Many buyers didn’t get to benefit from the record-low mortgage rates as lenders still have tight standards and households have a hard time saving up for a down payment.
But there has been a decline in the amount for the average conventional mortgage. Does this mean there is an easing of mortgage lending standards?
“If it does, it’s only marginal and more likely signals that banks are just a bit more willing to lend to customers they consider lower overall risks, regardless of the down payment size,” writes BloombergView real estate columnist Jonathan Miller.