Archive for December, 2009

Mortgage Q&A: What things should I consider when planning to buy a home in 2010?

Wednesday, December 30th, 2009

Question: What things should I consider when planning to buy a home in 2010?

Answer: There are many things changing in the mortgage industry in 2010. Consider mortgage rates are currently low because the Federal Reserve has spent almost $1 Trillion in the last year for that purpose. Their spending will stop in March which means mortgage rates may be on the rise in late spring. Also consider the homebuyer tax credit runs out on April 30th 2010 . First time homebuyers and people who have lived in their home for the past 5 years may qualify for tax credits if they buy a home prior to April 30th. For more information about the tax credits see www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com . The federal department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has also announced they may tighten the qualifications for FHA home loans sometime soon. With home prices low and for all the reasons above the time is now for you to consider buying a home in early 2010.

Call TexasLending.com for your home loan today, apply online or send your home loan questions by clicking on the “Ask an Expert” link on our homepage of Texaslending.com.

About Kevin Miller

Kevin Miller, Owner & CEO of TexasLending.com. TexasLending.com provides expert service in the field of residential mortgages.

Stormy Housing Market & How to Make the Most of It

Friday, December 4th, 2009

It’s been a tough year for many Dallas-Ft Worth homeowners, we know. And the increasingly dour statistics are starting to reflect that fact.

According to the Associated Press :

A rising proportion of fixed-rate home loans made to people with good credit are sinking into foreclosure, adding to concerns about the strength of the economic recovery.

Driven by rising unemployment, such loans accounted for nearly one-third of new foreclosures last quarter. That compares with 21 percent a year ago, when high-risk subprime loans made during the housing boom were the main reason for default.

At the same time, the proportion of homeowners with a mortgage who were either behind on their payments or in foreclosure hit a record high for the ninth straight quarter, rising to 9.64 percent.

In Texas, the delinquency rate at the end of the third quarter was 9.84 percent, the Mortgage Bankers Association said Thursday. Nearly 2 percent of those loans were in foreclosure by the end of September, compared with 4.5 percent nationally.

Foreclosures in Dallas-Fort Worth rose 23 percent this year, to a record 61,676 filings.

It’s tough to spin it — these numbers are ugly. But until things brighten, all we can do is help you make the most of it, and capitalize on hidden opportunities that arrived amid the black crowds of this crisis.

So let’s look at some silver linings starting to emerge in the current housing market:

  • There are more homes available, for less money.  It’s simple supply and demand.  So if (and we understand that this is a big “If”) you can sell, or are a first time homebuyer and don’t need to sell, the current market is the mother of all buyer’s markets.
  • The slumping market increases the likelihood of government help — say, for example, the low interest rates and homebuyers tax credits currently available .
  • We’ll hit bottom soon. Just as prices couldn’t rise forever, there will be an end to the slide as the economy as a whole continues to recover. Prices have now been falling for three years.

Contact our Texas mortgage experts for more information. We’ll help you get through.

About Kevin Miller

Kevin Miller, Owner & CEO of TexasLending.com. TexasLending.com provides expert service in the field of residential mortgages.

 
 

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