Silver Creek Valley Homes For Sale |  Supply & Demand Will Determine Future Home Values

There's is an abundance of open space, hiking trails, great schools and charm. Locals know that Silver Creek is a great place to raise a family.

While some people may say that the area is energized by new growth and rapid changes, Silver Creek value comes from its welcoming warm atmosphere, where neighbors participate enjoying various spectacular amenities enjoying a great convenient location.

All great neighborhoods have this in common. Pride in ownership is obvious when the residents, whether renters or owners, maintain their homes and care about their neighborhood. Neighbors participate to connect and create local groups that bring the residents together for the betterment of the area.

Connect with the past, present and future in Silver Creek Valley, one of the most charming neighborhood you'll find in the San Jose area.

Every home buyer has a wish when looking for a home, while not all of them are granted, the ‘feel good magic’ happens when they start seeing homes around neighborhoods of this beautiful valley.

Is the people what makes this place a little different from others, It's a great place to live.

Neighbors welcome you with open arms and share indiscriminately the beauty and charm that Silver Creek has to offer.

Today I would like to point out specifically about Supply & Demand Will Determine Future Home Values

Will home values continue to appreciate throughout 2018? The answer is simple: YES! – as long as there are more purchasers in the market than there are available homes for them to buy. This is known as the theory of “supply and demand,” which is defined as:

“The amount of a commodity, product, or service available and the desire of buyers for it, considered as factors regulating its price.”

When demand exceeds supply, prices go up. Every month this year, demand (buyer traffic) has increased as compared to last year and for the first five months of 2018, supply (the number of available listings) had decreased as compared to last year. However, a recent report by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) revealed the first year-over-year increase in supply in three years.

Here are the numbers for supply and demand as compared to last year since the beginning of 2018:

The increase in the June numbers doesn’t mean that prices won’t continue to appreciate. In that same report, Lawrence Yun, NAR’s Chief Economist, explained:

“It’s important to note that despite the modest year-over-year rise in inventory, the current level is far from what’s needed to satisfy demand levels.

Furthermore, it remains to be seen if this modest increase will stick, given the fact that the robust economy is bringing more interested buyers into the market, and new home construction is failing to keep up.”

Bottom Line

The reason home prices are still rising is that there are many purchasers looking to buy but very few homeowners ready to sell. This imbalance is the reason prices will remain on the uptick.

Source.. KCM Don Orason Blog

“All agents are NOT alike, We are Different … and We Want To Earn Your Business and Trust”

“The real estate market is constantly changing. I would like the opportunity to show you some of the new ways in which you are able to buy, sell and search for new homes”. 

We continually invest in the latest technology to give you the most up to date information on homes for sale and the most exposure for your property when selling.   

Give us a call at 408–741–9300 before buying or selling your next home. 

Don Orason, Owner — Silicon Valley Real Estate Team   

www.siliconvalleyrealestateteam.com

Almaden Valley Homes For Sale | Are Lending Standards Propping Up Home Prices?

We've streamlined and perfected the process of finding dream homes for our clients in Almaden Valley      

We know you want to spend less time looking at perhaps hundreds of homes for sale, looking all over. . .just to find that special place, allow our knowledge, experience and passion for Almaden Valley to guide you through the process of finding the right neighborhood that will fit your lifestyle. We strive in making it easier and have a direct path to help you find your dream home.    

We are also your Trusted Resource for Almaden Valley Real Estate, offering complete solutions for buyers, from financing assistance to creating innovative marketing strategies for home sellers.     

Check out the Almaden Valley Real Estate Market Report here!  

We are your neighborhood specialists and we are ready to help you..    

Today I would like to speak to you about Are Lending Standards Propping Up Home Prices?

