The Holiday Buy List Should Include Property

The winter is the worst time to sell, but the best time to buy. This is when deals can be made, price drops seen and desperation is running high for sellers. 

Which brings me to talk about buying during the holidays. Two of my investment properties were bought during the holiday months. I lowballed, got the offer accepted with no counters. This is because properties aren't selling as quickly and sellers just want to get out. So, buyers out there, remember that if you're thinking of waiting to buy in May or June of next year, then you will likely pay a bit more, or end up in a bidding war with other buyers. Of course interest rates could fluctuate, and they will, but the forecast is that they will be roughly the same as this year, or a tad higher.

Number of Renters Continue to Rise

According to a new report by New York University’s Furman Center, there has been an increase in renters around the country. "For many, slow income growth and a lack of savings are the reason for renting over buying even though mortgage rates are still at a historic low. As a result, the demand for rental apartments is up in many cities, which in turn is pushing up housing costs across the country. 'As the number of renters grow, if the supply of rental housing does not keep up, as it has not in most of these cities, then vacancy rates will fall, rents will rise, and more renters will struggle with the costs of housing,' Ingrid Gould Ellen, the Furman Center’s faculty director."

It’s a renter’s world out there.
Major U.S. cities are seeing an uptick in the amount of renters compared to homeowners, according to a new report by New York University’s Furman Center and Capital One.
Even lower-density cities are seeing an uptick in renters, according to the report cited by the Wall Street Journal.
New York City no longer has the largest share of renters among the country’s other big cities, the report found. Miami — where 65 percent of the population are renters — has surpassed New York. The percentage of renters in New York has been dropping, with 71 percent in 1970 and 64 percent in 2013.
For many, slow income growth and a lack of savings are the reasons for renting over buying, according to the newspaper, even though mortgage rates are still at a historic low. As a result, the demand for rental apartments is up in many cities, which in turn is pushing up housing costs across the country.
“As the number of renters grow, if the supply of rental housing does not keep up, as it has not in most of these cities, then vacancy rates will fall, rents will rise, and more renters will struggle with the costs of housing,” Ingrid Gould Ellen, the Furman Center’s faculty director, told the newspaper.
Rents grew faster than inflation in all of the 11 largest metro areas in the country, except for Dallas and Houston where rates remained flat, according to the report. Washington D.C. saw the biggest rent increase, with a 21 percent jump in median rent.
Philadelphia had the lowest percentage of renters in 2013, with 44 percent. Across the country, 36 percent of households are being rented, while 64 percent were owner-occupied. Developers and economists expect that the trend of renting over owning will continue. [WSJ] — Claire Moses 
- See more at: http://therealdeal.com/blog/2015/02/09/majority-of-population-in-big-u-s-cities-rents-report/#sthash.0DBFKEWC.dpuf

It’s a renter’s world out there.
Major U.S. cities are seeing an uptick in the amount of renters compared to homeowners, according to a new report by New York University’s Furman Center and Capital One.
Even lower-density cities are seeing an uptick in renters, according to the report cited by the Wall Street Journal.
New York City no longer has the largest share of renters among the country’s other big cities, the report found. Miami — where 65 percent of the population are renters — has surpassed New York. The percentage of renters in New York has been dropping, with 71 percent in 1970 and 64 percent in 2013.
For many, slow income growth and a lack of savings are the reasons for renting over buying, according to the newspaper, even though mortgage rates are still at a historic low. As a result, the demand for rental apartments is up in many cities, which in turn is pushing up housing costs across the country.
“As the number of renters grow, if the supply of rental housing does not keep up, as it has not in most of these cities, then vacancy rates will fall, rents will rise, and more renters will struggle with the costs of housing,” Ingrid Gould Ellen, the Furman Center’s faculty director, told the newspaper.
Rents grew faster than inflation in all of the 11 largest metro areas in the country, except for Dallas and Houston where rates remained flat, according to the report. Washington D.C. saw the biggest rent increase, with a 21 percent jump in median rent.
Philadelphia had the lowest percentage of renters in 2013, with 44 percent. Across the country, 36 percent of households are being rented, while 64 percent were owner-occupied. Developers and economists expect that the trend of renting over owning will continue. [WSJ] — Claire Moses 
- See more at: http://therealdeal.com/blog/2015/02/09/majority-of-population-in-big-u-s-cities-rents-report/#sthash.0DBFKEWC.dpuf

