Did we avert a real estate disaster?

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Debt Deal Reached, Disaster Avoided?

Daily Real Estate News | Monday, August 01, 2011

President Barack Obama and congressional leaders late Sunday announced they had reached a compromise in the debt ceiling crisis, just in time to meet an Aug. 2 deadline. However, the deal still awaits full congressional approval, which is expected later today.

The compromise reached Sunday night among Republicans and Democrats would raise the government’s debt ceiling and trim $2.4 trillion in long-term spending. The deal, if approved, would avoid a first-ever government default.

Many real estate professionals have been eyeing the news closely as lawmakers have frantically tried to reach a solution to the debt ceiling crisis over the past few weeks. Real estate pros say that their indecision had already been impacting their business.

Some real estate professionals had reported they were seeing a decrease in buyers in the last few weeks as more homebuyers were opting to wait on the sidelines for the debt crisis fallout and see what happened with mortgage rates. Other real estate pros actually reported a spike as some buyers were rushing to beat the clock and lock-in mortgage rates before they rose.

The federal government needed to raise the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling by an Aug. 2 deadline or risk defaulting on its debts, which would send interest rates soaring — and continuing to soar since a higher debt ceiling could devalue the U.S. dollar, analysts have said.

"Most people don't realize that [interest rates are] the big money saver, not the $10,000 you weigh holding out for on the home,” Stewart Karstens with Windermere told KING 5 News in Seattle. “It’s the 30 years at saving $120 a month, is the biggie.”

On Friday, the National Association of REALTORS® urged lawmakers to resolve the debt crisis before the Aug. 2 deadline because the uncertainty was hurting home sales.

By REALTOR® Magazine Online

Great Post from my friend David Miller-Wells Fargo

What better time to purchase a new home than now? That is a question that we are asking our customers as we see the fantastic home values that are available right now along with the historically low interest rates. As people like Brian Buffini (who has the largest real estate training and coaching company in North America) says "this is one of the most affordable times to purchase a home in the last 40 years with the rare combination of low home prices and low interest rates at the same time".

I will never forget when I was doing mortgage loans in the the 1980's when home loan rates hit 17.50%. You can imagine how low today's interest rates look to me today when they are in the mid 4.00% range, Wow!

To give you an example, I have attached a graph that shows how affordable homes are right now when combining price and interest rates together. As you can see, based on an 80% loan of the median sales priced home in King County in 2006 and the average 30 year fixed rate conventional loan, the principal and interest payment was $1,928.63. This compares to a principal and interest payment of $1,456.44 based on the averages in 2010. This is a staggering difference of $472.19 per month.

Here are some other factors to consider:

1. At some point home values are going to go up and we don't usually know when the bottom of the market was until it is several months later.

2. At some point interest rates are going to go up and we don't know when that is going to be? Interest rates go up much faster than they go down. Two years ago I saw rates go up .75% in two days and it took a very long time before they went back down to lower levels. The government has indicated that they can't continue to hold down interest rates forever. Waiting for home prices to possibly decline further could lead to a substantially higher monthly payment as a result of a higher interest rate even if the sales price does go down some. .

3. The temporary high balance loan amounts for FHA and Conventional loans is set to expire on September 30th, 2011. We don't know if this will get extended and if it is extended we have heard rumors that the maximum loan amounts may be reduced? Right now, in King County the maximum loan amount for an FHA loan with only a 3.5% down payment or a Conventional loan with a 10% down payment is $567,500. If this doesn't get extended then the Conventional and FHA loan limit could be as low as $417,000. That means that the only way to borrow more than $417,000 would be with a Non-Conforming "Jumbo" loan that would require a minimum down payment of 20% and probably have a higher interest rate as well. Many of the old first and second mortgage combination loans will only go to 80% to 85% now days.

As you can see, prospective home buyers have a wonderful "window of opportunity" when purchasing a home today. We are helping create wonderful success stories out there in assisting happy customers get into that great new home and "seize the opportunity" of buying that neat new home. Please let me know how I can assist you and your clients to take advantage of this opportunity for them to own that first home or the next home for them or if they should have any questions regarding home mortgages and how easy home buying can be today? Thank You.

"Loans with Honesty, Integrity and Trust"

David L. Miller Home Mortgage Consultant Leaders Club Member Wells Fargo Home Mortgage 10900 N.E. 8th Street #1430 Bellevue, WA 98004 425.468.8680 Tel 800.643.0528 x 8680 Toll Free 866.746.5887 eFax david.miller@wellsfargo.com http://www.wfhm.com/david-miller2

Green Building-But I still do like my shiny granite!

I like the concept...but still really like my shiny granite!

Daily Real Estate News | April 20, 2011 | Share
No More Utility Bills? More Builders Spotlight 'Green'
Major builders say they are ramping up efforts to build homes that cost less to maintain and that you can buy at affordable prices.

"Just about all the larger builders are focusing on energy efficiency," says Kevin Morrow of the National Association of Home Builders.

But while net-zero building--a home that’s designed to produce as much energy as it uses annually--has become common in Canada, few affordable net-zero housing units have popped up in the United States, says David Johnston, author of Toward a Zero Energy Home.

More U.S builders are planning to change that.

To celebrate Earth Day on Friday, Meritage Homes announced that it will offer a "net- zero" home. While a nine-panel rooftop solar array will become a standard feature on some of its homes, home owners who can afford a $10,000 upgrade will be able to get 24 more solar panels, which can reduce utility bills to zero. Prices for the homes will start at $140,000 and will be available in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, and Texas.

“It’s a new way of building homes,” C.R. Herro, vice president of environmental affairs for Arizona-based Meritage, told the USA Today.

Last month, KB Home announced it will include a small, six-panel rooftop solar array as a standard feature in 10 of its Southern California communities. The solar panel will be capable of shaving 30 percent off energy costs in a 1,800- to 2,000-square-foot home.

"Shiny granite can only go so far" to lure buyers from low-price foreclosures, says Nate Kredich of the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council. Kredich says builders like Meritage are "really pushing the envelope" on sustainability.

Source: “Builders Offer Green Tract Homes With Nearly Zero Utility Bills,” USA Today (April 20, 2011)

Appraisers Must Change This!

Some helpful tips to assist Home Owners provide necessary information to appraisers if their home has "green" features that might not be readily observant.

Appraisers Need to Change Valuations for Green Features!

IT'S TIME TO BUY AGAIN! SEE ARTICLE BELOW!

Danged good article. Check it out.

It's time to Buy houses again...

Awesome Advice for Sellers in Today's Market

# 1 is always # 1!

It's all about the price.....FIRST!

Excellent Article for Sellers!

Good grief, what kind of business sense is this?

The only thing I don't get is that they could have sold that part of their business! So why not try to save some of those jobs. I tell ya....