Home prices skyrocketed in December Annual price increases were greatest in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Florida

Didier Malagies • February 24, 2022


The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller 20-city price index posted a 18.6% year-over-year gain in December, up marginally from 18.3% the previous month. The index increased 1.5% from November 2021.


The national home price index showed similar helium, with an 18.8% growth rate between December 2021 and December 2020, basically in line with price growth in November.


“This is the highest calendar year increase in 34 years of data, and substantially ahead of 2020’s 10.4% gain,” Craig Lazzara, managing director at S&P Dow Jones International, said in a statement.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency found that U.S. house prices rose 17.5% overall from the fourth quarter of 2020 to the fourth quarter of 2021.


“House prices continued to climb but not as rapidly during the final quarter of 2021 as in earlier quarters,” said William Doerner, a supervisory economist at the FHFA. “Housing trends over the past year have created challenges. The quick house price gains may be counterbalanced as mortgage rates increase. However, more expensive housing has elevated affordability to become a broader concern as available supply remains limited.”


House prices rose in all 50 states and the District of Columbia over the last year. The five areas with the highest annual appreciation were Arizona (27.4%); Utah (27.1%); Idaho (27.0%); Florida (25.6%); and Tennessee (24.1%). The areas showing the lowest annual appreciation were Washington, D.C.; Louisiana; North Dakota; Maryland; and Alaska.


An estimated 140,000 renovated properties purchased at foreclosure auction or bank-owned auction were resold to owner-occupant buyers between January 2020 and December 2021

Presented by: Auction.com 


According to the FHFA, annual price increases were greatest in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Florida, where prices increased by 34.6%, according to the FHFA’s House Price Index. Prices were weakest in the Frederick-Gaithersburg, Rockville, Maryland MSA, where they increased by 8.5%.

Phoenix registered the highest rate of home-price growth in the country in December, according to the Case-Shiller report, with a 32.5% year-over-year increase. The next highest were Tampa at a 29.4% gain and Miami with a 27.3% increase.


Though home prices are expected to continue to rise in coming months, largely due to continuing low levels of inventory, rising mortgage rates will push down origination volume.



Buyers in entry- and mid-level markets – where inventory is even weaker – will be more acutely affected by the jump in rates. As of Tuesday, rates were hovering around 4% for a fixed-rate 30-year mortgage.



Start Your Loan with DDA today
Your local Mortgage Broker

Mortgage Broker Largo
See our Reviews

Looking for more details? Listen to our extended podcast! 

Check out our other helpful videos to learn more about credit and residential mortgages.

Trigger leads bill advances to the House

By Didier Malagies • June 12, 2025
The federal bill that seeks to eliminate abusive trigger leads took a major step forward this week, advancing in the U.S. House of Representatives and reigniting hopes across the mortgage industry that it could soon become law. Yes, that's an important development for the mortgage and consumer protection landscape. The federal bill to eliminate abusive trigger leads recently advanced in the U.S. House of Representatives , which is a significant step toward potentially becoming law. Here’s what this means: 🔍 What Are Trigger Leads? When a consumer applies for a mortgage and a credit inquiry is made, credit bureaus can sell that information to other lenders. These are known as trigger leads . While legal, they often result in a flood of unsolicited calls or offers from competing lenders — many of which may be misleading or aggressive. 🏛️ About the Bill The legislation seeks to ban or strictly limit the use of trigger leads unless the consumer explicitly consents. It aims to: Protect consumers from confusing or predatory offers . Curb misleading solicitations that impersonate the original lender. Improve privacy and control over a borrower’s financial data. 🏠 Industry Reaction The mortgage industry and consumer advocacy groups have largely welcomed the move, arguing that trigger leads: Cause consumer confusion. Undermine trust in legitimate lenders. Lead to identity theft or fraud in some cases. 📅 What’s Next? The bill now moves to the Senate , where it will need to pass before reaching the President’s desk. Industry stakeholders are pushing for bipartisan support, noting the broad agreement on consumer protection. 

What are all the mortgage programs we offer

By Didier Malagies • June 9, 2025
We offer 2nd mortgages on primary, secondary, and investment properties we do purchases or refinances on Conventional, FHA, VA, and Non- Qm mortgages, We do Reverse Mortgages, Construction Permanent loans, FHA203k, and Conventional Renovation loans. Let me know how we can help you or someone you know tune in and learn at https://www.ddamortgage.com/blog Didier Malagies nmls#212566 dda mortgage nmls#324329

How will AI integrate with mortgages

By Didier Malagies • June 5, 2025
✅ What AI Will Do in Mortgages: Speed Up Approvals & Underwriting: AI can instantly verify income, assets, and credit. It reduces manual errors and shortens approval time from days to hours. Enhance Risk Assessment: Lenders use AI to evaluate risk more precisely, especially for non-traditional borrowers (e.g., gig workers, freelancers). Improve Customer Experience: Chatbots and virtual assistants handle common questions 24/7. Personalized loan options and real-time updates via apps or portals. Detect Fraud: AI is excellent at spotting red flags in documentation or transaction patterns. Automate Paperwork: AI can auto-fill forms, read legal documents, and streamline disclosures. ❌ What AI Won’t Do (Yet): Replace Human Loan Officers Entirely: Borrowers still want a human guide for major financial decisions. Emotional support, judgment calls, and trust still require human touch. Understand Complex Situations Fully: Edge cases like self-employed income, family co-borrowers, or mixed credit histories need human interpretation. Replace Regulatory Oversight: Compliance and legal accountability still rely on humans to interpret nuanced and changing rules. 🔮 Looking Ahead: Hybrid mortgage models (AI + human advisors) are becoming the norm. Lenders that use AI wisely will be faster, cheaper, and more customer-friendly. Borrowers may not realize how much AI is helping behind the scenes. 
Show More