It’s a renter’s world out there.
Major U.S. cities are seeing an uptick in the amount of renters compared to homeowners, according to a new report by New York University’s Furman Center and Capital One.
Even lower-density cities are seeing an uptick in renters, according to the report cited by the Wall Street Journal.
New York City no longer has the largest share of renters among the country’s other big cities, the report found. Miami — where 65 percent of the population are renters — has surpassed New York. The percentage of renters in New York has been dropping, with 71 percent in 1970 and 64 percent in 2013.
For many, slow income growth and a lack of savings are the reasons for renting over buying, according to the newspaper, even though mortgage rates are still at a historic low. As a result, the demand for rental apartments is up in many cities, which in turn is pushing up housing costs across the country.
“As the number of renters grow, if the supply of rental housing does not keep up, as it has not in most of these cities, then vacancy rates will fall, rents will rise, and more renters will struggle with the costs of housing,” Ingrid Gould Ellen, the Furman Center’s faculty director, told the newspaper.
Rents grew faster than inflation in all of the 11 largest metro areas in the country, except for Dallas and Houston where rates remained flat, according to the report. Washington D.C. saw the biggest rent increase, with a 21 percent jump in median rent.
Philadelphia had the lowest percentage of renters in 2013, with 44 percent. Across the country, 36 percent of households are being rented, while 64 percent were owner-occupied. Developers and economists expect that the trend of renting over owning will continue. [WSJ] — Claire Moses 
- See more at: http://therealdeal.com/blog/2015/02/09/majority-of-population-in-big-u-s-cities-rents-report/#sthash.0DBFKEWC.dpuf

It’s a renter’s world out there.
Major U.S. cities are seeing an uptick in the amount of renters compared to homeowners, according to a new report by New York University’s Furman Center and Capital One.
Even lower-density cities are seeing an uptick in renters, according to the report cited by the Wall Street Journal.
New York City no longer has the largest share of renters among the country’s other big cities, the report found. Miami — where 65 percent of the population are renters — has surpassed New York. The percentage of renters in New York has been dropping, with 71 percent in 1970 and 64 percent in 2013.
For many, slow income growth and a lack of savings are the reasons for renting over buying, according to the newspaper, even though mortgage rates are still at a historic low. As a result, the demand for rental apartments is up in many cities, which in turn is pushing up housing costs across the country.
“As the number of renters grow, if the supply of rental housing does not keep up, as it has not in most of these cities, then vacancy rates will fall, rents will rise, and more renters will struggle with the costs of housing,” Ingrid Gould Ellen, the Furman Center’s faculty director, told the newspaper.
Rents grew faster than inflation in all of the 11 largest metro areas in the country, except for Dallas and Houston where rates remained flat, according to the report. Washington D.C. saw the biggest rent increase, with a 21 percent jump in median rent.
Philadelphia had the lowest percentage of renters in 2013, with 44 percent. Across the country, 36 percent of households are being rented, while 64 percent were owner-occupied. Developers and economists expect that the trend of renting over owning will continue. [WSJ] — Claire Moses 
- See more at: http://therealdeal.com/blog/2015/02/09/majority-of-population-in-big-u-s-cities-rents-report/#sthash.0DBFKEWC.dpufv

It’s a renter’s world out there.
Major U.S. cities are seeing an uptick in the amount of renters compared to homeowners, according to a new report by New York University’s Furman Center and Capital One.
Even lower-density cities are seeing an uptick in renters, according to the report cited by the Wall Street Journal.
New York City no longer has the largest share of renters among the country’s other big cities, the report found. Miami — where 65 percent of the population are renters — has surpassed New York. The percentage of renters in New York has been dropping, with 71 percent in 1970 and 64 percent in 2013.
For many, slow income growth and a lack of savings are the reasons for renting over buying, according to the newspaper, even though mortgage rates are still at a historic low. As a result, the demand for rental apartments is up in many cities, which in turn is pushing up housing costs across the country.
“As the number of renters grow, if the supply of rental housing does not keep up, as it has not in most of these cities, then vacancy rates will fall, rents will rise, and more renters will struggle with the costs of housing,” Ingrid Gould Ellen, the Furman Center’s faculty director, told the newspaper.
Rents grew faster than inflation in all of the 11 largest metro areas in the country, except for Dallas and Houston where rates remained flat, according to the report. Washington D.C. saw the biggest rent increase, with a 21 percent jump in median rent.
Philadelphia had the lowest percentage of renters in 2013, with 44 percent. Across the country, 36 percent of households are being rented, while 64 percent were owner-occupied. Developers and economists expect that the trend of renting over owning will continue. [WSJ] — Claire Moses 
- See more at: http://therealdeal.com/blog/2015/02/09/majority-of-population-in-big-u-s-cities-rents-report/#sthash.0DBFKEWC.dpuf

