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new Home Sales Declined Dramatically

August 26th, 2010

Brand new Home Sales Declined Dramatically Last Thirty day period

Revenue of new properties decreased unexpectedly in July, the govt said on Wednesday inside the second document this week that demonstrated that the housing industry stalled previous thirty day period.

The Commerce Department reported that product sales of new properties in July fell twelve.4 percent from June, to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 276,000 units. That was the lowest level in July considering that the govt began keeping track in 1963

July income of new real estate had been 32.4 pct beneath revenue for July 2009. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters had expected income to be flat in July from June. June sales had been revised down to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 315,000, from 330,000, after Could fell to an annual rate of 267,000.

The document also claimed the median product sales cost was $204,000 in July, down 6 pct from June and 4.8 % from July ’09. The average income selling price was $235,300 in July, down three.1 pct from June.

July was the initial thirty days that residence buyers could no longer are entitled for a tax credit of as much as $8,000, which analysts said may have contributed to the decrease.

The document was unveiled a day after the National Association of Realtors reported that income of employed real estate in July plunged to their lowest level in a lot more than a decade, as home buyers lost the incentive of a government tax credit. The association said that the seasonally adjusted annual income rate of 3.83 million was 25.five pct beneath the level of July ’09.

Home finance loan rates are the lowest in modern memory although affordability, simply because of price declines of 30 percent in many areas, could be the highest in at the least a decade. The federal federal government enables buyers to put only a token amount down, guarantees loan providers against default and routinely issues proclamations that the worst is over.

Still, with unemployment steady for months at much more than 9 %, and with millions heavily in debt or simply skittish, several potential buyers are sitting on the sidelines.

Genuine estate aided drive this recession, and no one can expect it to lead the way out. Instead, the urgent question is how significantly it could hinder other parts with the fragile recovery

Some other economic statistics released Friday also reflected the sluggish pace in the recovery. Even the manufacturing industry, once considered a strong point, appeared to struggle.

Orders of big-ticket items from American factories rose lower than forecast in July, an indication that manufacturing was starting to weaken, the Commerce Department reported Friday.

It claimed orders to American factories for tough goods rose .3 % final 30 days, significantly under the 3 percent development that had already been forecast. Excluding the volatile transportation segment, orders fell three.8 pct. Orders for machinery dropped 15 pct, whilst those for capital goods fell 8 pct.

On Fri, the govt will provide its latest estimate on second-quarter growth. Analysts now anticipate that development within the quarter will probably be revised down to an yearly rate of 1.four pct from the prior estimate of 2.4 %.

Though the low rates have not spurred residence purchasing, the demand for residence refinancing loans final week hit a 15-month high, the Home finance loan Bankers Association said Wednesday in a statement.

Refinancing accounted for 82.four % of overall applications last week up from 81.4 percent the earlier week, which could be the highest share because January ’09, the association stated.

Mortgage Help from Government

August 18th, 2010
president obama 300x235 Mortgage Help from Government

President Obama discussing mortgage programs.

Recognizing that the Housing Crisis is one of the most important challenges to the recovery of the American economy, the Obama Administration introduced a plan to help struggling home owners avoid foreclosure and stay in their homes.

The program, Making Home Affordable, is designed to help homeowners restructure their loans – either by modifying their mortgages under the Home Affordable Modification Program, providing refinancing opportunities for Fannie/Freddie mortgages with the Home Affordable Refinance Program, modifying their second mortgages with the Second Lien Modification Program (2MP), providing mortgage forbearance for the unemployed under the Home Affordable Unemployment Program (UP) – or, when a homeowner can’t afford to stay in their home, provide help avoiding foreclosure by transitioning to more affordable housing with the Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives Program.

Each of programs have specific eligibility requirements described more fully below.

Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP)

The Home Affordable Refinance Program is a program designed to help creditworthy homeowners who are committed to paying their mortgage refinance their home into a more affordable loan. To be eligible for HARP, your home must be your primary residence (up to a four unit building) and your loan must be conforming (see below) and owned or guaranteed by Fanny/Freddie. You must also be current with your mortage payments and the first mortgage cannot exceed 125% of the fair market value of your home. Finally, you must have the financial ability to make the payments on the refinanced mortgage.

