| Actual | Previous | Revised | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Month over Month | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.4% |
| Year over Year | 4.7% | 4.2% | 4.5% |
Highlights
The adjusted FHFA house price index is up 0.4 percent in December from November after a small upward revision to up 0.4 percent in the prior month. The year-over-year increase is up 4.7 percent in December, picking up the annual pace to its fastest in five months for sales of existing single-family homes and refinancing of current mortgages. A small wave of refinancing at a time when home values had escalated may be part of the reason for the increase at a time of year when prices usually moderate.
The unadjusted FHFA house price index is down 0.3 percent in December from November, and down 0.2 percent in November from October. However, the year-over-year increase in December is also up 4.7 percent, suggesting an underlying firmness in price gains.
The unadjusted FHFA house price index is down 0.3 percent in December from November, and down 0.2 percent in November from October. However, the year-over-year increase in December is also up 4.7 percent, suggesting an underlying firmness in price gains.
Definition
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index (HPI) covers single-family housing, using data provided by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The House Price Index is derived from transactions involving conforming conventional mortgages purchased or securitized by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. In contrast to other house price indexes, the sample is limited by the ceiling amount for conforming loans purchased by these government-sponsored enterprises (GSE). Mortgages insured by the FHA, VA, or other federal entities are excluded because they are not"conventional" loans. The FHFA House Price Index is a repeat transactions measure. It compares prices or appraised values for similar houses.
Description
Home values affect much in the economy - especially the housing and consumer sectors. Periods of rising home values encourage new construction while periods of soft home prices can dampen housing starts. Changes in home values, and the ability to draw upon expanding lines of home equity loans, play key roles in consumer spending and in consumer financial health.
Beginning with the onset of the subprime credit crunch in mid-2007 and with it a downturn in home prices, the ability of borrowers to refinance their debt into affordable fixed rate mortgages was sharply constrained. This in turn limited aggregate consumer spending and contributed to the depth of the Great Recession. From its peak in 2007 to its nadir in 2011, FHFA's house price index fell nearly 30 percent. The subsequent recovery proved slow but steady with the index finally surpassing its prior highs in 2016.
Beginning with the onset of the subprime credit crunch in mid-2007 and with it a downturn in home prices, the ability of borrowers to refinance their debt into affordable fixed rate mortgages was sharply constrained. This in turn limited aggregate consumer spending and contributed to the depth of the Great Recession. From its peak in 2007 to its nadir in 2011, FHFA's house price index fell nearly 30 percent. The subsequent recovery proved slow but steady with the index finally surpassing its prior highs in 2016.
