Aid to homeowners may double under Bush-backed loan initiative

The mortgage-industry effort to stem foreclosures aims to double the number of borrowers getting help next year, as Democrats call for using taxpayer money to address the crisis. The Hope Now Alliance, a group created at the behest of Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson last year, expects to modify about 2 million mortgages next year, according to a report to be released today in Washington. The group, which includes JPMorgan Chase & Co., Citigroup Inc. and Bank of America Corp., also plans a new campaign to boost participation in the program.

Hope Now projects 950,000 loan modifications for 2008, including 208,000 for the month of November. Including repayment plans and other assistance, the group estimates that about 2.2 million foreclosures will have been prevented this year, bringing to 3 million the total averted since the program began in 2007.

Source: Bloomberg.com

REAL Trends Comment: While modification of troubled mortgages may be good social policy it is evident that loans being modified are becoming delinquent at much higher rates than predicted. (See article below). While it may be that policy makers and large mortgage lenders who are participating in the Hope Now Alliance are merely trying to engineer a 'soft"

Brokers see declining inventory, more pending sales

In comparison to six months ago, over half of member brokers responding to a recent Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® 'Housing Beat' survey are reporting one bit of good news with declining housing inventory in their markets. And while only 9 percent are seeing an increase in closings, 26 percent are experiencing more pending sales (homes under contract but not yet closed), although many of those contracts are for foreclosure properties.

Meanwhile, nearly a third of brokers are seeing more open house and Web site activity, and 54 percent are seeing much more flexibility from banks in responding to short-sale inquiries. With more affordable prices, it's no surprise that nearly 90 percent of brokers are experiencing more activity with first-time buyers, with only 22 percent reporting the same for move-up buyers and 14 percent for high-end buyers. In many markets, there are rising sales to investors who are taking advantage of opportunities by buying at bargain-basement prices.

Some 72 percent of LeadingRE respondents believe that the original allocation of government funds to provide credit relief to banks was necessary, although most qualified their responses with a strong tone of frustration by noting that the disposition of the funds has bee"

30-year fixed rate falls to 37-year low

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 5.19 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending December 18, 2008-a 37-year low- according to Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey. It was down from last week when it averaged 5.47 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 6.14 percent. The 30-year FRM has not been lower since Freddie Mac started the Primary Mortgage Market Survey in 1971.

The 15-year FRM this week averaged 4.92 percent with an average 0.7 point, down from last week when it averaged 5.20 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 5.79 percent. The 15-year FRM has not been lower since April 1, 2004, when it averaged 4.84 percent.

REAL Trends Comment: As we first noted in September, lower rates combined with higher affordability would significantly stimulate sales. And despite direct Federal intervention in lowering mortgage rates these two factors are having a positive affect on housing.

While housing markets overall will remain sluggish through next year, recovery depends on low mortgage rates, strong affordability and job/income growth. Unfortunately for optimists, the general economic slowdown will mute any increase in sales in the short term."

Surprise! Some areas have had price increases

U.S. Home values declined an average of 8.4 percent in the first three periods of 2008, down $2 trillion in total value, according to a recent Zillow.com Real Estate Market Report. Thirty of the 163 metropolitan statistical areas covered by Zillow, either showed gains in the median value of homes in the area or values stabilized.

Here are the 10 areas where values increased:
* Ithaca, N.Y., 5.6%
* State College, Pa., 4%
* Jacksonville, N.C., 3.9%
* Winston-Salem, N.C., 3.4%
* Bay City, Mi., 3.2%
* Rochester, N.Y. 3.1%
* Greenville, S. C., 2.8%
* Anderson, S.C. 2.7%
* Burlington, N.C., 2.6%
* Spartanburg, S.C., 2.0%"

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2 years later: Water fight continues on

CONCORD — Nearly two years after the cities of Concord and Kannapolis received a state license to draw water from neighboring water basins, the fight over the matter goes on.
Two lawsuits were filed over the matter.
Neither was against the Cabarrus cities.
In January 2007, the state awarded Concord and Kannapolis a certificate to draw up to 10 million gallons a day from both the Catawba and Yadkin river basins.
The Catawba portion of the certificate found great opposition from jurisdictions and groups along the Catawba River — including South Carolina.
South Carolina sued North Carolina for what it claims are insufficient Catawba water levels reaching the state boarder. While the City of Charlotte joined North Carolina in that litigation, Concord and Kannapolis did not.
And a group called the Protect the Catawba Coalition — made of several Catawba river basin jurisdictions — appealed the decision of the N.C. Environmental Management Commission to grant the certificate to Concord and Kannapolis. And Concord has joined the litigation, which is in the 'discovery phase,' said Concord city attorney Al Benshoff.
'It's quite lengthy reviewing a six-year process with lots and lots of documents,' Benshoff said.
The discovery phase, in which both parties produce relevant documents for the case, has gone o"

Final decision on land-use plan for East Cabarrus falls to commissioners

CONCORD — The final component of a massive land-use plan for Concord's eastern growth area will fall to a decision from the Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners in January.

