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.




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By Didier Malagies September 10, 2025
Excited to share a major update that will make the homebuying process more secure and less stressful. President Donald Trump recently signed the Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act of 2025 into law. This bill is a significant victory for the real estate industry, as it directly addresses the problem of unwanted calls, texts, and emails that often flood clients upon mortgage application. What's Changing? For years, many borrowers have experienced a barrage of unsolicited contact from different lenders immediately after their mortgage application. This happens because of "trigger leads"—a process where credit reporting agencies sell information to other companies once a credit inquiry is made. Effective March 5, 2026, this new law will put a stop to this practice. It will severely limit who can receive client contact information, ensuring client privacy is protected. A credit reporting agency will only be able to share trigger lead information with a third party if: • Clients explicitly consent to the solicitations. • The third party has an existing business relationship. This change means a more efficient, respectful, and responsible homebuying journey. We are committed to a seamless process and will keep you informed of any further developments as the effective date approaches. In the meantime, you can use the information below to inform clients how to proactively protect themselves from unwanted solicitations.  Opting Out: • OptOutPrescreen.com: You can opt out of trigger leads through the official opt-out service, OptOutPrescreen.com. • Do Not Call Registry: You can also register your phone number with the National Do Not Call Registry to reduce unsolicited calls. • DMA.choice.org: For mail solicitations, you can register with DMA.choice.org to reduce promotional mail. tune in and learn https://www.ddamortgage.com/blog didier malagies nmls#212566 dda mortgage nmls#324329
By Didier Malagies September 10, 2025
We're excited to share a major update that will make the homebuying process more secure and less stressful. President Donald Trump recently signed the Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act of 2025 into law. This bill is a significant victory for the real estate industry, as it directly addresses the problem of unwanted calls, texts, and emails that often flood clients upon mortgage application. What's Changing? For years, many borrowers have experienced a barrage of unsolicited contact from different lenders immediately after their mortgage application. This happens because of "trigger leads"—a process where credit reporting agencies sell information to other companies once a credit inquiry is made. Effective March 5, 2026, this new law will put a stop to this practice. It will severely limit who can receive client contact information, ensuring client privacy is protected. A credit reporting agency will only be able to share trigger lead information with a third party if: • Clients explicitly consent to the solicitations. • The third party has an existing business relationship. This change means a more efficient, respectful, and responsible homebuying journey. We are committed to a seamless process and will keep you informed of any further developments as the effective date approaches. In the meantime, you can use the information below to inform clients how to proactively protect themselves from unwanted solicitations. Opting Out: • OptOutPrescreen.com: You can opt out of trigger leads through the official opt-out service, OptOutPrescreen.com. • Do Not Call Registry: You can also register your phone number with the National Do Not Call Registry to reduce unsolicited calls. • DMA.choice.org: For mail solicitations, you can register with DMA.choice.org to reduce promotional mail. Didier Malagies nmls212566 DDA Mortgage nmls324329 
By Didier Malagies September 8, 2025
Good question — refinancing can be a smart move, but the timing really matters. The "right time" to refinance your mortgage depends on a mix of personal and market factors. Here are the main ones to weigh: 1. Interest Rates If current mortgage rates are at least 2% lower than your existing rate, refinancing could save you money. Example: Dropping from 7% to 6% on a $300,000 loan can save hundreds per month. 2. Loan Term Goals Switching from a 30-year to a 15-year mortgage can help you pay off your home faster (though monthly payments are higher). Extending your term may lower your monthly payment but increase total interest paid. 3. Equity in Your Home Lenders usually want you to have at least 20% equity for the best rates and to avoid private mortgage insurance (PMI). If your home’s value has increased, refinancing can help eliminate PMI. 4. Credit Score If your credit score has improved since you got your mortgage, you may now qualify for much better rates. 5. Life Situation Planning to stay in the home at least 3–5 years? That’s often how long it takes to “break even” on refinance closing costs. If you might sell sooner, refinancing may not make sense. 6. Debt or Cash Needs A cash-out refinance can help if you want to consolidate higher-interest debt, fund renovations, or free up cash — but it raises your loan balance. ✅ Rule of Thumb: Refinance if you can lower your rate, shorten your term, or eliminate PMI, and you’ll stay in the home long enough to recover the costs. tune in and learn https://www.ddamortgage.com/blog didier malagies nmls#212566 dda mortgage nmls#324329
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