Waiting To Buy A Home

Buying a home is a personal decision that is usually the single largest investment of a lifetime.  This real estate downturn is now bigger than the great depression, fact.  Prices are soft but there are still a lot of reasons to be very serious about shopping for your future home.  If you are sitting on the fence waiting to time the market looking for the absolute bottom please continue to read.  The cost of your home loan is going to go up and that is going to affect you more than a sticker price on your home. Joshua Groesbeck 208-353-7131 or josh@homeswithjosh.com

Interest Rates Are Increasing

Interest rates have increased almost 3/4 of a point in the last six months. Most experts expect rates to continue to increase through the year. Interest rates along with price determine the overall cost of a home. Even with prices softening, if interest rates rise, it may be less expensive to buy now rather than wait.
The 30-Year Mortgage May Disappear

There has been much debate regarding government’s role in providing support for homeownership. There are several experts who believe If Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s roles are eliminated, or even limited, it may be the end to the 30-year mortgage. This concern is addressed in MSN Real Estate’s Is it curtains for the 30-year mortgage?
QRM Requirements Could Be Much More Stringent

Here are proposed changes to the requirements for a ‘qualified residential mortgage’:

* Certain mortgage types would be eliminated
* You would need to put a minimum of 20% down
* You would need a minimum 690 FICO score
* The ratios of income to both the mortgage payment and overall debt would become much more conservative (28% and 36%)

There would be loans available to purchasers who don’t qualify under the new rules. However, they will probably be more expensive to the buyer (both in rate and costs).
Rents Are Expected to Increase

The supply of available rentals is decreasing and the demand is increasing. That will lead to an increase in rental costs throughout the year. The Wall Street Journal this week quoted a report by Reis, Inc:

“Expect vacancies to continue declining, and rents rising through the rest of 2011 at an even faster pace.”

Bottom Line

You may be waiting on the sidelines to see if prices will continue to depreciate before you purchase a home. The mortgage expense is a major piece in the overall financial picture of homeownership. Make sure you consider it when timing your decision.

Idaho Buy Low and Buy Now

Waiting for the bottom of the housing market can be very tricky and truth be told when you find it- Well chances are very high that you missed it and it is on the way back up- I wanted to leave and example of what waiting on the fence may cost you in the end. The market here in Idaho is still rocky in cities such as- Boise, Eagle, Meridian, Nampa, Caldwell, Kuna, Star and Middleton. Below is just an example of how interest rates compare to purchasing power. 208-353-7131 or josh@homeswithjosh.com

Let’s say you were going to take out a $200,000 30-year-fixed-rate mortgage in November of 2010. At that time, interest rates were 4.17% (as per Freddie Mac). Your principle and interest payment would have come to $974.54. According to the most recent report from Case Shiller house prices fell 3.9% in the 4th quarter of 2010. The most recent report from the Federal Housing Finance Agency shows a 0.8% fall in prices. Let’s use the larger percentage decrease: 3.9%.

For the sake of keeping the math simple, we will now say you can get the same house with a $192,000 mortgage (4% discount from November price). Interest rates are now 4.95% (as per Freddie Mac).

Your principle and interest payment would now be $1,024.84.

By waiting to pay less for the PRICE of the house, the COST increased over $50 a month. That adds up to more than $600 a year and over $18,000 over the life of the loan.

Multi-Family Housing In Meridian Idaho

1071 West Pine offers this super nice 5 year old 4-plex for just $270,000 OBO!! Walking distance to the ever growing downtown Meridian,Idaho. Enjoy good local restaurants and craft stores. Easy Access to I-84 and all of the Treasure Valley. Could be a great opportunity for owner occupy have the renters make your payment while you get the tax exemption for owner occupied, call Josh for more info– All units are  rented with a solid rental history, don’t wait if this is for you because I am expecting multiple offers. Joshua Groesbeck 208-353-7131 or josh@homeswithjosh.com

To view this and all properties available in our local treasure valley market go to visit HomeswithJosh.com

If you are trying to save your home from Foreclosure please call Joshua for free consultation!

Home Market Recovery 5+ Years

As home prices have slid new buyers are finding great opportunities and they can expect more to come.  As home interest rates are historically low it would be hard to argue with the mind set of the able and willing buyer. These opportunities are providing people with the ability to purchase homes in areas in the past that would not be possible. Home, Location and Price all are all starting to end up on the same street so be advised- This is a great year to Buy Your Home.

Josh Groesbeck 208-353-7131 or josh@homeswithjosh.com

It’s taken three years to process $1 trillion in foreclosed homes. At that rate, it will take more than five years for the amount of each individual’s mortgage debt, relative to their income, to get back to levels that were the norm in this country before the housing bubble, according to a report from TrimTabs Investment Research.

“For the debt-to-income ratio to return to 65 percent, mortgage debt needs to fall from its current level of $8.9 trillion to $6.4 trillion to $7.4 trillion,” Madeline Schnapp, TrimTabs director of economic research lays out very clearly in a report to clients today. “At the current pace, it could take four to six more years to work through the current and expected backlog of delinquencies.”