The down-zoning decision for 24,500 acres was tabled by the Cabarrus Planning and Zoning Commissioner in September and failed to garner the super majority vote in November, putting the zoning decision in the hands of commissioners.

N.C. looks at taxing drivers by the mile | CharlotteObserver.com

Idea for road-use tax is expected to hinge on odometer readings, then GPS tracking, to replace revenue lost to fuel efficiency.

With gas-tax revenues plummeting, the state of North Carolina is looking seriously at taxing motorists for how far they drive.

Buyers Want Steep Discount on Foreclosed Properties

A new study conducted for Trulia.com and RealtyTrac by Harris Interactive shows that three-quarters of respondents expected a discount of at least 25 percent on a foreclosure purchase. In the previous survey conducted seven months ago, 54 percent of all U.S. adults surveyed said they would consider buying a foreclosed home, whereas now 47 percent of U.S. adults would consider buying a foreclosure."

Pennsylvania, Carolinas have year's healthiest regions

Good news for at least 30 of the 163 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) covered in the Zillow Real Estate Market Reports as the areas showed gains in median value of all homes in the area. The best performing metropolitan area was Jacksonville, N.C., where home values rose 4.9% year-over-year to $139,261 in the first three quarters of the year. Winston-Salem, N.C., also registered a gain, of 4.1% to $136,854. Anderson, S.C., prices climbed 3.5% to $101,816 and State College, Pa., went up by 3.4% to $206,995.

In addition, some markets-particularly those hit hardest in the downturn-showed smaller year-over-year declines than in the prior quarter. 'Our optimism here, though, must be tempered by the knowledge that the larger economic problems that emerged in the fourth quarter will likely further challenge the real estate market,' says Dr. Stan Humphries, Zillow's vice president of data and analytics.

Overall, news wasn't so good. According to Zillow market reports, U.S. homes are set to lose well over $2 trillion in value during 2008. Home values declined 8.4 percent year-over-year during the first three quarters of this year, compared to the same period in 2007. 'This year marked the acceleration of the market correction, and is likely to end with the eight"

NAR Pushes for Mortgage Interest Buy-Down

"NAR Pushes for Mortgage Interest Buy-Down
A federal mortgage interest buy-down program would help spark the housing market, the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® said in a letter sent today to James B. Lockhart, chairman of the Oversight Board of the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

NAR seeks a 4.5 percent mortgage interest rate buy-down program financed through the U.S. Treasury Department’s Troubled Asset Relief Program."

Business Picks Up Where Prices Have Tumbled

Sales are picking up in markets where prices are deflated, but the business is different than it was before the bubble burst, observers say.

The housing market in deflated markets--like Arizona, California, Florida, and Nebraska--are beginning to show signs of a rebound. Analysts say that prices have fallen to the point that those with average salaries can afford to buy once again.

'The buyers are returning,' says Lawrence Yun, National Association of Realtors chief economist. 'And in such a strong way that, now, we are hearing in some cases there is multiple bidding, which hints that maybe pricing is reaching a bottom point. But inventory remains high.

Fed rate falls to historic depth

"By cutting its benchmark lending rate to historic lows and promising to combat the recession head on, the Federal Reserve served notice Tuesday that more unconventional actions probably are ahead."

Federal Reserve slashes key interest rate to record low

"The Federal Reserve has cut its target for a key interest rate to the lowest level on record and pledged to use 'all available tools' to combat a severe financial crisis and prolonged recession."

Home sales price, closings plunge in region

"Home sale prices and the number of closings continued to tumble in the Charlotte region, data released this morning show.

The average listing price of homes that sold last month fell by nearly 13 percent over the same time last year. Those prices were $213,548 in November and $245,237 in November 2007."

Countrywide to refund 4,800 N.C. homeowners

"Mortgage lender Countrywide Financial Corp. will refund $11.5 million to 4,800 N.C. homeowners under a settlement with the state banking commissioner, the commissioner's office announced today."

Treasury's new plan - 4.5% mortgage rates

Homeowners may soon enjoy mortgage rates as low as 4.5 percent if the Treasury Department has its way. According to The Wall Street Journal's on-line addition, the department is discussing a plan that would use Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae to push banks to make mortgages available at more than a full percentage point below the current levels for a 30 year fixed rate mortgage.

The plan under review might lower rates to the 4.5 percent range and would be in addition to a program announced last week wherein the Federal Reserve will purchase up to $600 billion of debt either issued or backed by Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, Ginnie Mae, and the Federal Home Loan Banks. That program is already having an effect on mortgage rates, which have dropped and caused investors to pay more attention to the stocks of banks and homebuilders.

Probably in response to the earlier new program and the lower rates, mortgage applications jumped a record 112.1 percent as seasonally adjusted over the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. The Journal reported that the government would encourage banks to issue new mortgage loans at lower rates by offering to purchase securities backed by the loans at a price equivalent to the 4.5 percent