08/09/2022
Number one question we hear in real estate is, "When will the housing market crash and this bubble burst?" and we are happy to discuss that with you.
We don't meant to burst any bubbles ourselves, but we strive to be experts in the field who lean towards data driven sources before sharing information or speculating.
Today's loans are not the same as they were years ago. Let's unpack this a bit to ease concerns.
The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) releases an index titled the Mortgage Credit Availability Index (MCAI) multiple times a year. To clarify they describe this measure on their website as follows,
“The MCAI provides the only standardized quantitative index that is solely focused on mortgage credit. The MCAI is . . . a summary measure which indicates the availability of mortgage credit at a point in time.”
In short, this data determines how easy it is to get a mortgage. A higher index correlates to easier mortgage credit while a lower index correlates to a more difficult lending qualifications. Take a look at the graph below. This is the MCAI from 2004 to present.
To expand on that, the FICO credit scores used to determine a homebuyers ability to repay the loan was drastically reduced during the housing bubble 15 years ago. For example, according to Keeping Matters Current and FICO data, "In 2006, buyers with a score under 620 received $376 billion dollars in loans. In 2021, that number was only $80 billion, and it’s only $20 billion in the first quarter of 2022." While some lenders still provide mortgage credit for FICO scores under 620, these tightened standards provide necessary protection of todays current housing market, protecting your investment and equity in real property purchases.
When you’re ready to start exploring the housing market, we will be here eight hour best interests in mind.