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☆ Budget-minded homebuyers should look in these 23 cities where down payments are plummeting, even in an unaffordable housing market
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Affordability remains a headacheHome affordability has taken a huge hit since the pandemic as mortgage rates, property prices, and — by extension — down payments have surged. Mortgage rates have since more than doubled at over 7%, and houses cost over $70,000 more at $332,000. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate is now roughly triple the 2.7% rate it was at in early 2021. The savings rate in the late 2010s was around 6.5% of disposable income, and it spiked early in the pandemic due to a surge of government stimulus. 23 cities where down payments are down meaningfullyAlthough affordability is limited as mortgage rates, home prices, and down payments have risen, there are still dozens of cities where the cost of buying a house is headed lower.

Persons: —, Hannah Jones, Realtor.com, Freddie Mac, they'd, Jones Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Realtor.com

☆ They moved into floating homes and houseboats — and discovered a world of adventure and hidden expenses
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Read previewMoving into their 360-square-foot floating home a year ago was a dream come true for Sarah Spiro and Brandon Jones. In 2023, there were 70 floating home sales reported on the Regional Multiple Listing Service, or RMLS, which covers the Portland area and a significant part of northwest Oregon, Portland Floating Homes real-estate broker John McPherson told BI. Lily and Dylan Rose moved onto their houseboat on Lake Union in Seattle in June 2019. AdvertisementHome insurance for a floating house tends to be about double what it is for a regular house on land, McPherson said. Additionally, the float — the part of the floating house that's equivalent to a foundation — deteriorates over time, McPherson said.

Persons: —, Sarah Spiro, Brandon Jones, Spiro, keepingafloatwiththejoneses Spiro, Jones, keepingafloatwiththejoneses, Adam Lind, @adam.floatinghome, It's, John McPherson, Lily, Dylan Rose, Elizabeth Earle, BI's Jordan Pandy, Earle, Elizabeth Earle Earle's, McPherson, Daryl Fairweather, Redfin's, Realtor.com, Hannah Jones, it's, Laura Woodley, Woodley, isn't, Kate Fincham, Fincham, Lily Rose, Dylan, Rose, she's Organizations: Service, Business, Portland Floating Homes, Realtor.com, Union, Trust, England & Wales, Lake Union Locations: Fontana Lake, North Carolina, Portland, Oregon, Seattle, Sausalito , California, Johns Island , South Carolina, England, Bluffers Park, Toronto, Lake, Boston

☆ Here's how long it would take to build enough homes to fix the housing crisis
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-09 | by ( Madison Hoff | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewIt's no secret there's a housing shortage in the US, and it's not likely to get better any time soon. Hannah Jones, senior economic research analyst for Realtor.com, told Business Insider this year "will still be a challenging housing market." "Buyers are seeing less home inventory, less homes for sale in the market, and sellers are less incentivized to sell in today's market," Jones said. The situation is even more stark when looking at single-family homes alone. Jones said, "multifamily housing has been a bit of a bright spot in the last couple of years."

Persons: —, it's, Hannah Jones, Jones Organizations: Service, Business

☆ These are the 10 best U.S. metros to buy a house in 2024—none of them are in Florida
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-12 | by ( Celia Fernandez | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A December report from real estate broker Realtor.com ranked the best U.S. cities to buy a house in 2024 based on expected price growth and sales. The annual report analyzed the country's 100 largest metropolitan areas and the final result is a list with half of the top metros in California. "These markets generally fall into two camps: affordable metros in the Midwest and Northeast, and high-priced Western metros," Hannah Jones, Realtor.com's Senior Economic Research Analyst, told Newsweek. Though affordability is still an issue for many. Realtor.com explains that while sales and prices are expected to increase from last year, they will remain below pre-pandemic levels.

Persons: Realtor.com, Hannah Jones, Jones Organizations: Economic Research, Newsweek, The Locations: California, Midwest, Realtor.com's, The Midwest, U.S

☆ Home prices are surging in these 20 cities — including 6 with median prices under $240,000 — as buyers rush to snap up properties at faster rates than the rest of the country
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-09 | by ( William Edwards | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

While poor affordability is dampening demand, buyers are still snapping up homes in some cities. Realtor.com recently listed 20 cities where demand is highest. In the December 21 report, Jones listed 20 cities where demand is picking up the most over last year. To create the list, Jones looked at the average number of viewers per listed property in individual cities relative to the national average. In her final list of 20 cities, houses in all locations saw higher visitor traffic than the national average, and all but Columbus, Ohio saw their median days on the market drop year-over-year.

