Owner Perception of Home Values Dropped 50% in March, According to Quicken Loans Study

  • Quicken Loans’ National HPPI shows appraised values 0.78% lower than homeowners estimated in March
  • Home values dipped 0.20% nationally in March, but posted a 3.37% year-over-year increase, according to the Quicken Loans HVI

Detroit, MI – April 9, 2019 (PRNewswire) Homeowners’ average estimate of their home’s value stayed consistent in March, while appraised values dipped – widening the gap between the two more than 50 percent since February. In March, the average appraisal was 0.78 percent lower than homeowners expected, according to Quicken Loans’ National Home Price Perception Index (HPPI), compared to the previous month when appraisers’ opinions were 0.50 percent lower than what owners estimated.

Quicken Loans’ National HPPI shows appraised values 0.78% lower than homeowners estimated in March
Quicken Loans’ National HPPI shows appraised values 0.78% lower than homeowners estimated in March

Despite the widening of the difference between homeowners’ and appraisers’ opinion in the National HPPI, owners shouldn’t be too surprised in most of the country’s metro areas. Nearly 60% of the areas measured received appraisals that were within 1 percent higher or lower than what was expected. Boston remains the top of the area where appraisals are coming back higher than estimated. On the flipside, Chicago continues to remain at the bottom of the list with the average appraisal nearly 2 percent less than the homeowner expected.

“This month’s fluctuation in the HPPI was driven more by a dip in home values than a change in the owners’ viewpoint. Homeowners are often reluctant to believe their house has lowered in value, even at a slight monthly fluctuation,” said Banfield. “Depending on the area, appraised values are either growing at a much more measured pace, or have taken a step back from their meteoric rise. Homeowners are usually slower to realize change – in either direction – than the appraisers who study the market on a daily basis. This can lead to a slight widening of the perception gap when there is a turn in the market.”

The National Home Value Index (HVI) reported appraisal values dipped 0.20 percent from February to March. Home values continued to grow annually, rising 3.37 percent year-over-year. This is a slowdown from the growth in February, when appraised values rose 5.47 percent year-over year.

At a regional level, home values followed a similar blueprint – making minuscule monthly moves, and modest annual increases. The least-performing area was the South, with a 1.45 percent dip in appraisal values. The largest month-to-month growth was in the West, where home values increased 0.79 percent. The annual growth ranged from a 2.19 percent year-over-year increase in appraisal values in the West, to a 4.11 percent annual rise the Midwest. These are much more modest increases than we have seen over the last few years, but more in line with inflation and wage growth.

“Some of the rampant buyer demand that we’ve seen over the last few years has subsided because of the affordability issues many areas are having, driven by a lack of availability,” said Banfield. “Would-be buyers have decided to sit on the sidelines to see if more home inventory becomes available at the price-points where they’re shopping. The entire housing industry is watching to see what will happen in the coming months – whether owners and builders will provide the home inventory the buyers have been waiting for, amid the recent drop in interest rates.”

HVIMarch 2019 January 2005 = 100HVIMarch 2019vs.February 2019% ChangeHVIMarch 2019vs.March 2018% ChangeHPPIMarch 2019 Appraiser Value vs. Homeowner Perception of Value*HPPIMarch 2018 Appraiser Value vs. Homeowner Perception of Value*
National Composite111.78-0.20%+3.37%-0.78%-0.50%

*A positive value represents appraiser opinions that are higher than homeowner perceptions. A negative value represents appraiser opinions that are lower than homeowner perceptions.

 Geographic Regions HVIMarch 2019 January 2005 = 100HVIMarch 2019vs.February 2019% ChangeHVIMarch 2019vs.March 2018% ChangeHPPIMarch 2019 Appraiser Value vs. Homeowner Perception of Value*HPPIMarch 2018 Appraiser Value vs. Homeowner Perception of Value*
West136.57+0.79%+2.79%-0.70%-0.16%
South103.01-1.45%+2.31%-0.76%-0.39%
Northeast113.52-0.19%+3.65%-0.78%-0.44%
Midwest91.79+0.68%+4.11%-0.90%-0.43%

*A positive value represents appraiser opinions that are higher than homeowner perceptions. A negative value represents appraiser opinions that are lower than homeowner perceptions.