Home with foreclosure sign

One problem with this math could be that Schnapp assumes there will be very little income growth because of high unemployment so the only way to get back to normal is to lower the debt side of the equation through foreclosures. However, she’s also assuming 60 to 65 percent is the “sustainable” amount of debt to income an average homeowner can handle and many believe that will still have to come down even further. Either way, you’re left with at least a five-year slog, according to many economists and investors.

“It may take longer than 4-6 years in my opinion to work through the delinquencies,” said Simon Baker, CEO of Baker Avenue Asset Management. He cited the stall in the foreclosure process taking place in the court system as banks are forced to prove they actually own mortgages that changed so many hands during Wall Street’s securitization process.

“Sloppy paperwork and government policies that slow foreclosures and allow banks to postpone losses are only delaying the necessary adjustment in the housing market,” wrote Schnapp in her report. “The faster home prices reach a market clearing level, the faster the housing market will boost the economy.”

The latest Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller data showed that housing prices fell again across most of the major cities, with eight markets such as Las Vegas and Miami setting new lows since the housing crisis. Data released today showed a much higher than expected jump in weekly jobless claims, dampening hopes of an increase in wages anytime soon.

“We do not expect a true turn in home sales to occur until it becomes clear that the unemployment rate has peaked and is on a steady downtrend,” said Michelle Meyer, an economist for Bank of America Merrill Lynch, in a report to clients. “In addition, the turn in new home sales should be slower than that of existing homes given the lure of deeply discounted foreclosures.”

Source: John Melloy CNBC

Idaho Home Buyers In 2011

Lately I have been seeing Idaho rank for one of the worst places for real estate- Many home owners are upside down in their mortgage complicate that hardship with other factors and we have distress, leading owners to a short sale resolution or possible foreclosure. Here in Idaho the short sale process is becoming more and more transparent leading to more closed short sales and a little less distress. If you or someone you know is looking to take advantage of this great home buying opportunity call Josh Groesbeck 208-353-7131 or josh@homeswithjosh.com Look for your home of the future

Slowly but surely, home buyers are entering the market again. It’s a trend that will likely continue throughout 2011.

Overall, mortgage applications are down again this week. But this is mainly due to the huge drop in refinance activity, driven by rising rates. On the home buying front, activity was up in November. The housing market is still sluggish by any measure. But the buyers are starting to come out of the woodwork.

According to the National Association of Realtors, home purchases for November increased 5.6 percent over the month prior. Home purchases will likely drop in December, which is a seasonal trend that happens every year. As we move into 2011, home purchases are expected to rise again.

Buying a Home, 2011

In many parts of the U.S., home prices will continue to decline through the first part of 2011. This, along with consistently low mortgage rates, has kept a lot of home buyers on the sidelines for the past few months. But mortgage rates have risen steadily for the last several weeks. If the upward trend of interest rates continues, it will bring more buyers into the market.

“When you have record-low mortgage rates and price declines, home buyers don’t feel any sense of urgency,” said Brandon Cornett, publisher of the Home Buying Institute. “But when the rates start rising, buyers say to themselves ‘Okay, maybe this is as good as it gets … maybe it’s time to take the plunge.’”

Many are predicting that mortgage rates will inch upward through 2011, perhaps reaching or exceeding 5 percent by year’s end. If that prediction holds true, it will give home buyers a stronger sense of urgency.

Source: Brandon Cornett

The Home Buying Institute

Boise Bank Owned Homes

143 Bank Owned homes have been introduced to the ada county housing market since October 1, 2010..  Link below and you can see for yourself at some great opportunities. Interest rates for housing are seriously calling out all potential buyers.

First time homebuyer rates as low as 3.875% Fixed for 30 years

Non- first time homebuyer rates as low as 4.125% Fixed for 30 years

100% financing, NO Mortgage insurance, 4.78% Fixed

RD loans are back- buying in a rural area, 100% financing, NO M.I.

2 Week closings

http://imls.fnismls.com/publink/default.aspx?GUID=b653bd9d-5d6d-4e87-b115-9261b870a8b7&Report=Yes

Source: Intermountain Multiple Listing Service

Repossessed Homes Hit All Time High

Repossed Homes Hit All Time High in August. Some say recovery may not be until 2014. If you or anybody you know is looking for help in this market please feel free to call Josh Groesbeck 208-353-7131 or josh@homeswithjosh.com and always visist www.homeswithjosh.com

The nation’s banks repossessed a record number of homes in August, according to industry sources. RealtyTrac, an online foreclosure sale site, will release its monthly numbers on Thursday, but sources there confirm the number of repossessions will come in just shy of 100,000 for the month.

CNBC.com

That is the highest since the site began tracking in 2005. July’s repossession number was the second highest on record. The last highest was 93,777 in May of 2010.

Notices of Default, which are the first step in the foreclosure process, are up slightly but mostly thanks to a jump in California, where the numbers had been artificially low of late, as banks tried to modify borrowers.

“With respect to the NOD increase, I think it is the modification redefault wave beginning to build and new modifications slowing to a trickle, indicating banks have lost their primary borrower re-leveraging tool,” says mortgage industry consultant Mark Hanson.

