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The multifamily sector took on a tremendous amount of debt between 2020-22, and now nearly $436 billion in loans is potentially troubled, according to Newmark’s 2023 U.S. Multifamily Capital Markets Report, GlobeSt.com reported Sept. 19. Banks are heavily exposed as a result, holding 52% of loans maturing by 2025.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency has assisted more than 6.8 million homeowners with foreclosure prevention actions since the government-sponsored enterprises entered conservatorship in 2008, the agency reported Sept. 21 in its newest Foreclosure Prevention and Refinance report. Foreclosure starts during the second quarter were down 10%.
Residential rents continue to decline in much of the country, down 0.6% year-over-year in August and creating an environment where renting a home is more affordable than buying one in 47 of the 50 largest U.S. metros, Realtor.com reported Sept. 21.
The Federal Reserve announced Sept. 20 that it will pause further interest rate hikes and said that it expects fewer increases next year, CNN reported. Interest rates currently are at a 22-year high.
Contracts for home sales are falling through at their highest rate in nearly a year, with deals on 15.7% of homes in August failing to close, Redfin reported Sept. 15. A major reason for canceled deals: buyers experiencing sticker shock after seeing what their monthly costs will be due to high mortgage rates.
Mortgage rates were flat during the past week as the Federal Reserve paused interest rate hikes, Freddie Mac reported Sept. 21 in its Primary Mortgage Market Survey. Housing demand continues to cool amid the high rates, resulting in a decline in builder sentiment for the first time in several months and construction levels dropping to a three-year low.
The real estate industry has not adequately factored the cost of climate change into property valuation, which could cause a "climate bubble,” according to a First Street Foundation report released Sept. 20. Millions of properties are at risk of rising insurance rates and non-renewal actions due to climate risk, which could leave many owners unable to afford their homes and cause property values to significantly decrease.
Seventy-eight percent of respondents to a Redfin survey released Sept. 20 said they support policies to expand housing, but only 32% said they want extra apartments added to their neighborhood. The U.S. needs an additional 3.8 million housing units; the shortage has made both buying and renting a home more expensive than ever.
The sales of existing homes declined 0.7% between July and August and are down 15.3% from the same point a year ago, the National Association of Realtors reported Sept. 21. Sales prices, however, are rising, reaching a median price of $407,100, which is 3.9% higher than a year ago.
The Appraisal Institute Board of Directors on Sept. 25 sent to 45-Day Notice proposed amendments to Appraisal Institute Bylaws regarding residential demonstration of knowledge requirements. (AI log-in required).
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