Thirty-eight of the 50 states, plus the District of Columbia, are now SHOWING an improving three-month trend in housing activity, according to Freddie Mac’s latest Multi-Indicator Market Index. What’s more, 40 of the 50 major metros Freddie Mac tracks are also showing a three-month improving trend.
Yet, Freddie Mac’s national MiMi value stands at 74.9, which still indicates a weak housing market overall. The all-time MiMi high was 121.7, recorded in April 2006; its lowest point was 57.2 in October 2010, when the housing market was at its weakest point. Since its low in 2010, the housing market has rebounded 31 percent.
Freddie Mac’s MiMi index monitors the stability of the nation's housing market by assessing each single-family housing market relative to its long-term stable range. It takes into account such data as home purchase applications, payment-to-income ratios, on-time MORTGAGE PAYMENTS, and the employment market.
Overall, "housing markets are getting back on track,” says Len Kiefer, Freddie Mac’s deputy chief economist. “The national MiMi improved for the fourth consecutive month. Nearly 80 percent of the state and metro housing markets MiMi tracks are improving or in their stable range of activity. … Low MORTGAGE RATES and moderating house price growth are helping to keep payment-to-income ratios favorable for the typical family in most of the country. In fact, Los Angeles is the only metro market with an elevated MiMi payment-to-income indicator whereas most other markets remain quite affordable. And of course, labor markets are generally improving.”
The most improving states on a year-over-year basis, according to the index, were:
Nevada
Colorado
Rhode Island
Illinois
Ohio
Meanwhile, the most improving metros year-over-year were:
Las Vegas
Denver
Chicago
Providence, R.I.
Columbus, Ohio
Source: “U.S. Housing Stability Improves for Fourth Consecutive Month,” Freddie Mac (Feb. 25, 2015)
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