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Most of us don’t need to be reminded of the importance of reviewing credit reports and fixing any errors, we know that keeping a clean and accurate credit report is important.
If you’re one of the many Americans who already own your home and a car (or don’t plan on buying either in the near future), you probably think that your credit score itself isn’t that important. If you aren’t getting a loan in the near future, why should you worry about your score? Unfortunately, your credit score is more important than you think and is being used by many institutions to help make decisions about you.
You “borrow” from a lot of institutions without explicitly borrowing money and those institutions often check your credit to decide if they want to do business with you. If you are currently renting where you live, your landlord almost certainly checked your credit history and used that to decide whether or not to rent to you.
If you have a good credit score, they probably asked for a smaller security deposit or reduced other fees. If you had a weaker score, or no score, they may have asked for more to offset the additional risk. If you’re wondering what you borrowed from them, you borrowed the right to live in that home. The worst case for a landlord is to not be able to collect rent and be forced to go through the eviction process, which in some states can take many months. That’s a risk they try to avoid and a credit report helps them do that.
If you’re looking for a job, some employers are allowed to use your credit history to determine how safe of a candidate you are. While it’s been shown that there’s no relationship between a bad score and being untrustworthy, some employers, unless barred by law, are still using it to help them decide whether or not to hire a candidate. The last thing you want to do is have a missed payment cost you a job.
Those are just a few of the unexpected ways that a bad credit score can hurt you but fortunately you can do something about it. Be diligent about reviewing your credit reports and fixing any errors and inaccuracies. If you’ve been checking regularly and have seen no errors, keep up with it. Sometimes errors appear when you least expect them.You can check your credit report for free at AnnualCreditReport.com.
If you’re curious, there are ways for you to check your credit score for free if you’re willing to sign up for some trials. I would avoid dealing with companies that aren’t Fair Isaac Corporation (makers of the FICO score) or one of the three credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion). Fair Isaac’s consumer facing company is MyFICO and you can often find plenty of MyFICO promotion codes.
A credit score is a number that lenders use to determine the risk of lending money to a given borrower. Credit card companies, auto dealerships and mortgage bankers are three common examples of types of lenders that will check your credit score before deciding how much they are willing to lend you and at what interest rate. Insurance companies, landlords and employers may also look at your credit score to see how financially responsible you are before issuing an insurance policy, renting out an apartment or giving you a job.
In this article, we’ll explore the five biggest things that affect your score: what they are, how they affect your credit, and what it all means when you got to apply for a loan.
Your credit score shows whether you have a history of financial stability and responsible credit management. It can range from 300 to 850, but the higher the score, the better. Three credit agencies – Experian, Equifax and TransUnion – compile credit scores (also known as FICO scores) based on the information in your credit file. Each agency will report a slightly different score, but they should all paint a similar picture of your credit history.
Payment History – 35%
The most important component of your credit score looks at whether you can be trusted to repay money that is lent to you. This component of your score considers the following factors:
• Have you paid your bills on time for each and every account on your credit report? Paying bills late has a negative effect on your score.
• If you’ve paid late, how late were you – 30 days, 60 days, or 90+ days? The later you are, the worse it is for your score.
• Have any of your accounts gone to collections? This is a red flag to potential lenders that you might not pay them back.
• Do you have any charge offs, debt settlements, bankruptcies, foreclosures, suits, wage attachments, liens or judgments against you? These are some of the worst things to have on your credit report from a lender’s perspective.
Amounts Owed – 30%
The second-most important component of your credit score is how much you owe. It looks at the following factors:
• How much of your total available credit have you used? Less is better, but owing a little bit can be better than owing nothing at all because lenders want to see that if you borrow money, you are responsible and financially stable enough to pay it back.
• How much do you owe on specific types of accounts, such as a mortgage, auto loans, credit cards and installment accounts? Credit scoring software likes to see that you have a mix of different types of credit and that you manage them all responsibly.
• How much do you owe in total, and how much do you owe compared to the original amount on installment accounts? Again, less is better.
Length of Credit History – 15%
Your credit score also takes into account how long you have been using credit. How many years have you been using credit for? How old is your oldest account, and what is the average age of all your accounts?
A long history is helpful (if it’s not marred by late payments and other negative items), but a short history can be fine too as long as you’ve made your payments on time and don’t owe too much.
