by Calculated Risk on 1/31/2012 11:47:00 AM

A monthly update: Case-Shiller, CoreLogic and others report nominal house prices. It is also useful to look at house prices in real terms (adjusted for inflation) and as a price-to-rent ratio.

Below are three graphs showing nominal prices (as reported), real prices and a price-to-rent ratio. Real prices are back to 1999/2000 levels, and the price-to-rent ratio is also back to 2000 levels.

Nominal House Prices

Click on graph for larger image.

The first graph shows the quarterly Case-Shiller National Index SA (through Q3 2011), and the monthly Case-Shiller Composite 20 SA and CoreLogic House Price Indexes (through November) in nominal terms as reported.

In nominal terms, the Case-Shiller National index (SA) is back to Q4 2002 levels, the Case-Shiller Composite 20 Index (SA) is back to February 2003 levels, and the CoreLogic index is back to April 2003.

Real House Prices

The second graph shows the same three indexes in real terms (adjusted for inflation using CPI less Shelter). Note: some people use other inflation measures to adjust for real prices.

In real terms, the National index is back to Q1 1999 levels, the Composite 20 index is back to April 2000, and the CoreLogic index back to February 2000.

In real terms, all appreciation in the '00s is gone.

Price-to-Rent

In October 2004, Fed economist John Krainer and researcher Chishen Wei wrote a Fed letter on price to rent ratios: House Prices and Fundamental Value. Kainer and Wei presented a price-to-rent ratio using the OFHEO house price index and the Owners' Equivalent Rent (OER) from the BLS.

Here is a similar graph using the Case-Shiller Composite 20 and CoreLogic House Price Index.

This graph shows the price to rent ratio (January 1998 = 1.0).

On a price-to-rent basis, the Composite 20 index is back to April 2000 levels, and the CoreLogic index is back to February 2000.

In real terms - and as a price-to-rent ratio - prices are mostly back to 2000 levels and will probably be back to 1999 levels within the next few months.

Note: In late 2010 I guessed that prices would decline another 5% to 10% on these national indexes (from October 2010 prices). So far prices have fallen another 4% to 5% on these indexes.

All current house price graphs
Earlier:
• Case Shiller: House Prices fall to new post-bubble lows in November (seasonally adjusted)

by Calculated Risk on 1/31/2012 10:15:00 AM

The Census Bureau released the Housing Vacancies and Homeownership report for Q4 this morning.

As Tom Lawler has been discussing, this is from a fairly small sample, and the homeownership and vacancy rates are higher than estimated in other reports (like Census 2010). This report is commonly used by analysts to estimate the excess vacant supply for housing, but it doesn't appear to be useful for that purpose.

It might show the trend, but I wouldn't rely on the absolute numbers.

Click on graph for larger image.

The Red dots are the decennial Census homeownership rates for April 1st 1990, 2000 and 2010. The HVS homeownership rate declined to 66.0%, down from to 66.3% in Q3 2011.

I'd put more weight on the decennial Census numbers and that suggests the actual homeownership rate is probably in the 64% to 65% range.

The Census researchers are investigating differences in Census 2010, ACS 2010, and HVS 2010 vacant housing unit estimates, but there is no scheduled date for any report.

The HVS homeowner vacancy rate declined to 2.3% from 2.4% in Q3. This is the lowest level since early 2006 for this report.

The homeowner vacancy rate has probably peaked and is now declining. However - once again - this probably shows that the trend is down, but I wouldn't rely on the absolute numbers.

The rental vacancy rate declined to 9.4% from 9.8% in Q3.

I think the Reis quarterly survey (large apartment owners only in selected cities) is a much better measure of the overall trend in the rental vacancy rate - and Reis reported that the rental vacancy rate has fallen to the lowest level since 2001.

