MBA Newslinks Archive

“When I think about the real estate market today, the one word I keep coming back to is opportunity. And this opportunity is built on a platform of protections, confidence and skill sets that exist to make sure we build a positive future for America’s next homeowners under the umbrella of the safest system in the world. Because of this opportunity, now is the time for leadership and perseverance.”
–MBA President and CEO David Stevens, CMB.

“The ongoing housing crunch appears unevenly felt by first-time homebuyers due to even lower inventory of entry-level homes. There are signs that the supply shortage and resulting price bidding are driving prices of entry-level homes to rise much faster than the median property on the market.”–Yanling Mayer, Housing Economist and Director of Research with FNC Inc., Oxford, Miss.

“The delinquency rate of 4.77 percent has returned to typical pre-recession levels and is lower than the historical average of 5.4 percent for the period from 1979 through the first quarter.”–MBA Vice President of Industry Analysis Marina Walsh.

“Homeowners are in the best financial shape they’ve been in since well before the start of the Great Recession. Moreover, the average interest rate on outstanding mortgage loans keeps falling as more and more homeowners refinance into rates below 4 percent, giving borrowers more spending capacity each month.”–Amy Crews Cutts, Senior Vice President and Chief Economist with Equifax, Atlanta.

“We believe this is a far better way to fund an agency’s technology needs–rather than through an unprecedented off-budget fee that will undoubtedly be passed on the very borrowers FHA is designed to serve and ultimately raise the cost of homeownership.”
–MBA Senior Vice President of Legislative and Political Affairs Bill Killmer, in an MBA letter to House appropriators urging them to approve a bill that would block HUD from charging a fee to single-family lenders as a funding mechanism to cover FHA’s administrative costs.

“Real estate market headlines have repeatedly documented the strong, potentially bubble-like recovery of the West over the past couple years, and this continued trend of performance doesn’t appear to be going away just yet.” –Alex Villacorta, vice president of research and analytics with Clear Capital, Reno, Nev.

 “Construction across all major property types continues to increase, fueled by the ongoing recovery in the economy and property fundamentals.” 
–Reis Senior Economist and Director of Research Ryan Severino.

“It will be telling to watch how the next six months unfold as real estate executives position themselves to address a whirlwind of opportunities, risks and disruptions facing the U.S. and global markets.”–DLA Piper Global Real Estate practice Co-Chair Jay Epstien.

“FHFA’s review and adjustment mechanism in its 2016 Scorecard and its close monitoring of changing market conditions will support continued liquidity in workforce rental housing, help avoid market disruptions, and allow for competition among capital sources that finance this vital market.” –MBA President and CEO David Stevens, CMB, on the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s announcement that it would increase multifamily loan limits for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

“Housing helped keep U.S. economic growth afloat in the first quarter of 2016 as residential investment recorded its strongest gain since the end of 2012. Low interest rates and increased home building suggest that housing will continue to be a growth driver.”–CoreLogic Chief Economist Frank Nothaft.