Mortgage rates

Mortgage applications increased 2.7% from one week earlier, as purchase volume is now outpacing the prior year's activity, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

New-home sales in the U.S. unexpectedly increased in April after swooning a month earlier, suggesting the housing market is starting to stabilize.

Potential purchasers are looking to take advantage of low rates, despite worries about job security.

Signed purchase agreements dropped 20%, but the sales that closed in April showed buyers still paying top dollar.

With mortgage rates reaching all-time lows in the opening quarter, refinance originations were up in 97% of housing markets during 1Q, according to Attom Data Solutions.

Home sales in Volusia and Flagler counties in Florida declined in April, but prices continued to rise, area Realtors' associations reported.

Mortgage rates declined this past week, further continuing to help attract previously reluctant buyers back into the purchase market, according to Freddie Mac.

Sales of previously owned homes fell in April by the most since mid-2010 as the coronavirus hollowed out demand across the country at the start of the key spring selling season.

From the Midwest to mid-Atlantic, here's a look at 12 housing markets where first-time homebuyers find the most affordability, according to NerdWallet.

Mortgage applications decreased 2.6% from one week earlier, as tighter underwriting drove the refinance index to its lowest level since March, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

The Mortgage Bankers Association's forecast anticipates tremendous coronavirus stimulus-related debt coming on to the market.

Homebuilder sentiment rose in May by more than forecast following a record slump a month earlier as a pickup in sales and demand expectations pointed to stabilization in the real estate market.

While most work activities were halted in April to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, people continued to buy and sell real estate.

The economic contraction will keep mortgage rates low for the foreseeable future.

Mortgage rates remained generally steady this past week, even with the continuing market volatility, and that is helping the purchase market, according to Freddie Mac.

While overall mortgage application volume remained flat, purchase activity continued to rebound — and that should be the case through the remainder of the spring, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Hiring by nonbank mortgage and brokers held up unusually well through the early days of the coronavirus outbreak in March, but April's all-time high in unemployment suggests that's unlikely to last.

Mortgage rates are at record lows, but borrowers hoping to take advantage are running into the toughest loan-approval standards in years.

Consumer sentiment for home buying fell to its lowest point since November 2011, according to Fannie Mae.

Mortgage rates ticked up slightly this week, but whether consumers are able to take advantage of them for purchases and refinancings depends on who looks at the data.