This week’s reverse mortgage rates are below. The rates are effective for the week beginning September 1, 2009. The HECM CMT will no longer be offered.

APR:

HECM LIBOR 225: 2.509

HECM LIBOR 250: 2.759

HECM LIBOR 275: 3.009

HECM LIBOR 300: 3.259

Expected Rates:

HECM LIBOR 225: 5.98

HECM LIBOR 250: 6.23

HECM LIBOR 275: 6.48

HECM LIBOR 300: 6.73

The rates for the HECM LIBOR this week remained almost the same as last week, rising by one hundredth of a point. As the HECM CMT will no longer be offered, we will no longer report its rates.

There was some good news for the housing market this week. New home sales increased more than expected in July, up 9.6 percent from June, and at the highest levels since September of 2008. Sales were up to 433,000 versus the 395,000 adjusted figure from June.  Analysts, meanwhile, were only expecting sales to increase to 390,000 from the originally reported 384,000 in June.  However, new home sales are still down 13.4% from a year ago.  Most of the increase appears to be attributed to the Northeast, with a 32.4% increase in July, and the South, with a 16.2% increase.

The Standard & Poor’s Case-Schiller index posted its first quarter over quarter increase in three years, rising 2.9 percent in the second quarter compared to the first. The price index fell 15.4% in June, compared to a revised 17% drop in May, indicating that the rate of decline in home prices appears to be slowing.

Speculation is increasing that Google will begin offering mortgage quotes online as early as this month.  The service is rumored to resemble that offered by Lending Tree, which allows borrowers to quickly receive quotes and compare offers from a variety of mortgage companies. The buzz has begun due to a lawsuit filed by Lending Tree against Mortech. Lending Tree alleges Mortech has agreed to make its technology available to Google, allowing Google to launch this product in competition with Lending Tree, which is a violation of the contract between Lending Tree and Mortech.

It remains to be seen whether or not reverse mortgages will be affected by or included in Google’s new product. However, Google offering mortgage quotes would likely have an affect on the mortgage industry due to Google’s large market share.

This morning the Wall Street Journal published an article on reverse mortgage fraud on the front page of their website. It is likely the article will make it into tomorrow’s print edition.  The article focuses on the allegedly growing number of reverse mortgage scams, but a closer look at the cases in the article indicates that they appear to be more cases of elder abuse than problems with the reverse mortgage program.

In the case that leads off the article, the borrower was defrauded by the title agent, who defrauded 10 borrowers by taking their money and never giving it to the lender. The title agent, Garry Martin, pleaded guilty to stealing $5 million from over 50 borrowers in mortgage-related frauds. But as the perpetrator of the fraud was a title agent, not indicating a problem with the product at large.

The other two cases mentioned were examples of elder abuse or simple fraud. In one, the son took the mother’s payments. In another, the son took out a reverse mortgage in the name of a deceased mother. He even gave the funeral director an incorrect social security number and birthdate so that the death certificate could not be found by those with the correct information.  In both of these cases, the fraud extended far beyond a reverse mortgage.

Reverse mortgages have a lot of protection built in to protect borrowers from fraud, and loan officers in most states and specifically trained in order to discover and prevent fraud.  Fraud occurs with almost any financial product, but 29 suspected fraud cases out of 165,000 reverse mortgage loans still indicates a pretty safe product- with fraud only occuring at a rate of 0.02% of the time.

More information is also available at reverse mortgage fraud and scams.

The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) found Bank of America’s HECM Servicing Division to be out of compliance.  The OIG alleged that Bank of America did not comply with two important HUD requirements in its servicing of reverse mortgages. It did not maintain the annual certifications of the borrower’s residency, and it failed to notify HUD in a timely manner when the reverse mortgages became due and payable as a result of the death of the borrower. One reverse mortgage loan file also did not contain an appraisal.

