Mortgage rates

With few headlines to drive up or down movement in the bond markets, mortgage rates held steady after declining for three consecutive weeks, according to Freddie Mac.

Toll Brothers Inc.'s new home orders dropped 24% in the fiscal first quarter, the steepest annual decline for the biggest U.S. luxury homebuilder since the depths of the housing crash in 2010.

Contract signings to purchase previously owned homes rose by more than forecast in January, snapping a six-month streak of declines and suggesting lower mortgage rates along with a strong job market are helping stabilize demand.

Home prices in the Portland, Ore., area rose last year at their slowest rate since 2012.

Mortgage applications increased 5.3% from one week earlier, as the stable rate environment enticed homebuyers into the market, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Slower home price growth and cooled mortgage rates could bring buyers out in droves in 2019, according to NerdWallet.

Home prices in 20 U.S. cities rose in December at the slowest pace in four years, continuing to decelerate as buyers balked at purchases amid still-elevated housing costs and a falling stock market.

New-home construction in December fell to the lowest since September 2016, as builders held back during a turbulent month for financial markets.

Rising household incomes paired with December's drop in mortgage rates gave consumers their largest monthly jump in home buying power since 2013, according to First American Financial Corp.

Mortgage prepayment speeds fell to a 19-year trough despite recent interest rate declines, but could rise if those lower rates lead to an increase in home purchases, according to Black Knight.