The U.S. housing market recovery is gaining momentum, with a significant boost in home sales in 2012 coupled with historically low interest rates — but there’s still a long way to go, according to a Harvard University study published last week.
The State of the Nation’s Housing 2013 reported home sales between 2011 and 2012 increased to 4.66 million units, a gain of more than 9 percent nationwide. This was the largest increase in home sales in seven years.
While the boost in home sales is good for the economy and may provide more work opportunities for Notary Signing Agents, experts say homeowners are still facing tough problems with obtaining loans and making mortgage payments.
“It will take time for these problems to subside,” said Eric S. Belsky, Managing Director of Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies. “Given the profoundly positive impact that decent and affordable housing can have on the lives of individual families and entire communities, efforts to address these urgent concerns as well as longstanding housing affordability challenges should be among the nation’s highest priorities.”
David Thun is an Associate Editor at the National Notary Association.