Tucson Real Estate Market — TucsonHomesForSaleGuide.com

Coldwell Banker ranked number 1 Brokerage for Residential Real Estate

July 29, 2010 By Administrator

Coldwell Banker’s focus on fundamentals is really paying off.

NRT is again ranked the No. 1 residential real estate brokerage in the country by sales volume and transaction in both the Real Trends 500 and RIS Media’s Power Broker rankings. In fact, NRT’s 2009 sales volume is more than three times greater than its nearest competitor in the RIS Media Power Broker Report and is greater than the combined total of the next 11 companies ranked in the publication. NRT also had more closed transaction sides than the next five companies combined in the magazine’s rankings according to Bruce Zipf, the President and COO of NRT LLC.

What adds to Coldwell Banker’s success is their forward thinking in embracing technology, their superior agent training program, pricing Listings to sell, and their agent experience in counselling Buyers.

We are proud to be part of the Coldwell Banker team and number 1 agents for Coldwell Banker Southern Arizona for 2009 and thank our clients for their support.

Anne and Eddie

Anne and Eddie McKechnie
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Coldwell Banker Previews Specialists
Certified Foreclosure and Short Sale Resource

2890 E Skyline Drive, Ste 250
Tucson Az 85718

http://thetucsonexperts.com

Filed Under: Tucson Real Estate Blog, Tucson Real Estate Market

Case-Shiller Shows Home Price Improvement In 95% Of Cities

July 28, 2010 By Administrator Leave a Comment

Case-Shiller Change In Home Values April-May 2010

Standard & Poors released its Case-Shiller Index Tuesday. On a seasonally-adjusted basis, between April and May 2010, home prices rose in 19 of Case-Shiller’s 20 tracked markets. It’s the second straight month of strong Case-Shiller findings.

Also, May’s numbers are a mirror-image of February’s. In February, 19 of 20 markets lost value.

In its press release, the Case-Shiller staff resisted calling May’s data proof of a housing recovery, noting that home values remain flat as compared to October of last year. However, there are some noteworthy numbers in the Case-Shiller report.

13 of the 20 tracked cities are showing home price improvement year-over-year
Foreclosure posterchlld San Diego has now shown 13 straight months of improvement
San Diego, San Francisco and Minneapolis are showing double-digit annual growth

These are all good signs for the housing market, but the Case-Shiller Index is not without its flaws. Most notably, the data is limited to just 20 cities nationwide — and they’re not even the 20 largest ones.

Cities like Houston, Philadelphia, and San Jose are excluded from Case-Shiller, while cities like Tampa (#54) are not.

Another Case-Shiller flaw is that it reports on a 2-month delay.

Therefore, today is several days from the start of August but we’re now reflecting on data from May. Given the speed at which the oro valley real estate market can change, May’s data is almost ancient. Today’s values may be higher or lower than what Case-Shiller reports.

For home buyers, reports like the Case-Shiller Index may not be useful in making a “Buy or Not Buy” decision, but can aid in watching longer-term trends in housing. For real-time data, talk to a real estate agent with access to local figures instead.

Filed Under: Case-Shiller Index, Tucson Real Estate Blog, Tucson Real Estate Market Tagged With: Case-Shiller Index, Home Values

New Homes Sales Gain in June, But Gains Are Relative

July 27, 2010 By Administrator Leave a Comment

New Home Supply June 2009 - June 2010

After a down month in May, the sales of newly-built homes appears back on track.

As published by the Census Bureau, June’s New Home Sales report showed:

A 24 percent sales volume increase from the month prior
A 2-month drop in the supply of newly-built home

There are now just 210,000 new homes for sale nationwide.

June’s data is a major improvement over May, but it’s possible that the true “new home market” may be softer than the statistics suggest. This is for several reasons.

First, we’re comparing June’s sales data to the worst month in New Home Sales history.

In May, sales of new homes totaled just 267,000 units nationwide. That’s one-quarter fewer sales than in the previous worst month in New Home Sales history. May’s sales levels were awful by any measure but June’s improvement to 330,000 units remains second-worst sales levels ever posted.

Second, although much improved, June’s new home supply of 7.6 months is elevated versus the historical norm near 6.0 months. The last year has averaged 7.7 months.

