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3 in 4 Americans report their housing market has cooled

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3 in 4 Americans report their housing market has cooled

Millennial homeowners among most eager to sell before prices fall, signaling more starter homes could enter market, according to ValueInsured’s Modern Homebuyer Survey

Seventy-five percent of Americans believe their local housing market is “cooling off” – among them, 72 percent say they are not surprised – according to results from ValueInsured’s Q4 2018 Modern Homebuyer Survey, released today.

This shift in market perceptions follows five consecutive quarters where majority of Americans believed housing was overheated.  Among states with the most robust home sales activity, 22 percent of residents in California, 19 percent in Colorado, 36 percent in Texas, and 22 percent in Washington say their local market is not cooling.

The ValueInsured Housing Confidence Index registered at 63.0 on a hundred-point scale for all Americans in Q4, down 4.7 points in one year. Homeowners, historically the most confident segment on the Index, produced a score of 71.6 in Q4, the second-lowest level recorded in thirty months.

What’s scarier? Halloween, or spooky home prices?

What’s scarier? Halloween, or spooky home prices?

With ever more purchase hurdles, first-time buyers hopefuls are pushing limits as to how far they are willing to go to become homeowners. Eating daily ramen noodles, delaying family formation and co-living with strangers from Airbnb are all so yesterday. The latest sacrifice? Living in a haunted house. Seriously …

Half of all homeowners report slower home-buying season

Half of all homeowners report slower home-buying season

2017 has been called the most competitive home-buying season ever and the strongest seller's market ever. However, recent reports tell a different story. In San Diego, 20% of all listed homes had a price cut in June. In Seattle, where bidding wars had become the norm in the past three years, market watchers are starting to see 6-figure price drops for median-price homes. In Dallas, 19% of all listed homes had seen their prices cut at least once in June. These are previously unheard off in recent years. Homeowners, who are typically more informed and aware of the latest market conditions in their neighborhood compared to new homebuyers, appear to have taken note according to the latest ValueInsured Modern Homebuyer Survey.

Americans expect rising rates to stifle housing demand

Americans expect rising rates to stifle housing demand

After months of upward trends, home mortgage rates have retreated somewhat and are currently at an average of 4.39 percent for a 30-year fixed loan, lower than levels in June. However, after two benchmark rate hikes already this year, two more are signaled by the Federal Reserve and are expected by top analysts for 2018, meaning current mortgage rates most likely could increase again. 

In ValueInsured’s latest Modern Homebuyer Survey, over 3 in 4 Americans (76%) believe mortgage interest rates will continue to go up in 2018. Nearly 6 in 10 (59%) predict an average 30-year fixed rate will reach 5% by the beginning of 2019, and 13% Americans expect to see 6% 30-year mortgages by the end of 2019.

Experts warn of 2020 housing correction, but they are not the first

Experts warn of 2020 housing correction, but they are not the first

In the past two weeks, several housing headlines caught the eyes of many. MarketWatch printed “Thinking of selling your home? Do it before 2020, economists say”. Citing housing experts, Zillow released a Home Price Expectation Survey where it is predicted that the Next recession will begin in 2020. CoreLogic reported “More than half of US housing markets were overvalued in April”. Chief economist of NAR warned the current run-up in home prices is not sustainable, which is then echoed by a separate study and yet another bearish headline of unsustainable home price gains by Black Knight.

Not trying to be a downer here, but these chorus of consistent headlines are the elephant in the room and hard to ignore. So let’s address it.

MPA: Most people expect a housing price correction by 2020

MPA: Most people expect a housing price correction by 2020

Potential homebuyers are less convinced that now is the right time to take a step onto the property ladder despite strongly believing in homeownership.

While 79% of non-homeowners say they still desire owning their own home, 67% say the market is currently unhealthy; and only 52% believe that owning a home is a “secure and smart investment”.

Growing obsession with timing the market

Growing obsession with timing the market

Anyone who has come across a “Home Buying for Dummies” or “Investment 101” type book or website should be able to recite this golden rule: don’t try to time the market. While applicable to most investors, this is likely truer for homebuyers, who need a place to live and probably shouldn’t wait. Increasingly, however, they appear to be deviating from the advice.

Perhaps the real surprise – homebuyers are not alone. Homeowners are also growing concerned with timing the market, according to ValueInsured’s latest Modern Homebuyer Survey…

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