(11/17/2010) The housing market will remain in hibernation this winter and, without
the benefit of a federal home buying tax credit, keep snoring right on
through the spring.
However, by the third quarter of 2011, pent up demand could stir the
market from its slumber and generate a modest, groggy recovery.
"Existing-home sales have shown some improvement, but the foreclosure moratorium is likely to cause
some disruption and contribute to an uneven sales performance in the months
ahead," said Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist.
"Tight credit and appraisals coming in below a negotiated price continue
to constrain the market. Nonetheless, there appears to be a pent-up demand
that eventually will be unleashed as banks resolve their issues with
foreclosures and the labor market improves," Yun said.
Existing-home sales, down 21.2 percent
year-over-year in the third quarter this year, are forecast to drop 24.7
percent in the last quarter this year. The declines reflect the absence of
the federal home buying tax credit, available this time last year.
Next year, expect smaller sales declines of about 7 percent during the
first two quarters, before sales begin to rebound with a near 26 percent
year-over-year increase in sales, according to the forecast.
"We've added 30 million people to the U.S. population over the past 10
years, but sales are where they were in 2000, so there appears to be a
sizable pent-up demand that could come to the (housing) market once the economy gathers momentum," Yun
said.
Yun said existing home sales will rise from 4.8
million this year to 5.1 million next year while housing starts are expected
to rise to 716,000 in 2011 from 598,000 this year. Housing starts bottomed
out at 554,000 in 2009.
The boost in sales and starts is related to favorable growth in the Gross
Domestic Product. NAR says it should grow 2.0 to 2.5 percent over the next
two years. A projected and much needed 1.5 million additional jobs over the
next two years will push the unemployment rate down to 8 percent by
2013, but it won't return to a normal level of about 6 percent until
2015.
Mortgage interest rates are at record lows now,
but by the time housing market recovery is under way they are expected
to rise, creating an average 4.9 percent next year, and 5.8 percent in 2012,
Yun said.
Median prices for existing homes, nationwide at $177,100 in the third
quarter this year (down 0.6 percent a year ago) are expected to continue to
decline to $165,900 into the first quarter 2010, before managing $178,900 by
the third quarter next year, an expected peak for the year.
New home prices, $218,000 in the third quarter, 2010 (up 2.5 percent from
a year ago), are expected to continue rising each quarter in 2011 and peak
out at $224,300 in the fourth quarter.
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