Home Loan Markets Risk Losing Value
Homes in about 30% of the top 50 U.S. housing markets are at risk of losing value, up from about 20% a year ago, according to an index prepared by mortgage insurer PMI Group Inc.
The average score of PMI's U.S. Market Risk Index for the top 50 metropolitan statistical areas rose 70 points this quarter to 288 from a year ago, PMI reported yesterday.
The highest risk regions are located in California and the Northeast Boston-to- New York corridor. San Diego claims the top spot with a 60% chance that housing prices will decline in two years. Nassau-Suffolk, NY, is No. 2, followed by Santa Ana and Sacramento, California
Highest risk states: California, New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maryland, Minnesota, & Nevada.
Home Construction News
Recently in Raleigh, North Carolina, almost $2,000,000 in second mortgage fundings will be dismissed by several home construction builders. Apparently the builders are cooperating with a state and Federal investigation of a mortgage broker accused of fraud.
FHA Loan Reform on the Horizon
The prospects for Senate passage of a Federal Housing Administration reform bill have improved greatly now that Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., has signaled a willingness to allow a vote if his concerns about FHA reverse mortgages are addressed. Sen. Coburn has been holding up passage of the FHA bill for several weeks.
This loan amendment is expected either to restore a cap on the number of reverse mortgages the FHA can insure or require the agency to notify the banking committee if losses on the reverse mortgage program out-gain revenues. |