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Every week we hear about historically low rates on home loans. Rates on 30-year fixed mortgages are well below 5% and still falling! Interest rates like these would have home buyers lining up to buy any available real estate in any other market. So who is getting these super low interest home loan rates? Very, very few people.Why is that?

The biggest problem is that a lot of homeowners are upside down on their mortgages. Property values have fallen significantly in the last few years. Many homeowners are finding that their homes are worth less now than when they bought them. Even those who bought their homes several years ago are now under water because they took out cash when they refinanced their homes or got second mortgages.

Banks will only make loans of some percentage ? 80% up to 97.5% - of a home?s current value. It’s not possible for people to pay off their old loan with proceeds from a new loan with a lower balance. That?s true for a refinance or for selling one house and buying another. Unless a homeowner can come up with the cash to make up the shortfall, they’re stuck, no matter how well qualified they are.

In this economy the unemployment rate is high, but as concerning is the length of time it has been so high. Many homeowners have been out of work for an extended period of time. Many more are underemployed ? working part time jobs or jobs far below their qualifications and income. Somehow many of these people are making ends meet in spite of the challenges. They’ve found creative solutions, including starting their own businesses, cutting back on spending and sending stay-at-home parents back into the work force. Still, proving to a lender that they can make payments on the new proposed loan is difficult. And this in spite of the fact that they can show that they’ve been successfully making payments on their existing loan at a higher interest rate! Even for those who have sufficient income, changes in employment can make it difficult to qualify. Most lenders want to see two years of employment in the same field to consider a buyer stable. Borrowers who switched to a different field because they couldn’t find work in their chosen field, or borrowers who took a contract position won’t qualify until they have a two year history to show.

Lending standards have risen. The fact that lending practices were too lenient, causing the large number of defaults that we’ve seen is to blame. So banks have tightened up their requirements. They want to see higher credit scores and lower debt ratios than they did years ago. The chances that a homeowner has a lot of cash in the bank and nearly perfect credit, after surviving employment problems, falling home values and other challenges, is slim.

First time home buyer face the same employment and strict lending practices problems that existing homeowners do, but at least they’re not under water on mortgages. Unfortunately potential first time buyers with sufficient verifiable income, a hefty downpayment and great credit are in short supply. Many of those that can buy a home now are worried that home prices will decline further and/or that they?ll lose their jobs. Buying your first home is a scary experience. The current economic conditions don’t make it easy to take that risk.

So those tantalizing interest rates that we keep hearing about in the news remain just out of reach. Something that’s technically true, but simultaneously too good to be true.

If you are one of those in a position to buy a buy a new home in California, this is the time to do it. Once the market turns around, interest rates will rise quickly.

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