Bank of America  disputes the findings of the OIG. Their main objection appears to be that many of the loans in question were not being serviced by Bank of America when the loan was completed or when the borrower passed away, and rather are files that have since been acquired by Bank of America when Bank of America acquired the Seattle Mortgage Company in April 2007.  The OIG responded that the acquiring servicer is responsible for receiving the complete file from the prior servicer. Another Bank of America objection is that many of the certificates of occupancy could be found through online methods, while the OIG only reviewed the hard copy files. The OIG responded that while there was a written procedure, it did not appear to always be followed, and the occupancy certificates need to be retained.

A complete copy of the report, including Bank of America’s response, can be found below:

OIG Audit Report of Bank of America

HUD announced that a new mortgagee letter will be coming in the next 60 days. The mortgagee letter will likely be about advertising, as HUD is apparently not pleased with advertisements that promote borrowers using the proceeds from a reverse mortgage for a vacation or expensive personal items.

However, reverse mortgage proceeds are for the borrower to spend at their discretion. While HUD has been very suspicious of borrowers using reverse mortgage proceeds for annuities or other insurance products, there is nothing to keep them from doing so.  Further, a recent article actually promoted seniors putting money from a reverse mortgage into life insurance policies so as to be able to pass the money to their heirs tax-free–an interesting way to use a reverse mortgage for estate planning.

Ads in other countries with similar reverse mortgage programs also use advertising focusing on a vacation or luxury item. The philosophy is that the money is the senior’s to use at their discretion.  These are some ways a senior might choose to do so.  As a result, it will be very interesting to see what (if any) guidelines on advertising HUD releases with the next round of mortgagee letters.  While a reverse mortgage is a loan like any other and does need to be taken seriously as a financial investment, one hopes seniors are still free to take out a reverse mortgage– regardless of whether they take it out for something serious (medical expenses, home repairs) or something more luxurious (yacht, vacation, car).

This week’s reverse mortgage rates are below. The rates are effective for the week beginning August 25, 2009.

APR:

HECM CMT 300: 3.44

HECM CMT 325: 3.69

HECM CMT 350: 3.94

HECM LIBOR 225: 2.516

HECM LIBOR 250: 2.766

HECM LIBOR 275: 3.016

HECM LIBOR 300: 3.266

Expected Rates:

HECM CMT 300: 6.48

HECM CMT 325: 6.73

HECM CMT 350: 6.98

HECM LIBOR 225: 5.97

HECM LIBOR 250: 6.22

HECM LIBOR 275: 6.47

HECM LIBOR 300: 6.72

Rates fell this week for both the HECM CMT and the HECM LIBOR. The expected rate for the HECM LIBOR fell over two tenths of a point. The expected rate for the HECM CMT fell just under two tenths of a point. It is great to see the rates declining at such a dramatic rate again.

Reminder: The HECM CMT will cease to be offered on September 1st.  This is the last week we will list the rates for the HECM CMT.

One of the most common questions we get from borrowers is whether we know a licensed loan officer in their area. Sometimes we do and sometimes we don’t. However, soon the question will be even easier to answer.  Bob Tedeschi’s Mortgage column in the New York Times today focuses on the ways in which NMLS, the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System, is growing in importance and will become accessible to consumers within the next year.

Currently, the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System (NMLS) is being used by 48 states with California set to join soon. Minnesota is the loan holdout, but if it does not comply, it is likely to be forced to do so by HUD as a result of the Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing Act. As a result of the act, all states are required to participate in the licensing system. NMLS requires all loan officers at state-chartered banks to complete at least 20 hours of prelicensing education, to pass a test, and to complete 8 hours of continuing education annually. Those with a felony conviction in the last 7 years are not eligible for a license.

Perhaps most importantly for consumers, NMLS is establishing a database of complaints against loan officers, which will soon be searchable by the public.  The searchable database will also include loan originator’s licensing credentials and employment histories. This information should help protect consumers from bad loan officers, and provide consumers with just another safeguard in the process.

