More Encouraging News

Hidden underneath all the headlines and stories on the proposed government health plan, there are signs of encouraging news that the recession may be easing.

The first full week of August saw some positive results in economic activity, but the news of the declining unemployment rate made investors optimistic. For the first time in the past 17 months fewer job losses were posted and we saw an improved unemployment rate. July saw the lowest number of job losses all year, and the number came in much lower than anticipated. The stock market climbed upward as well. The Dow is now up almost 7% for the year.

This isn’t to say the recovery is in full swing yet, but don’t we all deserve some good news!

And, we saw another positive housing report too. Pending home sales jumped an unexpected 3.6%, when a 0.7% increase was predicted by the experts. We’ve now seen 5 consecutive months of gains in pending contracts. That’s the first time since July 2003 we’ve seen that happen! Affordable home prices and low interest rates have been driving the market upwards. Construction spending was up slightly as well, much better than the drop that was expected.

The 28 major markets the real estate experts watch saw a drop in inventory of 2.5% from June. (The average drop over the last 25 years from June to July is 1%) AND, compared with the inventory in July 2008, there was a big drop of 27%!

Mortgage interest rates are still holding at low levels as well.

At InSight Mortgage Group we’re available to answer your questions regarding new home purchase loans or refinancing your current loan. Call us, 913-642-3334 or email us at michele@wantinsight.com or dickw@wantinsight.com. Look to us for integrity and ethical handling of your financial transactions. Blessings.

IT'S TIME TO GET OFF THE FENCE

Our local Kansas City housing market is beginning to heat up this summer and the national economy is still showing signs of improvement. But, as a first-time buyer are you still on the fence? You could feel the pain if you don’t take action soon!!

Time is running out on the $8,000 federal government’s tax credit. Don’t be deceived by the December 1 end date. Remember, the purchase loan must be closed by December 1 in order to qualify for the tax credit. Having a signed contract or having loan approval isn’t enough for obtaining the credit.

Look at the timeline from the closing date backwards to see why you need to start NOW. The average time, from final signatures on the contract to sitting at the closing table and getting the keys to your new home, is generally 45-60 days. So, to meet the Dec. 1 deadline, you’ll need to have a home under contract by late September or very early October.

Are you thinking that it’s doable in only 2 months? Well, lots can happen during the home search and loan approval process, and two months can fly by fast. And then there are possible issues after the contract is in place which may affect the closing date. Please contact us, InSight Mortgage Group, to start your preapproval process now.

For first-time buyers the purchase process can take a bit longer than for experienced purchasers. Home buying is a complicated process, and you’ll need the guidance of a good realtor and lender.

CONSIDER:

Competition: Some neighborhoods with homes for sale (inventory) are selling fast in the greater Kansas City metro area. Certain areas are especially appealing for first-time buyers, and with the tax credit available only to first-time buyers, these areas are seeing a competitive market. Mix into that foreclosures with really low asking prices. Investors are very active in scooping up these low priced homes.

Contingencies & Disclosures: The seller must disclose any material facts about the property, including lawsuits or claims of ownership on the property, and any known property defects. If questions arise during the buyers review of the disclosure, final signatures on the contract can be delayed. Contingencies can also impact the negotiating process, causing additional delays.

Loan Approval: Right now, interest rates are at all time lows for credit-worthy buyers. But, new laws are impacting the approval process and lenders are requiring more and more detailed paperwork from buyers. Obtaining a preapproval prior to making an offer is a high priority in the purchase process.
Appraisal: The lender orders an appraisal on the property, which determines the value of the property being purchased. An appraiser looks at the interior and exterior condition of the property, and compares it to very recent sales of similar properties close by. Most appraisals are now ordered through a third party appraisal management company, adding another layer of time to the process. And, laws implemented recently also added more paperwork to the appraisal process, which impacts turnaround time for completion.

Inspections: It is generally recommended that buyers hire a professional company to conduct an inspection of the property. Depending upon the findings, if repairs are needed, negotiations are reopened and more time is required to come to some sort of resolution.

