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Key Factors That Impact Housz Affordability Today



You can’t read an article about residential real estate without the author mentioning the affordability challenges that today’s buyers face. There’s no doubt homes are less affordable today than they were over the last two years, but that doesn’t mean houszes are now unaffordable. There are three measures used to establish housz affordability: housz prices, mortgage rates, and wages. Let’s look closely at each of these components.

1. Housz Prices The most recent Home Price Insights report by CoreLogic shows housz values have increased by 19.1% from last January to this January. That was one reason affordability declined over the past year.

2. Mortgage Rates While the current global uncertainty makes it difficult to project mortgage rates, we do know current rates are almost one full percentage point higher than they were last year. According to Freddie Mac, the average monthly rate for last February was 2.81%. This February it was 3.76%. That increase in the mortgage rate also contributes to homes being less affordable than they were last year.

3. Wages The one big, positive component in the affordability equation is an increase in American wages. In a recent article by RealtyTrac, Peter Miller addresses that point: “Prices are up, but what about wages? ADP reports that job holder incomes increased 5.9% last year but rose 8.0% for those who switched employers. In effect, some of the higher cost to buy a housz has been offset by more cash income.” The National Association of Realtors (NAR) also recently released information that looks at income and affordability. The NAR data provides a comparison of the current median family income versus the qualifying income for a median-priced housz in each region of the country. Here’s a graph of their findings:


As the graph shows, the median family income (shown in blue on the graph) is greater than the qualifying income needed to buy a median-priced housz (shown in green on the graph) in all four regions of the country. While those figures may vary in certain locations within each region, it’s important to note that, in most of the country, houszes are still affordable.

So, when you think about affordability, remember that the picture includes more than just housz prices and mortgage rates. When prices rise and rates rise, it does impact affordability, and experts project both of those things will climb in the months ahead. That’s why it’s less affordable to buy a housz than it was over the past two years when prices and rates were lower than they are today. But wages need to be factored into affordability as well. Because wages have been rising, they’re a big reason that, while less affordable, a housz is not unaffordable today.

Bottom Line To find out more about affordability in our local area, let’s discuss where housz prices are locally, what’s happening with mortgage rates, and get you in contact with a lender so you can make an informed financial decision. Remember, while less affordable, houszes are not unaffordable, which still gives you an opportunity to buy today.

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