For buyers of new homes in marana , this combination of low sales volume and higher-than-normal inventory may be a positive. It’s the main reason why homebuilder confidence is reeling and the downturn has opened some doors for big discounts and deals. Free upgrades and closing cost credits can make a well-priced home even more attractive.

Plus, with mortgage rates at all-time lows and expected to rise, home affordability is may never be better.

Filed Under: New Home Sales, Tucson Real Estate Blog, Tucson Real Estate Market Tagged With: Census Bureau, New Home Sales, New Home Supply

Foreclosure Activity Slows Again In June 2010

July 15, 2010 By Administrator Leave a Comment

Foreclosures per capita, June 2010

313,841 foreclosure filings were made in June, according to foreclosure-tracking firm RealtyTrac. The figure represents a 3 percent drop from May and 7 percent drop from June of last year. However, foreclosure filings remain relatively high nationwide.

June marks the 16th straight month the filings topped 300,000. 1 in every 411 U.S. homes received some form of notice last month with foreclosure density varying wildly from state-to-state.

Like everything else in real estate, it seems, foreclosures are a local phenomenon.

The states with the highest foreclosures per capita were:

Nevada : 1 foreclosure filing per 88 homes
Florida : 1 foreclosure filing per 171 homes
Arizona : 1 foreclosure filing per 189 homes

The states with the lowest foreclosures per capita were:

Vermont : 1 foreclosure filing per 26,051 homes
West Virgina : 1 foreclosure filing per 8,058 homes
South Dakota : 1 foreclosure filing per 6,528 homes

Overall, 40 states beat the national Foreclosure Per Capita average and 10 states fell below. The sheer volume of REO, though, is creating interesting buying opportunities for first-timer buyers, move-up buyers, and real estate investors in tucson.

Homes bought from banks are usually less expensive than non-foreclosure homes. This is one of the major reasons why distressed sales account for roughly 30 percent of all home resales. Less expensive, though, doesn’t always mean “cheaper”. Foreclosed homes are often sold as-is and may be defective or otherwise uninhabitable.

Making repairs to get these homes into “living condition” can be costly.

Therefore, if you’re buying a foreclosed home, make sure you know what you’re buying before you make your bid. Have a certified professional inspect the home to check for damage, and consider enlisting the help of a real estate agent to assist with negotiations and management of the contract.

The process of buying a foreclosed home is different from buying a typical resale. Make sure you do your homework.

Filed Under: Foreclosures, Tucson Real Estate Blog, Tucson Real Estate Market, Tucson Real Estate Statistics Tagged With: Foreclosures, RealtyTrac

Mandatory Loan Fees Keep Borrowers From Getting Their Absolute Lowest Rate

July 14, 2010 By Administrator Leave a Comment

Loan-level pricing adjustments add to mortgage costs Conforming mortgage rates may be posting all-time lows this week, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be eligible for them. You may have already called your loan officer and found this out the hard way.

It’s because of a federally-mandated mortgage-pricing scheme known as “loan-level pricing adjustments”.

In effect since April 2009, loan-level pricing adjustments are changes to a loan’s base rate and/or fee structure based on that loan’s inherent risk to Wall Street. It’s similar to auto insurance pricing adjustment in that a sports car, all things equal, will cost more to insure than a comparably-priced minivan.

More risk, more cost.

In mortgage lending, loan risk can be loosely grouped into 5 categories. Mortgage applications in tucson featuring any of the five traits are subject to price adjustments:

Credit Score (i.e. the borrower’s FICO is below 740)
Property Type (i.e. the subject property is a multi-unit home)
Occupancy (i.e. the subject property is an investment home)
Structure (i.e. there is a subordinate/junior lien on title)
Equity (i.e. mortgage insurance is required by the lender)

Furthermore, loan-level pricing adjustments are cumulative.

A 3-unit investment home will face larger adjustments than an owner-occupied 3-unit home, for example. It’s these adjustments that explain why you may not be eligible for the rates you see advertised online and in the newspapers — your particular loan may be subject to this risk-based pricing that raises your mortgage rate and closing costs.

The government’s loan-level pricing adjustment schedule is public information. See what your lender and how your loan quote is made at the Fannie Mae website. Or, if you find the charts confusing, just call or email your loan officer for help with interpretation.

