The average price of a single-family home rose for the first time in eight months in April and is now back at levels last seen in the summer of 2003, according to the Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller index.
Housing may soon rise from the dead, argue some economists. And, the severity of the slump may in fact accelerate the arrival of a recovery.
Applications for both purchase and refinance transactions are up again this week, fueled by falling rates according to Mortgage Bankers Association.
Negative economic reports of late have pushed the rate on the popular 30 year fixed to below 4.5 percent, the lowest this year and just about a quarter percent off the 50-year lows we saw last summer; adjustable-rate products are even lower. When investors see bad economic news, they pull money out of the stock market and park it in bonds. The price of bonds goes up, the yield goes down, and mortgage rates follow down.
When it comes to private mortgage insurance (MI), there are several myths that exist that make buyers reluctant to consider a conventional loan with MI as an option when purchasing a home. One of the more common misconceptions is that cancelling MI is a difficult—not to mention time-consuming—process. By understanding these rules and what they mean for homeowners, real estate agents can educate their buyers to help them better evaluate all of their home financing options based on facts rather than myths.