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☆ Mortgage rates shoot to 2-month high after new report shows inflation is still hot
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Homebuyers are facing a worsening affordability situation with mortgage rates hovering around the highest levels in more than a decade. Mortgage rates shot higher Friday after a monthly government report on wholesale prices showed inflation is still persistent and hotter than most analysts had expected. Mortgage rates hit their last high in October but then fell sharply over the next two months, leveling out at around 6.6% in December. In February's report, builders said they expected mortgage rates to continue to moderate in the coming months. "And while mortgage rates still remain too high for many prospective buyers, we anticipate that due to pent-up demand, many more buyers will enter the marketplace if mortgage rates continue to decline this year."

Persons: Matthew Graham, Alicia Huey Organizations: Mortgage News, . Census, National Association of Home Builders Locations: Albany , California, Birmingham , Alabama

☆ Mortgage rates rise for the second week, reaching 6.77%
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Washington, DC CNN —After treading water for months, US mortgage rates jumped higher Thursday following a string of strong employment and inflation reports. “On the heels of consumer prices rising more than expected, mortgage rates increased this week,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. The average mortgage rate is based on mortgage applications that Freddie Mac receives from thousands of lenders across the country. The addition of needed inventory and the prospect of lower mortgage rates this year may spur buyers to jump into the market. “This spring, buyers are likely to see lower mortgage rates than in the fall of 2023, which may mean more eager buyers in the market,” Jones said.

Persons: Freddie Mac, ”, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, Khater, Bob Broeksmit, Broeksmit, Jerome Powell, Hanna Jones, who’ve, Lisa Sturtevant, Jones, Alicia Huey, ” Jones Organizations: DC CNN, “, Mortgage Bankers Association, Labor Department, Federal Reserve, Realtor.com, National Association of Home Builders Locations: Washington, ”

☆ Your 401(k), gas prices and homes: 3 surprising reasons to be happy — for now
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Consumer sentiment is surging. A tough housing market and exorbitant child care costs continue to bedevil budgets, but the inflation pendulum is finally swinging in the other direction. A slowly improving US housing marketAmerica’s housing market is still tough, but there are some subtle signs of improvement. Builder confidence surged in January, according to the latest National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index, climbing seven points to a reading of 44. It’s unclear when the Fed will begin to cut rates, and how many cuts there will ultimately be this year, but rate cuts in general mean even lower mortgage rates, further improving affordability.

Persons: vibing, aren’t, it’s, Anna Rathbun, ”, isn’t, bode, Joe Biden’s, ” James McCann, Biden, Alicia Huey Organizations: Washington CNN, Big Tech, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, CBIZ Investment Advisory Services, CNN, Fed, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, Tesla, of Michigan’s, AAA, National Association of Home Builders Locations: Wells Fargo

Permits were 1.9% more than the upwardly revised 1.47 million November number and at an annual level of 1.5 million. Housing starts fell 4.3% from the November annual rate of 1.53 million, a reading that was revised downward from the robust 1.56 million originally estimated. Both permits and starts were higher than a year ago, by 6.1% and 7.6%, respectively. The Best Cartoons on the Economy View All 178 Images“Falling mortgage rates should jump-start the demand for housing in the coming months,” said Jeffrey Roach, chief economist at LPL Financial. On Wednesday, the National Association of Home Builders said its January survey found builder confidence surged as mortgage rates for the benchmark 30-year fixed rate loan dipped to 6.75%.

Persons: ”, Jeffrey Roach, Alicia Huey, Kelly Mangold Organizations: Census Bureau, Department of Housing, Urban, Housing, LPL, National Association of Home Builders, ” Builders, Real Estate Consulting Locations: Birmingham , Alabama, U.S

☆ Homebuilder sentiment improves for second straight month, following drop in mortgage rates
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Homebuilder sentiment improved in January, jumping 7 points to 44 on the National Association of Home Builders monthly index. Anything below 50 is still considered negative, but the index has now moved 10 points higher in the last two months. The increase coincides with a big drop in mortgage interest rates from around 8% in mid-October to the 6% range in December. Regionally, on a three-month moving average, builder confidence increased the most in the Northeast, the only area now in positive territory at 55. Sentiment was flat in the Midwest and rose slightly in the South and West.