Back in 2005, Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan described the dramatic increases in residential real estate values as a “froth in housing markets.” Greenspan went on to say:

“The increase in the prevalence of interest-only loans and the introduction of more-exotic forms of adjustable-rate mortgages are developments of particular concern…some households may be employing these instruments to purchase homes that would otherwise be unaffordable, and consequently their use could be adding to pressures in the housing market.”

Greenspan was warning that the loosening of lending standards could lead to disaster. And it did.

With home prices again appreciating at percentages well above historic norms, many are wondering whether the market is again becoming “frothy.” Mortgage standards are much stricter now, however, than they were in 2005.

The Urban Institute’s Housing Finance Policy Center issues a monthly index which measures the percentage of home purchase loans that are likely to default. A lower score indicates that lenders are unwilling to tolerate defaults and are imposing tighter lending standards. A higher score indicates that lenders are willing to tolerate defaults and are taking more risks.

Their July Housing Credit Availability Index revealed credit availability rose to 5.9%. For context, they went on to explain:

“Significant space remains to safely expand the credit box. If the current default risk was doubled across all channels, risk would still be well within the pre-crisis standard of 12.5 percent from 2001 to 2003 for the whole mortgage market.”

Here is a graph depicting the Urban Institute’s findings:

Bottom Line

Though it may be slightly easier to get a mortgage today than it was a year ago, lending standards are nowhere near where they were during the build-up to the housing bubble.

Source.. KCM Don Orason Blog

“All agents are NOT alike, We are Different … and We Want To Earn Your Business and Trust”

“The real estate market is constantly changing. I would like the opportunity to show you some of the new ways in which you are able to buy, sell and search for new homes”. 

We continually invest in the latest technology to give you the most up to date information on homes for sale and the most exposure for your property when selling.  

Give us a call at 408–741–9300 before buying or selling your next home. 

Don Orason, Owner — Silicon Valley Real Estate Team   

www.siliconvalleyrealestateteam.com 

Almaden Valley Homes For Sale | 4 Reasons Why We Are Not Heading Toward Another Housing Bubble

We've streamlined and perfected the process of finding dream homes for our clients in Almaden Valley      

We know you want to spend less time looking at perhaps hundreds of homes for sale, looking all over. . .just to find that special place, allow our knowledge, experience and passion for Almaden Valley to guide you through the process of finding the right neighborhood that will fit your lifestyle. We strive in making it easier and have a direct path to help you find your dream home.    

We are also your Trusted Resource for Almaden Valley Real Estate, offering complete solutions for buyers, from financing assistance to creating innovative marketing strategies for home sellers.     

Check out the Almaden Valley Real Estate Market Report here!  

We are your neighborhood specialists and we are ready to help you..    

Today I would like to speak to you about 4 Reasons Why We Are Not Heading Toward Another Housing Bubble

With home prices continuing to appreciate above historic levels, some are concerned that we may be heading for another housing ‘boom & bust.’ It is important to remember, however, that today’s market is quite different than the bubble market of twelve years ago.

Here are four key metrics that will explain why:

1.- Home Prices

2.- Mortgage Standards

3.- Foreclosure Rates

4.- Housing Affordability

1. HOME PRICES

There is no doubt that home prices have reached 2006 levels in many markets across the country. However, after more than a decade, home prices should be much higher based on inflation alone.

Last week, CoreLogic reported that,

“The inflation-adjusted U.S. median sale price in June 2006 was $247,110 (or $199,899 in 2006 dollars), compared with $213,400 in March 2018.” (This is the latest data available.)

2. MORTGAGE STANDARDS

Many are concerned that lending institutions are again easing standards to a level that helped create the last housing bubble. However, there is proof that today’s standards are nowhere near as lenient as they were leading up to the crash.

The Urban Institute’s Housing Finance Policy Center issues a monthly index which,

“…measures the percentage of home purchase loans that are likely to default—that is, go unpaid for more than 90 days past their due date. A lower HCAI indicates that lenders are unwilling to tolerate defaults and are imposing tighter lending standards, making it harder to get a loan. A higher HCAI indicates that lenders are willing to tolerate defaults and are taking more risks, making it easier to get a loan.”

