By Robert Fishel, on February 23rd, 2012  Freddie Mac recently released their fourth-quarter refinance analysis and it shows that 85 percent of homeowners who refinanced their mortgages during the fourth quarter of 2011 maintained or reduced their principal balance by paying-in additional money at the closing table. Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac’s vice president and chief economist, said savvy homeowners are taking advantage of some of the lowest fixed-rates in more than 60 years to lock in interest savings.
According to Nothaft, the typical borrower who refinanced during the fourth quarter reduced their interest rate by approximately 1.4 percentage points. During the fourth quarter, 37 percent of homeowners who refinanced their mortgage maintained about the same loan amount and 49 percent reduced their principal balance. The percentage of cash-in borrowers was the highest in the 26-year history of the analysis. Continue reading “St. Louis Mortgage Rate Update; Refinancing Homeowners Reduced Debt In Fourth Quarter“
By Dennis Norman, on January 19th, 2012  Shortly after finishing my video recap of the 2011 St Louis Real Estate Market I began analyzing our market data and giving thought to the 2012 St. Louis Real Estate market. The end result? The MORE St Louis Market 2012 Forecast. For a link to my 15 minute video as well as a downloadable report, please submit your name and email address here and you will receive it immediately. Continue reading “Where is the St Louis Real Estate Market Headed in 2012?“
By Dennis Norman, on December 30th, 2011  Freddie Mac released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS), showing average fixed mortgage rates finishing the year near their all-time historic lows. Thirty-year fixed rate mortgages averaged 3.95 percent and have been at or below 4.0 percent for the past nine consecutive weeks keeping homebuyer affordability at a near all-time high. Continue reading “Mortgage Rates Finish 2011 Near Historic Lows“
By Dennis Norman, on December 15th, 2011 This morning Freddie Mac released its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) which showed average 30-year fixed-rate mortgages matched an all time record low of 3.94 percent, and there was an all-time record low rate for 15-year fixed rate mortgages. Continue reading “30-Year Fixed-Rate Mortgage Matches All-Time Record Low at 3.94 Percent“
By Dennis Norman, on October 24th, 2011  Update August 10, 2012 – New HARP Program FAQ’s Click Here.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced it eased the requirements as well as extended the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) to December 31, 2013 from the current expiration date for the program of June 30, 2012. According to FHFA, as of August 31, 2011, nearly 894,000 borrowers have been refinanced through HARP and they (FHFA) feel easing the requirements will make it possible for many additional borrowers to refinance as well.
Continue reading “Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) Guidelines Eased and Deadline Extended“
By Dennis Norman, on October 6th, 2011  This morning, Freddie Mac released the results of it’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey revealing that the interest rate on a 30-year fixed rate mortgage averaged 3.94 percent, dropping below 4.0 percent for the first time in history! All I can say is WOW!
Continue reading “Interest rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgage fall below 4 percent; first time in history“
By Dennis Norman, on September 29th, 2011 This morning, Freddie Mac released the results of it’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey revealing that the interest rate on a 30-year fixed rate mortgage averaged 4.01 percent, which is an all-time record low and the interest rate on a 15-year fixed rate mortgage averaged 3.28 percent, also an all-time record low! Continue reading “Record low interest rates coupled with low prices make buying a home more affordable than ever“
By Dennis Norman, on September 16th, 2011 National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) President, Ron Phipps, wrote a letter to Shaun Donovan, Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Timothy Geithner, Secretary of the Treasury Department and Edward DeMarco, Acting Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency with suggestions on how to improve the Real Estate Owned (REO) asset disposition programs for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and FHA. NAR, like many other housing related associations and organizations, submitted letters in response to the government’s request for information on how to deal with the REO problem. Continue reading “REALTORS offer suggestions to the Fed on how to deal with the REO problem“
By Dennis Norman, on September 8th, 2011 Federal Reserve Governor Elizabeth A. Duke, while speaking at the Federal Reserve Board Policy Forum last week, discussed the effect on the housing market that properties acquired by banks and lenders through foreclosure (REO’s) and suggested that if some of this inventory was converted to rental property by the lenders, this may have a positive effect on the housing market. Continue reading “Converting REO’s to rentals could help housing recovery according to Fed Official“
By Dennis Norman, on August 22nd, 2011  HomeSteps, the home-sale division of Freddie Mac, announced “Condo Cash”, a special limited-time offer to pay up to $1,500 in future condo fees for eligible buyers purchasing a condominium being sold through the Freddie Mac HomeSteps program. Continue reading “Freddie Mac offering to pay future condo fees through HomeSteps special“
By Dennis Norman, on May 16th, 2011 HomeSteps, the home-sale division of Freddie Mac, announced today it is launching a nationwide sales promotion on it’s inventory of foreclosed homes starting today. The promotion, titled “The HomeSteps Summer Sales Promotion”, is offering up to pay buyer’s closing costs, up to 3.5 percent of the sales price and a bonus to the selling agent for offers on Freddie Mac homes originated between today and July 31st and that close by September 30, 2011. Continue reading “Freddie Mac Offering Closing Cost Assistance to Home Buyers“
By Dennis Norman, on May 13th, 2011 Speaking yesterday at a forum at a meeting of the National Association of REALTORS (NAR), several industry “experts” had reasonably optimistic opinions of the housing market and expect home sales to continue on an uptrend through 2012.