A federal judge in Manhattan ruled yesterday that the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009 did not exempt Countrywide from investor lawsuits. Countrywide had argued that the federal legislation automatically voided its pledge to buy back loans from investors if those loans were modified for troubled borrowers.  The Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009 was meant to help encourage servicing companies to modify loans, in part by providing some protection under liability arising from loan changes.

However, many of the mortgages owned by Countrywide (which has since been purchased by Bank of America), are owned by investors. The investors receive interests and principal payments from borrowers over the life of the loans. When the loans are modified, these payments are typically reduced. The investors are arguing that when Countrywide and Bank of America agreed to modify the loans, they breached their contract with the investors.

The ruling in the case said that the legislation did not prevent Countrywide’s investors from trying to enforce their rights under the mortgage servicing contracts. It would be up to the investors to prove that Countrywide’s pooling and servicing agreement requires it to repurchase the loans the bank modifies. The case would be in state court, outside of federal jurisdiction. Countrywide wanted the case to take place in federal court, due to the law being a federal law.

This case has some interesting implications.  Right now, the Obama Administration has made it their priority to modify mortgages for borrowers, attempting to help the over 13% of homeowners who are currently delinquent on their mortgages. However, this case shows that even if the servicing companies and lenders agree, other parties, such as investors and hedge funds, may object. Certaintly there are bound to be losers from the housing bust and subprime mortgage crisis- the question is who will bear the brunt of the blow. As individuals argue in their self interest, it appears dangerously likely that the good of the collective whole will suffer.

On Wednesday night, Bank of America officially introduced its new fixed-rate HECM.  The reverse mortgage product, a Fixed HECM 5.56, will be added to Bank of America’s current product offering of the Monthly Libor 225, Monthly Libor 250, Monthly Libor 275, Monthly Libor 300, and the Annual CMT 600. Bank of America also added new disclosures to their application packages. From now on, all application packages for Bank of America loans will include:

- HECM Reverse Mortgage Product Disclosure

- Important Disclosure: Your Payment of Property Charges

- General Questions Regarding HECM Reverse Mortgage Loans

Included in Fixed-Rate Packages Only:

- Truth in Lending Disclosure

- Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA)

The Bank of America fixed rate product has been highly anticipated for some time, and will hopefully help lower the procesing times for fixed rate loans throughout the industry.

More information can be found in the official press release: 2009-8-18-fixed-rate-release

Appraisers are under pressure to inflate property values.

Over the last two days, both the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal have published lengthy articles on the effects of the new Home Valuation Code of Conduct on appraisers. The Home Valuation Code of Conduct, which went into effect May 1, has made lenders responsible for ordering appraisals and negotiating with appraisers.  As a result, appraisal companies are complaining that they are being paid less to do more work. In addition, appraisers are often required to travel farther to appraise homes, raising questions as to whether they are familiar enough with the area to provide a valid appraisal.  A case highlighted in the Wall Street Journal article was that of a homeowner in Palm Beach Gardens, FL where the appraiser drove 44 miles to evaluate the home and came back with an appraisal that was around $70,000 less than the second appraisal. Furthermore, while the fees the appraisers are being paid have been decreasing, the cost to the consumer has risen by $100 in the past year, with most of the proceeds going to middle men.

Another concern raised by the industry is that being hired by lenders puts more pressure on the appraisers to return with a value that makes the deal possible. Appraisers need to keep the lenders happy to stay employed. If they demand fees that are higher than another appraiser or produce an unfavorable result, the lender may look elsewhere. As a result, some feel that the legislation risks putting ethical appraisers out of business.

Appraisal issues are common in reverse mortgages, and many of the issues raised in the article extend through both the conventional and reverse mortgage industries.  As appraisals travel farther, there are more opportunities for mistakes. As appraisers worry about their fees and costs ride, the burden on consumers grows. Thus while the legislation has attempted to curb price inflation in appraisals and reduce the conflicts of interest, it appears to have arguably caused more problems than it has solved. Some in Washington are trying to get the legislation postponed until 2011.

