New Loans Could Raise The Price Of Homeownership

Buyers on the fence:

This could have dramatic implications for you!

Lock in your rate in the next two months!

FROM NPR: Since the housing bubble collapsed, it's been harder for many Americans to qualify for a home loan. But soon, it might get even more difficult.

The government is reshaping the mortgage market. And right now there is strong political support for requiring much bigger down payments for most home loans. Powerful congressional Democrats and Republicans support the move, as does the Obama administration.

In a matter of weeks, federal regulators are expected to unveil new rules for home loans. The buzz is that the rules could translate into mandatory 10 percent or even 20 percent down payments for most new loans in the U.S., which would be a significant change.

A Mandatory Down Payment

For the average-priced home that would mean saving $18,000 to $36,000 for a down payment. Some experts think that's a good idea.

"We put too many people into houses they weren't qualified to buy, they didn't have income [and] they didn't have skin in the game," says Edward Pinto, a fellow with the American Enterprise Institute.

Read the full article here.