Today’s News Synopsis:
The NAR reports FHA, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac account for over 90% of the mortgage market. New California building codes, known as CALGreen, will be enforced on January 1st. Richard Fisher of the Dallas Federal Reserve believes the low interest rates are doing little to stimulate the economy. Fannie Mae acquired 85,340 REO properties in the 3rd quarter.
In The News:
Los Angeles Times – “Shared homeownership could mean paying your neighbors’ bills” (11-7-10)
“The Community Assns. Institute trade group recently reported that more than half of the nation’s 310,000 community associations are struggling with ‘serious’ or ‘severe’ financial woes. Some 59% of association managers reported that more than 3% of homes in their community groups were vacant, the study said, because the owners either had walked away from their mortgages or were unable to rent the homes. Some 65% of associations reported that more than 5% of their homeowners were delinquent on their monthly assessments.”
NAR - “Qualified Buyers Should Have Access to Credit, Say REALTORS®” (11-8-10)
“Currently, FHA, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac account for more than 90 percent of the mortgage market. Lenders refuse to make loans unless FHA will insure them or the GSEs will buy them. Stricter FHA and GSE underwriting rules eliminate many buyers with credit scores as high as 750, and lenders are imposing credit overlays of their own, restricting the availability of credit.”
The Daily Journal – “Cities preparing for building standards to get more green” (11-8-10)
“Come Jan. 1, cities throughout California will be required to enforce the new California Green Building Standards Code, or the CALGreen Code. Finalized earlier this year by California’s Building Standards Commission and the Department of Housing and Community Development, the guidelines represent the first statewide mandatory green building code for newly constructed buildings in the nation.”
Housing Wire – “QE2 gives green light for yield in MBS” (11-8-10)
“Analysts said the decision by the Federal Reserve to purchase another $600 billion of Treasury securities ‘gives the green light for yield’ in mortgage-backed securities, and the central bank may consider purchasing MBS if spreads widen significantly.”
Housing Wire – “Fed adviser worries greater mortgage disclosures put borrower privacy at risk” (11-8-10)
“The Federal Reserve is working on proposals forcing lenders to submit more detailed mortgage loan information to the government, but regulators are juggling the need for more transparency and how that information could cost borrowers their privacy.”
Housing Wire – “Dallas Fed president: low interest rates won’t spark demand” (11-8-10)
“The environment of exceedingly low interest rates is great for banks, according to Richard Fisher, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, but is doing little to help the overall economy get back on track.”
Housing Wire – “Monday morning cup of coffee” (11-8-10)
“Fannie Mae acquired 85,340 REO properties in the third quarter, up 23.9% from the amount acquired in the previous quarter, according to its quarterly financial statement released Friday.”
Bloomberg - “First-Time Mortgage Defaults in U.S. Rise for 1st Time in Year” (11-8-10)
“First-time defaults rose to 1.1 percent of previously ‘always performing’ mortgages based on payments due in September, up from 1 percent the prior month, according to a report from the Austin, Texas-based securities firm.”
Bloomberg - “Majority of Property Investors Plan Purchases as Prospects Rise” (11-8-10)
“Sixty percent of respondents said they plan to make commercial property purchases in the next year, mainly in their home markets, according to the report released by the Seattle- based adviser. Those looking abroad favor Hong Kong, Singapore, Sydney, London, New York, Washington, Chicago and San Francisco, the survey showed.”
Bloomberg - “U.S. Household Debt Shrank 0.9% in Third Quarter, Fed Says” (11-8-10)
“Consumer indebtedness totaled $11.6 trillion at the end of September, down $110 billion, or 0.9 percent from the end of June, according to the New York Fed’s quarterly report on household debt and credit. Households have slashed about $1 trillion from outstanding consumer debts since the peak in the third quarter of 2008, the New York Fed said.”
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