Ontario, NY- home to some of the most expensive property taxes, as a percentage of the value of the home, in the nation.

An article in the New York Times today revealed that selling property taxes to third parties could cost consumers a lot of additional money, with the profiled company adding fees of 18% to property tax debts. Luckily, a reverse mortgage may be able to help seniors in this situation, as it is a common occurence for funds from a reverse mortgage to be used to repay tax debts.  Furthermore, money from a reverse mortgage can be set aside into an escrow account to continue to pay property taxes, which must be kept current throughout the reverse mortgage.

Property taxes are an interesting issue because they vary so much by county. One of the highest property taxes, as a percentage of the property value, is in Orleans County in New York State, where property values come to 3.05% of the value of the property. But in St. James Parish Louisiana, property taxes are only 0.145% of the value of the home.  That is over 2100% less than in New York. And it’s surprisingly easy for the property taxes on a home to be more than a senior’s fixed income–a situation that can sometimes be helped with a reverse mortgage.

This week’s reverse mortgage rates are below. The rates are effective for the week beginning August 18, 2009.

APR:

HECM CMT 300: 3.47

HECM CMT 325: 3.72

HECM CMT 350: 3.97

HECM LIBOR 225: 2.523

HECM LIBOR 250: 2.773

HECM LIBOR 275: 3.023

HECM LIBOR 300: 3.273

Expected Rates:

HECM CMT 300: 6.67

HECM CMT 325: 6.92

HECM CMT 350: 7.17

HECM LIBOR 225: 6.20

HECM LIBOR 250: 6.45

HECM LIBOR 275: 6.70

HECM LIBOR 300: 6.95

The APRs and expected rates for both the HECM CMT and the HECM LIBOR declined this week. While rates for the HECM LIBOR have yet to fall to the level they were at earlier this month, the decline in expected rate of five hundredths of a point will still be nice for borrowers.  The rates for the HECM CMT are the same as they were the week of August 4th.

Reminder: The HECM CMT will cease to be offered on September 1st.

A wonderful article in the Wall Street Journal this week focused on changes in buying vs. renting as outgrowths of the American Dream and supported the position that the Obama Administration should turn to helping renters, rather than putting all of its money into revitalizing the housing market. The idea is an interesting one. Before the Great Depression, homeowners were either very wealthy or people who built the house themselves. The vast majority of Americans rented.

Now, home ownership has become synonymous with the American dream. A noteworthy quote mentioned in the article is, “‘A man is not a whole and complete man unless he owns a house and the ground it stands on.” – Walt Whitman. But this change was only completed as the federal government stepped in to dramatically assist and subsidize lenders with the creation of  government programs such as the Home Owners Loan Corporation and the Federal Housing Administration. I would also argue that the change occurred partly due to class issues, as wartime and the Great Depression led to the ascendancy of the self-made man and decreased the emphasis on Old Money.  Regardless, the change to a society that glorified home ownership was not made until the 1930s, and has still not occured in many European countries, where most rent.

It is true that the Obama Administration has spent a lot of money to try to help stimulate the housing market and keep homeowners that are behind on their mortgages in their homes. The aptly named “Save the Dream” fair in Atlanta this past weekend seems to aptly illustrate this idea that the dream of owning a home is a fleeting one. A report by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling in June found that 1/3 of Americans believe they will never be able to own a home, and 42% of those who owned a home in the past but do not own one currently believe they will never be able to own one again. This is hardly optimistic data for those seeking to restart the home ownership market.

In New York City (and I imagine in other urban areas as well), there are programs in which the government assists low-income families with finding apartments.  I believe there are even cases when rents are subsidized, depending on the circumstance. Assisting landlords and tenants may be the best way to help combat the housing crisis.  Landlords in default or distress can cause problems for tenants, who may find themselves evicted.  In cities where property values are high, many renters can be stuck with rents that amount to more than half their salaries.