Persons: Hannah Jones, Jones Organizations: Business Locations: Realtor.com, Erie , Pennsylvania, Canton , Ohio, Boston, Columbus , Ohio

☆ Harvard president's resignation draws strong reactions from her critics and supporters
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-02 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Claudine Gay is out as the president of Harvard. Gay announced Tuesday in a letter that she was stepping down, and reactions have poured in on social media from both her supporters and critics. AdvertisementElon Musk voiced his agreement with a social media user's post that said Gay had been "caught plagiarizing." I admire Claudine Gay for putting Harvard's interests first at what I know must be an agonizingly difficult moment. AdvertisementNot everyone celebrated Gay's resignation.

Persons: Claudine Gay, Gay, —, Larry Summers, Gay's, Elon Musk, Emil Michael, Uber's, Alan Garber, — Lawrence H, Summers, Bill Ackman, Ackman, hasn't, Sally Kornbluth, Elizabeth Magill, it’s, 3yUDw6tciF — Emil Michael, @emilmichael, Christopher Rufo, Rufo, Elon, Jason Calacanis, Timnit Gebru, Couldn't, Gebru, Nikole Hannah Jones, Janai Nelson, Liz Magill's, Gary Marcus, Uber, Marcus Organizations: Harvard, Service, Treasury, Twitter, Billionaire, Gay, Former University of Pennsylvania, Harvard Corporation, Conservative, Google, NAACP Legal Defense, Educational Fund

☆ US pending home sales fell to their lowest level in 20 years last month
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington, DC CNN —US pending home sales fell to their lowest level in 20 years in October as mortgage rates surged to their highest levels of the year, according to a report released Thursday. Pending home sales dropped 1.5% last month from September, monthly data from the National Association of Realtors showed. The pending home sales index — a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings rather than closings — was down 8.5% from a year ago. Completed sales of existing homes and sales of new construction homes, which are also based on contract signings, also fell in October. In October, existing home sales fell to the lowest level in 13 years, remaining below 4 million for the first time since October 2010.

Persons: —, ”, Lawrence Yun, Yun, Hannah Jones, October’s, Jones, — Jones, ” Jones, “ Organizations: DC CNN, National Association of Realtors, Northeast, NAR, Realtor.com, “ Locations: Washington, Midwest, South, West

☆ US home prices hit another record high in September, rising for the eighth straight month
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington, DC CNN —US home prices continued to rise in September, hitting a new record high and marking the eighth consecutive month of increases, according to data released Tuesday. Even as mortgage rates lingered above 7% in September, historically low inventory continued to push up the price of a home. Prices rose 0.7% in September from the month before, according to seasonally adjusted data from the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller US National Home Price Index. Compared to a year ago, the national composite index also rose, with prices up 3.9% from September 2022, the data shows. Higher prices and higher mortgage rates led to crushing affordability challenges for homebuyers in September, bringing existing home sales to 13-year lows.

Persons: ”, Craig Lazzara, Dow, Charlotte ,, Hannah Jones, Jones Organizations: DC CNN, Dow Jones, Las, Realtor.com, homebuyers Locations: Washington, Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Charlotte , North Carolina, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Miami ; New York, Tampa , Florida, San Diego, New York, Las Vegas, Portland , Oregon, Northeast, Midwest

☆ People are leaving Texas over rising costs, partisan politics, and a sense of disenchantment
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-26 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Business Insider wants to hear from you. Over 494,000 people left Texas between 2021 and 2022 (though the state gained a net population of 174,261.) "The property tax percentage rate is higher," Marie Bailey, a Texas-based realtor who moved from El Segundo, California, to Prosper, Texas, in 2017, previously told Business Insider. AdvertisementFor Texans, "the Midwest has emerged as popular recently because it is just by and large the most affordable region," Hannah Jones, Realtor.com's economic research analyst, told Business Insider in October. Burse told Business Insider in September that it played a crucial role in her decision to relocate to Texas in 2021.

