Good news, house hunters: Home prices have started to cool. Prices are still rising, but annual home price appreciation slowed from April to June, with June marking the strongest single-month deceleration in home price growth ever, according to Black Knight, a mortgage data analytics firm.
The bad news: Rising mortgage rates are making homeownership less attainable for some buyers.
Although mortgage rates have been in a state of flux this year, the 30-year fixed-rate average ballooned from 3.2% in January to 5.3% at the end of July, according to Freddie Mac. Consequently, the national median mortgage payment hit $1,893 in June, a $509 increase since the beginning of the year, says the Mortgage Bankers Association.
Inflation, geopolitical tensions and fears of a recession are stoking higher mortgage rates, says Odeta Kushi, deputy chief economist at First American Financial Corp., a title, settlement and risk solutions provider based in Santa Ana, Calif. "The Federal Reserve has been reducing its balance sheet and raising its benchmark rate in an effort to tame inflation," she says. "That has resulted in higher 10-year Treasury yields, which has resulted in higher mortgage rates."
Those rising mortgage rates are pushing some buyers out of the market and leading some others to back out of deals-approximately 60,000 home purchase agreements nationwide fell through in June, Redfin data found. The brokerage also released a study in June that found a home buyer on a $2,500 monthly housing budget had lost nearly $120,000 in home-purchase power since the end of 2022.
First-time home buyers are bearing the brunt of climbing mortgage rates, Kushi says: "It's getting very difficult for first-time buyers to enter the market, largely because they don't have money that existing homeowners get from the sale of their current home to fund their next home purchase."
Esta historia es de la edición October 2022 de Kiplinger's Personal Finance.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición October 2022 de Kiplinger's Personal Finance.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
A SOLID YEAR FOR THE KIPLINGER 25
All but one of our favorite actively managed, no-load mutual funds gained ground as markets recovered.
YOUR VACATION HOME COULD PROVIDE TAX-FREE INCOME
If you plan to rent out your vacation home, it's important to understand how your proceeds will be taxed.
IT'S NOT YOUR IMAGINATION: YOUR CEREAL BOX IS SHRINKING
To avoid raising prices, some manufacturers are reducing the size of common grocery items. Here’s how to fight back.
SHOULD YOU WORRY ABOUT BEING LAID OFF? IT DEPENDS ON YOUR INDUSTRY
Downsizing has hit certain sectors. But cutbacks may be slowing, and some companies are expanding.
How identity thieves are exploiting your trust
Con artists themselves are disguising as well-known brands to steal your money and personal information.
CUT THE COST OF YOUR WIRELESS BILL
AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon dominate the market, but smaller outfits offer similar network coverage at lower prices.
MAKING HOME ENERGY MORE AFFORDABLE
Households in need can get energy-efficiency upgrades, help with utility bills and more from this nonprofit.
A HEAD START FOR SAVERS
The Saver's Credit is designed to help low- and middleincome taxpayers contribute to a retirement account.
Say I Love You With a Money Date
To nurture a lasting bond with your partner, meet regularly to talk about money.
Plan for Your Own Elder Care
AFTER I wrote a series of columns in 2022 about elder care planning for family members, I received a number of responses like this one: “What about married couples who have no children or whose family members don’t live nearby?” wrote one reader. “Or a single individual with no close relatives? How should these people plan for their own elder care?”