patrick.net

The legislation passed by Congress in late December which continued the payroll tax reduction for 60-days also increased the cost of using Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac plus -- as a dividend of sorts -- raised the annual FHA mortgage insurance premium.

The Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac increase will go into effect April 1st. At this writing the date of the FHA increase has not been announced.

Such increases will make financing marginally less affordable, thereby pushing down housing demand and home prices. It is not what the housing market needs, nor is the FHA increase justified by program performance. See:

http://www.ourbroker.com/news/fha-mortgage-insurance-premium-to-rise-010312/

#housing