Mortgage rates

A pickup in sales of previously owned homes signals the housing market is making progress despite inventory constraints that are sending prices to all-time highs.

Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Stanley Fischer said a long period of low interest rates may have contributed to "high and rising" home prices in several countries, cautioning against forgetting the lessons of the 2007-09 housing crisis.

From the Trump administration's initial efforts at reg relief and GSE reform to dramatic shifts in the servicing landscape, here's a look back at the top stories shaping the mortgage industry during the first half of 2017.

Homebuilders might be starting to feel some pressures of scarce labor and rising prices as sentiment slipped to a four-month low in June.

Mortgage rates increased for the first time in over a month, but the increase might be short-lived, according to Freddie Mac.

Federal Reserve officials forged ahead with an interest-rate increase and additional plans to tighten monetary policy despite growing concerns over weak inflation.

Mortgage applications increased 2.8% from one week earlier as refinancings hit their highest level since November, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Federal Reserve officials surprised some onlookers by unveiling a rough plan for balance sheet runoff in the minutes for their May meeting.

The Federal Reserve will increase interest rates twice more in 2017 and begin shrinking its balance sheet before year's end despite a clear downturn in the outlook for inflation.

Mortgage rates dropped for the fourth consecutive week and hit their lowest level in nearly seven months, according to Freddie Mac.

Lenders are feeling some relief on the regulatory front, but they still expect their compliance expenses to rise, according to a recent Lenders One survey.

Lower rates led to an increase in both purchase and refinance applications compared with the previous week. according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

For the first time since before the recession, the entire central Puget Sound region — from Pierce to Snohomish and Kitsap counties — has set records for median home prices.

The Fannie Mae Home Price Sentiment Index fell 0.5 percentage points in May to 86.2 as the continued price increase had more stating it was a better time to sell than buy.

Home prices were up 6.9% in April over the prior year, as lower mortgage rates during the month stimulated consumer demand to purchase a property, according to CoreLogic.

Mortgage rates inched lower for the third consecutive week and set a new low for the year, according to Freddie Mac.

Application volume decreased 3.4% from one week earlier, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Housing demand unexpectedly weakened for a second month across most regions as lean inventory took a toll on affordability, putting a damper on the typically busier spring selling season.

A larger-than-forecast increase in home prices in 20 U.S. cities in March underscores both steady demand and lean inventory, according to S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller.

Rising prices are holding back some potential sellers from listing their properties because they fear they won't find an affordable replacement, according to First American Financial Corp.