Helping renters will help individuals save money, perhaps leading them on the path to home ownership, while, in the meantime, improving their present situation. Although programs such as the reverse mortgage program and the HECM for Purchase program are wonderful ways to help homeowners, the point that renters should be attended to as well (and perhaps instead) of simply focusing on homeowners is a valid one that has been long overdue.

A reverse mortgage glossary has been posted on Reverse Mortgage Guides. The glossary contains the definitions of common reverse mortgage terms that might not be familiar to the average person. Please check this glossary even if you have read past blog posts on the topic, as the definitions have been edited.

Are any terms missing? Contact us to let us know.

Reverse Mortgage Glossary

The Wall Street Journal announced today that the House of Representatives is likely to propose a temporary measure to extend the estate tax, rather than allowing it to be repealed.  Under a bill signed by former President George W. Bush, the estate tax will be repealed on January 1 if no action is taken.  The House proposal is expected in light of the difficulty Senate Democrats and Republicans have had coming up with a permanent rate structure.

The conversations about the estate tax bill are interesting in light of recent discussions about possible ways for the proceeds from a reverse mortgage to be used as an estate planning tool.  One way, using a reverse mortgage to pay for a life insurance policy in an irrevocable trust to be paid to the heirs upon the death of the borrower, was mentioned as an option in order to pass on money to heirs without having to pay taxes. Check back for more on these conversations.

This 2BR featured in the New York Times is on the market for $425,000.

Every week I read the New York Times “Property Values” column. The column features three properties throughout the country each week that are on the market for the price listed. “What You Get For… $250,000,” for example, vs. “What You Get For… $450,000.”  But having watched homes of different prices and sizes be listed each week, I have come to one clear conclusion: location is everything.

During one recent week, I watched some 3-5 BR homes discussed for under $300,000, but this week, the homes listed were 4BR, 2BR, and 1BR… all for $450,000.  Clearly location is at play. A 1BR in a high rise in Midtown Manhattan will almost certainly cost more than a 1BR in Lancaster, PA. A 3BR in Orange County, CA will likely go for more than one in Seattle, WA or Des Moines, IA.

When considering a reverse mortgage, location also comes into play because property values in some areas are higher than in others, as the above indicates. Some places have been hit dramatically by the burst of the housing bubble, while others have not seen their housing prices drop as steeply. Foreclosures and underwater mortgages are more common in California, Florida, Arizona, and Nevada than in most places in the Northeast.

It is a good idea to have a sense of how much your property is worth when using the reverse mortgage calculator and when evaluating your options. You may find that sales in your market are going strong and your home has not lost much of its value recently. However, you could also find that the reverse is true, is many are throughout the country.

This week’s reverse mortgage rates are below. The rates are effective for the week beginning August 11, 2009.

APR:

HECM CMT 300: 3.49

HECM CMT 325: 3.74

HECM CMT 350: 3.99

HECM LIBOR 225: 2.526

HECM LIBOR 250: 2.776

HECM LIBOR 275: 3.026

HECM LIBOR 300: 3.276

Expected Rates:

HECM CMT 300: 6.77

HECM CMT 325: 7.02

HECM CMT 350: 7.27

HECM LIBOR 225: 6.25

HECM LIBOR 250: 6.50

HECM LIBOR 275: 6.75

HECM LIBOR 300: 7.00

While the APR for both the HECM CMT and the HECM LIBOR remained mostly unchanged from last week, the expected rates for the HECM LIBOR and HECM CMT rose again this week. The increase was fairly significant, amounting to a tenth of a point on the HECM CMT and slightly more than a tenth of a point on the HECM LIBOR.

Reminder: The HECM CMT will cease to be offered on September 1st.

