Mortgage Down Fall?

Question

What do you think about the houseing problem?

Answer 1

It was not only predictable, it was predicted. Most economists agree that as the national deficit was allowed to come back, that interest rates would eventually rise. This happens because regular folks are competing with the U.S. government to borrow cash. Since cash is in high demand (mostly by the Feds), the price of the cash (interest rates) goes up.

It's actually not the subprime mortgages that are the issue, but the ARM (adjustable rate mortgages), both prime and sub-prime. The higher interest rates make the monthly payment go up. Many who got these now can't afford their payment since they've gone up. That means that people are foreclosing, putting below market-price homes on the market to compete with owners trying to sell their homes. This is coupled with slightly higher interest rates and all the bad press making people skiddish about buying. That is a little of an artificial panic, since interest rates are still historically low.

Bottom line, if you need a new home, or want to upgrade, and can afford (that's the key) a new home, now is the time to buy in most markets.

Answer 2

If the media would quit making it out to be so bad, the buyers wouldn't be so scared. There was a great increase in inventory recently and now it has to be absorbed. There aren't that many more people becoming home buyers as there were houses being built. The real estate market is cyclical. About every few years it does this. On the mortgage side, it's really expensive to have a mortgage payment now days. At least in FL, low-income families could buy a house under $100k, but now the range for those families is under $200k, big difference on the checkbook when the income is still the same.

Answer 3

The problem has been completely blown out of proportion by the media - that is the main thing to remember here. The vast majority of loans are not only in the conventional market but they are also NOT in default. It is the subprime market that has been hit hard (relatively speaking - current numbers show 16% of subprime loans are 30 days behind on payments - not in default but behind). Subprime loans are roughly 20% of the market so less than 5% of all the mortgages in the nation are behind on payments. In most other industries this tiny amount would barely warrant a burp.

But state gov't's are having typical knee-jerk reactions to the situation and they are passing laws that will handcuff the industry and make it harder for those with good credit to get loans. This exacerbates the situation (along with the sensationalistic media we have that barely reports the news, but always creates stories).

I agree with some of the other postings here. We haven't hit bottom yet but we are close. The entire housing market is in a huge correction and after it is done we will be back to business as usual. Rates will probably hover around 7% (30-yr fixed), and people will get good loans (not Option ARMS).

Answer 4

There are people that are having problems right now. Most people are not.

The real problem is that some mortgage companies were taking huge risks and now are out of business. There are several mortgage companies that are still in the same business today they were in last year. They make sensible loans to good credit risks.

My company and I are selling a lot of homes here in Texas and we have been effected but not badly hurt by the sub prime mortgage problems.

Answer 5

Real Estate is a good investment, but like every investment... don't sell in a bad market. I believe the mortgage industry is going to be re-vamped. When an industry sees a double digit rise in value, in a relatively short period of time, there is eventually going to be an adjustment. This is only intensified by the loans issued in the past 3 to 4 years, they should never have been financed. The real estate market will turn around- given time. Try to be one of the survivors...

Answer 6

Problem: Speculators bought in when rates were low, and prices high. Now the prices are dropping back to normal and they are stuck.
2nd Problem: Dummies bought more than they could handle because the monthly payment was lower (lower rates). Now they can't afford the house they bought.
What this means: Excess of houses forclosed or for sale - price depressed. Buyer's market, but buyers are scared!
Future: Things will even out and return to normal; question is how long will that take? People will always need homes!

Answer 7

I think banks and mortgage companies used sub-prime loans to artificially push up the price of houses. Sub-prime loans allow people to buy higher-priced houses, so naturally home sellers are going to put higher prices on their homes and they will still sell. And the responsible buyers who know that sub-prime loans are a stupid idea and don't take out sub-prime loans can't do anything about it.

The sub-prime loan market was like buying stocks on margin in the years before 1929. It was a disaster then, and this is a disaster now. People just will not learn.
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Answer 8

My opinion of the current market conditions (generally for the US) is such: The current trend of foreclosures and sub-prime disasters will continue and finally bottom out in the next 12-18 months. The recovery will begin only after the markets crash...similar to Black Monday in the late 80's. at the end of approx 15-25 months from now, we will be on an upward trend and regain to the point of today. The future will look brighter and the housing market will continue from there, to grow at historic 3-5% per annum....Just my opinion...


Also, the Fed will begin to raise interest rates consistently over the next 5-10 years too...lock in your low rates (Fixed rates) now!!!

Answer 9

It's a phreking shame that our so-called "experts" or "authority" people FAILED to bring this to the forefront over two years ago.

It was painfully obvious that subprime lending was out of hand when someone I know got a mortgage 2 years ago for $500,000 with NO DOWN PAYMENT. He was not working but his wife was earning maybe $60,000.

How could all of those smart people be so stupid?

GREED will bring down this great country of America. Hopefully we can escape a depression from this pending catastrophe. In the meantime please VOTE but REFUSE TO VOTE FOR ANY DEMOCRATS OR REPUBLICANS. You are not wasting your vote. You are doing a favor to its citizens to slap the lawmakers and bigwigs on the face. Maybe we can form a large group of people and create a new base of power?

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Answer 10

people like to buy bigger than they can afford, lenders got greedy and gave out sketchy loans....its no shocker, it was bound to happen. It will rebound in a few years