LOS ANGELES (Nov. 7) –The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) today announced that the “new” conforming loan limit for 2009 will remain at $417,000 for most areas in the U.S., unchanged since 2006. Loan limits for high-cost areas, including California, are capped at $625,500, down from the previous $729,750 limit. Loan limits for many areas of the state do not reach this lower threshold and are dramatically reduced from 2008.
"Although price declines mean that the total number of homes eligible for conforming financing has increased, we’re disappointed that the $729,750 limit stipulated in the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 signed in February was not made permanent,” said C.A.R. President William E. Brown. “The reduction in the loan limit to $625,500 will negatively impact both the interest rates and the availability of funds for jumbo mortgages.
“We hope Congress will make the $729,750 limit permanent before the end of the year as one of the provisions in an economic stimulus package,” he said.
The conforming loan limit determines the maximum size of a mortgage that Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can buy or guarantee. Non-conforming or jumbo loans typically carry a higher mortgage interest rate than a conforming loan, increasing the monthly payment and negatively impacting affordability for households in California.
In California, the new conforming loan limits for metropolitan areas range from $474,950 in the Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Roseville metropolitan area, covering El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento and Yolo counties; to $625,500 in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana metropolitan area.
Story compliments of CAR 11/13/2008
LOS ANGELES (May 17) The percentage of households who could afford to buy an entry-level home in California stood at 25 percent in the first quarter of 2007, compared with 26 percent for the same period a year ago, according to a report released today by the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.).
C.A.R.'s First-time Buyer Housing Affordability Index (FTB-HAI) measures the percentage of households that can afford to purchase an entry-level home in California. C.A.R. also reports first-time buyer indexes for regions and select counties within the state. The Index is the most fundamental measure of housing well-being for first-time buyers in the state.
The minimum household income needed to purchase an entry-level home at $480,670 in California in the first quarter of 2007 was $96,910, based on an adjustable interest rate of 6.3 percent and assuming a 10 percent down payment. First-time buyers typically purchase a home equal to 85 percent of the prevailing median price. The monthly payment including taxes and insurance was $3,230 for the first quarter of 2007.
At 44 percent, the High Desert region was the most affordable in the state, followed by the Sacramento region at 43 percent. Santa Barbara was the least affordable region in the state at 12 percent, followed by the Monterey region at 19 percent.
Story compliments of CAR 5/17/2007