1. Prices to bottom: After more than three years of falling, real estate values have shown signs of stabilization in recent months.2. Mortgage delinquencies up: Amid falling home prices and a nasty labor market, roughly 1 in every 7 mortgages was either past due or in foreclosure by the end of the third quarter—the highest delinquency rate in the 37-year history of the MortgageBankers Association's National Delinquency Survey.
3. Foreclosures move upstream: The number of foreclosure sales will increase to about 1.9 million in 2010, according to Moody's Economy.com. And while we've already seen a growing number of more expensive homes heading into foreclosure, Heather Fernandez, vice president of marketing at the real estate search engine Trulia, expects the trend to pick up steam next year.
4. Mortgage rates to rise: Anyone who purchased a home in 2009 was presented with some extremely attractive mortgage rates. Rates on 30-year, fixed mortgages fell to an average of 4.88 percent in November, down sharply from 6.09 a year earlier. A key factor behind the plunge was a Federal Reserve program, first announced in November of 2008, that purchased debt and mortgage-backed securities from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. But the program is slated to expire at the end of the first quarter, and if private investors don’t step up, fixed mortgage rates could jump.
5. Buyer's market remains: With prices still falling, mortgage rates remaining historically attractive, and additional homes hitting the market in the form of foreclosures, the dynamics of the real estate market will continue to favor buyers over sellers in 2010.
6. Modification plan could be modified: While the Obama administration has put nearly 700,000 borrowers into temporarily restructured mortgages, it had found permanent fixes for just 31,382 struggling homeowners through November. What's more, critics have identified two key shortcomings of the government's $75 billion antiforeclosure plan. First, the program isn't much help for borrowers struggling to stay in their homes as the result of a job loss. And the rickety labor market is a key factor behind rising delinquencies. At the same time, the plan does not sufficiently address the issue of negative equity—owing more on your home loan than the property is worth—which also works to increase foreclosures.
7. FHA lending standards may increase: While banks have jacked up lending standards in the face of mounting delinquencies, mortgages backed by the Federal Housing Administration—which come with a minimum down payment of just 3.5 percent—have remained accessible to a wide swath of borrowers.
8. Tax credit available through June: On top of lower prices and cheap mortgage rates, Uncle Sam is offering an additional incentive to get buyers into the market next year.
9. Markets will vary a great deal by region: The performance of the national housing market is much less important that the dynamics of your local market, and sales and pricing trends will vary a great deal from one area to the next in 2010.
10. Mobile maps can help: Advances in technology have enabled would-be home buyers to increase the efficiency of their searches. Imagine browsing from your phone open houses in the exact neighborhood you’re having brunch… seems pretty convenient!
View the entire USNews.com article.
As stated above, it is a buyers market right now. If you’re in the hunt for the home of your dreams in Evanston, contact me today! I know of many beautiful homes that will lend to your style and budget, and I’d be happy to show you around!
Judy Newton
Your Evanston Real Estate Expert
Coldwell Banker
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