 MetropolitanAreas HPPIMarch 2019 Appraiser Value vs. Homeowner Perception of Value*HPPIFebruary 2019 Appraiser Value vs. Homeowner Perception of Value*HPPIMarch 2018 Appraiser Value vs. Homeowner Perception of Value*
Boston, MA+2.23%+2.51%+2.40%
Charlotte, NC+2.11%+2.10%+1.22%
Denver, CO+1.58%+1.98%+2.26%
Minneapolis, MN+1.37%+1.50%+1.53%
San Jose, CA+1.27%+1.63%+2.71%
Seattle, WA+1.23%+1.48%+2.20%
Las Vegas, NV+1.16%+1.09%+0.72%
Dallas, TX+0.99%+1.02%+2.61%
Atlanta, GA+0.81%+0.93%+0.06%
San Francisco, CA+0.70%+0.73%+1.99%
San Diego, CA+0.55%+0.67%+1.41%
Phoenix, AZ+0.39%+0.52%+0.40%
Washington, D.C.+0.31%+0.57%+0.46%
Portland, OR+0.30%+0.26%+1.03%
Sacramento, CA+0.28%+0.46%+0.72%
Kansas City, MO+0.24%+0.43%+1.09%
Los Angeles, CA-0.03%+0.06%+0.91%
New York, NY-0.31%-0.37%+0.42%
Riverside, CA-0.32%-0.02%+0.84%
Houston, TX-0.47%-0.48%-0.92%
Tampa, FL-0.59%-0.57%+0.21%
Miami, FL-0.70%-0.46%+0.66%
Detroit, MI-0.88%-0.70%+0.69%
Baltimore, MD-1.08%-1.12%-1.18%
Philadelphia, PA-1.42%-1.38%-1.62%
Cleveland, OH-1.63%-1.53%-1.44%
Chicago, IL-1.94%-1.93%-1.47%

*A positive value represents appraiser opinions that are higher than homeowner perceptions. A negative value represents appraiser opinions that are lower than homeowner perceptions.

About the HPPI & HVI

The Quicken Loans HPPI represents the difference between appraisers’ and homeowners’ opinions of home values. The index compares the estimate that the homeowner supplies on a refinance mortgage application to the appraisal that is performed later in the mortgage process. This is an unprecedented report that gives a never-before-seen analysis of how homeowners are viewing the housing market. The HPPI national composite is determined by analyzing appraisal and homeowner estimates throughout the entire country, including data points from both inside and outside the metro areas specifically called out in the above report.

The Quicken Loans HVI is the only view of home value trends based solely on appraisal data from home purchases and mortgage refinances. This produces a wide data set and is focused on appraisals, one of the most important pieces of information to the mortgage process.

The HPPI and HVI are released on the second Tuesday of every month. Both of the reports are created with Quicken Loans’ propriety mortgage data from the 50-state lenders’ mortgage activity across all 3,000+ counties. The indexes are examined nationally, in four geographic regions and the HPPI is reported for 27 major metropolitan areas. All indexes, along with downloadable tables and graphs can be found at QuickenLoans.com/Indexes.

About Quicken Loans

Detroit-based Quicken Loans Inc. is the nation’s largest home mortgage lender. The company closed nearly half a trillion dollars of mortgage volume across all 50 states from 2013 through 2018. Quicken Loans moved its headquarters to downtown Detroit in 2010. Today, Quicken Loans and its Family of Companies employ more than 17,000 full-time team members in Detroit’s urban core. The company generates loan production from web centers located in Detroit, Cleveland and Phoenix. Quicken Loans also operates a centralized loan processing facility in Detroit, as well as its San Diego-based One Reverse Mortgage unit. Quicken Loans ranked highest in the country for customer satisfaction for primary mortgage origination by J.D. Power for the past nine consecutive years, 2010 – 2018, and also ranked highest in the country for customer satisfaction among all mortgage servicers the past five consecutive years, 2014 – 2018.

Quicken Loans was once again named to FORTUNE magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list in 2019 and has been included in the magazine’s top 1/3rd of companies named to the list for the past 16 consecutive years. In addition, Essence Magazine named Quicken Loans “#1 Place to Work in the Country for African Americans.”

For more information and company news visit QuickenLoans.com/press-room.

Home Value Forecast: Gains in Inventory Slowing Down Housing Market

Waltham, MA – April 11, 2019 (PRNewswire) This month, Home Value Forecast examines the recent speculation about a slowing of the housing market nationwide. Recent data and our monthly market report appear to support this conclusion.

Last year, 12.6% of markets had Months of Remaining Inventory (MRI) below three months, but that has reduced to 3.1% of the markets today.  Another dramatic indicator is that two-thirds of the metros we track now have Months of Remaining Inventory between four and eight months, the range normally accepted as a healthy and balanced housing market.  

In this month’s report, we look at the MRI trends nationwide, as well as the month’s Top Ten Hottest Markets.

Click here to read the entire report, including data and graphs that further highlight market trends discussed in this release.

About Home Value Forecast

Home Value Forecast (HVF) is brought to you by Pro Teck Valuation Services. HVF provides insight into the current and future state of the U.S. housing market and delivers 14 market snapshot graphs from the top 30 CBSAs.

Reporters interested in national, regional or metro level housing data tailored to meet story needs, please email your inquiry to mediarequest@protk.com.

Interest Rates More Severely Impacting Home Values but Not First-Time Buyers, According to Experts

An expert panel predicts the homeownership rate – led by first-time buyers – will climb above the historic norm within five years, despite rising interest rates.

