Origination

Total housing starts increased 3% to a 1.35 million annualized rate last month, driven by a 19.6% surge in multifamily construction, according to government data released Wednesday.

Refinance transactions shot up over 15% to their highest volume in almost two years, the Mortgage Bankers Association said.

Some commenters on the Federal Housing Finance Agency's request for input about the Federal Home Loan Bank system mission demand more focus on affordable housing while others firmly advocated against member incentive programs.

Rocket Mortgage relied on a biased appraisal when it denied a borrower's refinance application in Denver three years ago, the housing agency claims.

Banks reported that they have far more protections against fraud in digital channels versus branches or call centers, according to survey research.

Amid a rocky re-election campaign, the president announced the Biden-Harris Housing Plan, calling on Congress to incentivize landlords to cap rents and enable the construction of two million homes.

Further efficiencies could aid servicers, and improved performance may be a reason for lenders to open the credit box, experts at an Urban Institute event said.

The resilience of the equity market has been underpinned by optimism the economy has withstood the worst of Fed tightening.

Confidence among U.S. homebuilders fell for a third straight month in July as elevated interest rates weighed on sales and kept construction financing costs high.

Roughly 13% of homeowners in the top state are uninsured.