Filed Under: Mortgage Rates, Tucson Real Estate Blog, Tucson Real Estate Market, Tucson Real Estate Statistics Tagged With: Fannie Mae, LLPA, Risk-Based Pricing

Should You Refinance Your ARM, Or Let It Adjust Lower?

July 13, 2010 By Administrator Leave a Comment

ARM adjustment schedule 2008-2010

If your adjustable rate mortgage is due to adjust this year, don’t go rushing to replace it just yet. Your soon-to-adjust mortgage rate may actually go lower. It’s related to the math behind the ARM.

Conventional, adjustable-rate mortgages share a common life cycle:

There’s a “starter period” in which the interest rate remains fixed
There’s an initial adjustment period after the starter period called the “first adjustment”
There’s a subsequent annual adjustment until the loan’s term expires — usually at Year 30.

The starter period will vary from 1 to 10 years, but at the point of first adjustment, conventional ARMs become the same. A homeowner’s new, adjusted mortgage rate is determined by the sum of some constant, and a variable. The constant is most often 2.25% and the variable is most often the 12-month LIBOR.

As a formula, the math looks like this:

(Adjusted Mortgage Rates) = (12-Month LIBOR) + (2.250 Percent)

LIBOR is an acronym standing for London Interbank Offered Rate. It’s the rate at which banks borrow money from each other and, lately, LIBOR has been low. As a result, adjusting mortgage rates have been low, too.

Last year, 5-year ARMs were adjusting to 6 percent or higher. Today, they’re adjusting to 3.375%.

Based on the math, it may be wise to just let your ARM adjust this year. Or, depending on how long you plan to stay in your home, consider a refinance to a new ARM. Starter rates on today’s adjustable rate mortgages are exceptionally low in marana , as are the rates for fixed rate loans.

Either way, talk to your loan officer about making a plan. With mortgage rates as low as they’ve ever been in history, homeowners have some interesting options. Just don’t wait too long. LIBOR — and mortgage rates in general — are known to change quickly.

Filed Under: Adjustable Rate Mortgages, Tucson Real Estate Blog, Tucson Real Estate Market, Tucson Real Estate Statistics Tagged With: Adjustable Rate Mortgage, LIBOR

The Flawed Home Price Index Shows Home Values Up 0.8 Percent

July 9, 2010 By Administrator Leave a Comment

Monthly change in Home Price Index from April 2007 peak

Last week, the Case-Shiller Index reported home values up 0.8 percent across 20 tracked markets. The public-sector Federal Housing Finance Agency has reached a similar conclusion.

Reporting on a two-month lag, the government’s Home Price Index shows home values up 0.8 percent in April, buoyed by the expiring federal home buyer tax credit and low mortgage rates. It’s a positive signal for a recovering housing market — in tucson and everywhere else.

But just because the Home Price Index says home values are rising, that doesn’t mean they are. The Home Price Index methodology is flawed on multiple fronts.

First, the Home Price Index reports on a 60-day delay. This two-month lag turns the HPI a trailing indicator for the housing market instead of a forward-looking one. If you’re a home buyer looking for direction, HPI won’t give it to you — you’ll have to get that analysis from your real estate agent.

Second, HPI only accounts for home values in which the home’s attached mortgage is backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. As the FHA market share grows, fewer homes get included in the HPI sample set, and HPI values may be skewed high or low.

And, third, HPI doesn’t account for new home sales — only repeat ones. This, too, eliminates a major segment of the market.

All of that said, though, the Home Price Index remains important to housing. It’s still the most comprehensive home valuation model in print and it’s been giving strong readings since the start of year. You can’t ignore that on any level.

It’s July and you may have missed the “rock bottom” catalina foothills home prices from earlier in the year, but homes are still relatively inexpensive. Couple that with all-time low mortgage rates and home affordability looks excellent. Consider making an offer while the terms are right.

Filed Under: Home Price Index, Tucson Real Estate Blog, Tucson Real Estate Market, Tucson Real Estate Statistics Tagged With: Case-Shiller Index, Home Price Index, HPI

Was The Pending Home Sales Report Really That Bad? It Depends Who You Ask — Buyer Or Seller.