New Credit – 10%
Your FICO score considers how many new accounts you have. It looks at how many new accounts you have applied for recently and when the last time you opened a new account was.
The score assumes that if you’ve opened several new accounts recently, you could be a greater credit risk; people tend to open new accounts when they are experiencing cash flow problems or planning to take on lots of new debt.
For example, when you apply for a mortgage, the lender will look at your total existing monthly debt obligations as part of determining how much mortgage you can afford. If you have recently opened several new credit cards, this might indicate that you are planning to make a bunch of purchases on credit in the near future, meaning that you might not be able to afford the monthly mortgage payment the lender has estimated you are capable of making. Lenders can’t determine what to lend you based on something you might do, but they can use your credit score to gauge how much of a credit risk you might be.
Types of Credit In Use – 10%
The final thing the FICO formula considers in determining your credit score is whether you have a mix of different types of credit, such as credit cards, store accounts, installment loans and mortgages. It also looks at how many total accounts you have. Since this is a small component of your score, don’t worry if you don’t have accounts in each of these categories, and don’t open new accounts just to increase your mix of credit types.
What Isn’t In Your Score
The following information about you is not reported to credit bureaus and is not reflected in your credit score:
• Marital status
• Age
• Receipt of public assistance
• Salary
• Occupation
• Employment history
• Rental agreements
• Participation in a credit counseling program
What It All Means When You Apply for a Loan
Following the guidelines below will help you maintain a good score or improve your credit score:
• Watch your credit utilization ratio. Keep credit card balances below 15-25% of your total available credit.
• Pay your accounts on time, and if you have to be late, don’t be more than 30 days late.
• Don’t open lots of new accounts all at once
• Check your credit score about six months in advance if you plan to make a major purchase that will require you to take out a loan, like buying a house or a car. This will give you time to correct any possible errors and, if necessary, improve your score.
• If you have a bad credit score and lots of flaws in your credit history, don’t despair. Just start making better choices and you’ll see gradual improvements in your score as the negative items in your history become older.
The Bottom Line
While your credit score is extremely important in getting approved for loans and getting the best interest rates available, you don’t need to obsess over the scoring guidelines to have the kind of score that lenders want to see. In general, if you manage your credit responsibly, your score will shine.
As a first-time buyer, you have a lot of questions. There is terminology you don’t understand. And there are expenses you need to anticipate. Here are some explanations of just that, to help you on your way to homeownership.
First, what costs should you expect? After you have become “pre-approved” for a mortgage, you will know how much you can spend (aka your “budget”). Pre-approval is done by the bank or lender who will be writing your mortgage. It is accessed by your: credit history, assets, employment history, and financial status. And it guarantees you a loan.
Being pre-approved can quicken the time it takes to close, as well as give you an advantage over buyers who are not pre-approved, should a home garner multiple offers.
Next, figure out how much money you’ll need to put down. Are you looking at an FHA loan with 3.5 percent down? Or are you planning on putting 15 to 20 percent down? Financial expert Suze Orman recommends that in today’s troubled market, you put at least 20 percent down on a house.
Closing costs are what are paid, well, at closing. You should expect to pay for an appraisal, title services, title insurance, transfer taxes, inspections, loan origination, private mortgage insurance, and homeowners insurance, among a host of other charges. The average closing costs are paid, yes, by the buyer. And they average around 2 to 4 percent of the total purchase price of the home. You can, of course, negotiate payment of closing costs with the seller. This is especially true in a market which favors buyers.
What is mortgage insurance? Mortgage insurance, also known as private mortgage insurance (PMI), protects your lender, should you default on your loan. And it can be required when you have made only a small downpayment. It costs around 1 percent of the total loan. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, “Under [The Homeowner's Protection Act of 1998], mortgage lenders or servicers must automatically cancel PMI coverage on most loans, once you pay down your mortgage to 78 percent of the value if you are current on your loan.”
What is escrow? With a purchase as large as this, it is important that one party doesn’t run off with all the funds! This is where an escrow account comes into play. All necessary and agreed upon funds are put into a third party account. When all terms have been met, then the funds are released to the appropriate parties.
What is an offer? When you have found a home you like, you’ll discuss with your agent what a reasonable price pay is. This will more than likely be less than the price the seller is asking. And it will be based on the condition of the home, the price of home’s in the neighborhood, as well as current market conditions. Remember, your offer is the price you are willing to pay for the property. You have signed the offer and, if accepted, you will be expected to follow through with the purchase of this home!
