Housing affordability remains somewhat steady
Affordability: the elephant in the room when it comes to home sales.
While affordability remains public enemy number one for the housing industry and potential buyers, there was a bit of a silver lining in the grand housing scheme.
Increases in interest rates were offset by a decline in home prices in the fourth quarter of 2018, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index (HMI). The net result is affordability remained level in the fourth quarter but still sits at a 10-year low.
About 56.6% of new and existing homes sold between the beginning of October and end of December were affordable to families earning the U.S. median income of $71,900, the NAHB reported. This marks a very slight rise from the 56.4% of homes sold in the third quarter that were affordable to median-income earners.
The national median home price dropped nearly 2% from $268,000 in the third quarter of 2018 to $263,000 in the fourth quarter. But the average mortgage rates rose by 17 basis points in the fourth quarter to 4.89% from 4.72% in the third quarter. This is the fourth straight quarterly rate hike and the highest rate level since the second quarter of 2011.
“Builders are finding it increasingly difficult to build at price points most consumers need because they are struggling with burdensome regulations, higher material costs and shortages of lots and labor,” said NAHB Chairman Randy Noel, a custom home builder from LaPlace, La. “Historically, housing has been the canary in the coal mine, and these ongoing affordability woes should serve as a wake up call to policymakers to take immediate action.”
The demand for housing is there as U.S. households continue to grow. But the paychecks potential buyers cash aren't keeping up with the housing market.
“While solid job growth and rising household formations are fueling a demand for housing, home price appreciation has outpaced wage gains, putting a damper on housing affordability,” said NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz. “To keep housing moving forward, policymakers at all levels of government should make it a priority to address affordability concerns that are hurting home buyers and home builders alike.”
Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, Ohio-Pa. supplanted Syracuse, N.Y. as the nation’s most affordable major housing market. There, 92.7% of all new and existing homes sold in the fourth quarter were affordable to families earning the area’s median income of $60,100.
Cumberland, Md.-W.Va. was rated the nation’s most affordable smaller market, with 94.9 percent of homes sold in the fourth quarter being affordable to families earning the median income of $55,500.
Rounding out the top five affordable major housing markets in respective order were Scranton-Wilkes Barre-Hazleton, Pa.; Syracuse; Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, Ind.; and Toledo, Ohio.
Smaller markets joining Cumberland at the top of the list included Kokomo, Ind.; Wheeling, W.Va.-Ohio; Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, Iowa-Ill.; and Elmira, N.Y.
San Francisco, for the fifth-straight quarter, was the nation’s least affordable major market. There, just 6% of the homes sold in the fourth quarter of 2018 were affordable to families earning the area’s median income of $116,400.
Other major metros at the bottom of the affordability chart were located in California. In descending order, they included Los Angeles,-Long Beach-Glendale; Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine; San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara; and San Diego-Carlsbad.
All 5 least-affordable small housing markets were also in the Golden State. At the very bottom of the affordability chart was Santa Cruz-Watsonville, where 8.5% of all new and existing homes sold were affordable to families earning the area’s median income of $81,400.
In descending order, other small markets at the lowest end of the affordability scale included Salinas; San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande; San Rafael; and Napa.
While affordability remains public enemy number one for the housing industry and potential buyers, there was a bit of a silver lining in the grand housing scheme.
Increases in interest rates were offset by a decline in home prices in the fourth quarter of 2018, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index (HMI). The net result is affordability remained level in the fourth quarter but still sits at a 10-year low.
About 56.6% of new and existing homes sold between the beginning of October and end of December were affordable to families earning the U.S. median income of $71,900, the NAHB reported. This marks a very slight rise from the 56.4% of homes sold in the third quarter that were affordable to median-income earners.
The national median home price dropped nearly 2% from $268,000 in the third quarter of 2018 to $263,000 in the fourth quarter. But the average mortgage rates rose by 17 basis points in the fourth quarter to 4.89% from 4.72% in the third quarter. This is the fourth straight quarterly rate hike and the highest rate level since the second quarter of 2011.
“Builders are finding it increasingly difficult to build at price points most consumers need because they are struggling with burdensome regulations, higher material costs and shortages of lots and labor,” said NAHB Chairman Randy Noel, a custom home builder from LaPlace, La. “Historically, housing has been the canary in the coal mine, and these ongoing affordability woes should serve as a wake up call to policymakers to take immediate action.”
The demand for housing is there as U.S. households continue to grow. But the paychecks potential buyers cash aren't keeping up with the housing market.
“While solid job growth and rising household formations are fueling a demand for housing, home price appreciation has outpaced wage gains, putting a damper on housing affordability,” said NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz. “To keep housing moving forward, policymakers at all levels of government should make it a priority to address affordability concerns that are hurting home buyers and home builders alike.”
Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, Ohio-Pa. supplanted Syracuse, N.Y. as the nation’s most affordable major housing market. There, 92.7% of all new and existing homes sold in the fourth quarter were affordable to families earning the area’s median income of $60,100.
Cumberland, Md.-W.Va. was rated the nation’s most affordable smaller market, with 94.9 percent of homes sold in the fourth quarter being affordable to families earning the median income of $55,500.
Rounding out the top five affordable major housing markets in respective order were Scranton-Wilkes Barre-Hazleton, Pa.; Syracuse; Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, Ind.; and Toledo, Ohio.
Smaller markets joining Cumberland at the top of the list included Kokomo, Ind.; Wheeling, W.Va.-Ohio; Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, Iowa-Ill.; and Elmira, N.Y.
San Francisco, for the fifth-straight quarter, was the nation’s least affordable major market. There, just 6% of the homes sold in the fourth quarter of 2018 were affordable to families earning the area’s median income of $116,400.
Other major metros at the bottom of the affordability chart were located in California. In descending order, they included Los Angeles,-Long Beach-Glendale; Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine; San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara; and San Diego-Carlsbad.
All 5 least-affordable small housing markets were also in the Golden State. At the very bottom of the affordability chart was Santa Cruz-Watsonville, where 8.5% of all new and existing homes sold were affordable to families earning the area’s median income of $81,400.
In descending order, other small markets at the lowest end of the affordability scale included Salinas; San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande; San Rafael; and Napa.