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☆ 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

☆ How Buying a New Home Could Save You Money
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-19 | by ( Aly J. Yale | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +5 min

As the median payment on a new mortgage creeps toward $2,200, most buyers are desperate to save cash wherever they can. They’re offering lower mortgage ratesIf slashed prices aren’t enough to get a mortgage payment in your budget, builders have another offer: A lower mortgage rate. (Essentially, the builder prepays the lender the interest for the years the mortgage rate is reduced). NAHB’s data shows that 29% of builders offered mortgage rate buydowns in October. “Many builders are using sales incentives—including mortgage rate buydowns—as a method of addressing housing affordability headwinds,” says Robert Dietz, chief economist at NAHB.

Persons: Aly J, ”, Nick Bailey, Max, Robert Dietz, buydowns —, Lennar, what’s, Angel Conlin, Pat Howard Organizations: Yale, Builders, National Association of Home Builders, “, NAHB, Kin Insurance Locations: Denver, Chicago, “, Policygenius

☆ Homebuilder stocks could get another boost from rate hikes ending
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

New York CNN —For over a year, the red-hot housing market has been at the mercy of the Federal Reserve’s rate hikes, which have driven mortgage rates to sky-high levels. Mortgage rates have hovered above 7% since August, according to Freddie Mac data. Both those factors have helped create a scorching-hot housing market and a boom in homebuilder stocks, as Americans turned to building as a buying alternative. Moderating bond yields could change the narrative for the housing market. Tight supply and elevated mortgage rates this year made home purchases the least affordable they’ve been since 1984.

Persons: Bell, Freddie Mac, Toll, DR Horton, Lennar, Price, Steve Sosnick, ”, John Petrofsky, Chris Isidore, Danielle Wiener, Bronner, haven’t, Clare Duffy, Donie, Meta Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New, New York CNN, Homeowners, DR, Federal, Treasury, Interactive, National Association of Home Builders, FBB Capital Partners, Starbucks, United Auto Workers, SAG, Writers Guild of America, Starbucks Workers United, Facebook, Street, Washington Post Locations: New York, Wells Fargo, Buffalo , New York, United States, Brazil, Israel, Italy

The pace of new construction quickened in October as both building permits and housing starts rose despite elevated mortgage rates, the government reported on Friday. New housing starts were 1.372 million compared to 1.346 million a month earlier. “A good inflation report and steadily declining mortgage rates provide some relief to the market. Also on a positive note, mortgage rates fell this week following the CPI and the resultant drop in bond yields from their recent highs. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage fell to an average of 7.44% in the week ending Nov. 16, a drop from 7.5% a week earlier, Freddie Mac said on Thursday.

Persons: Wells, ”, Lisa Sturtevant, homebuyers, Freddie Mac, Odeta Kushi Organizations: Census Bureau, Department of Housing, Urban, National Association of Home Builders, MLS, homebuilders, ”, CPI, “ Builders, First Locations: Midwest, West

☆ US housing starts rise moderately; tight supply supporting new construction
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Lucia Mutikani | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Single-family housing starts, which account for the bulk of homebuilding, rose 0.2% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 970,000 units last month, the Commerce Department's Census Bureau said. Overall housing starts rose 1.9% to a rate of 1.372 million units in October. The number of housing under construction dipped 0.1% to a rate of 1.674 million units. The inventory of single-family housing under construction declined 0.6% to a rate of 669,000 units, the lowest level since May 2021. The stock of multi-family housing under construction edged up 0.1% to 987,000 units, not far from recent record highs.

Persons: Jeffrey Roach, Ben Ayers, Freddie Mac, Bill Adams, Thomas Ryan, Lucia Mutikani, Chizu Nomiyama, Nick Zieminski Organizations: WASHINGTON, Commerce Department, LPL Financial, Commerce, Data, National Association of Home Builders, Nationwide, Federal Reserve, Treasury, Comerica Bank, Reuters, Realtors, Capital Economics, Thomson Locations: Charlotte , North Carolina, homebuilding, Commerce Department's, Northeast, Columbus , Ohio, Dallas, West, South, Midwest

☆ 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

☆ 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

☆ The Fed is terrified Americans could get used to high inflation. It may already be happening.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Fed officials don’t expect inflation to reach 2% until 2026, according to their latest economic projections released in September. If there’s one thing that would make the Fed quake in its boots, it would be worsening inflation expectations. The keyword there is “timely.”Sticky inflation could possibly “un-anchor” inflation expectations or elicit a consistent deterioration in Americans’ perception on inflation. “The Fed really just wants people to not expect inflation will run at 4% forever.”So what’s kept inflation expectations in check this long? For individuals and married people filing separately, the new federal standard deduction will increase to $14,600, up from $13,850 this year.