An article in the New York Times today focused on a new phenomenon: The absolute auctions of multi-million dollar mansions. In an absolute auction, there is no minimum price, and the buyer agrees to accept the winning bid. The home chronicled in the auction was appraised at 14 million only two years ago, but sold in auction for 2.5 million last week, sending the home owner into personal bankruptcy.

The article was a sad story, as it highlighted the increasing interest in selling mansions at auctions–often pushed by creditors to do so or on the brink of foreclosure. The day before the home was auctioned, its belongings were auctioned. And still in the case of this homeowner, it was not enough to stave off financial disaster.  In a way, it seems that selling homes at absolute auction, while a way to get something for the home, doesn’t give always give the homeowners all the money they need. But it depends on the situation: another man was able to sell his home in an absolute auction, still cover the cost of his mortgage, and only take a $200,000 loss.  Nonetheless, the auctions are a sad phenomena of the weak market for luxury homes and the recession itself.

US Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA)

In the wake of a meeting between mortgage servicers and representatives of the US Treasury Department last week, US Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), chair of the Financial Services Committee, threatened to revisit the “cram down” legislation that had failed in the Senate last year. The legislation, which passed the House last year and is supported by the President, would allow bankruptcy judges to rewrite mortgage contracts when homeowners file for bankruptcy.  While it remains to be seen what effect this would have on both the mortgage companies, and the borrowers, some believe that borrowers would be granted a great deal of relief from bankruptcy judges if the cramdown legislation were passed.

The problem is that there is no reason that a borrower should have to declare bankruptcy to get their mortgages modified or refinanced. And as more and more homeowners fall behind on mortgages, find themselves with motgages that are greater than the value of their homes, or both, the number of homeowners either unable or unwilling to make their mortgage payments will only increase.  We talked yesterday about the problem of upside down homeowners encompassing about 32% of homeowners. The category of homeowners potentially in need of a refinance or modification is even larger.

And so while there are times when it might be useful for bankruptcy judges to be able to rewrite mortgage contracts, hopefully the government and the mortgage industry can work together to make mortgage modifications a more workable reality before the “cram down” legislation becomes necessary.

At the end of June, 24% of homeowners were upside down on their mortgages. In other words, 24% of homeowners owed more on their mortgages then their homes were worth. When added to those with no equity remaining in their homes, the percentage climbs to 32%. Nevada, Arizona, California, and Colorado are the biggest offenders with rates of 40%, 37%, 33%, and 31% respectively of homeowners whose homes are worth less than their mortgages. In some of these markets, homeowners are walking away from homes where they may owe twice as much as the home is worth or more. And when the home is worth less than the mortgage, borrowers no longer qualify for some of the programs that might be able to help them, such as a reverse mortgage.

In response, some are urging the government to begin reducing loan balances to help borrowers cope with the problem. Lowering loan payments or rates will only make the mortgages drag out interminably, and still not recoup the home’s equity (unless it appreciates again over time back to levels that are higher than during the time of the boom).  If the government reduces the loan balances, borrowers will be inclined to continue to invest in their homes and stay in their residences, rather than walk away. This will reduce foreclosures, hopefully, as well as abandoned properties.

What do you think?

HECM volume increased dramatically this month. 9,830 HECMs were endorsed in July, up from 8,633 last month.  This is a good sign if 2009 HECM volume is to surpass the HECM volume in 2008.

The same 9 lenders continued to possess an increased market share despite one of them (World Alliance Financial Corp) going out of buisness last month.  One wonders if the increased number of endorsed HECMs from World Alliance Financial Corp (also known as Senior Lending Network) are a result of them trying to close out their pipeline as fast as possible.  World Alliance Financial Corp rose to the #3 spot this month from number 4 a month ago. It will be interesting to see if they remain in the #3 spot next month.

The top nine lenders are ordered below with rankings determined by the number of HECMs endorsed by the lenders YTD.  Financial Freedom only endorsed 10 HECMs last month, while Countrywide endorsed 8. One Reverse Mortgage surpassed Countrywide this past month in HECMs closed YTD. Countrywide was acquired by Bank of America back in January, and it will be interesting to see if the HECM volume attributed to them continues to decline as well (so far it looks as if it has).

