[Bailey]

GCA Forums News Overview of the Housing and Mortgage Markets as of Monday, March 17, 2025

As of March 17, 2025, the housing and mortgage markets have shifted. This is most likely due to ongoing changes in the economy and consumers’ purchasing patterns. The following summarizes the developments affecting the housing industry, mortgage rates, and major economic indicators.

Currently, What Are The Trends in The Housing Market

Insufficient Inventory:

• The housing market is still constrained by a lack of available homes to market.
• Recent reports show that inventory levels are nearing 30% lower than pre-pandemic levels, causing buyers to compete and increasing home prices.
• The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has reported a 10% YoY surge in median home prices, and a decline in affordability for first-time buyers is a serious concern.

Demand vs. Supply:

• The continuous increase in price does not affect demand.
• Homes are selling like hotcakes thanks to low unemployment rates and a booming job market.
• Even the younger millennial and Gen Z buyers are entering the market, making the competition fiercer.

Mortgage Rates

Rate Stability:

• The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate is reported to be 6.68%, and a 15-year fixed is nearly 5.97%.
• There is an expectation for slight fluctuation, especially with the Federal Reserve observing inflation and economic growth, but these rates have shown relative stability.

Borrower Effects:

• Potential homebuyers are encouraged to proceed cautiously and take action quickly, as mortgage rates are around these levels.
• Experts recommend that buyers shop around and consider multiple loan options, including FHA, VA, and even conventional loans.

Federal Reserve’s Influence

Monetary Policy Concerns:

• The housing market has been more focused on the Federal Reserve’s recent moves related to interest rates.
• There is a bit of breathing room for the Fed’s monetary policy, potentially affecting future mortgage rates due to a decrease of inflation to 2.8% in the CPI.

Market Responses:

• Investors and analysts are closely watching the Fed’s next moves, as any speculation about rate hikes could impact mortgage lending conditions and the general sentiment toward the market.

Economic Bulletin Indicators

Strength of the Job Market:

• The economy remains vibrant, and so does the job market, alongside consumer spending and confidence.
• The latest jobs report indicates some job growth, with unemployment remaining around 4%.

Consumer Sentiment:

• The confidence level concerning consumers has similarly improved.
• This optimism is even more encouraging, reflecting hope for job security and economic wages.

Challenges Ahead

Affordability Crisis:

• The vicious cycle of home prices escalating and wages stagnating presents an ongoing challenge for prospective buyers.
• Many buyers are being edged out of the market, increasing the debates and discussions on the need for more affordable housing solutions.

Regulatory Landscape:

• The evolving dynamics of the housing market may lead to regulation changes that could affect lending policies and housing development.
• Lenders advocate on issues that grant reasonable minimum standards in the housing market, particularly for first-time customers and owners.

Outlook for the Housing and the Mortgage Markets

Ongoing Demand:

• Because of favorable demographics and the economic environment, a rise in the demand for housing is expected to be maintained in the short run.
• However, the accentuated lack of inventory is likely to curtail market activity.

Possibility of Rate Change:

Looking ahead to inflation and economic activities, analysts suggest there is scope for change in mortgage rates in the next few months. Buyers need to decide when to secure their rates and compare options as they consider the possibility of these changes.

As of March 17, 2025, the housing and mortgage markets focus on a mix of economic factors, consumer activity, and policy shifts. As the Federal Reserve reviews the marketplace, players within the housing industry have no choice but to accept that they need to be flexible toward evolving conditions.

Despite the strong demand, existing inventory deficiencies and shortages challenge home buyers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQJqfOkgf-k

[Bailey]

The ten year treasuries started to go back up again. Does anyone know why?

It jumped from 4.14 to 4.30 which means rates are on the rise.

[Bailey]

Here’s the 2025 FHA loan limits tool

https://gcaforums.com/fha-loan-limits/

gcaforums.com

FHA Loan Limits: Great Content Authority (GCA) Forums

HUD, the parent of FHA, sets the new FHA loan limits for standard, and high-cost areas in the U.S. FHA follows FHFA on Conforming loan limits.

[Bailey]

Learn how the proposed $5,000 DOGE Dividend stimulus check tax refund could impact taxpayers and whether it’s actually happening. Find out who qualifies, where the money would come from, and what experts are saying about its chances. In today’s news update, Could a $5,000 refund check really be coming? Elon Musk and President Trump have proposed the DOGE Dividend, a one-time tax refund funded by government savings instead of new spending. This plan aims to cut $2 trillion in wasteful spending and return a portion to taxpayers. But who qualifies, and is this actually happening? Lawmakers and experts are debating whether the savings will be enough and if it could impact inflation. Some support using the money for tax refunds, while others want it to go toward reducing the national debt. If you want to know whether this check is real, how it would work, and what challenges stand in the way, this breakdown explains everything you need to know. GCA FORUMS NEWS has been a leading resource in financial education for over two decades, empowering educators, financial advisors, students, parents, and individuals with essential topics in financial literacy. Our extensive coverage spans personal finance, money management, saving money, budgeting, investing, business fundamentals, taxes and taxation, Social Security, retirement planning, tax credits and refunds, economic stimulus checks and payments, as well as debt management—including credit card debt and interest rates. Additionally, we explore monetary policy, inflation, housing market trends, government legislation, political news, stock market dynamics, economic trends, improving credit scores, career development, housing and rent issues, and strategies for wealth building. By providing educational resources and tools, we help ensure you are well-informed and updated with the latest news and developments in these areas.

https://youtu.be/HOz4qsf8PKc?si=NwWU9yQuTdiREY50

• This reply was modified 1 month, 3 weeks ago by  Sapna Sharma.

