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Big Changes with Fannie Mae are Here

by Christie Cannon

There are several big changes with Fannie Mae this year (& last):

1. As of Dec 2014, Fannie Mae will offer 3% down (97% LTV) Conventional financing.  

Why not just go FHA you say...?  

- Remember that with FHA loans, the FHA MIP (Mortgage Insurance) is for the life of the FHA loan!  Conversely, conventional PMI (Private Mortgage Insurance) may be eliminated when the equity target is reached (usually above 20%).  This means, that a borrower may not be required to refinance out of their mortgage insurance at a later date, risking a potentially higher interest rate in the future.

- Also, traditional FHA loans come with an upfront FHA funding fee & higher monthly mortgage insurance cost.

..... which leads us to #2....

 

2. FHA has reduced their Monthly Mortgage Insurance from 1.35% to .85% oN FHA loans.

Despite that seemingly small difference, this has a fairly large affect.

Marcel Deitrich, Senior Loan Officer with Starkey Mortgage offered the following on the affect this has on a $250,000 FHA buyer:

What does this mean to the average FHA Buyer at $250,000?  It means a month ago, on a $250K FHA purchase, their monthly MI was $269.23.  When the change is implemented, it would drop the monthly MI to $169.52.  That is $99.71 in savings on a monthly bases.  This compares a $2,019.48 monthly PITI to a new $1919.77 monthly PITI. 

- OR - If a buyer was in their comfort range with a $2,019.48 monthly payment, at that same payment, they can increase their purchase price to $265,000.

This is a huge step to putting FHA loans back in the game. - Marcel Deitrich - 972-672-3246 - NMLSR #231135


3. FHA Loan limits for Collin, Denton, Dallas, & Tarrant counties have been increased to $310,500.

Where are Mortgages Headed in 2015?

by Christie Cannon

Where will Mortgage Rates be Headed in 2015?

Where will Mortgage Rates be Headed in 2015? | Simplifying The Market

We finished 2014 with the 30 year fixed mortgage rate at 3.87% as per Freddie Mac. This is very close to the historic lows in the spring of 2013.

However, the Mortgage Bankers Association projects mortgage rates to be about 5% by the end of 2015. The website Investopedia agrees and gives some perspective on the 5% rate:

“Barring another financial and housing market implosion, and if the economy continues to improve, expect interest rates to rise in the latter half of 2015. If they do jump to the 5% range it will be a modest hike when compared to historical averages. Rates will still be far below the approximately 8.5% 30-year fixed-rates mortgages have averaged since 1971 when Freddie Mac started tracking them. Rates averaged 6% in the years leading up to the recession.”

Here are the latest 2015 mortgage rate projections from Fannie MaeFreddie Mac, the Mortgage Bankers’ Association and the National Association of Realtors:

Interest Rates 2015 | Simplifying The Market

Record Growth...But Not Without Concerns

by Christie Cannon

 

One of the top financial ratings firms, Fitch Ratings, is blowing the whistle on Texas' hot housing market.  Home sale prices in the Dallas-Fort Worth area are at record levels this year and  Fitch Ratings warns that Texas home prices are about 11 percent overvalued.  A lack of homes available for purchase coupled with North Texas' fast-growing economy has caused residential prices to jump by about 7 percent over the past year.  

Economist Jim Gaines with the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M Unversity said he’s looked at Fitch’s new Texas housing report and doesn’t agree with the conclusions. “I’m not buying the overvalued card right now,” Gaines said. “Yes, prices have increased substantially for Texas markets – but only after being essentially flat for almost five years.

Despite its warning about the inflated prices, Fitch's report points out the overall strength of the state's economy.  Texas has been leading the country in both job growth and population gains.  

Texas home price gains have already cooled from late last year and early in 2014. But the year-over-year gains in residential prices in the Dallas-Fort Worth area is still running about twice the long-term average rate and are higher than nationwide increases. 

During the recent recession when many metropolitan areas in California, Nevada and Florida lost 50 percent or more of their home values, Texas prices fell only slightly.  And the housing markets in Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio were some of the first in the country to recover.  For more information on Fitch's findings click  here.

469-951-9588

North TX's Best nods to Clark Griswold

by Christie Cannon

Stuck in the house with Cousin Eddie this week?.... perhaps a quick dash around town to see some of our areas best nods to the Griswolds.  

And you do detect a hint of jealousy, as my father-in law "taught me everything I know about exterior illumiination".... which explains why our lights don't work.

Find a spot near you & make some memories.... suggestions are  very welcome!

- Christie Cannon

Naughtiest & Nicest Cities List

by Christie Cannon

The "Elves" at RealtyTrac offer the Naughty and Nice U.S. Cities List.

Texas cities make 6 of the top 10; with Frisco as number 5!

 

You can see their report & methodology here:

 

The original article can be found on Realty Trac

$1B Frisco Station Development Releases New Details

by Christie Cannon

The 242-Acre $1 billion Frisco Station development on the Dallas North Tollway will wrap around the new Dallas Cowboys headquarters and retail complex.  Hillwood Properties and auto sales giant VanTrust Real Estate are partnering with the Rudman family, which has owned the site for more than 50 years.

Frisco Station is planned as a dense, urban-style development set to include a combination of corporate office towers, shopping and entertainment plazas, mid-rise apartments, medical facilities and other buildings.  Hillwood and VanTrust are no strangers to development in North Dallas.  Hillwood's founding Perot family developed the huge and successful Legacy business park in Plano and VanTrust is a partner in the huge Craig Ranch community being built in McKinney.  Frisco Station will be a designed to fit with the Cowboys’ 91-acre Star development, which includes the football team’s headquarters, practice facilities, an Omni Hotel, shopping center and entertainment venues.Jim Gandy, president of the Frisco Economic Development Corp., said the two projects together will ultimately employ almost 19,000 people.  Read about all the details in the article here.


Frisco's Christmas In The Square Anniversary Celebration

by Christie Cannon

Frisco Square is celebrating it's 10th Anniversary this Saturday, December 20 from 5:00-10:00 pm.  Activities are to include a Parachuting Santa (at 5pm), Fireworks show (at 6pm), Light & Music Show, Carriage Rides, Trackless Train Rides, Build Your Own Snowman, 3 Lane Inner Tubing Snow Slide, Visits with Santa, Holiday Treats & more! Watch the video to see all the fun and excitement Christmas on the Square provides!


Dallas Makes CNN List of Hot Housing Markets

by Christie Cannon

Dallas made the CNN List of Hot Housing Markets this year with an impressive 2015 home sales forecast of +7%.

Dallas's economy remains strong during the Great Recession and continues to roll along in the recovery.  This year Dallas is one of the busiest locations in the country for office, apartment and industrial development.  The area is also highlighted by a very strong homebuilding market.  North Texas is seeing its biggest real estate boom in almost 30 years!

Displaying blog entries 11-18 of 18

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Christie Cannon
Keller Williams Realty
5933 Preston Road #300
Frisco TX 75034
972-215-7747
Fax: 972-215-7748
Keller Williams Frisco - The Christie Cannon Team - http://www.christiecannon.com