Persons: Alicia Huey Organizations: National Association of Home Builders, Builders Locations: Birmingham , Alabama, Midwest, South, West

☆ Homebuilder sentiment surges as mortgage rates trend down
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Washington, DC CNN —Homebuilder confidence surged in January as mortgage rates continued to trend lower, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index released Wednesday. Builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes surpassed market expectations, climbing seven points to 44 on the index. The optimism comes as mortgage rates begin to fall and data points to an improving economy heading into 2024. “Single-family starts are expected to grow in 2024, adding much needed inventory to the market,” Huey said. The monthly builder index looks at current sales, buyer traffic and the outlook for sales of new-construction homes over the next six months.

Persons: Alicia Huey, ” Huey, Freddie Mac Organizations: DC CNN, National Association of Home Builders Locations: Washington, Wells Fargo

☆ US homebuilder confidence drops for fourth month in a row
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington, DC CNN —Homebuilder confidence dropped for the fourth month in a row in November as mortgage rates neared 8%. But recent economic data suggests housing conditions may improve in coming months. Builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes in November fell six points to 34, according to the National Association of Home Builders / Wells Fargo Housing Market Index released Thursday morning. Specificially, Dietz said, the 10-year Treasury rate moved back to the 4.5% range for the first time since late September, which will help bring mortgage rates down closer to or below 7.5%. In November, 60% of builders provided sales incentives of all forms, down slightly from 62% in October.

Persons: ”, Alicia Huey, ” Huey, NAHB, Robert Dietz, NAHB’s, Specificially, Dietz, ” Dietz, Freddie Mac Organizations: DC CNN, National Association of Home Builders, Federal Reserve, Treasury Locations: Washington, Wells Fargo

☆ Homebuilder sentiment drops to lowest point in a year, but falling rates spur some optimism
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

High mortgage rates continue to weigh on the nation's homebuilders, leading to an increase in price cuts to lure buyers. But builders are cautiously optimistic about recent signs that interest rates may move lower soon. Homebuilder sentiment fell six points to 34 in November on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). Sentiment is down 22 points since July and is now at the lowest level since the end of last year. "In particular, the 10-year Treasury rate moved back to the 4.5% range for the first time since late September, which will help bring mortgage rates close to or below 7.5%," he said.

Persons: Alicia Huey, Robert Dietz, NAHB's Organizations: National Association of Home Builders, Market, Treasury Locations: Wells Fargo

☆ As mortgage rates hit 8%, home 'affordability is incredibly difficult,' economist says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Lifestylevisuals | E+ | Getty ImagesHow home affordability has changedIn August 2020, the typical monthly mortgage payment was $1,581, based on an average interest rate of 2.94%, Redfin found. Nowadays, the typical U.S. homebuyer's monthly mortgage payment is $2,866, according to Redfin — an all-time high. "In the next year or two years, interest rates will be lower, and people will have the ability to refinance." That said, competition for homes on the market is likely to be worse in a few years as interest rates cool, she said. "When interest rates come down, everyone's going to come back to the marketplace," said Cohn.

Persons: Redfin, homebuyers, Mark Hamrick, Alicia Huey, Melissa Cohn, William Raveis, Cohn Organizations: Bankrate.com, Istock, Federal Reserve, CNBC, William Raveis Mortgage Locations: U.S, Birmingham , Alabama, New York

The report reflects the uneasy state of new construction, with builders facing the strain of high mortgage rates and increased costs for building materials. “To keep buyers interested, many builders have been offering upgrades or buying down mortgage rates, but rising home prices coupled with mortgage rates approaching 8% means there will be fewer buyers in the market to entice,” Bright MLS Chief Economist Lisa Sturtevant said. It is the week’s second report on the state of the new housing market. On Tuesday, the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index revealed that builder confidence fell for the third consecutive month in October. "Today’s September housing starts report reflects the fragility of the real estate market,” said Travis Hodges, managing director at insurance broker VIU by HUB.

