Heads must be spinning in the data world today, three reports released this morning offer a glimpse into the winter housing market:

  • Housing starts rose 3.9 percent in November, but gains could be influenced by the seasonal adjustment process, accoding to the Department of Commerce. Single-family permits are running below starts, which continues to suggest a weak outlook.
  • CoreLogic's October Home Price Index (HPI) shows that home prices in the U.S. declined for the third month in a row. It said that home prices, including distressed sales, declined by 3.93 percent in October 2010 compared to October 2009 and declined by 2.43 percent in September 2010 compared to September 2009. Excluding distressed sales, year-over-year prices declined by 1.5 percent in October 2010 compared to October 2009.
    In the Twin Cities metro area home prices, including distressed sales, declined by -3.62 percent in October 2010 compared to October 2009. Excluding distressed transactions, year-over-year HPI for October is -3.72 percent.
  • Freddie Mac weekly survey shows that both fixed- and short-term mortgage rates rose for the fifth week in a row. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.83 percent with an average 0.7 point. The 15-year FRM this week averaged 4.17 percent with an average 0.7 point.The 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 3.77 percent this week. And the 1-year Treasury-indexed ARM averaged 3.35 percent this week with an average 0.7.