Rising Rates And 5 Other Housing Trends To Watch

The Federal Reserve’s purchases of mortgage-backed securities kept interest rates near historic lows for much of last year. But within a week of the program’s expiration, rates for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages jumped from 5.04 percent to 5.31. Now many analysts are predicting rates will likely rise as high as 6 percent by early next year. Here are five other housing trends to watch

1. Distressed properties will keep prices under pressure.
2. Big homes are lagging small ones in the recovery.
3. Financing for condos, second homes, and jumbo loans are tough to get.
4. Buyers, rushing to beat the tax-credit deadline, will set off a flurry of spring sales.
5. Going green this year can save you more money.

More on housing trends here. More on rates here.

Filed under: Uncategorized, Federal Programs, Foreclosures, Housing Market, Interest Rates, Real-Estate, Tax Credit, Trends