Among the experts at the forum was, of course, Lawrence Yun, the chief economist for NAR, who said he felt existing home sales would improve gradually, but unevenly. “If we just hold at the first-quarter sales pace of 5.1 million (home sales), sales this year would rise 4 percent, but the remainder of the year looks better,” Yun said. “We expect 5.3 million existing-home sales this year, up from 4.9 million in 2010, with additional gains in 2012 to about 5.6 million — that’s a sustainable level given the size of our population.” Continue reading “Housing and Economic Forecasts Point to Rising Activity and Flat Home Prices“
By Dennis Norman, on May 11th, 2011 Spring storms in April caused 8 areas of the U.S. to be declared a National Disaster area, and another 9 more so far in May. As a result of tornadoes, severe storms and flooding on April 19th, five counties in Missouri, Butler County, Mississippi County, New Madrid County, Saint Louis County, and Taney County, were declared a National Disaster areas on May 9th, making homeowners eligible for assistance, including possible mortgage payment relief and/or protection from foreclosure. Continue reading “Mortgage Relief and Foreclosure Moratorium for Missouri Homeowners Impacted by Recent Storms“
By News Desk, on April 19th, 2011 Lee Bentley Farkas, the former chairman of a private mortgage lending company, Taylor, Bean & Whitaker (TBW), was convicted today for his role in a more than $2.9 billion fraud scheme that contributed to the failures of Colonial Bank, one of the 25 largest banks in the United States in 2009, and TBW, one of the largest privately held mortgage lending companies in the United States in 2009. Continue reading “Former Chairman of Taylor, Bean & Whitaker Convicted for $2.9 Billion Fraud Scheme That Contributed to the Failure of Colonial Bank“
By Dennis Norman, on March 15th, 2011 HUD just released it’s “2010 Overview of U.S. Housing Market Conditions which gave a recap of the housing market for 2010. I’ve previously reported on most of the data and information that HUD included in the report however I thought this report did a good job of giving a complete and concise look at the market for the year so I wanted to share it. Continue reading “An overview of the 2010 Housing Market“
By Dennis Norman, on February 3rd, 2011  The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) back in August, 2010, published proposed “guidance” related to private transfer fee covenants that applied to Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Federal Home Loan Banks (the “regulated entities). The message in this guidance was that private transfer fees are bad and those regulated enterprises should stay away from lending on real estate subject to such covenants. Continue reading “Feds Propose Rule on Private Transfer Fees“
By Dennis Norman, on February 1st, 2011 Yesterday my wife received a letter from the condo association for a complex she owns a rental in with “OWNER ALERT!!!!!!!” (yes, that many exclamation points) at the top of it in big letters. The reason for the “alert” was to let condo owners know that FHA certification for this condominium complex expired December 31, 2010 (as it did for many complexes across the country) and that, in order to be eligible for FHA-insured financing the complex would have to obtain re-certification.
Now, in this particular case, the board is using this as a scare tactic to try to convince the owners to vote to change by-laws to prohibit rentals (something they tried last year and failed at and something I have major issues with, but that’s a topic for another story..) but I realized this is a very real problem or concern for many condo-owners, boards and associations across the country so I thought I would gather and share some info on the issue. Continue reading “FHA Condominium Recertification Requirements“
By Dennis Norman, on December 28th, 2010 It seems we always need to find someone to blame for our problems…
When it comes to the meltdown in the housing market that has taken place over the past three years there has been no lack of finger pointing by many inside and outside the industry as to factors that either caused or contributed to the collapse of the housing market. Sub-prime lending, Wall Street, mortgage fraud, the mortgage industry, banks, community reinvestment act, real estate brokers and agents, fannie mae, freddie mac, federal government over-regulation, federal government under-regulation, appraisers, unemployment, the economy in general, “flipping”, sellers, buyers and more have been blamed in one way or another for the collapse. In my humble opinion and, based upon my 30+ years of experience in the industry, I would say all the aforementioned played a part in the collapse and certainly no one thing could have caused this mess on its own, it was a combination of several things that led up to the “perfect storm”. Continue reading “Making Appraisers the Scapegoat“
By Dennis Norman, on December 20th, 2010 Freddie Mac, one of the nation’s largest investors in conforming, conventional mortgages, announced it will delay initiating foreclosure for at least nine months for financially troubled service members who are released from active duty through the end of 2011 and have Freddie Mac-owned mortgages.
