Mortgage Rates Unfazed by Blockbuster Headlines; Down Slightly This Week
Mortgage rates fell slightly this week, fluctuating over the past few days on an abundance of economic, monetary policy and geopolitical headlines.
Market Trends
December Case-Shiller Results and January Forecast: Slowing home price gains
As the start of the busy home shopping season looms, someone squinting at the market might be able to find signs of both normalcy and balance as the market continues to cool off after a years-long sizzle.
December Housing Starts: Clear Declines, But an Incomplete Picture
December housing starts fell 11.2 percent from November and 10.9 percent from a year ago, to just over 1 million units, according to the Census Bureau.
10 Best Markets for Home Buyers
Of the 10 metro areas that have the best conditions for buyers as home-shopping season approaches, three are in Florida – Miami, Tampa and Orlando – but the best market overall for buyers is New York.
Best Metros for Home Sellers Topped by Tech Markets
As home selling season approaches, tech hubs San Francisco, San Jose, Calif., and Seattle lead the list of metro areas that are poised to be the best for sellers.
Where Home Values Are Lower, Residents Perceive Worse Access to Education & Jobs
Those living in areas with higher median home values said they are more satisfied with their access to local amenities. People living in areas with lower home values said they were largely not as satisfied.
Best Time to List a Home for Sale? Early May
U.S. homes listed for sale in early May sell for $1,600 more than the average listing throughout the year. Homes listed on a Saturday are viewed the most on Zillow within the first week of listing.
Forecasts for Existing and New Home Sales (January 2019)
Zillow expects estimates January existing home sales to rise 0.9 percent from December. The outlook for new home sales is somewhat cloudier, because December new home sales data still have not been released as a result of the partial government shutdown.
There were slightly more than 1.6 million U.S. homes listed for sale on Zillow in January, up 1.2 percent from a year ago and the first annual gain recorded in January since prior to 2014.
Mortgage Rates Essentially Flat Again, But Threatening to Rise
Mortgage rates were mostly flat again this week, but have the potential to climb after markets received encouraging news in recent days.
