New Home Sales

Austin Mortgage Market Update – For the week of March 29, 2010

February existing home sales were down for the third month in a row, but the 0.6% drop was less than expected. We had severe winter weather putting a damper on things and we're still seeing the hangover from sales pushed into October and November when everyone thought the homebuyer tax credit was going away. February new single-family home sales were down 2.2%. But the median price of $220,500 was UP 5.2% over last year and the average price of $282,600 was a strong 9.3% UP from a year ago. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) expects existing home sales to be UP almost 4% this year to 5.34 million, going to 5.72 million in 2011. They see new home sales hitting 398,000 in 2010 and 528,000 the following year.

March 29, 2010|Inside Lending Newsletter|

With current levels at 3.77%, the market needs to boot strap itself back together or further downside (worsening mortgage pricing) will occur

Today’s day-end close will be very important. We need to hold 116 22/64th on the futures chart (yield equivalent is 3.75%) to feel better about the range trade continuing. With current levels at 3.77%, the market needs to boot strap itself back together or further downside (worsening mortgage pricing) will occur.

March 24, 2010|Austin Mortgage Market|

No Surprises From Fed Meeting

There were no major surprises in the economic data or the Fed announcement this week. As a result, while volatility remained day to day, Austin mortgage rates ended nearly unchanged for the third straight week.

March 19, 2010|MBS Quoteline Newsletter|

Business Economists See Fed Rate Hike in 6 Months

Most U.S. business economists expect the Federal Reserve to raise benchmark interest rates within six months by between a quarter and a half percentage point, according to a survey released on Monday.

March 8, 2010|Austin Mortgage News|

Austin Mortgage Market Update – For the week of March 1, 2010

New home sales fell 11.2% in January to a record low level. Existing home sales weren't very pretty either, down 7.2%, though they're UP 11.5% over a year ago. Let's remember that last Fall we all thought the tax credit was going away at the end of November. Many sales got pushed into October and November, causing sales drops the next two months. But the median new home price is down just 2.4% year over year and the average price is now UP 3.7%. For an existing home, the median price is unchanged from a year ago and the average price is UP 2.6%. More evidence home prices are stabilizing, with some analysts expecting modest gains for the year. Supporting this, the Case-Shiller home price index was UP 0.3% in December, its seventh straight monthly rise.

March 1, 2010|Austin Mortgage Market|

The key here is neutral not bullish, telling us that continued upside (better mortgage pricing) will be a challenge

Technically, the rally we’ve seen the past couple of days has improved the charts, turning the trend to neutral from bearish. The key here is neutral not bullish, telling us that continued upside (better mortgage pricing) will be a challenge.

February 24, 2010|Austin Mortgage Market|

Treasury Secretary Geithner is medium rare as the House Oversight Committee is grilling him on AIG

Treasury Secretary Geithner is medium rare as the House Oversight Committee is grilling him on AIG. Undisclosed documents, backroom deals, maybe a cover up coordinated with Sir Bernanke, and the counter parties all paid off at par (by the taxpayers) are the hot topics.

January 27, 2010|Austin Mortgage Market|

Austin Mortgage Market Update – For the week of November 30, 2009

The economic reports before Thanksgiving were packed with housing market data and, guess what, they were all extremely positive! Monday saw Existing Home Sales UP 10.1% to an annual rate of 6.10 million, the highest since February 2007. Sales are now UP 20% in the past two months and UP 36% from their January lows. Even better, the supply of existing homes was down to just 7 months, with inventories down to 3.57 million, the lowest level in almost three years. This puts existing homes very close to the 6-month supply level of a healthy housing market. The Case-Shiller 20-City Composite Home Price Index rose 0.3% in September. The index also showed its second consecutive quarterly increase, UP 3.1% for Q3, returning to August 2003 levels.

November 30, 2009|Inside Lending Newsletter|

As predicted, Friday’s bearish close, along with this week’s record 137 billion in treasury auction supply has kept the market under pressure as we begin a new week

As predicted, Friday’s bearish close, along with this week’s record 137 billion in treasury auction supply has kept the market under pressure as we begin a new week. 7 billion in 5 year tips will greet the screen today, followed by 44 billion of 2 year notes on Tuesday, 41 billion of 5 year notes on Wednesday, and 31 billion of 7 year notes on Thursday. This could give the market a bit of indigestion. Traders talk about “no shows at the lows”, meaning that buyers will not show up even at cheaper levels. We believe that a strong overseas bid will continue and with most of paper being shorter in duration, the auctions “should” be much ado about nothing.

October 26, 2009|Austin Mortgage Market|

We could be seeing the beginning of a nice correction in stocks. That my friends would put a little more giddy up in our Austin mortgage pricing

Cash seeking a return and/or shelter from our wicked world once again is running to Treasuries. The trade however has been on both sides of unchanged due to all of the above. Stocks have moved from red to green and back to red again, currently off 19 points on the Dow. The 10 year note is up 5/32’s, trading at 3.35%. That level is significant as referenced in yesterday’s Market Update. Any close below 3.36% will shift the advantage to the bulls. Given the “outside day down” on the S & P chart Wednesday, along with continued pressure yesterday and today, we could be seeing the beginning of a nice correction in stocks.

September 25, 2009|Austin Mortgage Market|

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