Attom Data Solutions

It's in lenders' best interests to show first-time homebuyers how to avoid overextending themselves, which is easy to do in a housing market short on inventory and long on big down payments, the CEO of Freedom Mortgage says.

While the housing market perennially decelerates in the winter, it can be a wonderland for potential homebuyers, according to Attom Data Solutions.

While it's normally a time the market slows down for mortgage lenders relative to the rest of the year, this winter shouldn't be used to hibernate, according to Attom Data Solutions.

Housing policies are helping the number of vacant foreclosure homes drop, which could also mean homebuyers have been taking advantage of these properties as inventory continues to be constrained, according to Attom Data Solutions.

Home price appreciation is continuing to decelerate due to affordability concerns that are unlikely to let up even though recent market developments have put some downward pressure on mortgage rates.

Natural disasters are now the leading driver of lenders' foreclosure risk, with last year's hurricanes causing a rise in third-quarter filings in affected markets, according to Attom Data Solutions.

Here's a look at the 12 cities with the biggest gap between the current wages needed to buy a home and the historical average, a sign a housing bubble might be brewing.

Foreclosure starts increased 9% in August compared with July, slightly higher than the historic norm between the two months, according to Attom Data Solutions.

Mortgage origination volume continues to decline as homebuyers receiving loans bring more money to the closing table.

More flip-and-fix property buyers seek financing for their purchases as fewer distressed homes come on the market and sales margins narrow, said Attom Data Solutions.