Their July Housing Credit Availability Index revealed:

“Significant space remains to safely expand the credit box. If the current default risk was doubled across all channels, risk would still be well within the pre-crisis standard of 12.5 percent from 2001 to 2003 for the whole mortgage market.”

3. FORECLOSURE RATES

A major cause of the housing crash last decade was the number of foreclosures that hit the market. They not only increased the supply of homes for sale but were also being sold at 20-50% discounts. Foreclosures helped drive down all home values.

Today, foreclosure numbers are lower than they were before the housing boom. Here are the number of consumers with new foreclosures according to the Federal Reserve’s most recent Household Debt and Credit Report:

 * 2003: 203,320 (earliest reported numbers)

 * 2009: 566,180 (at the valley of the crash)

 * Today: 76,480

Foreclosures today are less than 40% of what they were in 2003.

4. HOUSING AFFORDABILITY

Contrary to many headlines, home affordability is better now than it was prior to the last housing boom. In the same article referenced in #1, CoreLogic revealed that in the vast majority of markets, “the inflation-adjusted, principal-and-interest mortgage payments that homebuyers have committed to this year remain much lower than their pre-crisis peaks.”

They went on to explain:

“The main reason the typical mortgage payment remains well below record levels in most of the country is that the average mortgage rate back in June 2006, when the U.S. typical mortgage payment peaked, was about 6.7 percent, compared with an average mortgage rate of about 4.4 percent in March 2018.”

The “price” of a home may be higher, but the “cost” is still below historic norms.

Bottom Line

After using these four key housing metrics to compare today to last decade, we can see that the current market is not anything like that bubble market.

Source.. KCM Don Orason Blog

“All agents are NOT alike, We are Different … and We Want To Earn Your Business and Trust”

“The real estate market is constantly changing. I would like the opportunity to show you some of the new ways in which you are able to buy, sell and search for new homes”. 

We continually invest in the latest technology to give you the most up to date information on homes for sale and the most exposure for your property when selling.  

Give us a call at 408–741–9300 before buying or selling your next home. 

Don Orason, Owner — Silicon Valley Real Estate Team   

www.siliconvalleyrealestateteam.com 

Silver Creek Valley Homes For Sale |  Housing Will Not Fall Victim to Next Economic Storm

There's is an abundance of open space, hiking trails, great schools and charm. Locals know that Silver Creek is a great place to raise a family.

While some people may say that the area is energized by new growth and rapid changes, Silver Creek value comes from its welcoming warm atmosphere, where neighbors participate enjoying various spectacular amenities enjoying a great convenient location.

All great neighborhoods have this in common. Pride in ownership is obvious when the residents, whether renters or owners, maintain their homes and care about their neighborhood. Neighbors participate to connect and create local groups that bring the residents together for the betterment of the area.

Connect with the past, present and future in Silver Creek Valley, one of the most charming neighborhood you'll find in the San Jose area.

Every home buyer has a wish when looking for a home, while not all of them are granted, the ‘feel good magic’ happens when they start seeing homes around neighborhoods of this beautiful valley.

Is the people what makes this place a little different from others, It's a great place to live.

Neighbors welcome you with open arms and share indiscriminately the beauty and charm that Silver Creek has to offer.

Today I would like to point out specifically about Housing Will Not Fall Victim to Next Economic Storm

Some experts are calling for a slowdown in the economy later this year and most economists have predicted that the next recession could only be eighteen months away. The question is, what impact will a recession have on the housing market?

Here are the opinions of several experts on the subject:

Ivy Zelman in her latest “Z Report”:

“While economic activity appears to have accelerated so far in 2018, some prominent economic forecasters have become more cautious about growth prospects for 2019 and 2020…

All told, while solid long-term demographic underpinnings support our positive fundamental outlook for housing, in the event micro-economic headwinds surface, we would expect housing transaction volumes and home prices to weather the storm.”

