Mortgage rates

Mortgage rates had their largest week-to-week uptick since October 2018 as bond market investors reacted to positive news about the economy, according to Freddie Mac.

Self-service technology gives borrowers the control, speed and convenience they desire, while providing lenders with higher origination volume.

Any progress made with loosening housing inventory was lost as a high demand of buyers scooped up homes from the market, but sales still slipped from a year ago, according to Remax.

Existing-home sales exceeded their market potential again in August, and the improvement may continue for some time before there's a correction, according to First American.

Home construction surged in August to the fastest pace since mid-2007 on more apartment projects and single-family houses, a welcome sign for the housing sector that has struggled to gain momentum.

Mortgage applications decreased 0.1% from one week earlier as conforming and jumbo interest rates climbed back above 4%, which slowed refinance activity, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

The low mortgage rates of August drove new homebuyers to cannonball into the purchase market compared to the year before, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Lower rates and signs that more affordable housing inventory is being built drove Fannie Mae's 2019 origination numbers higher in its latest forecast.

Sentiment among homebuilders climbed to the highest in almost a year on stronger current sales momentum, adding to signs that lower mortgage rates are giving the industry a boost.

It appears a relatively good time to be a homebuyer in the Portland, Ore., area.