What are property taxes? Welcome to homeownership! Property taxes are paid each year to your local government at the county level. Some areas of the country charge much higher taxes than others, and the price is a percentage of the value of your property. That means that more expensive the house, the more expensive the taxes.
As a first-time buyer, it is highly recommended you work with a local real estate agent. They not only can answer any questions you may have, but their wealth of knowledge and experience will help guide you in a positive direction for this important transaction.
The real estate industry and especially the mortgage industry have been overwhelmed with changes, regulations and consolidations recently. In the last couple of months, many transactions nationally have experienced delayed closings or worse as a result of the application of new guidelines affecting APR, Good Faith Estimates (GFE), Truth in Lending (TILA) and condo project approvals to name a few.
There is one more issue that is critical for real estate agents, loan officers, and anyone else who deals with consumers purchasing a home or obtaining a refinance. Effective with applications on or after June 1, 2010, Fannie Mae has issued new lender mandates (FNMA LL-2010-03 Loan Quality Initiative) on a national basis that, if not understood properly, could have devastating consequences for many buyers and sellers. We want to be certain that everyone understands the implications of the new rules and ensure that all interested parties know what they need to know to minimize negative repercussions.
The intent of this initiative is to assure that all applicant information is disclosed and is honest and accurate as of the moment of closing. Lenders will now be required to re-pull credit report information just prior to closing, re-verify employment, validate Social Security numbers, verify intent to occupy and verify that all parties to the transaction have been checked against the national “excluded party” list, which is managed by HUD and by the General Services Administration. Changes in any of these factors are likely to result in a re-underwrite, the need for additional documentation, or suspension of loan closing.
The most onerous of these is the credit re-pull. It is important that this is done as a “soft pull” so it does not show as an inquiry, which could potentially change the borrower’s credit score. Firms will, however, have to match the outstanding debts and inquiries with the report used to approve the loan. Additional credit or increased balances that change the debt-to-income ratio more than 2% (or less if it now exceeds guidelines) will require the loan to be suspended and re-submitted to underwriting.
Any additional delinquencies will result in a new, full credit re-pull and re-underwriting, utilizing the new credit. Any and all inquiries from other lenders or credit suppliers must be verified by the credit bureau and certified that new debt did not occur. If new credit has been extended, the new debt must be included in the borrower’s debt-to-income ratio and the loan must be re-underwritten.
Other considerations are W-2 employees that may own more than 25% of a business, mandating business returns and cash flow analysis and full disclosure of child support and alimony. Changes could render the applicant unqualified or could delay the closing. As a result of TILA, GFE and risk-based pricing changes, additional debt could result in re-pricing the loan due to a change in credit score, which even if approvable, would delay the closing three business days as re-disclosure would be required.
So How Do We Manage the New Process?
Real estate agents and lenders must impress upon the applicants the need for full and honest disclosure at the time of application, during the loan process and at closing. Buyers must be cautioned against applying for new credit during the process, changing jobs (30-day pay stub requirements are being enforced), and charging to their credit cards. It is imperative that they notify the lender if anything changes from application to closing.
We must all be aware that an applicant that signs an erroneous initial or final closing application could be committing fraud. Lenders choosing to approve loans without the proper loan quality processes and documentation are only endangering the buyer. Any lender or real estate agent that encourages someone to falsify information could be equally responsible. It is noteworthy to mention that many loans go through an immediate quality control audit post closing, so this could affect highly qualified applicants as well. Identified fraud of this nature could be investigated by the FBI.
While this new policy was implemented first by Fannie Mae, it is already a mandate of all national lenders and, based on experience, will soon be required on every loan. It is important to keep this in mind on every deal, not just ones that may involve Fannie Mae.
Buying a home is the biggest purchase most people will ever make, yet many go into it blind. Here are the 6 most common — and costly — mistakes homebuyers make.
1. Not knowing your credit score
If you’re even toying with the idea of buying a home, you must find out exactly what your FICO score is. If you find it is less than ideal, wage a systematic campaign to raise it. Too many borrowers ignore this step and get surprised when they get interest rate quotes.
Once you’ve pored over your credit history and corrected any errors, your next step is to pay down revolving debt balances to no more than 30% usage. That will help raise your score significantly.
Why does it matter?
The lower your score, the higher your costs of borrowing. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, for example, charge higher up-front fees to borrowers with credit scores below 740.