Aaron Terrazas, Zillow’s Senior Economist:

“While much remains unknown about the precise path of the U.S. economy in the years ahead, another housing market crisis is unlikely to be a central protagonist in the next nationwide downturn.”

Mark Fleming, First American’s Chief Economist:

“If a recession is to occur, it is unlikely to be caused by housing-related activity, and therefore the housing sector should be one of the leading sources to come out of the recession.”

Mark J. Hulbert, Financial Analyst and Journalist:

“Real estate may be one of your best investments during the next bear market for stocks. And by real estate, I mean your home or other residential properties.”

U.S. News and World Report:

“Fortunately – and hopefully – the history of recessions and current issues that could harm the economy don’t lead many to believe the housing market crash will repeat itself in an upcoming decline.”

Source.. KCM Don Orason Blog

“All agents are NOT alike, We are Different … and We Want To Earn Your Business and Trust”

“The real estate market is constantly changing. I would like the opportunity to show you some of the new ways in which you are able to buy, sell and search for new homes”. 

We continually invest in the latest technology to give you the most up to date information on homes for sale and the most exposure for your property when selling.   

Give us a call at 408–741–9300 before buying or selling your next home. 

Don Orason, Owner — Silicon Valley Real Estate Team   

www.siliconvalleyrealestateteam.com

Almaden Valley Homes For Sale | House-Buying Power at Near-Historic Levels

We've streamlined and perfected the process of finding dream homes for our clients in Almaden Valley      

We know you want to spend less time looking at perhaps hundreds of homes for sale, looking all over. . .just to find that special place, allow our knowledge, experience and passion for Almaden Valley to guide you through the process of finding the right neighborhood that will fit your lifestyle. We strive in making it easier and have a direct path to help you find your dream home.    

We are also your Trusted Resource for Almaden Valley Real Estate, offering complete solutions for buyers, from financing assistance to creating innovative marketing strategies for home sellers.     

Check out the Almaden Valley Real Estate Market Report here!  

We are your neighborhood specialists and we are ready to help you..    

Today I would like to speak to you about House-Buying Power at Near-Historic Levels

We keep hearing that home affordability is approaching crisis levels. While this may be true in a few metros across the country, housing affordability is not a challenge in the clear majority of the country. In their most recent Real House Price Index, First American reported that consumer “house-buying power” is at “near-historic levels.”

Their index is based on three components:

 1. Median Household Income

 2. Mortgage Interest Rates

 3. Home Prices

The report explains:

“Changing incomes and interest rates either increase or decrease consumer house-buying power or affordability. When incomes rise and/or mortgage rates fall, consumer house-buying power increases.”

Combining these three crucial pieces of the home purchasing process, First American created an index delineating the actual home-buying power that consumers have had dating back to 1991.

Here is a graph comparing First American’s consumer house-buying power (blue area) to the actual median home price that year from the National Association of Realtors (yellow line).

Consumer house-buyer power has been greater than the actual price of a home since 1991. And, the spread is larger over the last decade.

Bottom Line

Even though home prices are increasing rapidly and are now close to the values last seen a decade ago, the actual affordability of a home is much better now. As Chief Economist Mark Fleming explains in the report:

“Though unadjusted house prices have risen to record highs, consumer house-buying power stands at near-historic levels, as well, signaling that real house prices are not even close to their historical peak.”

Source.. KCM Don Orason Blog

“All agents are NOT alike, We are Different … and We Want To Earn Your Business and Trust”

“The real estate market is constantly changing. I would like the opportunity to show you some of the new ways in which you are able to buy, sell and search for new homes”. 

We continually invest in the latest technology to give you the most up to date information on homes for sale and the most exposure for your property when selling.  

Give us a call at 408–741–9300 before buying or selling your next home. 

