Today’s housing market is short of available homes but not interested buyers. That’s why home prices and competition have been rising. It’s also why industry experts have been focused on the number of new homes being built. The best way to solve a supply shortage, after all, is to add supply. So new numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development are good news for home shoppers. The data shows that the number of new homes that began construction in June was 6.3 percent higher than the month before. It was also well above economists’ expectations. In fact, if building continued at June’s pace, there’d be an additional 1.643 million new homes built annually. That’s better than the annual rate of 1.590 million homes economists forecasted. However, it’s also well short of March’s annual rate of 1.725 million homes – which was the highest level since June 2006. Still, the improvement is encouraging, as it’s another step toward a better balanced market and more options for prospective buyers. (source)

The National Association of Home Builders surveys builders each month to gauge their confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes. Their responses are scored on a scale where any number above 50 indicates more builders view conditions as good than poor. In July, the index fell one point to 80. The decline was due to the continuing supply challenges facing home builders. Robert Dietz, NAHB’s chief economist, says conditions are putting upward pressure on prices. “Builders are contending with shortages of building materials, buildable lots, and skilled labor as well as a challenging regulatory environment,” Dietz said. “This is putting upward pressure on home prices and sidelining many prospective home buyers even as demand remains strong in a low-inventory environment.” But despite the challenges, elevated demand from buyers has kept builder confidence higher than normal. In fact, before last fall, the index had only been over 80 twice in its 35-year history. Its all-time high, reached in November 2020, is 90. (source)

Many surveys have shown an all-cash offer is the surest way to win a bidding war. The problem, of course, is most buyers – and especially first-time and entry-level buyers – don’t have the savings necessary to make an all-cash offer. Despite this, they’re becoming more common in today’s market. In fact, according to one recent analysis, all-cash purchases have accounted for 30 percent of homes sold so far this year. That’s the highest number since 2014. So what’s behind the trend? Well, a few things. Recent stock market gains are one. Another factor is the number of people leaving cities and moving to more affordable areas in the suburbs and exurbs. These buyers can sell a highly priced home and then use their equity to purchase a more affordable home in another area. Real-estate investors are also known for all-cash offers and they’re increasingly returning to the market these days. Ultimately, wherever they come from, cash offers in a competitive market can present a challenge for buyers. The good news is there are indications that the number of available listings are increasing, which should help reduce competition and the frequency of bidding wars. (source)

Among home-improvement projects, painting is a lot easier than having to remodel a kitchen or redo an entire bathroom. That’s why it’s smart for home buyers to look beyond the color of a home’s walls when deciding whether or not the house is a good fit for their needs. After all, if you hate the color of the living room but love everything else about the house, it’s a fairly simple problem to solve. But while that’s true, it doesn’t mean the color of a home’s walls don’t influence buyers’ perceptions of the homes they tour. In fact, according to one recent survey, the right paint color can not only help generate interest but also more money. For example, the survey found that light blue bathrooms ranked high with respondents and could help the house sell for more than $4,500 more than expected. Conversely, mint green kitchens were unpopular and meant a sales price of almost $2,000 less. Ultimately, though boldly colored rooms can sometimes help generate buyer interest, neutral colors – like beiges, whites, and grays – scored highest, especially when used in a home’s most trafficked spaces. (source)

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Applications Survey, average mortgage rates are now at their lowest level since February. Last week, rates fell across all loan categories, including 30-year fixed-rate loans with both conforming and jumbo balances, loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration, and 15-year fixed-rate loans. The drop helped push mortgage application demand 16 percent higher than one week earlier, with refinance demand surging 20 percent week-over-week. Joel Kan, MBA’s associate vice president of economic and industry forecasting, says low rates are helping buyers but demand continues to fluctuate. “Purchase applications increased last week, but average loan sizes decreased to their lowest level since January 2021,” Kan said. “We continue to see ebbs and flows as housing demand remains strong but for-sale inventory remains low. However, lower rates may be helping some home buyers close on their purchases, especially first-time home buyers.” The MBA’s weekly survey has been conducted since 1990 and covers 75 percent of all retail residential mortgage applications. (source)

Because the pandemic interrupted last year’s spring sales season, this year’s was hotly anticipated. It didn’t disappoint. Buyers returned to the market in droves. But while home buyers were out in force, home sellers didn’t return quite as quickly. The result was a market flooded with shoppers but low on homes for sale. Naturally, that led to spiking prices and intense competition for the homes that were available. It got so bad that, according to one analysis, 74 percent of the homes sold in April faced a bidding war. Fortunately, though, there are signs that the market has cooled down since then. In fact, the same analysis found that, in June, the share of homes with multiple offers fell to 65 percent. That, of course, is still quite high. In fact, it’s about 10 percent higher than it was last year at the same time. However, any improvement is welcome, especially for prospective buyers frustrated by super fast sales and surging prices. (source)

In today’s market, first-time home buyers face challenges repeat buyers don’t. Among them, saving for a down payment tops the list. Home prices are rising and, while current homeowners who are ready to move can use their increasing equity to cover some of the upfront costs of buying a home, first-time buyers have to save a down payment from scratch. That can be a challenge in a market where prices continue to climb. In fact, according to one recent analysis, to cover a 20 percent down payment on the typical starter home, the average renter would now have to save for a full year longer than they would’ve just five years ago. Fortunately, though, options exist. For one, a 20 percent down payment isn’t required. Most first-time buyers put down less than 20 percent and about a quarter of them put down 5 percent or less. And, with mortgage rates hovering just above historic lows, a smaller down payment doesn’t necessarily mean an unmanageable monthly mortgage bill. It can, however, mean a chance at becoming a homeowner – even in a challenging market. (source)