For a buyer with a credit score between 680 and 700, the fee comes to 1.5% of the mortgage principal. On a $200,000 mortgage, that adds up to $3,000. Someone with a 740 score pays nothing.
Lower-score borrowers also get saddled with higher interest rates, about 0.4 percentage point more for the below 700 borrower. That costs an extra $62 a month — $744 a year — on a $200,000, 30-year, fixed rate loan.
2. Buying a car before a house
Anytime consumers open new credit accounts — credit card, auto loan, etc. — their FICO score could drop, according to Craig Watts, a spokesman for Fair Isaac, the creator of FICO scores.
“Hence the admonition to not open other new accounts while your mortgage application is in process,” he said.
A big purchase would use up a considerable proportion of a borrower’s total credit limit, which results in a drop in the score. Lenders often continue to check credit scores in the weeks before closing.
“The lender will likely slam on the brakes if the applicant’s credit scores have suddenly dropped below the minimum required for the requested loan rate,” Watts said.
3. Skimping on home inspection
Buying a pig in a poke can cost buyers big bucks — just when they can least aford it. So It’s vital to find all the costly flaws before you buy.
Many homes on the market today are distressed properties — foreclosures and short sales — and that only increases the importance of good inspections, according to David Tamny, president of the American Society of Home Inspectors.
“The owners usually didn’t have the money to keep up these homes,” he said. “There’s a lot of deferred maintenance.”
A home inspection can find problems with the foundation, electrical, plumbing, roof, attic insulation, and heating and air conditioning. In some states, separate licensed inspectors offer mold or termite inspections.
Often homebuyers, who may be strapped for cash, stint on inspections and look for the cheapest way to go. That can lead to disaster.
“The cost of repairs far exceeds the cost of inspection,” said Tamny.
4. No lawyer
Nearly everyone involved in a real estate transaction — the seller, the buyer’s real estate agent, the seller’s agent and the mortgage broker — has a vested interest in getting the deal done because they only get paid when the house is sold. So they may push a deal even if it’s not in the best interest of the buyer.
One of the best defenses against making an expensive purchase you’ll regret is to hire a real estate attorney — even in cities where it’s not standard practice. These professionals charge flat fees and their advice is objective.
It’s nice to have someone on your side.
5. No contingencies
When signing a sales contract, buyers usually have to put up 1% to 3% in “earnest money,” which they don’t get back if they pull out of the deal except under certain conditions spelled out in the contract.
Sellers try to limit the grounds for canceling, and inexperienced buyers may sign contracts that don’t include common exceptions, such as uncovering major problems during the home inspection, failing to obtain financing and failure of the house to appraise.
Failure to obtain financing is common these days because lenders have become very picky; underwriting is very strict.
Even if your mortgage company is still willing to finance your purchase, the house itself may be worth less than you’ve contracted to pay for it, and the lender will pull its approval.
With residential real estate markets still slow, sellers usually accept contingency clauses, but if they resist, it may be better to rethink the deal. Losing a deposit of $2,000 to $6,000 on a $200,000 home hurts.
6. Not budgeting for insurance
Don’t underestimate insurance costs and fail to budget for them.
Many homebuyers don’t understand just what is — and what is not — covered. Standard policies pay for theft and wind, fire, lightning, hail and explosion damage. Not covered is flooding, earthquake damage or problems caused by neglect of routine maintenance, according to Jeanne Salvatore, spokeswoman for the Insurance Information Institute, an industry-sponsored educational group.
“The most important thing is before you buy a home, find out what it will cost to insure it,” she said. “Insurance needs to be calculated into the cost of owning a home. Unlike a mortgage, which you can pay off, you’ll be responsible for the insurance costs forever.”
For flood insurance, most buyers use the National Flood Insurance Program. Earthquake coverage may be available through a state authority or some private companies.
Depending on location, flood insurance can run into a lot of money. The cost of $250,000 worth of government flood coverage on the building and $100,000 of its contents can go as high as $5,714 in high-risk, coastal areas.
http://realestate.yahoo.com/promo/6-biggest-mistakes-homebuyers-make
Gov. Christie will propose a constitutional amendment to cap property-tax increases at 2.5 percent per year in his budget speech tomorrow, hoping to hold down the levies that have been a long-standing source of frustration across the state.