Persons: we’ve, Raphael Bostic, “, ” Luke Tilley, ”, Jerome Powell, presser, Powell, Michelle Bowman, Tilley, ” Drew Matus, what’s, Matus, “ They’re, Jeanne Sahadi, Lisa Cook, Phillip Jefferson, Michael Barr, Loretta Mester, Austan Goolsbee, John Williams, Christopher Waller, Mary Daly Organizations: DC CNN, Federal Reserve, Fed, University of Michigan’s, Atlanta Fed, Bloomberg, Investment Advisors, CNN, ”, New York Bankers Association, New York Fed, MetLife Investment Management, IRS, Tyson Foods, Depot, US Labor Department, National Federation of Independent Business, China’s National Bureau of Statistics, Target, National Statistics, US Commerce Department, Walmart, National Association of Home Builders, San Francisco Fed Locations: Washington, Wilmington, Palm Beach , Florida

☆ US new home sales jump to 19-month high; median price falls
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Lucia Mutikani | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The larger-than-expected increase in sales last month reported by the Commerce Department on Wednesday showed that the new housing market continued to be supported by a chronic shortage of previously owned houses. That is leading to very different dynamics in different parts of the housing market." New home sales are counted at the signing of a contract, making them a leading indicator of the housing market. The National Association of Home Builders reported last week that about a third of builders reported cutting home prices in October, a 10-month high, with the average price discount at 6%. The housing market likely stabilized in the third quarter, thanks to strong homebuilding and new home sales.

Persons: Sarah Silbiger, Bill Adams, resales, Freddie Mac, Dan Hnatkovskyy, Lucia Mutikani, Chizu Nomiyama, Andrea Ricci Organizations: REUTERS, U.S, Commerce Department, Comerica Bank, Reuters, Midwest ., National Association of Home Builders, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, WASHINGTON, Dallas, Northeast, West, Midwest

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

With two wars, a rising price of oil and a shaky bond market, there is plenty of worry for the markets and economists this week, including a slew of corporate earnings reports and data on the state of the housing market and retail spending. Meanwhile, Russia has been pressing its invasion of Ukraine that is now a year and a half old. Last week ended with a surprise increase in consumer’s expectations of inflation in the University of Michigan’s sentiment survey. Where new home construction a few months ago was holding up the housing market, now it has slumped amid mortgage rates that have brushed 8%. The firm published its monthly economic outlook last week and did not include any more Fed rate hikes in the current cycle.

Persons: “, Jerome Powell, Powell, ” Sam Bullard Organizations: Hamas, University of, “, BCA Research, ”, National Association of Home Builders, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, National Association of Realtors, Economic, of New, Wells Locations: East, Ukraine, Gaza, Israel, Palestinian, U.S, Iran, Lebanon, Russia, of New York

☆ Adjustable-rate mortgages are making a comeback
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Meanwhile, the average rate for a kind of adjustable rate mortgage — a 5/1 ARM — dropped to 6.33% from 6.49%. (Freddie Mac, which provides an average that CNN covers weekly, does not track interest rates for adjustable rate mortgages). When Treasury yields go up, so do mortgage rates; when they go down, mortgage rates tend to follow. Fixed rate vs ARMWhile the overwhelming share of loans are still fixed-rate mortgages, ARMs are becoming more attractive in the current higher-rate environment. Generally, homeowners with higher mortgage rates will pay more in interest rather than principal for a longer time than those with lower interest rates.

Persons: —, Freddie Mac, ”, Bob Broeksmit, Melissa Cohn, Cohn, National Association of Home Builders —, ” Cohn, Kaylin Dillon, Jay Zigmont, ’ ” Zigmont, you’re Organizations: DC CNN, Mortgage, Association, CNN, “, ARM, Fed, Federal Reserve, William, Treasury, Mortgage Bankers Association, National Association of Realtors, National Association of Home Builders, Childfree Locations: Washington, Israel, Kansas, Mississippi

☆ Israel-Hamas war risks further deglobalization and inflation
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-15 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Washington, DC CNN —The global economy is facing tremendous uncertainty from the war between Hamas and Israel in the Middle East, on top of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. They say Israel’s declaration of war against Hamas could be yet another catalyst for deglobalization, though the extent of that is still up in the air. If deglobalization does get exacerbated, what would that mean for inflation and monetary policy, globally? With deglobalization, you get a global economic environment that’s less competitive, and when there’s less competition, that is ultimately inflationary, causing prices to rise. Over the Covid era, China shut down production, disrupting the global supply chain, so deglobalization would bring some production back within US borders.