Persons: “, ”, Lisa Sturtevant, Alicia Huey, Travis Hodges Organizations: Census Bureau, Department of Housing, Urban Development, MLS, National Association of Home Builders, National Association of Realtors Locations: Wells Fargo, Birmingham , Alabama, Florida, California

☆ Homebuilder confidence drops to the lowest in 10 months as high mortgage rates freeze the housing market
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Stubbornly high mortgage rates have taken a toll on builder sentiment, the group said. AdvertisementAdvertisementHomebuilder confidence just plunged to its lowest mark in 10 months, the National Association of Home Builders announced on Tuesday. The group cited stubbornly high mortgage rates as the primary drag on confidence. On Tuesday, rates on the 30-year fixed mortgage hit 7.92%, according to Mortgage News Daily's index. Buyers and sellers alike have largely been kept on the sidelines as mortgage rates hover near multi-decade highs and moving homes looks unattractive.

Persons: —, Alicia Huey, Robert Dietz, Dietz Organizations: Service, National Association of Home Builders, Market, Mortgage, Builders, Federal Locations: Wells Fargo

☆ Homebuilder sentiment drops to 10-month low, as mortgage rates soar
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Builder confidence in the market for single-family homes dropped to the lowest level since January, as builders contend with a market dominated by high mortgage rates and costs for financing. The monthly National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index dropped 4 points to 40 in October, and September's read was revised down 1 point. Builders point squarely to mortgage rates, which are now at a 23-year high. Regionally, on a three-month moving average, builder sentiment in the Northeast fell 4 points to 50 and in the Midwest dropped 3 points to 39. In the South it fell 5 points to 49, and in the West it fell 6 points to 41.

Persons: September's, Alicia Huey, Robert Dietz, NAHB's Organizations: National Association of Home Builders, Builders, Midwest, CNBC Locations: Wells Fargo, Birmingham , Alabama, West

The pace of new construction slowed in August amid high mortgage rates and weakening demand, the federal government reported on Tuesday. Housing starts fell 11.3% in August to an annual rate of 1.28 million, the lowest since the summer of 2020. Builders typically pull permits in anticipation of demand, but housing starts occur when lots are ready to be cleared following deposits on future purchases. “The combination of high interest rates, high pricing, and limited inventory has continued to plague the housing market. “And on the supply-side front, builders continue to grapple with shortages of construction workers, buildable lots and distribution transformers, which is further adding to housing affordability woes.

Persons: ”, Kelly Mangold, Alicia Huey, Ksenia Potapov Organizations: Housing, Real Estate Consulting, National Association of Home Builders, First American Financial Corp, “ Locations: Birmingham , Alabama

☆ Homebuilder confidence continues to be weighed down by high mortgage rates
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington, DC CNN —Home builder confidence took a hit in September as average mortgage rates for a 30-year fixed-rate loan stayed above 7%. “The two-month decline in builder sentiment coincides with when mortgage rates jumped above 7% and significantly eroded buyer purchasing power,” said Alicia Huey of the NAHB. All three dimensions of the new housing market evaluated saw declines in September: The index gauging current sales conditions fell six points to 51. “High mortgage rates are clearly taking a toll on builder confidence and consumer demand, as a growing number of buyers are electing to defer a home purchase until long-term rates move lower,” said Robert Dietz, NAHB Chief Economist. As mortgage rates stayed above 7% over the last month, more builders cut prices to boost sales, according to NAHB.

Persons: ”, Alicia Huey, Huey, Robert Dietz, That’s Organizations: DC CNN —, National Association of Home Builders, “, NAHB Locations: Washington, Wells Fargo

☆ Homebuilder sentiment goes negative for the first time in 7 months, thanks to higher mortgage rates
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

U.S. homebuilders are feeling pessimistic about their business for the first time in seven months, thanks to stubbornly high mortgage rates. Builder confidence in the single-family housing market fell 5 points in September to 45 on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index. Current sales conditions fell 6 points to 51, and sales expectations in the next six months also dropped 6 points to 49. Builders cite weaker affordability due to higher mortgage rates. While builders are still benefiting from the lack of supply on the existing sales market, they are also facing hurdles other than higher interest rates.

