The RDS Business Intelligence team recently updated its Econometrix Tableau real estate workbooks.
Here’s an overview of what you’ll see when you link to our TABLEAU PUBLIC PAGE.
MORTGAGE RATES
The average, 30-year fixed mortgage rate for July was 2.98%, which is effectively in the same range as it’s been for the past month. To put the last year in perspective, our Tableau viz breaks down 30 year fixed rates for the past FIVE decades, summarized below:
- 2020s: 3.06%
- 2010s: 4.09%
- 2000s: 6.29%
- 1990s: 8.12%
- 1980s: 12.70%
- 1970s: 8.90%
MORTGAGE APPLICATIONS
The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reports weekly on two types of mortgage applications:
- MBA Purchase Index: The Purchase Index is a leading indicator of home sales by 4-6 weeks, meaning that it is a predictor of housing activity. Housing economists and home builders use the index to forecast new and existing home sales.
- MBA Refinance Index: The Refinance Index is a tool to predict mortgage activity. Homebuilders pay attention to the Refinance Index because it is a leading indicator of home sales. On the other hand, mortgage investors also take notice of the index as it is a leading indicator of mortgage pre-payment activity.
MBA Purchase Index
The most recent Purchase Index sits at 268.0. This is down 23% from the 12-month peak of 348.2 in January. But after hovering above 300 since June, 2020, the Purchase Index has fallen every week since mid-March.
MBA Refinance Index
The most recent Refinance Index stood at 3,110, down 35% from the 2021 high of 4746, and down 52% from the 11-year high 6,419 reached in March, 2020.
HOME SALES
Seasonally-adjusted home sales hit 676,000 for the most recently updated month, June; the same level reached in November. This is down 33% from the 1,021,000 homes sold in March, 2021, a level not seen since November, 2006.
Again, for an interactive look at all of topics discussed above, as well as other aspects of the U.S. economy, visit our TABLEAU PUBLIC PAGE.
To learn more about Recovery Decision Science contact:
Kacey Rask : Vice-President, Portfolio Servicing
[email protected] / 513.489.8877, ext. 261
