Opinion:
Today the Fed announced a significant plan to purchase an additional $750 Billion in mortgage backed securities from agencies Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. The proposal is hopeful in that it will stimulate the housing market and refinance business by producing exceptional mortgage rates lower than where they are today.
Will this impact the markets in a meaningful manner that will stimulate home sales and refinance activity? I believe it may and one reason is this:
A stumbling block to overcome in refinancing relates to the challenge of finding viable sold comps to support favorable LTV’s (loan to values) needed to move forward with the refinance. An enormous number of existing homeowners have two mortgages that encumber their homes. I’m told of appraisals that have comments from the appraiser indicating specific market areas have essentially stalled in home sales along with falling home values. This produces LTV problems and can derail a refinance transaction. One alternative is for high LTV households to consider FHA which has higher LTV guidelines.
With that in mind, the additional $750 Billion in stimulus is meant to drop the rates to such attractive levels that it will encourage home sales and refinance activity. The sales going forward will theoretically place a building block or foundation for holding values at a point that will at least slow or level off further declines. This is a positive development for those both refinancing and for sellers, if it can take root. Whether or not it will take root remains to be seen due to many other factors.
Have a great day,
S-Crow