He also plans to revive a controversial tax plan to raise money for hospitals; cut aid to towns, schools, and colleges; and reshape the state’s property-tax rebate program as credits on homeowners’ bills – instead of checks in the mail – according to three officials briefed yesterday by the Christie administration. The credits would not be applied until April, May, or June 2011.
That means homeowners would not receive checks in 2010, though they still would get tax relief in the coming fiscal year. The rebates are typically mailed in the summer and fall to help offset the state’s high property taxes, which average $7,300.
Delaying the payments until the fiscal year’s fourth quarter would give Christie time to convert the checks into credits and also buy some time while the state’s financial picture became more clear. Under the governor’s plan, the credits would not be paid until after nearly a full year of tax collections and after he has proposed his next budget.
Those who received rebate checks last year – senior citizens earning less than $150,000 and other homeowners making $75,000 or less – still would be eligible to get a credit at the same level, according to the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because their briefing was meant to be confidential.
…
The 2.5 percent property-tax cap would replace the existing 4 percent limit. Christie also will call for eliminating several exceptions that let schools and municipalities often exceed the 4 percent maximum.
According to two sources, Christie has considered imposing a similar 2.5 percent cap on increases in state operations.
The tougher property-tax limit would put more pressure on mayors and school boards to keep local spending in check even as they lost state aid. Christie has argued for weeks that local leaders need to do their part to make the state more affordable, and he has pledged to offer “tools,” such as changes to the rules governing labor negotiations, to give them more power to control costs.
“All levels of government have to impose that discipline. Government cannot continue to be made larger and more expensive,” Christie said at a news conference last week
Investors who are uneasy with the ups and downs of an unpredictable stock market might be interested in a more reliable, steady option. If history is any indicator, perhaps the best decision those investors can make at the moment would be to purchase a home.
Since the 1940s, home prices have risen an average of 4 percent a year. However, since most buyers only put down a small percentage of the home’s total cost, a buyer who pays 20 percent down still gets to enjoy all of the appreciation. That turns a 4 percent increase in home prices into a 20 percent yield on the money actually invested by the buyer.
Today’s market gives individuals a chance to enjoy some of the lifestyle perks associated with owning real estate that they might not otherwise be able to afford. This might be the only time they can move to the more prestigious neighborhood, trade up to the larger home or get that cabin by the lake they always wanted.
Even with real estate’s proven track record of financial returns, perhaps the best reasons to buy now are the personal benefits associated with homeownership that you just can’t get from other investments.
Many Americans successfully fund their retirement in large part through the equity they earned by owning a home over the years. Why not use that same investment practice for other purposes? Instead of buying mutual funds which are just paper until you cash them out, buy a vacation property that you can enjoy for 10 or 15 years and then sell when it comes time to finance your child’s education. Not only will you have a place to build great family memories, you’ll also see a healthy financial return.
Tax season is here and time to start looking into the tax deductions that may be available to you! Many require you to have proof in paperwork, especially in the event of an audit, and if it’s not information that your employer can provide, it’s up to you to keep accurate records. Here are some common tax deductions that you can start preparing for today.
- Interest on your mortgage. Let’s be honest–interest is pretty much all you’re paying for in the first few years of owning your home. Of course, I doubt there’s even a chance you’d let this deduction slip by, so just consider it a friendly reminder and something to look forward to when preparing your taxes.
- Health insurance premiums and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). This might not increase your tax return significantly, but it sure feels good to be able to deduct some of those expensive premiums we all have to pay for health care, particularly if you’re self-employed. (Hint: if you are self-employed, you get to deduct more than the rest of us.)
- Student loan interest. That’s right. Uncle Sam lets you deduct this one, too. You should receive a statement from your bank come tax time to help you with this part, so be sure not to toss it aside or let it get lost!
- IRA contributions. This only applies to traditional IRAs. You’re going to have to pay taxes on your withdrawals when you reach retirement age, so prior to that point in time, you get to deduct your contributions. If you have a Roth, you don’t get to deduct, but you won’t have to pay any taxes on your withdrawals.
- Your home office. If you’re self-employed, don’t overlook this deduction. However, do check into the specific restrictions to make sure you qualify. For example, a room in your home that is purely used for your business counts as a home office. Using the computer in the corner of your bedroom does not. Once you’re certain you qualify, you can deduct not only the space itself, the mortgage/rent payment respective to it, electricity, etc., but you can also deduct your computer, business phone line, office supplies, etc.
