Mortgage rates

Employment at nondepository mortgage companies dropped considerably in November, as the combined effects of lower volumes and seasonal slowing reduced hiring needs.

Mortgage rates started 2019 by continuing their decline but as consumers worry about the broader economy that might not help to increase home sales, according to Freddie Mac.

Despite mortgage rates continuing their two month downslide, applications decreased 9.8% from two weeks ago due to market uncertainty, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Falling mortgage rates have reached the point where they are spurring speculation about a possible resurgence in refinancing.

Rising mortgage rates are helping decelerate home price growth, which is expected to slow further during the coming year, according to CoreLogic. Consumer uncertainty in the economy due to stock market declines may also weaken house values.

It's not clear exactly what might pull investor sentiment and 10-year Treasury yields, which rates for the 30-year mortgage are benchmarked to, off the current lows.

The cost of Wells Fargo's scandals continues to rise as regulators from all 50 states forced the institution to pay hundreds of millions in penalties for the creation of fake accounts, improper enrollment in life insurance, force-placed auto insurance policies and other activities.

Contract signings to purchase previously owned homes unexpectedly fell for a second month in November, offering yet another sign that the housing market is struggling.

As mortgage rates fall alongside the stock market back to their low levels of the summer, home sales could ultimately benefit, according to Freddie Mac.

The mortgage industry heads into 2019 with little relief from the market strains of the past three years. To succeed — or at least survive — lenders must confront major questions about demand, affordability and market consolidation.

When it comes to reversing their crisis-era bond buying, central bankers are focused on the destination. Traders in risk assets care more about what could be a painful journey.

The industry could see a boost in mortgage lending from regulatory changes, but other factors may slow growth.

Mortgage servicing assets are poised for gains in 2019. But as higher average mortgage rates spur lenders to sell servicing rights and diversify their loan offerings, servicers' work will also get more complicated and costly.

Home prices are outpacing wage growth across the Chattanooga, Tenn., region, but housing locally remains more affordable than in most of America.

Mortgage rates continued to drop this week with the positive effects already aiding housing, according to Freddie Mac.

Adjustable-rate mortgages in November had their highest share of closed loans since Ellie Mae started tracking this data in 2011 as rates for 30-year loans reached 5.15%.

Sales of previously owned homes rose for a second straight month and exceeded forecasts in November, suggesting consumer demand is picking up as price gains moderate amid more generous inventories.

Mortgage applications decreased 5.8% from one week earlier, although rates fell during the period to their lowest point in three months, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

New-home construction rebounded last month to the best pace since August while permits rose to a seven-month high, a sign homebuilding is potentially stabilizing even as higher prices and borrowing costs pose headwinds.

Orlando's red-hot real estate market may be cooling off.