Come August, there will be a new roadblock to closing a deal on a house

by Bernice Ross on Mar 30

 

New integrated disclosure forms will throw a wrench in the homebuying works

 

There’s a shift coming that’s about to wreak havoc at the closing table for agents and clients alike.

On Aug. 1, 2015, the new TRID (TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure) forms replace the HUD-1 Settlement and Good Faith Estimate. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s mission is to rebuild the mortgage banking landscape so that the industry will avoid the type of conditions that led to the Great Recession. The CFPB replaces the Department of Housing and Urban Development for oversight because HUD did not provide specific consumer protection.

Everyone agrees that increasing consumer protection is a desirable goal. Nevertheless, the unforeseen ripple effects from these changes could seriously disrupt how the closing process is conducted.

A recent Inman article outlined one of the most serious issues that will result from the new changes handed down by the CFPB: The new rules will require a new three-day waiting period when there are any changes in the TRID forms. The recommendation is to allow an extra 15 days to close your transactions. In other words, 30-day contracts will now require 45 days, and 60-day contracts will require 75 days.

 

Read the entire article at: http://www.inman.com/2015/03/30/come-august-there-will-be-a-new-roadblock-to-closing-a-deal-on-a-house/?utm_source=20150404&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weeklyheadlines

Why is housing inventory so low?

by Chris Trapani on Apr 2

 

Parsing the reasons why fewer houses are on the market

 

There has been a great deal of discussion regarding the consistently low housing inventory levels throughout the nation. Very little, however, has been written about the reasons why inventory levels are so low, especially following the economic disruption of 2008-2011.

Understanding the why can be helpful in predicting how these factors might influence longer-term supply levels and future appreciation potential. This knowledge might also shed light on why inventory might remain constrained over the long run.

In the second half of 2011 we began to see an acceleration in the decline of inventory levels nationally, and since that time the available housing inventory has continued to remain historically low. The graph (figure 1) below highlights the continuous low-inventory environment.

Why is this so? There are numerous conditions that have contributed to this phenomenon and bundled together have created an inventory control dynamic that, as prices rise, only serves to limit the number of homes available for sale.

 

To read the entire article go to: http://www.inman.com/2015/04/02/why-is-housing-inventory-so-low/?utm_source=20150404&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weeklyheadlines