Yesterday J.P. Morgan Chase [JPM  41.07  0.35  (+0.86%)   ] cited the “shadow inventory” of foreclosed properties as one of their primary reasons for pushing back their expectations for a housing recovery as far as 2014. No question, a growing supply of repossessed properties will put further downward pressure on home prices, especially given the current 12.5 month supply of existing homes already for sale.

The question now is: Where does the government go from here? Some argue that housing needs to correct on its own, without artificial stimulus, as painful as it will be, in order to recover fully. What the Obama Administration has to decide is, will that correction, involving millions of foreclosures, take too large a toll on the greater economy?

Idaho Golf Community Home For Sale

1720 N. Aronmink Meridian,Idaho mls#98445764 FREINDLY FLOOR PLAN! Separate family & living room, office and 5 large bdrms. Master suite contains an East facing deck & huge master bath with soaker tub, separate shower & walk-in closet. Oversized kKitchen w/ center Island & skylight – Fully fenced & landscaped with mature trees, concrete curbing, views of Lakeview Golf course and RV Parking. $69.65 per sqft…. Cherry Lane Subdivision is a very well built community that is anchored by the Lakeview Golf course. 18 hole community golf course that includes a club house with restaurant and full service bar. Drive range balls into the vast lake while your friends and family have lunch or dinner on the patio.  Cherry Lane subdivision is centrally located in Meridian, Idaho with easy access to Boise, Eagle, Star, Kuna, Nampa, Caldwell and Middleton.

Seller wants this sold so call Josh Groesbeck for your own private showing 208-353-7131 or josh@homeswithjosh.com and always visit www.homeswithjosh.com for all the latest information about Idaho’s Real Estate Market and access to all homes listed with the Intermountain multiple listing service.

Faster Short Sale Approvals after B of A Insurance Scam

Ever feel like your mortgage servicer or company is just toying with you and your HAMP program- It should be black or white, completely transparent and well let’s admit it– Can I get a loan mod and does it even make any sense if my home is totally upside down (bought at 300k now worth 175k)- Here in Idaho job unemployment rate is still above 9% and not looking to drop drastically anytime soon.  If your loan company is jerking you around please don’t hesitate to call or email Josh with your questions. Idaho’s Best Short Sale Specialist! Read below what the big boys in banking are doing it might make you shake your head–

Bank of America gets caught with their hand in the jar and blames Countrywide.

But doesn’t Bank of America own Countrywide?  Yes!

When Bank of America took over Countrywide in 2008 during the worst housing crash since the Great Depression, according to Bloomberg, BofA absorbed Balboa Insurance.  Essentially, Balboa Insurance…now owned and operated by BofA, is insuring their own bad debt.

What does this mean?  Bank of America’s “Countrywide Loans” that have been defaulted against by homeowners are insured, meaning Bank of America is feeling no pain and actually is gaining from this type of bad debt. Meaning that BofA is in no hurry to sell bad debt.  That’s why there is “Shadow Inventory” and Short Sales are taking so long to approve for sale. There’s no hurry when your making money.

Why Bank of America is gaining on a defaulted loan?  It seems that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) uncovered ”scamming” on behalf of  “Countrywide” last month.  Remember, Bank of America bought/took over, what ever you want to call it, Countrywide at the Federal Governments request.

What was the scamming?

Countrywide had established Balboa Insurance to cover their home loans gone bad.  In an effort to help defray these losses on bad loans, Balboa Insurance and Countrywide would over charge the now defaulted homeowner for any related services to the default…like mowing the lawns, maintenance of the home, painting, etc…yes, Countrywide in it’s need to make money, charged up to 2 times the amount back to the homeowner for these services.  This is in clear violation to FTC guidelines as it pertains to loan servicing.

So what?

Well, Millions and millions of dollars have been scammed from the clients that they hold a fiduciary responsibility. Kinda like Bernie Madoff screwing his own clients out of their money.   Well, it’s now 2 years later, and Bank of America “Countrywide” division has been caught red handed.  However, no one is being held responsible.  Why?

BofA was helping out the Feds by taking over the Countrywide catastrophe and with that comes immunity.  Above the law stuff…”you do us a favor, no one will suffer.”

Know that BofA has been caught, the new CEO, Brian Moynihan stated earlier this month that they have a “desire” to sell Balboa Insurance.  Desire?  What does that mean?

C’mon…let’s be real.  BofA makes tons of money on bad loans.  That’s why it takes so freakin’ long to get a BofA short sale approved!  That’s why there is “shadow Inventory”!

So what happens next?

As soon as CEO Moynihans “desire” is fulfilled and Bolboa is sold…it should open the flood gates to short sales and release of “shadow inventory”.

It’s good news…however, no one person is held responsible. No one goes to jail.

Do the Feds a “solid” and your protected!

Foreclosures Down And Short Sales Up

Here is an insightful video from  CNBC  and what to expect from the housing market in the months ahead. If you have questions or would like assistance with your home please don’t hesitate to call or email, Josh.

Exiting Home Sales Down

Joshua Groesbeck

208-353-7131 or josh@homeswithjosh.com

www.homeswithjosh.com or www.idshortsale.com