Finally, it is important to note that only nine lenders were highlighted because several lenders, led by 1st AAA Reverse Mortgage Inc. are clustered under Urban Financial. This group has closed between 900 and 960 leads so far this year, but is still well under Urban Financial’s totals.

Top Nine HECM Lenders by Volume – June

1. Wells Fargo

2. Bank of America

3. Financial Freedom

4. World Alliance Financial Corp.

5. Countrywide

6. One Reverse Mortgage

7. MetLife

8. Generation Mortgage

9. Urban Financial

Top Nine HECM Lenders by Volume – July

1. Wells Fargo

2. Bank of America

3. World Alliance Financial Corp.

4. Financial Freedom

5. One Reverse Mortgage

6. Countrywide

7. MetLife

8. Generation Mortgage

9. Urban Financial

The complete lender list can be found here.

Following in the footsteps of Money Management International (MMI), the National Council of Aging (NCOA) announced that they will also begin offering free reverse mortgage counseling through September 30, 2009. The counseling will be offered through NCOA’s  Reverse Mortgage Counseling Services (RMCS) network.

Again, although lenders cannot steer borrowers towards a particular counselor or set up the counseling session for the borrowers, free counseling is always a good option for seniors to be aware of.

Normally, the RMCS counseling would cost $125. It will be interesting to see if any other lenders will follow MMI and RMCS in offering free services in order to stay competitive.

This week’s reverse mortgage rates are below. The rates are effective for the week beginning August 4, 2009.

APR:

HECM CMT 300: 3.49

HECM CMT 325: 3.74

HECM CMT 350: 3.99

HECM LIBOR 250: 2.779

HECM LIBOR 275: 3.029

HECM LIBOR 300: 3.279

Expected Rates:

HECM CMT 300: 6.67

HECM CMT 325: 6.92

HECM CMT 350: 7.17

HECM LIBOR 250: 6.39

HECM LIBOR 275: 6.64

HECM LIBOR 300: 6.89

Rates for the HECM LIBOR and HECM CMT rose again this week, though the APR for the LIBOR declined. However, the rate of increase in expected rates was lower this week than it has been in past weeks.

Reminder: The HECM CMT will cease to be offered on September 1st.

A front page story in the Wall Street Journal this morning highlighted an interesting trend; high-end homeowners are being left behind in the housing market rebound.  Stimulus programs, such as the $8,000 new homebuyer tax credit and low mortgage rates, are dependent upon income and home values.  The jumbo mortgages necessary to take out a high-cost home have come with higher rates and lenders requiring an increasingly large portion as the down payment (20-30% of the property value). All this comes at a time when prospective buyers have had an even harder time selling their homes, making coming up with money up front difficult. As a result, while the market has begun to turn upwards for many first-time buyers and lower value homes, the market is still stagnant for those in the upper and upper-middle classes.

While it is perhaps unsurprising that stimulus programs might choose to target those with lower incomes, the recession has hit those with higher incomes as well.  Many of the people affected by the stock market crash and financial fraud scandals are those who were making upwards of $150,000/year. After losing their jobs and/or the majority of their 401Ks, some members of this group are taking pay cuts in order to land new jobs. As home values decline however, this group also is beginning to have a hard time making mortgage payments and qualifying for relief. Jumbo mortgages are currently the type of mortgages with the highest default rate.

The government should do something to make sure that the upper middle class and upper classes are not completely cut out of the stimulus programs–at least so far as real estate is concerned. Their homes are taking some of the largest hits in a distressed market, to the point where selling is not possible without losing hundreds of thousands of dollars.  And in markets such as California, some are extremely upside down on their mortgages. While they may be well off in comparative terms, they could still lose their homes (and many are), could still lose their jobs and source of income (and many have), and they still should be granted some form of relief.