Persons: —, I'm, I've, we've, Marie Bailey, Hannah Jones, they've, Jackie Burse, Burse, Bob McCranie, McCranie, Texas hasn't, Nick Thomas, he's, Thomas, Jules Rogers, hadn't, Rogers Organizations: Texas, Business, Service, Lone Star, Lone, Lone Star State, KXAN News, Austin Locations: Texas, Knoxville, Realtor.com, El Segundo , California, Prosper , Texas, Marie Bailey As Texas, California, Dallas, New York, Florida, Florida and Texas, Austin, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland , Oregon, Houston, Pacific, Portland

☆ From construction workers to electricians, these are the infrastructure jobs set to boom in the next few years
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Madison Hoff | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Insider looked at employment projections for work related to construction and infrastructure. Both white-collar and blue-collar jobs are poised to boom, with demand for construction laborers and truck drivers, as well as business services. President Joe Biden is also behind the need for more infrastructure construction. Construction and infrastructure jobs are growingConstruction laborers are projected to see employment growth of 61,900 from 2022 to 2032. This job typically requires a postsecondary nondegree award for entry and long-term on-the-job training for competency.

Persons: —, Hannah Jones, Joe Biden, Kit Dickinson, Ed Brady, remodelers, Carpenter, Dickinson, Nela Richardson, Brady, Organizations: Service, Law, Georgetown University Center, Education, Workforce, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Home Builders Institute, National Association of Home Builders, BLS

Home prices rose 0.4% in August and at an annual rate of 2.6%, as low inventories buoyed prices even while mortgages hit the 7% level. The CoreLogic Case-Shiller index for the month found 12 of the 20 cities in the index saw higher prices in August from the year-ago period. home prices continued to rise in August 2023,” said Craig J. Lazzara, managing director at S&P DJI. “The year’s increase in mortgage rates has surely suppressed housing demand, but after years of very low rates, it seems to have suppressed supply even more. Political Cartoons on the Economy View All 604 Images“The affordability challenge is being exacerbated by persistently higher mortgage rates,” said Lisa Sturtevant, chief economist for Bright MLS.

Persons: ”, Craig J, Lazzara, ” Selma Hepp, Lisa Sturtevant, Hannah Jones, That’s, Rhys Williams, It’s, Venkat Balakrishnan, –, Dana Peterson, “, ” Peterson Organizations: Bright MLS, Federal Reserve, ”, Census Bureau, “, Realtor.com, Management, Fed, Conference Board, Hamas, Financial Group Locations: Chicago, New York, Detroit, Las Vegas, “, Israel

☆ Locals are being priced out of Texas and Florida. Here's where they're looking for affordable homes instead.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-15 | by ( Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Home prices in Texas and Florida have increased 30% and 42% since 2019, according to Realtor.com. AdvertisementAdvertisementAs people across the US relocate to Florida and Texas, locals are feeling squeezed — and searching elsewhere for affordable homes. The typical cost of a home in Texas has spiked 30% since 2019, according to Realtor.com, and 42% in Florida during the same time period. These residents are increasingly searching on Realtor.com for homes outside of their state, suggesting they're willing to chase affordability across the country. AdvertisementAdvertisementFloridians are priced out too, and looking elsewhereMeanwhile, Floridians are eyeing homes nearby.

Persons: —, Hannah Jones, staters, Realtor.com, Holly Meyer Lucas, who's, Meyer Lucas Organizations: Realtor.com, Texans, Service, Wall Street Journal Locations: Texas, Florida, North Carolina , Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Tennessee , Colorado, Missouri, Alabama, South Florida

The average rate on the benchmark 30-year home loan rose to 7.57% from 7.49% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. The average rate on a 30-year home loan climbed above 6% in September 2022 and has remained above that threshold since. This marks the first 12-month period that the benchmark mortgage rate has been at 6% or higher since the early 2000s. It's now at the highest level since Dec. 1, 2000, when it averaged 7.65%. "With mortgage rates well above 7%, some prospective homebuyers are turning to ARMs to lower their monthly payment in the short term amidst these high mortgage rates,” said Bob Broeksmit, the MBA's CEO.

