DreamTeam-Jo Cel Perez & Hector Gamez

For more information on the FHA changes, inlcuding a summary of all changes,

Mortgage rates fell for the third straight week on 30-year fixed home loans, according to Freddie Mac. This week average interest on 30-year mortgages was 4.99 percent, compared to 5.06 percent last week and 5.16 percent a year ago.

Rates on 15-year fixed loans were also lower, averaging 4.40 percent, compared to 4.45 percent last week. Adjustable-rate mortgages also fell this week, the 5/1 ARM being at 4.27% and the 1 year at 4.32. .

“Fixed mortgage rates followed bond yields lower for the third consecutive week, pushing 30-year mortgages below 5 percent once more,” said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist. “Similarly, ARM rates eased along with shorter-term rates, as the federal funds futures market indicates no increase in the Federal Reserve’s target rate following its upcoming committee meeting on January 26th and 27th.

Source: Freddie Mac

· Existing, single-family home sales increased 1 percent in October to a seasonally adjusted rate of 562,400 units on an annualized basis.

· The statewide median price of an existing single-family home increased 0.3 percent in October to $297,500, compared with September 2009.

· C.A.R.’s Unsold Inventory Index fell to 4 months in October, compared with 6.1 months in October 2008.

. The median number of days it took to sell a single-family home was 34.1 days in October 2009, compared with 45.5 days (revised) for the same period a year ago.

. Statewide, the 10 cities with the highest median home prices in California during October 2009 were: Palo Alto, $1,639,550; Los Altos, $1,592,550; Manhattan Beach, $1,037,500; Cupertino, $1,030,000; Newport Beach, $935,000; Los Gatos, $920,000; Rancho Palos Verdes, $900,000; Santa Barbara, $897,500; Lafayette, $867,500; and Santa Monica, $786,000.

October 2009 Regional Sales and Price Activity*
Regional and Condo Sales Data Not Seasonally Adjusted

Median Prices By Region – Current Month vs. Year Ago

 Source: CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS^®

. Thirty-year fixed-mortgage interest rates averaged 4.95 percent during October 2009, compared with 6.20 percent in October 2008, according to Freddie Mac. Adjustable-mortgage interest rates averaged 4.55 percent in October 2009, compared with 5.21 percent in October 2008.

Mortgage Rates Decline

According to Freddie Mac on Thursday, the 30 year fixed rate dropped from an average of 4.78% to 4.71% from last week. This is the lowest since Freddie Mac compiled data since 1971. Rates have been low all year because of the Fed’s purchase of mortgage-back securities, which in end in the Sping of 2010. This is helping to push mortgage applications which increased 2.1% during the Thanksgiving week stated the Mortgage Bankers Association. But while rates are low, there are still tight credit standards which may hinder buyers qualifying for the lowest rates.  Most buyers will need 20% down, and a high credit scrore in order to qualify. But the push has helped drive more than 4 percent in purchase applications and nearly 2 percent increase in applications to refinance existing loans.

More Cash Required for an FHA loan

The Federal Housing Administration officials are proposing policy changes for FHA-insured mortgage borrowers to help the agency increase its federally mandated funding requirements. Higher credit scores and an increase in the current minimum down payment may be what buyers across America will have to have an order to qualify for and FHA loan. This proposed change is due to increasing financial issues FHA has been facing, which has increased it’s exposure and led to more delinquencies. The Obama Administration may try to propose other ways of increasing closing costs instead of increasing the minimum down payment, such as increasing mortgage insurance premimums or raising minimum credit score requirements so that the change would only effect the lower scoring borrowers. This will make it harder for some but will also reduce the risk of FHA having financial difficulites. FHA’s traditional role was to help American’s reach their dream of homeownership. The details of the change aren’t expected to be final until next month.

First-time Homebuyers

• Tax credit up to $8,000
• Deadline extended until April 30, 2010. Plus, if a contract is signed before May 1, 2010 there will be 60 days to close on the home.
• Buyers that have not owned a home in the last 3 years.
• Purchases in 2010 can be claimed on 2009 tax return.
• Income limits increased to $125,000 on a single return and $225,000 on a joint return, up from $75,000 & $150,000.

Step-up Buyers

• Tax credit up to $6,500
• Purchases between December 1, 2009 and May 1, 2010. The same opportunity to close within 60 days applies.
• Buyers that have owned the same home for 5 consecutive of the last 8 years.
• Purchases in 2010 can be claimed on 2009 tax return.

Income limits are also $125,000 on a single return and $225,000 on a joint return. 

Calif. median home price - September 09: $296,090 (Source: C.A.R.)
Calif. highest median home price by C.A.R. region September 09: Santa Barbara So. Coast $750,000 (Source: C.A.R.)
Calif. lowest median home price by C.A.R. region September 09: High Desert $117,820 (Source: C.A.R.)
Calif. First-time Buyer Affordability Index – Second Quarter 2009: 67 percent (Source: C.A.R.)
Mortgage rates – week ending 10/29/09 30-yr. fixed: 5.03% Fees/points: 0.7% 15-yr. fixed: 4.46% Fees/points: 0.6% 1-yr. adjustable: 4.57% Fees/points: 0.6% (Source: Freddie Mac)

President Obama signed a congressional resolution late Friday to extend the current conforming loan limits of $417,000 for most areas in the U.S. and $729,750 for high-cost areas through 2010.

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, the number of Mortgage applications recieved fell last week, falling 12.3 percent compared to last week.

Most of the decline was in refinances, which fell 16.2 percent and the purchase index declined 4.8 percent. Except for 15-year rates, mortgage rates were down slightly:

• 30-year fixed-rate mortgages decreased to 5.04 percent from 5.07 percent.
• 15-year fixed-rate mortgages increased to 4.53 percent from 4.51 percent.
• 1-year ARMs decreased to 6.79 percent from 6.86 percent.

Good news! Senators in Congress just agreed on Wednesday to extend the tax credit thru 2010. First-time homebuyers will get up to $8000 in tax credit and give up to $6000 in reduced credit to repeat homebuyers who have been in their homes for at least 5 years. The tax credits would be available to buyers who sign purchase agreements by April 30th, and would need to close on their homes by the end of June according to legislation being circulated amongst Congress.

Calif. median home price – August 09: $292,960 (Source: C.A.R.)
Calif. highest median home price by C.A.R. region August 09: Santa Barbara So. Coast $828,750 (Source: C.A.R.)
Calif. lowest median home price by C.A.R. region August 09: High Desert $111,770 (Source: C.A.R.)
Calif. First-time Buyer Affordability Index – Second Quarter 2009: 67 percent (Source: C.A.R.)
Mortgage rates – week ending 10/15/09 30-yr. fixed: 4.92% Fees/points: 0.7% 15-yr. fixed: 4.37% Fees/points: 0.7% 1-yr. adjustable: 4.60% Fees/points: 0.5% (Source: Freddie Mac)

Local Median Home Prices….

  County/City/Area                August 2009               August 2008             % Change

Source:CAR