“Our military make sacrifices every day to protect our homes and families,” said Anthony Renzi, Executive Vice President of Single Family Portfolio Management at Freddie Mac. “This small act will protect financially troubled service members when they return from active duty by giving them more time to work with their lender to stay in their home.”
By Dennis Norman, on December 2nd, 2010
- Dennis Norman
The National Association of REALTORS Pending Home Sales Index for October shows an increase of 10.4 percent in the index from the month before (seasonally adjusted), and a 20.5 percent decrease from a year ago. Continue reading “Pending home sales increase over 10 percent in October; Mortgage Interest Deduction vital to Recovery“
By Robert Fishel, on December 1st, 2010  Freddie Mac announced today it has ordered all evictions involving foreclosed occupied single family and 2-4 unit properties that had Freddie Mac mortgages to be suspended from December 20, 2010 to January 3, 2011. Continue reading “Freddie Mac Suspends Evictions Over Holidays; St. Louis Mortgage Rate Update“
By Dennis Norman, on November 19th, 2010 According the to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), the largest obstacles to the recovery of the housing market are job creation and the availability of credit. At their board meeting last week, NAR approved a credit polity to urge the mortgage lending industry to “reassess and amend their policies so more qualified home buyers can become home owners.” Continue reading “REALTORS’ Say Jobs and Access to Credit Needed for Housing Recovery“
By News Desk, on November 8th, 2010 The National Association of Realtors® announced that it “strongly supports” the proposed guidance from the Federal Housing Finance Agency to prevent government-sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the 12 Federal Home Loan Banks from investing in mortgages encumbered by private transfer fee covenants.
In a letter sent to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), NAR reiterated its opposition to these covenants, which developers often attach to a property to require payment of fees back to that developer each time the property is resold. These covenanted mandates are often extremely difficult to reverse once in place, and in many cases are attached to a deed for up to 99 years. Continue reading “REALTORS® Support Proposal to End Private Transfer Fees“
By Dennis Norman, on October 15th, 2010 Dennis Norman In a letter to the Federal Housing Finance Agency, John A. Courson, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) said that the MBA “opposes the practice of private third parties, such as developers, builders, licensing companies and real estate brokers, imposing private transfer fee covenants on residential real estate for the purpose of extracting future income.” However, in his letter Mr. Courson goes on to say that the “MBA is concerned thatencumbering housing transactions with these types of PTFs will impede the marketability and affect the valuation of properties and thus the value of the loans and securities backed by such loans.” In addition, the MBA points out that “distinctions among PTFs (private transfer fees) are necessary” as they do not oppose private transfer fee covenants that are: Continue reading “Mortgage Bankers urge Feds not to ban all private transfer fees“
By Dennis Norman, on October 5th, 2010 Dennis Norman The CEO of Freddie Mac, Ed Haldeman, published a blog post this week which said reports of mortgage fraud were on the rise; there were nearly 38,000 cases of mortgage in the first half of 2010 – a 13 percent increase over the same period in 2009.
