Lotsa Leverage

As house prices relentlessly rise, the percentage of conventional loans this past winter going to borrowers with debt-to-income (DTI) ratios above 45% hit 20%, almost triple what the percentage was 12 months ago, but less than the housing boom peak of 36%. Meanwhile the share of buyers with DTIs between 46% and 50% is near where it was in 2004-05 but remains well under the 2007 top. I’m slightly concerned.