Persons: Freddie Mac, It's, ”, Hannah Jones, there's, Bob Broeksmit Organizations: ANGELES, —, Mortgage, Association, Treasury, U.S Locations: U.S

☆ Case Shiller: Home prices rose for the fifth straight month in June
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington, DC CNN —Home prices rose again in June, marking the fifth successive month of gains, and remaining near the all-time highs notched a year ago. Prices rose 0.7% from the month before, according to seasonally adjusted data from the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller US National Home Price Index released Tuesday. While home prices have remained strong in 2023, stubbornly high mortgage rates complicate the situation for potential homebuyers, said Selma Hepp, CoreLogic’s chief economist. Home prices in San Francisco were down 9.7% from a year ago and Seattle prices fell by 8.8%. “Many existing homeowners remain on the sidelines of the market, content to stay put as mortgage rates reach 20-year highs,” said Jones.

Persons: ”, Craig Lazzara, Selma Hepp, Hannah Jones, Freddie Mac, Jones Organizations: DC CNN, Realtor.com, ” Builders, “ Locations: Washington, “, Midwest, New England, Cities, Chicago, Cleveland, New York, West, San Francisco, Seattle

☆ The 10 hottest ZIP codes in America right now
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Leading the pack are ZIP codes in the Midwest and Northeast, where housing remains relatively affordable. Realtor.com reported America's hottest ZIP codes as of June 2023. Using internal listing data from from January to June 2023, the brokerage ranked homebuying demand.in all 29,000 US ZIP codes. Topping Realtor.com's list of 2023's hottest US ZIP codes is 43230, belonging to Gahanna,, a central Ohio city of 35,127 residents. If Ohio isn't your vibe, Realtor.com has identified other popular ZIP codes in states like Connecticut, New York and Pennsylvania.

Persons: Realtor.com, Hannah Jones, Read Organizations: Service, Phoenix, of, Columbus International Locations: Midwest, Northeast, Wall, Silicon, Austin, Boise, Gahanna, Ohio, of Ohio, Downtown Columbus, Columbus, Connecticut , New York, Pennsylvania

☆ Mortgage rates climb, edging closer to 7%
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington, DC CNN —US mortgage rates jumped this week, climbing closer to 7%. “This development, along with upcoming employment and inflation data, will determine how much mortgage rates may rise in the short term.”Should employment and inflation pick up steam, she said, mortgage rates are likely to continue climbing as markets anticipate further monetary tightening. Mortgage rates tend to track the yield on 10-year US Treasuries, which move based on a combination of anticipation about the Fed’s actions, what the Fed actually does and investors’ reactions. When Treasury yields go up, so do mortgage rates; when they go down, mortgage rates tend to follow. Many homeowners held off on listing their home for sale, largely in response to today’s high mortgage rates, Jones said.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, ”, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, Hannah Jones, Jones, ” Jones, “ Organizations: DC CNN, Federal Reserve, Fitch, U.S, Realtor.com, US Treasury, Treasury Locations: Washington, “

☆ Here’s why home prices stayed high in May
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

“The ongoing recovery in home prices is broadly based.”Before seasonal adjustment, prices rose in all 20 cities in May, as they had also done in March and April. Month over month, home prices rose in May for the fourth consecutive month. “Though home prices are likely to continue to cool slightly, limited inventory relative to buyer demand will likely keep prices somewhat afloat. By 1983, partly spurred by high inflation, the price rose to $75,500, and it continued rising to $126,100 by 1993. “It is worth noting that market data are coming up on last year’s record-high prices, notched during May and June,” he said.

Persons: “, ”, Craig Lazzara, “ It’s, Hannah Jones, Jones, George Ratiu, May’s, Ratiu, ” Ratiu Organizations: DC CNN, City Composites, Realtor.com, ”, National Association of Realtors, Federal Reserve Locations: Washington, Chicago, Cleveland, New York, Seattle, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Miami, Tampa , Florida, “, ’

☆ Home prices continue to climb with 'striking' regional differences, says S&P Case-Shiller
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Home prices in May rose for the fourth straight month on the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller home price index, but regional differences are widening. The index's 10-city composite gained 1.1%, and the 20-city composite gained 1%. Current homeowners are reluctant to sell, given that most are paying mortgage rates that are less than half of today's rates. Demand returned after the initial jump in mortgage rates, as buyers seem to be getting used to a new normal. Correction: Home prices in May rose for the fourth straight month on the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller home price index.

