Interest Rate Chart & Projections

Here is the interest rate chart from Bankrate.com, and below the chart are projections of what is going to happen to interest rates in 2010 according to a number of pundits (as reported by Steve Harney):

Click the link to view the full-size image

Predictions for Rate Changes in 2010

HSH & Associates: Rates will nudge closer to 6% than 5%
Moody’s Economy.com: 6 percent sounds about right
Washington Post: 6 percent by the end of 2010
Barry Habib of Mortgage Market Guide: It could be as high as 6.5%
Morgan Stanley: 7.5 percent to 8 percent

Interest rate chart for the last six months

Here is the interest rate chart (for the last 6 months) pulled today from bankrate.com.

Click on the image for a full-size view.

January 2010 Update

The data below is from sources deemed reliable but may contain errors or omissions, and is not warranted. Sales not reported to MLS (such as many new-development condo sales) are not reflected in these statistics. Median prices may fluctuate for other reasons besides changes in value.

http://www.paragon-re.com/Docs/General/SixtyFortyImages/1-10_Median_Price_by_Prop_Type.JPG

SF Median Home Price by Property Type
Depending on neighborhood, SF home values peaked in 2006, 2007 or 2008, then declined dramatically in the 2nd half of 2008 (especially after 9/15/08), and then recovered (somewhat) with the surge in sales that began in spring of 2009. The increase in TIC median price in the 4th quarter of 2008 and the 1st quarter of 2009 is an anomaly: very few sales occurred and they do not reflect the reality that TIC values also fell during this period. (A good example of how median prices can fluctuate.) The main point of the chart is the stability of house and condo median prices in the 2nd and 3rd quarters of 2009, and the uptick seen in the 4th quarter. It is too soon to reach definitive conclusions, but it appears that buyer demand is fueling a small increase in values. 
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Limited Exposure to Exotic Mortgages Has Helped Spare San Francisco from Severe Home Price Corrections

Although it has been a difficult year for residential housing markets nationwide, San Francisco has fared better. The market’s inherent high barriers to entry, combined with the city’s limited exposure to exotic mortgage abuse during the most recent housing cycle have helped protect it from the initial wave of home price corrections, according to the latest Market Focus report, published jointly by Rosen Consulting Group and the San Francisco Association of REALTORS®.

The report indicates that in recent months, the San Francisco housing market has shown increasing price stability, particularly at the low-end of the market, while for-sale inventory levels have declined significantly and at a much faster rate in comparison to other parts of the country. Read more »

Real Estate vs. The Stock Market