Holidays: When looking at a closing date it important to remember the upcoming holiday season. Many people are involved in the closing process for a real estate contract: the buyers and sellers real estate agents, lenders, attorneys, inspection companies, appraisers, appraisal management companies, and escrow/title company offices. A lot of people wait to the end of the year to take their vacation time, and especially near the Thanksgiving weekend. It’s not unheard of, unfortunately, to have crucial paperwork sitting in a pile on the desk of a vacationing worker.

Short Sales & Foreclosures : Offers on these properties almost always take much longer for an answer than traditional MLS marketed homes. Some agents have reported that the companies handling these homes are overwhelmed with paperwork, are understaffed, and that it can take up to 3 months before an answer to an offer is received!

With the encouraging signs in the housing market being reported recently i.e:
* Nationally there’s a 6 month supply of homes priced under $250k (CNBC)
* Existing home sales in June were up, 3rd straight month for increased sales
* Only 31% of all sales were distressed properties – indicating reduced inventory
* Median price of an existing home increased in June, to $181,800.
* Higher prices than six months ago, each month making small gains
those knowledgeable in the housing industry are predicting that average home prices may NOW be very close to fair value, and the bottom of the market is behind us.

If you, or someone you know, may still be sitting on the fence waiting for the “right time” to jump into homeownership, don’t wait any longer. Call us at 913-642-3334 or email us at michele@wantinsight.com or dickw@wantinsight.com to start your preapproval process. Be smart and invest in your future today! Blessings.

More Encouraging Signs

I’m seeing less stridently negative headlines these days; how about you? Not so much doom and gloom; a bit more moderate. That in itself is what I consider good news!

We’ve all made lifestyle adjustments -- cutting back or eliminating non-essential spending, hiding the credit cards and paying cash, maybe even refinanced a mortgage loan into a lower rate to save a few hundred dollars a month.

Within the past few days additional positive news has surfaced – though not screaming headlines; maybe “page 2” style.

Monday, July 20 saw a economic survey released which indicated an easing in the economy, but not an end to the recession. Sara Johnson, IHS Global Insight’s managing director of global macroeconomics, said “ the survey provides new evidence that the U.S. recession is abating, but few signs of an immediate recovery”. She assisted the National Association for Business Economics with the analyzation of the survey.

The recession, which started in December of 2007, is the deepest in 30+ years, and also is the longest since the Great Depression. Most economists are looking to the second half of 2009 for the return of economic growth, but a sluggish recovery is what is expected. Also, the survey indicated a wide disagreement about if the economy had bottomed out or not. 55% of those surveyed said the bottom has not been reached, while 45% replied that the worst was over.

Also on Monday, new construction starts for single family homes were up for the second straight month. The numbers were higher than expected according to economists.

National real estate brokerage ZipRealty released inventory data indicating our housing market is beginning to stabilize. They look at 28 markets across the country. The drop in MLS-listed homes was 2.1% from May through June 2009. And, they saw a slight increase in the median list price, June over May. Many of the hardest hit markets, such as California, have seen dramatic decreases of inventory; 14 straight months of sales growth! And equally hard hit Florida has seen 9 straight months of sales growth too. The word this summer appears to be “affordability”.

With the first time buyers tax credit, historic low interest rates, declining inventory of homes, and increased buyer activity, we should see sales prices and homes values increase as we go into autumn.

Let InSight Mortgage Group analyze your specific financial situation and offer solutions customized to your needs. Don’t sit on the fence any longer; the time is NOW to take action. Please give us a call,913-642-3334 or email us at michele@wantinsight.com or dickw@wantinsight.com. Blessings

A GLIMMER of SUNSHINE

Demand for purchase loans rose the first week in April even though interest rates rose slightly from record lows, even outreaching the demand for refinancing. This gives hope to the hard-hit housing market as Spring approaches, generally the high season for purchases.

The Mortgage Bankers Association and various lenders have reported an increase in applications these past few weeks. We,at InSight Mortgage Group, have been blessed with many new applications. Many economists believe that our economy will begin to emerge from its slump when the housing market stabilizes. And the growing demand of refi’s due to the low rates available, can provide some relief to burdened consumers by providing them with lower monthly payments.

A ray of hope is actually found in Calilfornia, the hardest hit state in the housing bust. The median single family home price recently was down 41% from a year earlier and new home construction starts had almost disappeared. But, is the worst now over? Inventory is shrinking, investors are coming back, and sales volume is increasing.

