S & P Case-Shiller Home Price Indices reported the fastest pace of U.S home price growth in seven years. National home prices grew by 10.40 percent year-over-year in December as compared to November’s reading of 9.50 percent home price growth on a year-over-year basis.
The S&P Case-Shiller 20-City Home Price Index reported home price growth in 18 of 20 cities included in the index. Detroit, Michigan did not report home price data for December. Phoenix, Arizona held the top position in the 20-City Index for the 19th consecutive month with year-over-year home price growth averaging 14.40 percent. Home prices in Seattle, Washington home prices held second place with year-over-year growth of 13.60 percent. San Diego, California home prices grew 13.00 percent year-over-year.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency released home price data for homes owned or financed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Home prices rose by 10.80 percent in the fourth quarter of 2020 as compared to home prices in the fourth quarter of 2019. Home prices reported by FHFA rose by 3.80 percent between the third and fourth quarters of 2020.
Idaho home prices reported by FHFA rose by 21.10 percent year-over-year. Montana home prices grew by 15.50 percent; Utah followed closely with 15.40 percent home price growth. FHFA reported the highest pace of home price growth for cities in Boise, Idaho; home prices in San Francisco, California grew at the slowest pace. This data supports the trend of homeowners moving from costly metro areas to inland suburbs where they can buy larger homes for lower prices.
Rapidly Rising Home Prices Impact Affordability
While homeowners welcome quickly rising home prices, affordability issues worry real estate analysts and prospective home buyers. The covid-19 pandemic caused home prices to rise as homeowners fled congested urban areas for suburban and rural areas.
Supplies of available homes fall as demand for homes keeps rising during the pandemic. Millennials are in their peak home-buying years but many current homeowners are waiting out the pandemic to sell. Low inventories of available homes and rising building materials costs add to the shortage of homes in general and affordable homes in particular.
First-time and moderate-income home buyers face increasing challenges as home prices and mortgage rates rise. Mortgage approval standards are difficult to meet as rising home prices cause housing payments and down payment requirements to increase. In addition to property taxes and hazard insurance, buyers who cannot pay 20 percent down must also pay for mortgage insurance.
Skyrocketing home prices should ease when demand for homes slows, but that won’t happen until supplies of available homes catch up to buyer demand.
Before taking out a mortgage to buy a home, it's time to take a realistic survey of your finances so that you can determine your price range and what size of home you can comfortably afford.
Buying a home that suits your finances will mean that your mortgage payments will be easily within your budget and won't cause you financial stress.
Stay In Your Price Range
Many people, when offered a large mortgage by the bank, are tempted to buy homes that are outside of their price range.
It's easy to see why a larger property or a more luxurious home might be appealing, but by stretching too far beyond your means you are courting with disaster.
If your monthly mortgage rate just barely fits within your budget, without room for savings, retirement contributions, or to build up an emergency fund – it will only be a matter of time before things start to get tight.
What happens if you lose your job, or if your income decreases? If you are unable to meet your mortgage payments, it is easy to slip very quickly into debt or even bankruptcy. This is why it is so crucial to buy a home that fits your budget.
Here Are Some Questions To Ask Yourself For Figuring Out How Much Mortgage You Can Comfortably Afford:
Once you have asked yourself these questions and taken a close look at your budget, you will be able to determine realistically what you can afford when buying a home – so that you can find that dream home that meets your budget. For more helpful advice, contact your trusted mortgage professional.
Last week’s economic news included readings from Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, along with Commerce Department readings on public and private-sector job growth and the University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment Index. Weekly reports on jobless claims and mortgage rates were also released.
Case-Shiller: Home Price Growth Ramps Up as Demand for Homes Increases
July home prices rose at a year-over-year rate of 4.80 percent in July as compared to June’s reading of 4.40 percent. Shortages of available homes were driven by demand. Homebuyers were looking for larger homes to accommodate working from home and also wanted to leave congested urban areas.
Home prices in Case-Shiller’s 20-City Index rose by 3.90 percent year-over-year in July; Home prices in participating cities grew by 3.50 percent in June. Home prices grew fastest in Phoenix, Arizona with a year-over-year growth rate of 9.20 percent. Seattle, Washington home prices grew by 7.00 percent, and home prices in Charlotte, North Carolina rose by 6.00 percent.
Craig Lazzara, managing director and global head of index investment strategy at S&P Dow Jones Indices, said,
“Prices were particularly strong in the Southwest and West were comparatively weak in the Midwest and Northeast.” 16 of 19 cities in the 20-City Home Price Index reported a faster growth rate for July’s home prices. Detroit, Michigan did not report data for July’s 20-City Home Price Index.
Construction spending in August jumped from July’s reading of 0.70 percent growth to 1.40 percent. This could be positive news if it indicates a faster pace of home construction, but it could also reflect higher prices for building materials. Rising costs of building materials are typically added to home prices, which further challenges first-time and moderate-income home buyers.
Mortgage Rates and Jobless Claims Fall
Freddie Mac reported lower fixed mortgage rates last week; The average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage dropped two basis points to 2.88 percent; rates for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged four basis points lower at 2.36 percent. The average rate for 5/1 adjustable rate mortgages was unchanged at 2.90 percent. Discount points averaged 0.80 percent for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages and 0.70 percent for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages. Discount points for 5/1 adjustable rate mortgages 0.20 percent.
New jobless claims fell to 837,000 claims filed from the prior week’s reading of 873,000 initial claims filed. Ongoing claims were also lower last week with 11.77 million filings as compared to 12.75 million ongoing claims filed in the previous week.
The national unemployment rate dipped below 8.00 percent for the first time since March with a reading of 7.90 percent. Analysts said that the number of people in the workforce dropped from 164.5 million in February to 160.1 million workers in September; this indicates that 4.4 million workers have left the workforce.
Consumer sentiment rose to its highest level since March according to the University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment Index reading for September was 80.40 as compared to August’s index reading of 74.10.
What’s Ahead
This week’s scheduled economic news includes readings on job openings and the minutes from the Fed’s Federal Open Market Committee meeting. Readings on public and private-sector jobs will also be reported.