Persons: Craig Lazzara, It's, Hannah Jones Organizations: Midwest Locations: U.S, Chicago, Cleveland, New York, Seattle, San Francisco

☆ Mortgage rates drop, backing off 7%
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington, DC CNN —US mortgage rates dipped this week, backing off 7% as inflation slows ahead of the Federal Reserve’s rate decision meeting next week. The average mortgage rate is based on mortgage applications that Freddie Mac receives from thousands of lenders across the country. “As inflation slows, mortgage rates decreased this week,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. When Treasury yields go up, so do mortgage rates; when they go down, mortgage rates tend to follow. But as a result, Jones said, mortgage rates are likely to remain elevated for the time being.

Persons: Freddie Mac, ”, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, “, Hannah Jones, Jones, ‘ Organizations: DC CNN, ”, Treasury Locations: Washington, today’s, ’

☆ US home prices rose in March for the second month in a row
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Washington, DC CNN —US home prices rose slightly in March, showing a continuing recovery, according to the latest S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller US National Home Price Index, released Tuesday. It’s the second month in a row that prices have increased, after an increase in February that snapped a seven-month streak of month-over-month declines. Home prices went up 0.7% in March from the year before, down from 2.1% in the previous month. “The farther west we look, the weaker prices are.”Miami continued to have the largest year-over-year price growth for the eighth consecutive month with a 7.7% increase. Still, “the housing market is likely to remain relatively tense until either home prices or mortgage rates fall enough to bring balance via both buyer and seller activity.”

☆ Mortgage rates climb to the highest level in a month
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington, DC CNN —Mortgage rates rose this week, after five weeks of falling. “For the first time in over a month, mortgage rates moved up due to shifting market expectations,” 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. When Treasury yields go up, so do mortgage rates; when they go down, mortgage rates tend to follow. “Last week’s jump in mortgage rates led to a pullback in mortgage applications, as homebuyers remain sensitive to rate movements,” said Bob Broeksmit, CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association.

☆ Mortgage rates fall for the fourth week in a row
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington, DC CNN —Homebuyers benefited from another week of falling mortgage rates, with the average rate dropping for the fourth week in a row, according to data from Freddie Mac released Thursday. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.28% in the week ending April 6, down from 6.32% the week before. “Mortgage rates continue to trend down entering the traditional spring homebuying season,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. Mortgage rates tend to move with the 10-year Treasury yield, which ticked up this week, but the spread between the two narrowed as mortgage rates moved down and the market continued to navigate ongoing economic uncertainty.”“Potential buyers continue to face elevated mortgage rates and home prices, making buying less accessible than a year ago,” said Jones. Pent-up housing demand is evident with every gain in affordability, whether it be softening prices or lower mortgage rates.”

☆ Mortgage rates fall for the third week in a row
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington, DC CNN —Homebuyers saw another week of falling mortgage rates, with the average rate dropping last week for the third week in a row, according to data from Freddie Mac released Thursday. “Economic uncertainty continues to bring mortgage rates down,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. When Treasury yields go up, so do mortgage rates; when they go down, mortgage rates tend to follow. “Pent-up housing demand is evident with every gain in affordability, whether it be softening prices or lower mortgage rates,” said Jones. “The mortgage market has seen a partial revival in March, with the recent decline in mortgage rates boosting borrower demand,” said Bob Broeksmit CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association.

☆ Home prices cool in January, even falling in some cities, S&P Case-Shiller says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Home prices cooled in January, up only 3.8% nationally than they were a year earlier, according to the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price NSA Index. That was likely due to a brief drop in mortgage rates and a resulting jump in sales. Home prices have been cooling due to higher mortgage rates. Miami prices were up 13.8%, Tampa prices up 10.5%, and Atlanta prices rose 8.4%. All 20 cities, however, reported lower prices in the year ending January 2023 versus the year ending December 2022.

☆ Mortgage rates fall for a second week
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington, DC CNN —Mortgage rates dropped again this week for the second week in a row amid lingering concerns about bank failures and uncertainty in the financial markets. The average mortgage rate is based on mortgage applications that Freddie Mac receives from thousands of lenders across the country. When Treasury yields go up, so do mortgage rates; when they go down, mortgage rates tend to follow. “Each downward tick in mortgage rates is met with increased buyer demand, as many eager home shoppers take advantage of the slightly lower cost of financing a home,” she said. “At the current price and mortgage rate level, the typical housing payment on a median-priced home is 43% higher than one year ago,” said Jones.

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