Don Orason, Owner — Silicon Valley Real Estate Team   

www.siliconvalleyrealestateteam.com 

Silver Creek Valley Homes For Sale |  Homes More Affordable Today than 1985-2000

There's is an abundance of open space, hiking trails, great schools and charm. Locals know that Silver Creek is a great place to raise a family.

While some people may say that the area is energized by new growth and rapid changes, Silver Creek value comes from its welcoming warm atmosphere, where neighbors participate enjoying various spectacular amenities enjoying a great convenient location.

All great neighborhoods have this in common. Pride in ownership is obvious when the residents, whether renters or owners, maintain their homes and care about their neighborhood. Neighbors participate to connect and create local groups that bring the residents together for the betterment of the area.

Connect with the past, present and future in Silver Creek Valley, one of the most charming neighborhood you'll find in the San Jose area.

Every home buyer has a wish when looking for a home, while not all of them are granted, the ‘feel good magic’ happens when they start seeing homes around neighborhoods of this beautiful valley.

Is the people what makes this place a little different from others, It's a great place to live.

Neighbors welcome you with open arms and share indiscriminately the beauty and charm that Silver Creek has to offer.

Today I would like to point out specifically about  Homes More Affordable Today than 1985-2000

Rising home prices have many concerned that the average family will no longer be able to afford the most precious piece of the American Dream – their own home.

However, it is not just the price of a home that determines its affordability. The monthly cost of a home is determined by the price and the interest rate on the mortgage used to purchase it.

Today, mortgage interest rates stand at about 4.5%. The average annual mortgage interest rate from 1985 to 2000 was almost double that number, at 8.92%. When comparing affordability of homeownership over the decades, we must also realize that incomes have increased.

This is why most indexes use the percentage of median income required to make monthly mortgage payments on a typical home as the point of comparison.

Zillow recently released a report comparing home affordability over the decades using this formula. The report revealed that, though homes are less affordable this year than last year, they are more affordable today (17.1%) than they were between 1985-2000 (21%). Additionally, homes are more affordable now than at the peak of the housing bubble in 2006 (25.4%). Here is a chart of these findings:

What will happen when mortgage interest rates rise?

Most experts think that the mortgage interest rate will increase to about 5% by year’s end. How will that impact affordability? Zillow also covered this in their report:

Rates would need to approach 6% before homes became less affordable than they had been historically.

Bottom Line

Though homes are less affordable today than they were last year, they are still a great purchase while interest rates are below the 6% mark.

Source.. KCM Don Orason Blog

“All agents are NOT alike, We are Different … and We Want To Earn Your Business and Trust”

“The real estate market is constantly changing. I would like the opportunity to show you some of the new ways in which you are able to buy, sell and search for new homes”. 

We continually invest in the latest technology to give you the most up to date information on homes for sale and the most exposure for your property when selling.   

Give us a call at 408–741–9300 before buying or selling your next home. 

Don Orason, Owner — Silicon Valley Real Estate Team   

www.siliconvalleyrealestateteam.com

Almaden Valley Homes For Sale | Next Recession in 2020? What Will Be the Impact?

We've streamlined and perfected the process of finding dream homes for our clients in Almaden Valley      

We know you want to spend less time looking at perhaps hundreds of homes for sale, looking all over. . .just to find that special place, allow our knowledge, experience and passion for Almaden Valley to guide you through the process of finding the right neighborhood that will fit your lifestyle. We strive in making it easier and have a direct path to help you find your dream home.    

We are also your Trusted Resource for Almaden Valley Real Estate, offering complete solutions for buyers, from financing assistance to creating innovative marketing strategies for home sellers.     

Check out the Almaden Valley Real Estate Market Report here!  

We are your neighborhood specialists and we are ready to help you..    

Today I would like to speak to you about  Next Recession in 2020? What Will Be the Impact?