Persons: Wells, Bell, Brendan McKenna, that’s, Trump, there’s, Hanna Ziady, we’ve, ”, Avi Hasson, Patrick Harker, John Williams, Tom Barkin, Michelle Bowman, Tesla, Christopher Waller, Lisa Cook, Jerome Powell, Austan Goolsbee, Michael Barr, Raphael Bostic, Loretta Mester Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, DC CNN, Trump, Hamas, Nation Central, Philadelphia Fed, US Commerce Department, Federal Reserve, National Association of Home Builders, China’s National Bureau of Statistics, Procter & Gamble, United Kingdom’s, National Statistics, American Airlines, US Labor Department, Federal, Fed Locations: Washington, Israel, Russia, Ukraine, China, Wells Fargo, Gaza, deglobalization, United States, Mexico, US, Tel Aviv, New York

If officials were to announce this ahead of their next meeting, this could indeed allow mortgage rates to cool off a bit. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates will affect your monthly and long-term payments. 30-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesLast week, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 7.49%, according to Freddie Mac. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesAverage 15-year mortgage rates were 6.78% last week, according to Freddie Mac data. Mortgage rates started ticking up from historic lows in the second half of 2021 and increased significantly in 2022.

Persons: they've, Freddie Mac, it's Organizations: Mortgage Bankers Association, National Association of Realtors, National Association of Home Builders, Federal Reserve, Zillow Locations: Chevron

☆ The housing market will drag the economy into a hard landing unless the Fed takes these 'simple steps,' trade groups warn
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Matthew Fox | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Housing trade groups urged the Federal Reserve to stop hiking interest rates immediately. The NAHB, MBA, and NAR warned that a hard landing is likely, unless the Fed takes two "simple steps." AdvertisementAdvertisementThe Federal Reserve needs to take two "simple steps" to assure that it sticks a soft landing in the economy, according to three housing industry trade groups. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe trade groups pointed out that housing activity accounts for an estimated 16% of GDP in the US. "We urge the Fed to take these simple steps to ensure that this sector does not precipitate the hard landing the Fed has tried so hard to avoid," the letter concluded.

Persons: —, Jerome Powell Organizations: Federal Reserve, NAR, Fed, Service, Reserve, National Association of Home Builders, Mortgage Bankers Association, National Association of Realtors, Treasury, MBS

☆ Housing industry urges Powell to stop raising interest rates or risk an economic hard landing
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Top real estate and banking officials are calling on the Federal Reserve to stop raising interest rates as the industry suffers through surging housing costs and a "historic shortage" of available homes for sale. The National Association of Home Builders, the Mortgage Bankers Association and the National Association of Realtors said they wrote the letter "to convey profound concern sharedamong our collective memberships that ongoing market uncertainty about the Fed's rate path is contributing to recent interest rate hikes and volatility." The groups ask the Fed not to "contemplate further rate hikes" and not to actively sell its holdings of mortgage securities at least until the housing market has stabilized. "We urge the Fed to take these simple steps to ensure that this sector does not precipitate the hard landing the Fed has tried so hard to avoid," the group said. The letter comes as the Fed is weighing how it should proceed with monetary policy after raising its key borrowing rate 11 times since March 2022.

Persons: Jerome Powell Organizations: Federal Reserve, Fed, of Governors, National Association of Home Builders, Mortgage Bankers Association, National Association of Realtors

☆ Supreme Court case may gut the CFPB: Consumer watchdog's ‘future is on the line,’ group says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Visitors walk across the U.S. Supreme Court plaza on the first day of the court's new session on Oct. 2, 2023. Bill Clark | Cq-roll Call, Inc. | Getty ImagesWhy the CFPB's funding may be unconstitutionalThe Consumer Financial Protection Bureau headquarters in Washington. Lawmakers created the federal agency to protect consumers from predatory financial practices. The Supreme Court ruled against the agency in a 2020 case, Seila Law v. CFPB, finding part of its structure to be unconstitutional but ultimately keeping the agency intact. Instead, the CFPB's funding isn't authorized by Congress each year.