- Charitable contributions. You probably already know this one, but did you know that it’s not just for monetary contributions anymore? Did you donate some old clothes or used items to a place like Goodwill or your local church? These can be deducted. It’s best if you make sure to get some form of a receipt if possible.
- “Green” credit. If you recently renovated your home to be more energy-efficient and “green” or perhaps bought a qualifying fuel-saving, hybrid, or otherwise “green” car, the government will reward you with a tax deduction.
We have seen many marketplaces shift nationally in recent years. The skill of price value counseling from your realtor is a more essential tool than others in the last five years.
The fundamental mistake that most Agents are guilty of is using the wrong terminology. The buzzword most Agents use is price or price of the home. This word is incorrect because it’s not about price; it’s about value. The first step in effective price value discussion is beginning to use the word value instead of price. We need to focus the client on what the value of the home is today, in today’s marketplace and market conditions.
When we look at price and the influence of price, it’s really fundamentally connected to marketing. The raising or lowering of the price of something creates a layer or smaller pool of potential purchasers, based on how the potential purchasers perceive the value. We all make our buying decisions based on value. Our job as Champion Agents is to position the property relatively close to the value to widen the pool of prospective purchasers. Price is clearly a function of marketing, not value.
As an example, a ten-year-old BMW 7 Series car has a certain value. You can price it at $100,000, but the real value of the car is substantially less than that. In fact, the Kelly Blue Book value is right around $15,000. What are the odds (pricing this car at $100,000; $50,000; or even $25,000) that you would receive even close to those figures? As they say in Texas, slim to none, and slim just left town.
To demonstrate our value and why we should be hired, we need to separate price from a value discussion. We must secure agreement on the value of the property before we proceed to a strategic marketing or price discussion. In the end, the value of the home is what we are trying to reflect through our CMA.
Too many Agents still believe that price and value are interchangeable, but they are not. Value relates to what something is really worth; what one could expect to receive in money in the free market. It doesn’t matter what the value was last year, last month, or even last week. Value is determined by the conditions and influences of the marketplace today. Too often, sellers get hung up on that fact when the marketplace shifts against them so to speak. They don’t want to view the reality that their home was worth $750,000 a year ago and today, based on supply and demand, is only worth $680,000. Value is extended by the scarcity of something and the ease of replacement with similar, equal, or better products or service. In essence, this all reconnects with the law of supply and demand; real estate is a commodity and not a product.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Despite signs that the real estate market might be lurching forward, prices are expected to fall further this year and next.
The average home price in the United States will fall by about 6% by September 2011, according to a joint report between Fiserv and Moody’s Economy.com. And that’s after plunging more than 27% in the past three years.
Most of the projected home price decline will occur during the usually slow summer months of 2010. After that, prices should begin to stabilize, according to Fiserv, and stay almost flat through fall of 2011.
The main reason for continued decline, according to Mark Zandi, economist and co-founder of Economy.com, is foreclosures — the same thing that’s plagued markets for the past three years.
“Foreclosure sales will pick up this spring as mortgage servicers figure out who can qualify for a modification and who can’t,” said Zandi.
He figures there are at least 4.5 million mortgage loans either in foreclosure or clearly headed in that direction. When that additional inventory hits the market, it will provide numerous choices for buyers and encourage sellers to drop their listing prices.
The end of two federal programs, which have been propping up markets, will also tamp down prices.
The Federal Reserve has been purchasing mortgage-backed securities since early 2009, scooping up as much as $1.25 trillion worth. That has dampened rate increases by providing a ready market for the securities. But the Fed’s program lapses on March 31, when it cedes the playing field to private investors, who will almost surely demand higher rates.
Any resulting rise in rates will cause some buyers to withdraw from the market and others to look for lower priced homes. Either way, demand for homes drops and so do prices.
A month after the Fed bows out of the mortgage-buying market, the homebuyer tax credit will start to expire. To qualify for the $8,000 credit, homebuyers must sign a contract before April 30 and close by June 30. When the first date passes, many buyers are expected to vacate the market, weakening the demand for homes.
In a broader sense, home prices are ultimately decided by employment. “If [the job market] improvement is stronger than expected, prices will get better. If it’s weaker than expected, prices will be worse,” Zandi said.
http://realestate.yahoo.com/promo/duck-watch-out-for-falling-home-prices
