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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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Homeowners are gaining equity, but it may be going untapped

Jul 31, 2023
A new report finds the rate of mortgage borrowers considered "equity rich" increased to 49% in the second quarter.
"Why would you refinance if you've got a mortgage of 3%, at a mortgage rate of 7%?" says Susan Wachter of the Wharton School.
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High mortgage rates, high demand, high home prices

Jun 28, 2023
The Case-Shiller National Home Price Index rose half a percent in April — a third-straight monthly increase.
The spike in mortgage rates has encouraged a lot of would-be sellers to stay put, putting a further squeeze on the housing market.
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Has the housing market landed ... softly?

Jun 27, 2023
New Case-Shiller data suggests prices are rebounding after a moderate dip, though regional differences are pronounced.
While pricier areas on the West Coast have slowed down considerably, the housing market is still running hot for cities in the Southeast.
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For public good, not for profit.

When moving means a higher mortgage rate, why sell?

Jun 22, 2023
Last month, 20% fewer existing homes were sold than in May 2022. People are staying put — and staying together — to avoid higher costs.
Lots of people are choosing to stay put in their homes even if they’d like to sell.
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In a tight housing market, both buyers and sellers are getting creative

Jun 22, 2023
Realtors are encouraging their clients to get creative if they really want to make a move while interest rates remain high and inventory remains low.
Some homeowners with a low interest mortgage rate locked in are offering to sell that loan along with their house.
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Black homeownership climbed early in the pandemic. Is progress stalling?

Jun 19, 2023
Higher mortgage rates could disproportionately hurt Black homebuyers.
Historically low mortgage rates lifted homeownership across racial and ethnic groups. But those rates have more than doubled since 2021.
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