Origination

Fiscal policy concerns, rather than economic data, are driving rate changes right now, economist says

Single-family starts rose for a seventh month to a 1.186 million annualized rate that was the highest since 2007.

The percentage of seriously delinquent loans hit 5.8% in the third quarter, up from 1.5% a year earlier but down from 6.8% in the second quarter.

While the haggling tapered off slightly alongside the housing market’s seasonal slowdown, home sales remained five times more competitive than the year before, according to Redfin.

The deadline for inclusion in Ginnie mortgage-backed securities has been extended and an exception will be made for some participations.

Economic instability during the quarter drove the increase in findings regarding income and employment, Aces Quality Management reported.

Homebuilder confidence eased slightly in December to the second-best level on record following the prior month’s peak, signaling that low mortgage rates are still giving the industry a major boost.

Mortgage applications increased 1.1% from one week earlier as a decline in rates to yet another low point brought consumers into the market, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Home sales in the San Antonio area rose for the sixth straight month as prices continued increasing and the inventory of available houses kept tightening.

Applications for loans on newly built homes are still up considerably from a year ago, but they were down a little from October in the Mortgage Bankers Association’s latest survey.