Persons: Bill Clark, Washington . Samuel Corum, Dodd, Frank, —, John Coleman, Orrick, Coleman, Rohit Chopra, Tom Williams Organizations: U.S, Supreme, Cq, Inc, Getty, Financial, Bloomberg, Lawmakers, U.S ., Appeals, Circuit, Congress, Federal Reserve, 5th Circuit, Congressional Research Service, Mortgage Bankers Association, National Association of Home Builders, National Association of Realtors Locations: Washington .

☆ Sales of newly built homes reverse course, drop nearly 9% in August
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Sales of newly built homes fell 8.7% in August from July, to a seasonally adjusted annualized pace of 675,000 units, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The Census count is based on signed contracts during the month, and mortgage rates took a sharp jump higher. The median price of a newly built home sold in August was $430,300, a drop of 2% compared with August of last year. Homebuilders have been lowering prices as well as offering more incentives, like buying down mortgage rates. One of the nation's largest homebuilders, Lennar, recently reported strong earnings, but that was for a quarter where mortgage rates hadn't hit their highest yet.

Persons: Imogen Pattison, Homebuilders, Stuart Miller, Miller, Robert Dietz, NAHB's Organizations: . Census, Mortgage News, Capital Economics, National Association of Home Builders

☆ US new home sales tumble in August
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

New home sales plunged 8.7% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 675,000 units last month, the Commerce Department said on Tuesday. July's sales pace was revised higher to 739,000 units from the previously reported 714,000 units. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast new home sales, which account for a small share of U.S. home sales, falling to a rate of 700,000 units. New home sales are counted at the signing of a contract, making them a leading indicator of the housing market. At August's sales pace it would take 7.8 months to clear the supply of houses on the market, up from 7.0 months in July.

Persons: Octavio Jones, Freddie Mac, Lucia Mutikani, Andrea Ricci Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, U.S, Commerce Department, Reuters, Treasury, Federal Reserve, Data, National Association of Home Builders, Thomson Locations: Tampa , Florida, U.S, Wells Fargo, West, Midwest, Northeast

☆ US housing starts hit three-year low; surge in permits point to underlying strength
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Lucia Mutikani | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

The decline in housing starts reported by the Commerce Department on Tuesday was the largest in a year and occurred across the board. Housing starts tumbled 11.3% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.283 million units last month, the lowest level since June 2020. Data for July was revised lower to show starts accelerating to a rate of 1.447 million units instead of the previously reported 1.452 million units. Single-family housing starts, which account for the bulk of homebuilding, dropped 4.3% to a rate of 941,000 units last month. They were boosted by a 14.8% surge in multi-family housing permits to a rate of 535,000 units.

Persons: Mike Blake, homebuilding, Daniel Vielhaber, Hilary, Freddie Mac, Goldman Sachs, Nancy Vanden Houten, Jeffrey Roach, Lucia Mutikani, Chizu Nomiyama, Paul Simao, Andrea Ricci Organizations: REUTERS, Commerce Department, Federal, Nationwide, Reuters, U.S, Treasury, National Association of Home Builders, Oxford Economics, Realtors, LPL Financial, Thomson Locations: Rancho, San Diego , California, U.S, WASHINGTON, Columbus , Ohio, homebuilding, Northeast, Midwest, Wells Fargo, New York, Charlotte , North Carolina

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

☆ Home building sank in August amid crushing mortgage rates
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Washington, DC CNN —US home building sank in August, dropping 11.3% from July levels, as mortgage rates stayed elevated amid lingering inflation. After rising in July, new home starts dropped in August as mortgage rates climbed back to their late 2022 peak. “The combination of high interest rates, high pricing, and limited inventory has continued to plague the housing market,” said Kelly Mangold of RCLCO Real Estate Consulting. “In many cases, even repurchasing their same home at today’s mortgage rates would be out of a typical buyer’s price range.”More than 90% of homeowners have a mortgage rate under 6% and many have rates closer to 2% or 3%. Home builder confidence was lower in September, according to a separate report from the National Association of Home Builders / Wells Fargo Housing Market Index released Monday.

Persons: ”, Kelly Mangold, Mangold, “ Organizations: DC CNN, Housing, Census, Real Estate Consulting, “, National Association of Home Builders Locations: Washington, Wells Fargo

☆ 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

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