Economists and analysts know that the country has experienced economic growth for almost a decade. They also know that a recession can’t be too far off. A recent report by Zillow Research shed light on a survey conducted by Pulsenomics in which they asked economists, investment strategists and market analysts how they felt about the current housing market. That report revealed the possible timing of the next recession:

“Experts largely expect the next recession to begin in 2020.”

That timing concurs with a recent survey of economists by the Wall Street Journal:

“The economic expansion that began in mid-2009 and already ranks as the second-longest in American history most likely will end in 2020 as the Federal Reserve raises interest rates to cool off an overheating economy, according to forecasters surveyed.”

Here is a graph comparing the opinions of those surveyed by both the Wall Street Journal and Pulsenomics:

Recession DOES NOT Equal Housing Crisis

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a recession is defined as follows:

“A period of temporary economic decline during which trade and industrial activity are reduced, generally identified by a fall in GDP in two successive quarters.”

A recession means the economy has slowed down markedly. It does not mean we are experiencing another housing crisis. Obviously, the housing crash of 2008 caused the last recession. However, during the previous five recessions home values appreciated.

According to the experts surveyed by Pulsenomics, the top three probable triggers for the next recession are:

 * Monetary policy

 * Trade policy

 * A stock market correction

A housing market correction was ranked ninth in probability. Those same experts also projected that home values would continue to appreciate in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.  

Others agree that housing will not be impacted like it was a decade ago.

Mark Fleming, First American’s Chief Economist, explained:

“If a recession is to occur, it is unlikely to be caused by housing-related activity, and therefore the housing sector should be one of the leading sources to come out of the recession.”

And U.S. News and World Report agreed:

“Fortunately – and hopefully – the history of recessions and current issues that could harm the economy don’t lead many to believe the housing market crash will repeat itself in an upcoming decline.”

Bottom Line

A recession is probably less than two years away. A housing crisis is not.

Source.. KCM Don Orason Blog

“All agents are NOT alike, We are Different … and We Want To Earn Your Business and Trust”

“The real estate market is constantly changing. I would like the opportunity to show you some of the new ways in which you are able to buy, sell and search for new homes”. 

We continually invest in the latest technology to give you the most up to date information on homes for sale and the most exposure for your property when selling.  

Give us a call at 408–741–9300 before buying or selling your next home. 

Don Orason, Owner — Silicon Valley Real Estate Team   

www.siliconvalleyrealestateteam.com  

Silver Creek Valley Homes For Sale | Homes are More Affordable in 44 out of 50 States

There's is an abundance of open space, hiking trails, great schools and charm. Locals know that Silver Creek is a great place to raise a family.

While some people may say that the area is energized by new growth and rapid changes, Silver Creek value comes from its welcoming warm atmosphere, where neighbors participate enjoying various spectacular amenities enjoying a great convenient location.

All great neighborhoods have this in common. Pride in ownership is obvious when the residents, whether renters or owners, maintain their homes and care about their neighborhood. Neighbors participate to connect and create local groups that bring the residents together for the betterment of the area.

Connect with the past, present and future in Silver Creek Valley, one of the most charming neighborhood you'll find in the San Jose area.

Every home buyer has a wish when looking for a home, while not all of them are granted, the ‘feel good magic’ happens when they start seeing homes around neighborhoods of this beautiful valley.

Is the people what makes this place a little different from others, It's a great place to live.

Neighbors welcome you with open arms and share indiscriminately the beauty and charm that Silver Creek has to offer.

Today I would like to point out specifically about  Homes are More Affordable in 44 out of 50 States

With both home prices and mortgage rates increasing this year, many are concerned about a family's ability to purchase a major part of the American Dream – its own home. However, if we compare housing affordability today to the average affordability prior to the housing boom and bust, we are in much better shape than most believe.