[Bailey]

Update on death toll from California Pacific Palisades Wildfire 🔥:

The death toll continues to rise from the California Pacific Palisades Wildfire to 24.

https://youtu.be/k6Ur5c_t4ZU?si=qBwrACveGzvc2wiBhttps://youtu.be/k6Ur5c_t4ZU?si=qBwrACveGzvc2wiB

[Bailey]

How can someone lie with a straight face on national live media network about President- Elect Donald Trump threatening California first responders. SMH. In the attached video clip, you will see the biggest liar getting fact checked by an NBC Reporter and Newsom’s inconsistent answers to his questions. </div>

Gavin Newsom as NBC Reporter from Meet the Press catches him lying on Live TV in an interview over the LA Wildfires in which Gavin Newsom tries to blame Donald Trump and make excuses for his leadership failures during the fires in Pacific Palisades, Pasadena, Sylmar, Hurst, and other areas.

https://youtu.be/qSldJ8ijAac?si=uWUwMS5hvKWH6wq2

• This reply was modified 3 months, 1 week ago by  Sapna Sharma.

[Bailey]

By the close of 2025, various analysts concerning mortgage rates set different expectations, and some factors greatly affect those expectations:

Federal Reserve Policy:

When the Federal Reserve controls inflation properly and signals a more controlled economy, mortgage rates may stabilize or slightly decrease. Controversially, while there remains fear of inflation, further rate hikes could elevate mortgage rates.

Economic Growth:

The economy could grow with clear indicators such as GDP growth, employment levels, and consumer spending. There is also an opportunity for greater demand for loans, which can ultimately lead to increased rates.

Inflation Trends:

Sustaining higher interest rates through 2025 becomes unavoidable if a benchmark is higher than the Fed’s target mark of inflation set at 2%. Furthermore, continuing and easing inflation is likely to see mortgage rates unconditionally.

Housing Market Conditions:

Mortgages will be affected by the persisting imbalance in supply and demand in the housing market. A surge in home prices will push inflation, forcing lenders to alter existing rates in alignment with prevailing market conditions.

Current Predictions

Many analysts speculate that barring any unforeseeable economic shocks, mortgage rates might cap out in the 6-7% region by the closure of 2025.

Adjustments:

Certain estimates indicate that rates decrease if inflation is controlled. This could result in 30-year fixed mortgages dropping to somewhere between 5.5% and 6%.

In conclusion, although mortgage rate forecasts toward the end of 2025 indicate a potential for some level of stabilization, it is clear that the actual rates will be heavily influenced by economic developments, inflation, and the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy actions throughout the year. Investors and homebuyers should stay active and ready to respond to these shifts.

[Bailey]

President Donald Trump has been saying that the Federal Reserve and the Internal Revenue Service are worthless and should be abolished. President Donald Trump has been preaching the Federal Reserve Board and its current Fed Chairman, Jerome Powell, are the world’s most worthless POS, and because of the Federal Reserve Board, inflation is out of control, you see fraud in government, and interest rates are through the roof.

The Federal Reserve Board prints money and gives money that they print to the nation’s enemies, such as George Soros, Bill Clinton, USAID, and many other worthless federal agencies. Did the Department of Government Efficiency ​and the team at DOGE audit the Federal Reserve Board and Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell? Has any name of politicians, government employees, and fraudulent third-party contractors been revealed?​ What is going on with corrupt district attorneys, state attorney generals, assistant United States Attorneys, United States Attorneys, judges, Congressman and Congresswoman, Senators, Governors, Mayors, and other government workers, government third-party contractors, and elected officials? Has anyone or names been released in the public media and news agencies?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbdoLPW_wRU

• This reply was modified 2 months ago by  Bailey.
• This reply was modified 2 months ago by  Gustan Cho.

[Bailey]

As of February 21, 2025, President Donald Trump has shown concern about the security of the gold reserves kept at Fort Knox and has stated interest in verifying their contents by making a visit to the reserve. Elon Musk and his team at DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) are interested in conducting an audit of the gold reserves but haven’t followed through with an official inspection yet. On the other hand, Trump has declared his intentions to visit Fort Knox to check the contained assets firsthand. Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent has claimed, “All the gold is there,” and said that total gold presence is accounted for during their annual inspections and audits. Although these claims deny the skepticism, both Musk and Trump have mentioned there could be a need for more trustable transparency.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbvOC2u3CGU&list=RDNSTlIh4EHb8ko&index=4