Mortgage rates

Finance Minister Bill Morneau is relaxing mortgage qualification rules to make it easier for homebuyers to secure financing, a move that could give Canada's real estate market another boost.

A dip in conventional mortgage refinance demand drove mortgage application volume down compared with one week earlier, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

New-home construction remained robust in January and applications to build jumped to the highest level since 2007 as low mortgage rates and a solid labor market continued to fuel housing demand.

For the first time since the start of the housing crisis, mortgage origination volume could top $2 trillion for three consecutive years, according to Fannie Mae.

The resale side of the Colorado Springs-area housing market has picked up in 2020 where it left off last year: record high prices and strong sales that are great for sellers, but a sharp drop in the supply of homes that continues to torment buyers.

North Texas home sales started 2020 with a bang, surging 21% in January from a year earlier.

As the hunt for yield intensifies, investors including Pacific Investment Management Co. see an attractive opportunity in mortgage bonds.

Freddie Mac saw a decline in net profit in 2019 due to decreased interest rate income, lower amortization revenue and risk-reducing investment costs, but its consecutive-quarter results improved.

Mortgage rates ticked up slightly, marking the first increase in four weeks, but they remain at levels which encourage borrowers to refinance, according to Freddie Mac.

While boosting origination volume for lenders and providing financial benefits for borrowers, the refinance boom could have adverse effects down the road, according to TransUnion.