Obama’s May Housing Scorecard: Market Stabilizing

The latest Housing Scorecard from the Obama administration showed real estate stabilizing in every region of the country, but it still has a long way to go in the road toward full recovery. Existing-home sales increased 2.4 percent in April, according to the Obama administration’s Housing Scorecard for May. Sales also continued to outpace inventory levels. The inventory of homes for sale decreased to 5.1 month supply in April from 5.2 months in March. Also, according to the report, the inventory of newly constructed homes rose for the first time since April 2007. HUD Acting Assistant Secretary Erika Poethig also notes that more borrowers are taking advantage of the government’s refinance programs to lower their mortgage payments, and adds foreclosure starts are declining. “But with so many households still struggling to make ends meet it's clear that we have more work ahead," Poethig says. Underwater mortgages continue to threaten the market recovery, the report notes. The number of borrowers who owe more than their home’s current value rose to more than 11 million. Seriously delinquent subprime mortgages also are on the rise. Source: U.S. Department of the Treasury