This is the most timely survey on households, but unfortunately the survey has serious issues - and sadly many analysts still use this survey to estimate the excess vacant supply. However this does suggest that the housing vacancy rates are falling.

by Calculated Risk on 1/31/2012 09:00:00 AM

S&P/Case-Shiller released the monthly Home Price Indices for November (a 3 month average of September, October, and November). This release includes prices for 20 individual cities and and two composite indices (for 10 cities and 20 cities).

Note: Case-Shiller reports NSA, I use the SA data.

From S&P: Home Prices Continued to Decline in November 2011 According to the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices

Data through November 2011, released today by S&P Indices for its S&P/Case-Shiller1 Home Price Indices ... showed declines of 1.3% for both the 10- and 20-City Composites in November over October. For a second consecutive month, 19 of the 20 cities covered by the indices also saw home prices decrease. The 10- and 20-City composites posted annual returns of -3.6% and -3.7% versus November 2010, respectively. These are worse than the -3.2% and -3.4% respective rates reported for October.

“Despite continued low interest rates and better real GDP growth in the fourth quarter, home prices continue to fall. Weakness was seen as 19 of 20 cities saw average home prices decline in November over October,” says David M. Blitzer, Chairman of the Index Committee at S&P Indices. “... Nationally, home prices are lower than a year ago. The 10-City Composite was down 3.6% and the 20-City was down 3.7% compared to November 2010. The trend is down and there are few, if any, signs in the numbers that a turning point is close at hand."

“The crisis low for the 10-City Composite was April 2009; for the 20-City Composite the more recent low was March 2011. The 10-City Composite is now about 1.0% above its low, and the 20-City Composite is only 0.6% above its low. From their 2006 peaks, both Composites are down close to 33% through November.

Click on graph for larger image.

The first graph shows the nominal seasonally adjusted Composite 10 and Composite 20 indices (the Composite 20 was started in January 2000).

The Composite 10 index is off 33.5% from the peak, and down 0.7% in November (SA). The Composite 10 is at a new post bubble low (Seasonally adjusted), but still above the low NSA.

The Composite 20 index is off 33.5% from the peak, and down 0.7% in November (SA). The Composite 20 is also at a new post-bubble low.

The second graph shows the Year over year change in both indices.

The Composite 10 SA is down 3.6% compared to November 2010.

The Composite 20 SA is down 3.7% compared to November 2010. This was a slightly larger year-over-year decline for both indexes than in October.

The third graph shows the price declines from the peak for each city included in S&P/Case-Shiller indices.

Prices increased (SA) in 3 of the 20 Case-Shiller cities in November seasonally adjusted (only one city increased NSA). Prices in Las Vegas are off 61.6% from the peak, and prices in Dallas only off 9.2% from the peak.

The NSA indexes are around 1% above the March 2011 lows - and these indexes will hit new lows in the next month or two since prices are falling again. Using the SA data, the Case-Shiller indexes are now at new post-bubble lows.

by Calculated Risk on 1/30/2012 10:52:00 PM

Housing, payroll tax extension, a Greek deal and more ...

• Mortgage Servicer Settlement. Loren Berlin at the HuffPo writes: As Mortgage Settlement Deal Nears Feb. 3 Deadline, Nevada AG Raises Concerns

As the Obama administration, state attorneys general and the nation's biggest banks close in on a settlement over allegations of widespread mortgage fraud, Nevada's attorney general is pushing back with concerns and questions. Meanwhile a Feb. 3 deadline looms for states to declare whether they are joining the settlement.

In a letter sent Friday, emailed to federal officials and obtained by The Huffington Post, Nevada's attorney general, Catherine Cortez Masto, asked 38 questions relating to a variety of concerns, including fears that states would play second fiddle to the federal government in making decisions. She also questioned if states would lose their ability to pursue certain types of lawsuits against banks and whether states would get their fair share of the housing assistance for their borrowers.

It sounds like these issues will be clarified, and I expect most states (if not all) to join the settlement. Note that Masto has been working closely with California AG Harris.