In Black Knight's latest monthly Mortgage Monitor, they revealed that in the vast majority of the country, it is actually more affordable to purchase a home today than it was between 1995 to 2003 when looking at mortgage payments (determined by price and interest rate) as compared to incomes. Home prices are up compared to 1995-2003, but mortgage rates are still much lower now than at that time. Today, they stand at about 4.5%. Here are the average mortgage rates for each of the years mentioned:

 * 1995 – 7.93%

 * 1996 – 7.81%

 * 1997 – 7.6%

 * 1998 – 6.94%

 * 1999 – 7.44%

 * 2000 – 8.05%

 * 2001 – 6.97%

 * 2002 – 6.54%

 * 2003 – 5.83%

On the other hand, wages have risen over the last twenty years.

Black Knight's research revealed that, when comparing “the share of median income required to buy the median-priced home” today, to the average between 1995 to 2003, it is currently more affordable to purchase a home in 44 of 50 states.

Here is a state map of the percentage change in the price-to-payment ratio. Positive numbers indicate that it is less affordable to buy while negative numbers indicate that it is more affordable.

Bottom Line

Whether you are moving up to the home of your dreams or purchasing your first house, it is a great time to buy when looking at historic affordability data.

Source.. KCM Don Orason Blog

“All agents are NOT alike, We are Different … and We Want To Earn Your Business and Trust”

“The real estate market is constantly changing. I would like the opportunity to show you some of the new ways in which you are able to buy, sell and search for new homes”. 

We continually invest in the latest technology to give you the most up to date information on homes for sale and the most exposure for your property when selling.   

Give us a call at 408–741–9300 before buying or selling your next home. 

Don Orason, Owner — Silicon Valley Real Estate Team   

www.siliconvalleyrealestateteam.com   

Almaden Valley Homes For Sale | Are Lending Standards Too Loose…or Too Tight?

We've streamlined and perfected the process of finding dream homes for our clients in Almaden Valley      

We know you want to spend less time looking at perhaps hundreds of homes for sale, looking all over. . .just to find that special place, allow our knowledge, experience and passion for Almaden Valley to guide you through the process of finding the right neighborhood that will fit your lifestyle. We strive in making it easier and have a direct path to help you find your dream home.    

We are also your Trusted Resource for Almaden Valley Real Estate, offering complete solutions for buyers, from financing assistance to creating innovative marketing strategies for home sellers.     

Check out the Almaden Valley Real Estate Market Report here!  

We are your neighborhood specialists and we are ready to help you..    

Today I would like to speak to you about  Are Lending Standards Too Loose…or Too Tight?

With home values appreciating at record rates, some are concerned that we may be heading for another housing bubble like the one we experienced a decade ago. One of the major culprits of that housing boom and bust was the loosening of standards for mortgage credit.

In a study done at the University of North Carolina immediately after the crisis, it was revealed that:

“Lenders began originating large numbers of high risk mortgages from around 2004 to 2007, and loans from those vintage years exhibited higher default rates than loans made either before or after.”

A study by John V Duca, John Muellbauer, and Anthony Murphy concluded that those risky mortgages caused the housing crisis:

“Our findings indicate that swings in credit standards played a major, if not the major, role in driving the recent boom and bust in US house prices.”

How do today's mortgage standards compare to those from 2004 to 2007?

The Mortgage Bankers’ Association tracts mortgage standards in their Mortgage Credit Availability Index (MCAI). A decline in the MCAI indicates that lending standards are tightening, while increases in the index are indicative of loosening credit. While the chart below shows the index going back to that period between 2004 and 2007 when loose standards caused the housing bubble, we can see that, though the index has risen slightly over the last several years, we are nowhere near the standards that precipitated the housing crisis.

Bottom Line

If anything, standards today are too tight and are preventing some qualified buyers from getting the mortgage credit they deserve.

Source.. KCM Don Orason Blog

“All agents are NOT alike, We are Different … and We Want To Earn Your Business and Trust”

“The real estate market is constantly changing. I would like the opportunity to show you some of the new ways in which you are able to buy, sell and search for new homes”. 