Haldeman says that the fraudsters prey on the vulnerability of struggling borrowers by offering a quick fix to a homeowner who is under water and desperate. A common ploy for a scammer is to promise a struggling homeowner mortgage relief of modification of their loan. Continue reading “Four Tips for Avoiding Mortgage Fraud“
By Dennis Norman, on September 18th, 2010 Dennis Norman Fannie Mae announced this week that it is expanding the Freddie Mac First Look Initiative so any home shopper can buy a HomeSteps® home as their primary residence during the first 15 days of the property’s listing without competition from investors. HomeSteps is the real estate sales unit of Freddie Mac and markets a nationwide selection of Freddie Mac-owned homes. Continue reading “Owner-occupants get first shot to buy Fannie Mae foreclosures; Investors must wait“
By Dennis Norman, on August 12th, 2010 Dennis Norman Today the Federal Housing Finance Agency announce proposed guidance that would prohibit Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Home Loan Banks from investing in mortgages with private transfer fee covenants. Considering that covers the lenders that originate, invest in or, or insure over 90 percent of the homes in the U.S. that pretty much puts the kibosh on financing a home with such a transfer fee. Continue reading “Private Transfer Fee Covenants Draw Fire From FHFA“
By Dennis Norman, on August 10th, 2010 Dennis Norman A report just released by CoreLogic estimate the financial impact of short-sale fraud to be $310 million annually. It is estimated there is fraud in one in every 53 short sale transactions resulting in an unnecessary loss to the lender of $41,000 per transaction on average. Continue reading “Report Shows Fraud in Short-Sales Cost Lenders $310 Million Annually“
By Dennis Norman, on June 25th, 2010 Dennis Norman According to a report issued by Radar Logic Incorporated government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) and Federal agencies involved in housing finance currently have an inventory of over 200,000 repossessed homes. Being the largest owner of foreclosed homes in the U.S. gives the government a lot of power and influence over the housing market for years to come as they will generate significant pressure on home prices as they sell off foreclosed homes in the coming years.
Foreclosed homes currently sell at significant discounts to the unpaid balances of the mortgages they back, generating a loss for the seller (i.e., the lender, mortgage investor or government agency) at every sale. As Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) sell their REO (“real estate owned”) inventories for less than the book value on their loans, they generate billions in losses for taxpayers. When the huge numbers of government-insured mortgages in the intermediate stages of default or foreclosure are taken into account, losses from future government REO sales could reach hundreds of billions of dollars.
“For over a year now we have been saying that the GSEs and other Federal agencies will play a critical role in the success or failure of the housing recovery due to their huge holdings of foreclosed homes,” said Michael Feder, President and CEO of Radar Logic. “Now their role is more critical than ever before. The potential cost to taxpayers resulting from the government’s current policies is enormous. We can’t help but wonder if there isn’t a better approach.”
Highlights from the report:
- The Federal Government’s REO inventory, including homes owned by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, HUD and the VA, has increased steadily for over 24 months and now accounts for approximately 46% of the total REO inventory. This is the government’s largest share of total REO since the beginning of the housing bust.
- The Federal Government’s share of total motivated sales (i.e., sales of foreclosed homes by financial institutions) has also increased steadily for over 20 months, and this trend shows little sign of slowing. As the largest owner and seller of foreclosed properties, the Federal Government has unprecedented control over the nation’s housing supply and, therefore, home prices.
Recent reports have shown that mortgage delinquencies may be leveling off, albeit at almost record levels, but this is the first step to the foreclosure rate declining which will help the housing market stabilize. Unfortunately with the number of current foreclosures as well as the gloomy projections for future foreclosures, it will be a while before this happens.
By Robert Fishel, on June 23rd, 2010 Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have become two of the nation’s largest landlords. Both institutions took over a foreclosed home roughly every 90 seconds during the first three months of the year. As of the end of March, they owned over 160,000 houses.
The inventory of Fannie and Freddie continue to increase, but their inventory is only a portion of the total foreclosures. The worst loans were made outside of Fannie and Freddie by banks, thrifts or other private label institutions. Most foreclosures are heavily concentrated in a few key states: Florida, Arizona, Nevada, California and Michigan.
With unemployment hovering near 10%, the economic recovery so far is too fragile to expect mortgage rates to rise in the near future.
St. Louis Mortgage Interest Rates – June 23, 2010 *
- 30-year fixed-rate mortgage 4.65% no points
- 15-year fixed-rate mortgage 4.25% no points
- 5/1 adjustable rate mortgage 3.875% no points
- FHA/VA 30-year fixed rate mortgage 4.75%
- Jumbo 5/1 ARM 4.125% no points
- Jumbo 15 year fixed rate mortgage 4.625%
For more information or if you have questions on mortgage rates in St. Louis you may contact me by phone at my direct line, (314) 372-4319, email at rfishel@paramountmortgage.com or you can visit our company website at http://www.paramountmortgage.com.
*Note- The above rates are based upon a typical sale price of $187,500 with a 20% percent down payment leaving a loan amount of $150,000 to a borrower with a 720 credit score for a loan with no discount points charged. Rates and terms will vary depending upon loan amount, home value, credit and income of borrower.
This information is provided by this author and this site for informative purposes only and is not warranted or guarteed in any way.
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