Persons: Robert Dietz, NAHB's, Alicia Huey Organizations: National Association of Home Builders, Builders Locations: Wells Fargo, Birmingham , Alabama, Midwest, West

☆ US home builders ramped up construction in July, beating expectations
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Housing starts, a measure of new-home construction, climbed to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.452 million in the month, beating market expectations of 1.448 million, according to data released Wednesday by the Census Bureau. “Buyers embraced new homes in the first half of this year as a welcome alternative to the massive shortage of existing homes,” Ratiu said. The slight increase in starts suggests builders have some optimism, she said, though it remains to be seen what future mortgage rate increases may mean for the market. “In many cases, even repurchasing their same home at today’s mortgage rates would be out of a typical buyer’s price range.”Mortgage rates are hovering around 7% and interested buyer traffic is slowing down for some builders. The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index, released Tuesday looks at current sales, buyer traffic and the outlook for sales of new construction homes over the next six months.

Persons: George Ratiu, “ Buyers, ” Ratiu, “ Homebuilders, ”, “, eeking, Kelly Mangold, ” Mangold, Alicia Huey, Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, LEN, Horton Organizations: DC CNN, Housing, Census, “, West, Real Estate Consulting, National Association of Home Builders Locations: Washington, Midwest, West, Wells Fargo, Lennar

☆ Homebuilder sentiment drops sharply, as mortgage rates surge over 7%
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Rising mortgage rates are hitting potential homebuyers hard, and that is taking steam out of the homebuilding market. That is the first decline in seven months and the lowest level since May, when sentiment first rose out of negative territory. Mortgage rates are now holding solidly over 7%, hitting 7.24% Monday, according to Mortgage News Daily. Higher mortgage rates and the decline in buyer activity has more builders using sales incentives once again. The share of builders using all types of incentives, including buying down interest rates, rose to 55% in August from 52% in July.

Persons: Alicia Huey, NAHB, Robert Dietz, NAHB's Organizations: National Association of Home Builders, Mortgage News Locations: Wells Fargo, Birmingham , Alabama, Midwest

☆ Construction of new homes fell 8% in the US last month
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Builders are benefiting from the lack of existing homes for sale as owners hunker down, but higher mortgage rates pose a threat, said Odeta Kushi, deputy chief economist at First American Financial Corporation. Holding household income constant, the increase in mortgage rates reduced home-buying power by approximately $10,000, Kushi said. “There remains pent-up demand in the housing market, but higher rates put a strain on affordability,” said Kushi. Builders remain ‘cautiously optimistic’Builder confidence remains high despite concerns about rising rates. The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index gauges market conditions and looks at current sales, buyer traffic and the outlook for sales of new construction homes over the next six months.

Persons: ”, Robert Frick, “, it’s, Odeta Kushi, Freddie Mac, Kushi, Alicia Huey, Robert Dietz, Dietz Organizations: DC CNN, Housing, Census, Navy Federal Credit Union, First American Financial Corporation, National Association of Home Builders, NAHB, Federal Reserve, Builders Locations: Washington, Wells Fargo

☆ US home construction surged in May by the fastest pace in more than a year
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington, DC CNN —US home building surged in May, climbing 21.7% from April, as low inventory in the existing home market continued to boost interest in new homes. Housing starts, a measure of new home construction, came in far beyond expectations that they would decline by 0.1%, according to data released Tuesday by the Census Bureau. The number of single‐family units rose in May to 1.631 million, above expectations for 1.40 million and above the revised April estimate of 1.34 million. Building permits, which track the number of new housing units granted permits, also rose in May, after dropping in March and April. The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index gauges market conditions and looks at current sales, buyer traffic and the outlook for sales of new construction homes over the next six months.