To find out if your mortgage is owned or guaranteed by Fannie/Freddie, use the following contact information -

For Fannie Mae – you can call 1-800-7FANNIE (8am to 8pm EST) or go online to www.FannieMae.com/loanlookup

For Freddie Mac – you can call 1-800-FREDDIE (8am to 8pm EST) or go to their website at www.FreddieMac.com/mymortgage

A conforming loan for most areas of the United States meets the following criteria -

Single-family homes: $417,000            Two-unit properties: $533,850
Three-unit properties: $645,300         Four-unit properties: $801,950

Four areas of the country – Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and Puerto Rico – are designated as high cost areas and have higher conforming loan limits. Also, since 2008 certain areas of the contiguous US are subject to higher conforming loan limits for single family homes only. The Federal Housing Finance Authority page on high cost areas provides further detail.

Below are the conforming loan limits for the high cost areas -

Single-family homes: $729,750             Two-unit properties: $934,200
Three-unit properties: $1,129,250        Four-unit properties: $1,403,400

How to Apply for HARP

To apply for the HARP program, you should first review the eligibility requirements and see if you think you may be eligible. Next, contact your lender (or any other servicer authorized to conduct business with Fannie/Freddie) and ask them for a HARP application form. You should be prepared to produce the following information -

  • information on your first mortgage (and second mortgage if you have one);
  • a copy of their most recent tax return on file and likely a Request for Transcript of Tax Return: Form 4506-T from the IRS;
  • copies of recent pay stubs or, if self-employed, provide verifiable income documentation like business paychecks or bank deposits;
  • information on your current financial situation including assets (like savings accounts or other assets) and your liabilities (like credit card balances and payments, car loans, student loans.

The Home Affordable Refinance program expires in June 2011. If you do not meet the HARP minimum eligibility requirements, you may wish to look into other mortgage programs administered by the Federal government described below. At the least, you should contact your mortgage servicer to discuss other options.

Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP)

This program help eligible homeowners modify their mortgages to make them easier for them to afford. The program is intended for people who have suffered some hardship that has either reduced your income or increased your expenses so that you are struggling with your mortgage. To be eligible for the program, your home has to be your primary residence, the amount you owe on your first mortgage must be less than $729,750 (for single units, higher for multi units – see conforming, high cost areas above) and your payment amount must be greater than 31% of your gross income, and, lastly, you have to have originated your mortgage prior to January 1, 2009.

To find out if your mortgage is owned or guaranteed by Fannie/Freddie, use the following contact information -

For Fannie Mae – you can call 1-800-7FANNIE (8am to 8pm EST) or go online to www.FannieMae.com/loanlookup

For Freddie Mac – you can call 1-800-FREDDIE (8am to 8pm EST) or go to their website at www.FreddieMac.com/mymortgage

How to Apply for HAMP

Homeowners who feel they they meet the minimum eligibility requirements for the HAMP program should either contact the government-run Homeowner’s HOPE™ Hotline at 1-888-995-HOPE (4673) to talk to a government housing counselor at no cost OR go to the Making Home Affordable website to download an “Initial Package” of application forms and documentation. Once the forms are completed, you should send them to your mortgage servicer.

The “Initial Package” of application forms and documentation includes the following -

  • a Request for Modification and Affidavit form which provides information to your mortgage servicer about your home and financial situation;
  • a Request for Transcript of Tax Return: Form 4506-T which authorizes the servicer to request your tax return from the IRS;
  • a list of information required as Proof of Income which includes your two most recent pay stubs showing year-to-date income or, if self-employed, your most recent quarterly P/L statement. If on disability, social security, unemployment, collecting public assistance or a pension, a copy of benefits statement and two most recent bank statements showing receipt of benefits.

You can download the “Initial Package” of application forms and documentation here.

Once approved for a loan modification, a homeowner must complete a three or four month trial under the modified terms of the mortgage to show that they can meet their new payment. The modification agreement will only become permanent after meeting the payment obligations for the trial period.

The Home Affordable Modification program expires in December 31, 2012.