More than 600,000 homes were purchased in February this year. The numbers show that the majority of the sales were bank owned foreclosures. And some areas, according to the California Association of Realtors spokesperson, are seeing slight increases in price per square foot, which is a hopeful indicator. The market is seeing an increase of investor purchased properties too.

The best indicator of positive change is in the inventory supply. A year ago it was 15 months, now it’s at 6.5 months! Generally a six-seven month supply of homes is considered a “normal” market. Nationally, the market has an overall 9.7 month supply.

And, according to the NAHB (National Association of Home Builders), model homes are seeing a lot more foot traffic due to combination of the first-time homebuyer credit, low interest rates, and affordable prices. Joe Robson, NAHB chairman, reports "consumer interest is increasing”. He also reported that approximately 1.5 M visitors have logged on to their website to learn more about the $8,000 tax credit for first time homebuyers.

And for us, locally the numbers are good too. According to the National Association of Realtors home sales in the Midwest jumped 14.5%. We should have the local Kansas City regional numbers for March soon.

If the hardest hit area begins to show signs of slight improvement, what does that mean for the rest us?

Call us at InSight Mortgage Group, 913-642-3334, for the good news on purchase and refinance rates. Please email me at michele@wantinsight.com with your good news stories to share. Have a blessed day.

PROTECT YOUR IDENTITY

Recently I attended a seminar by an FBI representative on various types of fraud affecting the mortgage and real estate industries, and of course, our buyers and sellers. Then I had an enlightening conversation with a business associate whose focus is consumer protection and education.

Did you know that identity theft is America’s fastest growing white collar crime? The average dollar amount charged in identity theft is $92,893 and only 1 out of 700 thieves are ever prosecuted. And,the identity theft victim spends on average up to 600 hours restoring their identity. Identity theft is to knowingly transfer, possess, or use without lawful authority another person’s personal information to secure services or products, or to commit crimes in that person’s name.

The mortgage industry has stringent rules and oversights in place to safeguard our business from accepting applications using fraudently obtained information. A new national Red Flags Rule was implemented recently, further enhancing safety practices. At InSight Mortgage Group we have policies and procedures in place providing for the identification, detection, and response to “red flags” that could indicate identity theft.

There are five types of Identity Theft:

1. Financial – your information to obtain money, goods, or services leaving you
with the bill
2. Drivers License – an identity thief could obtain a drivers license in your name and accumulate traffic tickets in your name
3. Social Security – your social security numbers could be used for employment purposes and you could get the tax bill
4. Medical – your personal medical information could be used to obtain
prescriptions or medical health which could affect your health or reduce your
benefits
5. Criminal – your information could be used to escape fines or jail time. You
could actually end up in jail.

Military personnel are at risk too. Social Security numbers are the basis of personal and medical administration. In our era of Internet, credit cards, and computer file-sharing, the element of risk increases. The prime target is the deployed military person who most likely will not view his/her credit report for a year or more according to a public affairs officer with Army Human Resources Command. He said contractors, soldiers, and civilians should be aware of the dangers of identity theft and know how to protect themselves from unauthorized release of personally identifiable information.

Everyone should review their credit reports and financial statements regularly for any fraudulent charges. The Federal Trade Commission also suggests being alert to signs such as bills not arriving as expected, denials of credit for no apparent reason, or calls or letters about purchases never made.

Everyone is facing challenging economic times. Finances are a concern for each and every one of us, and identity theft is a potential threat to us all. Please don’t shake it off as a “it can’t happen to me” attitude. I’ve become aware of a valuable service provided by a company with integrity. Adell Associates of Pre-Paid Legal Services offers a comprehensive service you can use right now to help with the tough decisions all families and businesses must make. Everyone needs a will/living will but puts it off, maybe you’re thinking of bankruptcy, everyone signs contracts, and everyone needs to be concerned about their credit score and identity. These are some of the important benefits this service provides. For more information and personal assistance contact Adell Associates at 913-780-2375 or visit www.adellassociates.com.

Any of us at InSight Mortgage Group would be happy to discuss how we protect your identity through the loan process, or answer questions you may have. Call us at 913-642-3334 or please email me at michele@wantinsight.com. Have a blessed day.