“Builders are entering 2022 with backlogs that they are having a hard time completing due to material and labor shortages, and new-home prices are sitting near a historic high.” — First American Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi

While rising interest rates may lead to more reductions in the housing supply, it may also bring some much-needed balance to the market.

Mortgage applications fell more than 13% in the most-recent week tracked by the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Market Composite Index, while interest rates continued to rise. 

While listings dropped, sales still rose due to continued homebuyer demand.

“Production disruptions are so severe that many builders are waiting months to receive cabinets, garage doors, countertops and appliances.” — NAHB Chairman Jerry Konter 

The sales pace of existing homes surged 6.7% in January after falling in December, as buyers got off the fence and went shopping ahead of rising interest rates, the National Association of Realtors reported.

Single-family housing starts fell 5.6% from December’s revised estimate to 1,116,000, while multifamily starts slid 2.1% to 510,000, the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said.

New listings, closings and showings all hovered in roughly the same territory where they’ve been during the first month-and-a-half of 2022.

January foreclosure filings were the highest since the start of the pandemic, according to a new report. 

Sales volume increased 52.2% year over year among properties priced at $1 million or more.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages backed by the Federal Housing Administration increased to 3.93% from 3.86%, the Mortgage Bankers Association said. 

New listings dropped 17.9% — from 2,944 to 2,417 — for the week ending Feb. 7, compared to the same week last year.  

Across the country, 10% of ZIP codes with the largest share of children had an average home value growth of 21.3% from October 2020 to October 2021.

Home-price growth could slow by the end of 2022, despite the housing market breaking records in January.

Home-price growth is expected to average about 5% this year, far below the record-breaking pace set in 2021, RCLCO reported. 

The new year kicked off with the hottest January on record, despite having the first pending sales decline since June of 2020, according to a recent Redfin report.  Last month, 45% of homes found a buyer within two weeks