We continually invest in the latest technology to give you the most up to date information on homes for sale and the most exposure for your property when selling.  

Give us a call at 408–741–9300 before buying or selling your next home. 

Don Orason, Owner — Silicon Valley Real Estate Team   

www.siliconvalleyrealestateteam.com  

Silver Creek Valley Homes For Sale | Did Tax Reform Kill the Luxury Market? NOT SO FAR!

There's is an abundance of open space, hiking trails, great schools and charm. Locals know that Silver Creek is a great place to raise a family.

While some people may say that the area is energized by new growth and rapid changes, Silver Creek value comes from its welcoming warm atmosphere, where neighbors participate enjoying various spectacular amenities enjoying a great convenient location.

All great neighborhoods have this in common. Pride in ownership is obvious when the residents, whether renters or owners, maintain their homes and care about their neighborhood. Neighbors participate to connect and create local groups that bring the residents together for the betterment of the area.

Connect with the past, present and future in Silver Creek Valley, one of the most charming neighborhood you'll find in the San Jose area.

Every home buyer has a wish when looking for a home, while not all of them are granted, the ‘feel good magic’ happens when they start seeing homes around neighborhoods of this beautiful valley.

Is the people what makes this place a little different from others, It's a great place to live.

Neighbors welcome you with open arms and share indiscriminately the beauty and charm that Silver Creek has to offer.

Today I would like to point out specifically about  Did Tax Reform Kill the Luxury Market? NOT SO FAR!

The new tax code limits the deduction of state and local property taxes, as well as income or sales taxes, to a total of $10,000. When the tax reform legislation was put into law at the beginning of the year, some experts felt that it could have a negative impact on the luxury housing market.

Capital Economics:

“The impact on expensive homes could be detrimental, with a limit on the MID raising taxes for those that itemize.”

Mark Zandi of Moody's Analytics:

“The impact on house prices is much greater for higher-priced homes, especially in parts of the country where incomes are higher and there are thus a disproportionate number of itemizers, and where homeowners have big mortgages and property tax bills.”

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) predicted price declines in “high cost, higher tax areas” because of the tax changes. They forecasted a depreciation of 6.2% in New Jersey and 4.8% in Washington D.C. and New York.

What has actually happened?

Here are a few metrics to consider before we write-off the luxury market:

1. According to NAR’s latest Existing Home Sales Report, here is the percent change in sales from last year:

  * Homes sales between $500,000 – $750,000 are up 11.9%

  * Homes sales between $750,000 – $1M are up 16.8%

  * Homes sales over $1,000,000 are up 26.7%

2. In a report from Trulia, it was revealed that searches for “premium” homes as a percentage of all searches increased from 38.4% in the fourth quarter of 2017 to 41.4% in the first quarter of 2018.

3. According to an article from Bloomberg:

“Median home values nationally rose 8 percent in March compared with a year earlier, while neighborhoods of San Francisco and San Jose, California, have increased more than 25 percent.

Prices in affluent areas in Delaware and New York, such as the Hamptons, also surged more than 20 percent.”

Bottom Line

Aaron Terrazas, Zillow's Senior Economist, probably summed up real estate's luxury market the best:

“We are seeing the opposite of what was expected. We have certainly not seen the doomsday predictions play out.”

Source.. KCM Don Orason Blog

“All agents are NOT alike, We are Different … and We Want To Earn Your Business and Trust”

“The real estate market is constantly changing. I would like the opportunity to show you some of the new ways in which you are able to buy, sell and search for new homes”. 

We continually invest in the latest technology to give you the most up to date information on homes for sale and the most exposure for your property when selling.   

Give us a call at 408–741–9300 before buying or selling your next home. 

Don Orason, Owner — Silicon Valley Real Estate Team   

www.siliconvalleyrealestateteam.com