• A surge in refinance activity in March. Not a new policy - this was announced last October when the FHFA made changes to Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) to allow more homeowners with GSE loans and with negative or near negative equity - and who are current on their mortgages - to refinance into lower interest rate loans.

The key to this program - for the lenders - was that the lender was not responsible for any of the representations and warranties associated with the original loan (this is huge for the lenders). The elimination of Reps and warrants for the original loans applies to Desktop Underwriter® (DU) and that will not be updated until March.

• REO to Rental Program: This rental program for Fannie and Freddie REO is being pushed by several agencies, and was discussed earlier this month in the Fed white paper "The U.S. Housing Market: Current Conditions and Policy Considerations" and by NY Fed President William Dudley: Housing and the Economic Recovery

This program could include bulk REO sales to investors, but might also include Fannie and Freddie renting out more REOs. There will be a similar effort for non-GSE properties as regulators relax the rules on banks renting out properties. Note: This program isn't needed in many areas because of the strong demand from small investor groups.

• Extension of payroll tax cut and extended unemployment benefits: The two month extension expires Feb 29th, and I expect these two programs will be extended through the end of the year. From Bloomberg: Boehner Says He’s Confident Congress Will Extend Payroll Tax-Cut

House Speaker John Boehner said he’s confident that Republicans and Democrats in Congress will agree to a payroll tax-cut extension supported by President Barack Obama.

“We are in a formal conference with the Senate, and I’m confident that we’ll be able to resolve this fairly quickly,” Boehner, an Ohio Republican, said on ABC’s “This Week” program yesterday.

And on Europe:

• Although a default is possible, I expect the Greek debt deal and next bailout agreement to be reached sometime in February. From the Athens News: Troika stick delays PSI carrot

Despite its agreement with bondholders on all the parameters of private-sector involvement (PSI) in the Greek debt writedown, the government will have to wait for another week before winning approval from the EU-IMF-ECB troika for a second bailout package worth 130bn euros.

A timely PSI deal for the haircut of 50 percent – or 100bn euros – from the 205bn euro privately held portion of Greek debt was crucial to avert a Greek default before March 20 when a 14.4bn euro bond redemption comes due.

These deals always happen at the last minute, and this will be no exception.

• The second round of the ECB's 3 year Long Term Refinancing Operation (LTRO) will probably be for over €1 trillion (the first 3 year LTRO was for €489 billion). The second auction will be held on February 29th. From the Financial Times: Banks set to double crisis loans from ECB

Several of the eurozone’s biggest banks have told the Financial Times that they could well double or triple their request for funds ... “Banks are not going to be as shy second time round,” said the head of one eurozone bank .. “We should have done more first time.”
excerpt with permission

It may be well over €1 trillion.

by Calculated Risk on 1/30/2012 07:28:00 PM

The average duration of unemployment in the US increased sharply during the recent recession, and was still near the record high in December. One of the reasons the average has stayed high is because of a change in the measurement methodology, but even after accounting for that change, the duration is still near record levels.

Another measure - the median duration of unemployment - has declined slightly from a peak of 25 weeks in June 2010, to 21 weeks in December 2011. In the severe recession of the early '80s, the median duration peaked at 12.3 weeks, even though the unemployment rate was higher in the early '80s than during the recent employment recession.

Researchers Rob Valletta and Katherine Kuang at the San Francisco Fed look at the reasons the duration increased: Why Is Unemployment Duration So Long?

During the recent recession, unemployment duration reached levels well above those of past downturns. Duration has continued to rise during the uneven economic recovery that began in mid-2009. Elevated duration reflects such factors as changes in survey measurement, the demographic characteristics of the unemployed, and the availability of extended unemployment benefits. But the key explanation is the severe and persistent weakness in aggregate demand for labor.

This seems obvious, but it is important for policymakers to understand that the primary cause of the increase in duration is not extended unemployment benefits or changes in demographics, but weak aggregate demand.