July 2, 2010 By Administrator Leave a Comment

Pending Home Sales Nov 2008 to May 2010 The Pending Home Sales Index plunged in May 2010, just one month after the expiration of the federal home buyer tax credit program.

The Pending Home Sales Index is now at a record-low level.

A “pending home sale” is an existing home under contract to sell, but not yet closed. According to the National Association of Realtors®, 80 percent of homes under contract close within 60 days.

Because of this timeline, we can expect the summer’s Existing Home Sales to be weak, too. With fewer homes going under contract, fewer homes can close.

On the surface, May’s Pending Home Sales Index looks like terrible news for housing. And, if you’re a seller, it just might be. But, if you’re a buyer, the story reads differently. Just consider the market conditions.

A broad look at the housing market shows:

Home supplies are rising in most markets
Home sales are falling in most markets
Mortgage rates are at all-time lows

In other words, in most markets, more sellers are competing for fewer buyers, and the “winning” buyers are financing their homes at the lowest rates in history.

It’s an excellent time to be a home buyer in Oro Valley.

Filed Under: Pending Home Sales, Tucson Real Estate Blog, Tucson Real Estate Market, Tucson Real Estate Statistics Tagged With: Home Supply, Pending Home Sales

The Year Is Half-Over. How Did The Housing Experts Fare On their Tucson Real Estate Market Predictions?

July 1, 2010 By Administrator Leave a Comment

Housing and mortgage rate forecasts As 2009 was ending, the “experts” were busy making forecasts about the U.S. economy and what to expect in 2010.

With respect to the housing markets, two predictions were made again and again:

Home prices would fall in the first half of 2010
Mortgage rates would be higher in 2010

Well, it’s July 1 and the year is half-over. Both predictions are proving to be incorrect. Home values are rising in most markets and mortgage rates are down. Way down.

It reminds us that economists are much more skilled with analysis of the past versus predictions of the future.

A pile of data can only get you so far.

Think of Tucson housing market predictions like watching a local weather forecast. A meteorologist can look at the radar and tell you that rain is coming, but it’s never with 100% certainty. There is always a chance of change.

The housing market is the same way. Just as the U.S. economy is unpredictable, so are housing prices, and so are mortgage rates.

Therefore, when you have a personal finance decision to make, evaluate your options based on the information at hand today rather than an educated guess about the future. The future, after all, is subject to change — despite what the experts forecast.

Filed Under: Statistics, Tucson Real Estate Blog, Tucson Real Estate Market, Tucson Real Estate Statistics Tagged With: Home Values, Mortgage Rates

Case-Shiller Shows Home Price Improvement In 90% Of Cities

June 30, 2010 By Administrator 1 Comment

Case-Shiller Change In Home Values Mar-Apr 2010

Standard & Poors released its Case-Shiller Index Tuesday. The index is a monthly home valuation report from select cities and among the private sector’s most popular home pricing models.

In reviewing the April Case-Shiller Index and its accompanying analysis, it appears that the housing market’s rebound is gathering momentum.

In the index’s 20 tracked cities:

18 of 20 improved from March to April 2010
Versus April 2009, home prices are up nearly 4 percent
The two “down” cities from April — Miami and New York — are off just 0.5% and 1.0% annually, respectively

Furthermore, as another sign of strength, San Diego, a city in which homeowners have lost a lot of equity since 2007, has now shown 12 straight months of home price improvement.

However, the Case-Shiller Index must be kept in context. It’s far from perfect.

For one, the index reports on a 60-day delay; it’s only now showing data from the end of April, when the federal homebuyer tax credit was expiring. Home sales have been weak since then it’s been reported.

And second, the Case-Shiller Index is limited to just 20 cities nationwide. Therefore, the index doesn’t consider every home sale in every American city — it only considers a select few. Many more U.S. homes are excluded from the Case-Shiller Index than are included.

But, despite its flaws, the Case-Shiller Index remains important with respect to economic analysis. Much like the government’s Home Price Index, Case-Shiller helps to identify broader trends in housing that shape government and monetary policy.

Filed Under: Case-Shiller Index, Tucson Real Estate Blog, Tucson Real Estate Market, Tucson Real Estate Statistics Tagged With: Case-Shiller Index, Home Price Index, Home Values