First time home buyers

Despite mortgage rates at a seven-year high and rising home prices and low inventory that are keeping consumers from buying homes, rental prices are declining in many markets.

One report found that 95% of homebuyers searched websites before buying a home, and that number jumps to 99% among millennials. In short, almost everyone starts shopping online, and a vast majority are going to Zillow.

Millennials are targeting homeownership within the next few years, but many are buying into certain house-purchasing myths, according to Bank of America.

Property values for homes that were foreclosed on during the Great Recession are outpacing the nation's average house price appreciation, according to Zillow.

The state's red-hot housing market may be cooling a bit, according to the head of the New Hampshire Housing Authority.

While digital expansion of the mortgage application process increases convenience, it inherently comes with the downside of heightened fraud risk.

Homebuyers put about 15% toward a down payment on house, spend $40,000 in one-time fees and thousands in closing costs, presenting an opportunity for lenders to leverage education and product offerings to prepare them for a purchase.

The mortgage industry is calling on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to revise its Loan Originator Compensation rule in favor of better protection for consumers and lesser regulatory burdens for lenders.

Millennials make up the largest constituent group for both homebuyers and sellers, which could put a squeeze on lending and eventually shift the market.

With hundreds of digital mortgage products on the market, lenders must focus on their core business objectives to avoid getting overwhelmed by all the bells and whistles, says Teresa Blake, managing director of business optimization at KPMG.