Seattle, WA – Jan. 10, 2019 (PRNewswire) Home values have become more sensitive to changing mortgage interest rates as rates climb back toward historic norms. Years of rates near historic lows have kept monthly payments manageable even as home values were rapidly rising.

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That’s according to the most recent Zillow® Home Price Expectations Survey(i). The quarterly survey, sponsored by Zillow and conducted by Pulsenomics LLC, asked more than 100 real estate economists and experts for their predictions about the U.S. housing market, including how the relationship between home values and interest rates has evolved in recent years and affects the housing market.

A majority (58 percent) of panelists said home values today were somewhat or much more sensitive to changing mortgage rates than in years past. Only 15 percent of panelists said home values today are somewhat or much less sensitive to interest rates.

Although mortgage rates have eased recently, they have risen from 4.03 last January to 4.51 this week(ii) and many market experts expect them to ratchet higher this year. Those rising rates take a big chunk out of buying power – if mortgage rates grow to 5.5 percent, a typical U.S. household looking to spend no more than 30 percent of its income on housing would have to slash its home-buying budget by nearly $35,000 to keep the mortgage payment from rising. The result means buyers on strict budgets have a smaller share of potential homes to consider, and others might stretch their budgets dangerously thin.

“Historically, small movements in mortgage rates have not dramatically shifted the housing market. During previous periods of rising rates – in the mid-1990s and mid-2000s – the housing market remained strong buoyed by a strong labor market and, in the latter case, by lax lending standards,” said Zillow senior economist Aaron Terrazas. “But that pattern may not repeat itself. There are strong reasons to believe that the housing market is more responsive to changes in interest rates than in the past – accelerating when rates drop and slowing when rates rise. Mortgage rates hit seven-year highs in November but then fell back in December. If they remain low during the early months of 2019, the housing market could see a modest reacceleration.”

Despite that uncertainty, the panelists largely expect first-time buyer activity to increase – and investor activity to decrease – this year, with the homeownership rate climbing above its long-term average in the next five years.

Nearly half the panelists predicted first-time buyer activity would increase somewhat or substantially, with less than a quarter predicting a decrease. The rest said it would remain about the same. Repeat buyer activity, by comparison, was a prediction stalemate, with nearly half saying it would not change much, and an equal 23 percent on either side – predicting it would increase somewhat or decrease somewhat. Research suggests that would-be move-up buyers are particularly constrained in a rising rate environment. More than half of panelists said they expected investment activity to decrease somewhat or substantially in 2019.

Based at least in part on that surge of first-time buyers, an overwhelming 88 percent of panelists said the homeownership rate would be higher in five years than it is now, and 84 percent said it would be higher in two years than it is today. The homeownership rate reached a peak of 69 percent in 2006 but fell to just under 63 percent by 2016, as nearly 10 million homeowners lost their homes to foreclosure during the Great Recession. Since then, it has ticked upward to 64 percent, near the historical average of 65 percent.

“Expectations of higher activity among first-time buyers this year, coupled with projections for diminished activity among individual and institutional investors, are contributing to a favorable outlook for the U.S. homeownership rate,” said Terry Loebs, founder of Pulsenomics. “Despite recent price and rate increases, more than eight in 10 experts believe that homeownership in this country will be higher two years from now, and within five years, that it will eclipse the historical average level.”

Zillow
Zillow is the leading real estate and rental marketplace dedicated to empowering consumers with data, inspiration and knowledge around the place they call home, and connecting them with great real estate professionals. In addition, Zillow operates an industry-leading economics and analytics bureau led by Zillow Group’s Chief Economist Dr. Svenja Gudell. Dr. Gudell and her team of economists and data analysts produce extensive housing data and research covering more than 450 markets at Zillow Real Estate Research. Zillow also sponsors the quarterly Zillow Home Price Expectations Survey, which asks more than 100 leading economists, real estate experts and investment and market strategists to predict the path of the Zillow Home Value Index over the next five years. Launched in 2006, Zillow is owned and operated by Zillow Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: Z and ZG), and headquartered in Seattle.

Zillow is a registered trademark of Zillow, Inc.

Pulsenomics
Pulsenomics LLC (www.pulsenomics.com) is an independent research firm that specializes in data analytics, new product and index development for institutional clients in the financial and real estate arenas. Pulsenomics also designs and manages expert surveys and consumer polls to identify trends and expectations that are relevant to effective business management and monitoring economic health. Pulsenomics LLC is the author of The Home Price Expectations Survey™, The U.S. Housing Confidence Survey, and The U.S. Housing Confidence Index. Pulsenomics®, The Housing Confidence Index™, and The Housing Confidence Survey™ are trademarks of Pulsenomics LLC.

(i) This edition of the Zillow Home Price Expectations Survey surveyed 114 experts between Nov. 5, 2018 and Nov. 19, 2018. The survey was conducted by Pulsenomics LLC on behalf of Zillow, Inc.

(ii) Based on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage.