333,000 last month compared to $323,000 the year before.
The median prices of single family homes that closed slipped 5 percent to $402,000 from $45,000 a year ago.
The area hardest hit was North Naples, which experienced a 29 percent decline in closed prices to $650,000, compared to $917,000 last year at the same time. On the flip side, homes in Ave Maria/ Immokalee enjoyed a 29 percent price increase at closing to $287,000. A year ago, the median closing price in Ave Maria stood at $222,000.
More Buyers Choose Conventional Mortgage Loans to Purchase Their Home
Naples, Fla. (November 18, 2016) – Over 44 percent of homes purchased in October used conventional financing methods (e.g., mortgages), according to a report released by the Naples Area Board of REALTORS® (NABOR®) that detailed activity in the greater Naples housing market during October 2016. The October 2016 Market Report, which tracks home listings and sales within Collier County (excluding Marco Island), showed a gradual – but continuous – decline in cash sales with growth in conventional sales during the last 12 months.
In October 2015, cash sales accounted for nearly 65 percent of all homes sales in Naples, whereas in October 2016, cash sales accounted for only 56 percent of all homes sales in Naples. Interestingly, homes purchased in the $300,000 to $500,000 price category in October reflected the highest percentage of conventional sales (60 percent) of all the price categories reported.
“Increased use of conventional mortgages in October may be an indication of increased consumer confidence coupled with a better lending environment,” said Rick Fioretti, NABOR® President and Broker Associate with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Florida Realty. “In October 2014, only 32 percent of all home sales used conventional financing. In October 2015, conventional financing increased to 35 percent of overall sales.”
The October 2016 Market Report showed overall pending sales decreased 13 percent to 702 pending sales in October 2016 from 807 pending sales in October 2015. Interestingly, overall pending sales in the $500,000 to $1 million price category actually increased 14 percent to 125 pending sales in October 2016 from 110 pending sales in October 2015. Likewise, pending sales of condominiums in the $500,000 to $1 million price category increased 30 percent to 57 condominiums in October 2016 from 44 condominiums in October 2015. The increase in pending sales extended to the single-family home market as well, in which both the $300,000 to $500,000 price category and $500,000 to $1 million price category increased 3 percent.
In the closed sales category, the October 2016 Market Report showed overall closed sales decreased 7 percent to 556 closed sales in October 2016 from 601 closed sales in October 2015. However, closed sales of condominiums in the $1 million to $2 million price category increased 80 percent to 9 condominiums in October 2016 from 5 condominiums in October 2015. And closed sales of single-family homes in the $300,000 to $500,000 price category increased 21 percent from 120 single-family homes in October 2016 from 99 single-family homes in October 2015.
For October, the overall median closed price increased 6 percent to $320,000 in the 12-months ending October 2016 from $302,000 in the 12-months ending October 2015. Conversely, the overall median closed price for homes above $300,000 did not reflect a recordable change. Homes in the $300,000 and below price segment, which experienced a 10 percent increase to $215,000 in the 12-months ending October 2016 from $195,000 in the 12-month ending October 2015, is once again responsible for driving the overall median closed price increase.
The NABOR® October 2016 Market Report provides comparisons of single-family home and condominium sales (via the Southwest Florida MLS), price ranges, and geographic segmentation and includes an overall market summary. The NABOR® October 2016 sales statistics are presented in chart format, including these overall (single-family and condominium) findings:
| CATEGORIES |
October 2016 |
October 2015 |
CHANGE |
| Total homes under contract (pending sales) |
702 |
807 |
-13% |
| Total closed sales |
556 |
601 |
-7% |
| Median closed price |
$315,000 |
$290,000 |
9% |
| Total active listings (inventory) |
5,426 |
3,903 |
39% |
| Average days on market |
85 |
74 |
15% |
| Single-family closed sales |
295 |
310 |
-5% |
| Single-family median closed price |
$375,000 |
$385,000 |
-3% |
| Single-family inventory |
2,849 |
2,210 |
29% |
| Condominium closed sales |
261 |
291 |
-10% |
| Condominium median closed price |
$240,000 |
$230,000 |
4% |
| Condominium inventory |
2,577 |
1,693 |
52% |
Geographically, inventory in the Naples Beach (34102, 34103, 34108) and North Naples (34109, 34110, 34119) areas increased the most in October. In the Naples Beach area, single-family home inventory rose 25 percent to 567 single-family homes in October 2016 from 454 single-family homes in October 2015, and condominiums increased 71 percent to 655 condominiums in October 2016 from 384 condominiums in October 2015. For North Naples, single-family home inventory rose 35 percent to 878 single-family homes in October 2016 from 650 single-family homes in October 2015, and condominiums increased 64 percent to 734 condominiums in October 2016 from 447 condominiums in October 2015.
“There are plenty of homes to buy and sell in Naples,” said Fioretti, who ends his term as NABOR® President in December. “It’s going to take some time to see how the market will react to the election and the changes in the government, but I believe the challenge we REALTORS® face in the short-term is educating the public on market pricing. The value of a home relates to local sale prices and a realistic price means a rapid sale.”
Isabella 2-story new construction home by London Bay Homes, at Mediterra, Naples.
Photo: mediterranapleslp.com
Click photo for more about the Isabella at Mediterra Naples
Home prices: West still holds most expensive markets
Lack of inventory once again pushed against home prices, causing them to accelerate faster in the third quarter, according to the most recent quarterly report from the National Association of Realtors.
The median existing single-family home price increased in 87% of the 178 measured metropolitan areas. Seven of the top 10 markets with home price increases were in the West, including San Jose, California, where the median home price hit $1 million for the second quarter in a row.
On the other hand, 22 metro areas, about 12%, recorded lower median home prices from than last year.
“Mortgage rates around historical lows and solid local job creation created a winning formula for sustained homebuying demand all summer long,” NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said.
“Unfortunately for house hunters in several of the top job producing metro areas around the country, deficient supply levels limited their options and drove prices higher – especially in markets in the West and South,” Yun said.
The national median single-family home price hit $240,900 in the third quarter, up 5.2% from last year’s $228,900 and last quarter’s $240,700. It just hit the current peak in quarterly median sales price.
Possibly due to lack of inventory, existing home sales including single-family and condos, decreased 2.2% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.38 million in the third quarter. This is down from 5.5 million in the second quarter, and 0.4% lower than last year’s 5.4 million.
“After climbing to their highest annual pace in over nine years in June, sales sputtered in the third quarter because inventory could not catch up with what was being quickly sold,” Yun said. “Only a decent rebound in September kept the monthly and annual sales declines from being even larger.”
At the end of the quarter there were 2.04 million existing homes available for sale, 6.8% less than last year. The average supply for the quarter was 4.6 months, down from 4.9 months last year.
And yet, despite all of this, affordability is still improved from last year due to higher incomes and lower interest rates. As it stands, a buyer making a 5% down payment would need an income of $51,661, a 10% down payment would require an income of $48,942, and a $43,504 income for a 20% down payment.
In fact, when adjusting for inflation and the amount of purchase power provided by low interest rates, home prices actually dropped in the past 16 years, First American Chief Economist Mark Fleming said in an interview with HousingWire and the Mortgage Bankers Association annual in Boston.
“If mortgage rates start to rise heading into next year, prospective buyers could face weakening affordability conditions in their market unless supply dramatically improves,” Yun said. “That’s why it’s absolutely imperative that homebuilders ramp up the production of more single-family homes to meet demand and slow price growth.”
RISMEDIA, Monday, October 24, 2016— Regional Spotlight—Florida’s housing market reported increased median prices, more new listings and fewer all-cash closed sales in September, according to the latest housing data from Florida Realtors®.
Tight inventory continues to impact the state’s housing market, notes Florida Realtors® Chief Economist Brad O’Connor. Closed sales of single-family homes statewide totaled 22,704 last month, slightly down (0.5 percent) from September 2015. Meanwhile, in the townhouse-condo market, statewide closed sales totaled 8,818 last month, down 3.9 percent compared to a year ago.
“Florida’s economy continues to grow, resulting in improving jobs and incomes for workers across the state,” says 2016 Florida Realtors® President Matey H. Veissi, broker and co-owner of Veissi & Associates in Miami. “In turn, that is generating interest from many would-be buyers who are ready to enter the housing market. However, the latest data shows that a continued lack of inventory—especially in the mid-$200,000 and under range—is affecting those potential homebuyers, leaving them with limited choices and higher prices as a result.”
Similar to previous months, inventory was at a 4.2-months’ supply in September for single-family homes and at a 5.8-months’ supply for townhouse-condo properties, according to Florida Realtors®.
Once again, home sellers continued to get more of their original asking price at the closing table in September: Sellers of existing single-family homes received 96.2 percent (median percentage) of their original listing price, while those selling townhouse-condo properties received 94.8 percent (median percentage).
The statewide median sales price for single-family existing homes last month was $222,500, up 11.3 percent from the previous year, according to data from Florida Realtors® research department in partnership with local Realtor® boards/associations. The statewide median price for townhouse-condo properties in September was $160,000, up 6.7 percent over the year-ago figure.
In September, statewide median sales prices for both single-family homes and townhouse-condo properties rose year-over-year for the 58th month in a row, Veissi notes.
Closed sales data reflected fewer short sales and cash-only sales in September. Short sales for single-family homes declined 33.8 percent, while short sales for townhouse-condo properties dropped 27.2 percent.
“Even though the number of Florida single-family home sales in September was essentially the same as last year, the composition of this year’s group was quite different —and in a good way,” says O’Connor. “Distressed sales made up only 10 percent of single-family home sales this September, compared to over 19 percent in September 2015, and only 28 percent of sales were all-cash deals this time around, compared to 34 percent last year.
“If our housing markets are going to return to some se3mblance of what many might term ‘normalcy,’ it’s vital that both of these trends continue,” O’Connor adds.
For more information, visit www.floridarealtors.org.