Even lower-density cities are seeing an uptick in renters, according to the report cited by the Wall Street Journal.
New York City no longer has the largest share of renters among the country’s other big cities, the report found. Miami — where 65 percent of the population are renters — has surpassed New York. The percentage of renters in New York has been dropping, with 71 percent in 1970 and 64 percent in 2013.
For many, slow income growth and a lack of savings are the reasons for renting over buying, according to the newspaper, even though mortgage rates are still at a historic low. As a result, the demand for rental apartments is up in many cities, which in turn is pushing up housing costs across the country.
“As the number of renters grow, if the supply of rental housing does not keep up, as it has not in most of these cities, then vacancy rates will fall, rents will rise, and more renters will struggle with the costs of housing,” Ingrid Gould Ellen, the Furman Center’s faculty director, told the newspaper.
- See more at: http://therealdeal.com/blog/2015/02/09/majority-of-population-in-big-u-s-cities-rents-report/#sthash.0DBFKEWC.dpuf

Even lower-density cities are seeing an uptick in renters, according to the report cited by the Wall Street Journal.
New York City no longer has the largest share of renters among the country’s other big cities, the report found. Miami — where 65 percent of the population are renters — has surpassed New York. The percentage of renters in New York has been dropping, with 71 percent in 1970 and 64 percent in 2013.
For many, slow income growth and a lack of savings are the reasons for renting over buying, according to the newspaper, even though mortgage rates are still at a historic low. As a result, the demand for rental apartments is up in many cities, which in turn is pushing up housing costs across the country.
“As the number of renters grow, if the supply of rental housing does not keep up, as it has not in most of these cities, then vacancy rates will fall, rents will rise, and more renters will struggle with the costs of housing,” Ingrid Gould Ellen, the Furman Center’s faculty director, told the newspaper.
- See more at: http://therealdeal.com/blog/2015/02/09/majority-of-population-in-big-u-s-cities-rents-report/#sthash.0DBFKEWC.dpuf

Even lower-density cities are seeing an uptick in renters, according to the report cited by the Wall Street Journal.
New York City no longer has the largest share of renters among the country’s other big cities, the report found. Miami — where 65 percent of the population are renters — has surpassed New York. The percentage of renters in New York has been dropping, with 71 percent in 1970 and 64 percent in 2013.
For many, slow income growth and a lack of savings are the reasons for renting over buying, according to the newspaper, even though mortgage rates are still at a historic low. As a result, the demand for rental apartments is up in many cities, which in turn is pushing up housing costs across the country.
“As the number of renters grow, if the supply of rental housing does not keep up, as it has not in most of these cities, then vacancy rates will fall, rents will rise, and more renters will struggle with the costs of housing,” Ingrid Gould Ellen, the Furman Center’s faculty director, told the newspaper.
- See more at: http://therealdeal.com/blog/2015/02/09/majority-of-population-in-big-u-s-cities-rents-report/#sthash.0DBFKEWC.dpuf

Even lower-density cities are seeing an uptick in renters, according to the report cited by the Wall Street Journal.
New York City no longer has the largest share of renters among the country’s other big cities, the report found. Miami — where 65 percent of the population are renters — has surpassed New York. The percentage of renters in New York has been dropping, with 71 percent in 1970 and 64 percent in 2013.
For many, slow income growth and a lack of savings are the reasons for renting over buying, according to the newspaper, even though mortgage rates are still at a historic low. As a result, the demand for rental apartments is up in many cities, which in turn is pushing up housing costs across the country.
“As the number of renters grow, if the supply of rental housing does not keep up, as it has not in most of these cities, then vacancy rates will fall, rents will rise, and more renters will struggle with the costs of housing,” Ingrid Gould Ellen, the Furman Center’s faculty director, told the newspaper.
- See more at: http://therealdeal.com/blog/2015/02/09/majority-of-population-in-big-u-s-cities-rents-report/#sthash.0DBFKEWC.dpuf

California Housing Forecast for 2015

Good news for homeowners: according to a study by the California Association of Realtors, the annual median price for 2014 rose 9.8 percent year over year and will further increase by 7.1 percent in 2015.

2015 Housing Forecast

According to Freddie Mac economists, the following projections in housing for 2015

1. Mortgage rates: Interest rates will likely be on the rise next year. By next year, Freddie projects mortgage rates to average 4.6 percent and inch up to 5 percent by the end of the year.
2. Home prices: Continued house-price appreciation and rising mortgage rates will dampen affordability for home buyers. Historically speaking, that's moving from 'very high' levels of affordability to 'high' levels of affordability.
3. Housing starts: Homebuilding is expected to ramp up in the new year, projected to rise by 20 percent from this year. That will likely help total home sales to climb by about 5 percent, reaching the best sales pace in eight years.
4. Single-family originations: Mortgage originations of single-family homes will likely slip by an additional 8 percent, which can be attributed to a steep drop in refinancing volume. Refinancings are expected to make up only 23 percent of originations in 2015; they had been making up more than half in recent years.
5. Multi-family mortgage originations: Mortgage originations for the multi-family sector have surged about 60 percent between 2011 and 2014. Increases are expected to continue in 2015, projected to rise about 14 percent.