Lower mortgage rates open the door for homebuilders

Jan 25, 2024
Some builders are starting to see more interest from buyers, including those who spent 2023 on the sidelines, waiting for better rates.
"It feels like there’s some pent-up demand," for homebuilding, says Clint Mitchell of Estridge Homes in Indianapolis. Above, home construction in Vermont.
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Home prices aren't guaranteed to skyrocket this year

Jan 19, 2024
Housing demand has been improving in recent months, as mortgage rates have ticked down. And while that's putting upward pressure on home prices, there are a few factors that could keep a lid on home price appreciation.
One factor that's already been increasing housing inventory is new home construction.
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Will 2024 be the year the housing market gets slightly less tough?

Dec 27, 2023
High mortgage costs, low supply of houses for purchase and high rents made for a pretty bleak year. But there's a glimmer of light on the horizon.
“Single-family houses are starting to seem like a luxury good," said Chris Mayer of Columbia Business School.
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Why a 0.08% drop in the mortgage rate might seem bigger than that

Dec 15, 2023
There’s research that shows when the left-most digit of a number changes, we tend to give the change more weight.
Though rates coming down may spur some to buy, others might take it as a sign that rates will continue to fall — and wait to see how far they'll go.
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With high prices and interest rates, homebuyers feel the pressure

Dec 8, 2023
Realty firm Redfin said homes are less affordable than at any time since they started tallying the numbers 11 years ago.
Someone with median income would need to spend more than 40% of their monthly wages to afford the median home this year, a new report by Redfin shows
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With many homebuyers priced out, builders try to sweeten the deal

Oct 25, 2023
A lot of homebuilders are working with lenders to offer lower mortgage rates — or they're offering other incentives like money towards closing costs.
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Homebuyers face a double whammy: rising mortgage rates and rising prices

Oct 5, 2023
The average monthly payment on a new mortgage rose 46% in 2022, and home prices and mortgage rates have continued to climb in 2023.
With home prices and interest rates so high, people are increasingly having trouble qualifying for a mortgage.
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Mortgages are still in demand. Qualifying for one is a different story.

Sep 29, 2023
Pending home sales fell more than 7% in August, according to the National Association of Realtors. While demand for homes is still high, people are having a harder time qualifying for mortgages — and that's intensifying demand for cheaper homes.
"A lot of our borrowers are assuming that in 3 or 5 years, those interest rates are going to have come back down," said Chris Duncan of La Salle State Bank at Illinois.
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The housing market is a tale of two people: The buyer and the seller

Sep 26, 2023
Both the buyer and the seller have unrealistic expectations right now, while prices and mortgage rates are high.
"Sellers don’t want to take anything less than the peak," Daryl Fairweather of Redfin says. "Buyers are hoping it’s 2008,” says Michael Orbino of Compass.
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High mortgage rates recall an era of ... high mortgage rates

Aug 18, 2023
The highest mortgage rates in 20 years are now coupled with high home prices — bringing angst to many homebuyers.
The last time mortgage rates were this high was the early 2000s. Even then, those rates were low compared to the 1980s.
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