Persons: ”, Robert Dietz, ” Dietz, Alicia Huey Organizations: DC CNN, Housing, Census, National Association of Home Builders, Federal Reserve Locations: Washington, Wells Fargo

☆ New US home construction surges by most in 3 decades in May
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Housing starts rose to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.631 million units last month from April's downwardly revised 1.34 million, the Commerce Department said on Tuesday. May's rate was the highest since April 2022, which was then the highest since 2006. Starts rose by double-digit margins in the South, Midwest and West while declining by nearly 19% in the Northeast. Permits for future construction, for instance, rose 5.2% to the highest since October at 1.491 million units, led by a 27.1% surge in the Northeast. Permits for single-family projects rose 4.8% while multi-family were up 7.8%.

Persons: April's, Ben Ayers, Alicia Huey, Dan Burns, Conor Humphries, Andrea Ricci Organizations: Federal Reserve, Housing, April's downwardly, Commerce Department, Reuters, Nationwide, National Association of Home Builders, Mortgage, Association, Thomson Locations: South, Midwest, West, Wells Fargo

☆ Homebuyers rejoice: There are more homes coming soon to a neighborhood near you
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Housing starts — also known as new home construction — rose at the fastest monthly rate since 2016. As the Fed pauses its rate hikes, mortgage rates are trending lower and consumer sentiment is rising. Between April and May, housing starts rose by the fastest month-over-month rate since 2016. Single-family housing starts increased 18.5% to a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 997,000 and multi-family housing starts climbed 27.1% to an annualized 634,000 pace. However, as the Fed adjusts its monetary policy and pauses its rate hikes, mortgage rates are trending lower and more homebuyers are returning to the market.

Persons: —, Alicia Huey, Robert Dietz, NAHB, bode, Dietz, it's Organizations: Housing, Service, Census Bureau, Bloomberg, Federal, Builders, National Association of homebuilders, National Association of Home Builders, Federal Reserve Locations: Wells Fargo

☆ New home construction rose in April after a dip in March
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

However, housing starts, a measure of new home construction, were down 22.3% from a year ago, according to data released Wednesday by the Census Bureau. After surging in February following five consecutive months of falling, housing starts fell in March. Single‐family housing starts in April rose 1.6% from the revised March figure, at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 833,000. Building permits, which track the number of new housing units granted permits, fell in April after also dropping in March. Building permits were down in the Northeast and Midwest, but climbed in the South and West.

☆ Homebuilder sentiment pulls out of negative territory for the first time in nearly a year
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

It's the fifth straight month of gains and the first reading of builder sentiment since July that wasn't negative, which would be a reading below 50. With mortgage rates now double what they were a year and a half ago, some potential sellers may be reluctant to trade to another home at a higher rate. Homebuilders also drew more buyers by offering incentives, like buying down mortgage rates. Sentiment in the Midwest rose 2 points to 39. In the South, it increased 3 points to 52, and in the West moved 3 points higher to 41.

☆ Homebuilder sentiment rises in April, as builders grab near-record share of the market
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index rose to 45 in April, a one-point gain. Builders in the report cited a lack of listings on the resale market, which gave them an unusually strong edge. Slightly lower mortgage rates are also helping demand — though rates are still higher than they were a year ago. "Builders note that additional declines in mortgage rates, to below 6%, will price-in further demand for housing," said Alicia Huey, NAHB chairman and a custom homebuilder and developer from Birmingham, Alabama. It marked the first time both of the indicators were positive since June, when mortgage rates really took off.

☆ US homebuilder sentiment improves further; NY state manufacturing rebounds
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Lucia Mutikani | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Other data on Monday showed manufacturing activity in New York state increased for the first time in five months. Housing and manufacturing have been hammered by the Federal Reserve's fastest interest rate hiking campaign since the 1980s. The survey's measure of current sales conditions rose two points to 51. The survey's measure of future business conditions rose to 6.6 from 2.9 in March. The capital spending index rose 3.2 points to 16.5, while the technology spending measure fell to 10.3 from 13.3 in March.

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