the fed

Impact of new jobs report on Glen home buyers & sellers

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The Labor Department reported last Friday that the economy created 271,000 new jobs in October which is much better than anticipated; and the unemployment rate dropped to 5%. That’s great news, of course.   In simple terms, people without jobs can’t purchase homes, so more jobs = a larger pool of prospective buyers.

Even entry level jobs can positively impact the market for higher priced homes in places like The Glen and greater Glenview where I focus my real estate practice. Why? Because the sale of an existing entry level home turns the home seller into a buyer of another home, presumably one with a higher price point.

There is a downside to today’s report, though my sense is that it will modest, at least in the short term. With the very positive news on job growth, the Fed is more likely to increase interest rates at its next meeting in December. If so, it will be the first increase since 2006. While the federal funds rate is not directly tied to mortgage interest rates, it increases the borrowing costs of lenders who will pass along their additional costs to their home buyer clients in the form of higher mortgage rates. I’m not an economist and I don’t play one on TV, but I suspect that the Fed’s December increase (if it occurs) and any further increases next year will be modest because the Fed does not want to throw a wrench into a still recovering economy.

So here’s the take away:  A healthier employment climate will increase housing demand, but expect modest increases in mortgage interest rates in 2016.

Margaret Ludemann

Realtor, @properties, Glenview Illinois

847-401-1802   margaretludemann@gmail.com

Surprise Fed Announcement Good News for Home Sales

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I have an excuse for knowing about Gomer Pyle, Jim Nabors’ hayseed character on the 1960’s Andy Griffith show.  My husband is older than me (!) and he watches re-runs on ME-TV.  I bring this up because of his call to me Wednesday in his spot-on impression of Gomer’s signature adage…Sur-prise Sur-prise Sur-prise!  He had just heard of The Fed’s surprise announcement that it would continue its easy money, stimulus policy to, among other things, drive down mortgage interest rates which had been moving up the last couple of months.  This was indeed a surprise decision; and for the housing market it was most welcome.

While housing sales have been robust this year (in The Glen and elsewhere), there was universal concern that sales would slow and price increases would moderate as interest rates continued to climb.  None of us want another housing bubble, but home values are still below pre-crash levels so all homeowners would like to see continued improvement.

What does this mean for homeowners who may want to sell their homes?  Two things.  One, as interest rates fall more buyers can afford your home because they will be able to secure mortgages of higher values.  (Every 1% rise in interest rates reduces buying power by 11%.)  Two, sellers will have to move; and they will be able to afford higher priced homes.

The bottom line is this:  If you want to sell your home in this vastly improved housing market, the odds are very high that it will sell; and it is likely to sell at a decent price, certainly better than had it sold last year.  The market will remain robust until about Thanksgiving, so if you want to sell this year you should get your home on the market in the next few weeks.  The market will pick up again in March; and if that is a better time for you, plan to list your home in late February.